Abstract: A beverage is prepared employing a package containing at least one beverage ingredient, e.g. roast and ground coffee. The package (10;200) is located at a brewing station, the package is pierced by a tool (49;248) to form an outlet opening (38;202) in the package, an aqueous medium, e.g. hot water, is introduced into the package, the aqueous medium is allowed to commingle with the beverage ingredient, and the beverage so formed is collected through the outlet formed in the package. The piercing tool is employed both to form the outlet opening, and to fold the material (117;204) surrounding the opening out of the path of the beverage which subsequently emerges through the outlet opening.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a lid for a drinking cup, which comprises a base portion having an upstanding collar formed around the periphery thereof, the collar having an inner wall terminating in a rim provided with at least one orifice adapted, in use, for a beverage to be drunk therethrough, and having a skirt extending downwardly from the rim which, in use, is adapted to frictionally engage the rim of a cup containing the beverage, and the base portions being provided with a hole adapted, in use, for the introduction of the beverage and/or beverage making ingredients therethrough.

Abstract: An apparatus is described for dispensing the bottom cup from a selected stack of cups utilizing a rotatable carriage for supporting a plurality of stacks of cups arranged along the rotary path of the carriage. As the carriage rotates a stack is selected from which a cup is to be dispensed a sensor determines when the selected stack reaches a predetermined position along the rotary path of the stacks. There are separators for separating the bottom cup from the respective stack and a solenoid operated ramp for movement into the rotary path of the separating means to separate the bottom cup from the selected stack. The solenoid operated ramp is operated by a signal from the sensing means.

Abstract: A beverage is prepared employing a package (10) having a compartment (111) containing at least one beverage ingredient, e.g. roast and ground coffee. The package is located at a brewing station, an aqueous medium, e.g. hot water, is introduced into the package, the aqueous medium is allowed to commingle with the beverage ingredient, and the beverage so formed is collected through an outlet (38) formed in the package. The compartment of the package is sealed by a covering material (119) which determines one dimension of at least one opening (115) acting to filter the beverage passing out of the compartment to the outlet of the package. The package is also clamped at the brewing station prior to the introduction of the aqueous medium in a manner which maintains said one dimension during the subsequent formation and collection of the beverage.

Abstract: A beverage is prepared employing a package containing at least one beverage ingredient, e.g. roast and ground coffee. The package (10;200) is located at a brewing station, the package is pierced by a tool (49;248) to form an outlet opening (38;202) in the package, an aqueous medium, e.g. hot water, is introduced into the package, the aqueous medium is allowed to commingle with the beverage ingredient, and the beverage so formed is collected through the outlet formed in the package. The piercing tool is employed both to form the outlet opening, and to fold the material (117;204) surrounding the opening out of the path of the beverage which subsequently emerges through the outlet opening.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with a machine for preparing a beverage employing a package (10;200) containing at least one beverage ingredient, e.g. roast and ground coffee. The machine has a point of entry (16;209) for the package into the machine, a brewing station within the machine at which the package is supplied with an aqueous medium to produce the required beverage, and drive means (24;217, 221, 222) which engage the package at the point of entry and convey the package to the brewing station. The drive means includes a coupling between a drive part (243;226) and a part (30;252) associated with the package, the coupling enabling the drive to the package to be engaged and disengaged and allowing the part associated with the package to move independently of the drive part.

Abstract: A sealed beverage package containing one or more beverage ingredients and being formed from substantially air- and water-impermeable materials, the said package comprising a body portion having a compartment containing the beverage ingredients and a beverage outlet channel formed therein, the beverage outlet channel and the compartment of the body portion containing the beverage ingredients communicating in such a manner that, in use, the said compartment and the outlet channel co-operate to act as a filter during the preparation of a beverage from the package.

Abstract: A nestable container which is constructed so that when formed into a stack the ribs formed in the outer surface of one container rest on an inner shoulder of the container below it in the stack, the angle of inclination of the ribs being the same as the angle of inclination of the inner surface of the side wall portion which it abuts of the container below it in the stack, and the outer surface of one container adjacent to the base engaging the inner surface of the side wall portion of the container below it in the stack to form a powder seal. The cups when nested together to form a stack are freely rotatable one inside the other.

Abstract: A nestable vending-type cup of thermoplastic material comprised of a base having an integral peripheral upstanding wall which together with the base forms a liquid reservoir. The free end of the wall is turned over to form an outwardly and downwardly extending collar which extends circumjacent the upper part of the upwardly extending portion of the wall and is spaced therefrom. The collar is so constructed that when gripped by a user, it remains spaced from the upwardly extending portion of the wall. The collar is provided with strengthening features consisting of an outwardly and downwardly inclined shoulder and indents defined with vertical walls lying in radial planes to increase the rigidity of the collar. The construction of the cup provides a cup which is comfortably and easily held by the user when it contains hot beverages and which is also economic to manufacture.

Abstract: Vending apparatus for dispensing discrete articles stacked one above the other such as a stack of pre-filled cups with dry ingredients for mixing with water to make a beverage. The apparatus includes stationary support rings for supporting a plurality of stacks of articles arranged about a vertical axis. An actuating device is adapted to select an article from a particular stack, and for releasing the lowermost article of the selected stack into a carrier. An indexing drive moves the carrier, if necessary, between a discharge station and a position beneath each stack and then returns the carrier to the discharge station, with the selected article being held in the carrier at least until the carrier reaches the discharge station.

Abstract: This invention provides water supply apparatus having a water reservoir serving two or more nozzles, a pump for pumping the water to the nozzles, a valve for opening and closing a respective nozzle and apparatus for varying the rate of pumping of the pump in accordance with the number of valves which are open.

Abstract: The invention provides a valve for dispensing material from a hopper. The valve comprises a body defining a passage way, a generally L-shaped valve member pivotally mounted to one side of the passageway such that the inner faces of the arms of the valve member can engage respective ones of a pair of spaced back to back valve seats disposed in the passageway so that in use with the downstream of the two arms closing the passageway by engaging the downstream valve seat a charge of material in the hopper can be received between the two arms and dispensed when the valve member is rotated to open the passageway by the downstream arm and subsequently close it by the upstream arm engaging the upstream valve seat, flow through the passageway being substantially obstructed by the upstream arm as the valve member is returend to close the passageway by the downstream arm.

Abstract: This invention provides a container delivery system for vending apparatus for vending containers. The delivery system comprises a container store and dispenser, an arm moveable in to and out of the path of travel of a cup dispensed by the container dispenser for receiving the dispensed container to support it temporarily at an angle to its path of travel and an ingredient dispenser mounted to one side of the container dispenser for dispensing a charge of material into the angled container and a guide to guide the container after it has been released by the arm to a discharge part formed in the body of the vending apparatus.