GB2209326A

GB2209326A - Liquid dispensing apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2209326A
Application number: GB8622033A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Garry Ernest Cartwright; Paul Palmer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-09-12
Filing date: 1986-09-12
Publication date: 1989-05-10
Also published as: GB8622033D0

Abstract

Liquid dispensing apparatus comprises two liquid dispensing chambers (104, 105) between which is located a prefill chamber (108) and a bottle adaptor (111A). The bottle adaptor comprises a seal (509) at its inlet to seal the neck of a bottle (111) containing a liquid to be dispensed and includes a one-way valve device. The outlet end of the bottle adaptor is spigot shaped with two O-ring seals to seal the adaptor into the prefill chamber. Mounting of the liquid filled bottle (111) into the adaptor (111A) forces a push rod (512) of the one-way valve device into engagement with a fixed rod (506) allowing the outlet valve (515) to move off its seat and the contents of the bottle to flow into a tube (110) and into the prefill chamber (108) for dispensing. <IMAGE>

Description

LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS DESCRIPTION This invention relates to liquid dispensing apparatus and is a modification of part of the apparatus described in co-pending Patent Application No.

8419513.

In one embodiment of the invention described in said co-pending patent application, the liquid dispensing apparatus includes two liquid dispensing chambers each capable of dispensing a single unit or measure of liquid independently of the other, each chamber having associated therewith a respective prefill chamber arranged to be gravity fed with liquid from a storage device such as a bottle, each prefill chamber being provided with a respective actuator preferably solenoid-operated arranged to be energised in response to the closing of the contacts of a cycle start switch.

In the present invention, a single prefill chamber is provided between the two dispensing chambers and the bottle is mounted in a bottle adaptor provided with a one-way valve device and connected to the prefill chamber via a tube.

In one embodiment of the invention, a float device is arranged to move between float guides in the prefill chamber to operate an outlet valve in the adaptor.

The invention will now be described by way of example only with particular reference to the accompanying informal drawings in which the same reference numerals have been used for parts common to the invention and that of the co-pending Application. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the apparatus showing the conditions prevailing when a bottle is about to be inserted in the bottle adaptor; Figure 2 is a view identical with that of Figure 1, but showing the conditions prevailing when a bottle is actually inserted in the bottle adaptor; Figure 3 is a view of the apparatus showing the conditions prevailing when the prefill chamber is full and Figure 4 is a sectional view of the bottle adaptor.

Referring to Figure 1, the two liquid dispensing chambers are shown at 101,102, with separate discharge outlets at 104, 105 respectively, to allow a measure from each chamber 101,102, to be dispensed into container 106. A common prefill chamber 108 is associated with the two dispensing chambers 101,102 which is gravity fed from a bottle 111 located in bottle adaptor lily.

The prefill chamber 108, is provided with a displacement device 114 arranged to be actuated by a solenoid-operated actuator 115 energised in response to the closing of the contacts of a cycle start switch 116. Single and double cycle trip devices 117,118, are associated with the switch 116. Depression is one or both buttons 56 of dispense actuators 119, 120, with release seals 119 , 120 , to allow a measure or unit of liquid to be dispensed or a double measure to be dispensed from the dispensing chambers 101,102, to the container 106, according to the particular button depressed. An under/over measure sensor 123 is located in the prefill chamber 108 and a leak detector 126 is located intermediate the discharge ends 104,105 of the dispensing chamber 101,102, and the container 106 to provide an indication of any leaks from the dispensing chambers 101,102.

In the embodiment described, a float 501 is located in the prefill chamber 108 at the outlet end of a tube 110 located between the outlet end of the bottle adaptor lilA and the prefill chamber 108. The tube 110 is provided with a fixed rod 506 located centrally within the tube 110. Weirs for the prefill chamber are shown at 502, 503 and drinks dispense sensors at 504, 505.

The bottle adaptor lilA shown in detail in Figure 4 comprises a casing 507 externally threaded to accommodate a hand nut 508 and provided with a seal 509 around the mouth of the adaptor lilA and positioned by means of a collet 510 located between the seal 509 and a flange of the hand nut 508.

The bottle 111 is arranged to be inverted and inserted in the mouth of the adaptor such that the lip of the bottle passes through the seal 509 into engagement with a ring member 511 connected to a push rod 512. A spring 513 is located around the upper part of the push rod 512 between the ring 511 and a plate 514 forming part of an outlet valve 515. The valve 515 is sealed in the convergent tapered portion of the adaptor outlet and is mounted on the push rod 512 such as to move therewith.

Referring to Figure 2 of the drawings, the neck of the bottle 111 is shown inserted in the mouth of the adaptor IllA through the seal 509. When the bottle is initially inserted in the adaptor, leakage therefrom to the prefill chamber is inhibited since the spring 513 biasses the outlet valve 515 to the closed position against the tapered sides of the adaptor outlet.

When the bottle is pushed further into the mouth of the adaptor as shown in Figure 3, the push rod 512 is forced downwardly into engagement with the fixed rod 506, allowing the outlet valve 515 to move off its seat in the tapered portion of the adaptor lily, and allowing the contents of the bottle to flow into the tube 110 and into the prefill chamber 108 as shown in Figure 3.

When the level of liquid in the prefill chamber 108 is sufficient to coincide with the bottom of the tube 110, liquid will cease to flow, the float 501 will rise and seal off the outlet of tube 110.

Removal of the bottle from the mouth of the bottle adaptor lIlA will allow the spring 513 to be restored causing the outlet valve 515 to return to its seating in the tapered outlet portion of the adaptor thereby preventing seapage of liquid from the adaptor to the prefill chamber.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a liquid dispensing chamber having an outlet which may be opened and closed, a prefill chamber and means filling the dispensing chamber with liquid from the prefill chamber, the dispensing chamber being in communication with the prefill chamber in such a way that liquid in excess of a predetermined volume measures overflows back to the prefill chamber, wherein a single prefill chamber is provided between two dispensing chambers, and a bottle adaptor, including a one-way valve device, for receiving a bottle is connected to the prefill chamber via a tube.

2. Liquid dispensing apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the bottle adaptor has a seal at its inlet end to seal the neck of a bottle placed in the adaptor.

3. Liquid dispensing apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 wherein the outlet end of the adaptor has a spigot with external o-ring seals to mount the adaptor in the inlet to the dispensing chambers.

4. Liquid dispensing apparatus substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.