GB915363A - Beverage dispensing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

915,363. Beverage-making machines. GLOSTER EQUIPMENT Ltd. Nov. 24, 1960 [Nov. 27, 1959 (2)], Nos. 40370/59 and 40371/59. Class 129. [Also in Group XVIII] A machine for dispensing hot or cold beverages made from a base medium and at least one added ingredient, such as tea, coffee or fruit squash, comprises a container 19 for the base medium, an outlet valve 20 moved to open position by consumer-operable means, a float 8 which, as the level falls from A to B in the container, first opens one or more ingredient dispensing devices 29, 30, 31, 32 and, when sufficient base medium and ingredient have been dispensed, closes the outlet valve 20 and holds an inlet valve 24 open until the level again rises to A. Refrigeration is provided for the containers for the concentrated ingredients and the water container 19 has an immersion heater and thermostat. Insertion of a coin operates a switch to deenergize a coin-blocking device, so that the machine will refuse to accept a further coin, and to energize a cup dispenser which feeds a cup 5 to a delivery opening. To provide a delay while the cup settles in position, the switch is held closed until the coin falls down a shoot and operates a trip lever. When the switch moves back to its initial position, the outlet valve 20 is opened through relay contacts and water flows into a mixing trough 10 having an outlet leading to the cup. As the level falls in the container 19, an arm 18 on the float 8 changes over a switch 22 and, through a selector switch by which the customer can select, for example, tea only, tea with milk or tea with milk and sugar, one or more of the devices 29, 30, 31 or 32 are energized and discharge into the trough 10. At level B, the float arm 18 opens switch 33 to de-energize the relay and the cup dispenser and the return of the relay contacts to their initial positions closes the outlet valve 20, de-energizes the selector switch and opens the inlet valve 24. When the level again rises to A, the switch 17 is moved back to initial position and the inlet valve 24 closes and the coinblocking device is energized so that coins will again be accepted. If the machine runs short of cups, a switch is operated to close a master inlet valve 40 and illuminate an " empty " sign and if the level in a waste can at the bottom of the machine rises above a certain point another switch operates to the same effect. The ingredient dispensing devices comprise a trough 53, a valve body 54 of non-magnetic material and a combined valve and measuring chamber 57 of magnetic material. When a solenoid 61 is energized, the chamber 57 is raised until its upper end is above the liquid level 63 and its contents discharge through openings 60 and 56. The valve seating may be flat or, as shown, conical with a recess 59 providing a valve surface 58 or a rubber ring may be provided in a groove in the conical portion of the valve. The level in the trough may be maintained by an inverted bottle 3 which replenishes the trough after each dispenser actuation until an airlock forms; the bottle 3 may have a valve-controlled closure to facilitate placing it in inverted position and the closure may be operated by a rod which abuts the bottom of the trough when the container is placed in position.