JPS61216643A - Apparatus for steaming green tea leaf in green tea manufacture - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make the steaming time as requested, by measuring accurately the steaming time of green tea leaves passing continuously through a steaming drum all the time, and comparing the measured steaming time with the target steaming time to control automatically the control elements participating in the steaming time. CONSTITUTION:An apparatus for steaming green tea leaves having quadric joint parallel links constituted of a base 71, weighing table 75 and parallel arms 74 to support the weighing table 75 on the base 71, a working lever 76 projected from a working shaft (73a) on the above-mentioned quadric joint parallel links, a steamer body, having an operating part 42 for changing the degree of inclination of a steaming drum 44, and placed on the weighing table 75, a load cell 84, fixed on the base 71, and brought into contact with the working lever 76 to form a means for weighing green tea leaves in passing through the steaming drum with the frame supporting the steaming drum together. Thus, the steaming time of the green tea leaves continuously passing through the steaming drum is measured accurately all the time by the above-mentioned means and the measured steaming time is compared with the target steaming time to carry out automatically the control of the steaming time for adjusting the steaming time to the desired target value.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a tea manufacturing and steaming apparatus, and more specifically, the present invention relates to a tea manufacturing and steaming apparatus, and more specifically, in order to achieve a desired target value for the steaming time of tea leaves passing through a steamer barrel,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a tea manufacturing and steaming apparatus suitable for implementing a novel steaming method in which time is automatically controlled.

Background technology and problems The tea manufacturing process (raw tea process) consists of an initial steaming process, subsequent rolling drying processes, and a final drying process. The steaming process is so important that it is said to determine the value of the raw tea product.

This steaming process quickly loses the activity of the oxidizing enzymes contained in the fresh leaves, maintains the bright green color unique to green tea, dyes the leaf color that permeates from the tea leaves, removes stomach odor, and creates a strong aroma. The purpose is to lift the fresh leaves and soften the leaf quality, etc., and the raw leaves introduced from the inlet of the steamer barrel are transported to the outlet of the steamer barrel mainly by the tilting of the steamer barrel, the rotation of the steamer barrel, and the rotation of the stirring shaft. This is done by heating the steam by the steam supplied to the steamer while passing through it, and applying pressure by the rotation of the steamer and the stirring shaft.

The factors that influence the degree of achievement of each of the above objectives are the temperature, amount, and pressure of steam, the degree of pounding or rolling pressure, the amount of fresh leaves input, and the time for matting, that is, the time for fresh leaves to pass through the steamer barrel. Can be mentioned. Of course, these elements are not individually involved in achieving each of the above objectives (they are involved in a complex manner, but among them, steaming time is an especially important element. The length of time has an extremely large effect on fresh leaves compared to other factors such as the properties of steam and the degree of pressure, and subtle differences in steaming time can cause physical changes and chemical denaturation to occur on fresh leaves. Thick (because it is different. This physical change and chemical denaturation is
This refers to softening of the fibers of tea leaves, destruction of cells, and denaturation of color and aroma components.These changes and denaturation determine the properties of the steamed leaves, which in turn determine the color, aroma, and light color of the finished tea product. , flavor, and other qualities will be greatly affected.

Therefore, when performing the tea steaming process, it is necessary to manage the steaming time with great care, and this is based on data on how long the steaming time is and what quality of steamed leaves are obtained. It is necessary to set a desired specific steaming time and to accurately manage the set steaming time. If the steaming time is controlled in this way, the quality of the steamed leaves will be more stable, and
In addition to this, it is possible to obtain steamed leaves that are steamed to a desired finish quality.

However, in the conventional steaming process, the steaming time is not actively controlled, and at best, the steaming time is controlled based on uncertain factors such as intuition and experience based on the finished quality of the steamed leaves. It was just a matter of adjusting the elements appropriately.

The actual state of conventional steaming time management will be explained with reference to FIG.

In the figure, a indicates a steamer main body, b a leaf feeder, and C a cooling machine. d is a steaming barrel, and the steaming barrel d is a fixed barrel g having an input port e formed at one end and a steam supply section f formed at the other end.
and a rotating body connected to the fixed body g.

The steam barrel d is supported by a movable frame i, and the movable frame i is rotatably supported by the machine frame j. 1 is a rotational fulcrum of the movable frame i, 1 is a body side inclination adjustment mechanism, m is
is a working lever of the joint mechanism 1; n is a stirring shaft passing through the steamer drum d in the axial direction; a large number of stirring blades (not shown) are protruded from the stirring shaft n; 0 is a drive unit, and the drive unit 0 is equipped with a drive mechanism for driving a rotating barrel and a stirring shaft n.

The fresh leaves are fed into the steamer barrel d from the input port e of the fixed barrel g by the leaf feeder, and are transferred within the steamer barrel d for a passage time of several tens of seconds to several minutes, and during this transfer. The above-mentioned physical changes and chemical denaturation are carried out while being subjected to heating by steam, the rotating action of the rotating barrel, and the impact pressure and stirring caused by the rotating action of the stirring blades protruding from the stirring shaft n, and the tip of the rotating barrel is removed. It is discharged from the steam barrel d from the outlet p. Then, the steamed leaves discharged from the steaming drum d' are cooled by a cooler C and transferred to the next coarse rolling process.

The tea master who manages the steaming process then
We occasionally sample the steamed leaves discharged from the
Incense, elasticity and stickiness when held in the palm, condition, leaf surface,
Sensually capture the state of moisture and dew attached to the surface! Immediately judge the finished quality of the leaves, and if there is any dissatisfaction with the judgment results, adjust control elements such as the rotation speed of the rotary barrel, the rotation speed of the stirring shaft n, the inclination of the steamer drum d, the properties of steam, etc. as appropriate. do.

Among these control elements, the rotation speed of the rotating barrel and the stirring shaft n
The rotation, rotation speed, and inclination of the steamer d are the same as the steamer d of fresh leaves.
This is a factor that directly relates to the appropriate steaming time, that is, the steaming time, and in particular, the degree of inclination of the steaming drum d is a factor that greatly influences the steaming time.

The conventional steaming process is carried out as described above, and the steaming time is managed using a so-called hands-on method in which control elements are adjusted as appropriate while sampling the finished quality of the steamed leaves. By the way, if a satisfactory finished quality of steamed leaves is obtained when the control elements such as the inclination of the steamer drum d are adjusted to a certain control state, then the inclination of the steamer drum d can be changed to the adjusted state. If you leave it as is, you should be able to get a certain level of steaming quality. However, the appropriate time for fresh leaves to pass through the body depends not only on the above-mentioned mechanical control elements, but also on the input amount and quality of fresh leaves, the elapsed time after plucking, etc. Even in this case, it is not always possible to obtain a constant quality of finished steamed leaves.

Therefore, the management of the steaming time in the conventional steaming process involves checking the finished quality of the steamed leaves, adjusting the control elements as appropriate, checking the quality of the steamed leaves in the adjusted state, and making further adjustments if necessary. It was necessary to use an extremely complicated method of repeatedly performing adjustments and checks.

Moreover, such adjustment work requires extremely delicate techniques and many years of experience, and even with such skilled techniques, it is impossible to achieve a constant steamed leaf quality.

As described above, the conventional steaming process was not carried out while controlling the steaming time, but was carried out while controlling the steamed leaf quality based on empirical judgment of the tea caddy.

Purpose of the Invention The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems.It always accurately measures the steaming time of tea leaves that pass continuously through the steamer barrel, and compares the measured steaming time with the target steaming time. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a tea steaming device suitable for implementing a new steaming method that automatically controls the steaming time to achieve a desired target value. do.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the tea steaming apparatus of the present invention comprises a base, a weighing stand, and a parallel arm to form a four-bar parallel link, the weighing stand is supported on the base, and the measuring stand is supported on the four-bar parallel link. A working rod is protruded from the working shaft of the machine, and a steamer body having an operating part for changing the inclination of the steam barrel is placed on the weighing platform, and the working rod and a load cell fixed to the base are connected to each other. A means for weighing the weight of tea leaves passing through the steamer barrel together with a frame supporting the steamer barrel, a means for setting a target value of steaming time, and a means for placing fresh leaves into the steamer barrel. A means for setting a target value of the supply amount per unit time of the leaf feeder or a means for measuring the current value of the supply amount per unit time, and a means for measuring the weight of tea leaves passing through the steamer drum per unit time. The time required for the tea leaves to pass through the steamer barrel is calculated by dividing the amount by the set target value or the measured current value, and this calculated value is compared with the target value for the steaming time, and a signal corresponding to the difference between the two is sent to the operating unit. It is characterized by consisting of an electric circuit that outputs output.

EXAMPLES Below, the principle of tea manufacturing and steaming time measurement will be explained using FIG. 9, and then the tea manufacturing and steaming apparatus of the present invention will be explained with reference to illustrated examples.

Reference numeral 1 indicates a steam barrel formed in a generally cylindrical shape as a whole.

The steamer cylinder 1 is composed of a fixed cylinder 2 and a rotary cylinder 3 arranged so that its connecting opening abuts against the tip opening of the fixed cylinder 2. Reference numeral 4 indicates an input port formed at the upper part of the base end of the fixed barrel 2, and 5 indicates a cylindrical steam chamber provided so as to surround the outer peripheral surface of the tip end of the fixed barrel 2. A stirring shaft with stirring blades protruding through the steamer barrel 1 is passed through, and a driving section is arranged on the base end side of the fixed barrel 2, and this driving section rotates the rotary barrel 3 and the stirring shaft. It is designed to be driven. In addition, the inclination of the steam barrel l can be adjusted using an appropriate inclination adjustment mechanism, and furthermore,
The weight of the tea leaves passing through the steamer barrel 1 can be determined by weighing the steamer barrel 1, the drive unit, the inclination adjustment mechanism, and the frame that supports them. Supported.

8 is a displacement detector such as a potentiometer or a differential transformer, and is equipped with a variable resistor 9 and a movable element 1o that changes the resistance value of the variable resistor 9. The movable element 10 is operated in conjunction with the vertical displacement movement of the steam barrel l.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a leaf feeder capable of constantly supplying a constant weight of tea leaves to the steamer barrel 1, the delivery end of which faces the input port 4 of the steamer barrel 1, and the hopper of the collector 1@11. The delivery end of the transporter 12 faces upward.

When fresh leaves are supplied from the transporter 12 into the hopper of the leaf feeder 11, the fresh leaves are fed into the steamer barrel 1 from the delivery end of the leaf feeder 11 through the input port 4 of the fixed barrel 2. The fresh leaves put into the steamer barrel 1 are moved from the fixed barrel 2 to the rotating barrel 3, and are discharged from the steamer barrel 1 through the discharge port 13 of the rotating barrel 3. While being transferred inside the steaming barrel 1, it is heated by the steam supplied from the steam chamber 5, and is stirred and pressed by the rotary barrel 3 and the stirring blade, and these heating, stirring, and beating pressures are Steaming is performed by receiving the steam.

Moreover, when fresh leaves are supplied into the steamer barrel 1, the steamer barrel 1
The tea leaves are displaced downward by the weight of the introduced tea leaves together with the supporting frame, and the resistance value of the variable resistor 9 of the displacement amount detector 8 is changed in conjunction with the displacement operation. The resistance value at this time varies depending on the weight of the tea leaves passing through the steaming barrel 1 and undergoing the steaming process.

The tea leaves that have been steamed in the steamer barrel 1 are led from the outlet 13 of the steamer barrel 1 to a cooler (not shown) and sent to the next rough rolling process.

14 indicates how much fresh leaves the leaf feeder 11 regularly feeds into the steamer barrel 1.
15 is a flow meter that measures the actual weight of fresh leaves being supplied per unit time, and leaf feeder 11 The conveyance speed and conveyance thickness are feedback-controlled so that the current value of the supply amount measured by the flow meter 15 matches the set target value set in the flow rate setting device 14.

EFROM is a read-only memory in which calculation programs and the like are written. The RAM is a random access memory, and the CPU is a central processing unit, which calculates the steaming time according to an arithmetic program written in the EFROM. DISP is a display means, and displays the steaming time using, for example, an LED. EXIT is an external output terminal, and is used to send out a signal for adjusting the inclination of a control element, such as a steaming drum, in accordance with the calculated steaming time.

IN is an input terminal, into which a signal representing a set value of the flow rate setting device 14 of the leaf feeder 11 or a measured value of the flow rate measuring device 15 is inputted.

Therefore, to measure the steaming time, the weight W of the tea leaves passing through the steamer barrel 1 is determined by weighing the frame that supports the steamer barrel 1, and the weight W of the tea leaves passing through the steamer barrel 1 is determined by weighing the whole frame that supports the steamer barrel 1. Divide by the set target value Q1 of the supply amount per unit time of the leaf feeder 11 that supplies fresh leaves into the steamer drum 1 or the measured current value Q2 that is actually supplied (using the formula W÷Q1 or W+Q2). calculation) to calculate the time T for the tea leaves to pass through the steamer barrel.

That is, the set value of the flow rate setting device 14 of the leaf feeder 11 or the measured value of the flow rate meter 15 is read into the RAM, while the weight of tea leaves passing through the steamer barrel 1, that is, the voltage indicated by the displacement amount detector 8 is read into the RAM. The amount of change in value is also read into the RAM, and an operation is performed to divide the latter by the former to measure the time for passage through the steamer barrel, that is, the steaming time.

For example, if the weight W of tea leaves passing through the steamer barrel 1 is 41 g and the measured value Q2 of the supply amount is 360 k[/h], the steaming time is calculated as the time T of tea leaves passing through the steamer barrel - 40 seconds. . .

In addition, it is a tie to find the weight W of tea leaves as they pass through the steamer barrel.

Although the steaming time can be determined arbitrarily, the tea steaming apparatus of the present invention can be
``Since the degree of inclination of the steamer barrel is adjusted as a control element related to the steaming time, it is necessary to adjust the timing to take into account the response delay caused by changing the degree of inclination.

By the way, in order to measure the steaming time, it is essential to know the amount of fresh leaves supplied per unit time into the steamer barrel 1 as a set value or as a measured value. It is necessary to use a leaf feeder that is equipped with a control mechanism to constantly supply the leaf, or at least a leaf feeder that can measure the actual amount currently supplied.

Of course, just like a conventional leaf feeder, the supply amount per unit time can be adjusted by volume by adjusting both the circulating speed of the belt and the height of the leveling tool installed above the feed end. It is not impossible to measure the steaming time by referring to a conversion table, etc., but in this case, it is difficult to measure the steaming time due to changes in the properties of the process itself, such as size, softness, and bulk density. Moreover, errors in the supply amount in the leaf feeder will directly cause errors in the steaming time measurement, so if you want highly accurate steaming time management, it is necessary to adjust the supply amount as described above. It is essential to use a leaf feeder that can be controlled with feedback or whose current supply can be measured. As such a leaf feeder, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 53-107495 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 55-96425 are known.
Although there is a device described in the above publication, a leaf feeder useful for the present invention with relatively few errors will be explained with reference to FIG.

Reference numeral 16 designates an inclined conveyor frame which is supported vertically movably with respect to a base frame 18 by four-bar parallel links 17, and is balanced with a weight 20 by balance rods 19, and a crosspiece is provided between rollers supported at both ends of the conveyor frame. A hopper is provided at the starting end of the belt 21, and a spring 22, a rack 23 and a pinion 24 pivotally connected to the inclined conveyor frame 16 are installed between the inclined conveyor frame 16 and the base frame 18. Variable resistor s such as a potentiometer mounted on a shaft and fixed to the base frame 18
A displacement detector 2B consisting of 25 is attached.

27 is a vertical packet conveyor which is a transport device for feeding fresh leaves into a hopper, 28 is a drive motor for the vertical packet conveyor 27, and 29 is a variable speed drive that drives the crosspiece belt 21, which is stretched over the inclined conveyor frame 16, at variable circulation speeds. It's a motor.

A vibrating gutter 30 is supported by a leaf spring 31 on the protruding side 18a of the base frame 18, and is driven by an eccentric drive mechanism 32. Note that the conveyance capacity of the vibrating gutter 30 and the conveyance capacity of the vertical packet conveyor 27 are sufficiently larger than the conveyance capacity of the crosspiece belt 21 that is stretched over the inclined conveyor frame 16.

The EPROM is a read-only memory, and the control program for processing, the calculation program, and the standard initial rotation speed of the variable speed drive motor 29 for passing the set target value are stored based on the table and the calculated current supply amount. belt 21
A large number of conversion formulas and the like are written for changing the rotational speed of the variable speed drive motor 29 that drives the motor. RAM is random access memory.

The CPU is a central processing unit that calculates the current supply amount according to the control program and calculation program written in the EFROM, and also issues drive/stop signals to the drive motor 28 of the vertical packet conveyor 27, and controls the variable speed drive motor. 29, the above-mentioned shift command is issued.

33 is a flow rate setting device, which is similar to the flow rate setting device 14 in FIG.
corresponds to

DISP is a display means, EXIT is an external output terminal,
The set value set in the flow rate setting device 33 or the calculated measured value of the current supply amount is sent out and connected to the input terminal IN in FIG.

After setting the target supply amount Q1 in the flow rate setting device 33, when the control power switch is turned on, the drive motor 28 rotates and feeds fresh leaves onto the belt 21 with a crosspiece inside the hopper, and the variable speed drive motor 29 is turned on. RA corresponding to the set target value
It starts rotating at the initial rotation speed R read from inside M, and the belt with crosspiece 21 discharges the fresh leaves received in the hopper onto the vibrating gutter 30 from its delivery end. The vibrating gutter 30 supplies the fresh leaves one after another to the steamer.

At this time, since the conveyance capacity of the vertical packet conveyor 27 is far superior to the conveyance capacity of the belt with crosspieces 21 of the inclined conveyor frame 16, fresh leaves gradually accumulate on the belt with crosspieces 21 in the hopper.

Then, the weight of the accumulated green leaves causes the inclined conveyor frame 1B to be displaced downward, and in conjunction with the displacement operation of the inclined conveyor frame 16, the rack 23 of the displacement amount detector 26 is moved downward, whereby the binion 24 is moved downward. As the variable resistor 25 is rotated, the resistance value of the variable resistor 25 is changed.

Therefore, the voltage value indicated by the displacement amount detector 26 has a magnitude corresponding to the weight of the fresh leaves placed on the crosspiece belt 21.

When this value matches the value stored in the RAM as an upper value by a setting means (not shown), the CPU issues a stop command to the drive motor 28 of the vertical packet conveyor 27, while only the variable speed drive motor 29 is driven as it is, and only the fresh leaves continue to be discharged by the crosspiece belt 21.

Then, as the fresh leaves are discharged, the inclined conveyor frame 16 is displaced upward, and in conjunction with the displacement operation of the inclined conveyor frame 16, the rack 23 of the displacement detector 26 is moved upward, thereby causing the pinion 24 to rotate in the reverse direction. The resistance value of the variable resistor 25 is changed.

When the vertical packet conveyor 27 is stopped and only the crosspiece belt 21 is driven, the CPU reads the voltage value indicated by the displacement detector 26 into the RAM at appropriate intervals and samples weight reduction transition data.

This reading is performed by a setting means (not shown) until the value stored in the RAM as a lower value is reached.

When the voltage value indicated by the displacement amount detector 26 matches the lower value, the CPU again controls the drive motor 2 of the vertical packet conveyor 27.
A drive command is issued to 8, and the feeding of fresh leaves into the hopper is resumed.

On the other hand, immediately change the weight loss trend data to Y-AX+B.
In order to approximate the straight line, the least squares method is used to calculate the value of A-B, and the value of A is calculated as the current measured value of the supply amount Q.
2, fresh leaves are accumulated between the front surfaces of the DISP, and when the value indicated by the displacement amount detector 26 reaches the set upper value again, the vertical packet conveyor 27 is stopped and sampling of weight loss trend data is resumed. . When the lower value is reached again, the least squares method is immediately performed to calculate the latest measured current value.

At the same time, the rotational speed of the variable speed drive motor 29 is corrected again based on the value, and the vertical packet conveyor 27 is driven again to drive the fresh leaf hopper inner frame belt 21.
The cycle of upward accumulation is repeated, and
Feedback control is performed so that the calculated current measured value approaches the set target value set by the flow rate setting device 33.

Therefore, the supply amount per unit time of the leaf feeder can be determined either by loading the set target value Ql set by the flow rate setting device 33 into the RAM shown in FIG. 9, or by using the measured current value calculated as A. If Q2 is read, it becomes possible to measure the steaming time with high precision.

Note that FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing an example of a control circuit of the leaf feeder shown in FIG. 10.

In addition, in the explanation so far, FIGS. 9 to 11 are used,
Although the device for measuring the steaming time and the leaf feeder have been described as separate entities for the purpose of understanding the invention, the CPU RAM
, EFROM, etc., and configure the arithmetic circuits so that each arithmetic process is performed by interrupting each other's arithmetic processes, thereby forming a total management system.

Next, an example of the tea manufacturing and steaming apparatus of the present invention in which the steaming time is automatically controlled using the method for measuring the tea manufacturing and steaming time described above will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7.

In the figure, reference numeral 34 denotes a middle frame support frame, which is framed by appropriate square members. For convenience of explanation, the directions of each part will be defined and explained below using FIG. 1 as a front view.

Reference numeral 35 denotes a movable middle frame, which is built into the middle frame support frame 34 with its left and right ends protruding from the middle frame support frame 34. The part near the left end of the movable middle frame 35 has two hanging fittings 36.
The arm shaft 39 is rotatably supported on a hanging shaft 37 via a support arm 36, and the arm shaft 39 is rotatably supported on a suspension shaft 37 via support arms 38 and 38, and the arm shaft 39 is rotatably supported on a suspension shaft 37 via support arms 38, 38. It is supported by arms 40, 40 (the support arm 38 on the back side and the rotating arm 40 do not appear in the drawing because they overlap with those on the front side). , 41 is a fan-shaped gear attached to the front cape of the arm shaft 39, and is meshed with the worm gear 43 of the shaft of the trunk side inclination control motor 42 attached to the middle frame support frame 34. Therefore, by rotating the motor 42, the movable middle frame 35 rotates about the hanging shaft 37, and the degree of inclination of the movable middle frame 35, that is, the steam barrel, can be adjusted by such an operating section.

The main body of the steamer cylinder 44 and the drive section 45 are placed on the movable middle frame 35. The steaming barrel 44 includes a substantially cylindrical fixed barrel 46,
A cylindrical steam chamber 47 is provided to surround the outer peripheral surface of the tip of the fixed barrel 46, and a cylindrical full-mesh rotary barrel 48 is arranged so that its opening abuts against the fixed barrel 46 from the right side. The main components include a steam chamber 47 and a fixed shell 4.
6 is fixed to the movable middle frame 35, whereas the rotating body 4
8 is rotatable.

That is, the rotating barrel 48 has a rim 49 at its right open end supported by two barrel bearing rollers 50 and 50 attached to the movable middle frame 35, and an annular gear 51 at the left end has its front lower part connected to the receiving gear 52. The rear lower portion is supported by drive gears 53 that mesh with the annular gears 51, respectively. Note that since the drive gear 53 is attached to a rotary drum drive shaft 54 extending from the drive section 45, the rotary drum 48 is rotated by these mechanisms.

Further, a stirring shaft 55 is rotatably arranged inside the fixed cylinder 46 and the rotating cylinder 48, which are cylindrical as a whole, and the left and right ends 56 and 57 of the stirring shaft 55 are connected to the movable middle frame 35.
The left end 56 of the shaft 55 is supported by the drive section 45.
It is connected to a stirring shaft drive shaft 58 that protrudes from the stirring shaft. Further, the stirring shaft 55 has a large number of stirring blades 59, 59,
... are attached radially outward from the center of the shaft. Further, 60 is a fixed cover that surrounds the rotary cylinder 48 from above and below, and 61 and 61 are adjustment covers.The fixed cover 60 can be removed by removing screws, and the adjustment covers 61 and 61 have handles 62 and 62. Opening and closing can be adjusted freely by pulling the button.

Inside the drive unit 45, there is a reduction mechanism with a constant reduction ratio consisting of a drive motor for rotating the rotating drum 48 and the stirring shaft 55, large and small pulleys, and a speed reducing mechanism for changing the rotational speed of the rotating drum 48 and the stirring shaft 55. Contains a mechanism (control element operating section).

Various methods can be considered to change the rotation speed, such as making the motor rotation speed itself variable, changing the diameter of the pulley, and using a fluid coupling. is used. That is, 63 in the figure is a driven shaft, which corresponds to the aforementioned rotary drum drive shaft 54 or agitation shaft drive shaft 58, or a deceleration intermediate shaft thereof. 64 is a driven variable diameter pulley that is pivotally attached to the driven shaft 63, 65 is a drive motor, and a drive variable diameter pulley 66 is attached to the shaft. And 67
is a speed change control motor, and its rotation causes the movable piece 68 of the drive variable diameter pulley 66 to rotate, moving it back and forth in the axial direction to control the interval between the movable side groove walls 69. On the other hand, the driven variable diameter pulley 64 is According to the length of the bell) 70, the interval between the movable side groove walls 69 is widened and narrowed, and the diameters of the pulleys are changed to change the rotation speed.

Further, 71 is a base, which is constructed of a thin box frame, and one end of the parallel arms 74, 74 is connected to its left and right columns 72a,
It is supported on working shafts 73a and 73b which are supported on shaft 72b.

The other ends of the parallel arms 74, 74 are connected to a weighing table 75 in the form of a flat frame.
Pivots 78, 78 are provided at the left and right ends of the left column 72a, and an operating rod 76 is provided at the tip of the operating shaft 73a of the left column 72a in a straight line opposite the direction of the parallel arm 74. A steamer main body equipped with the original mechanisms of a steamer such as a movable middle frame 35 is mounted, and a weight 77 is locked to the tip of the working rod 76 so that both can be substantially balanced.

Reference numeral 79 denotes an auxiliary rod that is pivotally connected to the parallel arms 74' and 74' that protrude from positions at different angles from the parallel arms 74 and 74 to form another four-bar parallel link.

Reference numeral 80 denotes a vibration-proofing rubber plate made of a corrugated sheet, which is placed at a position where the four corners of the inner frame support frame 34 rest when the steamer main body is mounted on the weighing platform 75. It is loosely fitted.

Numeral 81 is a fixture that prevents the steamer main body from moving on the weighing stand 75, and the weighing stand 75 and the middle frame support frame 34 are fixed via the vibration isolating rubber 81a.

Reference numeral 82 denotes a weighing section, which is made up of a pressure section provided in the middle of the working rod 76 and a load cell 84 protruding downward from the base 71, which measures the weight of the tea leaves passing through the steamer barrel. Measurement is performed by detecting the strain on the load cell 84 caused by the magnitude of the load.

At this time, an appropriate load is applied to the load cell 84 (by adjusting the locking position of the weight 77 to the left or right).

Note that the pressing part is a circular frame 76a on the upper side of the working rod 76.
A pressing piece 83 with anti-vibration rubber on the bottom is provided within this frame.
is fitted loosely and is brought into contact with the load cell 84. 8
5 is a function for temporarily fixing the working rod 76 in order to prevent damage to the load cell 84 when an overload is applied to the load cell 84 by riding on the middle support frame 34 or the like during cleaning of the steam machine main body. It is a rod lock mechanism.

Reference numeral 86 denotes an inlet opening near the upper left end of the fixed barrel 46. A square funnel-shaped funnel 87 is fixed to the inlet 86, and a screw 89 driven by a small motor 88 is attached to the funnel 87. The fresh leaves placed inside the jar 87 are quickly guided into the fixed barrel 46 (the jar 87, the small motor 88 and the screw 89 play a role).
is supported on the middle frame support frame 34 or the movable middle frame 35 to eliminate as much as possible the interference of force from the leaf feeder side due to the pushing of fresh leaves, and to minimize the measurement error of the weight of tea leaves while passing through the steamer barrel. ,
This allows for highly accurate steaming times.

In addition, 90 covers the entire lower surface of the steamer barrel 44, and is used to drain steam that has turned into water droplets in the steamer barrel 44 and water during washing, and to drain the mesh of the rotary barrel 48, remove the eyes, and remove fallen tea stems. The discharge sink plate is supported by a base 71 so as not to cause an error in measuring the weight of tea leaves passing through the steamer barrel.

Reference numeral 91 denotes a highly flexible steam pipe connected between the steam main pipe of the boiler and the steam chamber 47, which will be described later.

Reference numeral 92 denotes a leaf feeder that constantly supplies a constant weight of fresh leaves into the steamer barrel 44, and in this application example, a leaf feeder similar to the leaf feeder shown in FIG. 10 is used. The vibrating pole serving as the delivery end of the leaf feeder 92 faces the input port 86 of the steamer barrel 44, and the delivery end of the vertical packet conveyor faces above the starting end hopper.

Reference numeral 93 includes a flow rate setting device of the leaf feeder 92 and an arithmetic circuit that calculates the current supply amount, and a feed unit that outputs the set target value of the flow rate setting device or the measured current value of the current supply amount to the steaming device control panel, which will be described later. The control panel of the leaf machine 92 is shown.

Reference numerals 94 and 94 are leaf flow sensors arranged slightly above the leaf feeder 87 and facing each other so as to sandwich it from the width direction. For example, a sensor such as a photoswitch is used to detect fresh leaves from the leaf feeder 92 to the steamer barrel 44. Detect whether or not it is supplied.

95 indicates a boiler. 96 is a burner controller that controls the burn-up of a burner 97 attached to the heating chamber of the boiler 95. When the burn-up of the burner 97 changes, the boiler 95 controls the amount of steam generated thereby. The amount and other properties are changing. Reference numeral 98 denotes a steam main pipe that is piped from the steam chamber of the boiler 95 to near the steam chamber 47 of the steam barrel 44, and the above-mentioned flexible steam pipe 91 is connected to the tip of the steam main pipe 98. 99 is a steam amount sensor interposed in a part of the steam main pipe 98, and includes, for example, a float that is moved according to the flow rate of steam passing through the steam main pipe 98, and generates an electrical signal according to the moved position of the float. The amount of steam can be detected by outputting .

Reference numeral 100 indicates a barrel rotation speed control motor that changes the speed of the rotating drum 48 of the steam barrel 44, and 101 indicates a barrel rotation speed sensor that detects the rotation speed of the rotating drum 48. In addition, 102 is a stirring shaft 55
103 shows a stirring shaft rotation speed control motor that changes speed.
indicates a stirring shaft rotation speed sensor that detects the rotation speed of the stirring shaft 55, 42 is the above-mentioned body side inclination control motor, and 104
is a cylinder that detects the inclination of the steam cylinder 44;

It is a tilt sensor.

Reference numeral 105 indicates a control panel of the steaming apparatus of this application example.

FIG. 5 shows an example of the control panel 105. In the figure, 106 is a power switch that can be switched between automatic, manual, and stop, 107 is a power indicator light, which indicates whether the power is on, and 108 is a power switch that can switch between automatic, manual, and stop. This is a start and stop switch, and instructs a control circuit, which will be described later, to start and stop a control operation for the steaming device.

109 is a buzzer, for example, the leaf flow sensor 9 described above.
4.94, when it is detected that fresh leaves are not being supplied into the steamer drum 44 from the leaf feeder 92, this buzzer is activated to notify that there is an abnormal state.

A steaming time setting switch 110 is used to set a target steaming time. In this application example, the level of steaming time that can be selected and set using the steaming time setting switch 110 is limited to between 20 seconds and 180 seconds, and the current setting is set each time each knob displayed in 10 is pressed once. The steaming time is increased in increments of 100 seconds, 10 seconds, and 1 second; - 100 seconds each time the indicated knob is pressed;
It is designed to be decremented at intervals of 10 seconds and 1 second, but it is configured so that 20 or less is considered 20 seconds, and 180 or more is considered 180 seconds. Reference numeral 111 is a barrel rotation speed setting volume, which sets the rotation speed of the rotating drum 48 of the steaming drum 44. 1
12 is a stirring shaft rotation speed setting volume, and stirring shaft 55
Set the rotation speed. Reference numeral 113 denotes a barrel side inclination setting polyneem, which becomes effective only when the power switch 106 is turned on to the manual side, and allows the inclination of the steamer barrel 44 to be manually set.

114 is a steam amount setting volume, which sets the amount of steam supplied from the boiler 95 to the steam chamber 47.

Reference numeral 115 is a zero point update switch, which removes so-called waste other than tea leaves passing through the steamer barrel 44 due to water droplets adhering to the inside and outside of the steamer barrel 44 or tea stems clogging the mesh of the rotating barrel 48. The purpose is to prevent the weight of the steamer from being detected by the load cell 84 and causing an error in measuring the steaming time. By pressing this zero point update switch 115, the leaf feeder 9
2, the inside of the steamer barrel 44 is tilted to the lowest position, held in that state for a while, and when all the tea leaves in the steamer barrel 44 are discharged, the voltage indicated by the load cell 84 is lowered. The value is read into the RAM, and from then on, the value read at this time is set as the zero point (Okg), and then the weight of the tea leaves passing through the steamer barrel 44 to be supplied next is measured.

116 is a zero point automatic correction switch, and its purpose is almost the same as the zero point update switch 115, but this switch 116 is used at the start of the day's work or when cleaning a rotary cylinder that is clogged with tea leaves. When the rotary cylinder is replaced with a rotary cylinder, the increase in weight of debris, etc. corresponding to the time from the time of startup or replacement is automatically subtracted and the virtual The aim is to perform zero point correction.

Reference numeral 117 is a display device for displaying various current values, and displays the current value of a control element designated by any one of display switches 118a, 118b, 118d, and 118e. That is, 11
8a is a steaming time display switch, 118b is a trunk side slope display switch, 118C is a trunk rotation speed display switch, 118d
118e is a stirring shaft rotation speed display switch, and 118e is a steam amount display switch.

Next, FIG. 6 shows an example of a block configuration of a control circuit for controlling the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 5.

In the figure, CPU is a central processing unit, EFROM is a read-only memory, and a control program for processing,
A relational expression for calculating the steaming time from the calculation program, input data from the control panel 93 of the leaf feeder 92, and measured data, and a relation for zero point correction when the automatic zero point correction switch 116 is pressed. Many formulas etc. are written. RAM is random access memory.

119 is an input/output boat. 108 is the aforementioned operation start/stop switch, similarly 110 is a steaming time setting switch, 111 is a barrel rotation speed setting volume, 112 is a stirring shaft rotation speed setting volume, 113 is a barrel side slope setting volume, and 114 is a steam 115 is a zero point update switch, and 116 is a zero point automatic correction switch.

94 is the aforementioned leaf flow sensor, 99 is a steam amount sensor, 101 is a drum rotation speed sensor, 103 is a stirring shaft rotation speed sensor, 104 is a drum side inclination sensor, and 84 is a load cell. And each of these switches, volume, detector 1
10・111・112・113・114, sensor 94・
99・101・103・104, load cell 84
are connected to the input/output port 119 via gate circuits 121, 121, . . . , which are controlled by a gate/latch control circuit 120. Further, 42 is the above-mentioned cylinder side inclination control motor, similarly 96 is a burner controller, 100 is a cylinder rotation speed control motor, and 102 is a stirring shaft rotation speed control motor, which are connected to the relay RL.
. . . are connected to the input/output boat 119 via latch circuits 122 controlled by the gate latch control circuit 120.

In this application example, control of each control element for indirectly and automatically controlling the cooling time is performed according to a program as shown in FIG. This program will be explained below in the order of the numbers assigned to each step.

(a) Power switch 10 provided on control panel 105
6 to the automatic side, and the operation start/stop switch 108 to 1.
By pressing twice, a program for indirectly automatically controlling the steaming time is started.

(b) Judgment: "Has the steaming time (steaming time T is hereinafter referred to as t1 to distinguish the set steaming time from the actual steaming time, and the actual steaming time is designated as t2) been set?" Do this.

This is to judge whether or not the desired steaming time has been set using the steaming time setting switch 110. If the steaming time t1 is not set, the next step will not proceed and tl will be set. Wait for it to be set. t
If l has been set, proceed to the next step (C).

(C) A determination is made as to "Have settings been made using each of the other setting volumes?"

This is for determining whether or not the desired settings of the barrel rotation speed, stirring shaft rotation speed, and steam amount have been made using the barrel rotation speed setting volume 111, the stirring shaft rotation speed setting volume 112, and the steam amount setting polyneme 114. Unless all settings have been made for each of these volumes, the process waits for all settings to be made without proceeding to the next step.

ld) The voltage value indicated by the load cell 84 when the steam barrel 44 is empty at the start is read into the RAM as the zero point.

This is done by reading the weight of the middle support frame 34 that supports the steamer barrel 44, etc. when the tea stems are not clogged or water droplets are not attached, and subsequent tea leaf weight measurements are based on changes from this zero point. This is because we are trying to measure it by quantity.

(e) Read the steaming time, drum rotation speed, stirring shaft rotation speed, and steam amount set in steps (a) and (C) above, and read out the corresponding control values. In this apparatus, since the steaming time is controlled by adjusting the inclination of the steaming drum 44, the initial control value of the inclination of the steaming drum 44 corresponding to the set steaming time is read out. In addition, control of each control element such as barrel rotation speed, stirring shaft rotation speed, and steam amount is different from steaming time control, and is set based on your own tea caddy experience and preference, and the control values remain as they are until the set values are changed. As before, you can judge the finish quality of the steamed leaves and adjust the settings to suit your tastes.

(f) Read the current value of each control element.

This means that the current values of the cylinder side inclination, the cylinder rotation speed, the stirring shaft rotation speed, and the steam amount are measured by the respective sensors 104 and 101.
- Read by 103 and 99.

(g) Compare each control value read in step (e) above with each current value read in step (f) above. If all of the comparison results match each other, the process proceeds to step (11); if even one does not match, the process proceeds to step (h).

(h) The above step (outputting a control signal corresponding to the compared difference for the control element that did not match the control value at the moment to the operation unit, that is, the motor 42, 100, 102 or the burner controller 96, and driving those operation units) Then, step (@), (f), (along and (
While looping h), wait for the comparison results to match in each step.

(l) A determination is made as to whether the input command has been output.

This feeding command is the supply of fresh leaves to the steamer drum 44 by the leaf feeder 92, and normally, when the comparison result in the above step (phantom) is determined to be a "match", the leaf feeder 92 automatically
Drive signals are output to the drive system, that is, the drive motor 28, variable speed drive motor 29, and eccentric drive mechanism 32 in FIG. In the case of a stop or interruption, it is necessary to output a loading command by a step other than the loading command in step (g) or by another independent means. This step (1) is provided because it is necessary to proceed to the next step after confirming whether or not fresh leaves are being supplied.

('') When the closing command is not output in step (1), the drive motor 28, variable speed drive motor 29
, outputs a drive signal to the eccentric drive mechanism 32 to drive each conveyor.

佽) When the determination result of YES is obtained in step (1), the determination is made as to "Are the leaves flowing?"

This is a step to confirm whether fresh leaves are actually being supplied to the steamer drum 44 via the vertical packet conveyor 27, the crosspiece belt 21, and the vibrating gutter 30.

Vertical bucket conveyor 27, belt with crosspiece 21, vibrating gutter 3
0 is being driven, if there are no fresh leaves in the hopper, or if fresh leaves are not being supplied on the path that conveys fresh leaves from the fresh leaf storage room to the vertical packet conveyor 27, fresh leaves will not be supplied to the steamer cylinder 44. Since it is not present, it is necessary to detect its presence or absence. These detections are made by leaf flow sensors 94, 94.

If it is detected in step (1) above that the leaves are not flowing, the buzzer 109 is activated to notify the abnormality.

(b) When a YES judgment result is obtained in step (g)), a judgment is made as to "Is the control start point time-up?"

The judgment here refers to the control of the slope of the trunk side, and U4!
Y! This question asks whether or not the time to start the 4-gradient control has timed up. That is, the steaming time is measured by measuring the weight of the tea leaves put into the steamer drum 44 for each middle support frame 34 that supports the steamer drum 44, etc. Until the discharge becomes steady, even if the weight of tea leaves passing through the steamer barrel 44 is measured, it is only a transient weight, and the inclination of the steamer barrel is controlled based on the steaming time obtained during this time. Since it is pointless to do so, it is necessary not to measure the weight of the tea leaves passing through the steamer barrel and to control the inclination of the barrel side during this time.

The time amplified during this time is, for example, 5
It can be set uniformly, such as minutes, or it can be set individually by giving a margin of some percentage to the set steaming time t1.

(n) The weight W of tea leaves passing through the steamer barrel 44 is read based on the amount of change from the voltage value at the zero point of the load cell 84, and the supply amount per unit time is output from the control panel 93 of the leaf feeder 92. The set target value Q1 or the measured current value Q2 is read through the input terminal IN.

(O) “Is the automatic zero point correction switch pressed?”
Make this judgment.

This is the weight of the middle frame support frame 34 etc. due to adhesion of debris etc.+i
The purpose of this method is to automatically correct the tea leaf weight within the expected range by subtracting in advance the error caused by the addition to the tea leaf weight measurement.

Note that this zero point automatic correction switch 116 is automatically released when the -th zero point update control is performed in subsequent steps (u) and (V), and this switch 116
It can also be canceled manually by pressing twice.

(1)) If the zero point automatic correction switch 116 is pressed, the weight increase due to adhesion of dregs, etc. is subtracted and the tea leaf weight read in step (n) is corrected.

Note that the weight increase ΔW due to adhesion of debris etc. is expressed, for example, as in the following equation.

ΔW=kxt (0<t<80 win)
ΔW-K (-60k) (t≧80 m1n)
Therefore, the correction formula for the weight of tea leaves is W4-W-ΔW.

(Q) Calculate the passage time of the tea leaves in the steamer barrel 44, ie, the measured steaming time t2, using the formula W+Q1 or W+Q2.

(r) The set steaming time t1 and the above step (q
) is compared with the steaming time t2 measured in . If they match, the process proceeds to step (1); if they do not match, the process proceeds to step (s).

(s) A signal corresponding to the difference compared in step (r) is sent to the operating section, ie, the line slope control section, to drive the barrel side slope control motor 42 and adjust the slope of the steamer cylinder 44. As the degree of inclination of the steamer drum 44 increases, the time for tea leaves to pass through the steamer drum is adjusted to become shorter, and conversely, as the degree of inclination of the steamer drum 44 decreases, the time for the tea leaves to pass through the steamer drum is adjusted to become longer. Therefore, the signal output to the trunk side inclination control motor 42 is tl
When the difference between the difference between In some cases, a rotation direction command for increasing the inclination of the steam barrel 44 is output. This command is output until the comparison result in step (r) matches.

(t) It is determined whether the zero point update switch has been pressed.

In order to more accurately measure the weight of tea leaves passing through the steamer barrel, this method updates the zero point due to the weight increase after the adhesion of residue to the steamer barrel has become steady. The voltage value indicated by the load cell 84 after temporarily interrupting the supply of fresh leaves from the steamer 92 and discharging all the tea leaves passing through the steamer barrel 44 is read, and the original value in the RAM is rewritten with that value as the new zero point. .

This command may be input by pressing the zero point update switch 115 provided on the control panel 105, or may be input every time a predetermined period of time, such as two hours, elapses. However, if the zero point update command is not input, proceed to step -), and if the zero point update command is input, proceed to steps lu) and (V).
After executing the control for updating the zero point, the process proceeds to step Sakaki.

(11) When the zero point update command is input, the supply of fresh leaves by the leaf feeder 92 is stopped, and all the tea leaves in the steamer barrel 44 are discharged. Discharging the tea leaves in the steamer barrel 44 is not actually done by a special discharge means, but by setting the slope of the steamer barrel 44 to the maximum and taking the time required to complete the discharge (for example, This is done by counting the elapsed time (2 minutes).

(V) Clears the voltage value previously recognized and stored as the zero point written in the RAM, and rewrites it with the voltage value of the load cell 84 measured after discharge.

←) Make a judgment as to whether the settings of each setting device have been changed.

For example, this may occur if the quality of fresh leaves supplied from the fresh leaf storage room changes, or if the originally set steaming time or barrel rotation speed changes.
Depending on the stirring shaft rotation speed and steam amount, if the steamed leaves of the expected quality are not obtained, the setting switch, Polyneem may be changed immediately according to the tea caddy's preference, and if these settings are changed, the step It is necessary to redo the control of each control element adjusted in (e) to (h). Therefore,
If any of the set values has been changed, the process returns to step (e) to continue measuring the steaming time and controlling the rope slope.

In this way, the steaming time is automatically controlled. According to this embodiment, the distance between the axis of the working shaft 73a and the contact point of the pressing part, the weight of the weight 77, and the locking position can be adjusted. Since the load on the load cell 84 can be adjusted by adjusting the load cell 84, the load cell 84 can be used within the proper range of use, and even if the steam machine body is changed to various models, compatibility can be maintained, and the conventional steam machine body can be modified, This can also be placed and used. Furthermore, the steamer main body has a load cell 84
Even if the line is distorted, in practice it does not move up or down at all, so there are many aspects that are convenient in terms of coordination with attached equipment before and after it, and there is no problem in configuring the line.

In addition, as an application range of the present invention, the arm shaft 73a is fixed to the base 71 so as not to rotate, and a strain gauge is attached to the arm 73a, or a strain gauge is attached to the auxiliary rod 79, The strain caused by torsional stress generated in the shaft and the strain caused by compressive stress generated in the rod are detected, and the tea leaves passing through the steamer barrel are detected. It is also conceivable to use a means to measure the amount of each frame supporting the steamer drum.

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above description, the tea steaming apparatus of the present invention comprises a base, a weighing platform, and a parallel arm to form a four-section parallel link, supporting the weighing platform on the base, and An operating rod was protruded from the operating shaft on the joint-parallel link, and the steamer body, which had an operating section for changing the inclination of the steam barrel, was placed on the weighing platform and fixed to the operating rod and the base. A means for measuring the weight of tea leaves passing through the steamer barrel together with a frame supporting the steamer barrel by contacting with a load cell, and a means for setting a target value of steaming time, a means for setting a target value of steaming time, a means for measuring the current value of the supply amount per unit time of a leaf feeder that supplies fresh leaves into the tea leaf feeder, or a means for measuring the current value of the supply amount per unit time, and a unit for measuring the weight of tea leaves passing through the steamer drum. Divide by the set target value or measured current value of the supply amount per hour to calculate the time the tea leaves pass through the steamer barrel, and compare this calculated value with the target value of the steaming time to generate a signal according to the difference between the two. and an electric circuit that outputs to the operation section.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the steaming time of the tea leaves that are continuously passed through the steamer barrel is substantially continuous, and there is almost no time lag between the passing of the tea leaves and the measurement. It measures the time accurately, compares this measured steaming time with the desired steaming time, and automatically controls the control elements involved in the steaming time according to the comparison result, so that the desired steaming time of the tea leaves can be determined. You can steam it on time.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, only the steamer main body can be changed to various types, resulting in high compatibility.Furthermore, the load cell can be used within the appropriate range of use, and the steaming time can be controlled with high precision. It becomes possible.

In addition, since there is no vertical movement of the steamer main body in practical terms, there is no problem in dealing with attached equipment at the front and rear.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 7 show a specific example of the tea steaming device of the present invention, FIG. 1 is a front view thereof, FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view showing the entire steaming device including front and rear equipment, and FIG. 3 is an inside view. A plan view of the steamer main body mainly showing what is attached to the frame support frame, Fig. 4 is a plan view showing an example of the operating section and showing only the main parts, and Fig. 5 is a front view showing an example of the control panel. Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of a control circuit, Fig. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of a program, Fig. 8 is a side view showing an outline of a conventional tea steaming device, and Fig. 9 is a steaming time measurement method. 10 is a schematic side view for explaining the principle; FIG. The figure is a block diagram showing an example of the control circuit. CPU-EFROM-RAM...Arithmetic circuit 1.44.
...Steaming barrel 2,46...Fixed barrel 3,48-...Rotating barrel 8...Displacement amount detector 11,92...Leaf feeder 34
... Middle frame support frame 35 ... Movable middle frame 42 - ... Trunk side inclination control motor 71 ... Base 73a ... Action axis
74...Parallel arm 75-...Weighing stand 76...Working rod 83...Press piece 84...Load cell 93...
... Leaf feeder control panel 104 ... Trunk side slope sensor 10
5...Steamer control panel

Claims (1)

[Claims] The base, the weighing platform, and the parallel arm constitute a four-bar parallel link, the weighing platform is supported on the base, and an operating rod is protruded from the operating shaft on the four-bar parallel link. A steamer body with an operating part for changing the inclination of the steamer barrel is mounted, and the operating rod is brought into contact with a load cell fixed to the base, thereby controlling the weight of tea leaves passing through the steamer barrel. This measuring means, means for setting a target value for steaming time, and a target value for the supply amount per unit time of a leaf feeder that supplies fresh leaves into the steamer drum. a means for measuring the current value of the supply amount per unit time; and a means for measuring the current value of the supply amount per unit time; A tea steaming device comprising an electric circuit that calculates a passage time, compares the calculated value with a target value of the steaming time, and outputs a signal according to the difference between the two to the operation section.