Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Infusing Tea, Coffee, and the like.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Jan., 1892-Accepted, 5th Mar., 1892
COME HEIM DIMOITIVATION.
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Infusing Tea, Coffee,
and the like.
I, DAVID ROBERTSON, of 234 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire,
Ironmonger, do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement in writing, that is to say :-
This invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved construction or
arrangement and combination of the parts of apparatus or appliances for infusing
or masking" tea, coffee, and like beverages, and which will do so in a very
expeditious and efficient manner, and avoid the production of tannic acid and other
deleterious effects heretofore produced in infusing tea.
And in order that my said invention and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, in which
Figure 1 represents an external elevation, and Figure 2 a corresponding vertical
section, showing one arrangement of infusing or masking vessel as constructed in
accordance with my improvements. While Figure 3 is a plan view corresponding
to Figure 1 with the top cover A' removed to show the portable perforated lid of
the solidified tea or coffee retaining chamber.
Referring to these drawings: This improved construction of vessel A, is formed
of a cylindrical shape with a portable or removable lid cover A' on top, preferably
of glass to enable the operations going on within to be seen, and with a hand
knob A, and air hole a, the lid resting at A² on a flange formed on the top of the
vessel A, and handles A³ are attached to the vessel A for portably carrying it
about. The bottom A of the vessel A is supported either portably or fixed over
an annular stand B, with legs or feet B', and having an open ring frame B" to
support a portable spirit or other lamp B to heat, when ignited, the lower part of
the vessel A. The vessel A, is formed with an internal divisional annular wall or
false bottom C, soldered or secured to its inner surface and preferably of a tapering
shape with a central tube C₁ dipping down to near the bottom of the vessel A, and
formed with a perforated disc or sieve C, above the tube C, two separate
chambers D, D', being thus formed, above and below the division wall C. The
tea or coffee to be infused is placed at D2, above this perforated disc C2, and is
covered in by a portable or removable perforated lid or sieve C", with handle C
on top, and having slits or notches cut out of it at C3, as shown in Figure 3, to pass
down below the projecting lugs C, on the wall C, but on the lid C", being turned
slightly round, its metallic part C, will be held down in position by these
Ings C
A tube c is by my improvements led from the lower vessel D', through the
wall C, and communicates with the outer atmosphere through a cock or valve at c
and this tube may be carried through the glass cover as dotted in at all to prevent
requiring the lid A' to be lifted and instead of the tap c', a portable plug or
stopper may be used to close the tube c, c. The cold or hot water to be used for
infusing the tea or coffee is filled into the chamber Dt through the chamber D and
funnel tube C, the tap c¹ being opened to permit air to escape.
Instead of the
sieve lid C a portable vessel with perforated bottom and top may be inserted
above the sieve C containing the tea or substance to be infused.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:- - After the water in the chamber D
has been made to boil, and the tap c' on the tube c closed, the steam pressure
generated from the water, will force it up the tube Ci through the perforated fixed
sieve C, and tea chamber D' and perforated lid C" into the upper chamber D,

page_text: and will remain there until the lamp 12 has been withdrawn as say half or less
than one minute, when the hot water will descend again down the tube C into the
vessel D' after having absorbed all the good drinkable qualities from the tea in the
intermediate pocket chamber D2. The tea thus infused can be withdrawn from
the chamber D' through the hand tap A+ into drinking cups or other vessels. The
tea thus so expeditiously infused may be retained at a warm heat in the lower
chamber D for any considerable length of time without being in any way
deleteriously affected.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. The construction or arrangement and combination of the parts of apparatus
for infusing tea, coffee and the like having lower and upper water chambers, per-
forated substance chamber, air escape tube leading to lower chamber and drawing
off tap, substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the accom-
panying drawings.
Second. In apparatus for infusing tea, coffee, and the like, the use of an air
escape tube in combination with the lower chamber and a drawing off tap or valve
fitted in the said chamber, substantially as herein described in reference to and by
way of application shown in the accompanying drawings.
Third. In apparatus for infusing. tea, coffee, and the like, the arrangement and
use of an intermediate funnel shaped wall or partition separating the vessel into
two chambers, with deep central tube dipping into the lower chamber and with a
drawing off tap in the lower chamber, substantially as herein described, in reference
to and shown in the accompanying drawings..
Dated the 22nd January 1892.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.