Foods and beverages: apparatus – Beverage – Infusors
Patent
1987-06-17
1992-12-29
Jenkins, Robert W.
Foods and beverages: apparatus
Beverage
Infusors
99289R, A47J 3142
Patent
active
051741946
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The subject of the present invention is an automatic machine for preparing espresso coffee from coffee beans, particularly for domestic use.
The machine of the invention is of the type comprising essentially: coffee beans; coffee grinder to receive a charge of ground coffee, and having means for closing the chamber and compressing the charge, means for expelling the coffee grounds, a port for the inlet of hot water from the source, and an outlet spout for the drink of coffee, and grinding of the coffee and its supply to the percolation chamber, closure of the chamber and compression of the charge, percolation, and the expulsion of the exhausted coffee grounds.
Machines of this type are already known in which the ground coffee passes through the supply duct from the coffee grinder to the percolation chamber under gravity. A disadvantage of such machines is the fact that the duct frequently becomes blocked since the ground coffee, being rather thick, does not slide easily and cannot flow at the same rate as that at which it is supplied by the coffee grinder.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a machine which does not have this disadvantage. According to the present invention, this object is achieved by means of a machine of the type considered, characterised in that a motor-driven conveyor screw is provided in the supply duct connecting the coffee grinder to the percolation chamber, to move the ground coffee at a rate higher than that of its supply from the coffee grinder.
By virtue of this device, the possibility of blockages in the supply duct is eliminated completely.
Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of the type considered which lends itself to automatic operation by virtue of the use of simple practical means for closing the chamber, compressing the charge, and expelling the coffee grounds.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by means of a machine characterised in that a prechamber at the end of the descending duct is associated with the percolation chamber, and the means for closing the percolation chamber and compressing the charge of coffee comprise a tamper which is reciprocable between a withdrawn position in which it does not occupy the prechamber and closes its side opposite the percolation chamber and an advanced position of compressing the charge in the chamber and sealing the chamber in that the percolation chamber is a through-chamber with open ends, one being a continuation of the through-chamber and the other, as part of the means for closing the chamber, being associated with a counter-tamper obturator movable towards and away from an advanced position in which it closes the other end both to allow the compression of the charge of ground coffee in the chamber by means of the tamper and to seal the chamber and in that the tamper is movable to an even more advanced position beyond the said other end of the chamber to expel the compressed coffee.
In known machines of the type in question, the charge of ground coffee is not used to the full because the pressurised hot water inevitably follows an almost direct preferential path from the inlet opening to the outlet opening of the percolation chamber.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a machine which enables almost the optimum use to be made of the ground coffee by virtue of a particular arrangement and configuration of the ports.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by means of a machine characterised in that the percolation chamber has a single inlet port for the pressurised hot water located at one side and a grating wall for the outlet of the hot water located on the opposite side and communicating with the spout in order to achieve a flow of water with a fan-shaped path through the charge of ground coffee.
By virtue of this solution, the pressurised hot water passes from the inlet to the outlet of the chamber with an expanding front instead of following a direct preferential path.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVE
REFERENCES:
patent: 3791284 (1974-02-01), Donot
patent: 4172413 (1979-10-01), Roseberry
patent: 4188863 (1980-02-01), Grossi
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