GB1040095A - Beverage brewing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1,040,095. Beverage making apparatus. INTERSTATE UNITED CORPORATION. May 15, 1964 [May 16, 1963], No. 20368/64. Heading A4D. [Also in Division B8] In a beverage making apparatus, such as a coffee vending machine, ground coffee, which has been moistened to enable the beverage to be more rapidly extracted, is cooled, to preserve it from deterioration, before a measured quantity is dispensed to a brewing chamber. As shown, ground coffee is stored in hopper 25, from which it is moved by screw conveyer 28, through a tube 30, while water is added at 61 to moisten it. The coffee in tube 30 is cooled by a refrigerated jacket 66. The moist coffee is fed into measuring cup 31 (see Division B8). A brewing chamber 32 has a lid 35 which is held in an open position to receive the coffee from cup 31, as this is swung downwardly and the contents flushed out. The coffee falls on to a section of filter paper strip 37 clamped between cylindrical wall 33 and base 36. Chamber 32 is heated by electric element 136 and is supplied with hot water from tank 26. The water flows tangentially into the chamber. When the lid 35 has been replaced, compressed air from tank 27 drives the liquid through the filter paper to delivery heat exchanger 42. Cream and sugar may be added to cup 43 from containers 45 and 46. On completion of delivery, wall 33 is raised to allow strip 37 to be advanced and the exhausted grounds 40 to be deposited therewith in waste bin 41. With the measuring cup 31 in the raised position and a fresh section of filter paper clamped beneath wall 33, the apparatus is ready for a further operating cycle. A coin-operated control circuit in which a timer motor drives switch-operating cams is shown and described. White or black coffee may be selected by means of a four position switch and, in the event of unsweetened black coffee being chosen, an additional volume of water is supplied to the brew chamber. Switches causing delivery of extra portions of cream or sugar and a drink counter are provided. In a modification, in which the measuring cup is arranged within the refrigerated jacket (Figs. 16 and 18, not shown) the separate cylindrical wall 33 and lid 35 of the brewing chamber 32 are replaced by an inverted cup 316 lined with heat insulating plastic 316a, Fig. 17 (not shown). The moist ground coffee is delivered through flexible tube 314 to cup 316 and the tube is closed by being pinched between levers 325a and 326a while compressed air is being supplied to the brewing chamber. An air inlet 351 and check valve 352 are provided.