Improvements in the Construction of Tables of Tea Rolling Machines.
Year: 1888

page_text: "
Improvements in the Construction of Tables of Tea Rolling
Machines.
I, JOHN RICHARDSON, of the City of Lincoln, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to certain improvements or novel construction of tables of tea
rolling machines, and has reference to the use of glass specially prepared in one or
more pieces, in substitution for wood, or metal, or a combination thereof.
Hitherto tables of tea rolling machines have been made of hard wood, in the centre
of which is a well with corrugated surfaces. This form of construction answers
perfectly, but is liable to repeated wear especially on the flat surface where the upper
table rubs upon the lower one. To remedy this, various devices have been adopted,
such as letting in metallic strips, but these are subject to disadvantages.
The present improvements consist in letting into the upper surface of the table, a
thick plate of glass for taking the whole, or nearly the whole of the rubbing surface.
This is cut out in the centre to form a well corresponding with the wooden well
previously used, and to the inclined sides of the well are screwed strips of hard wood
overlapping the lower edge of the glass so as to give the same rough rubbing surface
as before.
The table may have the flat surface and also a well if desired, with either corrugated
or plain sides made entirely of glass.
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said John Richardson.

page_text: I JOHN RICHARDSON of the city of Lincoln, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to certain improvements or novel construction of tables of
Tea Rolling Machines and bas reference to the use of glass specially prepared in one
or more pieces, in substitution for wood or metal or a combination thereof.
Hitherto tables of Tea Rolling Machines have been made of hard wood in the centre
of which is a well with corrugated surfaces.
This form of construction answers perfectly, but is liable to repeated wear especially
on the flat surface where the upper table rubs upon the lower one. To remedy this
various devices have been adopted such as letting in metallic strips but these are
subject to disadvantages.
The present improvements consist in letting into the upper surface of the table a
thick plate of glass for taking the whole or nearly the whole of the rubbing
surface.
This is cut out in the centre to form a woll corresponding with the wooden well
previously used, and to the inclined sides of the well are screwed strips of hard wood
overlapping the lower edge of the glass so as to give the same rough rubbing surface
as before.
The table may have the flat surface and also a well if desired with either corrugated
or plain sides made entirely of glass.
My invention will be understood by reference to the annexed drawings.
According to Figure 1 which is an elevation of a tea rolling machine of the well
known construction and Figure 2 a plan of the table top.
The machine is composed of a standard A with a top flange B on which is a metal
frame containing a wooden bed D this being recessed for the reception of a plate of
glass E of ring shape and on which the rolling is effected by the circular reciprocating
action of a top frame F within which is a plunger G. The centre of this plunger is
hollow or recessed at H and it presses upon the tea to ensure frictional contact between
the leaves of tea placed between it and the table.
The centre of the table is also recessed at I and as the tea becomes rolled it
accumulates in the recess I to be removed when required by the hinged bottom
flap J.
The inner wall or incline of the well I is partitioned or ribbed as corrugations, as
in the plan view Fig. 2 but they may be plain and according to Figures 1 and 2 the
plate glass E which forms the subject of my present invention and upon which the tea
is rolled is stopped short at the entrance to the well I but according to the elevation
shown at Figure 3 of the drawings the plate of glass E is formed with an incline K

page_text: which may be in a piece with the plate E as shown, or in separate pieces moulded or
bent to fit in position. With this exception the views Figures 3 and 4 correspond to
those shown at Figures 1 and 2.
The material, glass, as above mentioned employed for the purpose described has the
necessary hardness to resist weare, while it has none of the disadvantages of metal or
other equally hard rubbing surfaces now generally used.
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
The construction and application or employment of a thick plate of glass in a table
top of a Tea Rolling Machine as a rubbing surface and by which Tea may be rolled as
described.
The 21st day of November 1888.
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said J. Richardson.