IMPROVE- MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DRYING TEA LEAF
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Jackson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th February 1880.
WILLIAM JACKSON, of 23, Beechgrove Terrace, Aberdeen, Scotland. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DRYING TEA LEAF."
The object of this Invention is to dispense with the manual labor and loss of
time involved in spreading and turning over tea leaf on each separate tray of a
tea-drying apparatus during the process of drying, and is applicable to any tea-
drying chamber in which leaf is spread on trays for the purpose of being dried.
My improvements consist in the substitution for the ordinary trays of a series of
frames, into which are fitted long narrow shelves, each hinged or pivotted either at
one edge or in the centre of their width, and so connected by convenient mechanism
that by the act of moving a handle outside the drying chamber the whole of the
shelves in each frame or tier are tilted, and the leaf is precipitated onto a similar
series of shelves arranged underneath.
My Invention can be applied to any number of frames fixed under each other,
according to the requirements of the drying chamber into which they are fitted.
The shelves may be made to work in wood or iron frames, and be formed of
perforated iron plates, woven wire work, or any reticulated form of construction to
admit of a free passage of heated air to the tea spread on the shelves. To each
shelf is attached a rod of iron, supported in the outer frame at both ends, and
formed with a crank at one end carried outside the drying chamber.
The series of cranks attached to a tier of shelves are joined together by a con-
necting rod passing across the ends of samo, and the shelves are held in a horizontal
position by a catch which, when released, allows the shelves to be quickly tilted,
the rod having a spring attached to it at one end and a notch at the other, and
being so arranged that when the rod is released from the notch the spring
draws the shelves through about one quarter of a circle with an instantaneous
movement.
According to a modification of the preceding arrangement I employ a number of.
frames, into which are fixed straight rods, side by side, to form gratings, one grated

page_text: frame being placed immediately over another, and so arranged that the upper frame
shall be capable of a horizontal movement, which may be given to it by a handle
or other convenient mechanism outside the drying chamber. By the act of moving
the upper frame by means of the handle the bars of the upper frame are brought
directly over the bars of the lower frame, and thus a wide aperture is formed
through which the tea leaf descends on to a similar compound or double tray
arranged underneath.
According to another modification I form grated frames similar to those described
under the preceding modification, but having the straight rods which compose the
gratings bent or kinked at each end, so that the respective rods of each frame shall
intersect each other in a straight line, and by preference the upper frame has an
upward movement given to it when the tea-leaf requires to be precipitated or caused
to drop, the aperture through the lower grating being thus widened for the fall of
the leaf.
This and the preceding modifications are applicable to any number of compound
trays arranged underneath each other in a drying chamber.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Jackson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th June
1880.
WILLIAM JACKSON, of 23, Beechgrove Terrace, Aberdeen, Scotland.
MENTS IN APPARATUS FOR DRYING TEA-LEAF.”
" IMPROVE-
My said Invention has for its object dispensing with the manual labour and loss
of time involved in spreading and turning over tea-leaf on each separate tray of a
tea drying apparatus during the process of drying, and is applicable to any tea
drying chamber in which leaf is spread on trays for the purpose of being dried.
According to one mode of carrying out my said Invention, in order to effect the
object before mentioned, I substitute for the ordinary trays a series of frames, into
which are fitted long narrow shelves, each hinged or pivotted either at one edge or
in the centre of their width, and all so connected by convenient mechanism that by
the act of moving a handle outside the drying chamber, or releasing a catch, the
whole of the shelves in each frame or tier are tilted, and the leaf is precipitated on
to a similar series of shelves arranged underneath.
My Invention can be applied to any number of frames fixed under each other,
according to the requirements of the drying chamber into which they are fitted.
The shelves may be made to work in frames of wood, iron, or other suitable
material, and be formed of perforated iron plates, woven wire work, or any
reticulated form of construction to admit of a free passage of heated air to the tea
spread on the shelves. To each shelf is attached a rod supported in the outer frame
at both ends, and formed at one end, which is carried outside the drying chamber,
with a crank or arm.
The series of cranks or arms attached to a tier of shelves

page_text: are united together by a connecting rod, and the shelves are by preference held in
a horizontal position by a catch which, when released, allows the shelves to be
quickly tilted, the rod having a spring attached to it at one end, and a notch or
other retaining device at the other end being so arranged that when the rod is
released from the said retaining device the spring draws the shelves through about
one quarter of a circle with an instantaneous movement.
According to a modification of the preceding arrangement I employ a number of
frames, into each of which are fixed straight rods, side by side, to form two gratings,
one immediately over the other, and the gratings are so arranged that one of them
(say, for example, the upper grating) shall be capable of a horizontal movement,
which may be imparted to it by a handle or other convenient mechanism outside
the drying chamber. By the act of moving the grating by means of the handle or
other device the bars of the one grating are brought directly over the bars of the
other, and thus a wide aperture is formed, through which the tea leaf descends on
to a similar frame arranged underneath.
According to another modification I form grated frames similar to thoso described
under the preceding modification, but having the straight rods which compose the
gratings, or the rods of one of each pair of gratings, bent or cranked at each end at
the part where they are supported in bearings, so that by the act of moving one of
the gratings when the tea leaf requires to be precipitated or caused to drop the
rods are turned upon their centre, and the aperture through the lower gratings is
thus widened for the fall of the leaf.
This and the preceding modification are applicable to any number of compound
trays arranged underneath each other in a drying chamber.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the several
Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating
corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents a vertical section of a frame
or tray for drying tea leaf, constructed according to one modification of my said
Invention; and Figure 2 is a corresponding plan of a portion of the same; Figures
3 and 4 are similar views to Figures 1 and 2, illustrating another modification;
and Figure 5 is a section of a portion of the frame shown in Figures 3 and 4, but
drawn to a larger scale in order to render the action more intelligible.
Figures 6 and 7 are vertical sections taken respectively at right angles the one
to the other, illustrating a further modification; and Figure 8 is a view similar to
Figure 6 of a portion of the frame, but drawn to a larger scale.
Figure 9 is a vertical section of a portion of a drying chamber, showing a series
of frames or trays arranged in tiers one above another.
Referring to Figures 1 and 2, A is one of a series of frames of wood, iron, or
other suitable material, which are arranged in tiers one above the other, as shewn
in Figure 9, in any suitable drying chamber A'. In each frame aro arranged long
narrow shelves B, the latter consisting in the example illustrated of perforated
metal plates attached at one edge to rods C, the ends of which are supported in the
sides of the frame so as to be capable of turning in their bearings, and thus of
moving the shelves from the horizontal position shewn in full lines in Figure 1 to
the tilted position indicated in the case of one of the shelves in dotted lines in that
Figure, and vice versa. The rods are extended at one end beyond the side of the
frame, and are there provided with lever arms D, which are attached to a connecting
rod E common to the whole series of arms, so that the whole of the shelves of each
frame may be moved simultaneously. This movement is effected by means of a
spring F, which is attached to one end of the rod E, and is so arranged as to
constantly draw the rod in such a direction as will tend to bring the shelves into
or maintain them in their tilted condition, the shelves being retained in their
horizontal position by an eccentric or other catch G, by the act of turning or releasing
which the rod E is left free to the action of the spring, which has the effect of

page_text: instantaneously tilting the whole of the shelves and discharging the tea leaf on to
another frame or tray below.
Figures 3, 4, and 5 illustrate another modification in the construction of the
frames A. In this case each frame is provided with two gratings composed respec-
tively of rods a, a', the rods a being stationary and secured to the main frame A,
whilst the rods a¹ are carried in a subsidiary frame A³, which is fitted so as to be
capable of sliding to a slight extent in the main frame A. When the sliding grating
A is in its normal position its rods a' alternate or break joint with the stationary
rods a, as indicated in full lines in the Drawing. By the act however, of moving
the sliding grating As by the aid of a handle H into the position indicated by
dotted lines in Figure 5 the rods a¹ are caused to cover or coincide with the rods a,
and a wido aperture is thus formed, through which the tea leaf is discharged on to
a similar frame arranged underneath. A bolt b may be provided adapted to two
recesses c, c', in the frame A³, which respectively serve to retain the frame in its
two positions.
f
According to a further modification, which is illustrated by Figures 6, 7, and 8,
a similar result to that obtained under the last modification is produced by making
the rods a¹ of a cranked shape, and supporting their bent or cranked ends a³ in
bearings in the sides of the frame A in such a manner that by the act of moving
by the aid of a handle H a rod A, to which the whole of the said cranked ends a³
are connected, the portions of the rods intermediate between their cranked ends
will be caused to move upwards (turning upon the axes of the cranked ends) into
the position indicated in dotted lines in Figure 8, and thus leave the spaces of the
lower grating a free for the discharge of the tea leaf on to another frame below.
The rods a are also slightly cranked for the convenience of the relative arrangement
of the parts.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
First. In apparatus for drying tea leaf constructing the frames or trays for con-
taining the tea leaf to be dried with tilting shelves, substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described.
Secondly. In apparatus for drying tea leaf constructing the frames or trays for
containing the tea leaf to be dried with two gratings, one of which is moveable
relatively to the other in a rectilinear or curvilinear direction, substantially as and
for the purpose hereinbefore described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Jackson, have to this my Specification
set my hand and seal, the Seventeenth day of March, One thousand eight
hundred and eighty.