Abstract: A coffee maker has a housing having an upstanding tower, a carafe support platform extending horizontally forward from the lower end of the tower, and a fixed, tubular filter basket support extending horizontally forward from the upper end of the housing above the platform. A horizontal filter basket cover, including a water spreader, is disposed above the filter basket support and carried by the housing for pivotal movement about a vertical axis. A cover pivotal about a horizontal axis is provided over a water reservoir defined by the housing. A valve mechanism is provided that operates upon pivoting of the filter basket cover to selectively permit heated water to be supplied to the water spreader, thereby preventing burns or the like from heated water when the water spreader is not located above the filter basket support. The coffee maker also includes an electronic controller having a control pad on the front surface of the housing platform.

Abstract: This invention relates to a tea steeper that enables an automatic drip coffeemaker to brew tea as well as coffee. The tea steeper comprises a cylindrical body having perforated side walls, a perforated bottom wall, and an open top surrounded by a support rim. A pair of upwardly extending finger grips are provided to enable one to easily grasp the tea steeper. In use, the support rim rests atop the spout of a carafe for suspending the tea steeper within the carafe. The carafe may also contain a pivotal lid which closes over the spout but does not engage the support rim or finger grip portions of the tea steeper resting atop the spout.

Abstract: A steam iron having an electronic module with a reset switch in the upper portions of the iron handle covered by a top cover. The top cover includes a plastic body having a reset plate formed integrally therewith and partly surrounded by an opening in the top cover. A pliant overmold covers a portion of the plastic body and extends through the opening to confine the top and bottom of the reset plate, restricting movements of the plate but permitting limited movements thereof. During manufacture of the steam iron, a boss at the rearward end of the top cover is inserted into a bearing on the handle and spring fingers at the forward end of the handle are pushed downwardly along sloping surfaces of a circular flange on the handle, the spring fingers snapping outwardly when they reach the bottom of the circular flange to secure the top cover to the handle.

Abstract: A fill port assembly has a base having a recessed pocket with an arcuately concave base wall and mutually parallel sidewalls. A fill port is located intermediate the upper and lower ends of the base wall and a fill port cover is slidably mounted on the sidewalls for movement along an arcuate path from a first, normal, position in which the cover covers the fill port to a second, raised, position in which the cover is located above the fill port and the lower part of the base wall is exposed. In the raised position, the upper end of the cover projects upwardly and forwardly from the pocket so that the front surface of the cover and the lower part of the bottom wall of the pocket form a funnel for directing water into the fill port.

Abstract: An iron guard for holding, cooling, and storing an electric iron after use thereof. The iron guard includes a base member and upwardly extending side members. A plurality of flanges extend inwardly from the side members and are capable of slidable engagement with the electric iron to support the soleplate in spaced relation to the base member, thereby providing a gap between the soleplate and the base member to minimize heat transfer from the soleplate to the iron guard.