Apparatus for brewing coffee

[54] APPARATUS FOR BREWING COFFEE

[76] Inventor: Dov Z. Glucksman, 137 Larch Row, Wenham, Mass. 01984

[21] Appl. No.: 636,137

[22] Filed: Dec. 31,1990

[51] Int. CI.' A23F 00/00; A47J 31/00

[52] U.S. CI 99/295; 99/299;

99/305; 99/317

[58] Field of Search 99/279, 280, 282, 293-295,

99/298-300, 304-307, 316, 317, 281, 283;

426/433

[56] References Cited

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

1,778,792 10/1930 Cameron 99/284

2,835,782 5/1958 Stiebel 99/305

3,080,810 3/1963 Saint 99/306

3,333,527 8/1967 Bender 99/299

4,613,745 9/1986 Marotta et al 99/282

4,713,253 12/1987 Stone 99/299

4,790,240 12/1988 Henn et al 99/282

4,793,245 12/1988 Kimura 99/292

4,893,552 1/1990 Wunder et al 99/299

4,998,463 3/1991 Precht et al 99/293

5,049,713 9/1991 Creyautmiiller 99/306

5,070,773 12/1991 Salomon et al 99/307

FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

0688175 9/1979 U.S.S.R 99/300

Assistant Examiner—James F. Hook
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Charles R. Miranda

[57] ABSTRACT

Apparatus for brewing coffee having a heating compartment provided with water at various predetermined levels depending upon the number of cups of brewed coffee desired. A U-shaped syphon tube is provided in the heating compartment and is arranged so that the water level in the heating compartment is always below the top of the bight portion of the tube prior to being heated to a predetermined temperature. When the pressure within the heating compartment reaches a predetermined discharging value, water at the proper temperature in the heating compartment is caused to discharge through the syphon tube and out of the compartment. A pressure vent, having an orifice exposed to the pressure within the heating compartment, serves to delay the attainment of the discharging pressure until the water reaches the proper temperature. A water holding compartment is disposed to receive the water from the heating compartment and is provided with a flow meter to regulate the flow of water from the holding compartment into a brewing compartment for soaking contact with a bed of coffee grounds therein. The rate of flow of water into the coffee brewing compartment is controlled in conjunction with outflow outlets in the compartment to' maintain a level of water sufficient to cover the bed of coffee grounds for a period of brewing time and for a wide range of cups of coffee to be brewed.

Primary Examiner—Harvey C. Hornsby

9 Claims, 6 Drawing Sheets