IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR MAKING AND FILTERING INFUSIONS OF COFFEE AND OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1847

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FRANCIS
HENRY WALLER, of Harrington Square, in the County of Middlesex, Surgeon,
send greeting.
WHEREAS I did, by Petition, humbly represent unto Her present most
Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, that I had invented "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR MAKING AND FILTERING INFUSIONS OF COFFEE AND OTHER
ARTICLES," and Her said Majesty being willing to give encouragement to
all arts and inventions which may be for the public good, was graciously
pleased, by Her Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date Sixteenth day of
February (One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven), in the tenth year
of Her reign, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, to give and grant unto
me, the said Francis Henry Waller, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
Her especial licence, full power, sole priviledge and authority, that I or they,
by myself or themselves, or by my or their deputies, servants, or agents, or
such others as I or they should agree with, and no others, during the term of
fourteen years from the date of the said Letters Patent, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend my said Invention within that part
of Her said Majesty's United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called
England, Her Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, in
such manner as to me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, shall seem

page_text: meet, and as that I or they should enjoy the whole profit and advantage
arising by reason of the said Invention during the said term of fourteen
years. And whereas the said Letters Patent contain a proviso obliging me,
the said Francis Henry Waller, particularly to describe and ascertain the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, and to cause the
same to be inrolled in Her Majesty's Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent, as
in and by the same (reference being thereunto had) will more fully and at
large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Francis Henry Waller, do hereby declare that my said Invention is described
and ascertained in manner following, and by the aid of the Sheet of Drawing
hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
My said improvements relate to apparatus already known and in use
for making and filtering coffee, wherein water being heated in a lower
Ivessel by any suitable application of heat thereto, so as to boil and raise
steam from the boiling water, the expansive action of that steam is caused to
force up the boiling water from such lower vessel through some kind of pipe or
passage so as to enter into the lower part of an upper vessel, in order, to make
its way upwards through ground coffee which is lodged on a perforated plate
or in a bag at the said lower part of the upper vessel, and in the act of thus
thus making its way upwards through the ground coffee, the boiling water mixes
with and extracts the virtue therefrom. And when the boiling water has been
thus transferred from the lower vessel to the upper one by steam pressure, and
passed upwards through the ground coffee therein, some steam will follow after
the water up through the coffee, and then the heating of the lower vessol
is discontinued, after which the steam in the lower vessel gradually condenses
as that vessel cools, and thereby a partial exhaustion takes place by degrees
within the lower vessel, which exhaustion as it takes place and progresses
causes the liquid which is in the upper vessel above the coffee (and partly
mixed therewith) to be forced downwards by atmospheric pressure through the
coffee, in order that the liquid may be filtered in descending through the
coffee, and therefrom it runs down through the aforesaid pipe or passage into
the lower vessel, from which, after the whole of the liquid has descended, it is
drawn or poured out for use whilst it continues hot. The object of my improve-
ments on apparatus of the kind aforesaid is to render the operation thereof
more perfect and manageable by causing the hot water which is forced up by
the expansion of the steam (as already mentioned) to descend gently upon

page_text: and flow over the ground coffee or other article which is lodged at the lower
part of the upper vessel, in order to make an infusion of the coffee or other
article by causing the said hot water to flow over the same, and rest quietly
thereon as long as may be desirable, instead of the boiling water being forced
upwards through the ground coffee, and followed by some steam through tho
same; and also that when the partial exhaustion afterwards takes place by
condensation of the steam within the lower vessel (in manner already men-
tioned), that such exhaustion shall not be allowed to begin to operate for
forcing the liquid downwards through the ground coffee or other article
as soon as the exhaustion begins to take place, wherefore the filtering of the
liquid downwards through the coffee or other article will not take place and
progress by degrees as the said exhaustion may take place and progress (in
manner already mentioned); but the boiling water, after having descended at a
proper temperature upon the ground coffee or other article, may be allowed to
remain thereon quietly at rest for as long time as may be required for making
the intended infusion, and also during all the time whilst it is cooling down to
such a temperature as may be desired without any commencement of filtration
taking place until it is desirable to commence filtering, notwithstanding that
the exhaustion (which will necessarily take place by degrees within the lower
vessel as the steam therein condenses) may have reached the fullest extent of
exhaustion that will take place. And after the infusion is completely mado in
the proper intended manner, and without any boiling of the coffee or other
article in the water, then (but not before) the operator by turning a cock
allows the filtration of the liquid to commenco, and take place downwards
through the ground coffee or other article, and through a finely-perforated
plate, on which it rests at the lower part of the upper vessel, that filtration
being performed with promptitude and efficiency, owing to the exhaustion
within the lower vessel having attained the said fullest extent before it is
allowed to operato at all for commencing the filtration. And in order more
fully to explain my said improvements, I will proceed to describe, by way of
example, a complete apparatus constructed according to my improvements
for making and filtering infusions of coffee or other articles.
Figure 1 of the Drawing hereunto annexed is a vertical section through the
centre of the apparatus, drawn the real size, and Figure 2 is a horizontal
plan. A, A, are the cylindrical sides, and B the bottom of the whole vessel,
the interior capacity of which is divided by a horizontal partition b, b, into two
distinct compartments, namely, lower compartment C, and an upper compart-
ment D, answering to the two vessels herein-before mentioned as a lower
vessel and an upper vessel, and therefore, for conformity of language, C in

page_text: Figure 1 may be called the lower vessel, and D the upper vessel. E is the
moveable lid or cover of the upper vessel D, which lid is fitted thereto either
with or without a hinge in the usual manner of the lids or covers of coffee
pots, without any particular attention to fitting air-tight, but the horizontal
partition b, b, is soldered closely all round to the cylindrical sides A, A, so as to
make a complete separation between the lower vessel and the upper one, and
they have no communication except by a central ascending tube F (which is
surmounted by a valve G opening upwards), and also by a descending pipe or
passage H, which has a stopcock I, whereof the plug I comes out through the
cylindrical side A, so as to be capable of being turned from the outside. The
spout at which the infusion of coffee or other article is ultimately to be poured
out for use proceeds, as shewn by dotted lines K, in an inclining direction
from the highest part of the lower vessel C, but without any communication
with the upper vessel D, and the upper end of the spout K can be effectually
closed when required by a cock or plug, or screw stopper, as shewn by the
dotted lines k, which screw may be a cap to screw on after a cock or plug has
been inserted into the orifice of the spout, or there may be a stopcock to close
the orifice of the spout. In any case the passage through the spout must be
effectually closed to prevent any passage of steam or air. The dotted lines L
represent the handle by which the whole apparatus is to be lifted for placing it
with its bottom B over a fire (for heating the water in the lower vessel) and for
removing the whole apparatus, and for ultimately pouring out the infusion at
the spout K. And note, the spout K and the handle L are shewn dotted in
Figure 1 because they could not be shewn in the section in their true positions,
in which they project out from the cylindrical side A, in respect to the plug i
of the stopcock I, which plug is there represented in its proper position, and
in respect to which position the handle L really projects out from the cylin-
drical side A at an angle of forty-five degrees farther back or behind the
vertical plane of the section than the dotted lines L appear to do, and the
spout K. really projects out from the said cylindrical side A in a direction at
right angles to the direction of the handle L, and farther forwards or before
the vertical plane of the section, the plug i of the cock being at an inter-
mediate part of the cylindrical side A between the handle L and the
spout K. Wherefore the real position of the spout K, if it could be seen
(and were not in that part of the cylindrical side A which is supposed to be
removed in forming the section represented in Figure 1), would be drawn
above but obliquely in front of the plug i. Figure 2, which is a horizontal plan
of the whole apparatus above the level of the partition b, b, clearly shews
the relative positions of the spout K, and handle L, and plug i, of the cock I.

page_text: The central ascending tubo F passes up through the central hole of the
partition 6, 6, and is held in its place by being securely soldered to the par-
tition, and so that there will be no passage through the partition around tho
ascending tube F, the lower end of which descends nearly (but not quite)
down to the bottom 3 of the lower vessel C. The valve G at the upper end
of the central ascending tube F is a common conical valve, which will lift up
in its seat to allow an ascending passage, but will drop and prevent any
passage downwards through the central tube F, the valve G being fitted so
as to be air-tight when it has dropped and is closed. The central part of the
partition b, b, is depressed or dished down (somewhat in the manner of a dinner
plate with a very broad border rim), and over that central dished part a per-
forated cover of metal plate d, d, is applied and soldered all round its cir-
cumference, and also around the central tube F, which passes through tho
central hole of the perforated plate d, d, which plate forms the central part
of the bottom of the upper vessel D, and is to operate as a strainer for
the ground coffee or other article which is to be deposited upon the said
bottom, and the holes through the said plate d, d, must be vory minute, and
numerous and close together. The descending pipe or passage H joins to and
is closely soldered to the under side of the dished part of the partition b, b, as
shewn in Figure 1, so as that the pipe or passage I will descend from tho
lowest part of the depression of the said dished part suitably for draining away
all liquid from above the partition b, b. The pipe or passage II proceeds from
the dished part of the partition b, b, in an obliquely descending direction
towards the cylindrical side A, in order that the cock I may be so near to
that side as that a small partition of the socket around the turning plug i of
the cock I will enter into and just pass through a hole in the cylindrical
side A, and the said portion is closely soldered to the cylindrical side A.
Wherefore, when the turning plug i of the cock is inserted from the outside
there will be no passage for air or steam out of or into the lower vessel C by
means of the cock I; and when its plug i is turned from the outside, so that
the passage through the cock is shut, it will not permit any liquid to descend
from the upper vessel D into the lower vessel C. But when the plug i is
turned so as to open the passage through the cock I, then it will allow any
liquid that may be above the partition b, b, to descend into the lower vessel C,
though the orifico at the lower end of the spout of the cock I, which orifice
is within the lower vessel C, at a small height above the bottom B thereof.
The mode of using the said apparatus is as-follows for making infusions of
coffee or other articles:-The quantity of water intended to be used for making
the infusion is introduced (either in a hot or cold state) into the lower vessel C,

page_text: which may be conveniently done by pouring the said water in at the top of the
upper vessel D, when the cock I is shut, until it is seen that the intended quantity
of water is introduced, and then the cock I being opened, by turning its plug i
from the outside, the whole of the said water will descend into, the lower
vessel C, the orifice of the spout K at k being at that time left open in order to
allow air to escape from the interior of the lower vessel C as fast as the said
water descends into the same. Then the cock I is to be closed by turning its
plug i from the outside; and also the orifice of the spout at k is to be securely
closed, after which the ground coffee or other article, in proper quantity to
suit the quantity of water already introduced into the apparatus, is to be put
into the upper vessel D, and lodged on the bottom thereof in a stratum of
uniform thickness, covering over the perforated plate or strainer d, d, which
forms the central part of that bottom. Then the lid or cover E being shut
(but not so as to be air-tight), the whole apparatus is to be carried by its
handle L, and placed with the bottom B over an ordinary cooking fire, the
heat from which will cause the water contained in the lower vessel C to boil,
and the steam arising from the boiling water having no means of escape will
accumulate by degrees in the space above the boiling water in the lower
vessel C, so as to press downward upon the surface of that water with a force
of steam pressure which will cause the said water to be forced up the central
ascending tube F, the valve G lifting up easily from its seat, so as to allow
the boiling water to ascend, and it then overflows gradually around the said
seat beneath the lifted valve G, so as to pour gently down in a descending
shower of boiling hot water upon the ground coffee or other article
which is lying at the bottom of the upper vessel D, and upon the per-
forated strainer d, d, all which time the lid E permits the air in the upper
vessel to make its escape. The said forcing up of the water and pouring
out thereof as aforesaid in a boiling hot state over the ground coffee or
other article goes on as fast as steam is raised and accumulated as afore-
said in the lower vessel C, which accumulation may be more gradual or more
rapid, according to the heat to which that vessel is subjected, and which
heat is to be continued until all the water therein above the level of the
orifice at the lower end of the ascending tube F has been forced up, and
poured out as aforesaid. And then the surplus steam will follow up the
central ascending tube F and issue through the valve G, and ascend through
holes in the lid E, and that issue of steam will cause the valve G to dance up
and down so as to make a rattling noise, which will give notice that the
requisite transfer of water in a boiling hot state has taken place from the
lower yessel C to the upper vessel D, and then the whole apparatus being

page_text: removed from the fire by means of its handle L, the boiling and further
production of steam will cease, and afterwards, as the apparatus cools, the
steam which remained in the lower vessel C will condense by degrees, and
leave so much space as it had previously occupied within that vessel in an
exhausted state. The valve G dropping and closing itself (and the orifice k
of the spout K, and also the cock I remaining closed), neither air nor water
can gain admittance into the lower vessel C, but it will remain in its exhausted
or partially exhausted state as long as may be required; all which time the
water which in the first instance when it was poured out (in a boiling hot stato
in a descending shower, as already stated) over the ground coffee or other
article, bad then extracted a great part of the qualities thereof, but afterwards
the said water (which had then become an infusion) remained standing quietly
over the ground coffee or other article at the bottom of the upper vessel D, so
as to continue and complete the infusion during as long time as may be found
suitable to the coffee or other article, and for the infusion required to be made;
and during all the time whilst the infusion is in progress of cooling down to
such a temperature as it may be desired to have, it will continue standing
quietly over the coffee or other article, with time for settling and becoming
suitable for forming a filtering medium. And during all such time of making
the infusion in manner aforesaid there will be very little tendency to dissipation
of the aroma of the coffee or other article, or the escape of the more volatile
part thereof from the infusion by spontaneous evaporation, because tho
boiling heat is not continued or kept up after the first pouring out and
descending of the water as aforesaid; and no boiling of the coffee in the water
can take place, neither can any steam act upon the coffee or other article, but
a slow progress of cooling commences and continues from the time after tho
steam is heard to issue through the valve G (and make a rattling noise and
escape through the lid E) as well as after the apparatus is removed from the
fire. And during the time of the said issue of the steam, the space in the
upper vessel D above the infusion therein will have become filled with steam
intermixed with air, and which mixture will be sufficiently retained by the lid
E to prevent it from afterwards ascending and floating away into the open air
by mere buoyancy, and during all the progress of the cooling the partial
condensation of the steam coutained in the said mixture of air and steam
will give the aroma or volatile part aforesaid a tendency to descend in the
upper vessel D, rather than to ascend therein, so as to escape into the open
air. And after the infusion has thus remained standing as long, and has
become cooled as much as may be desirable, then on the plug i being turned
so as to open the passage through the cock I, the filtration of the liquid in the

page_text: upper vessel D will commence in consequence of the ordinary pressure of the
atmosphere on the surface of that liquid becoming operative to force the liquid
downwards through the ground coffee or other article as soon as a communi-
cation is opened (by the cock I) between the space beneath the perforated
plate d, d, and the lower vessel C, which latter is exhausted or partially
exhausted as already stated, and the ground coffee or other article during the
time that it remained with the liquid infusion standing quietly over it, had
settled down on the bottom of the upper vessel D, in a suitable manner for
forming a filtering medium through which the liquid, being forced down by
the atmospheric pressure as aforesaid, becomes a clear infusion of the
coffee or other article, and collects in the lower vessel C until the whole
of the liquid has descended therein, and then the orifice at k at the end
of the spout K being opened, the infusion can be poured out at that orifice
for use.
An apparatus of the size represented in the Drawing is suitable
for making two pints of coffee at a time, but the size of the apparatus
may be varied. And note, although the Drawing represents the apparatus
of the simplest kind, to be heated by placing the bottom B over an ordinary
cooking fire, my said improvements are equally applicable to such appa-
ratuses as are heated by means of charcoal on a chafing dish, or of a spirit
lamp or naptha flame, or by a red hot heater, in the manner well known
and commonly used in other apparatuses for making coffee. In such
cases the partition b, b, for dividing the apparatus into two compartments or
vessels, and the perforated plate d, d, also the central ascending tube F with
the valve G, and the descending pipe or passage H with its cock I, will be
nearly the same as already explained, but the spout K will proceed nearly
horizontally from the lowest part of the lower vessel C, and have a stopcock
at the end for drawing off the contents of that vessel in the same manner as
is usual in urns. The operation will be the same as already described, except
as to the means of allowing air to escape from the lower vessel C at the time
of introducing the intended quantity of water into that lower vessel by descent
through the cock I from the upper vessel D, as already explained. For this
purpose the valve G may be lifted up (by applying the finger and thumb to a
wooden knob on the top of the valve) as soon as the cock I has been opened,
and there must be a small air hole left always open into the central ascending
tube F, close beneath the partition b, b, to allow air to enter from the highest
part of the lower vessel C into that ascending pipe, and from the upper end
thereof the air can escape freely when the valve G is lifted up as aforesaid.
Or otherwise, for the same purpose, a small stopcock may be provided, to be
opened when required, in order to allow air to escape from the highest part of

page_text: the lower vessel C through a small air pipe carried upwards from such
highest part within the upper vessel D, so as to terminate with an orifice above
the level of the liquid therein, the said stopcock being at any convenient
part of such ascending air pipe for effectually closing or readily opening the
passage through the air pipe. The turning plug of such cock may be acces-
sible at the outsido for turning the plug, in the same manner as already
explained respecting the cock I, and the ascending air pipe may be supported
by being fastened against the central ascending tube, or against the inside of
the upper vessel, as may be most convenient. The said stopcock (which must
fit air-tight) must be closed as soon as the supply of water has been let down
into the lower vessel. And note, it should have been mentioned in the foro-
going description of the mode of using the apparatus, that inasmuch as that
the lower vessel may not be quite filled by the water which is so let down into
it, all the space remaining unoccupied therein above the said water will contain
air, which after the orifice of the spout K (or else the stopcock in the air
pipe above mentioned) is closed, will remain shut up within the lower vessel,
and the said air will expand itself when that vessel is subjected to heat,
and will operate (in some degree) in like manner as steam arising from
the boiling water will do (but commencing somewhat sooner and afterwards
acting in concurrenco therewith) for forcing the water up the central ascend-
ing tube F, as already explained. But if it should be thought desirable to
avoid shutting up air within the lower vessel as aforesaid, then the orifice k
of the spout K (or else the stopcock in the air pipe above mentioned) may be
left open until after the lower vessel has been subjected to heat long enough
to cause the water therein to boil and raise steam, which will drive out the
air from the lower vessel and through the said orifice / (or else through the
said air pipe), and after the steam is seen to issue copiously from the said
orifico (or else through the air pipe), then the said orifice being stopped, all
the steam that is afterwards produced will begin to accumulate within the
lower vessel (without admixture of air) in order to cause steam pressure for
forcing the water (in its boiling hot state) up the ascending tube F, as already
fully described. And note, the perforated plate d, d, may bo larger in diameter
than is shewn in the Drawing, so as to occupy a larger portion or even tho
whole of the bottom of the upper vessel. And the said perforated plate may be.
covered over with a flannel or felt or blotting paper, or other filtering medium,
such as it may be most desirable to use for the article from which infusion is,
to be made, as, for instance, infusion of senna, of gentian, hops, malt, or other
article, but in general for coffee the perforated plate d, d, with very small and,
numerous holes, will be sufficient, and the coffee should be ground fine. When

page_text: flannel or felt is used it may be fastened to a ring or hoop adapted to the bottom
of the upper vessel, so that the flannel or felt may apply upon the perforated
plate, which may in such case be perforated with larger holes, or may be a mere
grating to support the flannel or felt, and the perforated plate may, if required,
be left lodged in its cell at the bottom of the upper vessel without being fastened
therein by soldering, so as to be removable when required for cleaning the
space beneath it; and for making infusions of the kind commonly called
tinctures, spirits of wine is to be used (or spirits of wine mixed with water),
in the same manner as water is herein-before directed to be used in the
apparatus.
Having now described my said improvements, I, the said Francis Henry
Waller, do hereby declare that the new Invention, whereof the exclusive use is
granted to me by the Letters Patent hereiu-before recited, consists in the
following particulars, vizt:―
Firstly, as regards making infusions of coffee or other articles in the improve-
ment herein-before described, of causing the heated water which is forced up
by steam pressure to flow over and descend at a proper temperature upon the
ground coffee or other article, instead of being forced by steam pressure to
ascend upwards through the same, and being afterwards followed by some
steam, as is the case in apparatuses heretofore known and in use, which
improvement is effected by means of the central ascending pipe F, surmounted
by its valve G, which valve opens upwards to admit first water and afterwards
some steam to ascend through it, but shuts air-tight to its seat, when it descends
therein by its own weight, so as to prevent any passage downwards; and
although a pipe and valve somewhat similar in appearance and position have
been used in apparatus for making coffee, the same have not been applied for
the same purpose, as herein-before described, of causing the water which has
been forced up through the pipe and valve by steain pressure to pour down-
wards upon the ground coffee.
Secondly, as regards filtering such infusions, after making the same in
manner aforesaid, in the improvement herein-before described, of preventing
any commencement of filtration of coffee or other article from commencing so
soon as the steam in the lower vessel begins to condense, and cause an
exhaustion therein; but after the water has poured downwards upon the coffee
or other article for making the infusion, then that liquid is allowed to remain
quietly at rest upon the coffee or other article for completion of the infusion,
(without boiling with the coffee or other article), and for allowing time for the
coffee or other article to settle, and become moro suitable for forming a filtering
medium than it would be if it was disturbed by the water (and afterwards sonie

page_text: steam) having passed upwards through the coffee; but after as much time
has been allowed as may be desirable, and during the cooling of the liquid
to as low a temperature as may be desirable, then the filtration is caused to
take place with promptitude and efficacy, in manner herein-before described,
which improvement is effected by means of the descending pipe or passage II,
with its stopcock I and the stopper k at the orifice of the spout (which latter
may be another stopcock), the lower vessel C being thereby effectually closed
at all parts, so as to continue (for any length of time that may be desired)
that exhaustion within the lower vessel which will result from the condensation
of the steam therein, and ready at any time when the cock may be opened for
performing the required filtration.
In witness whereof, I, the said Francis Henry Waller, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of August, One thousand eight
hundred and forty-seven.