Improvements in Tea-rolling Machine Tables,
Year: 1898

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tea-rolling Machine Tables,
I, WILLIAM BURT FLOCKHART, Engineer, of Tezpur, Assam, British India, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to make the rolling surface as also the inner border
of the well of tea rolling tables of a more enduring material than that in present
use and also to construct such material in such a manner as to permit of its being
reversed or transposed when the upper surface has been worn away. For this
purpose I use a suitable metal preferably brass for the facing of such surfaces and I
construct and attach it in the manner hereinafter described.
In the drawings annexed hereto and which are to be read as part of this
specification the same letters or numerals indicate the same parts in each figure.
Fig. 1 shows a plan of the table leaf with a portion of the upper brass surface
cut away at one corner.
Fig. 2 shows a vertical section on line X. Z.
Fig. 3 shows a section to half size of the reversible brass well-border.
The leaf of the table as at present used, is 4' 11" x 4' 11" or five feet square
including the angle iron band and giving it the same dimension I construct it as
follows: A the central well is an opening with a trap (not shown) attached to
permit of discharging the rolled tea leaf through it. B are sloping margins to the
well, C are four boards 4' 11" x 9" x 1" crossing and being joggled into each other
form the main frame and four corner hip pieces C¹ the inner ends of which are
mortised into the outer angle formed by the crossing of two of the main frame
boards. On the main frame boards are three battens D, D1 and D2 all round
1" x 1" which are attached to the main frame by wood screws and this frame work
is laid in an angle iron border E 3" x 3" and is bolted thereto by four bolts F on
each side. After this is effected a fillet G is laid in between angle iron band E and
outer batten D which forms a border on all four sides.
5 //
The solid reversible brass well-border H is next placed on the main frame and is
attached thereto from under side by means of a threaded bolt J passing through
frame and engaging in a threaded bolt hole in the well border. In Fig. 1, two of
these bolts are shown on each side of the square. The four brass surface plates K
44" x 13"x" are then laid on and screwed down on the battens D, Di and D²
the inner edges of the plates being projected over and into the rabbit L " deep
on the outer upper angle of the metal well-border H.
Fig. 3, shows a section of the metal well-border H to one half of full size. The
inner corners M, M are rounded off and the outer corners L, L are rabitted to
receive the inner sides of the brass surface plates K which rest thereon. The outer
sides have a central recess N all round to lighten it except at the points where
screw bolts J pass through and engage it at which points it has a solid upright
part an inch to an inch and half thick through which the bolt hole passes.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a tea rolling machine table, the method of constructing the well-border H
with a solid reversible metal casting preferably of brass, substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated.
2. In a tea rolling machine table, the method of surfacing said tables with four
metal plates (preferably brass) of equal sizes laid following each other so as to
permit of their being reversed or transposed when the upper surface becomes
abraded or worn down substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated.
3. In a tea rolling machine table-in combination all the said several parts
forming the leaf of said table substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated.
Dated this 31st day of January 1898.
WILLIAM BURT FLOCKHART,
By his Agent, Reginald W. Barker,
Monument Chambers, London, E.C.