A brewer unit for a hot beverage dispensing machine and including: an upper cylinder for receiving and containing hot water and a brewing material and having an open lower end; a coaxial lower cylinder having an open upper end; a filter unit mounted over the upper end of said lower cylinder preventing passage of the brewing material therethrough; a reciprocal piston fitted in the lower cylinder; a rotary drive shaft connected to the piston by a crank and a piston rod to reciprocate the piston; a first mechanism for lifting the upper cylinder from the filter unit; a scraper unit; and a second mechanism for moving the scraper unit across the filter unit to remove spent brewing material therefrom, said two mechanisms being driven from the drive shaft; characterized by a first toothed gear fixed to the drive shaft; said first mechanism including a first cam mechanism having a first cam surface member and a first cam follower member cooperating with the first cam surface member, one of said members being provided on a side of the first gear and the other on a pivotal lever, said pivotal lever being operatively connected to the upper cylinder for lifting and lowering it; a second toothed gear smaller than the first one and meshing therewith to be rotated thereby and having half as many teeth as the first one; said second mechanism including a second cam mechanism having a second cam surface member and a second cam follower member cooperating with the second cam surface member, one of the members (131, 213) in the second cam mechanism being provided on a side of the second gear and the other on a pivotal arm, said pivotal arm being operatively connectable to the scraper unit for moving the scraper unit across the filter unit to remove spent brewing material therefrom when the upper cylinder is lifted. an upper cylinder for receiving and containing hot water and a brewing material and having an open lower end; a coaxial lower cylinder having an open upper end; a filter unit mounted over the upper end of said lower cylinder preventing passage of the brewing material therethrough; a reciprocal piston fitted in the lower cylinder; a rotary drive shaft connected to the piston by a crank and a piston rod to reciprocate the piston; a first mechanism for lifting the upper cylinder from the filter unit; a scraper unit; and a second mechanism for moving the scraper unit across the filter unit to remove spent brewing material therefrom, said two mechanisms being driven from the drive shaft; characterized by a first toothed gear fixed to the drive shaft; said first mechanism including a first cam mechanism having a first cam surface member and a first cam follower member cooperating with the first cam surface member, one of said members being provided on a side of the first gear and the other on a pivotal lever, said pivotal lever being operatively connected to the upper cylinder for lifting and lowering it; a second toothed gear smaller than the first one and meshing therewith to be rotated thereby and having half as many teeth as the first one; said second mechanism including a second cam mechanism having a second cam surface member and a second cam follower member cooperating with the second cam surface member, one of the members (131, 213) in the second cam mechanism being provided on a side of the second gear and the other on a pivotal arm, said pivotal arm being operatively connectable to the scraper unit for moving the scraper unit across the filter unit to remove spent brewing material therefrom when the upper cylinder is lifted.