JPH1028528A - Raw tea leaf maintenance unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent raw tea leaves from quality deterioration even after reserved in a raw tea leaves container for a long time by separating the raw tea leaves from tea stalks in tea leaves conveyed by a relevant means and by temporarily reserving the raw tea leaves. SOLUTION: The rotary drum 12 of a separator 2 is tilted, tea leaves T1 are conveyed and fed into the separator 2. The tea leaves are then fed in the form of a mixture of raw leaves T2 , tea stalks T3 and old leaves T4 , etc., into the rotary drum 12, where the tea stalks T3 , old leaves T4 , cut leaves, etc., relatively small in terms of dimension, fall through the mesh, thus separating the raw tea leaves T2 and the tea stalks T3 . The old leaves T4 and dust lighter in weight are blown away by a contrary air fan, the tea stalks T3 heavier in weight are allowed to fall and put on a conveyor 13. The raw tea leaves T2 inside the rotary drum 12 are discharged onto a vibratory conveyor 7, falling and being put on a horizontal conveyor 10. The resultant raw tea leaves T2 and tea stalks T3 are then fed to the respective tea manufacturing processes, thus obtaining e.g. green tea.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to tea leaves before the tea making process.
The present invention relates to a fresh leaf management device that can be separated into fresh leaves, stems, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, tea leaves picked in a tea plantation are carried into a tea factory, and are produced as green tea, for example, through respective tea making processes such as a steaming process, a medium heat process, and a finishing process. by the way,
Because plucking takes place at the same time, the introduction of tea leaves into the tea factory is often concentrated temporarily, and the processing capacity of the tea factory is naturally limited. Before entering, they will be temporarily stored.

[0003] Therefore, a fresh leaf management device is installed in a tea factory to temporarily store the tea leaves. The fresh leaf management device includes a fresh leaf container having left and right side walls and a transport conveyor below. Is used. And
This fresh leaf container is usually provided with a blower fan to prevent the fresh leaves from generating heat during storage and becoming high in temperature.

[0004]

However, in many cases, tea leaves carried into the fresh leaf container usually contain tree stalks, cut leaves, etc. in addition to fresh leaves. If tea leaves are stored in a fresh leaf container for a long time while the leaf and the like are mixed, there is a problem that the quality of fresh leaves is remarkably reduced. In other words, the stems and cut leaves in the fresh leaf container are rapidly oxidized with the passage of time, leading to a decrease in freshness of the whole fresh leaf container, and a smell peculiar to the stem,
As time passes, it penetrates the fresh leaves in the fresh leaf container,
This is because the quality is reduced.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a fresh leaf management device capable of preventing quality deterioration even when fresh leaves are stored in a fresh leaf container for a long time. is there.

In order to achieve the above object, a fresh leaf management device according to the first aspect of the present invention includes a tea leaf conveying means for conveying picked tea leaves, fresh leaves and tree stalks and the like in the tea leaves conveyed by the tea leaf conveying means. And a fresh leaf container for temporarily storing fresh leaves discharged from the separating means.

Further, according to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fresh leaf managing device, comprising: a tea leaf transporting device for transporting the picked tea leaves; and a separating device for separating fresh leaves and stems in the tea leaves transported by the tea leaf transporting device. A fresh leaf container for temporarily storing fresh leaves discharged from the separating means, and a stalk conveying means for conveying the stalks separated by the separating means to the downstream side of the outlet of the fresh leaf container. .

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the separating means has a cylindrical rotating drum made of a wire mesh, and the rotating leaf is rotated to move the fresh leaves from one opening side of the rotating drum to the other. It is transported to the opening side and discharged from the other opening, and fresh leaves and tree stalks are separated by the wire mesh of the rotating drum.

Further, according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fresh leaf managing device for separating a tea leaf conveying means for conveying a plucked tea leaf, a fresh leaf and a stem in the tea leaf conveyed by the tea leaf conveying means. Separation means for separating the separated stalks and the like into stalks and cut leaves, a fresh leaf container for temporarily storing fresh leaves discharged from the separation means, and a tree stalk separated by the separation means for the outlet of the fresh leaf container. Tree stalk conveying means for conveying to the downstream side,
It is characterized by having.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the fresh leaf managing apparatus, the separating means includes a rotating drum made of a wire mesh, a conveyor and an old leaf collecting box provided below the rotating drum, and an old leaf collecting box above the conveyor. And a blower fan that blows in the direction and separates the stems and leaves from falling from the rotating body. The fresh leaf managing device according to claim 6 is characterized in that the rotating drum has a plurality of blades inside thereof and is blown from the outside to the inside by a blowing fan.

[0011]

First, according to the fresh leaf management device of the first aspect,
The harvested tea leaves are mixed with stems, cut leaves, old leaves and the like in addition to fresh leaves, and the tea leaves are conveyed by a tea leaf conveying means and supplied to a separating means. Fresh leaves and tree stalks and the like in the tea leaves are separated by a separating means, and the fresh leaves are supplied into a fresh leaf container and sent to a tea making process. By the separation means, the fresh leaves and the stems are separated, so that the stems are not stored in the fresh leaf containers, and the stems are oxidized and smelled,
The deterioration of the quality of the fresh leaves in the fresh leaf container is prevented.

According to the fresh leaf managing apparatus of the present invention, in addition to the fresh leaves, tree stalks, cut leaves, old leaves and the like are mixed into the plucked tea leaves, and the tea leaves are transported by the tea leaf transport means. And supplied to the separation means. The fresh leaves and tree stalks in the tea leaves are separated by a separating means, and the fresh leaves are supplied into a fresh leaf container,
The stalks are conveyed by the stalk conveying means to the downstream side of the outlet of the fresh leaf container. This stem is mixed with fresh leaves discharged from the fresh leaf container and sent to the tea making process. By the separation means, the fresh leaves and the stems are separated,
Tree stalks are no longer stored in the fresh leaf container, and deterioration of the quality of fresh leaves in the fresh leaf container due to oxidation of the stem and permeation of odor is prevented.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the rotating body of the separating means is formed of a wire mesh, and the rotating body is rotated in a substantially horizontal state, so that the fresh leaves in the rotating body have one opening. From the side (upstream side) to the other opening side (downstream side), and is discharged into the fresh leaf container connected to the other opening side. The stalks and the like in the tea leaves are separated by falling through the mesh of the wire mesh of the rotating drum, and are conveyed by the stalk conveying means.

Further, according to the fresh leaf management device of the fourth aspect, the separating means separates the tea leaves conveyed by the tea leaf conveying means into fresh leaves and tree stalks and the like, and stalks separated from the fresh leaves. Among them, the stem and the cut leaves are separated. The stalks are conveyed by stalk conveying means, mixed with the fresh leaves discharged from the fresh leaf container and sent to the tea making process, and the cut leaves and the like separated from the stalks are collected, for example, in an old leaf collection box and appropriately processed. Is done. The fresh leaves in the fresh leaf container are separated from the stems and the like to prevent their quality from being reduced, and only the stems separated from the fresh leaves and the cut leaves are sent to the tea-making process.

Further, according to the fresh leaf management device of the present invention, the cut leaves and the like that fall through the mesh of the rotating trunk together with the tree stalks are separated from the tree stalks by the blowing of the blowing fan of the separating means. Collected in a leaf collection box. The stalks are housed on a conveyor below the rotating drum, and are conveyed by the stalk conveying means to the downstream side of the outlet of the fresh leaf container.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, fresh leaves are conveyed from the upstream side to the downstream side of the rotary drum by the wings in the rotary drum. The fresh leaves are cooled by the wind from the blower fan blown toward, and the temperature rise is suppressed.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. 1 to 6 show a fresh leaf managing apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 1 is a front view showing an entire process including a part of the fresh leaf managing apparatus and a tea making apparatus, FIG. 2 is a plan view of a main part of the fresh leaf managing apparatus, 3 is a view taken along the line AA of FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is a front view of the fresh leaf stalk separator, FIG. 5 is a left side view of FIG. 4, and FIG. FIG.

In FIG. 1, the fresh leaf management device 1 includes a tea leaf T
1, a fresh leaf / stalk separator 2 (simply referred to as a separator 2) for separating the fresh leaves T2 and the stems T3, etc .; a fresh leaf container 3 disposed downstream of the separator 2; Has a conveyor 4 for conveying. A horizontal conveyor 6 is connected to the separator 2 via a vertical bucket conveyor 5 on the upstream side. The horizontal conveyor 6 is constituted by a belt conveyor, and the downstream side thereof is connected to the hopper 5 a of the vertical bucket conveyor 5. The horizontal conveyor 6 and the vertical bucket conveyor 5 constitute tea leaf conveying means.

A vertical bucket conveyor 8 is connected to the downstream side of the separator 2 via a vibrating conveyor 7. The vertical bucket conveyor 8 has a discharge port 8a connected to a horizontal conveyor 9 composed of a belt conveyor, and a horizontal conveyor 10 disposed below the horizontal conveyor 9 at the downstream side. This horizontal conveyor 10 is a fresh leaf container 3
, And is configured to be rotatable forward and backward and to be movable in the direction of arrow A.

As shown in FIG. 2, the separator 2 has a cylindrical rotating drum 1 having openings 12a and 12b at both ends.
2, a vibration conveyor 13 and an old-leaf collection box 14 disposed below the rotating drum 12, and a blower fan 15 and the like. The blower fan 15, as shown in FIG.
It is configured to blow air into the rotary drum 12 and above the vibrating conveyor 13 through the air vents 16 a and 16 b of the duct 16 provided on the side of the second.

The rotary drum 12 of the separator 2 is rotatable and tiltable. That is, as shown in FIG. 4 and FIG.
And the iron plate portions 12 provided on both sides of the wire mesh portion 12c.
d, 12e, and is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the iron plate portions 12d, 12e are supported by a pair of frame members 18, 19. The frame body 18 is installed on the floor surface E, and a frame body 19 is disposed inside the frame body 18 so as to be tiltable around a support shaft 20.

A motor 21 is provided below the frame 19, and a sprocket 22
And a pair of rollers 24 via a roller chain 23.
a and 24b are connected. Rollers 24a, 24b
Are disposed on the left and right sides of the lower portion of the rotary drum 12, respectively. Rollers 24c and 24d (24d is not shown) are fixed to a rotating shaft 25 extending behind the rollers 24a and 24b, respectively. The rotating shafts 25 are rotatably supported by the frame 19 respectively. Thereby, the rotating drum 12
Is supported on the frame body 19 via two rollers (a total of four) and two rollers 24a and 24c and rollers 24b and 24d on both sides. These rollers 24a-2
4d is rotated by the rotation of the motor 21,
Is rotated in the direction of arrow B in FIG.

A pantograph-type jack 27 is disposed between the rear end of the frame 19 and the frame 18. The jack 27 is operated by operating a jack handle 28 to expand and contract in the direction of arrow C in FIG. By doing so, the rotating body 12
It tilts in the direction of arrow d in FIG. A frame 29 is fixed to the upper end of the frame 19, and a rotating roller 30 is rotatably disposed above the frame 29. The rotating roller 30 has a flange 31 provided on the iron plate 12 e of the rotating drum 12.
4 and the movement of the rotating drum 12 in the direction of arrow E in FIG. 4 is restricted, and the falling of the rotating drum 12 from the frame 19 during tilting is prevented. A cover 32 (see FIG. 5) is fixed to the frames 19 and 29 so as to surround the rotating drum 12.

Incidentally, four blades 33 are fixed to the inner surface of the wire mesh portion 12c of the rotating drum 12. This wing 33
As shown in FIG. 6, is fixed in an oblique direction, and the rotating trunk 12 rotates in the direction of arrow B, thereby moving the fresh leaf T2 in the direction of arrow. The leaves 33 transport the fresh leaves T2 in the rotating drum 12 without stagnation. In addition, the size of the mesh M of the wire mesh portion 12c of the rotating drum 12 is set to a size that the fresh leaves T2 cannot pass through but the tree stems T3, old leaves T4, and cut leaves can pass.

On the other hand, the fresh leaf container 3 installed on the side of the opening 12b of the separator 2 has a transport conveyor 35 below the machine frame 3a surrounded by side walls as shown in FIG. The fresh leaves T2 fallen and stored are transported in the direction of the discharge port 3b while being temporarily stored. Outlet 3 of fresh leaf container 3
A vibration conveyor 36 is connected below b, and the fresh leaves T2 discharged from the discharge port 3b are accommodated and transported downstream.

The conveyor 4 connected to the separator 2 is a horizontal conveyor 37 connected downstream of the vibrating conveyor 13 and a horizontal conveyor 3.
A vertical bucket conveyor 38 connected downstream of 7;
The vertical bucket conveyor 38 has a horizontal conveyor 39 connected to the discharge port 38a. Horizontal conveyor 3
7 and 39 are composed of belt conveyors,
The downstream side of 9 is connected to the vibration conveyor 36 via a chute 40.

A vertical bucket conveyor 41 is connected to the vibration conveyor 36, and an outlet 41a of the vertical bucket conveyor 41 is connected to an upstream side of a horizontal conveyor 42 composed of a belt conveyor. Downstream of the horizontal conveyor 42, a leaf feeding machine 45, a steamer 46, and the like, which constitute the tea making apparatus 44, are connected via a chute 43.

Next, the operation of the fresh leaf management device 1 will be described. First, the jack 27 is operated with the jack handle 28 to tilt the rotary drum 12 of the separator 2 to a predetermined angle in accordance with the state of carrying in the tea leaves T1 into the tea factory (the amount of carrying in) and the quality of the tea leaves T1. I do. Then, when the introduced tea leaves T1 are conveyed by the horizontal conveyor 6 and thrown into the hopper 5a of the vertical bucket conveyor 5, the outlet 5
b to the separator 2. The tea leaves T1 supplied to the separator 2 are supplied from one of the openings 12a of the rotary drum 12 in a state where fresh leaves T2, tree stalks T3, old leaves T4, and the like are mixed therein, and the inside of the rotary drum 12 is as follows. Separated.

That is, the tea leaves T1 supplied into the rotary drum 12 are conveyed downstream by the wings 33 while rotating in the rotary drum 12 by the rotation of the rotary drum 12, and during this rotary conveyance, the tea leaves T2 The stems T3, old leaves T4, cut leaves, and the like, which are small in size, fall downward through the mesh M of the wire mesh portion 12c of the rotating drum 12. By dropping the tree stalk T3, the old leaf T4, etc. from the mesh M of the wire mesh portion 12c, the fresh leaf T2 and the tree stalk T3 in the tea leaf T1 are separated.

The stems T3, old leaves T4, etc., which fall downward from the wire netting portion 12c of the rotary drum 12, as shown in FIG. Old leaves T4
The dust and the like are blown away and stored in the old leaf collection box 14. Further, the heavy tree stem T3 is not blown off by the blast but falls as it is,
3 is housed. This tree stalk T3 is a vibration conveyor 13
, And sequentially conveyed by a horizontal conveyor 37, a vertical bucket conveyor 38, and a horizontal conveyor 39 of the conveyor 4, and stored on a vibrating conveyor 36 via a chute 40.

On the other hand, the fresh leaves T2 remaining in the rotating drum 12
Is conveyed to the downstream side while rotating in the rotating drum 12 while receiving the wind from the blower fan 15 protruding from the blower opening 16a of the duct 16, and is discharged onto the vibrating conveyor 7 from the opening 12b. At this time, the wings 3 provided on the inner surface of the rotary drum 12
3, the fresh leaves T2 are conveyed without staying in the rotating drum 12. The fresh leaves T2 are transported by the vertical bucket conveyor 8 and the horizontal conveyor 9, and are dropped and stored on the horizontal conveyor 10. When the position of the horizontal conveyor 10 is appropriately changed in the transport direction of the fresh leaf container 3, the fresh leaves T2 on the horizontal conveyor 10
It is dropped and stored uniformly inside. Fresh leaf T in fresh leaf container 3
2 is temporarily stored while being blown by a blower fan (not shown), and is conveyed in the direction of the outlet 3b by the conveyor 35.

The fresh leaves T2 in the fresh leaf container 3 are:
The fresh leaves T2 are discharged from the discharge port 3b onto the vibrating conveyor 36, and the fresh leaves T2 are combined with the tree stalks T3 conveyed onto the vibrating conveyor 36 by the conveying conveyor 4 via the vertical bucket conveyor 41 and the horizontal conveyor 42. , Tea making equipment 44
Supplied to The fresh leaves T2 and the stems T3 are used in the tea making device 4
For example, green tea is produced through the respective tea-making processes after the fourth steamer 46. The used leaves T4 and the like separated by the separator 2 and collected in the used-leaf collection box 14 are subjected to appropriate processing such as disposal when a predetermined amount is collected.

As described above, according to the above embodiment, the plucked tea leaves T1 conveyed by the horizontal conveyor 6 and the vertical bucket conveyor 5 are combined with the fresh leaves T2 and the tree stalks T3 by the wire mesh portion 12c of the rotating drum 12. Is not contained in the fresh leaf container 3 and the like,
The freshness of the whole fresh leaf container 3 due to oxidation of the tree stalk T3 and the like is prevented, and the odor of the tree stalk T3 does not permeate the fresh leaf T2 in the fresh leaf container 3. as a result,
Even if the fresh leaves T2 are stored in the fresh leaf container 3 for a long time, fresh fragrance is maintained, and the fresh leaves T2 in the fresh leaf container 3 are maintained.
Of the fresh leaves T2 steamed by the steamer 46, for example, can be further improved as compared with the related art.

The stems T3 and the old leaves T4 are separated by the blower fan 15, and only the stems T3 are located on the vibration conveyor 13 and the conveyor 4 downstream of the outlet 3b of the fresh leaf container 3. The fresh leaves T2 and the stalks T3 are conveyed to the vibrating conveyor 36 and mixed with the fresh leaves T2.
Can be supplied to the tea-making apparatus 44 after the leaf feeding machine 45 to produce green tea appropriately mixed with fresh leaves T2 and tree stalks T3, and to easily produce stick tea only with the tree stalk T3. Can be.

Further, with one blower fan 15,
Cooling of the fresh leaves T2 in the rotating body 12, the timber T3 and the old leaves T
4 can be separated, the configuration of the separator 2 can be simplified, and the cost of the fresh leaf management device 1 can be reduced.

In the above embodiment, the chute 40 at the most downstream side of the conveyor 4 is moved to the vibration conveyor 36.
However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the chute 40 may be connected to the horizontal conveyor 42 or may be directly connected to the leaf feeding machine 45.
Can be connected to an appropriate position downstream of the discharge port 3b.

The construction of each conveyor in the above embodiment is not limited to the vibration conveyor, the belt conveyor and the vertical bucket conveyor. For example, a flat belt conveyor is used instead of the vibration conveyor and the vertical bucket conveyor. For example, it is possible to use a conveyor having an appropriate configuration according to the form of the tea factory. further,
The configuration of the separator, the rotation and tilting mechanism of the rotary drum, the shape of the rotary drum, and the like of the above embodiment are also examples, and it goes without saying that various changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[0038]

As described in detail above, according to the fresh leaf management apparatus of the present invention, only fresh leaves can be stored in the fresh leaf container, and the quality of fresh leaves in the fresh leaf container can be prevented. Has the effect of

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the whole process including a part of a fresh leaf management device and a tea making device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a main part of the same leaf management apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a view taken on line AA of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the same-leaf tree stem separation machine.

FIG. 5 is a left side view of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a development view in which a part of a rotating body of the same leaf splitting machine is developed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1. Fresh leaf management device 2. Fresh leaf stalk separator 3. Fresh leaf container 3b ······················································································································· Horizontal conveyor 7, 13, 36 ····· Vibration conveyor 12 ················ Rotating drum 12a, 12b ···· Opening 12c ························ ··································································· Support shaft 21 ··· ······· Motor 27 ········· Jack 33 ··················· Tea machine T1 ···· ······tea leaf T2 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Fresh leaves T3 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Stalks T4 ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ ・ Fall leaves Mesh

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A tea leaf conveying means for conveying picked tea leaves, a separating means for separating fresh leaves and tree stalks and the like in the tea leaves conveyed by the tea leaf conveying means, and a fresh leaf discharged from the separating means. And a fresh leaf container for temporarily storing the fresh leaf. 2. Tea leaf conveying means for conveying picked tea leaves, separating means for separating fresh leaves and tree stalks and the like in the tea leaves conveyed by the tea leaf conveying means, and fresh leaves discharged from the separating means A fresh leaf container for temporarily storing the fresh leaf, and a stem transport means for transporting the stem separated by the separating means to a downstream side of an outlet of the fresh leaf container. 3. The separating means has a cylindrical rotary drum made of wire mesh, and by rotating the rotary drum, fresh leaves are conveyed from one opening side of the rotary drum to the other opening side. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of discharging the leaves from the openings of the rotating body, and separating the fresh leaves and the tree stalks by the wire mesh of the rotating body.
Alternatively, the fresh leaf management device according to claim 2. 4. A tea leaf transport means for transporting plucked tea leaves, separating fresh leaves and tree stalks and the like in the tea leaves conveyed by the tea leaf transport means, and separating the separated tree stalks and the like with tree stalks. Separating means for separating the leaves into cut leaves, etc., a fresh leaf container for temporarily storing fresh leaves discharged from the separating means, and a tree for transporting the stems separated by the separating means to the downstream side of the outlet of the fresh leaf container A fresh leaf management device, comprising: a stalk conveying means. 5. A rotating drum made of wire mesh, wherein said separating means comprises:
A conveyor and an old-leaf collection box provided below the rotating drum, and blowing in the direction of the old-leaf collection box above the conveyor,
The fresh leaf management device according to claim 4, further comprising a blower fan that separates a tree stalk falling from the rotating body from a cut leaf. 6. The fresh leaf management according to claim 3, wherein said rotary drum has a plurality of blades inside thereof, and is blown from the outside toward the inside by a blower fan. apparatus.