Abstract: A beverage maker is provided that allows a user to make a brewed beverage or dispense hot water. Various sealing and latching mechanisms are further provided for effectively sealing the brewing chamber under pressure. A mechanism is provided for reducing splashing when relatively short vessels are positioned beneath the brewing chamber.

Abstract: A child safety barrier is disclosed, including a receptacle assembly rigidly mountable to a structural element on one side of a passageway, a gate comprising a latch housing, the gate being mountable to a structural element on an opposite side of the passageway and positionable to span across the passageway, a retractable plunger assembly disposed at least partially within the latch housing and extendable from the latch housing to engage the receptacle assembly and retain the gate in a closed position, and a knob exposed at a surface of the latch housing for manipulation by an operator, the knob being movable in a first sense to a first position and movable from the first position in a second sense to cause the plunger assembly to retract from the receptacle assembly to release the gate for opening.