Improved Apparatus for Treating Tea-leaf in course of Manufacture.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improved Apparatus for Treating Tea-leaf in course of Manufacture.
We, ALFRED HORATIO BELL SHARPE, of Far Wharf, City of Lincoln, Engineer,
and WILLIAM PAGE HURST, of Nottingham, Gentleman, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention refers to apparatus for withering tea-leaf in course of manu-
facture.
According to this invention we arrange a revolving carrier preferably divided
into four divisions, in each division a number of trays with distance pieces between
them or thick rims, are to be placed. These trays have perforated bottoms to
carry the tea-leaf.
A blast is provided to blow air upwards through the leaves
from underneath. Means may be provided to moisten the air such as drawing it
through damped textile material before entering fan, and to partially retain it
within the carrier by an upper covering of textile material.
The tray carrier is revolved by power upon a central vertical spindle, preferably
by strap and pulley. The carrier revolves within a guard race.
A lifting arrange-
ment is provided to lift the carrier bodily out of the guard race to facilitate
removing the trays, and replacing of same with fresh tea leaves. After the carrier
with trays has been revolved for sufficient time to wither the leaves, the carrier
or trays is or are removed, and a fresh supply put in.
Dated this 5th day of January 1898.
FREDERIC PRINCE,
Agent for Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Treating Tea-leaf in course of Manufacture.
We, ALFRED HORATIO BELL SHARPE, of Far Wharf, City of Lincoln, Engineer,
and WILLIAM PAGE HURST, of Nottingham, Gentleman, 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 withering tea leaf in the course of manu-
facture, and such apparatus is broadly composed of a frame mounted on a vertical

page_text: .
axis within a surrounding stationery casing, the frame contains series of trays
having perforate bottoms in which the leaf is placed and is revolved on the afore-
said axis by mechanical means, while an air blast is caused to ascend vertically
through the revolving trays. The forced air may be moistened say by passage
through damped textile material and may be partially retained within the sur-
rounding casing by a textile cover.
The invention will be readily understood by describing same with reference
to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1, is a sectional elevation of the apparatus; Fig 2, is a plain view of the
revolving frame and trays.
According to this invention we provide a revolving frame composed of a central
sleeve A, fitted over and capable of revolving upon a fixed vertical spindle B,
carried by a bed plate C; the sleeve A, has lateral wings carrying vertical
plates A, which form arms to support an outer circular lattice A2; an irregular
flange A³, extending near the lower part of the sleeve A, aiding in supporting
the base of the frame, the said base being open for the admission of air, D, D, is
the wall of the stationary casing which surrounds the aforesaid frame, and it is
within this fixed casing D, that the frame is revolved. The base of the casing 1),
is shewn closed by plates D¹. At the lower end of the sleeve A, there is fixed or
formed a pulley E, by which the frame may be revolved through the medium of
a belt.
The plates A', Fig. 2, divide the interior of the frame into sections and such
sub-divisions may be of any desired number although we have found 4 as shewn
at Fig. 2 to be convenient. Within each division of the frame we fit a number
of trays F, arranged one upon another, and each tray consists of an outer edge
fitted with a perforate or wire work bottom, each tray is fitted with: handles F
by which it can be lifted out of the revolving frame: Forced air is admitted
within the casing D, below the base of the revolving frame by any convenient
means, and in this connection we find it convenient to fit an open mouthed tube G,
to conduct the air, the tube extending out of the casing and there connected to a
centrifugal or other blast fan. At the upper edge of the casing D, there is a
circular rail H, or equivalent means for fixing a fabric cover (not shown in the
drawings) to enclose the top surface, and retard the escape of air from the
casing D; J, is a crane or other lifting device by which the revolving frame can
be lifted entirely out of the casing D, say by chains, hooked into apertures A4,
formed in the wings of the sleeve A. In operation, tea leaf to be withered is
placed in each of the trays F, and the trays are placed one upon another as shewn
in the rotary frame, the frame is then lifted by a lifting device J, and placed
within the casing upon the fixed bearing spindle B; the belt is then adjusted to
the pulley E, and the frame is revolved, while air which may have been previously
moistened before entering the blast fan by passage through damp textile material
is forced through the tube G, and ascends through the trays in the rotary frame,
the egress of the air from the top of the casing being retarded if desired by the
textile top cover aforesaid. After the frame with its trays has been revolved for
sufficient time to wither the leaves the frame and trays are removed or the trays
only and a fresh supply of leaves put in.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
-
1. An apparatus for withering tea leaf in the course of manufacture, composed
of a frame open at the base and mounted on a vertical axis, within an external
fixed casing, means for rotating the frame and for removing the frame from the
casing when required, a series of superposed trays carried by the rotary frame
each tray having a perforated or wire work bottom and edges to the trays upon
which the adjacent tray rests and a forced air blast admitted below the frame
and passing through the revolving trays substantially as set forth.

page_text: 2. The general arrangement and combination of parts composing our improved
apparatus for treating tea leaf in the course of manufacture constructed and acting
substantially as and for the purposes described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
Doted this 5th dox of Clotalon 1908
FREDERIC PRINCE,
37, Cursitor Street, London, Agent for Applicants.