Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for Drying Tea Leaf and similar Substances.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Apr., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 6th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 21st Nov., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for Drying Tea Leaf
and similar Substances.
1, 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 refers to apparatus for drying tea leaf and similar substances hereafter
in this specification termed "leaf" and whereby the leaf fed in at the upper part of
the apparatus travels over a series of vibrating trays arranged in a drying chamber
through which a current of heated air is passed. The leaf is automatically transferred
from tray to tray throughout the whole series and is delivered at a lower part of the
apparatus; the invention refers more particularly to the construction and arrangement
in the drying chamber, the operating parts connected therewith, and to the air heating
furnace adjacent thereto.
According to this invention the apparatus is constructed substantially as follows:
Within say a rectangular chamber is located a series of trays horizontally inclined in
alternate directions, inside elevation presenting a somewhat serpentine course.
A feed aperture is provided at the top of the apparatus above the upper end of the
top tray and the leaves passing in by this aperture are received upon the top tray which
together with all the trays receives a rocking vibratory motion. The leaf is thus
caused to descend the incline of the top tray, is delivered from lower end of same on
to the next tray reversely inclined, and in like manner travels over and descends from
tray to tray until it is finally delivered outside the chamber from the lowest tray.
The bottoms of the trays are preferably transversely grooved or corrugated and
likewise perforated. The upper end of the top tray and of each alternate lower tray
is provided at each side with a laterally projecting pivot extending through the
chamber and such pivots take into bearings (such as wood block bearings) carried by
connecting rods one at each side of the chamber.
These connecting rods near their upper and lower ends are supported from the
chamber by means of cranks pivotted on the walls of the chamber and taking through
bearings on the connecting rods. Near the centre of each connecting rod is formed a
sheave to receive an eccentric, and these two eccentrics are carried upon a transverse
shaft extending through the chamber fitted with driving means such as pulleys which
may be cone ones to give varying speeds, and driven as hereafter mentioned."
The lower end of the top tray and of each alternate lower tray is supported by
crank arms from each side of the tray taking into lateral bearing blocks carried in
vertical slides on the chamber, and these slides are fitted with means whereby the
bearing blocks and consequently the lower ends of the trays can be adjusted vertically.
The upper end of the tray immediately below the top tray and of each alternate lower
tray is supported by cranks and lateral connecting rods, operated by eccentric, all
located at the opposite end of the chamber to the operating mechanism before described
and in other respects of similar construction: the lower end of this set of trays being
supported in like manner to those previously described.
By this mechanism all the trays will receive a circular vibrating motion upon the
mechanism being operated. At one end of the apparatus opposite to the delivery end,
is a furnace from which heated or desiccated air is admitted to the interior of the
chamber and on top of the chamber is located an exhaust fan by which the heated air.
is drawn through the apparatus and its contained trays.

page_text: The fan may be driven from a prime motor, and motion may be communicated from
the fan shaft by belt gearing to the eccentric shaft at one end of the apparatus and
therefrom to the second eccentric shaft.
The air heating apparatus is conveniently constructed as follows: Above a furnace
of ordinary construction is arranged a number of horizontal air tubes carried by a
casing or frame. These air tubes are open to the atmosphere at one end while at the
opposite end the air heated in its passage through the tubes is delivered finally to the
chamber containing the trays. The product of combustion before passing away by a
funnel circulates between the air tubes.
Dated this 10th day of April 1896
FREDERIC PRINCE,
Agent for Applicant.
Improvements in and connected with Apparatus for Drying Tea Leaf
and similar Substances.
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 refers to apparatus for drying tea leaf and similar substances, hereafter
in the specification termed "leaf" and whereby the leaf fed in at the upper part of
the apparatus, travels over a series of vibrating trays arranged in a drying chamber,
through which a current of heated air is passed. The leaf is automatically transferred
from tray to tray, throughout the whole series and is delivered at a lower part of the
apparatus. The invention refers more particularly to the construction and arrangement
of parts within the drying chamber, to the operating parts connected therewith, and
to the air heating furnace adjacent thereto.
The invention will be understood by the following description having reference to
the accompanying drawings whereon similar letters of reference refer to like parts in
the several figures.
Fig. 1, is a side elevation of a complete drying and air heating apparatus constructed
according to my invention.
Fig. 2, is an elevation of the left hand end of the drying apparatus shewn at
Fig. 1.
Fig. 3, is a right hand sectional end view of the air heater shewn at Fig. 1.
Fig. 4, is a longitudinal section of a portion of one of the trays drawn to a larger
scale and
Fig. 5, is a vertical cross section on an increased scale, shewing a suitable means
for supporting the lower end of a tray.
According to this invention I provide a rectangular chamber A, within which is
located a series of trays B, B and B', B', shewn by dotted lines at Fig. 1, these trays
are horizontally inclined as will be observed in alternate directions and the bottom of
each tray B, B', is preferably transversely grooved or corrugated and likewise
perforated as shown at B*, Fig. 4.
At the top of the apparatus Fig. 1, a feed aperture A', is provided such aperture
being above the upper end of the top tray B, and the leaves passed in through this
aperture are received upon the said top.tray B, which together with all the trays B, B',
receives a rocking vibratory motion. The leaf is thus caused to descend.the incline
of the top tray B, is delivered from the lower end of same on to the next tray 'B',
reversely inclined and in like manner travels over and descends from tray to tray,
until it is finally delivered outside the chamber A, at A 2, Figs. 1 and 2, from the
lowest tray B¹.

page_text: The trays are carried as follows: Tho-upper end of the top tray B and of each
alternate tray, also marked B, is provided-with a pivot.C, fixed to the tray, extending
through the chamber A, and projecting laterally through suitable slots in each wall.
Such pivots C take into bearings, such as the wood block bearings D, Fig. 2, and
these bearings are carried by vertical connecting rods E, one at each side of the
chamber.
These connecting rods E, towards their upper and lower ends are supported from
the chamber A, cach by means of two cranks F, pivotted on to the walls of the
chamber A, and taking through bearings on the connecting rods. At or near the
centro of each connecting rod E, is formed a sheave G, Figs. 1 and 2, to receive an
eccentric, and these two eccentrics are carried upon a transverse shaft H, extending
through the chamber A, and driven as hereafter mentioned.
::
The lower end of the top tray B, and of each alternate lower tray B, is supported
by crank arms J, as will be clearly seen by reference to enlarged detailed views
Fig. 5: The cranks J are pivotted one upon either side of each tray and the upper
arms thereof passing through suitable slots in the chamber walls, tako into lateral
bearing blocks K, fitted to be vertically adjustable in fixed guides L, on the chamber
and these guides are fitted with suitable means whereby the bearing blocks K, and
consequently the lower ends of the trays B, can be adjusted vertically.
The upper end of the tray B', and of each alternate lower tray B, is supported by
pivots C, connecting rods E', operated by eccentrics through tho sheaves G¹, all
located at the opposite end of the chamber A, to the operating mechanism before
described and in other respects of similar construction: the lower end of the set of
trays B', are supported in like manner to those previously described.
The heated air is admitted to the chamber A, through a casing M, Fig. 1, and upon
the top of the chamber A, is fitted an exhaust fan N, by which tho air is drawn
through the apparatus and through its contained trays. The fan N, may be driven
from a prime motor, say by a belt taking on to the fast and loose pulleys N', on to
the fan shaft N 2, and motion may be communicated from the fan shaft N 2, by belting
from the cone pulleys N 3, to the cone pulloys H 2, on the shaft H¹, the shaft H,
passes through the apparatus and at the other ends is fitted with a pulley H 3, which
by belt drives a pulley H4, on the shaft H. By this mechanism all the trays B, B',
will receive a circular vibratory motion upon the mechanism being operated, while
the leaf will descend from tray to tray in a reverse direction to the heated air current.
The air heating apparatus is conveniently constructed as follows: Above a
furnace P, of ordinary construction such as is shewn at Fig. 3, and Fig. 1, is arranged
a casing P, open at the base to receive the products of combustion, but wholly closed
at all other sides there being fitted at the upper part a funnel P 2, and within the
casing (see Fig. 3,) are arranged longitudinal baffle plates P 3, shewn by dotted lines,
so that the heated products ascend from the furnace P, to within the casing P', and
finally escape by the funnel P 2.
Extending longitudinally through the casing P1, are a number of air tubes R, open
to the atmosphere at one end and at the other end opening into the casing M, leading
to the chamber A, and it is through these tubes R, that the air is drawn to supply the
chamber A, and thereby becomes heated.
S, Fig. 1, is a valve whereby cold air may be admitted to the supply casing M,
when required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. An apparatus for drying tea leaf or other substances composed of a closed casing
or chamber, through which a current of heated air is drawn by a fan or the like from
an air beating furnace, a series of trays within the casing arranged one below another
and borizontally inclined in reverse directions, the lower end of each tray being
carried by a swinging arm and the other end supported by and connected with
mechanism for communicating to the trays a rocking vibratory motion, the leaf being

page_text: fed on to the top tray and automatically passed down from tray to tray to a delivery
aperture, substantially as set forth.
2. In apparatus for drying tea leaf and other substances the means for supporting and
giving motion to the roversely inclined trays, the lower end of same being carried by
laterally arranged cranks or swing arms carried in adjustable bearings on the chamber
casing, in combination with pivots projecting laterally from the upper ends of the
trays and having bearing in vertically arranged connecting rods carried by cranks
from the casing and operated by eccentrics or equivalents substantially as described.
3. In apparatus for drying tea leaf and other substances the tray containing casing,
and the means for carrying and operating the trays, together with means for
exhausting the air from the upper part of the said casing in combination with the
air heating apparatus composed of a lower furnace, an upper casing, and air tubes
passing through the casing all substantially as described.
4. In apparatus for drying tea leaf and other substances, a drying tray to support
the leaf having the bottom perforated and transversely corrugated.
5. The general arrangement and combination of parts composing my improvements
in or connected with apparatus for drying tea leaf and similar substances, all
constructed and acting substantially as and for the purposes described and illustrated
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 20th day of September 1896.
FREDERIC PRINCE,
37 Cursitor Street, Chancery Lane, London, E.C., Agent for Applicant.