GB1575806A - Beverage dispensing machines - Google Patents

Description

(54) BEVERAGE DISPENSING MACHINES (71) We, AUTOBAR MANUFACTURING LIMITED, of 41-42 Kew Bridge Road, Brentford, Middlesex, TW8 ODY, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to machines for selectively dispensing a plurality of different beverages, such as tea and coffee drinks with or without milk and sugar. The machines may be coin-freed vending machines. More particularly, the invention relates to brewing units for such beverage dispensing machines, that is, units in which the tea and coffee drinks are produced by infusing or dissolving the appropriate ingredients with hot water preparatory to dispensing the drinks.

In one type of brewing unit for tea and coffee drinks, a so-called teapot and coffee pot are mounted one behind the other on a slidable carriage which is reciprocable between two positions. In each position of the carriage, one or other of the pots is in register with the outlet of a mixing funnel for supplying the selected ingredients and hot water to the appropriate pot, from which it is delivered to a cup at a dispensing station of the machine. The selected ingredients are supplied to the mixing funnel in any suitable manner and then the hot water is delivered to the funnel to mix and/ or dissolve the ingredients and deliver them to the pot disposed under the funnel. After each mixing operation, a residue of tea or coffee may remain in the mixing funnel and this may contaminate a succeeding coffee or tea drink and cause flavour blurr.Moreover, any liquid remaining in the mixing funnel after a mixing operation may drop into the wrong pot as the carriage is reciprocated beneath the outlet of the mixing funnel with the same resultant effect.

An object of the present invention is to avoid the carry-over of a dominant flavouring ingredient from one type of drink to another and thereby prevent or reduce undesirable flavour blurr.

To this end, the invention consists in a beverage dispensing machine wherein a brewing unit comprises a carriage reciprocable between two positions and supporting a teapot and a coffee pot disposed one behind the other in the direction of movement of the carriage, two delivery tubes via which tea and coffee are supplied to the appropriate pots, each delivery tube being disposed so as to supply tea or coffee to its associated pot when the carriage is in a first one of said two positions, and further delivery tubes for hot water, milk and sugar disposed so as to discharge into one of the pots when the carriage is in its first position and into the other pot when it is in its second position.

With the present invention, the drink ingredients are not supplied to the appropriate pots via a common mixing chamber or funnel but are delivered directly to the pots so that there is no possibility of coffee being contaminated by residue tea leaves or tea being contaminated by residue coffee grains. Only the milk, sugar and hot water delivery tubes are common to both pots.

Conveniently, the upper ends of the pots into which the delivery tubes discharge are funnel-shaped in order to assist in guiding the ingredients into the pots and mixing with hot water.

Whilst the invention is particularly described herein in relation to a tea and coffee dispensing machine, it will be apparent that it may also be applied to other dispensing machines in which two or more different flavoured beverages are required to be mixed with water and one or more other ingredients.

In order that the present invention may be more readily understood, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a fragmentary view of a beverage dispensing machine embodying the present invention and illustrates a front elevation of the brewing unit and associated equipment, and Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same part of the machine as illustrated in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the dispensing machine which is adapted selectively to dispense tea and coffee drinks, includes a brewing unit 1 slidably supported on the frame 2 of the machine by having side flanges 3 slidably engaged in grooves in guide members 4 mounted on the frame. This enables the brewing unit to be readily removed from the machine for cleaning and maintenance purposes. It is secured in position by means of a spring stud (not shown) engaging in a cooperating aperture in the frame 2. The unit comprises a base 5, end flanges 6 and a carriage 7 slidably mounted on two guide rods 8 supported between the end flanges 6. Mounted one behind the other on the carriage are a teapot 9 and a coffee pot 10.

The teapot consists of a vertical tube which projects through the carriage and which, in the first or rear position of the carriage shown in the drawings, is in register with a strainer 11 mounted over an opening 12 in the base 5. In the second or forward position of the carriage, the tube 9 is in register with a waste discharge opening 13 in the base 5. The lower end of the tube 9 is disposed closely adjacent to the upper surface of the base 5 and serves as a scraper for scraping used tea leaves from the strainer 11 into the water discharge tube when the carriage moves from its first to its second position. Connected to the top of the tube 9 is an upwardly projecting and forwardly inclined tube 9a which terminates at its upper end in a funnel 9b.

A funnel 15 is mounted on the machine frame 2 below the aperture 12 to collect the tea drink passing through the strainer and deliver it, via a pipe 16, to a dispensing station where the tea is dispensed into a cup. The discharge opening 13 communicates with a discharge tube 17 secured below the frame 2 and leading to a waste collecting receptacle.

The coffee pot 10 is mounted on the carriage adjacent and rearwardly of the teapot. It is in the form of a small receptacle having an outlet pipe 18 leading from the bottom of the pot and projecting over a coffee filter 19 supported in a collecting receptacle 20 mounted on the machine frame 2 to one side of the brewing unit. An outlet pipe 21 delivers the filtered coffee from the receptacle 20 to the dispensing station. Connected to the top of the coffee pot is an upwardly projecting and rearwardly inclined tube 10a which terminates at is upper end in a funnel lOb.

The carriage is reciprocable between its two positions by an electrical solenoid 22 connected to the carriage 7 by an arm 22a. Upon energization, the solenoid slides the carriage into its forward position so that the teapot is in register with the discharge opening 13, simultaneously causing the carriage to strike the adjacent end flange 6 so as to jar the teapot and dislodge any tea leaves adhering thereto. The carriage is restored to its rear position, upon de-energization of the solenoid, by means of a return spring associated with the solenoid armature.

The ingredients for tea and coffee drinks, namely tea leaves, coffee powder, sugar and milk powder, are fed to the tea and coffee pots via four delivery tubes 23-26 mounted above the brewing unit. The ingredients for a selected drink are delivered to the upper ends of the delivery tubes from ingredient containers (not shown) located on the machine platform 27 and arranged to discharge ingredients directly to the delivery tubes. Upon selection of a desired drink by actuation of the machine controls, electrical motors associated with the ingredient containers are operated in order to discharge metered quantities of the appropriate ingredients into the delivery tubes.

The delivery tubes 23-26 depend from a plate 28 supported on the upper side of the platform 27 in an opening in the latter and the open upper ends of the delivery tubes communicate with discharge outlets in the bottoms of the ingredient containers which are disposed on the platform and partially over the plate 28. The tube 23 communicating with the discharge outlet of the tea container projects downwardly from the plate 28 so that its outlet end is adjacent the front of the funnel 9b when the carriage 7 is in its rear position. Coffee is delivered to the coffee pot by the delivery tube 24 which is disposed so that its outlet end is adjacent the front of the funnel lOb when the carriage is in its rear position.The disposition of the tea and coffee delivery tubes 23, 24 and the arrangement of the funnels 9b, 10b is such that, irrespective of whether the carriage is in its forward or rear position, each of these tubes is always only aligned with its correct funnel 9b, 10b. Sugar and milk are selectively delivered to the tea and coffee pots via the delivery tubes 25 and 26 which are aligned with the funnel 9b when the carriage is in its rear position and with the funnel I Ob when the carriage is in its forward position. One or more hot water pipes (not shown) are similarly arranged to the tubes 25, 26 so as to supply hot water to the funnel 9b or lOb for delivery to the tea or coffee pot together with milk and sugar, if selected.

When a tea drink is selected on the machine, a quantity of tea leaves is fed to the teapot via the delivery tube 23 and funnel 9b and fractionally later hot water is fed to the funnel 9b where it mixes with and dissolves powdered milk and sugar, if selected, supplied through the delivery tubes 25, 26. The contents of the funnel 9b discharge through the tube 9a into the teapot where they infuse through the tea leaves on the strainer 11 to produce the desired tea drink. This is delivered via the funnel 15 and pipe 16 to the dispensing station.After a preset dispensing period sufficient to allow the liquid to infuse through the tea leaves into the funnel 15, the solenoid 22 is momentarily energized so as to scrape the used tea leaves from the strainer into the waste discharge opening 13.

When a coffee drink is selected, a quantity of coffee powder is supplied to the coffee pot 10 via the delivery tube 24 and funnel lOb and immediately thereafter the solenoid 22 is energized so as to move the carriage to its forward position and locate the coffee pot under the hot water delivery pipe(s) and tubes 25, 26.

Thereupon, hot water and powdered milk and sugar, if selected, are delivered to the funnel lOb and into the coffee pot where the coffee is dissolved and flows from the outlet pipe 18 through the coffee filter 19 and is delivered to the dispensing station via the pipe 21. After a preset dispensing period, the solenoid is deenergized and the carriage returns to its rear position preparatory to selection of the next drink.

With the construction described above, it will be noted that tea leaves and coffee powder are delivered directly to the tea and coffee pots and there is no premixing of either the tea or coffee with hot water, milk or sugar in a common funnel or chamber prior to delivery to the pots. Hence, there is no possibility of the remnants of a tea drink contaminating a subsequent coffee drink and causing flavour blurr, or vice versa. Moreover, the positions of the tea and coffee delivery tubes 23, 24 are so arranged that they can only deliver ingredients to their associated funnels and pots and the funnel 9b, lOb for one flavour is never positioned beneath the delivery tube for the other flavour. This further serves to avoid flavour blurr.

Whilst a particular embodiment has been described, it will be appreciated that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A beverage dispensing machine wherein a brewing unit comprises a carriage reciprocable between two positions and supporting a teapot and a coffee pot disposed one behind the other in the direction of movement of the carriage, two delivery tubes via which tea and coffee are supplied to the appropriate pots, each delivery tube being disposed so as to supply tea or coffee to its associated pot when the carriage is in a first one of said two positions, and further delivery tubes for hot water, milk and sugar disposed so as to discharge into one of the pots when the carriage is in its first position and into the other pot when it is in its second position.

2. A beverage dispensing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper ends of the pots into which the delivery tubes discharge are funnel-shaped.

3. A beverage dispensing machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the outlet ends of the tea and coffee delivery tubes are disposed adjacent the front sides of their associated funnels when the caniage is in its first position.

4. A beverage dispensing machine as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the teapot is disposed in front of the coffee pot with respect to the direction of movement of the carriage from its first position, and the milk and sugar delivery tubes discharge into the teapot when the carriage is in said first position.

5. A beverage dispensing machine as claimed in claim 1,2,3 or 4, wherein the teapot consists of a substantially vertical tube, open at both ends, which is in register with a strainer connected to a dispensing station when the carriage is in its first position and with a waste discharge opening when the carriage is in its second position, the lower end of said tube being disposed closely adjacent or in contact with the strainer and serving as a scraper for scraping used tea leaves from the strainer into the waste discharge opening when the carriage moves from its first to its second position.

6. A beverage dispensing machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein containers for tea, coffee, powdered milk and sugar are mounted above the delivery tubes and are arranged to discharge these ingredients directly into the upper ends of their associated delivery tubes.

7. A beverage dispensing machine constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. as to scrape the used tea leaves from the strainer into the waste discharge opening 13. When a coffee drink is selected, a quantity of coffee powder is supplied to the coffee pot 10 via the delivery tube 24 and funnel lOb and immediately thereafter the solenoid 22 is energized so as to move the carriage to its forward position and locate the coffee pot under the hot water delivery pipe(s) and tubes 25, 26. Thereupon, hot water and powdered milk and sugar, if selected, are delivered to the funnel lOb and into the coffee pot where the coffee is dissolved and flows from the outlet pipe 18 through the coffee filter 19 and is delivered to the dispensing station via the pipe 21. After a preset dispensing period, the solenoid is deenergized and the carriage returns to its rear position preparatory to selection of the next drink. With the construction described above, it will be noted that tea leaves and coffee powder are delivered directly to the tea and coffee pots and there is no premixing of either the tea or coffee with hot water, milk or sugar in a common funnel or chamber prior to delivery to the pots. Hence, there is no possibility of the remnants of a tea drink contaminating a subsequent coffee drink and causing flavour blurr, or vice versa. Moreover, the positions of the tea and coffee delivery tubes 23, 24 are so arranged that they can only deliver ingredients to their associated funnels and pots and the funnel 9b, lOb for one flavour is never positioned beneath the delivery tube for the other flavour. This further serves to avoid flavour blurr. Whilst a particular embodiment has been described, it will be appreciated that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A beverage dispensing machine wherein a brewing unit comprises a carriage reciprocable between two positions and supporting a teapot and a coffee pot disposed one behind the other in the direction of movement of the carriage, two delivery tubes via which tea and coffee are supplied to the appropriate pots, each delivery tube being disposed so as to supply tea or coffee to its associated pot when the carriage is in a first one of said two positions, and further delivery tubes for hot water, milk and sugar disposed so as to discharge into one of the pots when the carriage is in its first position and into the other pot when it is in its second position.

2. A beverage dispensing machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper ends of the pots into which the delivery tubes discharge are funnel-shaped.

3. A beverage dispensing machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the outlet ends of the tea and coffee delivery tubes are disposed adjacent the front sides of their associated funnels when the caniage is in its first position.

4. A beverage dispensing machine as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the teapot is disposed in front of the coffee pot with respect to the direction of movement of the carriage from its first position, and the milk and sugar delivery tubes discharge into the teapot when the carriage is in said first position.

5. A beverage dispensing machine as claimed in claim 1,2,3 or 4, wherein the teapot consists of a substantially vertical tube, open at both ends, which is in register with a strainer connected to a dispensing station when the carriage is in its first position and with a waste discharge opening when the carriage is in its second position, the lower end of said tube being disposed closely adjacent or in contact with the strainer and serving as a scraper for scraping used tea leaves from the strainer into the waste discharge opening when the carriage moves from its first to its second position.

6. A beverage dispensing machine as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein containers for tea, coffee, powdered milk and sugar are mounted above the delivery tubes and are arranged to discharge these ingredients directly into the upper ends of their associated delivery tubes.

7. A beverage dispensing machine constructed, arranged and adapted to operate substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.