Coffee infusion apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for dispensing a quantity of a heated liquid comprising: a. a chamber adapted to contain the liquid to be heated, said chamber being open at its top and having an outlet at its bottom; b. means for heating the liquid to a predetermined temperature in said chamber; c. a weight movable from an upper position above the surface of the liquid in said chamber to a lower position at the bottom of said chamber, said weight as it descends closing the open top of said chamber and forcing the heated liquid under pressure through the outlet; and d. means for holding said weight normally in its upper position, said holding means being responsive to the temperature of the heated liquid so that when the liquid reaches the predetermiNed temperature, said holding means releases said weight and allows it to descend to its lower position to dispense a quantity of the heated liquid through said outlet.

Claim 3

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, further comprising: e. a second chamber adapted to contain material to be infused, said second chamber having an inlet at its top and an outlet at its bottom with the material located therebetween; and f. means connecting the outlet of said first-mentioned chamber and the inlet of said second chamber so that the heated liquid flows therethrough under the influence of said weight into the material in said second chamber to produce an infusion therein.

Claim 4

Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein the diameter of the outlet of said second chamber is substantially less than the diameter of the inlet of said second chamber to restrict the flow of heated liquid through said second chamber.

Claim 5

Apparatus in accordance with claim 3 wherein the diameter of the outlet is variable.

Claim 6

Apparatus in accordance with claim 2, further comprising diffusion means adjacent the inlet to said second chamber for spreading the heated liquid about the upper surface of the material to be infused.

Claim 7

Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein an air gap is defined between said diffusion means and the upper surface of the material to be infused.

Claim 8

Apparatus in accordance with claim 2, further comprising restriction means in said connecting means for controlling the rate of flow of the heated liquid therethrough.

Claim 9

Apparatus in accordance with claim 7 in which said restriction means comprises a temperature responsive valve positioned adjacent the inlet to said second chamber and in the path of flow, said valve moving toward said inlet and slowing the rate of flow of heated liquid into said chamber as the heated liquid impinges thereagainst.

Claim 10

Apparatus in accordance with claim 8, in which said valve comprises a bimetallic disc.

Claim 11

Apparatus in accordance with claim 9, including a smooth seat for said disc, said disc having at least one groove formed in the surface thereof against which the heated liquid impinges and extending radially outwardly to the periphery thereof to provide a channel for liquid flow so as to insure that the flow of heated liquid is not entirely shut off when said disc abuts against the seat.

Claim 12

Apparatus in accordance with claim 10 wherein said bimetallic disc has a plurality of circumferentially spaced openings formed therein to spread the flow of heated liquid into said second chamber.

Claim 13

Apparatus in accordance with claim 2, further comprising a filter positioned in said second chamber between the inlet at its top and the material to be infused.

Claim 14

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein the interior wall of said chamber is cylindrical, said weight is generally cylindrical and has an exterior wall having a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the interior wall of said chamber, and further comprising an annular peripheral seal carried by said weight and extending outwardly and downwardly from its exterior wall, said seal engaging the interior wall of said chamber and cooperating with the weight to close the open top of said chamber as said weight descends therein.

Claim 15

Apparatus in accordance with claim 13, further comprising means connectable with said weight for increasing the mass of said weight.

Claim 16

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said holding means comprises: i. a latch engageable with said weight for supporting said weight in its upper position; ii. means for biasing said latch into latching engagement with said weight; iii. thermostatic means adjacent said heating means and responsive to the temperature thereof; and iv. linkage operated by said thermostatic means when the liquid has been heated to the predetermined temperature to move said latch against the force of said biasing means to disengage said latch from said weight.

Claim 17

Apparatus in accorDance with claim 1, further comprising a filter positioned in said chamber between the top of the chamber and the weight therein when said weight is in upper position.

Claim 18

Apparatus for the preparation of an infusion from a material to be infused comprising: a. a first chamber adapted to contain an infusing liquid and having an outlet; b. a second chamber adapted to contain the material to be infused and having an inlet at its top and an outlet at its bottom with the material located therebetween, said second chamber being positioned so that the inlet therefrom is at a higher elevation than the liquid level in said first chamber; c. means for heating the infusing liquid to a predetermined temperature in said first chamber; and d. means providing fluid communication between the outlet of said first chamber and the inlet to said second chamber such that the infusing liquid is permitted to flow from said first chamber into and through the material in said second chamber after the infusing liquid has been heated to the predetermined temperature to produce an infusion; wherein the improvement comprises: e. a weight movable from an upper position above the surface of the infusing liquid in said first chamber to a lower position at the bottom of said first chamber, said weight as it descends forcing the heated infusing liquid under pressure at a predetermined rate through said fluid communication means into said second chamber; and f. means for holding said weight normally in its upper position, said holding means being responsive to the temperature of the infusing liquid so that when the infusing liquid has been heated to the predetermined temperature, said holding means releases said weight and allows it to descend to its lower position.

Claim 19

Apparatus for the preparation of an infusion from a material to be infused comprising: a. a first chamber adapted to contain an infusing liquid and having an outlet; b. a second chamber adapted to contain the material to be infused and having an inlet at its top and an outlet at its bottom with the material located therebetween, said second chamber being positioned so that the inlet therefrom is at a higher elevation than the liquid level in said first chamber; c. means for heating the infusing liquid to a predetermined temperature in said first chamber; and d. means providing fluid communication between the outlet of said first chamber and the inlet to said second chamber such that the infusing liquid is permitted to flow from said first chamber into and through the material in said second chamber after the infusing liquid has been heated to the predetermined temperature to produce an infusion; wherein the improvement comprises: e. a weight movable from an upper position above the surface of the infusing liquid in said first chamber to a lower position at the bottom of said first chamber, said weight as it descends forcing the heated infusing liquid under pressure at a predetermined rate through said fluid communication means into said second chamber; and f. means for holding said weight normally in its upper position, said holding means being responsive to the temperature of the infusing liquid so that when the infusing liquid has been heated to the predetermined temperature, said holding means releases said weight and allows it to descend to its lower position.