Year: 1888

page_text: ALFRED HORATIO BELL SHARPE 32 Foss Bank Villas, Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
My Invention relates to machinery or apparatus for rolling Tea leaf, in which there
are opposcing plates or surfaces (usually dished or partially dished out) both of which
have motion imparted to them for effecting the rolling and curling of the leaf.
According to my Invention, one, two, three or more vertical shafts, with one, two,
three or more sets of eccentrics keyed upon them, are employed for operating and
guideing the said plates or surfaces, each vertical shaft being provided with two
eccentrics, the upper eccentrics for operating and guideing the upper rolling plate or
surface, and the lower eccentrics for operating and guideing the lower plate or
surface.
The upper plate or surface which has the bearings for the eccentrics, formed in or
fixed to its edges by which the said plate or surface receives its motion.
The lower or larger plate or surface has the bearings for the other eccentrics,
formed in or fixed to its edges.
It will therefore be understood, that the two opposeing rolling plates or surfaces,
are carried upon and receive their motion from and are controlled in their motion by
the vertical shafts each with two eccentrics and the Tea leaf is rolled between the
surfaces.
The construction of the iron framework is of cylindrical form, the driveing gear
can be placed on either side of the machine, which is driven by belt or other means
for produceing motion from the prime mover.
The Tea leaf is fed by the hopper between the plates, and after the rolling or
curling is performed the Tea leaf is removed through the discharge door.
Dated this 19th day of March 1000
ALFRED HORATIO BELL SHARPE,
32, Foss Bank Villas,
Lincoln.

page_text: I, ALFRED HORATIO BELL SHARPE, of 52, Foss Bank Villas, Lincoln, Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of the sail 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 relates to that class of machinery for rolling and curling leaves of
the tea plant, in which such operation is effected between upper and lower opposite
rolling plates to which motion in opposite directions respectively is simultaneously
imparted.
The Invention consists essentially in imparting to the rolling plates continuous
circular motion in opposite directions respectively about shafts or centres of motion
common to both plates by means of upper and lower excentrics oppositely arranged
on such shafts and respectively connected to frames surrounding or embracing the
said upper and lower rolling plates so that while the rotation of such shafts all in
the same direction causes a circular movement in the one direction about the same
to be imparted to the one of such plates it simultaneously causes a contrary circular
movement about them to be imparted to the other of such plates.
The improved apparatus
illustrated on the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1.
represents the same in side elevation. Fig. 2. represents a front elevation of Fig. 1.
and Fig. 3. represents a plan view thereof.
According to the present improvements the upper and lower rolling plates, 4, 5,
are both operated and guided by vertical shafts, 6, common to both such plates. I do
not limit myself to any particular number of such shafts, 6, but I find three thereof
(as represented on the accompanying drawings) to be a very suitable number. Each
of such shafts has keyed thereon upper and lower peripherally grooved excentrics, 7, 8,
arranged oppositely to each other, vide Fig. 3. the upper series of excentrics, 7, being
in the same horizontal plane and arranged for actuating the upper rolling plate, 4,
and the lower series of excentrics, 8, being also in the same horizontal plane and
arranged for actuating the lower rolling plate, 5.
The plates, 4, 5, may each be made of any suitable usual materials and in any
suitable usual way excepting as hereinafter stated.
Tho lower plate, 5, is supported and surrounded by a flanged wrought or cast iron
framing, 9, which is formed at, 10, with semicircular bearings adapted to engage with
the inner half circles of the grooved peripheries of the series of excentrics, 8, the outer
half circles of which may be enclosed by excentric straps or bands, 11, bolted at, 12,
to the adjacent edges of the bearings, 10.
The upper plate or block, 4, is made circular in form and rests upon the lower
plate, 5. It is encircled by a casing, 13, also resting on the plate, 5, and which also
is surrounded by a cylindrical framing, 14, which is adapted at, 15, to support a
removable feeding hopper, 16, and with extensions, 17, which (in like manner as
aforesaid relatively to the frame, 9,) are formed with bearings, 18, and are fitted with

page_text: straps or bands, 19, adapted to engage with the series of excentrics, 7. The framing, 14,
also supports a series of uprights, 20, to which is bolted a top frame, 21, having
bearings, 22, 23, respectively guiding a screwed presser rod, 24, adapted with a
presser plate, 25, bearing on the top of the plate, 4, and a spindle, 26, carrying an
actuating hand wheel, 27, the rod, 24, and spindle, 26, being geared together by a
bevel wheel, 47, fast on the spindle, 26, and a bevel wheel, 45, rotating as a nut on
the rod, 24, and arranged between the frame, 21, and an under bridge, 46, so as to be
kept from endway movement on the rod, 24, and to cause the endway movement of
the latter, the arrangement being such that more or less pressure as required may be
placed upon the plate, 4, by correspondingly turning the hand wheel, 27.
The shafts, 6, are supported on adjustable foot steps, 28, in cylindrical brackets or
bearings, 29, bolted to a cylindrical wrought iron supporting casing, 30, and rotary
motion in the same direction is imparted to the series of such shafts from one thereof
(to which motion is imparted as hereinafter described) by means of a continuous strap
or belt, 31, partly encircling pulleys, 32, (or by means of a manilla rope or the liko
partly encircling V-shaped or grooved pulleys) keyed on the shafts, 6, the belt (or
rope) being kept taut or adjusted as required by an adjusting pulley, 33, carried in
the fork, 34, of a screwed rod, 35, sliding in a bearing, 36, bolted to the flanged top
of the casing, 30, and actuated by a handwheel, 37. Primary motion is imparted to
the said one of the series of shafts, 6, by bovel gearing, 38, from a driving shaft, 39,
supported in a bearing, 40, bolted to the base plate, 41, of the machine and fitted with
fast and loose pulleys, 42, 43, and receiving its motion from any convenient rotating
shaft.
The herein before described improvements simplify the construction of such machines
and materially reduce the weight, transit expenses and cost thereof.
The tea leaves to be rolled are fed to between the rolling plates by means of the
hopper, 16, and after being sufficiently rolled or treated while between the plates,
they are discharged through the lower plate in a usual manner into an under
trolley, 44.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,
1. Imparting to the upper and lower rolling plates of tea rolling machines con-
tinuous circular motion in opposite directions respectively, about shafts or centres of
motion common to both plates and receiving a common rotary motion, by means of
upper and lower excentrics oppositely arranged on such shafts and respectively
connected to frames surrounding or embracing the said upper and lower rolling plates,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. The combination and arrangement of the means hereinbefore described with
reference to the accompanying drawings for actuating the rolling plates of tea rolling
machines.
3. The combination with the hereinbefore described improved means of actuating
the upper rolling plate of the hereinbefore described improved means of imparting
pressure thereto.
4. The general construction and arrangement of tea rolling machines substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
11
1
1000
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.