GB855195A - Improvements in apparatus for the preliminary treatment of tea leaf - Google Patents

Abstract

855,195. Tea manufacture. SAYAMA TEA ESTATES Ltd., and WORTHINGTON, W. R. March 25, 1958 [March 29, 1957], No. 10303/57. Class 129 Tea leaf is fed between two conveying surfaces while pressure applying means subject the leaf during each of a plurality of discrete periods separated by intervals of pressure relief, to a plurality of pressure fluctuations. As shown, Fig. 1, intermittently driven flat band conveyers 4, 5 are mounted in a frame 1 with the lower flight of conveyer 2 close to the upper flight of conveyer 3, the spacing being adjustable by rollers 14, 15. A frame 32 carrying rollers 33 freely rotatable on parallel shafts 34 is reciprocated parallel to the lower flight of band 4, the rollers 33 engaging the band 4 during part of the traverse. Rollers 35 on the frame engage cam tracks 36 to lift rollers 33 clear of band 4 during the remainder of the traverse, the mechanism being so arranged that band 4 only moves when rollers 33 are not engaging it. Frame 32 is vibrated vertically by two electric vibrators 37. The upper flight of band 7 is supported by a rigid surface 38 and this may be vibrated instead of frame 32. Instead of frame 32 being raised surface 38 may be lowered and instead of using vibrators 37, frame 32 may be reciprocated rapidly. Further, either conveyer 3 or conveyer 4 may be dispensed with, surface 38 or rollers 33 being used as the conveyer. The tea is fed to the conveyers from a hopper 39 and scrapers are provided at the end to remove the tea leaf. In a modification, Fig. 2, the conveyers are driven continuously and frame 32 is replaced by a series of roller frames adapted to be reciprocated, each frame being provided with a vibrator, surface 38 is biased upwardly by a series of springs. Specification 668,013 is referred to.