Patent ID: 9545169
Date: 2017-01-17
CPC Classifications: A23F,A23N,A47J,B01J,F26B,Y02P

Claim:
1. An apparatus for roasting coffee beans, the apparatus comprising: a chamber in which a supply of coffee beans can be received for roasting, said chamber having an outlet for roasted coffee beans; a heater for heating air; an air driver for driving heated air into the chamber to roast coffee beans received therein, and for driving air into the chamber to lift roasted coffee beans from the chamber to and through said outlet; and a controller operable to control the air driver to vary a rate at which air is driven into the chamber, wherein the air driver and the chamber are configured and arranged so that coffee beans located in the chamber circulate generally horizontally about a periphery of the chamber when the air driver drives heated air into the chamber, said controller being configured to control the air driver to drive air into the chamber at a first rate to circulate the beans as they roast, and at a second rate higher than the first to lift the beans towards and through the outlet.