IMPROVEMENTS. IN APPARATUS FOR MIXING TEA
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Harvey, of No. 127, Royal Road, Kennington
Park, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS. IN
APPARATUS FOR MIXING TEA."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Harvey at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th August 1877.
WILLIAM HARVEY, of No. 127, Royal Road, Kennington Park, in the County of
Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MIXING TEA."
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for mixing tea.
For this purpose I first spread the several sorts of tea which it is desired to mix
in layers upon a large tray, say to the thickness of a foot or thereabout, and I then
tilt this tray and cause it, with some assistance from the hand, to deliver its contents
gradually into a funnel fixed on the top of a cylindrical casing containing an open
wheel or fly with radial vanes. This wheel or fly is mounted on a vertical axis
baving its bearings in the top and bottom of the casing. The axis of the wheel or
fly is driven by a crank handle upon an horizontal axis, these axes being geared
together by a pair of bevilled pinions.
The tea, as it passes through the funnel, is met by the vanes of the wheel or fly,
and is, thrown about by them within the casing in such manner as to ensure the
complete mixture of the several sorts. To prevent the tea passing through the
wheel or fly in the neighbourhood of the axis where the velocity of the vanes
is insufficient a conical shield or guide, which directs the tea as it descends
outwards towards the periphery of the wheel or fly. There is an opening in the
bottom of the casing in the centre around the axis for the delivery of the tea after
it has been mixed. The tea passes at once into the canister in which it is to be
stored. There is a flange around the opening in the bottom of the casing to adapt
it to receive the mouth of the canister; and the bottom of the casing is inclined

page_text: within, so that the tea which has passed the mixing wheel or fly may not lodge in
the casing but flow at once into the canister.
In place of inclining the mixing tray to cause the delivery of the tea into funnel,
as above mentioned, the tea may be removed in scoops or in other convenient
manner.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Harvey in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th February
1878.
WILLIAM HARVEY, of No. 127, Royal Road, Kennington Park, in the County of
Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MIXING TEA."
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for mixing tea.
The apparatus consists of a funnel fixed on the top of a cylindrical casing
containing an open wheel or fly with radial vanes. This wheel or fly is mounted
on a vertical axis, and is driven by means of a crank handle upon an horizontal
axis, these axes being geared together by a pair of bevilled pinions.
The tea, as it passes through the funnel, is met by the vanes of the wheel or fly,
and is thrown about by them within the casing in such manner as to ensure the
complete mixture of the several sorts. To prevent the tea passing through the
wheel or fly in the neighbourhood of the axis a conical shield or guide is applied,
which directs the tea as it descends outwards towards the periphery of the wheel or
fly. There is an opening in the bottom of the casing in the centre for the delivery
of the tea after it has been mixed. The tea passes at once into the canister in
which it is to be stored. There is a flange around the opening in the bottom of
the casing to adapt it to receive the mouth of the canister; and the bottom of the
casing is inclined within, so that the tea which has passed the mixing wheel or fly
may not lodge in the casing but flow at once into the canister.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is an elevation, and Figure 2 is a plan of apparatus for mixing tea
constructed according to my Invention; Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the
line 1, 1, in Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a plan of the apparatus with the upper
parts removed.
A is a funnel fixed on the top of the cylindrical casing B, which contains the
wheel or fly C having radial vanes C₁, C. The wheel or fly C is carried upon a
vertical axis D having at its lower end a bevilled pinion D₁ in gear with another
similar pinion E¹ upon the horizontal axis E. The axis E can be turned by the
wheel and handle E2, and in this way the wheel or fly C is driven. F is a conical
shield or guide fixed upon the top of the wheel or fly C and turning with it. The
cylindrical casing B has an inclined bottom G, and this is provided with a flange H
adapted to fit into the mouth of a canister or receptacle for the mixed tea. I is a
standard fixed to the bottom G, and in it the bearings for the axis D are formed.

page_text: One of the bearings of the horizontal axis E is formed in the same standard, the
other being in a boss on the side of the part G. The tea to be mixed is put into
the funnel A, and, aided by the rotation of the shield F, on which there are
blades F', it runs down into the casing B, and is caught by the vanes C¹, which
throw it about in such a way as to ensure a thorough admixture. The mixed tea
falls out at the bottom in a continuous stream. The tea to be mixed may be
introduced into the funnel A in any convenient manner, but I prefer to provide
partitions K, K, within the funnel; they are attached to a central tube or cylinder K²,
and within this another tube or cylinder L is able to slide. When the tube or
cylinder L is in its lowest position it serves to prevent the flow of the tea from the
funnel into the casing beneath. The different sorts of tea which it is desired to
mix are to be placed in the different compartiments into which the funnel is divided
by the partitions; the tube or cylinder L is then drawn up, and the handle being
turned the operation of mixing proceeds. The parts K, K, and L, may, if desired,
be lifted out of the funnel after that the tea has been filled in according to the
proportions desired; or in some cases the partitions K may be made fixtures to the
sides of the funnel.
In some cases I modify the arrangement in such manner as to cause the tea to be
delivered from the funnel A on to a small sieve, through which it has to pass to.
enter the casing B.
Figure 5 is a vertical section showing the modification.
M is the sieve fixed into the top of the casing B; it is seen in plan in Figure 6,
and so also are three arms or stirrers fixed upon the axis D, which serve to agitate
the tea and make it pass through the sieve. The tea falls from the sieve on to the
top of the wheel or fly C, which has blades upon it, and being inclined causes the
tea to pass outwards until it comes within reach of the vanes C, C'. The shield or
guide F is fixed upon the head of the axis D, and, as in the former arrangement,
revolves with it. The shield or guide is provided with blades F¹ to aid the descent
of the tea, and these blades extend outwards from the centre further than those
shown in Figure 3. In this arrangement the sliding tube L is dispensed with as
the tea will only descend when the handle is turned.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim the construction of
apparatus for mixing tea, substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Harvey, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eigth.
WILLIAM HARVEY. (L.S.)