CA1224763A - Method and apparatus for making a carbonated beverage - Google Patents

Abstract

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING A CARBONATED BEVERAGE

ABSTRACT

A thermo-insulated vessel is provided with a plurality of sealed inserts containing a freezable sub-stance adapted to cool a liquid stored in said vessel.
The vessel is also provided with means to carbonate the liquid and to dispense the carbonated liquid upon demand.

Description

`` :lZ~4763 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING A CARBONATED BEVER~GE

BACKGROUN~

This invention relates to improvements in domestic dispensers of carbonated beverages which are easily transportable from place to place and are also suitable for use away from home such as on trips, picnics, or vacation.
Based on figures published in ~ g@, the consumption of carbonated bPverages has increased from approximately 12 ounces per capita in 1849 to over 5000 ounces per capita in 1981. So-called soft drinks now enjoy approximately 40% of the beverage market compared with the next most popular beverage, coffee, which has about a thirty percent share of the market. All other beverages, including milk, beer, wine, distilled spirits, juices, and bottled water, account for the remaining thirty percent of the market.
As a consequence, there is a trend to package soft drinks in ever increasingly larger containers. At the present time, two-liter plastic bottles are very popular.
However, if the contents are not consumed over a relatively short period of time, the carbonation fairly quickly dissipates, resulting in a flat, unappetizing tasting beverage. Further, handling, transportation, storing, and disposal of two-liter bottles is awkward and burdensome.
The only present viable alternative for a quality beverage is a smaller container, such as 10-ounce D

lZZ4763 and 12-ounce six-packs. However, these sizes of contain-~ers are relatively more expensive and otherwise present the ame problems as the two-liter bottles.
It is therefore an impo~tant object of the pres-ent invention to overcome the foregoing and other disad-vantages of presently available soft drink containers by providing a do-it-yourself soft drink making device in which ~oft drinks of any flavor may be mixed, carbonated, chilled, stored, and dispensed at will over a long period of time without loss of flavor or carbonization.
It i8 another object of the present invention to provide a soft drink making device in which carbonated beverages can be made in the home at a fraction of the cost of similar commercially packed soft drin~s.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide pre-measuIed containers of flavoring syrups the contents of which can be mixed with a predetermined measure of water in the inventive vessel to consistently provide soft drinks of uniformly high quality.
Another object of the invention is to provide a soft drink making device which the average person can learn to use by following a few easily understood in-structionfi.
Another object of the invention is to provide a soft drink making device so inexpensive that with average use. the purchase price of the device can be recovered in a shoIt period of time.
Another important ob~ect of the invention is to provide a two-piece soft drink making device comprising a charging and dispensing top and a mixing. cooling. and storage vessel which can be easily assembled and disas-sembled for mixing or cleaning purposes.
_ Another object o~ the invention is to provide an easily accessible carbon diox~de pressure capsule ` 1224763 compartment in the top of the device, t~e closing of which automatically charges the vessel with carbon dioxide gas.
A further important object of the invention is the provision of simple, easily maintained charging, miY-ing, and di~pensing mechanisms interconnected by internal pa~sageway6 to conduct the flow of liquid therethrough under the control of si~ple valve means.
A still further important object of the inven-tion is to provide an inexpensive, efficiently designed device which, from a construction, assembly, operational and aesthetic perspective, is ideally suited for domestic use.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a device having hand-operable dispensing con-trols which are convenient to user operation.
These and other objects and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following specification, drawings, and claims, in which:
FIG. 1 is an elevational view in section of a preferred embodiment of the invention;
FIG. Z is an enlarged, fragmentary, detailed view in section of the carbon dioxide capsule charging valve shown in FIG. 1:
FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detailed view of the pressure indicator shown in FIG. l;
FIG. 4 i~ an enlarged, fragmentary, detailed view, partially in section, of the dispensing valve shown in FIG. 1:
FI&. 5 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 1, showing a second embodiment of the invention:
FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the embodi~ent shown in FIG. S:

~224763 FI~. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7-7 in FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is an enlarged, fragmenta~y, detailed view in section of the carbon dioxide capsule charging valve ~hown in FIG. 5; and FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view on a reduced scale of the embodiment of FIG. 5.
Referrin~ to the drawings in greater detail, and in particular to FIG. 1, there is shown in elevational full section a preferred embodiment of the assembled invention 10 comprising a top 12 and a mixing and storage container 14. The top includes a carrying handle 16, a carbon dioxide capsule chamber 1~, a charging check valve assembly 20, a pressure indicator 22, a dispensing valve 24, and a dispensing nozzle 26. An internally threaded collar 28 extends downwardly from the underside of the top 12 to threadedly connect with an externally threaded neck portion 30 projecting upwardly from an internal ves-sel 32. An O-ring 2g provides a pressure tight seal between collar 28 and neck 30. Collar 28 has a horizo-ntal cap 34 containing a port 36 about which a depending collar 38 is concentrically positioned to receive the upper end of a carbon dioxide charging and dispensing tube 40. A hollow cylinder 42 is sized to fit snugly within the neck 30 of vessel 32. A bead 43 at the upper end of cylinder 42 is provided to rest on the upper rim of the neck 30 to position the cylinder 42 concentrically vertically within the vessel 32. The vessel 32 is bottle-shaped to provide a concentric air ~pace between the vessel 32 and the cylinder 42. The walls and bottoms of the container 14 and the vessel 32 are also concentri-cally spaced apart to provide space for insulation 44.
At the upper portion of the container additional space is provided between the insulation 44 and the vessel 32 for a plurality of vessel chilling cartridges 46. The cart-ridges have tabs 48 for ease of insertion and removal.

lZ2'~763 Carbon dioxide cap~ule chamber 18 is threa~ed on its open end to receive threadea cap S0 thereon. By in6erting a capsule 52 in chamber 18 and threaaing cap 50 onto the open end of chamber 18, a necked end 54 of cap-sule 52 is sealed by 0-ring 56 (Figure 2) and pierced by needle 58. 0-ring 56 i~ carried in an interr.al groo~e 6 machined in a threaded adapter 62. Adapter 62 is thread-ed into a charging valve chamber 64. The righ~ end of adapter 62 is counterbored to form a chamber 63 for receiving the neck 54 of capsule 52 in sealing contact with 0-ring 56. The left side of adapter 62 is counter-bored and threaded to form a chamber or bore 65 for receiving a threaded sleeve 66 containing a ~pring 68 and ball 70. The ball i8 urged by spring 68 against a ball seat 72 formed in a base block 74 of needle 58. A parti-tion 76 divides chambers 63 and 65, which are joined by a hole 78 to permit needle 58 to enter chamber 63. Blow-by between chambers 63 and 65 is prevented by 0-ring 80 positioned concentrically over needle 58 and between ba~e block 74 and partition 76. When the neck 54 of a carbon dioxide cartridge is pierced by needle 58, the pressure of the gas released from capsule 52 forces ball 70 away from its seat 72 by compressing spring 68, carbon dioxide gas is thus permitted to pass through port 36 into charg-ing and dispensing tube 40 and thence into the lower end of vessel 32.
Reference is now made to FIG. 3, wherein is shown the pressure indicator 22. This device comprises an adapter sleeve 80 threadedly secured into a boss 23 of cap 12 to contain a plunger 82 urged downwardly by spring 84. An 0-ring 86 provides a seal between plunger 8Z and the internal wall 88 of sleeve 80~ When the neck 54 of the carbon dioxide capsule 52 is pierced, the escaping gas forces the plunger 82 upwardly. indicating to the use~ that the cartridge was properly charged and that it lZZ~763 was properly pierced to release its charged carbon dioxide into the vessel 32.
Reference is now made to FIG. 4, showing the dispensing valve mechanism 24. After the liquid in the vessel 32 has been charged, it may be selectively di~-pensed in measured amounts by pushing down on plunger cap 90 which depresses plunger 92. Plunger 92 is housed in a threaded adapter sleeve 94 threadedly secured in up~tand-ing threaded boss 96 of cap 12. An O-ring 98 provides a pres6ure seal between plunger 92 and adapter sleeve 94.
~n 0-ring 100 seals between the upper portions of adapter sleeve 94 and boss 96. An 0-ring 102 seals the lower portions of adapter sleeve 94 and a well wall 104 integ-rally formed in cap 12. A ~ealing flange 106 is thread-edly secured to the lower end of plungeL 92 to contain O-ring 108 which makes sealing contact between the lower end of plunger 92 and the lower periphery 110 of adapter sleeve 94. O-ring 108 is urged upwardly in sealing engagement with adapter sleeve periphery 110 by ~pring 112. ~hen plunger 92 is depressed, 0-ring 108 i~ lowered out of sealing engagement with periphery 110, thereby placing charging valve chamber port 114 in communication with well port 116 and orifice 118 (FIG. 1) of dispensing nozzle 26.
Referring to FIGS. 5-8. a second embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. For purposes of convenience. structural aspect6 of this emb~diment which substantially correspond with those described above in respect to the first embodiment are not discussed in detail hereinaftec.
With particular reference to FIGS. 5 and 6.
there is shown a soft drink making device 200. including a top 202 and a mixing and storage container 204. The top includes a carrying handle 206 having a selector mem-ber 208 pivotally mounted thereto~

lZZ4763 -RefeeLing to FI~S. 6 and 7, the carrying handle 206 is an integrally fo~med part of the top 202 and the selector member 208 i~ pivotally mounted to the handle by a pin 209. The selector member 208 is ~hown in solid-line in it6 storage po~ition within an upwardly opening rece~s 206a in the handle 206, and the selector i6 ~ho~n in phantom outline in itfi operating position projecting upwardly from the handle.
The fielector member 208 includes a bulbou~ en-largement at the distal end 208a thereof remote from the pin 209. In the ~torage po~ition, the fielector member ~upplements the crofis-sectional configuration and appac-ent bulk of the handle 206 to provide a comfortabl~
sturdy-feeling grip for the user. Further, the selector member i~ dime,nsioned to extend filightly rearwardly fro~
the grooYe 206a in the handle 206. The selector membe~
al~o includefi an aperture or opening 211 and a clearance bend 213.
The remaining majoc elements of the top 202 include a carbon dioxide capsule chamber 210, a cha~ging check valve assembly 212, a pressure indicator 214, a dispensing valve 216, and a dispensing nozzle 218.
An internally threaded collar 220 extends down-wardly from the top 202 for threaded connection with an externally threaded neck portion 222 projecting upwardly from an internal ve~el 224. The collar 220 includefi a horizontal cap or end wall 226 containing a port 228 which communicates with the upper end of a carbon dioxide charging and dispensing tube 230. A hollow cylinder 232 extendfi downwardly into the neck 222 of the vessel 224.
The vessel 224 is shaped to provide a concentric air space between the vessel and the hollow cylinder 232. Insulation 234 is provided intermediate the adja-cent wallfi of the vessel 224 and the container 2Q4.
Adjacent the lower portion of the container 204. a i plurality of pockets or compartments 235 (~nly one being ;,shown) are provided between the insulation 234 and the vessel 224 for receiving vessel chilling cartridges 236.
Referring to FIGS. 5 and 9, a rotatable closuce 238 is provided at the bottom of the mixing and storage container 204 for allowing insertion of cartridges 236 into the compartments 235. The closure 238 includes a central rib handle 239 and a pair of openings 238a and 238b. The closure 238 is rotatable to a cartridge load-ing aRd unloading position with the opening6 238a and 238b being in registry with the open ends of the compart-ments 235. As shown in FIG. 5, an upper su~face of the closure 238 retains the loaded cartridges 236 in the com-partments 235 when the closure 238 is moved to the illus-trated closed posi~ion.
The carbon dioxide capsule chamber 210 is closed by means of a threaded cap 240, as most clearly shown in FIGS. 5 and 8. A carbon dioxide capsule 242 is inserted into the chamber 210 and an elastomeric valve seal member 244 forms a seal with the necked end of the capsule 242 a6 the capsule i8 pierced by needle 246. The needle 246 is mounted within a threaded adapter or valve body 248 which extends into a charging valve chamber 250 formed in the top 202.
Referring to FIG. 8, the adapter 248 includes an internal bo~e 252 which communicates with the passage of the needle 246 and terminates at an exhaust port 254.
The opening of the exhaust port 254 into the chamber 25Q
is opened and closed by an elastomeric valve member 256.
The membe~ 256 has an annular configuration, and it is received within a groove 258 in the adapter 248. The member 256 i~ normally tensioned acrosfi the opening of the exhaust port 254 to close the port. As discussed below in greater detail, the carbon dioxide pressure within a connected capsule will extend the member 256 to lZ24763 allow the carbon dioxlde charge of the capsule to pas~
,into the chamber Z50.
The pressure indicator 214 i~ identical in structure and operation with the indicator 22 described above. The indicator 214 is visible through the apertuce 211 and aligned opening 215 in the handle 206 when viewed from the top of the device a~ shown in FIG. 6.
The dispensing valve 216 i~ ~imilar in structure and operation with the dispensing valve 24 described above. However, the structure and operation of the valve 216 are briefly described hereinafter for purposes of further clarifying the subsequent description of the operation of the selector member 208.
The dispensing valve 216 is operated by depress-ing an external plunger cap or button 260, which in tucn displaces the plunger 262. The plunger 262 i8 mounted within a threaded ~leeve adapter 264, and its displace-ment is resisted by a spring 266 which serves to normally biafi the valve 216 to a closed position. Upon depression of the plunger button 260 and plunger 262, a charging valve chamber port 268, which communicate~ with the cham-ber 250, is placed in communication with a well port 270 and orifice 272 of the dispen6ing nozzle 218.

OPeration of the Mechanism Reference is made to FIG. 1. The container cap 12 is unscrewed from container neck 30. With the filler cylinder 42 in position, a pre-measured amount of syrup i8 poured down this cylinder . Pre-chilled water is then poured down the cylinder, and as the water fills in tbe lower end of the vessel 32, air is compre~sed between the ~2247~3 '` 10 inner wall of the vessel 32 and the outer wall of the cylinder 42. When the level of the water reaches the lower edge 120 of cylinder 42, the air is trapped between the vessel 32 and cylinder 42. Tha u~er continues ~o add water until the cylinder 42 is filled, further compress-ing the air between ves~el 32 and cylinder 42. Pre-frozen cartridges 46 are then inserted in the spaces pro-vided between the container insulation 44 and the outer wall of vessel 32. Cap 12 is then replaced on the vessel neck 30. A carbon dioxide capsule 52 i8 inserted in chamber 18 and cap 50 is screwed on to urge the capsule into piercing contact with needle 58 (Figure 2). Carbon dioxide gas passes down tube 40 to carbonate the ~ix of syrup and chilled water in vessel 32. The vessel i8 now charged. This is indicated by the pressure indicator 22, which has been forced into its up position by the pres-sure of tpe carbon dioxide charge. The carbonated bever-age is now ready for consumption. Plunger cap 90 (Figure 1) is depressed to open nozzle orifice 118 to the inter-ior of vessel 32. The pressure in vessel 32 forces the beverage up tube 40, through chamber 64, port 114, around plunger valve 92, through port 116, and finally through orifice 118 of nozzle 26 into a drinking cup. Once a desired amount of beverage has been dispensed, plunger cap 90 is released, the sy~tem re-~eals, and the carbona-tion of the beverage is maintained.
The embodiment of FIGS. ~-8 operates in substan-tially the same manner as described above with respect to the first emboaiment~ Thus. the common features of the filling and dispensing operations with respect to the second embodiment are not described herein. However, the further advantages in the filling and dispensing opera-tions in accordance with the ~econd embodiment are dis-cussed below.

12Z~763 The cart~idges 236 are bottom loaded into the device by simply rotating the clo~ure 238 to place the openings 238a and 238b into regi~try with the compart-ments 235. After the cartridges have been inserted into the compartments, the closure is rotated out of registry and the cartridges are retained in the compartments by the adjacent upper surface of the clo~ure 238.
As indicated above, the charging valve as~embly 212 of the second embodiment includes an elastomeric valve member 256 which provides the check valve func-tion. More particularly, the insertion of the capsule 242 and puncture thereof with needle 246 re~ults in the filling and pressurization with carbon dioxide of the bore 252 and exhaust port 254. The pre~sure o~ the carbon dioxide i~ sufficient to displace the elastomeric member 256 from its sealing po~ition across the opening of the port 254. Accordingly, the charge of carbon dioxide enters the charging valve chamber 250 and passes downwardly through the tube 230 for purposes of carbonat-ing and pressurizing the liquid charge within the vessel 224. The member 256 is arranged to return to its norm~l-ly sealed po~ition across the opening of the port 254 due to its resiliency once the carbon dioxide charge of the capsule 242 has been received within the device 200.
For purposes of di~pensing soft drink from the device 200, the plunger cap or button 260 may be de-pressed, as in the device of the first embodiment.
Alternatively, it may be more convenient to move the selector member 208 to its operating position engaging the plunger cap 260, as shown in phantom outline in FIG.
5. For example, a user may simply grasp the distal end 208a and pivot the selector 208 about the pin 209~ A~
shown in FIG. 5, the adjacent ed~e of the plunger cap 260 i5 received withi~ the opening 211 and the clearance bend 213 in order to reduce the lateral loading o~ the cap 260 lZZ476~

and the plunger 262 as the selector member 208 i~ pivoted about the pin 209 and used a~ a lever to operate the plunger cap 260.
In its operating position, the selector 208 projects from the carrying handle 206 in an angula~
orientation adjacent to and above the dispen6ing nozzle 218. Thu~, the selector and dispensing nozzle are both adjacent to a user standing at the front of the device, i.e., to the left of the device as shown in FIG. 5. This is particularly advantageous when the device is posi-tioned on a countertop and/or below cabinets so as to make it inconvenient to directly operate the plunger,cap 260 and manipulate the glass or vessel to be filled,with soft dcink.
The preferred beverage capacity of the vessel is about two liteLs, which is comparable to the two-liter plasic soft drink bottles now available in beverage stores. However, a special six-pack of pre-measured syrup, to be made available and distributed by She inventor, sufficient to make twelve liters of beverage, is no more difficult to transport than a single two-liter bottle of commercially bottled beverage. Simultaneously, storage and disposal requirements are reduced to one-sixth of the space required for a comparable number of two-liter bottles. At present costs, soft drinks can be prepared in the subject invention for approximately one cent per ounce, compared to about three to four cents per ounce for commercially bottled soft drinks.
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been made for illustra-tive purposes, since modifications will occur to those skilled in the art which may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.
.,

Claims (27)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR
PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. In a vessel having a closable opening, an air pocket and a valve having open and closed positions in sealed communication with said vessel, the method of making and dispensing carbonated soft drinks comprising the steps of:
(a) charging a pre-measured amount of syrup into said vessel through said opening;
(b) charging a sufficient quantity of water into said vessel through said opening to compress air in said air pocket;
(c) closing said opening;
(d) closing said valve;
(e) charging a pre-measured amount of carbon dioxide into said mixture of syrup and water;
(f) mixing said syrup, water, and carbon dioxide to pressurize said mixture;
(q) chilling said mixture;
(h) packing said vessel with a chilling sub-stance; and (i) selectively opening said valve to permit said pressurized mixture to pass out of said vessel.

2. The method of claim 1. including the step of directing said carbon dioxide to the bottom of said vessel prior to mixing with said mixture of syrup and water.

3. A liquid carbonating and dispensing device comprising: a vessel having an air chamber; a removable cap securable to said vessel in communication with the interior of said vessel; means to pour liquid into said vessel to compress air in said air chamber when said cap is removed;
means to pass carbon dioxide through said cap into the vessel when said cap is secured to said vessel; valve means having open and closed positions in said cap and in association with a dispensing nozzle; wherein the valve means includes an adapter sleeve mounted in the cap and a plunger reciprocally slidably mounted within said adapter sleeve for opening and closing said valve means; spring means for biasing the plunger into the closed position, means to pass carbonated liquid out of said vessel and through said dispensing nozzle responsive to said valve means being in the open position; wherein the means to pass carbonated liquid out of the vessel and through the dispensing nozzle when the valve means is in the open position includes inlet and outlet ports communicating with an annular chamber formed between the plunger and adapter sleeve; said chamber having first and second ends with said first end being selectively open and closed by the plunger for permitting the carbon dioxide and carbonated liquid to pass out of the vessel and through the dispensing nozzle.

4. The device of Claim 3, including external control means for a user of the device to manually operate said valve means between said open and closed positions, said control means including a hand-manipulable selector member movable to an operating position for engaging said control means.

5. The device of Claim 4, wherein said selector means is movable between said operating position and a storage position disengaged from said control means.

6. The device of Claim 5, wherein said cap includes a recess for receiving said selector member in said storage position and said selector member projects from said cap in said operating position.

7. A beverage carbonating and dispensing device comprising:
a) an insulated bottle having a mouth;
b) a removable cap adapted to make a pressure-sealed engagement with said mouth;
c) a hollow cylinder adapted to fit concentrically within said mouth and to extend downwardly into said bottle to form an air chamber beneath the mouth of said bottle;
d) a check valve chamber located within said cap; a CO2 capsule chamber formed adjacent to said check valve chamber and a charging valve chamber; said check valve chamber connected to said charging valve chamber;
e) an imperforate tube positioned concentric with said hollow cylinder having an upper end extending into said cap chamber and sealed thereto, and a lower end adjacent the bottom of said bottle;
f) means to house a CO2 cartridge in one end of said CO2 chamber, a combination charging and dispensing tube secured at one end to said charging valve chamber and extending into said bottle with its opposite end adjacent the lower end of said bottle, the other end of said charging valve chamber open to the atmosphere; and g) means to pierce said CO2 cartridge to permit flow of CO2 gas into said check valve chamber and through said tube to discharge into the bottom of said bottle; whereby upon removal of said cap liquid may be poured through the mouth of said bottle until said air space has been pressurized, whereby upon engagement of said cap to the mouth of said bottle said CO2cartridge may be pierced to permit pressurized CO2 gas to flow downwardly through said imperforate tube and to discharge into the the bottom of said liquid filled bottle, and whereby said CO2gas percolates upwardly through said liquid to carbonate said liquid.

8. The device of Claim 7, wherein said bottle is provided with an outer jacket to secure insulation about said bottle; a chamber formed between said insulation and said bottle with an entrance through the bottom of said jacket; means to open and close said entrance; and a sealed cartridge pre-charged with a freezable gel formed to fit snugly within said chamber and in surface-to-surface contact with said bottle.

9. The device of Claim 8, wherein the cross sections of said chamber and said cartridge are crescent-shaped to conform to the curvature of said bottle;
and said means to open and to close said entrance comprises a rotatable disc having a crescent-shaped opening conforming to the crescent shape of said chamber and means to rotate said rotatable disc into and out of registry with said chamber entrance.

10. The device of Claim 9, wherein said cap is provided with an upstanding U-shaped carrying handle and an extension of said dispensing valve means projecting through a sealed opening in the top of the cap; means to resiliently urge said dispensing valve means upwardly into a closed position whereby said dispensing valve means may be shifted to an open position by manual pressure exerted downwardly on said dispensing valve means extension; and alternative means to shift said dispensing valve means into the open position comprising a central longitudinal top portion insert of said carrying handle embedded in a longitudinal trough in the top of said handle, the front end of said insert being pivoted to permit said insert to rotate forwardly to rest on the top of said extension and to extend therebeyond to provide mechanical leverage against the top of said extension.

11. In a carbonated beverage making and dispensing mechanism having a beverage containing body with a necked-in top opening and a dispensing cap removably securable to said necked-in opening and having a dispensing nozzle projecting therefrom, the improvement comprising: a vertical passageway in said cap open at the top; a manual actuating plunger received within said passageway and having an upper end substantially flush with the top surface of said cap, said passageway and said plunger being positioned immediately adjacent said dispensing nozzle; a lever having one end inward from said plunger and pivotally fixed to said cap and a free end remote from said cap, whereby said lever may be pivoted forwardly to overlap said plunger and to project over and in alignment with said dispensing nozzle and whereby downward pressure on the free end of said lever in said forward position will actuate said plunger, wherein said cap includes a U-shaped handle having front and back legs and a horizontal bridge therebetween, said handle being in longitudinal alignment with said dispensing nozzle; said vertical passageway extending upwardly in said front leg and said lever being recessed in a U-shaped trough in said horizontal bridge, and wherein said lever fills said U-shaped trough so that the top surface of said lever is in the same horizontal plane as the top edges of said U-shaped trough.

12. A liquid carbonating and dispensing mechanism comprising a bottle-shaped vessel having a necked-in opening; a hollow cylinder freely fitted within said necked opening and extending into said vessel to define an air space between said cylinder and the interior surface of said vessel, a cap removably securable to said vessel necked-in opening, a combination charging and dispensing tube secured to said cap and extending into said vessel, a first chamber in said cap to house a carbon dioxide capsule, a second chamber in said cap in communication with said first chamber and with said combination charging and dispensing tube, a third chamber in said cap in communication with said second chamber, a dispensing nozzle in said cap in communication with said third chamber; said vessel being in communication with said second chamber; valve means in said third chamber adapted to open and to close communication between said dispensing nozzle and said third chamber; and means to release the gas from said carbon dioxide capsule, whereby carbon dioxide gas will flow into said vessel or out of said dispensing nozzle depending on the position of said valve means.

13. The device of Claim 12, including a tube connecting said second chamber to the bottom portion of said vessel and a liquid in said vessel filled to the lower end of said cylinder to trap and compress air between said cylinder and the interior surface of said vessel, whereby said carbon dioxide gas will enter said vessel and carbonate said liquid when said third chamber valve is in the closed position, and whereby said carbonated liquid will be forced up said tube and out of said dispensing nozzle when said valve is in the open position.

14. The device of claim 12, including an outer container enclosing said vessel, insulation between said outer container and said vessel, a pocket between said insulation and said vessel, and a cartridge containing a freezeable substance removeably receivable within said pocket.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein said pocket is located adjacent a lower portion of said vessel and a rotatable member is provided for opening and closing said pocket.

16. The device of claim 12, including external control means for a user of the device to operate said valve means between said open and closed positions, said control means including a hand-manipulable selector mem-ber movable to an operating position for engaging said control means.

17. The device of claim 12, wherein said means to release the gas include needle means to puncture said capsule and check valve means to allow carbon dioxide flow out of said capsule and restrict reverse flow into said capsule, said check valve means including an exhaust port having an opening normally closed by an elastomeric member tensioned against said opening.

18. A liquid carbonating and dispensing device comprising a container; a vessel within said container;
insulation between said container and said vessel; at least one pocket between said insulation and said vessel to insert cartridge means filled with a freezeable sub-stance; an opening at the upper end of said vessel; a hollow cylinder freely fitted within said opening to pro-ject concentrically downwardly within said vessel to form an air pocket between the outer surface of said cylinder and the inner surface of said vessel; a cap removably se-curable to the upper end of said vessel; a carbon dioxide capsule chamber formed in said cap; a check valve chamber formed in said cap adjacent said capsule chamber; a par-tition between said chambers having an opening there-through; needle and check valve means in said check valve chamber with said needle projecting through said parti-tion opening and into said capsule chamber; means to urge said capsule against said needle to pierce said capsule;
a first port in said check valve chamber; a combination charging and dispensing tube secured at one end to said first port and extending into said vessel with its oppo-site end adjacent the lower end of said vessel; a dispen-sing valve chamber formed in said cap; a dispensing valve in said dispensing valve chamber; a second port in said check valve chamber connecting said check valve chamber and said first port with said dispensing valve chamber; a port in said dispensing valve chamber selectively con-nectable by said dispensing valve to said check valve chamber second port; and a dispensing nozzle in communi-cation with said dispensing valve chamber port; whereby, with said dispensing valve blocking communication between said check valve chamber second port and said dispensing valve chamber port, when said carbon dioxide capsule is pierced, carbon dixoide gas forces said check valve open and passes down said charging and dispensing tube into said vessel and whereby, with said dispensing valve, un-blocking communication between said check valve chamber second port and said dispensing valve chamber port, car-bon dioxide gas returns up said charging and dispensing tube, through said first and second check valve chamber ports, said dispensing valve chamber port and out of said dispensing nozzle.

19. The device of claim 18, including an ori-fice in said cap communicating with said check valve chamber; a pin extending from the interior of said check valve chamber through said orifice to the exterior of said cap; pressure sealing means between said pin and said cap; said pin being shiftable through said orifice;
spring means to bias said pin downwardly into said cham-ber; and detents on opposite ends of said pin to delimit its movement within said orifice, whereby said pin will be forced upwardly when said carbon dioxide capsule is pierced to indicate that the vessel has been pressurized.

20. The device of claim 19, including external control means for a user of the device to operate said valve means between said open and closed positions, said control means including a hand-manipulable selector mem-ber movable to an operating position for engaging said control means.

21. The device of claim 20, wherein said con-trol means includes a button member which is also hand-manipulable by a user of the device to operate said valve means and said selector member is movable between said operating position engaging said button member and a storage position disengaged from said button member.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein said cap includes a carrying handle having said button member located adjacent thereto and also having a recess therein for receiving said selector member in said storage posi-tion, said selector member being pivotally mounted to said handle for movement between said operating and stor-age positions.

23. The device of claim 22, wherein said selec-tor member in said storage position supplements the cross-sectional configuration and apparent bulk of said carrying handle.

24. The device of claim 22, wherein said selec-tor member projects from said carrying handle in said operating position and has its distal end located adja-cent said dispensing nozzle.

25. In a vessel having a closable opening, an air pocket and a valve having open and closed positions in sealed communication with said vessel, the method of making and dispensing carbonated liquid drinks comprising the steps of:
a) charging a premeasured amount of flavoring material into said vessel through said opening;
b) separately charging a predetermined quantity of water into said vessel through said opening to compress air in said air pocket and mixing with the flavoring material to form a liquid flavored drink mixture containing a predetermined amount of water and flavoring material;
c) closing said opening;
d) closing said valve;
e) charging a premeasured amount of carbon dioxide into said liquid flavored drink mixture to carbonate said mixture; and f) selectively opening said valve and permitting said carbonated flavored drink mixture to pass out of said vessel as a liquid.

26. The method of Claim 25, including the step of directing said carbon dioxide to the bottom of said vessel prior to mixing with said liquid flavored drink mixture.

27. The method of Claim 26, in which the flavoring material is a syrup.