Improvements in Means and in Apparatus for Cooking, and for Making Infusions of Tea and other Substances, Part of which relates to Improvements in the Construction of Spirit Lamps, and in Apparatus for Boiling Liquids.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 17th July, 1889-Accepted, 17th Oct., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means and in Apparatus for Cooking, and for
Making Infusions of Tea and other Substances, Part of which
relates to Improvements in the Construction of Spirit Lamps,
and in Apparatus for Boiling Liquids.
FRANK WYNNE of 5 Westminster Chambers in the City of Westminster a Civil
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to improvements in means and apparatus for automatically
regulating the time during which the liquid whether water syrup melted grease or
other liquid hereinafter referred to as liquid unless specifically named remains in
contact with the substance of which an infusion is desired or which is to be cooked
and in cases where a repetition of the action of the liquid preferably in a hot state on
the substance is desired in automatically arranging for and regulating the intervals
between such repetitions also for supplying the liquid at or near boiling temperature
to the substance and for regulating the supply of heat to the liquid both before
and after infusion also for straining and seperating the liquid from the substance
after treatment.
In applying my invention to making an infusion of tea I prefer to use an
apparatus consisting of a vessel like a tea urn, closed at the top and containing a
receptacle within it which is surrounded by the water. of the urn and supplied
with an independent cock for emptying it. This receptacle I refer to hereinafter
as the "hot pot." I place a pipe vertically in the urn with one open end near the
level of the bottom of the urn and the other end reaching sufficiently high above
its closed top to supply a second vessel which may be like a tea pot, placed on
the top of the urn, this second vessel has a strainer in the bottom and below this
a small opening thro' which any liquid in it may find its way into the hot pot―
In order to fill the urn thro' the vertical pipe with water an escape for the air
has to be supplied at its top part, this small escape I prefer to close subsequently
by the second vessel or tea pot resting on this opening, the teapot being supplied
with tea leaves and the flame from a spirit lamp being applied to the urn, on the
water boiling it rises thro' the vertical pipe and is poured boiling hot on to the
tea leaves in the second vessel and the water after passing through the tea leaves
and the strainer, falls thro' the small opening 'under it into the hot pot below where
it may be kept hot by the water remaining in the urn.
The size & shape of the small opening in the second vessel below the strainer
hereinafter referred to as the regulating passage is so regulated that the hot infusion
takes say 3 minutes in flowing thro' it or whatever time the nature of the tea
renders it advisable to keep the water on the leaves so as to extract the good
qualities but not so long as to extract the bad ones-It is sometimes convenient to
make this regulating passage in the form of a syphon and I sometimes make the
syphon in the form three tubes concentric to one another leaving two narrow
annular spaces between them, one of these tubes may be the hereinbefore mentioned
vertical pipe placed in the urn.-For boiling the water in the urn I find it con-
venient to use a spirit lamp, and when I do this I prefer to use the form of lamp
employed in an apparatus known as the Rechaud Lang, in which a small flame
evaporates spirit in a tube which it heats at the bottom and into which the spirit
is sucked up by some substance of good capillary properties and the escape of this
volatilized spirit at the top of the tube supplies a large flame, but I have found that
if the little evaporating flame at the bottom is extinguished, the flame at the top
continues as a small flame supplied by capillary suction.-I therefore find it convenient
so soon as the water in the urn has boiled over on to the tea leaves to extinguish the

page_text: lower flame, & preferably leave the upper one wherewith to keep the water in the urn
conveniently hot, & this extinction of the lower flame I prefer to effect automatically
by means of the steam given off by the urn, & I connect a pipe arranged with holes
round the lower flame to an inverted bell jar in the teapot, the level of which bell jar
extends sufficiently below the-surface level of the liquid, & also covers the end of
the vertical pipe from the urn & thus blow out the flame when the steam comes
over, and to prevent reignition of the lower flame I place a disc of wire gauze
between the upper & lower flames of the lamp.-Sometimes instead of blowing out
the lower flame I extinguish it by raising up round it an enclosing cylinder and
I sometimes lift the center tube up out of the spirit. so that it continues to burn
only until the spirit contained in' it is consumed.
In applying my invention to cooking other substances and to inaking-say an
infusion of coffee I prefer to use an apparatus consisting of two vessels placed side
by side and connected like the legs of a parallel ruler, by arms the centers of
which are pivoted on a vertical bar so that the two vessels can move vertically thro'
a small distance balancing one another.
One vessel is closed and the other open and to near the bottom of each extends the
open end of a tube bent like a syphon connecting the two; into the closed vessel..the
water is put and into the open one preferably over a strainer of cloth is placed the coffee,
on the water boiling by means of a spirit lamp as before preferably of my improved
⚫ construction, and placed under the closed vessel, it passes into the other and up thro'
the coffee & the weight of the water being thus transferred from one to the other, the
open pot which was before outbalanced by the closed pot, now outbalances it and lifts
it off its supports & with it the center tube of the lamp may be raised out of the
spirit if required, the lower flame being at the same time extinguished in some con-
venient way or as hereinbefore described. So long as the little flame from the center
tube continues to burn the closed vessel is kept full of steam but on its extinction it
cools, a vacuum is formed in it, and the infusion of coffee is sucked over thro' the
strainer from the other vessel-When a repetition of the operation is required I
arrange preferably a gas flame under the closed pot-on balancing over this flame is
all but extinguished, and on the liquid returning to the closed pot and this one again
overbalancing the open one, the gas is turned up again by a simple movement of a
cock.
Dated thin Si-tranthidan
L1000
'
*COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means and in 'Apparatus for Cooking, and for
Making Infusions of Tea and other Substances, Part of which
relates to Improvements in the Construction of Spirit Lamps,
and in Apparatus for Boiling Liquids.
I, FRANK WYNNE, of 5 Westminster Chambers, in the City of Westminster Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
-
My invention relates to improvements in means or apparatus for automatically
regulating the time during which liquid, whether water, syrup, melted grease, or
other liquid, (hereinafter referred to generally as liquid, unless specifically named)
remains in contact with the article or substance of which an infusion is desired, or
which is to be cooked; and in cases where a repetition of the action of the liquid,
preferably in a hot state; on the article or substance is desired, in automatically
arranging for and regulating the intervals between such repetitions; for supplying
the liquid at or near the boiling temperature to the article or substance; for regulating
the supply of heat to the liquid both before and after it has been used for making an
infusion, or for cooking; and for straining and separating the liquid from the substance
after the same lias been treated.
Apparatus according to my invention, comprises a vessel that may resemble a tea
urn and wherein liquid is heated ;-a second vessel to contain the article or substance

page_text: of which an infusion is required or which is to be cooked; and a tube through which
liquid at a boiling temperature may be first forced from the first to the second
vessel, and afterwards allowed to flow back, as an infusion or otherwise, to the first
vessel.
Within the urn or first vessel which is closed at the top and provided with means.
for emptying it, may be arranged a receptacle or hot pot surrounded by the water in
the urn, but, in carrying out my invention I have found it convenient to combine in
one vessel the urn and receptacle or hot pot and such a combined vessel is hereinafter
referred to as the first vessel.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings shews in vertical section, one form of
apparatus according to my invention suitable for making an infusion of tea.
Fig. 2 is a similar-view illustrating a modified construction.
In Fig. 1, 1 is the first vessel provided with a cock 2, 3 is the second vessel placed
above and arranged to close the mouth of 1, to which it may be secured steam tight
in any suitable manner, such as by screwing as shewn at 4. 5 is a tube having its
open lower end arranged near to the bottom of the first vessel and its upper end
arranged to extend upward within the second vessel as shown. This tube may be
in one piece as shown in Fig. 1 or it may be made for convenience in two parts as
shown in Fig. 2 the upper part in this caso being screwed or otherwise connected to
the lower part by a steam tight joint.
In both arrangements this tube 5 is shown as passing steam tight through the.
bottom of the second vessel 3 to which it may advantageously be connected.
The second vessel 3 is provided with a strainer 6 below which is an opening or
regulating passage through which the liquid in 3 may flow back into 1. This opening
or passage may be formed through the tube 5 at the point marked 7 (Figs. 1 and 2)
but although I sometimes make use of a plain hole as hereinafter explained it is more
advantageous to employ a regulating passage in the form of a tube or syphon because
I am thereby enabled to obtain a passage of greater cross sectional area and which
is therefore less easily closed accidentally, and whereby particularly when making an
infusion of tea, the infusion can be syphoned back into the first vessel in any pre-
scribed time, any subsequent drainage from the tea leaves containing the bitter
properties thereof being left in the bottom of the second vessel.
In Fig. 1, the syphon tube is shown made of three tubes namely the tube 5 an
inner tube 8 and an outer tube 9, the two latter tubes being joined or closed at the
top, as shown, and when in position, arranged above the top of the tube 5, so as to
leave a passage 10 that places the two parts of the syphon tubo in communication with
each other.
The tube 9 may carry the strainer 6.
The tube 5 may be provided with external longitudinal ribs that fit the interior of
the tube 9 sufficiently tight to support the tube, and the tube 8, but so nevertheless.
as to admit of these tubes being readily lifted from it, when desired. The tube 9
may carry a downward projection S* that takes against the bottom of the vessel 3
and thus limits the downward movement of such tube.
In fig. 2 the syphon tube is shown as a length of flexible tube 11, such as india
rubber, which I find convenient in use as it may be easily removed together with the
upper part of the tube 5 through which it is passed, as shown, then straightened
out to facilitate cleaning, and afterwards replaced. One end of this flexible tube
dips below the strainer 6 and its other or longer end passes through and extends
downward within the tube 5. The strainer or false bottom 6 in this arrangement
may be connected to the upper part of the tube 5 so as to be removable therewith;
it is formed with an opening for the passage of the short leg of the syphon tube.
1 sometimes arrange the sieve or false bottom attached to the upper part of tube 5
or to the syphon as in Fig. 1 for facility of lifting in and out, so as to hold the
substance to be cooked or infused and be lifted in & out with it-as by raising the
outer edge of it or making larger holes in it to receive eggs.
The vessel 3 is provided with a cover 12 to which is attached an inverted hell

page_text: jar or vessel 13, the lower rim of which extends sufficiently below the surface level of
liquid in 3 as to maintain the steam, which follows the ejection of the liquid from
the vessel 1 as hereinafter explained, under a slight pressure.
14 (Fig. 1) is a pipe that extends from a point above the level of the liquid forced
into the vessel 3, downward to the flame of a lamp 15; it is used to convey steam
to blow out the lamp flame. It is evident that this tube may be taken through or
around the flame and arranged to blow upwards or sideways as required, and when
I-use the form of lamp known as the Rechaud Lang, in which a small lower flame
outside a tube containing a cotton wick impregnated with spirit causes a larger
flame at the top of the tube, I sometimes use this steam to extinguish the lower
flame by blowing on it preferably from an annular opening around it. To prevent
the reignition of the lower flame, wire gauze may be arranged between the two
flames of the lamp. I sometimes moderate or extinguish this lower flame by means
of an adjustable tube or sleeve 26 which I raise up around it by any suitable
means such as a wheel and rack. 16 is a small hole for the escape of air when
filling the first vessel with water through the vertical tube 5. This may be done
without unscrewing the joint at 4 by removing the cover 12 vessel 13 and tubes 8-9
Fig. 1, or cover 12 vessel 13 and cap 17 Fig. 2, and pouring water into the
tube 5, at the same time tilting up vessels 1-3 and the side of the tube in which
the opening 16 is formed, so that when the vessels are replaced horizontally the
opening 16 will be well closed by the water in the first vessel. The opening 16
also serves for the escape of air or steam from the first vessel when the same is
being refilled, as hereinafter explained, by the flowing back into it of the infusion,
made in the vessel 3. The vessel 1 can however conveniently be charged with
liquid by disconnecting the vessel 3 at 4 and pouring the liquid in through the mouth
of vessel 1 until it reaches a level sufficiently above the opening 16.
The modus operandi of the apparatus shewn in Figs. 1 & 2 is as follows:-
The first vessel is filled with water to about say the level indicated at 18, and the
apparatus as shown, but not necessarily with the bell or inverted vessel 13 is placed
over the lamp 15. When the water boils the steam in the vessel 1 will force the
heated water through the tube 5 into the second vessel 3 in which the tea of which an
infusion is required or the article to be cooked "has been previously placed. A small
quantity of the water may find its way through the syphon or it may be through the
opening at 7 when this opening is employed. The steam which follows the ejection
of the water from the first vessel may if the pipe 14 be used, be employed to blow
out the flame of the lamp 15. The water or infusion in the vessel 3 will be. drawn
off by the syphon so soon as the diminution of pressure in the vessel 1 by the escape
of the steam which has forced the water over, allows it to act. The syphon is charged
or filled either by a portion of the water from 1 being forced through it in the
reverse direction of the syphon or by the pressure of water in 3, so that the syphon
acts automatically on the reduction of pressure in 1. The size and length of the
syphon are so regulated as to leave the water in contact with the substance in 3 only
for a sufficient time to form a proper infusion thereof or to properly cook it. I find
three minutes is a suitable time for making a good infusion of tea without drawing off
the bitter principle thereof; for cooking articles such as eggs a longer time will be
necessary depending upon the number or size of the article to be cooked.
The infusion of tea thus made can when desired be kept warm in the first vessel
for as long a time as necessary and without being spoiled by contact with the tea
leaves, by regulating the flame of the lamp; or if a repetition of the operation, is
desired, as in the case of coffee this can be effected by again boiling the liquid by
sufficiently increasing the lamp flame.
For making infusions I do not confine myself to the use of water heated in a vessel
such as 1 and automatically poured at boiling temperature over the substance in
vessel 3, as I may sometimes pour the hot water into the latter vessel by hand from
an independent kettle and let it drain through the regulating syphon tube into a vessel
which in this case may be of any convenient form as for example a tea cup.

page_text: Figs. 3, 4 & 5 shew respectively in vertical section end elevation, and plan another
form of apparatus used in carrying out my invention and which I employ for cooking,
and for making infusions of substances such as coffeo.
This apparatus comprises a closed vessel 1ª and an open vessel 3 placed side by
side and balanced on a frame which may advantageously be made in a form resembling
a parallel ruler and consisting of two pairs of parallel bars 19 19 that carry the
vessels 1 & 3 by cross bars 20 as shown and which are pivotted to standards 21.
5 is a tube of suitable material such as metal or glass that places the two vessels
in communication with each other. 22 is a steam tight cover and 23 is a cork. 6 is
a strainer for holding the coffee or substances to be cooked. The vessel 1* is
provided with a suitably arranged cock not shown, for withdrawing liquid
therefrom.
The modus operandi of this arrangement of apparatus say for making an infusion
of coffee, is as follows:-The coffee is placed in the vessel 3 and water in the
vessel 1 the mouth of the latter vessel closed, the tube 5 inserted and the lamp
lighted under the vessel 1°. As shewn this lamp is of the kind known as a Rechaud
Lang, the small volatilizing flame being at 24 and the other or larger flame at 25.
When the water boils, it is forced over through the tube 5 into the open vessel 3*
and up through the coffee placed on the strainer 6. This transfer of liquid causes
the vessel 3 to become heavier than the vessel 1 which is consequently lifted
together with a tube or sleeve 26 encircling a part of the lamp and which when
raised moderates or if needful extinguishes the small flame at 24 and thereby con-
siderably reduces the flame at 25. The vessel 1" then cools, being high above the
flame, a partial vacuum is formed in it and the infusion of coffee in the vessel 3ª
flows back through the coffee and tube 5* into the vessel 1 which then overbalances
in its turn the vessel 3; the flame at 24 is then re-ignited from the flame at 25 ;
the operation may then be automatically repeated.
With the construction shewn in Figs. 3, 4 & 5 when the vessel 1* rises, the centre
wick tube 27 of the lamp is also raised with the object of lifting it out of the spirit,
so that the flame at 25 continues to burn only so long as there is any spirit left in
the wick in 27 after which only, the vessel 1" cools. A regulated time is thus
obtained for the infusion to take place. I do not find it always necessary to raise the
wick tube 27. When it is to be raised I do not confine myself to the arrangement
shown for lifting it. I sometimes find it convenient to extinguish the flame at 25 in
the same manner and at the same time as the flame at 24 by raising around it an
encircling tube or sleeve similar to 26 but smaller.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of tho said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Making an infusion of tea or other substance substantially as hereinabove
described by means of an apparatus comprising a vessel and an automatic syphon the
tea or other substance being placed in the said vessel into which a suitable quantity
of boiling water or other liquid is introduced and the duration of contact and con-
sequent strength of the infusion being determined by the operation of the syphon
whereby the liquid is automatically withdrawn as set forth.
2. Cooking as hereinabove described by means of an apparatus constructed with a
vessel and with an automatic syphon the substance to be cooked and a suitable quantity
of boiling water or other liquid being introduced into the said vessel and the liquid
being withdrawn by the automatic action of the syphon whereby the duration of the
cooking process is limited as set forth.
3. An apparatus for making infusions or for cooking comprising two vessels a con-
necting tube and a syphon the first vessel being to contain water or other liquid to be
boiled and the second vessel to contain a substance of which an infusion is required or
that is to be cooked and the arrangement being such that when the apparatus is in
use the pressure of steam acting on the surface of the liquid in the first vessel will
force hot liquid from that vessel through the connecting tube into the second vessel.

page_text: wherein it will pour from above onto the substance of which an infusion is required or
that is to be cooked and from which the said liquid will be returned to the first vessel
by the syphon the action of which will commence on its being filled with liquid; and
the diminution of pressure in the first vessel being such as to allow it to act as set
forth.
4. An apparatus for making infusions or for cooking, comprising two vessels, the
first vessel being to contain water or other liquid to be boiled, and the second vessel.
to contain a substance of which an infusion is required, or that is to be cooked, and a
connecting tube for delivering boiling liquid from the first to the second vessel the-
said connecting tube or the bottom of the second vessel being formed with a hole or
passage and the arrangement being such that when the apparatus is in use the
pressure of steam acting on the surface of the liquid in the first vessel will force hot
liquid from that vessel through the connecting tube into the second vessel wherein it
will be poured from above onto the substance of which an infusion is required or that
is to be cooked and from which the said liquid will be returned to the first vessel by
the opening or passage that places the two vessels in communication and the size of
which relatively to the quantity of liquid used determines the period of contact of the
liquid with the substance treated, substantially as herein described.
5. In apparatus of the kind referred to in claims 3 & 4 in which two vessels are
employed the lower one of which is used alternately as a vessel in which liquid is
heated and afterwards as a receptacle to receive the infusion, providing the connecting
tube through which the heated liquid and subsequently the infusion, flows, with a
hole such as 16 so arranged as to be below the original level of liquid in the said
lower vessel and to serve as a vent for the escape of air or vapor from the upper part
of the lower vessel when this vessel is being refilled from the upper one substantially
as herein before described.
6. Constructing the connecting tube referred to in claims 3 & 4 in two parts adapted
to be readily connected and disconnected and to the upper of which is attached the
syphon tube and a perforated plate or strainer or false bottom upon which the substance
of which an infusion required or which is to be cooked is placed, the arrangement
being such that the upper part of the tube with attached syphon and perforated plate
strainer or false bottom may be readily removed for cleaning substantially as described
and shewn.
7. In apparatus of the kind herein referred to, a syphon constructed of three
concentric tubes substantially in the manner shewn in Fig. 1 of the drawings
annexed.
8. In apparatus of the kind herein referred to, a flexible syphon tube arranged
substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn in Fig. 2 of the drawings
annexed.
9. Providing the second vessel referred to in claims 3 & 4 with a bell jar or
inverted vessel that is arranged to enclose the upper portion of the connecting tube
through which liquid is forced from one vessel to the other, and has its lower rim or
edge extended downward sufficiently to be sealed by the liquid that has been forced
into the second vessel, the arrangement being such that the vapour under pressure
that served to force the liquid from one vessel to the other may be collected and
utilized substantially as herein described.
10. The combination with apparatus of the kind described constructed with a bell
jar or inverted vessel as referred to in the preceding claim, of a pipe having its upper
end in communication with the interior of said jar or vessel and its lower end arranged
to direct steam upon the flame of a lamp situated below the apparatus substantially as
hereinbefore described.
11. In a spirit lamp of the kind herein referred to constructed to burn with two
flames for the purpose set forth, providing the wick tube of the lower flame with an
adjustable tube or sleeve that can be raised relatively to such wick tube for the
purpose of moderating or extinguishing the lower flame substantially as herein
described:
12. My improved apparatus for cooking or for making infusions constructed arranged

page_text: and operating substantially as herein before described with reference to Fig. 1 of the
drawings or modified as shewn in Fig. 2.
13. Apparatus for cooking or for making infusions comprising two movable and
balanced vessels and a connecting tube arranged and operating substantially as herein-
before described with reference to Figs. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings whether the
heat of the lamp be regulated automatically by the movement of the vessels, or by
hand.
14. The combination with apparatus such as referred to in the preceding claim of a
lamp of the kind herein described constructed to burn with two flames viz., an upper
and a lower flame and provided with an adjustable sleeve or tube connected to one of
the movable vessels in such a manner that when the heated liquid is forced from the
first vessel into the second and the vessels are thereby moved or operated, motion will
be transmitted from one of such vessels to the adjustable tube or sleeve and cause the
same to automatically moderate or extinguish the lower flame of the lamp substan-
tially as herein before described.
15. Connecting the wick tube for the upper flame of a lamp of the kind herein
described as well as the adjustable tube or sleeve on the wick tube of the lower flame
to one of the movable vessels substantially as hereinbefore described for the purpose
set forth.
1.6. Constructing the apparatus referred to in claims 3 and 4 with a removable
strainer or false bottom formed with holes or with a raised rim or flange to hold in
place the substance treated whilst being placed in the second vessel or being removed
therefrom substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated bis Iuay
FRANK WYNNE.
W. Lloyd Wise,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.