GB2122170A

GB2122170A - Fluid dispenser

Info

Publication number: GB2122170A
Application number: GB08217969A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin John Wharmby; Graham Knox
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-06-22
Filing date: 1982-06-22
Publication date: 1984-01-11

Abstract

The invention concerns an optic (RTM) type fluid dispenser for delivering accurately measured quantities of a fluid. The fluid to be dispensed is held in a sight glass which is movable along a central tubular member 7 on pivotal movement of an operating arm or lever 5. The arm or lever 5 carries at its lower end a V-shaped member 6 which is adapted to engage the rim of a glass as the latter is moved into alignment with the delivery spout 3 which is provided on the sight glass 2. When a fluid is dispensed it is the sight glass which is moved, not the central member. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Fluid dispenser The present invention concerns optics (RTM) for delivering accurately measured quantities of fluid. These devices are found in virtually all bars and are used to dispense tots of spirits.

Most optics (RTM) in current use have a sight glass or chamber which contains the required volume of spirits to be dispensed. To release the contents of the sight glass the rim of a glass is pushed upwardly against arms which project on either side of the sight glass so as to move a valve mechanism within the sight glass and allow the measured quantity of spirit flow through a downwardly arranged spout.

An optic (RTM) has to be both robust and accurate. Not only will an optic (RTM) in a busy bar have intensive use but any lack of accuracy will have serious consequences. Thus if the optic (RTM) consistently dispenses less than full measures its owner will be liable to legal prosecution, whilst if it gives more than a full measure the owner's profit margins will be eroded.

Accordingly the present invention consists in an optic (RTM) comprising a sight glass for holding a measured quantity of fluid, and means for moving the sight glass relative to a central member so as to open a delivery spout.

Preferably the means for moving the sight glass comprise a lever or operating arm arranged to be moved transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the sight glass.

Thus the lever or operating arm may have a projection engaging the sight glass so as in operation to move the latter downwardly, the lever or arm being moved to a dispensing position by the positioning of a glass beneath the optic (RTM).

In order that the present invention may be more readily understood an embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of an optic constructed in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a plan view from above of the optic (RTM) of Fig. 1; Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of part of the optic (RTM) of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings Fig. 1 shows an optic (RTM) mounted by a suitable mounting arrangement to a vertical surface such as a wall.

The mounting arrangement includes a cantilever arm 1. The optic (RTM) comprises a cylindrical sight glass made from a transparent material and proving a hollow chamber for holding a measured volume of a fluid to be dispensed. The sight glass 2 has at its lower end a delivery spout 3. The uppermost part of the optic (RTM) is a sealing member 4 of resilient material which is frustoconical in shape. The sealing member 4 is adapted to receive the open neck of a bottle so that the bottle can be mounted on the optic (RTM) upside down in the well known manner.

Extending down the side of the optic (RTM) is an operating arm or lever 5. The operating arm 5 can be pivoted from its rest position, shown in solid lines in Fig. 1 to a dispensing position, shown in dotted lines. As will be described in greater detail hereinafter movement of the operating arm 5 to its dispensing position moves the sight glass 2 downwardly to the position also shown in Fig. 1 in dotted lines.

Referring now to Fig. 2 of the drawings the circular cross-section of the sight glass can clearly be seen. There can also be seen that a V-shaped member 6 extends at right angles to the operating arm 5. To use the optic (RTM) a glass is lifted up to the optic (RTM) in such a manner that the glass engages the member 6. However in this position the glass will not be in true alignment with the delivery spout 3. Moving the glass into true alignment with the delivery spout 3 causes the operating arm 5 to pivot into its dispensing position so as to move the sight glass 2 downwardly and deliver the spirits held in the sight glass 2 into the glass below.

A valve mechanism controlled by the movement of the operating arm 5 will now be described with reference to Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings. In this figure it can be seen that the sight glass 2 is mounted around a coaxial shaft spindle 7 which consists of a tubular member having its upper end formed with a coaxial bore 8. The lower end of the bore 8 communicates with the interior of the sight glass 2 by means of a piurality of circular openings 9. In the rest position of the optic (RTM) as shown in Fig. 1 the bore 8 and the openings 9 provided a free passage between the interior of any bottle mounted on the optic (RTM) and the interior of sight glass 2. The upper end of the shaft spindle 7 passes through the sealing member 4 and also through a threaded shaft washer 10 and a shaft nut 11. The latter may be of brass.

The upper end of the sight glass 2 is closed by moulded flange member 12 which has a central bore through which the shaft spindle 7 is a sliding fit. An upper O-ring 1 3 provides a seal between the shaft spindle 7 and the flange member 12.

It will be seen that in the rest position of the optic (RTM) a small annular space is left between the uppermost surface of the flange member 12 and the lower surface of the cantilever arm 1 of the mounting arrangement. The upper end of the operating arm 5 has a right-angled projection 1 4 which extends into this space and the operating arm 5 is so mounted that it can pivot about an axis passing through the apex between the arm 5 and the projection 14.

Thus pivotal movement of the operating arm 5 into its dispensing position causes the projection 1 4 to push the sight glass 2 downwardly along the shaft spindle 7 against the action of a compression spring 1 5. The lower end of the spring 1 5 is received within a tubular spring housing 16 mounted on the shaft spindle 7. The upper end of spring 1 5 engages a bearing surface on the flange member 12.

Downward movement of the sight glass 2 relative to the shaft spindle 7 causes the inner wall of the bore through the flange member 1 2 to slide over the openings 9 in the shaft spindle 7 and seal the interior of the sight glass 2 from the contents of the bottle mounted on the optic (RTM). In this way further spirits are prevented from entering the sight glass 2.

The downward movement of the sight glass 2 also causes a small flange 1 7 on the spring housing 1 6 to contact the lower end of a spindle 18 which forms part of an air valve. The engagement between the flange 1 7 and spindle 1 8 lifts the air valve up from its valve seat against the action of a valve spring 1 9 to allow air to enter the interior of the sight glass 2.

The lowermost part of the shaft spindle 7 is formed as a hollow tube with a number of arched or semi-circular cutouts 20. This can best be seen from Fig. 4 of the accompanying drawings. In the rest position of the optic (RTM) these openings or cutouts 20 are masked by the delivery spout 3 of the sight glass 2. Thus in the rest position of the optic (RTM) the spirits held within the sight glass 2 are in open communication with the contents of the bottle mounted on the optic (RTM) but cannot escape. A lower O-ring ensures a proper seal between the shaft spindle 7 and the delivery spout 3.However downward movement of the sight glass 2 along the shaft spindle 7 brings the interior of the sight glass 2 into communication with the openings 20 and as the air valve has also been opened the spirits contained within the sight glass 2 can flow out through the delivery spout 3 into the glass which had been used to displace the arm 5. However before the contents can escape, the openings 9 will as already described, have been sealed off from the interior of the sight glass 2.

The actual delivery spout 3 of the sight glass 2 is enclosed by a spout trim member 21 which is a single pressing of stainless steel.

A shaft tube divider 22 of the well known kind extends down the centre of the bore 8. The divider has the function of easing the flow of spirits down the bore 8, and the passage of air bubbles up the bore.

In the particular embodiment described the sight glass 2, the flange member 12, the spring housing 1 6 and the air valve are all made from TPX whilst the mounting arrangement and the arm 5 are made from Nylon (RTM). The various sealing rings are made from silicone rubber. It will of course be appreciated that any other suitable materials may be used.

The optic (RTM) which has been described with reference to the accompanying drawings is both simple and robust. The majority of its parts are thermoplastic mouldings which means that the optic (RTM) can be manufactured in a relatively easy and economical manner.

Claims

1. An optic (RTM) comprising a sight glass for holding a measured quantity of fluid, and means for moving the sight glass relative to a central member so as to open a delivery spout.

2. An optic (RTM) according to claim 1, wherein the means for moving the sight glass comprise a lever or operating arm arranged to be moved transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the sight glass.

3. An optic (RTM) according to either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the sight glass is formed with the delivery spout, the central member acting as a stopper when the optic (RTM) is not actually dispensing fluid.

4. An optic (RTM) according to claim 3, wherein the central member comprises a tubular member having its upper end formed with a coaxial bore which can be connected to a source of fluid to be dispensed by the optic (RTM), the lower end of the bore communicating with the interior of the sight glass by means of one or more openings when the optic (RTM) is in its rest position.

5. An optic (RTM) according to claim 4, wherein the lower end of the tubular member is formed as a hollow tube with one or more cut-outs which are in the rest position of the optic (RTM) masked by the delivery spout

6. An optic (RTM) according to claim 2 or any one of claims 2 to 5 when dependant on claim 2, wherein the operating arm or lever extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the central member and is provided at its upper end with a transverse projection which extends into an annular space above the upper end of the sight glass.

7. An optic (RTM) according to claim 6 when dependant on claim 5, and the arrangement being such that on pivotal movement of the operating arm or lever away from the longitudinal axis of the sight glass the transverse projection moves the sight glass downwardly so that the openings in the upper end of the tubular member are closed, whilst the delivery spout of the sight glass is moved clear of the or each cut-out in the lower end of the tubular member to allow fluid in the sight glass to be dispensed.

8. An optic (RTM) according to either claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the lower end of the operating arm or lever is provided with a V-shaped member extending at substantially right angles thereto so as in the rest position of the optic (RTM) to lie beneath the delivery spout, the arrangement of the V-shaped member being such that when a glass is moved into a position below the delivery spout and into alignment with the delivery spout, the upper part of the glass engages the V-shaped member and pivots the operating arm or lever away from the longitudinal axis of the sight glass.

9. An optic (RTM) according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the optic (RTM) includes an air valve which is opened to allow air to enter the inerior of the sight glass when the opening or openings leading into the sight glass from a source of fluid are closed.

10. An optic (RTM) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the sight glass is made from transparent TPX and the lower end of the delivery spout is trimmed with a ring of stainless steel.

11. An optic (RTM) substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.