IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR BULKING OR MIXING TEA;
Year: 1884

page_text: I, ALEXANDER CARSON, of the town and County of Stirling, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR BULKING OR MIXING TEA;" to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for bulking or mixing tea.
The improved apparatus consists, according to one modification, of a large hollow
drum carried on a horizontal shaft, and divided into two portions by an opening
extending entirely round the periphery or only interrupted by webs or strips which
connect the two portions of the drum. This drum may be formed of wood or of
metal or other material, and in practice may be conveniently made up of two
separate casings closed only at their outer ends, and so fitted on a shaft with their
open ends towards each other that a space is left between them. Around the drum
thus formed if fitted a broad band of leather, sheet-metal, or other flexible material
to cover the space between the two parts of the drum and overlap the edges. This
band is fitted close to the periphery of the drum on the lower side, and the greater
part of the way round it, but near the top it is carried round guide pulleys above
the drum, so that an open space is left on each side of the band through which the
tea to be bulked or mixed may be led to the interior of the drum by means of
guiding shoots. The edges of the casing where the space is formed at or near the
middle of the drum are strengthened by hoops and inclined rods, the rods being by
preference inclined in alternate directions, so that they serve to mix together the
tea when it falls into the drum. A series of plates fitted longitudinally within the
drum serve to raise the tea from the lower to the upper side where it is dropped
again into the mass and mixed with it. The drum is rotated by suitable gearing
connected to the central shaft, while the tea is fed in by shoots above, and as it
collects in the drum it is thoroughly mixed together. While the tea is fed in, the
band covering the opening in the periphery of the drum prevents escape of the tea,
but after the drum has been filled to the desired extent, the ends of the band,
which are connected to form an endless belt, are disconnected either by hand or
automatically by a stop, which disengages a spring clip or similar device by which
the ends of the band are secured. The band being unloosened and leaving free the
opening round the drum, the tea rapidly falls out below, whether the rotation of
the drum be continued or not.
In a modified arrangement, the endless band, instead of being disconnected, is
shifted by its guide pulley or a belt fork, or similar device, from its position

page_text: covering the opening in the drum, on to the solid periphery of the drum. Instead
of shifting the band, one of the parts of the drum may be arranged so that it can
be drawn away from the other to allow the tea to fall out.
In a further modification the endless band which covers the opening round the
drum is doubled back upon itself, and carried round guide pulleys which are fitted
on a movable framing, and which prevent frictional contact of the surfaces of the
band. An opening is thus left at the upper side of the drum between the pulleys
round which the band returns, and through this opening the tea is fed into the
drum. When the drum is filled to a sufficient extent, the framing on which the
belt pulleys are carried is shifted round the drum, so that the opening between
the pulleys is brought down to the lower side of the drum, and the mixed tea is
allowed to fall out, or is paddled out by the longitudinal plates at any desired
height below the centre of the drum, the rotation of the drum being continued
without intermission. The movable framing carrying the belt pulleys is held in
position during the operation of feeding in the tea, by means of a frictional brake
block or similar device which is released when the band is to be shifted round to
permit of discharging the tea. The discharge of the tea is effected in great
measure by the action of the plates within the drum.
The arrangement of bulking or mixing apparatus may be further modified by
fitting a series of oscillating doors in the annular opening round the mixing drum,
such doors being so hung that as they come round to the upper side under the
feeding hopper during the revolution of the drum, they open inwards by their
weight and allow the tea to fall into the drum, but as the drum rotates and the
doors are carried past the feeding hopper, they are closed by means of endless
ropes or bands which lie in grooves formed at the joints between the doors and the
drum, and the ropes or bands being led over pulleys on a movable framing to
prevent their acting on the doors at the point where the tea is fed in or is
delivered out of the drum. One rope or band is fitted on each side of the doors,
and serves to prevent the escape of tea between the doors and the drum as well as
to close the doors. By shifting the framing carrying the pulleys, with the belt or
band, round the periphery of the drum, the doors are caused to open as they pass
the lower side of the drum, and the mixed tea then falls or is paddled out.
Dated this Nineteenth day of June 1884

page_text: I, ALEXANDER CARSON of the town and county of Stirling, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
BULKING OR MIXING TEA," 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 improvements in apparatus for bulking or mixing tea.
The improved apparatus consists, according to one modification, of a large bollow
drum carried on a horizontal shaft, and divided into two portions by an opening
extending entirely round the periphery or only interrupted by webs or strips which
connect the two portions of the drum. This drum may be formed of wood or of
metal or other material, and in practice 'may be conveniently made up of two
separate casings closed only at their outer ends, and so fitted on a shaft with their
open ends towards each other that a space is left between them. Around the drum
thus formed is fitted a broad band of leather sheet-metal, or other flexible material
to cover the space between the two parts of the drum and overlap the edges. This
band is fitted close to the periphery of the drun on the lower side, and the greater
part of the way round it, but near the top it is carried round guide pulleys above
the drum, so that an open space is left on each side of the band through which the
tea to be bulked or mixed may be led to the interior of the drum by means of
guiding shoots. The edges of the casing where the space is formed at or near the
middle of the drum are strengthened by hoops and radial spokes from the central
shaft, the spokes being by preference inclined in alternate directions, so that they
serve to mix together the tea when it falls into the drum. A series of plates fitted
longitudinally within the drum serve to raise the tea from the lower to the upper
side where it is dropped again into the mass and mixed with it. The drum is
rotated by suitable gearing connected to the central shaft, while the tea is fed in
by shoots above, and as it collects in the drum it is thoroughly mixed together.
While the tea is fed in, the band covering the opening in the periphery of the
drum prevents escape of the tea, but after the drum has been filled to the desired
extent, the ends of the band, which are connected to form an endless belt, are
disconnected either by hand or automatically by a stop, which disengages a spring
clip or similar device by which the ends of the band are secured. The band being
unloosened and leaving free the opening round the drum, the tea rapidly falls out
below, whether the rotation of the drum be continued or not. In a modified
arrangement the endless band, instead of being disconnected, is shifted by its guide
pulley or a belt fork, or similar device from its position covering the opening in the
drum, on to the solid periphery of the drum. Instead of shifting the band, one of
the parts of the drum may be arranged so that it can be drawn away from the
other to allow the tea to fall out. In a further modification the endless band
which covers the opening round the drum is doubled back upon itself, and carried
round guide pulleys which are fitted on a movable framing, and which prevent
frictional contact of the surfaces of the band. An opening is thus left at the 'upper
side of the drum between the pulleys round which the band returns, and through
this opening the tea is fed into the drum. When the drum is filled to a sufficient

page_text: extent, the framing on which the belt pulleys are carried is shifted round the drum,
so that the opening between the pulleys is brought down to the lower side of the
drum and the mixed tea is allowed to fall out, or is paddled out by the longitudinal
plates at any desired height below the centre of the drum, the rotation of the drum.
being continued without intermission.
The movable framing carrying the belt pulleys is held in position during the
operation of feeding in the tea by means of a frictional brake block or similar
device which is released when the band is to be shifted round to permit of dis-
charging the tea. The discharging of the tea is effected in great measure by the
action of the plates within the drum.
The arrangement of bulking or mixing apparatus may be further modified by
fitting a series of oscillating doors in the annular opening round the mixing drum,
such doors being so hung that as they come round to the upper side under the
feeding hopper during the rotation of the drum, they open inwards by their weight
and allow the tea to fall into the drum, but as the drum rotates and the doors are
carried past the feeding hopper, they are closed by means of endless ropes or bands
which lie in grooves formed at the joints between the doors and the drum, and the
ropes or bands being led over pulleys on a movable framing to prevent their acting
on the doors at the point where the tea is fed in or delivered out of the drum.
One rope or band is fitted on each side of the doors, and serves to prevent the
escape of tea between the doors and the drum as well as to close the doors.
By shifting the framing carrying the pulleys, with the belt or band round the
periphery of the drum, the doors are caused to open as they pass the lower side of
the drum, and the mixed tea then falls or is paddled out.
The accompanying drawings illustrate one typical modification of my invention
and that which I prefer to employ. By reference to these drawings the modi-
fications herein before described will be readily understood.
Figures 1 and 2 are vertical sections at right angles to each other of improved
tea bulking or mixing apparatus, and figures 3 and 4 are sectional elevations of the
same apparatus but slightly modified as regards the arrangements provided for
filling in and delivering the tea.
The improved apparatus consists of a hollow drum formed by two casings A A
closed at their outer ends and fitted with their open ends facing each other, but at
a distance apart so that a central open space or slot a is formed entirely round the
periphery of the drum. The drum is carried by a shaft B supported by side
frames C, and the drum is rotated either direct by a belt and pulleys or by a hand
crank D operating through gearing E on the drum shaft. Around the drum A and.
covering the opening a round its periphery is fitted a broad endless band F which
overlaps the edges of the casings A on which it bears. The band is doubled on
itself and carried round guide pulleys G fitted on a movable framing G¹ and a
space a¹ is left in a position over the centre, through which the tea is fed into the
drum. The tea which falls into the drum is retained therein by the band F, while
the drum rotates, the tea being shifted about by means of inclined rods or bars H
passing across from end to end of the drum, and by plates or paddles I inclined
towards the centre and fitted within the conical periphery of the casings A.
During the operation of filling the drum the framing G₁ carrying the pulleys G is
held stationary by means of a friction block or a clamping link J on which is formed
a projection entering a notch in part of the framing G'.
After the drum has been filled to a sufficient degree and the tea mixed by the
rotation of the drum, the clamp J is disengaged by means of a hand lever J¹, and
the framing G' is carried round either by the rotation of the drum or by separate
means until a second notch is brought opposite the clamp when the framing is
again secured by the clamp, the opening a being then in a position below the
centre. The rotatory motion of the drum is continued, and the paddles I in raising
the tea deliver it out by the opening a¹ onto the floor or to a shoot passing
through the floor, the operation of the apparatus being either continuous or
intermittent,

page_text: In the apparatus illustrated in figures 1 and 2 the feeding of the tea is effected
from a point vertically over the centre while in figures 3 and 4 are indicated
arrangements for feeding in from the side.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed declare that what
1 claim is
1. The combination of parts forming the improved tea bulking or mixing
apparatus herein described.
2. A tea bulking apparatus consisting of a rotating drum formed with a central
peripheral opening or slot, said opening being closed by an endless band or by
inovable doors so disposed as to provide for the admission and delivery of the tea
substantially as herein described.