GB2045211A - Optic actuator - Google Patents

Abstract

An actuator for a drink dispenser or optic (1) has a casing (11) secured to the optic by an upper portion (13, 14) engaging a mounting lug (8) of the optic and a forward portion (15) embracing the body of the optic. A first lever (16) pivotally mounted in the casing has a free end which engages the actuating pegs (5) of the optic and is operated by a second, similarly mounted, lever (22) the free end of which extends below the first. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Optic actuator The invention relates to an operating mechanism for drink dispensers, particularly the type of dispenser known as an optic.

The optic is in common use in public houses and elsewhere for the dispensing of a measured quantity of spirits or the like. Atypical arrangement is shown in Figure 1. The optic 1 has a hollow bung 2 at its upper end which fits into an inverted bottle 3 containing the liquid to be dispensed, and the optic and bottle are supported by a suitable bracket. The optic has a transparent body forming a reservoir of the desired volume (one "measure"). At its lower end the optic has an outlet nozzle 4 which forms part of a valve assembly. The valve arrangements will not be described here in detail. Normally the reservoir is full of liquid. In order to dispense the liquid, the nozzle 4 is moved upwardly, thereby closing a first valve to prevent further flow from the bottle and opening a second valve to permit the liquid retained in the reservoir to be discharged from the outlet.

When the reservoir is empty the operator releases the nozzle so that the second valve closes and the first re-opens allowing the reservoir to be replenished from the bottle.

The nozzle is provided with a pair of pegs 5 and conventionally the optic is operated by positioning a glass 6 to be filled beneath the nozzle and pushing it upward so that the rim of the glass engages the pegs and operates the valve assembly. Increasingly however this system is being considered unsatisfactory as being unhygienic due to the contact between successive drinking glasses and the pegs.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided an actuating mechanism for operating an optic, comprising a casing, a first generally horizontally extending lever arm pivotally mounted in the casing with a free end for engagement with an actuating portion of the optic, and a second generally downwardly extending lever pivotally mounted in the housing with a free end for manual operation located below the level of, and adjacent to, the free end of the first lever, the first and second levers being arranged to cooperate so that movement of the free end of the second lever in a direction away from the free end of the first causes upward movement of the latter for actuation of the optic, the housing having mounting means comprising a generally upwardly extending portion with means for engagement with a mounting lug of the optic, and a generally forwardly extending portion for embracing a portion of the body of the optic.

Preferably the upwardly extending portion of the mounting means has a bifurcated end with arms arranged to clip round the mounting lug of the optic; the forwardly extending portion can conveniently comprise a pair of arcuate arms which clip around the body of the optic.

Preferably the first lever arm is one arm of a bell-crank lever whose second arm extends upwardly, the end of the second arm remote from the first arm being in cooperation with the second lever.

In a preferred arrangement the bell-crank lever is pivotally secured in the casing, and the upper end of the second lever is pivotally secured in the casing.

The free end of the second arm of the bell-crank lever may be connected to the second lever by a linkage, but preferably is arranged to be in sliding engagement with a cam surface on the second lever.

In another aspect, the invention provides an optic assembly comprising an optic means, and an actuating mechanism as described above.

Some embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a conventional optic assembly; Figure 2 is a side elevation of one embodiment of optic assembly in accordance with the present invention; Figure 3 is a front elevation of the assembly of Figure 2; and Figure 4 is a cross-section on line IV-IV of Figure 3.

Figures 2 to 4 show the optic assembly of Figure 1 (parts of which are denoted by the same reference numerals) fitted with an actuating mechanism 10.

The optic is supported on an upright supporting pillar (not shown) by means of a clamp which engage a laterally extending lug 8 of the optic. The mechanism 10 has a casing 11 which is enclosed to protect the moving parts from dirt, but has an opening 12 at its lower end.

The casing 11 has integrally formed therewith an upwardly extending flat portion 13 terminating in arms 14 which, as seen in Figure 2, clip over the lug 8. Also integrally formed with the casing 11 are a pair of forwardly extending arms 15 which extend around part of the circumference of the lower end of the body of the optic. By means of the arms 14 and 15 the casing can be easily but securely fitted to the optic, and can remain permanently in position, since the optic can be removed from its support (e.g. for changing bottles) without removing the mechanism 10.

A two-arm bell-crank lever 16 is pivotally mounted in the casing 11 by means of a pin 17 extending through the casing. The first arm 18 of the lever 15 extends generally horizontally and has at its free end a forked portion with two limbs 19 (see Figure 3) which extend under the operating pegs 5 of the optic. The second arm 20 of the lever 16 extends upwardly at an angle of approximately 60 . Its free end has a C-shaped portion which accommodates a bearing pin 21.

A second lever 22 is pivotally secured at its upper end in the casing by a pin 23 which clips into a recess 24 formed in the interior of the casing 11 and extends downwardly with its free end 25 situated below the level of the arm 18 and adjacent the nozzle 4 of the optic. The lever 22 is of U-shaped crosssection, tapered towards its lower end, and has a slot 26 through which the first arm 18 of the bell-crank lever passes. Adjacent the upper end of the lever 22 is provided an arcuate surface 27 which engages the bearing pin 21 of the arm 20.

In operation, the mechanism is initially in the position shown in Figure 2. In order to dispense a measure of liquid, e.g. spirits, from the optic, the user positions a glass 6 beneath the nozzle 4 of the optic, and simultaneously urges the free end 25 of the lever 22 rearwardly with his hand 7 (i.e. in a direction away from the optic).

Rotation of the lever 22 causes the arcuate surface 27 to be urged against the bearing pin 21 and the bell-crank lever 16 rotates anti-clockwise (as viewed in the drawing). Consequently the limbs 19 move upwardly, lifting the pegs 5 and nozzle 4, actuating the optic and a measure of spirits is discharged into the glass.

The levers and casing of the mechanism can conveniently be formed from a plastics material, e.g.

ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene), for example by injection moulding. The pins 17, 21, 23 are suitably formed from a tough, low-friction material such as p.t.f.e. (polytetrafluoroethylene).

The apparatus thus provides a simple and easily fitted arrangement whereby the optic can be operated, using, as before, only one hand, whilst avoiding the need for the rim of the drinking glass to come into contact with any part of the equipment.

It will be appreciated that the specific arrangement described of pin-joints and sliding surfaces is not the only possible one: for example the sliding contact between the arm 20 and the lever 22 could be replaced by a linkage; or by a pinjoint, freedom of movement being preserved by the use of sliding contact in place of the pin 17.

Claims (8)

1. An actuating mechanism for operating an optic, comprising a casing, a first generally horizontally extending lever arm pivotally mounted in the casing with a free end for engagement with an actuating portion of the optic, and a second generally downwardly extending lever pivotally mounted in the housing with a free end for manual operation located below the level of, and adjacent to, the free end of the first lever, the first and second levers being arranged to cooperate so that movement of the free end of the second lever in a direction away from the free end of the first causes upward movement of the latter for actuation of the optic, the housing having mounting means comprising a generally upwardly extending portion with means for engagement with a mounting lug of the optic, and a generally forwardly extending portion for embracing a portion of the body of the optic.

2. An actuating mechanism according to claim 1, in which the upwardly extending portion of the mounting means has a bifurcated end with arms arranged to clip round the mounting lug of the optic.

3. An actuating mechanism according to claim 1 or 2, in which the forwardly extending portion of the mounting means comprises a pair of arcuate arms which clip around the body ofthe optic.

4. An actuating mechanism according to claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the first lever arm is one of a bell-crank lever whose second arm extends upwardly, the end of the second arm remote from the first arm being in cooperation with the second lever.

5. An actuating mechanism according to claim 4, in which the bell-crank lever is pivotally secured in the casing, and the upper end of the second lever is pivotally secured in the casing.

6. An actuating mechanism according to claim 4 or 5, in which the free end of the bell-crank lever is arranged to be in sliding engagement with a cam surface on the second lever.

7. An optic assembly comprising an optic means, and an actuating mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims.

8. An actuating mechanism for operating an optic substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.