TEA MACHINERY. 263 



through. If they do so, and the object is to sift out any particular 

 class on the next succeeding tray, there is only half the length of mesh 

 left to traverse to effect the object, instead of the whole length of the 

 tray. This is obviated in practice by pushing the Teas continually 

 back up the inclined tray ; but this is done at the expense of extra 

 labour and making the Teas dusty and grey. 



The above objection is obviated in Ansell's machine. It consists 

 of four slopes, but each of these incline downwards, alternately, 

 different ways viz., No. i (the upper), from A to B ; No. 2, from B 

 to A ; No. 3, from A to B ; No. 4, from B to A, and below the mesh of 

 each slope is a carrying tin tray, sloping the same way, which carries 

 all the Tea which falls through each mesh down to the head of the 

 succeeding slope, while in each case the Tea which will not pass 

 through the mesh is delivered separately. The above arrangement, 

 however, does not hold with the upper or No. i slope. This consists 

 of two wire trays or meshes, with the carrying tray below the lower 

 one. Such of the bulk as will not pass through the upper tray is 

 delivered on the head of No. 2 slope, at the B end of the machine. 

 What passes through the upper tray, but will not pass through the 

 lower, is delivered by a side shoot at the B end of the machine, and is 

 " No. i Pekoe." What passes through both sieves on to the carrying 

 tray is also delivered by an opposite side shoot from the B end of the 

 machine, and is " Broken Pekoe.'' Between Nos. i and 2 slopes is an 

 air chamber, which, as the bulk left on the upper sieve of No. i slope 

 falls on the head of slope No. 2 (a blast being sent through it by a fan 

 at the A end of the machine), drives out of the said falling bulk all red 

 leaf, stalks, fannings, &c. 



No. 2 slope receives the bulk at the B end of the machine, after 

 the red leaf and fannings are taken out as stated above, and what will 

 not pass through the mesh is delivered at the back of the A end of the 

 machine, and is " Congou ;" while what does fall through the mesh 

 into the carrying tray below it (which is still bulk, consisting of 

 " Pekoe," " Pekoe Souchong," and " Souchong " mixed) is delivered at 

 the A end of the machine on to the head of No. 3 slope. 



What will not pass through the mesh of No. 3 slope is delivered 

 at the B end of the machine in front, and is " Souchong ;" while what 

 does pass through the mesh of No. 3 slope on to the carrying tray below 

 (still bulk, consisting of" Pekoe " and " Pekoe Souchong") is delivered 

 on to the head of No. 4 slope at the B end of the machine. 



