Improved Apparatus for Packing Tea or other similar Materials into Packets.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Apr., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 9th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 20th Feb., 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Packing Tea or other similar Materials
into Packets.
I, THOMAS HOWARD, of 6 Washington Road, Upton Park, in the County of
Essex, Foreman Warehouseman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
he as follows:-
The present invention relates to an improved apparatus for facilitating the
packing of tea or other similar materials into packets, whereby such packets present
a better appearance while the labour and time in making same are much reduced
and an economy in the cost conrequently effected, and further the material being
packed is much less liable to be damaged in the operation.
For this purpose 1 employ a funnel of ordinary construction around the sides and
bottom of which the foil or other substance to receive the tea or other material is
placed. A rammer is then inserted into the funnel, such rammer being of special
form so as to permit the tea or other material passing through same to the bottom
of the latter. For this purpose the rammer is of skeleton form and open at the
bottom, so that when the desired quantity of material to form a packet is supplied
in a single quantity to the top of the funnel, same runs down through the rammer,
and by reciprocating the rammer it gradually passes out at the bottom thereof,
the latter acting upon the portion so passing through until all has passed. The
funnel is then removed and afterwards the rammer, leaving the tea behind enclosed
in the foil or other wrapper, which can then be closed in any suitable manner.
It will be readily understood that the form of the rammer may be varied; for
example, the sides might be abolished entirely, an open bottom only being
employed to which a rod for reciprocating samo is connected, the object only being
to allow the tea or other material to pass gradually through same into the bottom
of the funnel at the same time that it packs or compresses same by reason of its
vertical up and down movement.
Dated this 20th day of Ail 1800
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Packing Tea or other similar Materials
into Packets.
I, THOMAS HOWARD, of 6 Washington Road, Upton Park, in the County of
Essex, Foreman Warehouseman, 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 :-
The present invention relates to an improved apparatus for facilitating the

page_text: packing of tea or other similar materials into packets, whereby such packets present
a better appearance while the labour and time in making same are much reduced
and an economy in the cost consequently effected, and further the material being
packed is much less liable to be damaged in the operation.
For this purpose I employ a funnel of ordinary construction around the sides
and bottom of which the foil or other substance to receive the tea or other
material is placed. A rammor is then inserted into the funnel, such rammer being
of special forin so as to permit the tea or other material to pasa through same to
the bottom of the latter. For this purpose the rammer is of skeleton form and
open at the bottom, so that when the desired quantity of material to form a packet
is supplied in a single quantity to the top of the funnel, same runs down through
the rammer, and by reciprocating the rammer it gradually passes out at the bottoin
thereof, the latter acting on the portion so passing through until all has passed.
The funnel is then. removed and afterwards the rammer, leaving the tea behind
enclosed in the foil or other wrapper, which can then be closed in any suitable
manner,
It will be readily understood that the form of the rammer may be varied; for
example, the sides might be abolished entirely, an open bottom only being employed
to which a rod for reciprocating same is connected, the object only being to allow
the tea or other material to pass gradually through same into the bottom of the
funnel at the same time that it packs or compresses saine by reason of its vertical
up and down movement.
But in order that my invention may be fully understood I will now proceed to
describe samo with the aid of the accompanying drawing, in which,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation (partly in section) of my improved apparatus, showing
the method of employing same.
Fig. 2 a side elevation of a holder showing the funnel (which is in section).
placed thereon in an inverted position and the foil or other substance to receive
the tea or other material placed round its sides and bottom.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation, Fig. 4 a plan view, Fig. 5 a vertical section and
Fig. 6.a horizontal section of the improved rammer.
Fig. 7 is a vertical section. and Fig. 8 a plan view of the funnel.
Referring to Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive it will be seen that the rummer A is of
skeleton form, being composed of sido hars a, joined by cross bars a' near the
bottom, and bottom bars a forming the ramming surface. The cross bars are
preferably joined together by a central transverse bar a³, and the botton bars a
by a transverse bar a (at right angles to the bar a) as shown. The top of the
rammer A is provided with a bandle A' for the purpose of operating same. The
inner surfaces of the side bars a, and the upper surfaces of the cross bars a', bottom
bars a, and the transverse bar a are preferably inclined as shown, and together
with the transverse bar a serve to keep the material to be packed loose and free
and facilitate its gradual passage through the open bottoin of the rammer.
It will
be readily understood that as herein before stated the form of the rammer may be
varied, the essential feature being that the bottom of same must be open to allow
the material to pass gradually through to the underside as such rammer is
reciprocated.
The funnel B which is of ordinary construction is shown in detail in Figs. 7 and 8.
The funnel is placed in an inverted position upon the holder C as shown in Fig. 2,
and the foil or other wrapper D to receive the tea or other material is placed round
the sides and bottom thereof.
The whole is then turned upside down and the bottom inserted in the block or
mould E (as shown in Fig. 1). The holder C is then withdrawn leaving the end
of the funnel B with the foil around it within the block or mould E. The
rammer A is then inserted within the funnel, and the apparatus is ready
for use.
The tea or other material is introduced into the top of the funnel B and passes
through the sides of the rammer A to the button when by reciprocating the

page_text: rammer A vertically by means of its handle A' such material will pass gradually
through the bottom of the lutter, a small portion passing at each stroke and baing
acted upon by the under surface of the rammer at each down stroke, whereby the
material will be evenly and firmly packed within the foil or covering D without
being damaged in any way.
The material to be packed may be delivered to the funnel B directly, but as
shown in Fig. 1 I prefer to employ an inclined shoot F, the lower end of which
terminates over the top of the funnel, while the necessary quantity of material
required to form a packet is delivered to its upper end and passes gradually down
such inclined shoot and into the funnel.
When the whole quantity of material has passed below and has been subjected
to the compressing action of the rammer, the funnel B is removed and afterwards
the rammer A, leaving such inaterial -behind enclosed in the foil or wrapper D,
the upper end of which can then be closed in the ordinary or any suitable
manner.
It will be readily understood that the apparatus might be equally well employed
for packing tea or other material in cans or other receptacles instead of in foil or
other wrappers as described.
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. In apparatus for packing tea or other similar materials into packets, cans or
other receptacles, the improved rammer working within the funnel to which the
material to be packed is delivered, such rammer being formed with an open
bottom so that such material can pass gradually to the underside of the rammer
as same is reciprocated, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. The improved apparatus for packing tea or other similar materials into.
packets, cans or other receptacles, consisting in a rammer with an open bottom
working within a funnel above which terminates a shoot for the delivery to such
funnel of the material to be packed, all substantially as and for the purpose.
specified.
Dated this 9th day of January 1897
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.