On Sept. 5, 1938, Achille filed the patent no. 365726 for "Lampo". This disruptive mechanism used hot water pressure instead of steam and prepared a delicious espresso, characterized by a soft layer of "crema naturale". A true revolution! This moment marks the beginning of the modern era of espresso.
In 1947 Achille Gaggia registered his second patent, for a lever-piston brewing mechanism. The legend says that this idea came up to his mind after seeing the piston engine of an American Army's jeep that used a hydraulic system. The new patent implied a spring, loaded by a lever, that pushed the piston through the filter: in this way hot water at high pressure passed through ground coffee, extracting all its marvelous aromas. The barista could obtain a creamy and flavorful espresso in just 25-30 seconds, and the mass production of the patent was just around the corner…
1968 Design and research on materials became every day more important, and Gaggia started collaborating with designers, experimenting lines and combinations. The first project of this kind is "Tel 70", created with Giuseppe de Gotzen. It was available in different colors, with a die-cast Silumin bodywork, a horizontal heat exchanger and two shells crossed by a neon tube. Another collaboration with de Gotzen was for "Modello 80" launched in 1975.
