Abstract:
A machine for brewing tea, particularly in a shoc situation. The machine has a housing and at least one brewing assembly. The brewing assembly is formed to hold a brewing cup that has a filter that defines and separates a first cavity within the brewing cup for containing tea leaves and a second cavity from which tea leaves are excluded. The housing has a water supply that supplies a predetermined volume of water at a temperature that is suitable for infusing tea leaves. It also has a water supply channel for delivering the water into the first cavity of the brewing cup, and a siphon tube that has a siphoning end that extends orthogonally upward into the second cavity of the brewing cup and a downward projecting dispensing end. The apparatus is constructed in a way that tea leaves infuse as the water is supplied into the first cavity of the brewing cup, but once the level of infused tea liquor in the second cavity of the brewing cup rises above the siphoning end of the siphon tube the tea liquor siphons down the siphon tube and is dispensed from the dispensing end of the siphon tube.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus for brewing infusible plant substances, especially tea. 
     With the exception of water, tea is the most widely consumed of all beverages. Its world-wide per capita consumption has been estimated at 0.1 litre per day. In western countries tea tends to be brewed at home, however, there is a growing trend for consumers to consume tea out of home in cafes and bars. It is thought that consumers prefer to enjoy a tea experience that involves more than being supplied with a tea bag and hot water. There is therefore a need for an alternative brewing method. 
     Coffee brewing equipment is a familiar feature of cafes and bars. Tea is however much more sensitive to brewing than coffee. Extended steeping in water often ruins the beverage. Too short a steeping time results in too diluted a drink. 
     2. Description of Related Art including Information Disclosed under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
     Commercial tea brewing machines are known too. For examole European patent specification EP 898917 (Unilever) discloses an apparatus for brewing tea that has a housing with a water inlet channel, a heater to heat the water delivered through the channel and a water dispenser within the housing for providing a spray of hot water to a brewing pot. The housing includes a filter receotacle that can contain a filter basket of wire mesh or fluted filter paper. The apparatus has a siphoning mechanism that has been constructed so that the function of the apparatus is unimpaired by tea particle interference in the brewing mechanism. The apparatus is designed to allow for tea to steep in its optimal range of from 3 to 5 minutes. The showering action is central to achieving that. 
     Such an apparatus has proved successful in preparing batches of freshly brewed hot tea however it is not suited to providing individual servings in quick succession as is required in a busy tea shop. When the filter basket is made of wire mesh it can be difficult to quickly clean it thoroughly enough between brews. When the filter basket is made of fluted filter paper it can become costly to replace it each time, time consuming tho fit and fill it, and inconvenient to dispose a large number of them. 
     United Kingdom patent specification GB 2184644 (W. M. Still &amp; Sons) similarly discloses a tea making apparatus that involves showering hot water over a bed of leaves. Means are provided for delaying the passage of the heated water through the tea leaves to allow for a good extraction. Once that is achieved the tea is dispensed by a siphoning action. U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,467 (Phillios) discloses another filter device. Tea leaves placed in a bowl having an outlet aperture formed in its bottom for discharge of brewed tea. An outlet tube communicates with the outlet aperture and extends upwardly from the bottom of the bowl. A sleeve surrounds the outlet tube with a space between them providing an annular siphon passageway. The upper end of the sleeve is closed while the lower end rests on the bowl bottom. Capillary inlet apertures are formed in the lower portion of the sleeve. As the liquid therefore falls in the bowl, the static pressure of the liquid retained in the annular siphon passageway is balanced by the capillary pressure of the retained liquid and the capillary inlet apertures. Passage of airway bubbles through the capillary inlet apertures is thereby prevented. Upon addition of further liquid to the bowl, the siphoning operation immediately resumes. 
     While the siphon arrangement in U.S. Pat. No. 4,527,467 advanced the art, it is still subject to certain problems. Tea placed within the bowl for brewing can migrate to the capillary. Particles of tea can then preclude the capillary inlet apertures and interfere with siphoning. Sometimes relatively small particles can be slipped through the capillary inlets with eventual siphoning into the consumer&#39;s brew. These particles in the brewing product are aesthetically and tastewise very undesirable. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tea brewing apparatus that is suitable for providing individual servings of high quality freshly brewed tea in a busy shop situation. 
     It is an alternative and more general object of the present invention to provide a brewing machine suitable for brewing tea that is at least a useful alternative to those currently available. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In broad terms the present invention relates to a tea brewing machine comprising a housing and at least one brewing assembly; said brewing assembly is adapted to receive a brewing cup that includes a filter that defines and separates a first cavity within said brewing cup for containing tea leaves and a second cavity within said brewing cup from which tea leaves are excluded; said housing has water supply means for supplying a predetermined volume of water at a temperature that is suitable for infusing tea leaves, a water supply channel for delivering said water into said first cavity of said brewing cup, and a siphon tube that has a siphoning end that extends orthogonally upward into said second cavity of said brewing cup and a downward projecting dispensing end; the arrangement being such that said tea leaves infuse as said water is supplied into said first cavity of said brewing cup, but once the level of infused tea liquor in the second cavity of said brewing cup rises above the siphoning end of the siphon tube said tea liquor siphons down the siphon tube and is dispensed from the dispensing end of the siphon tube. 
     Preferably the brewing assembly includes means for heating the contents of the brewing cup to increase the rate of infusion and the water supply means supplies a selection of predetermined volumes of water to accommodate different serving sizes. 
     Preferably the tea brewing apparatus has a plurality of mutually independent brewing assemblies. 
     “Tea” for the purposes invention means leaf material from  Camellia sinensis var. sinensis  or  Camellia sinensis var. assanica . It also includes rooibos obtained from  Aspalathus linearis . “Tea” is also intended to include the product of blending two or more of any of these teas. 
     For the avoidance of doubt, the word “comprising” is intended to mean including but not necessarily “consisting of” or “composed of”. In other words, the listed options or steps need not be exhaustive. 
     All numbers in this description indicating amounts or temperatures of material ought to be understood as modified by the word “about”. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention concerns an apparatus for brewing tea. The apparatus is particularly suited for commercial use in an out-of-home situation but it need not be used exclusively for that purpose. 
     Three preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In the drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the first preferred embodiment of the brewing apparatus of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the brewing assembly of the brewing apparatus shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIGS. 3 a  through  3   g  show the same vertical section through the brewing assembly view of the first preferred embodiment at different stages of the brewing process. 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a base unit that is attached to the brewing apparatus shown in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the second preferred embodiment of the brewing apparatus of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a brewing assembly of the brewing apparatus shown in FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 7 is a side view of the brewing cup of the brewing assembly shown in FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of fine filter body of the brewing assembly shown in FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 9 is a clan view of the brewing cup of the brewing assembly shown in FIG. 6 with the filter body in place. 
     FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the filter cup receptacle and its lid. 
     FIG. 11 is a front view of the assembly base of the brewing assembly seat shown in FIG.  6 . 
     FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a brewing assembly of the third preferred embodiment of the brewing apparatus of the present invention. 
     FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-section of the brewing cup shown in FIG.  12 . 
     FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the filter member shown in FIG.  12 . 
    
    
     The first preferred embodiment of the brewing apparatus, best shown in an exploded view in FIG. 1, has a housing  1  and sour brewing assemblies  3 . The housing  1  comprises a base  6  and an upper platform  9  connected by four support/delivery pipes  12 . The base  6  comprises a lower base portion  15  and an upper base portion  18  that are fixed together. The upper base portion  18  incorporates a drip tray  21 . The upper platform  9  comprises an upper platform top  24  and an upper platform bottom  27 , which are fixed together. Four recesses  30  are formed in the upper platform top  24  in which fit four outer guard bayonet collars  33 . A brewing assembly  3  is detachably mounted to each of the respective outer guard bayonet collars  33 . 
     The lower base portion  15  of the housing  1  has a water inlet  36  that connects to a water supply channel  39 . The water supply channel  39  extends from the water inlet  5  through the base  6 , up though one of the support/delivery pipes  12 , through the upper platform bottom  27  then splits into four fresh water channel branches  42  terminating at the respective outer guard bayonet collars  33 . This channel  39  supplies fresh water to the brewing assemblies  3 . One could alternatively use an arrangement that connects the brewing assemblies in parallel. A pump  45  is provided in the base  6  to drive the water upwards. Inlet valves  48  are provided in the branches  42 , adjacent the cuter guard bayonet collars  33 , to provide means for finely controlling the supply of fresh water to the respective brewing assemblies  3 . 
     The water that is supplied to the brewing assemblies must be of a temperature that is suitable for infusing tea. That is generally between 70 and 100° C. but preferably between 90 and 100° C. If necessary, the water can be softened, for example by treating it to remove calcium, in order to minimise scaling. One could supply freshly boiled water to the brewing apparatus or supply cold water and provide means within the apparatus to heat the water to the required temperature. However in the first preferred embodiment the water is supplied at a temperature of between 80 and 90° C. and a flash heater  51  is connected to the water supply channel  39  in the base  6  of the housing  1  to raise the temperature to the optimum brewing temperature of between 90 and 100° C. A heating ring  54  is provided alongside the underside of each of the outer guard bayonet collars  33  to avoid the water temperature dropping as the water enters the brewing assemblies  3 . 
     A siphon tube  57  passes through each of the outer guard bayonet collars  33 . This tube is open at both ends. One end protrudes out of the upper platform top  24  and into the brewing assembly  3 . The other connects with a nozzle  36  that is attached to the under surface of the upper platform bottom  27 . The function of this tube will become clear when describing the form and function of the brewing assembly. 
     The water supply chances  39  and its function have been described above. A rinse water channel  60  ins provided in he housing  1  to remove water that is used to rinse the brewing assembly  3 . This channel  39  extends from a rinse water outlet  63  in the lower base portion  15  of the housing, up through one of the support/delivery pipes  12 , through the upper platform bottom  27  then splits into four rinse water channel branches  56  terminating at the respective outer guard bayonet collars  33 . An aperture  69  is formed in the floor of each of the cuter guard bayonet collars  33  which allows rinse water to flow from the respective brewing assemblies  3  down through the rinse water channel  60 . The water will flow down by force of gravity however outlet valves  72  are provided in the branches  66 , adjacent the outer guard bayonet collars  33 , to provide means for finely controlling the disposal of rinse water from the brewing assemblies  3 . 
     The brewing assemblies  3  themselves will now be described in detail. One of the four identical brewing assemblies  3  is shown in FIG. 1, in more detail in FIG.  2  and in cross-section in FIG. 3 a . The brewing assembly  3  comprises a filter receptacle  75 , a lid  78  for same and a filter cup  81 . The filter receptacle  75  resembles a bottomless glass with an annular base portion  84 . The base portion  84 , which is preferably metallic, has a pair of bayonet limbs  87 . These bayonet limbs  87  allow the base portion  84  of the filter receptacle  75  to be removably secured to the upper platform top  24  of the housing  1  by engaging with the complementarily formed outer guard bayonet collar  33 . The filter cup  81  also resembles a bottomless glass having an annular base. The filter cup base  90  has a pair of bayonet limbs  93  too. These are for removably nesting the filter cup  81  within the filter receptacle  75 . The filter cup  81  has a porous floor  96  from which a non-porous siphon shroud  99  projects orthogonally upwards. The siphon shroud  99  is shaped so that it more than comfortably accommodates the siphon tube  57  that extends out of the upper platform too  24  of the housing  1 . 
     An upper filter cup cavity  102  is formed between the lid  78 , the inner surface of he surrounding walls of the filter cup and the corous floor  96  of the filter cup  81 . This is best seen in FIG. 3 a . A lower filter cup cavity  105  is formed between the inner surface of the surrounding walls of the filter cup  81  below the porous floor  96  of the filter cup, the porous floor itself, the floor of the outer guard bayonet collar  33 , and the inner surface of the siphon shroud  99 . This again is best seen in FIG. 3 a . One end of the siphon tube  57  extends into this cavity  105 . 
     The water supply channel  39  and the rinse water channel  60  communicate with the lower filter cup cavity  105  and also, by virtue of the oorous filter cup floor  96 , with the upper filter cup cavity  102 . The flow of water through these channels being controlled by the aforementioned inlet and outlet valves ( 48 ,  72 ). During use tea leaves  108  are infused in the upper filter cup cavity  102 . The porous floor  96  of the filter cup  81  prevents the leaves from entering the lower filter cup cavity  105 . 
     As mentioned previously, one end of the siphon tube  57  terminates with a nozzle  36 . The tea liquor leaves the housing at this point and is collected in a serving receptacle  111  that can be located on a drip plate  114 . The drip plate  114  sits in the drip tray  21  incorporated in the upper base portion  18  of the housing. It can be sloped to facilitate draining. The drip plate  114  has perforated circular recessed areas  117  that have a diameter that corresponds to that of the bottom of the serving receptacle  111 . Any drips that leave the nozzle  36  when there is no serving receptacle  111  below pass through the perforated recessed areas  117  into the drip tray  21 . A drip pipe (not shown) is provided in the drip tray  21  that communicates with the rinse water channel  60 . In that way the drips leave the housing by the rinse water outlet  63 . 
     The operation of the first preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 3 b  through  3   g.    
     FIG. 3 b : Tea leaves  108  are loaded and dosed Into the filter cup  81  using a spoon or some other suitable dosing means. The leaves will collect in the filter cup  81  but will not pass through the perforations formed in the porous floor  96  of the filter cup . 
     FIG. 3 c : Water that has reached a suitable temperature for brewing is pumped into the filter cup  81 . The volume supplied is controlled by the inlet valve  48 . The rinse water outlet valve  72  is already closed and thus the level of hot water will simply rise in the filter cup  81 . 
     FIG. 3 d : The tea leaves  108  infuse as the volume of water increases in the filter cup  81 . The filling action forms eddies in the rising water. This swirling facilitates the infusion of the tea leaves. 
     FIG. 3 e : More hot water is pumped into the filter cup  81 . Eventually the water level arises above the siphon shroud  99 . 
     FIG. 3 f : When that occurs the infused tea liquor will begin to be siphoned from the upper filter cup cavity  102  into the lower filter cup cavity  105 , flow into and down the siphon tube  57 , and out of the housing through the nozzle  36  into a serving receptacle  111  placed on the drip plate  114  (See FIG. 1) thereunder. 
     FIG. 3 g : Once the liquid contents of the filter cup  81  have been removed the filter cup can be removed from the filter receptacle  75  and the spent leaves  108  discarded. With the filter cup  81  removed the water inlet valve  48  can be opened to allow hot water into the filter receptacle  75 . The water level will rise in the filter receptacle  75 . The volume provided should be less than that required for the water level to rise above the end of the siphon tube (unless the siphon tube requires rinsing). An that way, when the outlet valve  72  is opened the hot water will rinse the filter receptacle  75  and pass out of the brewing assembly  3  down the rinse water channel  60  and out of the housing  1  through the rinse water outlet  63 . The brewing assembly  3  would now be ready for another use. The used filter cup can be replaced by a clean filter cup  81  and the process repeated. 
     The aforementioned brewing apparatus is designed to be placed on a counter or bench or the like. While this could be a stand-alone unit, both the first and second preferred embodiments of the invention are used in association with a boiler unit. This boiler unit is shown in FIG.  4 . 
     The boiler unit  200  has an outer case  203  and a lid  206 . The unit  200  houses a hot water tank  209 . Water enters the hot waver tank  209  via a water inlet tube  212 . The water is heated by an immersion heater  215  to a temperature that is close to that required for brewing tea, preferably 80-90° C. The temperature of the water within the water tank  209  is maintained at the desired temperature within that range by a thermostat  218 . The water tank has a water tank lid  221  that is connected to the hot water tank  209  via a gasket  222 . A float switch  228  and a level meter  230  are included in the water tank lid  221 . 
     Hot water from the tank  209  is drawn up to the water inlet of the brewing apparatus (water inlet  36  in FIG. 1) through a hot water outlet tube  233 . The contents of the water tank can be drained through a draining tap  227 . A mains switch  236  and adjustment controls  239  are formed in the outer case  203  of the boiler unit  200 . The adjustment controls are connected to a main circuit board  242  which are in turn connected to the level meter  230  and the float switch  228 , the immersion heater  215  and the thermostat  218 . 
     The second preferred embodiment of the brewing apparatus of the invention will now be described. 
     The second preferred embodiment comprises many of the features of the first preferred embodiment. The embodiments differ in the construction and to some extent the operation of the brewing assemblies. 
     The second preferred embodiment  300  is depicted in FIG.  5 . One of the four identical brewing assemblies  303  is illustrated in FIG.  6 . Various constituent parts are shown in FIGS. 7 through 10. 
     Each brewing assembly  303  comprises a brewing cup receptacle  306  having a lid  309  (not shown in FIG.  6 ), a brewing cup  312  having a base  313 , a handle  315  and a filter body  318 . The top edge of the brewing cup receptacle  306  is formed to accommodate the handle  315  of the brewing cup  312  when the brewing cup receptacle lid  309  is in place. 
     Two brewing cup tubes ( 321 , 324 ) pass through the base of the brewing cup  312 . 
     The first brewing cup tube  321  projects upward from the centre of the base  313  of the brewing cup  312  and terminates short of the mouth of the cup. The tube  321  is adapted to snugly accommodate a water supply tube  322  which is connected to the water supply channel  39  (not shown in FIGS. 5 or  6 ) and supplies water to the brewing assembly  303 . An o-ring is preferably provided on the water supply tube  322  to sea the gap between it and the tube  321 . 
     The second brewing cup tube  324  passes through, the base  313  of the brewing cup  312  and is essentially a detachable portion of the siphon tube  57 . Best seen in FIG. 7, the second brewing cup tube  324  has a first portion  327  that extends below the base  313  of the brewing cup and a second portion  330  that projects upward from the base  313  within the brewing cup  312  and is substantially parallel to the first brewing cup tube  321 . The first portion  327  of the second brewing cup tube  324  is preferably jacketed with metal tubing as in use it is prone to be damaged. It is shorter than the second portion  330  of the second brewing cup tube  324  for reasons that will become clear. 
     The filter body  318  comprises a cylindrical filter  333  that is adapted to nest over the first and second brewing cup tubes ( 321  and  324 ). A siphon shroud  336  extends from the filter body  318  and is adapted to fit over the second portion  330  of the second brewing cup tube  324 . 
     The second referred embodiment of the brewing acoaratus of the invention differs from the first preferred embodiment in the manner in which the brewing assembly is attachable to the upper platform top  24  of the upper platform  9 . Instead of the bayonet arrangement the upper platform top has four brewing assembly seats  339 , one of which is illustrated in FIG.  11 . 
     The assembly seat  339  has a brewing assembly platform  342  on which the brewing cup  312  sits. The water supply tube  322  projects upward from the centre of the platform  342 . The platform  342  has an aperture  345  that is adapted to receive the metal jacketed first portion  327  of the second brewing cup tube  324  of the brewing cup  312 . The aperture  345  defines he opening of siphon tube  57 ; or rather the non-detachable part thereof. The platform also has a pair of heating plates  348  whose function will become clear later. The seat has an annular recess  351  that is formed between the platform  342  and an annular lip  354 . The recess  351  accommodates the bottom of the brewing cup receptacle  306 . Microswitches can be suitably provided to disable the heating plates and/or to prevent water being pumped out through the tube  321  when a brewing cup is not in place. Grub screws or the like can be used to keep the brewing cup receptacle  306  in place. 
     A button  357  is located in the upper platform top adjacent each brewing assembly seat  339  which is depressed to activate the brewing process. Of course the button  357  could be located elsewhere if desired. That may be wise if the construction is such that the area around the brewing assembly seat  339  becomes hot. 
     The brewing apparatus can be programmed to deliver various volumes of tea for various serving receptacles. When customers are to be presented with a serving choice the brewing apparatus is preferably provided with a button  357  for each choice and the apparatus is programmed accordingly. 
     The operation of the second preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described. 
     The filter body  318  is placed in the brewing cup  312  and the brewing cup is placed on the brewing assembly platform  342  within the brewing cup receptacle  306 . Tea leaves are loaded and dosed into the brewing cup using a spoon or some other suitable dosing means. The leaves cannot pass through the filter body  318 . 
     The user or operator depresses the button  357  adjacent the relevant brewing assembly  303  to activate the brewing process. 
     Water that has reached a suitable temperature for brewing is pumped into the brewing cup  312  via the water supply tube  322 . The inlet valve  48  controls the volume supplied. The rinse water outlet valve  72  is already closed and thus the level of hot water will simply rise in the brewing cup. 
     The tea leaves infuse as the volume of water increases in the brewing cup. The filling action causes the tea leaves to swirl in the brewing cup. The heating plates  348 , that are also activated when the button  357  is depressed, create convention currents or eddies in he water to facilitate the swirling infusion of the tea leaves. 
     The inlet valve  28  is programmed to allow the water level to rise just short of he exposed end of the second brewing cup tube  324  i.e. the detachable portion of tne siphon tube  57 . The tea leaves are left to infuse in that volume of water for a predetermined optimum brewing time. That time might be varied to accommodate different blends of tea. 
     Once the tea has brewed, the inlet valve  28  is programmed to open to pump a predetermined volume of additional hot water into the brewing cup. The water level shortly rises above the exposed end of the second brewing cup tube  324 . When that occurs the infused tea liquor in the brewing cup will begin to be siphoned through the filter body  333  and up and into second brewing cup tube  324 , down the siphon tube  57  and out of the nozzle  36  into a serving receptacle  111  that has been placed on the drip plate  114  (See FIG. 5) thereunder. 
     Once the liquid contents of the brewing cup  312  has been removed the brewing cup can be removed from the brewing cup receptacle  306  and the spent leaves  108  discarded. 
     The used brewing cup can be rinsed clean or replaced by an unused brewing cup and the process repeated. 
     The third preferred embodiment of tne brewing apparatus of the Invention will now be described. 
     The third preferred embodiment comprises most of the features of the second preferred embodiment. The embodiments differ predominantly in the construction and to some extent the operation of the brewing assemblies. However the inlet valves  48  and outlet valves  72  that were located within the upper platform  9  of the brewing apparatus of the first preferred embodiment have been relocated into the boiler unit  200  where they are less likely to be exposed to high temperatures that can affect tne performance. 
     One of the four identical brewing assemblies  403  of the third preferred embodiment is illustrated in FIG.  12 . Each brewing assembly  403  comprises a brewing cup receptacle  406  having a lid (not shown in FIG.  12 ), a brewing cup  412  having a handle  415  and a filter member  418 . FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-section of the brewing cup  412 , its lid  409 , the handle  415  and the filter member  418 . 
     Two brewing cup tubes ( 421 , 424 ) pass through the base  413  of the brewing cup  412 . 
     The first brewing cup tube  421  projects upward from the centre of the base  413  of the brewing cup  412  and terminates short of the mouth of the cup. The tube  421  is adapted to snugly accommodate a water supply tube  322  which is connected to the water supply channel  39  (not shown in FIGS. 12 or  13 ) and supplies water to the brewing assembly  403 . An o-ring is preferably provided on the water supply tube  322  to seal the gap between it and the tube  421 . 
     The second brewing cup tube  424  passes through the base  413  of the brewing cup  412  and is essentially a detachable portion of the siphon tube  57 . 
     Best seen in FIG. 13, the second brewing cup tube  424  has a first portion  427  that extends below the base  413  of the brewing cup and a second portion  430  that projects upward from the base  413  within the brewing cup  412  and is substantial parrel to the first brewing cup tube  421 . 
     The first portion  427  of the second brewing cut tube  324  is preferably jacketed with metal tubing as in use it is prone to be damaged. It is shorter than the second portion  430  of the second brewing cup tube  424  for reasons that will become clear. 
     The distal end of he second portion  430  of the second brewing cup tube  424  (i.e. the end which points away from the base  413  of the brewing cup  412 ) is closed. Apertures  431  are formed adjacent the distal end of the second portion  430  of the second brewing cup tube  424 . The purpose of these apertures will be explained below. A pair of o-rings  432  are provided adjacent the distal end of the second portion  430  of the second brewing cup tube  424  for a reason that will also be explained below. 
     Best seen in FIGS. 13 and 14, the filter member  418  comprises a tube  460  having an open end  463  and a closed end  466 . The filter member  413  is preferably made of metal in order to withstand the heat that can be generated in the brewing process. The tube  460  has a waist portion  469  that is adapted to receive a filter tube  472 . The filter tube  472  is preferably made of a resilient metal mesh that can be slipped on to the tube  460  and snugly fit in the waist portion  469 . Slots  475  are formed in the waist portion  469  of the tube  460 . It is through these slots that infused tea is siphoned. 
     The filter member  418  is adapted to fit over the second portion  430  of the second brewing cup tube  424 . The fit is a generous one width-wise as infused tea will need to be able to pass between them. The filter member  418  preferably includes means for detachably securing the filter member to the brewing cup. In the present embodiment the open end  463  of the tube  460  of the filter member is push fitted onto a threaded collar  478  that is screwed to the second brewing cup tube  424 . The closed end  463  of the filter member  413  includes a recess  480  to receive the distal end of the second portion  430  of the second brewing cup tube  424 . The o-rings  432  that are provided adjacent the distal end of the second portion  430  of the second brewing cup tube  324  ensure a water proof fit is obtained. The recess  480  however is formed so as to direct infused tea into the second portion  430  of the second brewing cup tube  424  via the apertures  431  provided. 
     The brewing cup  412  and the brewing cup receptacle are preferably made of a tough transparent material such as heat resistant glass. The base  413  of the brewing cup  412  is preferably made of metal so it holds the heat between brewings. 
     The operation of the third preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described. 
     A clean brewing cup  412  is placed on the brewing assembly platform  342  within the brewing cup receptacle  406 . Tea leaves are loaded and dosed into the brewing cup using a spoon or some other suitable dosing means. The leaves cannot pass through the filter member  418 . 
     The user or operator depresses the button  357  adjacent the relevant brewing assembly  403  to activate the brewing process. 
     Water that has reached a suitable temperature for brewing is pumped into the brewing cup  412  via the water supply tube  322 . The inlet valve  48  controls the volume supplied. The rinse water outlet valve  72  is already closed and thus the level of hot water will simply rise in the brewing cup. 
     The tea leaves infuse as the volume of water increases in the brewing cup. The filling action causes the tea leaves to swirl in the brewing cup. The heating plates  348 , that are also activated when the button  357  is depressed, create convention currents or eddies in the water to facilitate the swirling infusion of the tea leaves. 
     The inlet valve  28  is programmed to allow the water level to rise just short of the apertures  431  in the dismal end of the second portion  430  of the second brewing cup tube  424 . The tea leaves are left to infuse in that volume of water or a predetermined optimum brewing time. That time might be varied to accommodate different blends of tea. 
     Once the tea has brewed, the inlet valve  28  is programmed to open to pump a predetermined volume of additional hot water into tne brewing cup. The water level shortly rises above the apertures  431 . When that occurs the infused tea liquor in the brewing cup will begin to be siphoned into the filter member  418  via the slots  475 , upward between the interior surface of the filter member  418  and the exterior surface of the second portion  430  of the second brewing cup tube  424 , through the apertures  431  into the second brewing cup tube  424 , down the siphon tube  57  and out of the nozzle  36  into a serving receptacle  111  that has been placed on the drip plate  114  thereunder. 
     Once the liquid contents of the brewing cup  412  has been removed the brewing cup can be removed from the brewing cup receptacle  406  and the spent leaves  108  discarded. 
     The used brewing cup can be rinsed clean or replaced by an unused brewing cup and the process repeated. 
     The foregoing description describes a tea brewing apparatus and three preferred embodiments thereof. All three preferred embodiments take the form of counter fitted brewing equipment. The apparatus can however be adapted for installation in other retail settings such as kiosks and mobile vending stations including carts. One skilled in art would appreciate that the apparatus can be modified in many ways without departing from the word or spirit of the invention. Such modifications will be included with the purview of this invention.