1928 Ethelred Willson's Improved Automatic Tea Maker

Ethelred Alfred Willson applied for a patent for ‘Improvements in Automatic Means for Heating Water, Making Tea and the Like’ on 1st Oct 1928, and it was published on 1st Jan 1930.

1. 1 Apparatus controlled by clock or other timing mechanism for use in heating liquid wherein the supply and maintenance of combustible fuel to the apparatus is controlled by the action of associated electro magnet armatures adapted to co-operate in such manner that one arnature acts to open a fuel supply valve the other electro magnet armature moving into position to lock the associated armaIture and thus maintain the fuel valve open.

2. 2 Apparatus controlled by clock or other timing mechanism for use in heating liquid wherein the supply and maintenance of heating medium to the said apparatus is controlled by the interaction of two electro magnets associated with a fuel supply valve and is cut off as the result of the depression of a receptacle positioned and adapted to receive the heated liquid the weight of which combined with the weight of the receptacle effects the depression of the latter.

3. 3 Apparatus according to Claim ‘ wherein the depression of the receptacle as the result of the receipt therein of the heated liquid closes an electric circuit to effect energisation of one electro magnet which operates its armature and thereby k’eleases the associated valve operating armature to permit of the fuel supply valve closing.

4. 4 An apparatus for use in heating liquid making tea, coffee, cocoa and other like purposes wherein the apparatus is provided with a heating device controlled by a valve or switch which is opened or closed respectively by the lever armature of an actuating electro magnet, the coil of the latter being connected in a circuit with a contact fitted to a clock or other timing device and a battery or other suitable source of electric power, closure or opening of the said valve or switch respectively being effected by a release electro magnet.