Abstract: Filter holder having a dish (1) designed to be mounted on an "espresso" coffee machine and having a cup (2) whose bottom wall forms a filtering surface (3) and which is designed to receive a quantity of coffee, the fineness of whose grounds may vary. The dish also has a collection chamber for froth (4) provided between its bottom (10) and the filtering surface (3), and communicating via an exit passage (5) with distribution funnels (6) enabling the infusion to flow out of the dish (1). The cup (2) has structure for partially blocking the filtering surface (3) of the bottom wall of the cup (2), this structure being formed by at least one blocking area (9) arranged in the bottom (10) of the dish (1) and distant from the bottom (10) at a certain level (A).

Abstract: An electric steam iron, tea making machine of coffee making machine contains a supply of water softening agent which is contacted by tap water issuing from a container whereby the volume of the supply of softening agent increases when its water softening capacity is reduced or exhausted. A monitoring device generates signals when the supply of softening agent expands to indicate that a fresh supply must be inserted into the appliance. The supply can be confined in a bellows, and the monitoring device can be designed to generate visible signals in response to detected expansion of the bellows as a result of a reduction or exhaustion of the water softening capacity of the confined supply of softening agent.

Abstract: An adapter having an elastic body with a first inlet for the discharge end of a steam-supplying conduit, a second inlet for the discharge end of an air-supplying pipe, a mixing chamber into which air drawn by pressurized steam which is supplied by the conduit, and an outlet which discharges the mixture of air and steam into a supply of milk to thereby foam the milk so that foamed milk can be used as a topping for regular coffee or espresso coffee. The discharge end of the pipe and/or the discharge end of the conduit is held in the respective inlet exclusively by friction to facilitate ready separation of the body of the adapter. The intake end of the air-supplying pipe carries an elastic cap with one or more channels which supply atmospheric air into the pipe when the conduit supplies pressurized steam. The cap is removed prior to cleaning of the pipe and of the body of the adapter if the body is cleaned jointly with the pipe.

Abstract: An electric steam iron wherein the path for the flow of water from a permanently installed or detachable water tank to the heater contains a supply of water softening agent which can be observed from the exterior of the housing and can be replaced, when necessary, or discarded jointly with an expandible tank or with a perforable envelope or an apertured cartridge.

Abstract: An electric coffee or tea maker wherein a supply of water softening agent is installed in the region of the outlet of a water tank so that the stream of water which is discharged by the tank when the maker is in use is acted upon by the softening agent before it enters the conduit or conduits which convey the stream through an electric heater and thereupon into a receptacle for comminuted coffee beans or tea leaves. This prevents gradual clogging of the conduits with boiler scale. The supply of softening agent can be replenished or replaced. This is determined by looking through an observation window so as to ascertain the color of the softening agent. The color is indicative of the condition of the softening agent, i.e., whether or not the softening agent is still capable of performing its water-softening function.

Abstract: An espresso machine wherein a steam supplying first conduit is separably coupled to a second conduit having an air admitting inlet and an air discharging outlet. When the first conduit admits steam into the second conduit between the inlet and the outlet, such steam draws atmospheric air by way of the inlet and the resulting steam-air mixture is discharged by way of the outlet to frothe milk in a vessel into which the outlet of the second conduit extends. The rate of admission of air into the inlet of the second conduit is regulated by a valving element which is mounted on the second conduit and can be rotated by a handle so as to move a hole of the valving element relative to the inlet and to thus alter the cross-sectional area of the path for the flow of air into the second conduit. If the inlet of the second conduit is completely sealed from the atmosphere, the outlet discharges only steam which can be used to heat cups prior to pouring of espresso coffee.

Abstract: An espresso machine with an attachment for the making of cappuccino wherein the attachment has a pipe with an open air admitting inlet at its upper end and an open air discharging outlet at its lower end. The steam conduit of the espresso machine has an orifice for steam at its lower end, and the outlet of the pipe is positioned in such a way that steam issuing from the orifice draws air into the pipe and out by way of the outlet to mix with steam and to froth a quantity of milk when the resulting mixture is admitted into a body of milk in a cup or another vessel. The pipe can be a separately produced part which is separably and adjustably or integrally connected to the conduit. It is also possible to provide the conduit with an integral portion which serves as an air supplying pipe and to provide a coupling to separably connect the upper end of the conduit to the source of steam.

Abstract: A food processor wherein the output member of the prime mover extends vertically upwardly into a removable bowl and drives a rotary torque transmitting member having at its upper end a set of teeth arranged to mate with the teeth of a gear provided in a rotary juice extractor which is installed in a receptacle on top of the bowl. The torque transmitting member is a single-purpose part or it can constitute an adapter with additional external teeth arranged to drive a tool at a level below a cover which replaces the receptacle or a tool at a level directly or closely above the bottom portion of the bowl. The receptacle has a perforated bottom wall which permits juice to descend into the bowl, and the juice extractor rotates in the receptacle about an axis which is parallel to and remote from the axis of the torque transmitting member.

Abstract: The holder for a filter which contains a supply of comminuted coffee beans in an espresso coffee brewing apparatus is separably connectable to the housing of the apparatus by a bayonet lock connection and is separably connected with the filter by a coupling or detent of the type having cooperating male and female elements with the male elements provided on the holder and the female elements provided on the filter or vice versa. The filter is provided with arms for retaining the remnants of the supply of comminuted coffee beans therein.