Improvements in or connected with Machinery or Apparatus for Rolling Tea Leaf.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 6th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 14th Nov., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Machinery or Apparatus for
Rolling Tea Leaf.
I, NATHAN WILLIAM HORATIO SHARPE, of 26 Perth Road, Stroud Green, London, N.,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention for improvements in or connected with machinery or apparatus for
rolling tea leaf as hereafter described refers to that class of apparatus having two
opposing plates or surfaces which are dished or hollowed and between which the leaf
is placed to be acted upon.
According to my invention the upper and lower plates or surfaces, which are or
may be corrugated to prevent the leaves slipping while being rolled, are each carried
by a separate set of say three, guiding and operating cranks.
To this end I provide a lower stationary frame work supported by pedestal brackets
and such pedestals form bearings for, say, three vertical spindles the upper ends of
these spindles above the lower frame are formed or provided with cranks or crank
discs. These cranks take into bearings formed upon a frame which carries the lower
opposing plate or surface whereby the latter is supported. From the lower fixed
framework there extends two bearing sockets to receive two cranked spindles which
pass outside and away from the lower rolling plate frame and support and guide an
upper frame work which carries the upper rolling plate; the front extension of the
upper rolling plate framo is carried by a cranked spindle having bearing in a suitable
bracket adjacent to one of the crank spindles supporting the lower rolling plate.
The cranked spindle carrying the front extension of the upper rolling plate frame
is driven through a bevel gearing by a horizontal driving shaft and the said cranked
spindle is connected by spur gearing to the adjacent cranked spindle supporting the
lower rolling plate frame. By this arrangement each rolling plate frame is, driven by
a cranked shaft or crank disc and is supported and guided in its motion by two other
crank shafts, there being thus six crank shafts for operating and guiding the moving
parts. The motor shaft may be arranged as is cominon in such machines to be capable
of radial adjustment. The upper rolling plate is contained in a box casing in the
upper framework and is made capable of vertical adjustment and to vary the pressure
required between the two plates according to circumstance.
The regulation or adjustment of the distance or pressure between the rolling plates,
is, or may be effected as follows:
The plate itself may be carried within its casing by means of a suitable framework,
and this latter may be in connection with a vertical screwed spindle, carried towards
its upper end by an arched bracket from the framework of the upper table. Upon
the screwed spindle is a'nut having bevelled teeth by which it may be rotated through
a bevel pinion and a hand wheel a spring may be provided to aid in raising the
table.
By these means not only may the adjustment be regulated with the greatest nicety
but the table itself may be lifted clear of its enclosing casing.
Dated this 25th day of March 1896.
FREDERIC PRINCE,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in or connected with Machinery or Apparatus for
Rolling Tea Leaf.
I, NATHAN WILLIAM HORATIO SHARPE, of 26 Perth Road, Stroud Green, London, N.,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
This invention for improvements in or connected with machinery or apparatus for
rolling tea leaf as hereafter described, refers to that class of apparatus having two
opposing plates or surfaces which are dished or hollowed and between which the leaf
is placed and to be acted upon and according to my present invention these upper and
lower plates or surfaces are each carried by a separate set of say three guiding and
operating cranks, that is to say three crank spindles support and guide the frame
carrying the lower plate while other three crank spindles support and guide the frame
carrying the upper plate, one of the cranks supporting the upper frame being driven,
and by gearing, driving in its turn one of the cranks of the lower frame: means.
are provided for the adjustment of the upper plate within its frame relatively to the
lower plate.
In order that my invention may be readily understood I will now describe
an example of the construction of same with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Fig. 1, is a side elevation of a machine constructed according to my invention
for rolling tea leaf, the upper plate and its adjusting mechanism having been removed:
Fig. 2, is a plan of same and Fig. 3, is a front elevation of part of the upper frame
shewing the upper plate adjustment mechanism. A, is a lower stationary framework
supported by pedestal brackets B, there being three such in the example shewn :
these pedestals B, form bearings for the three vertical spindles C, the upper ends
thereof above the lower frame A, being formed on or provided with cranks, C.
These cranks or rather two of such take into bearings formed upon or fixed to a
frame D, which carries the lower opposing plate or surface upon which the tea is to
be rolled, while the third spindle C, is provided at its upper end with a keyed spur
wheel E, having a crank pin C taking into a bearing carried by a bracket Dx, from
the frame D. The bottom of the spindles C, rest upon an adjustable bearing C³, let
into the pedestal B, the adjustment being effected by the set screw (*.
From the lower fixed framework A, there extends two bearing sockets A' to
receive two crank spindles F which pass outside and away from the lower rolling.
plate frame D, and are formed above same with cranks F, to support and guide an
upper framework G, which carries the upper rolling plates: the front extension G', of
the upper rolling plate frame is carried by a spindle H, having a bearing in a suitable
jacket J, adjacent to that crank spindle C which is provided with the spur wheel E
and partly supports the lower rolling plate frame D.
The spindle H, has keyed thereon a spur wheel H¹ gearing with the spur wheel E,
while the upper extension of the spindle H is cranked at H 2, and takes into a
bearing in the part G, and supports the extension of the upper rolling plate frame.
The spindle H, has keyed thereon a bevel wheel H 3, at its lower part, the said bevel
wheel H 3, being accommodated in a loop J', of the bracket J, and is driven by a
bevel wheel K, on a horizontal shaft K' fitted with fast and loose pulleys K 2.
The
motor shaft K', is or may be arranged as is common in such machines so as to he
capable of radial adjustment if so desired.
As will now be understood the crank H 2, of the spindle H, operates the upper
rolling plate frame G, while the rotation of the shatt H, through the gearing H
and, E, also operates the lower rolling plate frame D, there being thus six crank

page_text: shafts for operating and guiding the moving parts the opposing plates or surfaces
between which the leaf is rolled are not only dished but are or may be corrugated to
prevent the leaves slipping while being rolled.
The upper rolling plate is contained in a box casing G 2, of the upper frame work G.
and is made capable of vertical adjustment to vary the pressure required between the
two plates as well as to allow (when the upper plate is raised) of the admittance of
the leaf to be rolled by the hopper entrance G 3, and also to permit of the inspection
of the under side of the upper rolling plate.
The regulation or vertical adjustment of this upper plate may be effected as shewn
by Fig. 3, where the plate or plate carrier L, is supported within its casing G 2, from
a cross head framework M, by means of a vertical screwed spindle N; the spindle N.
passes through plain bearings M', M 2, in the framework between which is located on the
shaft N, a bevel wheel P, gearing internally with the screw N, and acting as a nut thereon..
This bevel wheel P, is rotated to raise and lower the plate L, by a bevel pinion P
and a hand wheel P 2. R, is a spring to counter balance somewhat the weight of the
table L. At its lower end the spindle N, is fixed to the table L, so as to be capable
of rotation.
By these means the adjustment of the table L, may not only be regulated with the
greatest nicety, but the table itself may be lifted clear of its enclosing casing G 2, as
shewn by dotted lines.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed; I declare that what 1
claim as my improvements in or connected with machinery or apparatus for rolling te:
leaf, is as follows:
1. A frame D, for carrying the lower rolling plate and a set of cranks C, C for
supporting and guiding the said frame D, in combination with an upper frame for
carrying the upper rolling plate. A second set of cranks for guiding and supporting
the said upper frame, and spur gearing for connecting a crank shaft appertaining to
the upper frame with a crank shaft appertaining to the lower frame, together with
means for giving motion to one of the latter geared crank shafts, substantially as
described.
2. The general arrangement and construction composing the machinery or apparatus
for rolling tea leaf, together with means for the vertical adjustment of the upper,
rolling plate within its carrying casing, substantially as described and shewn with
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 20th day of September 1896.
FREDERIC PRINCE,
37 Cursitor Street, Chancery Lane, London, Agent for Applicant.