Improvements in or in connection with Tea Pots or Apparatus for Making Infusions of Tea.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Nov., 1894-Accepted. 8th Dec., 1894
Improvements in or in connection with Tea Pots or Apparatus
for Making Infusions of Tea.
We, WILHELM BERNHARD MICHAELSEN, JOHANN HEINRICH ROHLWINK,
JOHANNES SCHROEDER, GEORG ANTON LÜLMANN Bremen trading as Merchants
under the style of W. B. Michaelsen & Co., at Langenstrasse 81 Bremen, Germany,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
In making tea infusions in the way hitherto practised, the temperature in the
teapot becomes greatly lowered during the process of extraction by the action of
the surrounding air the result being considerable reduction of the yield and also
failure to obtain the pleasant taste or flavour of the tea.
It is therefore necessary that the temperature should be maintained during the
infusing process as long as possible and as nearly as possible to the boiling point in
order to obtain the full yield and a superior flavour.
Furthermore it is important that the infusing period shall not be too prolonged,
but that the tea leaves shall be removed from the infusion after a certain time in
order that the tea may retain its full fine flavour and aroma, and prevent the
extraction of bitter principles which spoil the pleasant taste of the tea.
The above mentioned objects are effected by employing apparatus constructed
according to this invention as follows (reference being had to the annexed illustrative
drawing): :-
For preparing the infusion we use a cylindrical vessel a provided all round its
circumference and at its bottom with double walls. The space thus formed
constitutes a warming jacket which surrounds the vessel a in which the infusion is
made. The said space is filled with boiling water which is poured into it through
an inlet tube c that is adapted to be closed by means of a plug or stopper b.
Through this heating jacket there extends a pipe d that opens into the interior of
the inner vessel close to the bottom thereof, and terminates externally in a cock or
tape through which the contents of the vessel can be drawn off.
Instead of this cock an ordinary spout may be provided having its mouth or exit
opening situated above the highest level of the contents of the vessel.
A cylindrical receptacle made of woven wire is inserted in the vessel a and is
of such size as to fit the said vessel as closely as possible.
The receptacle may have its entire periphery and its bottom made of woven
wire, and be furnished with a handle for convenience in manipulation.
After the heating jacket has been filled with boiling water, the tea leaves are
placed for the purpose of infusion into the receptacle f, then the vessel a itself is
filled with boiling water, and afterwards closed by the lid or cover g.
The heating jacket surrounding the infusion vessel prevents any material cooling
of the water that is acting on the tea leaves.
When the infusing process has lasted long enough to produce an infusion of tea
having a fine full flavour and aroma (the time being as a rule about 5 minutes),
the wire receptacle f is carefully taken out of the vessel a so as to remove all the
leaves therefrom, whilst the extract or infusion remains behind in the vessel, or
flows back into the same whilst the receptacle fis being lifted out, after which the
infusion may be drawn from the vessel a by means of the cock e.
If the extract or infusion in the vessel a be made of such strength as to render
advisable the dilution of the same with water, a cylindrical hot water vessel h may
be employed, said cylindrical vessel having a draw-off cock i and having at top an

page_text: opening with a rim of such size as to allow of the vessel a being inserted into the
opening so as to rest upon the rim. The vessel is adapted to be placed over
a lamp k.
By filling the vessel h with boiling water which is maintained at or near the
boiling point by the lamps k, the water in the heating jacket of the vessel a will be
maintained at a high temperature, without causing the water. to boil in the vessel a
during the period of infusion, whereby the good taste and flavour of the tea would
be greatly affected and spoiled.
Thus the water in the vessel serves two purposes :-namely, to maintain a high
temperature, (below boiling point), in the vessel a during and subsequent to the
period of infusion, and also to provide hot water for diluting the infusion according
to taste.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
Apparatus for making infusions of tea substantially as shewn in and described
with reference to the annexed drawing whether with or without the hot water
vessel h.
Dated thin 7th day of November 1801
F. WISE HOWORTH,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: -
-а