Patent GB-1463009-A (GB)
Title: Heated liquid dispensing apparatus
IPC: A47J31/36
Filed: 1974-04-16
Abstract: 1463009 Beverage making apparatus R L WEBER 16 April 1974 16628/74 Headings A4E and A4T [ Also in Divisions F1 and F2] A plastics, cylindrical chamber 12 open at its top end has a latch 66 for holding a weighted stainless steel piston 20 in an upper position above a liquid 14 e.g. water to be heated by a resistance coil 32, said latch being responsive to a predetermined liquid temperature to release the piston to the metal conical bottom 26 of chamber 12 while closing the top of the chamber and forcing the heated liquid under pressure through an outlet 28 at the bottom 26. In the embodiment of Figs. 1-8, only Fig. 1 shown, to make one cup of coffee, a flexible button (156) is pressed to close contacts (162, 164) to energize coil 32 and lamp 176. When the water reaches 190-200‹F, a bi-metallic strip (92) beneath chamber 12 flexes, separates the contacts and acts via a sprung linkage 90 to move latch 66 against the biasing action of spring 68 away from shoulder 50 on piston handle 44 to release piston 20. Annular skirt seals the chamber wall 24 forcing the water through a tube 110 under substantially constant pressure to a level above that of the water in chamber 12 through an activated carbon water filter 118 into a basket 114 containing coffee 18 above a screen 116 or into a coffee cartridge. The infused liquid drains from the coffee into an insulated receptacle 22 on seat 31 of plastics housing 30 which housing insulates chamber 12. The air trapped between the liquid and the piston is forced through the coffee for maximum liquid extraction. A needle valve 128 controls the rate of flow of the liquid and a grooved or slotted bi-metallic disc 132 allows full flow at first and spreads the water to prevent it channelling through the coffee but moves towards seat 124a as the heated liquid contacts it thus reducing the flow-rate. To make two cups, weight 52a replaces or supplements weight 52 to maintain the same water/coffee contact time. Because chamber 12 is open until the piston drops, no premature liquid transfer occurs. In the embodiment of Figs. 10 to 14 (not shown) a ribbed water filter (226) is bayonet fitted above heating chamber (202) whose bottom (216) contains heater (218). A blade latch (252) is pressed by a spring (258). through a slot in a tube (244) fixed to bottom (216) and a shoulder (256) of the latch contacts the piston to hold it up. A bi-metallic strip (274) pushes a rod (270) inside tube (244) to retract the latch so that a tube (246) attached to piston (210) can slide over tube (244). Outlet (212) of infusion chamber (206) is smaller than inlet (290). In the embodiment of Figs. 9, 9a, 15-17, only Fig. 16 shown, a bi-metallic strip 322, attached to bi-metallic strip 317, compensates for increased ambient temperature by moving screw 324 away from rod 314. When the liquid is hot, rod 314 is urged against a spring 316 to retract balls 313 through apertures 307b in tube 307 so that piston 210 and tube 312 slide downwards over tube 307. A plastics variable orifice valve on the outlet of infusion chamber (303) comprises a slotted member (325) rotatable within a helical contour (303c). A heater coil (328) keeps receptacle (326) warm.