Extracting black tea and coffee and closed extractor therefor

Abstract

Method and apparatus for making tea or coffee for drinking comprising heaping tea in an extractor and subjecting successive areas of the heaped tea to periodic sprinkling during successive intervals of sprinkling, with cold tap water, each followed by intervals of wet-expanding the tea until the tea is substantially completely wet-expanded. The sprinkling intervals are timed to allow the wet-expanding to take place after each sprinkling of a same area and without collapsing of the wet-expanded tea. The tea resulting from the wetting is filtered out while removing air bubbles therefrom. The extractor has a sprinkler continuously driven during the sprinkling period and the filtrate is taken out through a pipe perforated axially extending into a filtrate-receiving container. The filtrate is delivered as a tea drink and may be stored in a glass container or the like for prolonged periods without loss of flavor. Coffee is made in the same apparatus by using powdered coffee sprinkled with cold tap water and wet-expanded, filtered while removing air bubbles therefrom and then stored for delivery as a drink. The extractor has a vacuum pump that controls the flow-rate with the filter of the extracted tea or coffee maintaining the tea leaves or coffee constantly immersed to insure freedom thereof from contact with the air.