Frank Bryan (1902-1934)
Frank Bryan (1902-1934)
1934 Obituary [1]
FRANK BRYAN had been since 1923 engaged in the design and construction of machinery for tea production in Ceylon. Just before his death he patented in collaboration the Jarvis-Bryan roller. This embodied a cold roller in conjunction with refrigerating apparatus; it was adaptable to any ordinary tea leaf roller, and cooled the leaf during rolling, thus preventing fermentation.
Mr. Bryan was born in Lincoln and received his technical education at Lincoln Technical College. In 1915 he commenced an apprenticeship with Messrs. Ruston and Hornsby and served in the drawing office and shops. From 1922 to 1923 he was employed both on design work and calculations and in the estimating department; at this time he brought out an improved design of valve gear on the firm's vertical oil engines.
He then joined Messrs. Brown and Company, Ceylon, as an assistant engineer, and was in charge of the erection of engines and machinery in tea factories. In 1924 he was appointed manager of the Hatton branch and was responsible for the construction of several new tea factories, and for the supply of water power and the building of bridges. While in this position, which he held until his death on 28th February 1934, at the early age of 32, Mr. Bryan was actively concerned in the standardization of tea factory construction. He developed a machine for winnowing tea and removing and collecting tea "fluff," and in 1932 he patented a green-tea leaf cutter. He was elected a Graduate of the Institution in 1922 and was transferred to Associate Membership in 1929.