IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR FIRING AND CURING TEA
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Albert Robinson, of No. 354, Great George Street,
Westminster, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR FIRING AND CURING TEA."-A
communication from abroad by Thomas Waters, residing at Nagasaki,
in the Empire of Japan.
Sealed the 8th August 1865, and dated the 13th June 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Albert Robinson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 18th
June 1865.
I, ALBERT ROBINSON, of 354, Great George Street, Westminster, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR FIRING AND CURING
TEA," to be as follows:-
The firing and curing of tea has heretofore been effected by exposing the
tea when placed in pans directly to the heat of a fire, and the scorching or
overheating of the tea when thus exposed is but imperfectly prevented by the
attendants stirring it up with their hands, whereby also the tea becomes very
much crushed, and consequently a great quantity of dust is formed.
Now the present Invention consists in the application of the heat of steam,
instead of the direct heat of fire to the firing and curing of tea.
The apparatus for carrying ont this Invention may be variously arranged,
but, by preference, the tea is for this purpose introduced into one end of a

page_text: long trough of a semicircular transverse sectional form, and surrounded by a
steam jacket, along which trough a revolving shaft runs carrying a number
of blades placed at an angle, so that as the tea is introduced into the trough
at one end, and is exposed to the steam heated surface of the same, it is con-
tinually stirred up and gradually conveyed along the trough by the screw-like
action of the revolving blades, until it passes out at the other end of the
trough perfectly fired and cured. The blades are made adjustable upon the
shaft, so that their angle may be altered, and consequently the speed at which
the tea is conveyed along the trough varied. The blades are also, by pre-
ference, provided at their extremity with a projecting arm, arranged parallel,
or nearly so, to the sides of the trough, which arms in passing in close
proximity to the surface of the trough, more effectually stir up the tea and
insure its becoming equally fired and cured.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Albert Robinson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
12th December 1865.
TO' ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALBERT
ROBINSON, of No. 354, Great George Street, Westminster, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Albert Robinson, Her special licence that I, the said Albert Robinson,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as 1, the said Albert
Robinson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland; the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR FIRING AND CURING TEA," a communication to
me from abroad by Thomas Waters, residing at Nagasaki, in the Empire
of Japan, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Albert
Robinson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what männer the same

page_text: was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Albert Robinson, do hereby declare:
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing, and
to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
The firing and curing of tea has heretofore been effected by exposing the
tea, when placed in pans, directly to the heat of a fire, and the scorching or
overheating of the tea when thus exposed is but imperfectly prevented by
the attendants stirring it up with their hands, whereby also the tea becomes
very much crushed; and consequently a great quantity of dust is formed.
Now, the present Invention consists in the application of the heat of steam
instead of the direct heat of fire to the firing and curing of tea.
The apparatus for carrying out this Invention may be variously arranged,
but, by preference, the tea is for this purpose introduced into one end of a
long trough of a semicircular transverse sectional form, and surrounded by a
steam jacket, along which trough a revolving shaft runs carrying a number
of blades placed at an angle, so that as the tea is introduced into the trough
at one end, and is exposed to the steam heated surface of the same, it is con-
tinually stirred up and gradually conveyed along the trough by the screw-like
action of the revolving blades, until it passes out at the other end of the
trough perfectly fired and cured. The blades are made adjustable upon the
shaft, so that their angle may be altered, and consequently the speed at which
the tea is conveyed along the trough varied. The blades are also, by pre-
ference, provided at their extremity with a projecting arm, arranged parallel
or nearly so to the sides of the trough, which armis in passing in close
proximity to the surface of the trough, more effectually stir up the tea and
insure its becoming equally fired and cured.
On the accompanying Drawing is shown the arrangement of apparatus
which I prefer to employ in carrying this Invention into practice..
Figure 1 shows a plan of the same; Figure 2 shows a longitudal section
Figures 3 to 8 are enlarged details of the same, of which Figure 3 shows a
transverse section at X, X; Figure 4 shows a transverse section at Y, Y;
and Figure 5 shows an end view at Z, Z; Figures 6 and 7 show respectively
a front and back view of the blades, and Figure 8 shows;a plan of part of the
shafting, showing the arrangement for adjusting the anglès of the blades.
Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in each of the Figures.

page_text: A, A, is a long trough of a semicircular transverse section, by preference
made of thin wrought iron, and' surrounded by a steam jacket B, which is
again enclosed in an outer casing of wood C. A long shaft D, driven by any
suitable source of motive power by means of a pulley E, runs the whole length
of the trough, and is provided at intervals with blades F, F. These blades
are placed at a slight angle to the shaft, such angle being adjustable. by means
of an arm G fixed to the blade, which may be fixed by means of a pin g in
different positions upon the segment H attached to the shaft D. At the back
of each blade F is fixed a projecting bar I, which, as the blade revolves with
the shafting, is made to pass very closely along the surface of the trough.
Steam being admitted into the steam jacket through the pipe J the entire
surface of the trough becomes heated to the requisite degree, whereupon the
tea requiring to be fired or cured is introduced into it at Z. The shaft D and
blades F are now made to revolve, and by the screw-like action of the blades
the tea is made to travel gradually along the entire steam-heated surface of
the trough, it being at the same time stirred up by the action of the pro-
jecting bars 1. The speed at which the tea is thus made to travel along the
trough may be increased or diminished by altering the angle of the blades
relative to the shafting, as before described; such speed is so adjusted that
when the tea arrives at the end X of the trough it is perfectly fired or cured,
and it is made to pass thence into any suitable receptacle. The water that
accumulates in the steam jacket from the condensation of the steam is con-
ducted thence through pipes K. Instead of employing a series of separate
screw blades as described, one continuous screw may be fixed on the shaft, or
an endless belt or chain with projecting surfaces, and passing over pulleys at
each end of the trough may be made to travel slowly along the trough so as
to convey the tea along it.
Having now described the nature of this Invention, and the best means
I am acquainted with of performing the same, I wish it to be understood that
I do not limit myself to the precise arrangement of apparatus, herein-before
described, with reference to the accompanying Drawing, as this may be
variously modified without departing from the nature of this Invention; but
what I claim is,-
First, firing and curing tea by bringing it in contact with steam-heated
surfaces.
Second, constructing apparatus for firing or curing tea, consisting of a long
steam jacketted trough, into one end of which the tea is introduced, and along
which it is caused to travel by means of a series of revolving screw blades
mounted upon a shaft running along the trough, or by other known means,"

page_text: substantially as berein-before described with reference to the accompanying
Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Albert Robinson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
ALBERT ROBINSON. (L.S.)