Abstract: A device for automatically brewing and holding tea has a water reservoir and a combined water reservoir inlet and heated water distributor attached to and extending from the water reservoir, a hinge mounted steeping chamber positionable over a base for holding a tea pot under the steeping chamber, and a tea pot specially adapted for use with the device having a flat bottom surface for optimal heat transfer from the base to the receptacle. A steeping chamber flow control valve includes opposing, overlapping relatively adjustable frusto-conical surfaces.

Abstract: An apparatus for warming up wine, including a receptacle, a spring fixedly secured to the receptacle on the inside, a packing rubber mounted around the top end of the receptacle, a glass container mounted in the receptacle and supported on the packing rubber to hold wine and having a tap for regulating the flow of wine, a cover covered on the glass container and having an air vent for guiding hot air out of the glass container, a heat source holder mounted within the receptacle and supported on the spring, and a heat source mounted in said heat source holder and controlled to heat wine in the glass container.

Abstract: An improved device for the preparation of individual coffee or tea beverages. A cylindrical, parallel walled container acts as both a brewing container and a drinking container. A plunger assembly is pushed down through the top of the container and effectively separates coffee grounds or the like from the brewed drink. A finely perforated disk having an upwardly oriented flange, is attached to the underside of a rigid perforated disk of the plunger assembly by means of a ribbed tab located at the center of the rigid perforated disk. Frictional attachment is made by inserting the ribbed tab of the rigid, perforated disk into the slot of the finely perforated disk. When removing the plunger assembly, the finely perforated disk detaches from the plunger assembly and remains in the bottom portion of the container thereby trapping the coffee grounds or the like between the finely perforated disk and the bottom of the container.

Abstract: The bearing assembly for supporting one end of a rotatable shaft, such as the lower end of an agitator drive shaft inside a mixing tank, includes a mounting sleeve surrounded and spaced radially outwardly from the lower end of the drive shaft, a support supporting the mounting sleeve at a location where there is sufficient space between the mounting sleeve and the tank bottom to gain access to the lower end of the drive shaft, an annular bearing slidably mounted on the drive shaft, a bearing housing disposed inside the mounting sleeve and receiving the bearing to provide a bearing/bearing housing subassembly and a locking arrangement on the bearing housing and the mounting sleeve.

Abstract: A drink making receptacle for mixing and dispensing beverages including a lid with rotation means mounted on the lid and rotation means on the receptacle. Flanges serve to limit rotation of the lid to facilitate beverage dispension without discharge of ice.

Abstract: A coffee making machine assembly includes a coffee maker which has a brewing water outlet defining a brewing position thereunder. The assembly further includes a coffee mill having a grinding device spaced horizontally from the brewing water outlet. Underneath the grinding device a grinding position is defined which is horizontally spaced from the brewing position. There is also provided a filter carrier adapted to receive a filter basket; and a displacing mechanism for supporting the filter carrier and for moving the filter carrier into the grinding position or into the brewing position.

Abstract: Agitators having processing grates intended to mix and process food or other materials in a kettle either with or without heating of the materials, the mixing structures of the invention being particularly useful in the processing of food such as mashed potatoes to produce a product which has naturally-occurring "lumps" indicative of the use of real potatoes in the production of the product. The processing grates of the invention are preferably employed with horizontally disposed rotary shaft agitators operable within a kettle having a substantially hemispherical bottom portion, inner walls of the kettle being preferably scraped by scraping elements of the agitators to prevent burn-on of food materials during a mixing and/or cooking process. The processing grates of the invention can also function mounted to diagonally disposed rotary shaft agitators, the processing grates acting to reduce a food material such as potatoes to a homemade "lumpy" consistency.

Abstract: An emulsifying unit, particularly for emulsifying steam, air, and milk to prepare cappuccino and the like, comprising an acceleration duct into which a steam injection nozzle leads, the acceleration duct ending with an emulsifying chamber. The acceleration duct is connected to a milk injection duct that draws from a milk container and is provided with an air injection port in a point that is spaced from the acceleration duct.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for mixing liquid products, in particular to prepare coloring substances for paints and the like. The apparatus includes a base supporting a substantially horizontal table with supports, on the top face thereof, a plurality of vessels for the liquid products to be mixed. Inside each vessel is applied a stirring element which projects by its driving end portion from the vessel. The apparatus further includes a coupling element for coupling the driving end portions of the stirring elements to a driving device which can be actuated to simultaneously drive the stirring elements.

Abstract: A foam generating apparatus can be attached to a water bearing hose and comprises an eductor nozzle to receive water and foam concentrate, and a foam generating nozzle to discharge a foam/water mixture therethrough. A foam concentrate conduit delivers concentrate to a manifold extending peripherally around a suction port of the eductor nozzle, and foam concentrate is drawn into the eductor nozzle to mix with water and to be discharged as a foam/water mixture to the foam generating nozzle. The nozzle has an agitator jet orifice for agitating the mixture, and an air entrainment opening to admit air into the agitated mixture. The agitator jet orifice has inlet and outlet jet openings interconnected in series, the outlet jet opening being larger than the inlet jet opening to provide a diverging passage with at least one step between the inlet and outlet jet openings to agitate the flow.

Abstract: An espresso coffee maker is provided with a heat exchanger, a coffee dispenser unit and a water supply system in conjunction with the heat exchanger for supplying heated water to the coffee dispenser unit. The water supply system feeds cold water to the heat exchanger and heated water is delivered to the dispenser unit. A heated water return pipe is connected to the heat exchanger from the dispenser unit to form a recirculation circuit between the heat exchanger and the dispenser unit through which the heated water flows by natural convection to transfer heat from the heat exchanger to the dispenser unit. The water supply system includes at least one heat operated control valve incorporated in the recirculation circuit. The valve is provided with a chamber and a shutter is movable in the chamber to control the circulation of the water.

Abstract: A spent beverage brewing substance disposal device for use with a beverage brewing apparatus. The disposal device is connected to the beverage brewing apparatus for receiving a slurry of spent beverage brewing substance and liquid. The disposal device includes a housing having a delivery port communicating with a drain conduit of the beverage brewing apparatus for receiving the slurry therethrough. A foraminous structure is retained in the housing and positioned for receiving the slurry. The foraminous structure allows a liquid portion to drain therethrough while retaining the solid or particulate matter of the slurry. A pressurizing apparatus is coupled to the housing of the disposal device so as to pressurize the interior chamber defined by the housing to expedite the separation of the liquid portion from the solid portion. Liquid which is drained from the slurry passes through the foraminous structure and into a drain.

Abstract: A mixing machine including a machine base, a horizontal suspension arm horizontally suspending above the machine base, a lifting mechanism controlled to move the horizontal suspension arm vertically relative to the machine base, a transmission mechanism mounted on the horizontal suspension arm, a mixing container suspended from the horizontal suspension arm, a mixing blade unit suspending in the mixing container and driven by the transmission mechanism to mix material in the mixing container, wherein: the transmission mechanism includes a horizontal motor and a vertical motor respectively mounted on the horizontal suspension arm, a vertical center spindle coupled to the vertical motor, a horizontal transmission shaft coupled to the horizontal motor, a first sleeve mounted around the vertical center spindle and turned by the horizontal transmission shaft, a second sleeve mounted around the first sleeve and turned by the horizontal transmission shaft in one direction reversed to the first sleeve; the mixing bla

Abstract: A cappuccino maker having a housing, a steam source, a coffee filter and holder for making coffee using water from the steam source, a coffee dispensing spout for dispensing the coffee, a milk frother and a milk dispensing spout for dispensing the frothed milk, wherein the milk dispensing spout and the coffee dispensing spout are capable of dispensing milk and coffee over a single container-receiving location, thus permitting milk and coffee to be dispensed into a container without having to move the container, and also having a milk receptacle having a valve, and a first base for the milk receptacle having a valve actuator for engaging the valve and a raised lip for receiving the milk receptacle or, in the absence of the receptacle, a cleaning fluid, the lip forming a reservoir on the first base.

Abstract: A teapot with an adjustable tea infuser includes a container having a bottom with a front plate, a rear plate and two side plates extending from four sides of the bottom so as to define an open top, a handle disposed to the rear plate and extending from an upper edge of the rear plate, the handle having at least one notch defined therein, a cover mounted to the container and engaged with the open top, a gap defined between the cover and the handle when the cover mounted to the container, a flexible plate having a first end with a positioning device connected thereto and a second end connected to a tea infuser such that the tea infuser is positioned by adjusting the flexible plate which extends through the gap into the container, and engaging the positioning device with the notch.

Abstract: A small batch mixer particularly suited for preparing small quantities of mixture blends dry powdered material with an aggregate and a liquid. The ingredients may be cement, sand, and water. The batch mixer has two screw augers. The first auger feeds dry mix into an elongated mixing chamber of constant diameter. The second auger mixes the dry and liquid mix constituents, and conducts blended mixture to a discharge port located at the end of the elongated mixing chamber. The blade of the second auger is formed in three sections. In respective order, these sections include a first section wherein the blade is configured as a screw auger; a second section wherein the blade has intermittent gaps, thereby forming paddles pitched to urge the mixture onward to the third section; and a third section which, like the first section, includes a blade configured as a screw auger. The liquid is metered by a valve controlled in accordance with the feed rate of the solid constituents.

Abstract: This invention provides a pressurizable zero-headspace extractor vessel useful in preparing mixtures of solid- and liquid-phase material for constituent analysis, for example for preparing environmental samples for analysis of toxic contaminants. The inventive extractor vessel has a sample chamber pressurizable either by gas or mechanical means. The sample chamber is constructed with a removable liner of polytetrafluorethylene to be resistant to both organic an metallic contaminants and has a more robust pressure-resistant support housing, in which the liner is a snug fit, formed of a structural material such as high-density polyethylene. The invention also provides a rotary agitation apparatus for rotating such extractors or bottles end-over-end, in which apparatus the bottles are mounted in a manner which automatically centers them on the axis of rotation.

Abstract: The present application discloses an asphalt drum that is supplied with a forward and rearward insulator ring. This ring is typically constructed of a ceramic insulation such as (THERMO-MAX). The insulation is further encased in a steel shell to protect the ceramic ring and to allow for a durable drive surface. Through the use of the insulation ring the typical steel trunnions may be replaced with multi-ply rubber tires. As these tires wear they may be easily and quickly replaced with readily available stock. In the typical configuration the drum will ride on four tires, two on each ring. One tire on each ring being an idler wheel while the other is a drive wheel. The entire system may also be attached to a semi trailer for transport.

Abstract: A mixing element comprises a cylindrical passage pipe through which a liquid flows, and a plurality of blade bodies disposed inside the passage pipe. The blade bodies forms inside the passage pipe a plurality of fluid passages extending spirally and in a longitudinal direction of the passage pipe. And, a gap between the blade bodies forms an opening for communicating the fluid passages to each other. These spiral blade bodies are produced independently to the passage pipe, after that, they are joined to an inner face of the passage pipe. Thus produced fluid fixer has an extremely high mixing-agitating effect.

Abstract: A system and method for mixing particulate cement with mineral aggregate(s) so as to minimize the formation and escape of dust. The system involves dispensing aggregate(s) downwardly from a hopper and simultaneously dispensing the cement particles from a tube within the aggregate hopper above the hopper opening. The cement particles adhere to moisture on the surface of the aggregate(s).