Patent ID: 7806042

Claim:
An apparatus ( 1 ) for the preparation of hot beverages by brewing a water-extractable particulate substance, comprising: a water heater ( 6 ); a pump ( 5 ) for feeding pressurized brew water into a brewing zone ( 24 ); a particulate substance delivery member enclosed at least in part by a housing ( 18 ), said delivery member including a screw shaft ( 10 ) provided with flights ( 13 ) for feeding the particulate substance through the brewing zone ( 24 ); and an extraction zone ( 25 ) downstream of the brewing zone ( 24 ) in which the particulate substance is compacted and the essence thereof extracted; and a sealing zone upstream of the brewing zone configured to compact the particulate substance to substantially maintain the pressure of the pressurized brew water within the brewing zone, wherein the screw shaft ( 10 ) extends at least along the sealing zone, the brewing zone ( 24 ) and the extraction zone ( 25 ), and further wherein the pitch of the flights ( 13 ) in the region of the extraction zone ( 25 ) is smaller than the pitch of the flights in the region of the brewing zone ( 24 ).