A New or Improved Machine for Treating Tea of Impaired or Inferior Quality.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Mar., 1890-Accepted, 26th Apr., 1890
A New or Improved Machine for Treating Tea of Impaired or
Inferior Quality.
I, JAMES DANIEL CAHILL of 6 Great George Street, Cork, in the County of Cork
Ireland Commercial Agent, 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 :-
My invention relates to a new or improved machine for treating tea of impaired or
inferior quality according to the process of which I have this day applied for
H.M. Letters Patent No. 4088.
My improved machine consists of a cylinder mounted upon a spindle which is
carried at its two extremities upon suitable trostles or standards and is provided at one
end with a handle by means of which the said cylinder can be rotated. The internal
surface of the latter is provided longitudinally with angle irons rivitted thereto and
arranged somewhat obliquely and the cylinder is further furnished at its end near
the said handle with openings or perforations through which the tea is discharged in
a tray or other receptacle placed thereunder for this purpose. In the other end of the
cylinder enters the shoot or outlett pipo of a hopper through which the tea is fed
therein. This hopper is carried upon the end trestle or standard. The said cylinder
is heated by atmospheric gas pipes supplied with gas from any convenient source and
supported under the cylinder upon suitable blocks.
An in order that my invention may be more fully understood I have shown the
same in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is an elevation Fig. 2 a longitudinal
section and Fig. 3an end view of my improved machine.
is the cylinder mounted on the spindle s carried by the two trestles or standards & t¹
upon adjustable bearings i, ¹, and provided at one end with a handle h by means of
which it can be revolved. In larger machines, a pully may be mounted on the said
spindle and the cylinder may be rotated by steam or other power. The cylinder C is
provided at one end with openings or outlets o, 01, 0, &c. through which the tea is
discharged and falls in the tray or receptable r. The inner surface of the said cylinder
is provided longitudinally with a series of obliquely arranged angle irons 1, 1, &c.
rivitted to the shell of the cylinder, the object of these irons, flanges or ribs being to
cause the tea to be propelled from the feeding to the discharge end of the cylinder
during the rotation of the latter. H is the hopper through which the tea is fed
and enters the cylinder through the shoot T. The cylinder C is heated by the
atmospheric gas pipes p p placed thereunder upon suitable blocks 6, 6, &c.
These pipes are connected by means of two india rubber pipes n n¹ to any suitable
gas supply pipes.
A thermometer M is arranged rigidly upon the spindle inside the cylinder C.
For the purpose of retaining the heat I may surround the cylinder with a cylindrical
envelope or shell not shown in the drawings.
The gas having been ignited the temperature is raised in the cylinder to about
160° F. the tea of impaired or inferior quality is fed into the hopper and the
handle is turned. The ten travels slowly as the cylinder is being rotated and
reaches the discharge openings oo' &c. when it falls into the tray or receptacle r
after having meanwhile been subjected to a temperature gradually increasing to
about 180° F.
The tea being continually fed in the hopper the operation is carried out unin-
terruptedly.
The tea as it falls into the receptacle r has not only recovered all its former quality
but has moreover acquired a great many more, while it has lost the dullness and
greyness which it possessed before and impaired its quality.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be described I declare that what I
claim is
The improved machine for rotating and improving tea of impaired or inferior
quality arranged, constructed and operating substantially as described and shown 5
and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 14th day of March 1800
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, London, Agents.