Brewing system for liquids such as coffee
A beverage steeping apparatus utilizing a vessel having a chamber. A screen unit having three layers is employed to hold essence containing substances for the purpose of brewing beverages. A water dispersing element delivers water to the screen units within the vessel chamber. The steeped beverages are pumped to a storage unit for use.
1 . A beverage steeping apparatus employing water and an essence containing substance to produce a steeped liquid, comprising:
a vessel, said vessel comprising an air chamber and an air entry to said chamber;
a screen unit, said screen unit being capable of supporting said substance for contact with water for extraction of an essence, said screen unit being positioned in said chamber of said vessel;
said screen unit comprising a first screen layer formed of a woven screen, said first screen layer configured to hold the essence containing substance and to allow steeped liquid to move downwardly and at least partially in a generally horizontal direction along said first screen layer;
said screen unit further comprising a second screen layer located completely beneath said woven screen of said first screen layer, said mesh size of said second screen layer being finer than said mesh size of said woven screen of said first screen layer, said second screen layer being configured to allow passage of said steeped liquid;
said screen unit further comprising a third screen layer lying completely below said second screen layer, said third screen layer being a woven screen of a coarser mesh size than said second screen layer, said third screen layer being configured to allow passage of said steeped liquid to travel downwardly and at least partially in a lateral direction along said third screen layer relative to said downward pressure, said first, second, and third screen layers being unconnected to one another and said first woven screen layer being separated from said third screen layer;
said vessel further comprising a perforated false bottom beneath said third screen layer and a bottom beneath said false bottom;
said vessel further comprising a sump tank beneath said bottom;
a water dispersing element for delivering water to said vessel unit in said chamber at a level above said essence containing substance supported on said first screen layer, and continuously moving water downwardly through said screen unit, said water dispersing element comprising a perforated dispersion plate, receiving water from a water inlet and through a valve;
a water level controller for maintaining a certain height of water above said entire screen unit and creating a head of water exerting downward pressure upon the essence containing substance supported on said first screen layer, said screen unit further configured to allow the steeped liquid to travel downwardly through said screen unit and at least partially in a lateral direction along said first screen layer of said screen unit, relative to said downward head pressure of said water exerted upon the essence containing substance supported on said first screen layer, said water level controller having a sensor and a control valve operated by a programmable logic controller; and said downward movement of said steeped liquid via said screen unit continuously passing through said false bottom, simultaneously with said continuous moving of water through said screen unit to said bottom of said vessel, and to said sump tank beneath said bottom of said vessel;
said vessel further comprising a pivoting element to tilt said vessel.
2 . The apparatus of claim 1 in which said mesh size of said first screen layer size ranges between 10 and 20 mesh.
3 . The apparatus of claim 2 in which said second screen layer size ranges between 35 and 80 mesh.
4 . The device of claim 1 , which additionally comprises a lid for said vessel, said lid being rotatable towards and away from said entry to said chamber.
5 . The apparatus of claim 1 in which said second screen layer size ranges between 35 and 80 mesh.