Abstract: A coffee percolator having a brewing chamber wherein at least one of the boundary wall surfaces of the brewing chambr is adjustable transversely of the direction of flow of the hot water through the coffee powder so that the thickness of the coffee powder bed in the direction of flow may be kept substantially constant for the coffee charges of varying size. The coffee percolator may include a brewing sieve having a support sieve with openings of a size exceeding the dimensions of the ground coffee particles and a fine sieve supported on the side of said support sieve facing towards the brewing chamber and having openings of a size smaller than the dimensions of the ground coffee particles.

Abstract: The invention relates to a coffee percolator for selectively making normal coffee or espresso, comprising a water flow path extending between a cold water supply inlet and a brewing unit, said flow path being divided into a first branch including a pressure pump, and a second branch including a valve adapted to close or be closed in the espresso making mode, and further comprising control means for activating said valve(s) and/or said pump in response to the selection of the type of coffee to be made. The invention is directed towards the provision of a coffee percolator of this type, which is of simplyfied and economic construction and substantially failure-proof. This is achieved by providing that the flow path is employed in common for the water used for making espresso and normal coffee, and is only divided adjacent the pump into the first flow path branch including the pump and the second flow path branch forming a bypass across the pump.

Abstract: The invention relates to an insulated container comprising a vacuum glass body surrounded by a protective envelope consisting of an upper and a lower portion, and an adjustable tensioning means for producing a force biasing the glass body upwards into engagement with a seal adjacent the upper rim of the protective envelope.

Abstract: A method of making knives in which a separate blade and handle are bonded together by electron-beam welding which reduces the susceptibility to corrosion at the weld area and thereby increases the knife life. In addition, the blade can be unhardened when welded, and hardened after welding to reverse any structural changes occurring in the metal adjacent the weld and thereby more reliably reduce the susceptibility to corrosion at the weld area. The step of hardening the blade after welding can be used to provide satisfactory corrosion resistance in knives where separate blades and handles are joined by other welding techniques such as electrical seam and oxyacetylene welding.