A Machine for Packing Tea or other Substances in Chests, Cases or other like Receptacles.
Year: 1894

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COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Machine for Packing Tea or other Substances in Chests, Cases
or other like Receptacles.
We SAMUEL CLELAND DAVIDSON of Sirocco Engineering Works, Belfast,
Ireland Merchant and FREDERICK GEORGE MAGUIRE of Colombo, Ceylon,
Engineer, 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 -
Our invention has reference more particularly to the packing of dried tea in
chests, and its object is to effect a firm and close packing of the tea without
pressing or crushing it down by hand or by any mechanical arrangement of press
or by trampling it down with the feet which hitherto has been the method most
generally practised in the packing of tea in chests, but which so crushes and breaks
a large proportion of the tea into dust that its marketable value is considerably
depreciated, whereas when packed by means of a machine constructed in
accordance with our invention the tea settles down into the chests even more
compactly than if pressed or trampled in by foot, while all deterioration of quality
due to some of the tea getting broken or crushed in the operation of packing is
completely obviated and the packing is also effected much more expeditiously.
The invention, however, is not limited to the packing of dried tea but is also
applicable to the packing in chests, cases or other like receptacles of other
substances the particles of which when subjected to a vibrating or oscillating
motion after being put into a packing receptacle have the tendency to settle down
therein more closely together.
Our invention consists of a machine constructed so that it will give the chest or
receptacle while being filled with tea or other substance a short and rapi l
vibrating or oscillating motion the direction of which motion relatively to the
chest may in the preferred construction be continuously or intermittently alterel
at will without, stopping the machine or interfering with the progress of the
packing, the vibrating or oscillating table or plate on which the chest is placed
and firmly secured, being for this purpose so mounted that it can be revolved
horizontally upon a frame to which vibrating or oscillating motion is imparted by
a suitable connection with a crank, excentric, cam or other reciprocating appliance
on a driving shaft.
One manner in which our invention may be carried into effect is as follows:-
Upon a suitable bed plate we mount a frame to which a vibrating or oscillating
motion in suitable bearings is. imparted as hereinafter described. The frame is
preferably formed of four or more arms radiating from a centre. Above this
frame is the packing table or plate the outer edge of which is supported on the
ends of the arms of the vibrating frame. The table is held in position on the
vibrating, frame by a central pin upon which it can be rotated continuously or
intermittently by hand or otherwise. The chest to be packed is securely fixed to
the table and this is preferably effected by means of two opposite clamps which
are moved against the sides of the chest by a right and left-handed screw; there
is also preferably an adjustable stopper for the back of the chest. The vibrating
or oscillating motion is given to the frame as follows:-One of the arms of the
frame is slotted and a slide is fitted in the slot; this slide forms the bearing for a
crank pin upon a disc mounted upon a shaft to which rotary motion is imparted by
a driving belt or other suitable means. It will readily be understood that by this
arrangement a vibrating or up and down motion will be imparted to the slotted

page_text: arm of the frame which will therefore be caused to vibrate or oscillate together
with the table and chest carried thereon while any desired continuous or inter-
mittent rotary motion can at same time be imparted to the table and chest.
The accompanying drawings represent a machine constructed according to the
invention;
Figure 1 is a plan of the machine but with the packing table removed to allow
the vibrating frame and other parts to be seen.
Figure 2 is a section of the machine on the line 2-3 of Figure 1 with a chest
in position; the dotted lines indicate approximately the extent of vibration of the
chest, but this vibration may be greater or less according to the requirements of
any special substance that is being packed.
Figure 3 is an elevation of the machine,
Figure 4 a plan of the rotary packing table and
Figure 5 a section of the machine on the line 4-5 of Figure 1.
A is the bed plate, B the vibrating or oscillating frame which is shown as composed
of four arms two of which have trunnions to turn in bearings N N. C is the
packing table or plate the outer edge of which is supported on the ends of the
arms of the vibrating frame. M is a central pin passed through the table C and
frame B and secured at bottom by a nut.. This pin holds the table in position on
the frame B and also constitutes the centre on which the table can be rotated; this
rotation can be given by hand or by any suitable gearing as will be well under-
stood. D is the shaft from which the frame B receives its vibrating motion.
This shaft turns in bearings K K and is driven by pulleys L; it carries a disc E
fitted with a crank pin F. This crank pin causes a slide G to reciprocate in a
slot H in one of the arms of the frame B and to impart a vibrating movement to
this arm and therefore to the whole frame B, the trunnions in the bearings NN
forming the centre of the vibrating motion. O is an adjustable stopper for the
chest which is shown at S, Figure 2. QQ are sliding clamps operated by means
of a hand wheel R and right and left handed screw P so as to hold the chest S
firmly in position.
.
It is obvious that other means than those described may be employed for
imparting the vibrating motion to the frame B, but the means described are simple
and effective.
Although it is much preferred to have the combination of vibrating and rotary
motions of the table or plate on which the chest or other receptacle is placed, the
rotary motion is not absolutely essential. When a machine is required which will
not provide for this rotary motion the vibrating motion will be given directly to the
table which will then have trunnions to turn in bearings such as K K and be
connected by means such as those described for the frame B with the shaft D.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
--
. .
1. A machine for packing tea or other substances in chests, cases or other like
receptacles, the said machine having a table or plate on which the chest or
receptacle is placed and means whereby a vibrating or oscillating motion can be
imparted to the table or plate and the chest or receptacle whereby owing to the
vibrating or oscillating motion the contents of the receptacle are caused to settle
down rapidly and compactly without pressure or trampling down, and without the
substance being broken or crushed, substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. A machine for packing tea or other substances in chests, cases or other like
receptacles the said machine having a table or plate on which the chest or
receptacle is placed and means whereby a vibrating or oscillating motion can be
imparted to the table or plate and the chest or receptacle thereon while at the
same time the table or plate with the receptacle can be horizontally rotated on its
axis so that the direction of the vibrating or oscillating motion in relation to the
receptacle and its contents can be altered without stopping the machine or

page_text: interrupting the progress of packing substantially as and for the purpose.
hereinbefore described.
3. The general arrangement and combination of parts, substantially as herein-
before described and represented in the accompanying drawings, forming &
machine for packing tea or other substances in chests, cases or other like:
receptacles.
Dated this fith day of February 1894
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agent.