Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Drying Tea Leaf and the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 12th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 24th Dec., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Drying Tea Leaf
and the like.
I, HENRY THOMPSON, of Gainsborough, in the County of Lincoln, Engineer,
but now residing at Ipswich in the County of Suffolk, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in that class of machinery employed for
drying tea leaf and the like in which the super-posed trays in the drying chamber
are arranged so that they can be moved and changed as required.
According to my improvements I employ a stove or furnace, such being preferably
of the constructions shown and described in my Patent No. 5890 of April 19th
1890, and over or above the said stove or furnace I provide a drying chamber in
which is a series of super-posed trays or sieves upon which the leaf to be dried is
spread and which trays are capable of being held in suspension and mechanically
lowered to an opening or outlet provided at or towards the bottom of the drying
chamber where each tray may in turn be successively withdrawn.
I also provide the drying chamber at or towards the top with a similar opening
or inlet where the trays having the undried leaf thereon are inserted, and which
hence may be called the feed, thus keeping up the required number of trays.
For holding the trays in suspension and imparting the. mechanical lowering
motion to them as set forth, I may employ means or an arrangement such as the
following :―
The trays are carried by projections upon endless bands or chains upon chain
wheels arranged at each side of the drying chamber and operated by worm and
worm wheel or other gear, or in lieu of such means the trays may be lowered by a
combination of levers, rods and catches.
The hot air from the stove is introduced at the bottom of the drying chamber
and drawn upwards through the trays by an exhaust or fan placed at the top of the
machine.
JOHN E. WALSH,
Royal Exchange Chambers, Boar Lane, Leeds, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Drying Tea Leaf
and the like.
I, HENRY THOMPSON, of Gainsborough, in the County of Lincoln, Engineer,
but now residing at Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk, 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 improvements in that class of machinery employed for
drying tea leaf and the like, in which the super-posed trays in the drying chainber
are arranged so that they can be moved and changed as required.

page_text: Figs. 4 and 5. are detail views of chains and trays.
Fig. 6. is a side elevation in section of drying chamber and trays.
Fig. 7. is an end elevation.of Fig..6.
Fig. 8. is a plan.of. Fig. 6.
Figs. 9 and 10. are detail views of chains and trays.
According to my improvements I employ a stove or furnace A such being
preferably of ther constructions, shown .and.described. in my Patent No. 5890 .of
April 19th 1890, and over or above the said stove or furnace I provide a drying
chamber B in which is a series of superposed trays or sieves C, upon which the leaf
to be dried is spread, and which trays are capable of being held in suspension
and mechanically lowered to an opening or outlet D; provided at or towards the
bottom of the drying chamber where each tray may in turn be successively
withdrawn by hand or mechanically. 1 also provide the drying chamber at or
towards the top with a similar opening or inlet E where the trays having the
undried leaf thereon are inserted, and which hence may be called the feed, thus
keeping up the required number of trays.
For holding the trays in suspension and imparting the mechanical: lowering
motion to them as set forth I may employ means or an arrangement such as the
following
-
The trays C are carried by projections F upon endless bands or chains G
upon chain wheels H, H, arranged at each side of the drying chamber B and
operated by worms J, J, and worm wheels K. or other gear, or in lieu of such
means the trays may be suspended in grooves and are: automatically moved. back-
wards and forwards by means of projections upon horizontal chains G; the trays at
the end of each groove drop down to the next groove; and are carried back in the
other direction by the next chain and its projections; this being repeated until
the trays arrive at the outlet D where they may be taken away by shand or
delivered to an incline or apron, thus avoiding the withdrawal of the trays from
the time they enter until the time they arrive at the: outlet at: the bottom of
the drier..
The chains operating the trays are driven preferably by worms and worm wheels
upon suitable shafts and other gear from the usual driving shaft.
The hot air from the stove is introduced at the bottom of the drying chamber
and drawn upwards through the trays by an exhaust or fan L placed at the top of
the machine.
The upward draught passing through the trays keeps the leaf therein open and
loose and facilitates its drying.
Having now particularly described, and ascertained-the-nature, of imy-said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A machine for drying tea leaf and the like, consisting in a drying chamber,
having a series of superposed trays capable of being lowered; mechanically or auto-
matically, for the discharging of the dried material, and through which drying
furnace or
chamber the hot air is passed or drawn in an upward direction, from, a:
stove, in the manner and for the purposes such as shown and described.
2. In a machine for drying tea leaf.and the like, the combination,twith ardrying
chamber having a series of superposed trays, of .az.mechanical arrangement. for
holding the trays. in suspension, and for imparting..a. lowering motion. to. them for
the discharge of the dried material, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 11th day of November 1891.
JOHN E. WALSH,
Royal Exchange Chambers, Boar Lane, Leeds, Agent for the Applicant.