1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a coffee brewing apparatus, and more particularly to a pour-over type apparatus for brewing coffee by the disposable filter method, which apparatus is specifically adapted for mounting beneath a cabinet or shelf.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One type of coffee-brewing apparatus, representative of the prior art, is designed to have no permanent plumbing connections for its water supply and involves the manual pouring of a selected charge of cold water into the brewing apparatus to cause the discharge of a like amount of hot water. This device utilizes a water reservoir wherein the measured quantity of poured cold water displaces part of an existing pre-heated supply. This fresh charge of cold water will require some time to reach the proper brewing temperature. Thus, some delays in the brewing process will occur. This is particularly disadvantageous where consecutive pots of coffee are desired.
A method of brewing consecutive pots of coffee without relatively long delays is by directly heating the input water supply. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,347,149 discloses a brewing apparatus having a horizontal tank connected to a cold tap water supply by means of an inlet valve. By automatically controlling the valve, a predetermined amount of water is supplied to the tank for direct heating. Discharge occurs by means of a temperature activated switch. The cumbersome plumbing connections associated with this device are obviously its greatest disadvantage. These connections also add to the cost of fabricating the device as well as prohibit its installation in areas remote from standard water distribution systems.
Another type of apparatus as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,693,535 also utilizes a direct heating method and, like the present invention, requires no displacement of a preheated supply. While this particular type also eliminates the need for a residual water reservoir, its fabrication and operation are overly complex. By means of a sophisticated flow valve, an amount of water passed to a heater unit from an inlet reservoir is controlled so as to obtain maximum heat transfer. A series of baffles, arranged in the heater unit also aid in the control of the water temperature prior to discharge. The amount of control that the heated water is subjected to during the heating process makes this apparatus unduly susceptible to maintenance problems. The sophisticated design of this apparatus will clearly involve substantial fabrication costs.
The present invention overcomes these disadvantages by providing a coffee-brewer which is simple, inexpensive and will provide fast yet efficient service. By employing a novel means for rapid heating and discharge of water into a brewing vessel, the problem of maintaining a charge of preheated water in a reservoir is eliminated. Furthermore, because of its simple design, the apparatus can be inexpensively produced and sold at a modest price. The device also lends itself to easy installation and use, not only in the home or office, but in areas remote from permanent plumbing connections, such as trailers, boats and campers.