IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SORTING TEA
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Carson of the town and County of Stirling
and Samuel Robert Baildon of Glasgow in the County of Lanark for an
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SORTING TEA "
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Carson and
Samuel Robert Baildon at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
29th September 1883.
ALEXANDER CARSON, of the town and County of Stirling, and SAMUEL ROBERT
BAILDON, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR SORTING TEA ;
:
According to the ordinary method of sorting or grading tea, the dried and
curled leaves are shaken through a series of flat sieves fitted over each other, and
having square meshes which are of larger size in the upper sieves than in the
lower. In the uppermost sieve of the series, the larger laves are retained; and
in each sieve in succession a smaller size is retained, while only broken leaves or
tea dust passes through the last of the series. An objection to this arrangement
is that as the bulk of the tea has to pass through the upper sieves, and there is
a limit to the quantity that can pass in a given time, the process of sorting is very
slow. The square form of mesh in a flat sieve also acts unequally by permitting
the passage of leaves of extra length, which may be presented endwise to the
mesh openings while retaining others which may be presented in the transverse.
direction.
The object of the present Invention is to expediate the sifting or sorting process,
and to ensure uniformn grading of the tea. For this purpose the tea is caused to
traverse the length of a sieve or sieves, the meshes of which are graduated and
are of smaller size at the end where the tea is fed in, than at the end from
which the unsifted remnant is delivered, so that the smaller tea or dust falls
through the first series of meshes, a larger size through the next, and so on.
The sieve is thus divided into sections, each of which has meshes of greater size
than that preceding. The adjacent pairs of sections after the first (which only
sifts the dust) have meshes of equal breadth, but the first section of each pair has
Prina Gr

page_text: short meshes, and, the second long meshes, the object being to separate the broken
leaves from the long or whole leaves of tea of the same breadth. The sieves are
corrugated in the direction of their length, so that the tea leaves are led endwise
along the corrugations, or the corrugations may be formed transversely, and the
meshes of the sieve are made oblong or elongated in the same direction as the
corrugations, so that leaves of less diaineter and length than the breadth and
length of the meshes over which they pass must fall through.
In a modification of the improved apparatus a long sieve or tray formed with
longitudinal or transverse corrugations and with elongated meshes or perforations
as above described is carried over a number of delivery shoots which are arranged
to receive the tea which falls through the meshes in the sieve.
The sieves are divided into sections as regards the size and length of mesh,
each section having larger meshes than that preceding it, and the shoots below
correspond in number to the sections in the sieve. The tea is fed on at one end
of the sieve and travels towards the other end, the sieve being slightly inclined
and having a jigging or vibratory motion imparted to it to facilitate the progress
of the tea over the length of the sieve. The first shoot receives the smaller broken
tea or "dust" which passes through the finer meshes, the next shoot receive
a larger size of leaf, and the third a longer leaf of the same breadth, the next
a broader leaf and so on, and each shoot delivers its portion of the tea into a
separate bin or receptacle. The sieve is carried by fixed standards or side frames
to which it is, attached by springs or links and the vibratory motion of the sieve
is imparted to it by rotating shafts which have fitted on them cams or wipers,
or square, hexagonal or similarly formed bearing blocks on which the sieve rests.
The rotation of the jigging shafts may be effected by belts and pulleys or
other gearing from a counter shaft operated by a hand crank or by motive-
power.
When a larger number of different grades or sizes of tea are desired than can be
conveniently separated by the different sections of the sieve described, a second
sieve or tray of the same kind, but with larger meshes, is fitted below the first,
and is arranged to receive the tea which cannot pass through the meshes of the
sieve above, and which falls on to it over the end of the upper sieve. This lower
sieve is inclined in the opposite direction and is connected to the sieve above
so that it receives the same vibratory motion and continues the sorting or grading
of the larger tea which falls through into shoots provided below. If desired,
a third sieve or tray may be added to the apparatus to, receive and grade the
unsifted tea from the second sieve. The larger tea which does not pass through
any of the meshes in the sieves is carried by a shoot direct into a cutter, crusher,
or mill, in which the tea is broken, and thence this portion of the tea is delivered
on to a sieve or sieves, which may be of the ordinary construction or of the
improved construction described,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander Carson and Samuel Robert Baildon in the Patent
Office on the 28th March 1884.
ALEXANDER CARSON, of the town and county of Stirling, and SAMUEL ROBERT
BAILDON, of Glasgow, in the county of Lanark "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR SORTING TEA,"
According to the ordinary method of sorting or grading tea, the dried and
curled leaves are shaken through a series of flat sieves fitted over each other, and
having square meshes which aro of larger size in the upper sieves than in the
lower. In the uppermost sieve of the series, the larger leaves are retained, and
in each sieve in succession a smaller size is retained, while only broken leaves or
tea dust passes through the last of the series. An objection to this arrangement
is that as the bulk of the tea has to pass through the upper sieves, and their is
a limit to the quantity that can pass in a given time, the process of sorting is very
slow. The square form of mesh in a flat sieve also acts unequally by permitting
the passage of leaves of extra length, which may be presented endwise to the
inesh openings while retaining others which may be presented in the transverse
direction.
The object of our present Invention is to expedite the sifting or sorting process,
and to ensure uniform grading of the tea. For this purpose the tea is caused to
traverse the length of a sieve or sieves, the meshes of which are graduated and
are of smaller size at the end where the tea is fed in, than at the end from which
the unsifted remnant is delivered, so that the smaller tea or dust falls through the
first series of meshes, a larger size through the unext, and so on. The sieve is thus
divided into sections each of which has meshes of greater size than that preceding.
The adjacent pairs of sections after the first (which only sifts the dust) have
meshes of equal breadth, but the first section of each pair has short meshes, and
the second long meshes, the object being to separate the broken leaves from the
long or whole leaves of tea of the same breadth. The sieves are corrugated in
the direction of their length, so that the tea leaves are led endwise along the
corrugations, or the corrugations may be formed transversely; and the meshes
of the sieve are made oblong or elongated in the same direction as the corrugations,
so that leaves of less diameter and length than the breadth and length of the
meshes over which they pass, must fall through.
The accompanying drawings in which figure 1 is a side elevation, figure 2
a transverse vertical section, and figure 3 a plan, illustrate a modification of our
improved tea sifting apparatus. In this apparatus a long sieve or tray formed
with longitudinal or transverse corrugations and with elongated meshes of
perforations as above described is carried over a number of delivery shoots
which are arranged to receive the tea which falls through the meshes in the
sieve.
The sieves A, A', which may be either of one continuous length or of two
or more lengths, are divided into sections as regards the size and length of mesh,
each section having larger meshes than that preceding it, and the shoots B below
correspond in number to the sections in the sieve. The tea is fed on by a hopper C
at one end of the sieve A and travels towards the other end, the sieve being
slightly inclined and having a jigging or vibratory motion imparted to it to
facilitate the progress of the tea over the length of the sieve. The first shoot B
receives the smaller broken tea or "dust" which passes through the finer meshes a,
the next shoot B' receives a larger size of leaf passing through the coarser meshes a',
and the third shoot B2 a longer leaf of the same breadth passing through the longer
meshes a², the next shoot B³ a broader leaf passing through still coarser meshes a³,
the next B* a larger leaf through the meshes a', and so on; and each shoot delivers

page_text: its portion of the tea into a separate bin or receptacle. The sieve is carried by
fixed standards or side frames D to which it is attached by springs E, and the
vibratory motion of the sieve is imparted to it by rotating shafts F, which have.
fitted on them cams or wipers, or square, hexagonal, or similarly formed bearing
blocks on which the sieve rests. The rotation of the jigging shafts F may be
effected by belts G, and pulleys G¹ or other gearing from a counter shaft H operated
by a hand crank I, or by motive power.
When a larger number of different grades or sizes of tea are desired than can be
conveniently separated by the different sections of a single sieve, a second sievo or
tray A of the same kind, with larger meshes, is fitted below the first as is shown
in the drawings, and is arranged to receive the tea which cannot pass through the
meshes of the sieve A above, and which falls on to it over the end of the upper
sieve. This lower sieve A¹ is inclined in the opposite direction and is connected to
the sieve above hy tie bars or similar devices, so that it receives the same vibratory
motion and continues the sorting or grading of the larger tea which falls through
into the shoot B³ B' provided below. If desired, a third sieve or tray may be
added to the apparatus to receive and grade the unsifted tea from the second sieve.
The larger tea which does not pass through any of the meshes in the sieve is
carried by a shoot direct to a cutter, crusher, or mill J in which the tea is broken,
and thence this portion of the tea is delivered on to a sieve or sieves K, which may
be of the ordinary construction, or of the improved construction described, and
by means of which a separation of the coarser and finer leaves is effected. A fan
or bellows L acting intermittently and operated by a crank and connecting rod
from an eccentric on the driving shaft, or by a belt and pulleys, l, is provided
and is fitted over the portion of the sieve A formed with the finest meshes. This
fan is used to blow the red leaf or loose leaf and with it the lighter and finer
quality of leaf over on to an extension A* of the sieve A which is inclined in the
opposite direction, and in which are formed fine meshes a³, through which the fine
tea passes and is delivered to a shoot B. Any loose leaf which may not pass
through these meshes glides over the end of the sieve A³ and drops into a shoot M
or separate receptacle.
Having now particularly described the nature of our said Invention, and in what
manner the saine is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is,-
First. The combination of parts forming the improved tea sorting apparatus
herein described and illustrated.
Second. A tea sorting apparatus consisting essentially of a vibrating sieve or
sieves formed in sections, and having elongated meshes of graduated size,
substantially as herein described.
Third. A sieve for tea sorting apparatus corrugated longitudinally or transversely
and formed in sections having oblong meshes of graduated size, substantially as
berein described.
In Witness Whereof, we, the said Alexander Carson and Samuel Robert
Baildon, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty sixth day of March,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty four.
Witness
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER, C.E.
Fel. Inst. Patent Agents
96 Buchanan Street
Glasgow.
ALEXANDER CARSON (L.S.)
SAM R. BAILDON.
(L.S.)