Patent GB-329122-A (GB)
Title: Improvement in coffee making machines
IPC: A47J31/10
Filed: 1929-04-17
Abstract: 329,122. Triggs, W. W., (National Equipment Co.). April 17, 1929. Urns and infusing- machines.-An apparatus for making coffee comprises a conveyer for moving a plurality of containers for ground coffee through a vertical path in which a plurality of containers are superimposed one above the other, and devices for delivering ground coffee to the containers, for dropping hot water through the superposed containers successively, and for discharging the spent coffee from the containers. As shown, the porous containers 44 are supplied with fresh coffee from a container 48, are carried by a conveyer chain 28 driven from an electric motor 13, and sprayed with boiling water as the containers move upwards towards the supply valve 40, the coffee solution collecting in the chamber 6 and the spent grounds being emptied into a receptacle 50. The, machine has a U-shaped hot-water tank embracing the sides 4 containing the. coffee-making device, hot water being supplied to the infuser-containers 44 through an automaticallycontrolled outlet 42. The motor 13 is supported by a shelf 10, on which is a pivoted mercury switch controlled by a float 35 in the chamber 6 to stop and start the motor. When coffee is drawn off from the chamber 6 the float sinks and operates the switch to start the motor. The belt 14 then drives the conveyer chain through worm 15, pinions 20, and intermediate gearing shown in Fig. 4. The wheels 18<1>, 20, 21, 22 are mutilated gears arranged to effect specific operations in timed relationship. With the parts in the position shown in Fig. 2, and the float 35 having been lowered to start the motor 13, the gear 22 through a chain drive 23 operates a measuring wheel 47<1> at the bottom of a funnelshaped container 48 for ground coffee to cause a measured charge to be delivered into the cup 44 positioned beneath the container. The gear 20 then drives the sprocket, shaft 24 to move the conveyer chain a distance between two cups, the cup 44 charged with fresh coffee then occupying the lowest position of the line of cups on the lefthand side. of Fig. 2. During this movement the topmost cup has been inverted and moved above the receptacle 50, into which the spent grounds are discharged. After this operation the gear 21 begins to rotate, its crank-arm 36 lifting a valve 39 through a connecting-rod 37 and valve arms 41 to deliver hot water to the vertical row of cups containing coffee, through which coffee solution then drains into the receptacle 6. The float 35 is required to fall a predetermined distance before it can operate the motor 13, and when the motor is in operation the float is prevented from interfering with the cycle of operations by means of a cam 19 on the gear 18<1> engaging the rod 60 connecting the float and the motor switch. The capacity of the machine may be varied by means of a valve 8 connecting the storage chamber, from which coffee is drawn, with a chamber on the other side of the partition 7. A form of infuser cup is shown in Fig. 5. The porous wall a is of stiff metal screening secured to a supporting shield b. The screen a has a vertical bearing c in which is a spindle d carrying scraper arms c joined by a ring f provided with fingers g. As each cup rises one of the fingers engages a cambar h on a wall 4 to twist the ring f and stir the ground coffee. Fingers k on the spindle are provided so that the scraper arms e are turned when the coffee grounds are being discharged into the container 50, Fig. 2.