Improvements in Tea Leaf Rolling Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Improvements in Tea Leaf Rolling Machines.
1, SAMUEL CLELAND DAVIDSON of Sirocco Engineering Works, Belfast,
Ireland, Mercliant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has reference principally to the tea leaf rolling machine described
in my previous Specification No. 20805 of 1895 though it is in part also applicable
to other forms of tea leaf rolling machines, and relates more particularly to
detail improvements in the general arrangement and design of the framework
for carrying the crauks which support and the crank wheel which imparts motion
to the rolling table, and to the construction of the rolling table and of the leaf
receptacle surmounting it.
The object of the improvements in respect of the general arrangement and
Construction of the framework of the machine and more particularly the parts
carrying the cranks which support and the crank wheel which drives the rolling
table, is to enable the rolling table to be supported by three cranks and driven
by one of the three instead of being supported by four and driven by a fifth as
described in the previous specification, whereby the size of the machine as a
whole is considerably reduced, and its manufacture much simplified and facilitated.
In respect of the rolling table, the object of the improvements is to give it a
better grip of the leaf resting upon it and prevent it slipping, so as to roll it.
more quickly and efficiently, while at same time not practically increasing the
amall clearance space which uecessarily exists between the upper main surface of
the rolling table, and the lower edge of the leaf receptacle any increase of which
would involve greater escape of leaf therefrom; and the object of the improve-
ments in respect of the interior of the leaf receptacle is to enable the machine
while working, to automatically accomplish a ploughing or stirring up and inter-
changing movement of the leaf throughout its entire mass, so as to effect a more
equal and thorough rolling of all the contained leaf, than in such machines as
heretofore made.
The improvements in the genoral constructive arrangement of the framework
carrying the cranks of the rolling table consist in joining the supporting columus
or legs of the machine together horizontally by a three-arned frame, made in one
complete casting, with provision in two of the arms for a footstep bush or bearing
for carrying or supporting the vertical shaft of two of the three cranks which
now carry the rolling table, and in the third arm a footstep bush or bearing for
carrying and supporting the vertical shaft on which is mounted the driving crank
wheel, one arm of which acts as the third crank for carrying or supporting and
also for driving the rolling table, and as the said three armed frame is made in
one casting the precise relative position of each of the three footstep bushes can
be onsured in practical manufacture with more facility and accuracy in workman-
ship than when the cranks are carried by separate parts or sections of the
framework bolted to each other, as described in the previous specification. The
driving crank wheel is preferably bevel geared, and actuated by a bevel geared
pinion carried and secured on a shaft with fast and loose pulleys on its opposite
end, which shaft is supported in bearings on an extension bracket of one of the

page_text: three columns which carry the three-armed frame and upper structure of the
nachine and platform; and the external edge of the platform is preferably
circular, instead of rectangular as described in the previous specification.
The improvements in the construction of the rolling table consist in having
depressions or cavities sunk in it (instead of ribs raised on it as hitherto) to
preferably about half an inch in depth, and spaced apart in the level surfaces of
the table at distances of rolatively about their own width or length concentrically
and radially from centre of the table, and there are preferably 30 rows of said
cavities radiating from centre of the table and arranged in from four to six
concentric rows.
. The improvements in the construction of the 'leaf receptacle consist in the
application to the lower part of its interior sides of appliancos which may
appropriately be and are hereinafter termed "ploughs," their purpose being to
plough up and displace the leaf in the bottom of the mass undergoing the operation
of rolling,
so that all the leaf under treatment in the machine is thereby constantly
being ploughed through and stirred up or turned over. These ploughs are so
uumed from their general appearance and purpose, being somewhat like ploughs,
but to more particularly define them they may be described as shaped somewhat
similar to a quarter section of a pyramid-pointed block, when cut vertically through
its opposite angles from apex to base. The triangular side formed by the base of
any one of these sections is therefore a right angled triangle, as also the triangular
part of the two vertical sides rising from said base. The entire vertical height
from the base to the apex of the three upward pointing triangular sides is
preferably made equal to about two-thirds the diameter of the circle described by
the cranks supporting and driving the rolling table, and the projection from the
right-angled coruer of said base, to the two acute angled points of the base, is
equal to about one-half the measurement between the apex and horizontal base of
this four-sided plough-shaped block, of which one or more may be employed, but
preferably four, at equal distances around the base of the inner side or sides of the
leaf receptacle, and each one being attached firmly thereto by one of its vertical
sides, keeping its horizontal base facing the surface of the rolling table, and with
its other vertical side opposing the forward motion of the table on the cranks, in
whichever direction it may be found most convenient to drive the table, and as the
two vertical sides of these ploughs are the same shape, they are capable of being
reversed to suit circumstances.
Theso ploughs are more particularly intended for employment in leaf receptacles
in which no lid or cap is employed to give a downward pressure to the leaf, and
which are therefore ireely open at top, and in which the sides may be either
slightly tapered inwards near the top, or vertical, or widening outward or cup shape
and the effect which these ploughs produce in the leaf at the bottom of the mass,
and nearest to the rolling table, is to cause an upheaving or boiling up movement
therefrom in the centre, and a tumbling of the leaf down again towards the
bottom, around the sides of the leaf receptacle, and this so thoroughly mixes
and stirs up the leaf throughout its entire mass, that a remarkably equal and
thoroughly efficient rolling of all the leaf contained in the leaf receptacle, is
thereby effected.
The edges of the ploughs which most forcibly come in contact with the leaf are
rounded off sufficiently to prevent them cutting or tearing it, but it will be obvious
that the rounding off of the edges might be exaggerated to such an extent that the
plough hereinbefore described could eventually be made to resemble more the form
of the vertical half of an excentrically shaped cone, or even of a half pear cut
longitudinally, and which, or similar modifications in forin, though they would less
officiently perform the ploughing up action amongst the leaf, would, provided they
projected sufficiently far at base, nevertheless accomplish it to a modified extent,
and therefore embody the operating principles of the herein described and
illustrated quarter pyramid form of plough, and to which precise form or shape the
invention is therefore not limited.

page_text: Small internal ribs or projections have alren is heen used in the leaf receptaoles
of some of the rolling machines hitherto in use, to give the sides a better grip of
the leaf, and these ribs may if desired be used in conjunction with the herein before
described plough, the object of which is quite different to that of such small ribs
or projections, their aim being only to prevent the leaf slipping ou the surfaces of
the sides, whereas that of the herein described ploughs is to plough or stir up and
turn over the leaf which is being carried round on the top of the excentrically
reciprocating table underneath the leaf receptacle, so that the whole mass of leaf
therein gets forced upwards in the centre in an upheaving or boiling up movement
As herein before described, and which so disturbs and stirs up the leaf that the
bundles or balls into which it tends to form are consequently more or less broken
up, whereby each individual leaf of the mass under treatment is more equally and
efficiently subjected to the rolling operation at each reciprocation of the rolling
table. The said ploughs as herein described and represented are also applicable
and beneficial in conjunction with a leaf receptacle having a horizontal excentric
reciprocating movement, whether its sides be vertical or slightly curved inwards or
outwards towards the top.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
Improvements in Tea Lear Roшing machines.
I, SAMUEL CLELAND DAVIDSON of Sirocco Engineering Works, Belfast,
Ireland, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
nanner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention has reference principally to the tea leaf rolling machine described
in my previous Specification No. 20805 of 1895, though it is iu part also
applicable to other forms of tea leaf rolling machines, and relates more particularly
to detail improvements in the general arrangement and design of the framework
for carrying the cranks which support and the crank wheel which imparts motion
to the rolling table, and to the construction of the rolling table and of the leaf
receptacle surmounting it.
The object of the improvements in respect of the general arrangement and
construction of the framework of the machine and more particularly the parts
carrying the cranks which support, and the crank wheel which drives the rolling
table, is to enable the rolling table to be supported by three cranks and driven by
one of the three instead of being supported by four and driven by a fifth as
described in the previous specification, whereby the size of the machine as a whole
is considerably reduced, and its manufacture much simplified and facilitated. In
respect of the rolling table, the object of the improvements is to give a better
grip of the leaf resting upon it and prevent it slipping, so as to roll it more quickly
and efficiently, while at same time not practically increasing the small clearance
space which necessarily exists between the upper main surface of the rolling table,
and the lower edge of the leaf receptacle any increase of which would involve
greater escape of leaf therefrom; and the object of the improvements in respect
of the interior of the leaf receptacle is to enable the machine while working, to
automatically accomplish a ploughing or stirring up and interchanging movement
of the leaf throughout its entire mass, so as to effect a more equal and thorough
rolling of all the contained leaf, than in such machines as heretofore made.

page_text: The improvements in the géneral constructive arrangement of the framework
carrying the cranks of the rolling table, consist in joining the supporting, columns
or legs of the machine together horizontally by a three armed frame, made in one
complete casting with provision in two of the arms for a footstep bush or bearing
for carrying or supporting the vertical shaft of two of the three cranks which now
carry the rolling tablo, and in the third arm a footstep bush or bearing for carrying
and supporting the vertical shaft on which is, mounted the driving crank wheel,
one arm of which acts as the third crank for carrying or supporting and also for
driving the rolling table, and as the said three-armed frame is made in one casting,
the precise relative position of each of the three footstep bushes can be ensured in
practical manufacture with more facility and accuracy in workmanship than when
the cranks are carried by separate parts or sections of the framework bolted to
rach other, us described in the previous specification. The driving crank wheel is
preferably bevel geared, and actuated by a bevel geared pinion carried and secured
on a shaft with fast and loose pulleys on its opposite end which shaft is supported
in bearings on an extension bracket of one of the three columns which carry the
three-armed frame and upper structure of the machine and platform; and the
external edge of the platform is preferably circular, instead of rectangular as
described in the previous specification.
The improvements in the construction of the rolling table consist in having
depressions or cavities sunk in it (instead of ribs raised on it as hitherto) to
preferably about half an inch in depth, and spaced apart in the level surfaces of
the table at distances of relatively about their own width or length concentrically
and radially from the centre of the table, and there are preferably 30 rows of
said cavities radiating from centre of the table and arranged in from four to six
concentric rowR.
The improvements in the construction of the leaf receptacle consist in the
application to the lower part of its interior sides of appliances which may
appropriately be and are hereinafter termed "ploughs," their purpose being to
plough up and displace the leaf in the bottom of the mass undergoing the operation
of rolling, so that all the leaf under treatment in the machine is thereby constantly
being ploughed through and stirred up or turned over. These ploughs are so
named from their general appearance and purpose being somewhat like ploughs,
but to more particularly define them they may be described as slinped somewhat
similar to a quarter section of a pyramid pointed block, when cut vertically
through its opposite angles from apex to base. The triangular side formed by
the base of any one of these sections is therefore a right angled triangle, as also
the triangular part of the two vertical sides arising from said base. The entire
vertical height from the base to the apex of the three upward pointing triangular
sides is preferably made equal to about two-thirds the diameter of the circlo
described by the crauks supporting and driving the rolling table, and the pro-
jection from the right angled corner of said base, to the two acute angled points of
the base, is equal to about one half the measurement between the apex and the
horizontal base of this four-sided plough shaped block, of which one or more may
be employed, but preferably four, at equal distances around the base of the inner
side or sides of the leaf receptacle and each one being attached firmly thereto by
one of its vertical sides, keeping its horizontal base facing the surface of the
rolling table, and with its other vertical side opposing the forward motion of the
table on the cranks in whichever direction it may be found most convenient to
dŕive the table, and as the two vertical sides of these ploughs are the same shape,
they are capable of being reversed to suit circumstances.
These ploughs are more particularly intended for employment in leaf receptacles
in which no lid or cap is employed to give a downward pressure to the leaf, and
which are therefore freely open at top, and in which the sides may be either
slightly tapered inwards near the top, or vertical, or as alternatively illustrated in
accompanying drawings, widening outward or cup shape and the effect which these
ploughs produce in the leaf at the bottom of the mass, and nearest to the rolling

page_text: table, is to cause an upheaving or boiling up movement therefrom in the centre,
and a tumbling of the leaf down again towards the bottom, around the sides of
the leaf receptacle, and this so thoroughly mixes and stirs up the leaf throughout
its entire mass, that a remarkably equal and thoroughly efficient rolling of all the
leaf contained in the leaf receptacle is thereby effected.
The edges of the ploughs which most forcibly come in contact with the leaf are
rounded off sufficiently to prevent them cutting or tearing it, but it will be obvious
that the rounding off of the edges might be exaggerated to such an extent that
the plough hereinbefore described could eventually be made to resemble more the
form of the vertical half of an excentrically shapel cone, or even of a half pear
cut longitudinally and which, or similar modifications in form, though they would
less efficiently perform the ploughing up action amongst the leaf, would, provided
they projected sufficiently iar at base, nevertheless accomplish it to a modified
extent, and therefore embody the operating principles of the herein described and
illustrated quarter pyramid form of plough, and to which precise form or shape
the invention is therefore not limited.
Small internal ribs or projectious have already been used in the leaf receptacles
of some of the rolling machines hitherto in use, to give the sides a better grip of
the leaf, and these ribs may if desired be used in conjunction with the hcreiubefore
described plough, the object of which is quite different to that of such small ribs
or projectious, their aim being only to prevent the leaf slipping on the surfaces of
the sides, whereas that of the herein described ploughs is to plough or stir up and
turn over the leaf which is being carried round on the top of the excentrically
reciprocating table underneath the leaf receptacle, so that the whole mass of leaf
therein gets forced upwards in the centre in an upheaving or boiling up movement
as hereinbefore described, and which 89 disturbs and stirs up the leaf that the
bundles or balls into which it tends to form are cousequently more or less broken
up, whereby each individual leaf of the mass under treatment is more equally and
efficiently subjected to the rolling operation at each reciprocation of the rolling
table. The said ploughs as herein described and represented are also applicable
and beneficial in conjunction with a leaf receptacle having a horizontal excentric
reciprocating movement, whether its sides be vertical or slightly curved inwards or
outwards towards the top.
The accompanying drawings more fully illustrate the nature of the invention
aud how sanie is carried into effect;-
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine; Figure 2 a side elevation and
Figure 3 a plan ;
Figure 4 a sectional elevation through line a-b of Figure 5;
Figure 5 a sectional plan through line -d of Figure 4 and
Figure 6 a sectional plan through line e-f of Figure 1.
The same letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding parts in any
of the figures.
Figures 7, 8 and 9 represent au elevation, a plan and a section respectively, of
another form of leaf receptacle which may be employed with the machine.
A A are columns which support the upper structure of the machine, on which
are fixed or constructed extension brackets B B which carry the three-armed
frame C. One of the brackets B also carries the bearings D D supporting the
driving shaft E upon one end of which are fast and loose belt pulleys FF and on
the other end is keyed the bevel pinion G. This pinion gears into the driving
crank wheel H carried on a vertical spindle or shalt J which is supported in the
footstep bush K provided on the three-armed frame C. On one of the arms of
the crank wheel II is constructed a footstep bearing or bush L at some distance
from its centre forming a driving crank which also receives and supports the pillar
or pin M. This pillar or pin M with pillars or pius M' M' are bolted to the
underside of and support the rolling table N. The two pins M' are supported in
footstep bushes O constructed at one end of the guiding and supporting
cranks P P and which cranks are carried upon pins or pillars QQ fixed to their

page_text: other ends, and which pins are supported and revolve in footstep bushes or
bearings R constructed in the three armed fraine C. On the upper surface of the
rolling table N, depressions and raised parts, N' and N' respectively, are constructed
and ranged in alternating order, and extend from the centre of the dished portion S
in the centre of the table to the outer circumference. Immediately over the
rolling table N is mounted the stationary leaf receptacle T, on some of the interior
sides of which are fixed or constructed the ploughs T and on the sides are fitted
the discharge doors U. The leaf receptacle T is carried on a frame V supported
on the ends of a number of arms W which are bolted on the top of the coluian A.
Between the arnis W are angle irous X for carrying the iron or wooden platform Y.
Z Z are oil cups or reservoirs which when filled supply the footstep bearings
with oil.
When the driving pulley F is rotated it transmits through the shaft E and bevel
pinion Ga horizontal rotary motion to the crank wheel H which in turn transmits
a horizontal reciprocating movement to the rolling table N through the crank
bush L and pin M, and the said rolling table is guided and supported in its
movement by the crank pins or pillars M M and QQ and cranks P P.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manuer the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In tea leaf rolling machines in which there is a table having a horizontal
excentric reciprocating movement, surmounted by a similarly moving or a stationary
receptacle for holding the leaf-to be rolled, the construction of such lenf recoptacle
with one or more inwardly directed projections ou the lower part of its inner side,
so formed and constructed that they plough or thrust into the leaf as they are
forced against the same by tho forward movement of the rolling table, whether
this movement be on the part of the rolling table aloue or conjointly with the leaf
receptacle, or on the part of the leaf receptacle alone operating against the
resisting surface of a stationary table below it, whereby when the machine is in
motion the leaf receives therefrom a ploughing or stirring up and interchanging
movement which more or less breaks up the bundles or balls into which the leaf
tends to form, so that all the leaf throughout the contained mass is more equally
and efficiently rolled, all substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
described and represented in the accompanying drawings.
2. In tea leaf rolling machines in which there is a rolling table baving a
horizontal excentric reciprocating movement, surmounted by a similarly moving.or
a stationary receptacle for holding the leaf to be rolled, the construction of such
rolling table with a number of rows of depressions or cavities sunk into the main
surface of the table, which thus act as raised portions relatively to the bottom of
said depressions or cavities on its upper side, and ranged in alternate order, and
extending radially and concentrically from the centre of the rolling table to its
circumference all substantially as and for the purposes bereinbefore described and
represented in the accompanying drawings.
3. The general arraugement and combination of parts constituting the berein
before described improved tea lenf rolling machine, all substantially as and for
the purposes liereinbefore described and represented in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of January 1897.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agents.