Tea bag

Aug. 4, 1942.

W. B. DOWNES

2,291,702

<img file="US2291702A_D0001.tif" />

Patented Aug. 4, 1942

2,291,702

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,291,702 TEA BAG Wilber B. Downes, Sharon, Mass. Application March 12, 1941, Serial No. 382,875

Claims. (CI. 99—77.1)

This invention relates to improvements in a tea package or tea bag or a similar package adapted to be immersed in hot water so as to produce an infusion of the liquid from the material or substance contained in the package.

It is an object of my invention to provide an immersible tea package which may be placed on and carried by an ordinary spoon which forms a holder for the package whereby the liquid in the cup or other receptacle may be stirred in the usual manner by the spoon to produce an infusion of the liquid from the tea contained in the package carried by the spoon.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a tea package composed of layers of material permeable by liquid, the layers being secured together to form a closed pocket for the tea and to provide an open pocket adapted to receive the spoon.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a tea package that will be carried by a spoon formed in an elliptical shape and provided with a tab portion which may be temporarily secured to the handle of the spoon so as to securely hold the tea package on the spoon.

Further objects and advantages of my improvements will be more readily apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof as disclosed in the attached drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of one form of the tea package; Γ------------------- -

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the tea package;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the tea package taken from the opposite side from that shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section taken on the plane indicated 4—4 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an elevation looking at the back of the spoon to which the tea package has been attached;

Fig. 6 is a cross-section taken on the plane indicated 6—6 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of a modified form of tea package;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view showing the application of the tea package of Fig. 7 to a spoon;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view showing a further modification of the tea package and tab therefor;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view showing the manner of folding the outer layer of the tea package;

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner of assembling the two layers which form the back of the package;

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic view showing the io steps of assembling the layers, stitching the tea package and stamping out the tea package;

Fig. 13 is an elevation showing the tea package prior to filling with tea; and

Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the steps of the method as shown in Fig. 12.

The tea package disclosed in Figs. 1 to 6 comprises three layers of material 10, 12 and 14. The material forming the layers may be permeable paper, fabric or other suitable material. The three layers are secured together by the line of stitching 16 or may be sucured together in any other desired manner so as to form a pocket 18 between the layers 12 and 14 adapted to receive the tea or other substance which would be adaptable for use in the same manner, and a pocket 20 between the layers 10 and 12 adapted to receive the bowl of a spoon. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the parts are cut to an elliptical shape corresponding to the bowl of a spoon. The layer 10, as shown in Fig. 3, extends from the bottom of the package to somewhat above the middle thereof and is there cut off at the straight edge portion 22. The pocket 18 which receives the tea 24 is closed by attaching a tab 26 such as by the staple fastener 28. The tab 26 may be made of any suitable material such as paper, Cellophane or other material and is adapted to form a finger hold for placing the tea package on the spoon and removing it therefrom.

Fig. 5 illustrates the manner in which the tea package is assembled with respect to the bowl 30 of a spoon 32 having a handle portion 34. It is intended that the package should grip the spoon fairly tightly and when the package becomes wet it will tend to cling to the spoon so that it will not drop off while the tea is being stirred. If it should be found desirable to provide a more secure hold of the package on the spoon, the tab portion 26 may be provided with the extensions 36 which may have included therein a bendable wire 38 so that the extensions 36 may be bent around the stem of the spoon as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

The layer 14 of the tea package may be formed with pleats 40 as shown in Fig. 6 so as to permit expansion of the pocket as the tea swells when it becomes wet.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate a modified construction in which the tab portion 42 is formed with a pair of arcuate fingers 44 surrounding the opening 46, so the tab may be snapped onto the stem of the spoon 32 as shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 9 shows a further modification in which a relatively long tab portion 48 is fastened to the

9,291,709 tea package by a staple SO. In this form, the long tab 48 may be held by the fingers against the handle of the spoon while the tea packet is being stirred in the tea.

Figs. 10 to 14 Illustrate a method of manufacture of the tea package. Hie layer 14 is formed with the pleats 40 as shown in Fig. 10. The pleated layer 14 Is formed in the roll 52. A strip of material to form the layer 12 has temporarily glued thereto at spaced Intervals the pieces 10 adapted to form the pocket 20 for receiving the spoon, and the strip 12 with the pieces 10 thereon is formed into a roll 54. The stripe are fed from the roll as shown in Fig. 14 and the first operation is to apply the stitching 10 by the needle 56. The next operation Is to stamp out the package In the elliptical shape by the stamping members 58. As shown in Fig. 12, a package has been stamped out from the opening 60. The package, after being stamped out, is shown in Fig. 13 and indicated 62. The pocket 18 may be then readily filled with the tea or other material, the pleated form of the layer 14 permitting opening of the mouth of the pocket io receive a filling member. After the packages have been filled the securing tab Is attached by a staple or other form of attachment.

Instead of cutting and temporarily attaching the pieces 10 to the strip 12, the layer 10 could be fed from a roll at a right angle to the feed of the strips 12 and 14 and the package could be stamped out at the point where the three layers are sewed or secured together.

The material or substance contained In the package is preferably tea leaves, but coffee, cocoa or other materials which infuse or dissolve when Immersed into a liquid could be similarly packaged and applied to a spoon to be used in the same manner. The tea package or infusion package may be readily placed on the spoon by pulling on the tab 26 as the spoon is inserted in the open pocket 20. As illustrated, various means may be used to more securely hold the package on the spoon while in use but such means must permit ready separation of the package from the spoon after use. As disclosed, the fingers need only grasp the tab to remove the package from the spoon. The top of the package may be extended if desired so that the material which is used to form the tab does not become immersed in the liquid. The improved tea package enables obtaining the desired strength of the tea in a more convenient manner and is much more desirable than the old fashioned tea bag which is merely dropped into the cup of liquid, since unless the tea is stirred while infusion is taking place it cannot be ascertained whether the tea is getting too strong. With my package the tea is stirred while Infusion is taking place and the spoon with the tea package may be immediately removed from the liquid when the desired - strength of tea is obtained.