Bunn-o-matic Corporation

Kenneth W Stover

Cloyce Newton

John T Knepler

Henry L Foley

Raymond Bledsoe

A digital control system for a coffee bean grinder, particularly one with a dual hopper, which is conveniently programmable and automatically operable for selecting bean type and grinding with a high degree of accuracy bean quantities ranging from a few ounces (e.g., 3 ounces or less) for brewing a few cups of coffee, to large quantities (e.g., 2 pounds or more) for brewing several gallons of coffee. The invention may be confined entirely to a grinder, or may be incorporated in a brewing system consisting of a brewer and one or more grinder. The invention allows one grinder to accommodate one or more coffee grinders either of the same type or of different types (i.e., a brewer for making multi-cup quantities or urns for making gallon quantities).

Digital control system for a coffee grinder and associated coffee brewer

A beverage reservoir from which beverage is dispensed in a coin-operated beverage making machine. The reservoir has a handle which incorporates an overflow passageway preventing beverage from otherwise overflowing the reservoir. The overflow passageway discharges into a drain tube which in turn discharges in the area in which beverage is normally dispensed into consumers' cups.

Beverage reservoir with overflow passageway in the handle

Coin operated coffee brewer

A coffee-making and dispensing machine wherein coffee discharges from a brewing funnel into a reservoir from which increments of coffee are withdrawn through a dispensing spout into consumers' cups. The brewing funnel and reservoir are insertable and removable through the front access side of the machine into a reservoir compartment. The dispensing spout is located at the lower portion of the front access side and receives coffee from the reservoir through a conduit. A sight glass is also connected by a conduit providing communication with the reservoir. A quick connect-disconnect fluid-tight connection is provided between the reservoir and the inlet to the conduits. Ths connection is provided in part by a tubular male projection on the bottom of the reservoir and in part by a stationary female receptacle which includes a secured-in-place diaphragm in the form of a sheet of resilient rubber-like material of substantial thickness having a central opening sized to receive the male projection with a fluid-tight interference fit.

Coffee-making and dispensing machine having removable reservoir with

A combination coffee-making and dispensing machine which has a beverage reservoir which is retained in a cabinet. The reservoir is provided with a cover to reduce evaporation. The cover is hinged to the cabinet in a way that permits it to be tilted and lifted off the reservoir and remain in the cabinet when the reservoir is removed. The cover can be readily lowered in place on the reservoir when the latter is re-positioned in the cabinet.

Hinged cover for beverage reservoir

Fully automatic brewing apparatus is disclosed for economically and efficiently making large quantities of beverage. Beverage concentrate is first brewed from a dry, beverage-making material, such as tea leaves contained in a brewing funnel which, in one embodiment may be pivoted for emptying the concentrate into a selected one of a pair of relatively large reservoirs. The concentrate is automatically diluted to acceptable strength and temperature by the timed addition of water to the reservoir in a stream which provides complete mixing of the concentrate with the diluting water.

Beverage brewing apparatus

A beverage brewing apparatus includes a hot water reservoir from which heated water is dispensed in predetermined serving volumes through a beverage filter to a serving beaker. A volume of cold water equal to a predetermined serving volume is admitted to a lower inlet zone of the reservoir, heated by an electric resistance heating element within the reservoir and dispensed in a volume equal to the serving volume from an upper outlet zone of the reservoir coincident with the introduction of cold water into the inlet zone. The reservoir has a volume greater than twice the predetermined serving volume so that a volume of resident heated water is contained in the central brew zone thereof. A temperature sensing element, e.g., thermistor, is disposed within the lumen of a hollow heat conductive tubing extending to a predetermined location in the brew zone at or near the center of the reservoir and produces a temperature control signal continuously indicative only of the temperature of the water in the brew zone. An electronic control circuit varies the duty cycle of the heating element over recurring timing intervals in response to the control signal to maintain the water in the brew zone at a predetermined temperature. The inlet and outlet zones correspond to the lower one-fourth and the upper one-fourth volumes, respectively, of the reservoir.

Beverage brewing apparatus with constant temperature water reservoir

Apparatus and method for making large volumes of hot coffee wherein soluble coffee (i.e. freeze-dried or other instant coffee) is mixed with a relatively small stream of cool or cold water and the resulting mixture is sucked into a relatively large stream of hot water by jet action. The dry soluble coffee in the form of powder, crystals or flakes is metered by an auger from the bottom of a hopper through a discharge nozzle and falls into a mixing bowl wherein the cool or cold water is flowing in the form of a vortex. The cool or cold water spirals down the sides of the bowl in the form of a water curtain which wets and sweeps the interior surface of the mixing chamber thereby preventing buildup of soluble coffee solids thereon and inside the mixing chamber. The resulting mixture is sucked or drawn by jet action from the bottom of the mixing bowl into a conduit in which a stream of hot water is flowing in sufficient velocity and volume to create suction in a connection between the bottom of the bowl and the hot water conduit. The suction prevents steam or hot moisture from rising in the mixing bowl and reaching the dry instant coffee in the hopper or discharge nozzle. An easily detachable and replaceable nozzle cap for the projecting end of the auger facilitates quick and easy access to the auger and discharge nozzle, not only for periodic routine cleaning when the apparatus is empty but also when the apparatus has sat idle for several days in a humid atmosphere with soluble coffee solids in the hopper and discharge nozzle.

Apparatus for dissolving soluble coffee

A beverage making appliance operable automatically or manually, and also providing a hot water faucet. The appliance has a cold water basin located over a hot water tank with a cold water tube extending down into the hot water tank from a basin drain opening whereby cold water discharges into the lower portion of the hot water tank and displaces hot water either through a faucet, or a spray head onto the contents of a brew funnel. When operated in its automatic mode, cold water is delivered to the basin through a conduit connected with a supply of cold water under pressure. The conduit has both flow control and solenoid valves whereby a predetermined volume of cold water is delivered on each actuation of a timer. A level control circuit, together with a water level sensing probe disposed within the hot water tank, also actuates the solenoid valve to maintain a predetermined water level in the tank as hot water is drawn through the faucet. Additional circuitry, including a relay, disables the level control circuit on actuation of the timer. The relay, through a set of normally closed contacts, electrically connects the level control circuitry with the solenoid valve. The timer is connected to the solenoid valve through a second set of normally open relay contacts. When the appliance is operated in the automatic mode, the relay disconnects the level control circuitry, allowing the timer to control the solenoid valve.

Beverage making machine with hot water faucet

Fully automatic brewing apparatus is disclosed for economically and efficiently brewing large quantities of beverage. Beverage concentrate is first brewed from a dry, beverage-making material, such as granulated tea leaves contained in a rotatable funnel which may be pivoted for emptying the concentrate into selected one of a pair of large reservoirs. The concentrate is then automatically diluted to an acceptable strength and temperature by the timed addition of water to the reservoir in a stream which provides complete mixing of the concentrate with the diluting water.

A funnel is disclosed for use in brewing beverages such as coffee, tea and the like and for discharging the beverage into either of a plurality of spaced reservoirs below the funnel. The funnel includes an upstanding side wall, a bottom wall, and flow channel means associated with the bottom wall which communicates between the interior of the funnel and a discharge port spaced from the center of the funnel for selective discharge of liquid into alternate reservoirs by turning the funnel. Stop means provided at a selected radial position on the funnel cooperate with limiting switches or the like on the brewing machine to prevent brewing unless the funnel is in the proper location for discharge into a reservoir.

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Springfield, IL, United States of America

Kenneth W Stover