US1665080A - Individual tea bag - Google Patents

Description

April 3, 1928. 1,665,080

W. T. ABBOTT INDIVIDUAL TEA BAG Filed Jan. 1 28 Fig.1 1.7 .4

Patented Apr. 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES WIHJIJIAKT- ABBOTT, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

INDIVIDUAL TEA nae.

Application filed January 1 4, 1928. Serial No. 246,845.

This invention relates to an improved and novel individual tea bag in which is permanently enclosed a small quantity of tea leaves suitable for brewing a single cup or individual portion of tea.

V Articles of this class now on the market and in use comprise a ha of textile material holding the tea, with t e neck ofthe bag drawn into folds suitably held so as to close the bag, and having a short length of string to attach the ta or handle to the-closed neck of the ba uoh articles are subject to several de ects. and disadvantages. For example, it is troublesome to initially and properly immerse the bag or keep it immersed, the entire length'of the strin and the colored and printed tag often are rawn into the cup in stirring the tea with the spoon, and in removing the bag from the cup by means of the string, or by means of a spoon, as is frequently necessary, it is difiicult to hold and control thebag, string and tag, and the infusion is liable to drip u on and soil the table cloth. When such ac ets are used in restaurants, hotels, or t e like, where a supply ofbags is kept in a container of some kind,'the strings become entangled the necessary identifying tags torn OE and the tangled mass -frequently is thrown away rather than to attempt to untangle the strings. It is sometimes desired, for sanitary reasons, to enclose each bag with its string and tag in a sealed envelope or wrapper, and it is preferable, for the same reasons, to perform this the string and tag are exceptionally troublesome. This, then, is the state of t e practical commercial art, and tzlgigh the patented prior art discloses unus schemes for employing limp or flexible wire attached at the neck of a gathered bag simply as an equivalent and substitute for a string, and

operation by automatic machlnery. 7 Here p dis-. closes other devices involving wire associated which also may be readily and cheaply made by automatic machinery.

Referring now to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a complete tea bag embodying this invention;

Figure 2 is anrenlarged view, partly in cross-section, illustrating the preferred method of securing the stirring shank to the bag; and

Figures 3 and 4 are perspective views illustrating different methods of using the packet.

The construction shown comprises a bag 2 which may be made of anysuitable open mesh fabric, such for example,' as cheesecloth. The mouth of this bag is closed by being gathered into folds, and it is held 10 closed by means of a string 4 or the like, fastened around the neck of the bag. The packet also includes a stirring shank 6 which preferably consists of aluminum wire of such size as to be relatively stiff while still being capable of being bent by the fingers. This stirring shank is securedat one end to the bag, preferabl by forcing the end of the wire through t e bag just below the string 4 and then bending the end portion upwardly beside the gathered portion of the bag and then across the mouth of the bag and downwardl as clearly shown in the drawings, the nt portions of the wire then being crimped or pinched to gri the neck of the bag firmly. In cutting o the lengths of wire for individual stirring shanks, a diagonal cut may be made so as to roduce a sharp point which will easily penetrate' the bag. The end of the stirring shank opposite to the bag carries'a tag 8, the shank being passed through a hole in the tag and bent over to form a loop 10. This tag usually bears'the name or brand of the tea and the name of the vendor.

It wilLbe seen that this tea bag with its stirring shank'and tag forms, so to speak, a unitary device in that thestirring shank has a firm grip on the bag so that the device may be used to perform the functions of a spoon in stirring it, as shown, for example, in Fig. 3, as well as lproviding aneifective means for handling t e be In fact, this stirring tea bag displaces t e spoon and. at the same time provides means for making a more perfect cup of tea, because by so stirring the tea bag, the water is enabled to percolate all sides equally, produce a better inkeep the printe tag outside the cup. This arrangement also 15 more convenient tofusion and more quickly, and, therefore, the

theine, or active principle of the tea,- can be uniformly and quickly extracted, and the bag at on ce removed before the tannin or bitterrfirmclple of the tea is released.

e bag also may be inserted; moved about and controlled much more accurately and effectively than when a string is used, which is of advantage both in submerging the tea initially in the hot water in the cup and also in disposing of the wet bag after the tea has been brewed. If it is desired to leave the tea bagin the cup for a few minutes, the shank may be bent 'over the edge of the cup, as shown in Fi 4, where it willdefinitely and a normally rigid, bendable stirrin .shank secured at one end to the mouth 0 a the bag.

2. A stirrin tea bag comprising a bag adapted to hol anindividual portion of tea;

themouth of said bag being gathered and closed, and a normally rigid, bendable stir ring shank secured at one endto the gathered portion-of the bag.

adapted to. hol

tea bag comprising a bag tea bag comprising a bag an individual portion of tea, the mouth of said bag being gathered into folds and closed, means for holding the mouth of said bag closed, and a normally rigid, bendable stirring shank secured at one end to the gathered portion of the ba 4. A stirring tea bag comprising a fabric bag adaptedito hold an individual portion of tea,'the mouth of said bag being gathered into folds and closed, and a normally rigid, bendable stirring shank secured at one end to the gathered portion of. the. bag, and adapted to hold said portion closed.

5. A stirring tea bag comprising a fabric bag adapted to hold an individual portion of-tea, the mouth of said bagbei-ng athered into folds and closed, and a normal y rigid, bendable stirring shank having one end crimped to the gathered portion of the bag whereblyit is secured to the bag and maintains t gathered rtion closed.

6. A stirring tea ag comprisinga bag of textile fabric adapted to hold an individual portion of tea and having its mouth gathered into folds and closed, a normally rigid, bendable stirring shank havingone end thereof .3; A." stirring extending through and crimped over the gathered-portion ofthe bagwhereby it is secured to the bag, andla tag carried by the end of the said-stirring shank opposite to the bag;

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