IL32819A - Icecream dispenser - Google Patents

Description

ICECREA M D ISPENSER, ICECREAM DISPENSER Abstract of the Disclosure A housing is formed with a cylinder and with an inlet opening communicating with said cylinder. A stationary wall extends across the cross-section of said cylinder and is spaced from said inlet opening in the axial direction of said cylinder. The housing and wall are formed with an inlet opening which communicates with said cylinder and is spaced from said inlet opening in the axial direction of said oylinder on the same side of said inlet opening as said wall. A discharge piston is slidably mounted in said cylinder for movement between first and seoond dead center positions and arranged to define with said stationary wall a metering chamber which communicates with said inlet and outlet openings when said piston is in said first dead center position and to engage said stationary wall and close said inlet opening, when said piston is in said second dead center position. A valve is arraij d to control said outlet opening.

A) This invention relates to an Icecream dispenser, which comprises a cylinder which is formed in a housing, provided with inlet and outlet openings for the ice to be dispensed, and formed with a metering chamber between a discharge piston, which controls the charging of the icecream, and a wall which extends across the orosa-section of the cylinder, the discharge piston being guided in the cylinder to be slldable into engagement with said wall. In known dispensers of that kind, the wall against which the discharge piston is slldable in the cylinder is in friotional contact with the piston and is carried along by the piston as the latter is raised. To enable the head of the discharge piston and the wall to be spaced apart by such a distance as is required for metering the icecream, stops are provided to hold the wall spaced from the bottom dead center of the discharge piston. In one of the known dispensers which have been mentioned above, these stops are formed in the cylinder in which the discharge piston is slidably mounted. In another known dispenser the stop for holding the wall in position is formed on an anchor.lng pin, which extends through the piston and is screwed into a cap, which is screwed djnto the cylinder body. In a metering dispenser of the kind just described, the actual metering chamber is filled and the entire portion which is disposed between the wall and the piston head is displaced within the cylinder in the axial direotion thereof. This operation requires a structure which can be manufactured only with great difficulties and at high cost because it is not sufficient to provide a piston but also to provide within the piston a means for guiding the wall. Besides, the stops for holding the wall in position must be very exactly adjusted to prevent, the wall from sliding over the lower edge of the inlet to the cylinder. In the latter case, icecream could directly reach the outlet opening rather than enter the metering chamber. The known metering dispenser also requires double fits to ensure a sealed guidance of the wall in the cylinder and a guidance of the wall-carrying pin in the piston. If the wall is canted as it is moved along the cylinder, part of the portion of icecream may be forced ba-ok through the inlet opening so that the portion which is being dispensed is smaller than desired. These disadvantages of the known metering dispensers may be avoided according to the invention in that the wall which defines the metering chamber is stationary and the outlet opening from the cylinder is controlled by a.valve. In the dispenser according to the invention, the metering chamber can be exaotly defined between a stationary wall and the piston head and icecream can be moved through the outlet opening immediately after the movement of the piston has been reversed and without previously displacing the entire portion in the direction of the axis of the piston. The incorporation of a counter which indicates the total number of the portions which have been dispensed enables the owner of a s-hop to make an exact check how many portions of icecream have been sold and that the icecream portions which have been sold are of the prescribed size so that he can supervise his employees.

If the icecream is discharged from an opening in the shell of the cylinder, the ice must be deflected through $0 from the direction of movement of the discharge piston. I In an embodiment in which the stationary wall is moved to and held at different levels, it may be neoessary to reverse the flow of icecream through l80° for a discharge of the portion so that the icecream enters the outlet opening which is formed in the shell of the cylinder and spaced from the wall. This operation may involve difficulties in large machines. These difficulties can be avoided by another feature of the invention, which resides in that the outlet opening consists of an aperture of the stationary wall which defines the metering chamber and the valve is movably mounted outside the cylinder housing in a recess formed in a plate which is secured to the cylinder housing. In such an icecream dispenser, it is ensured that the icecream flows through the outlet opening substantially in toe direction of the movement of the piston. The valve is. easily accessible because it is arranged outside the cylinder in a recess formed in a plate which is secured to the cylinder, housing.

The invention will now be explained more in detail with reference to embodiments Bhown by way of example in the drawings, in which Figs. 1 to 9 are longitudinal sectional views showing respective embodiments of the invention.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on line X-X in Fig. 9- Fig. 11 is a sectional view taken on line XI-XI in Fig. 9· Fig. 12 is a sectional view taken on line XII-XII in Fig. 9 « In Pig. 1, an automatic icecream-producing unit A of the type described first hereinbefore is dlagrammati-cally shown. The dispenser according to the invention is directly connected to said unit, which does not form part of the invention.

The icecream is metered as follows: The lever 1 is pulled down in the direction of the arrow B to pull up the discharge piston 2. When the piston 2 has reached its top dead center, the preferably, slot-shaped inlet opening 3 is exposed so that the icecream enters the metering chamber 4 both under the action of the vacuum which has been produced and under the pressure of the agitating screw 15.

When the lever 1. is forced upwardly, the discharge piston 2 is depressed and immediately closes the inlet opening 3 and forces the icecream from the metering chamber 4 through the outlet opening 5 and the bore 6 and the extrusion die 7 '. into the cup or cornet wafer for icecream. This cup or cornet wafer is held in position under the die 7· The outlet opening 5 is normally closed by a valve 50, which has a pressure plate 14, which is paferably provided with a pad 8 of elastic material, preferably rubber, and which is urged to a closed position by a spring 12. When the icecream portion is to be discharged, the icecream forces back the pressure plate 14 to enter the bore 6.

The quantity of a portion is controlled by an adjusting screw 9, which consists preferably of a knurled or milled screw. When thie screw is operated to impart and upward movement to a wall 10 which defines the metering chamber 4, the stroke of the piston 2 and the volume of the metering chamber will be reduced.

An axial groove 11 which is provided in the discharge piston 2 adjacent to the outlet opening 5 ensures a discharge of the Icecream regardless of what bottom dead center position has been selected for the discharge piston and what position has been selected for the wall 10 to control the quantity of the portion.

The adjusting screw 9 has two different external screw threads 57, 59, which are independent of each other. The external screw thread 59 is in screw-threaded engagement with the stationary wall 10. The. second external screw thread 57 is in screw-threaded engagement with a tapped bore formed in the retaining member 56, which is secured to the cylinder. When the adjusting screw 9 is turned through one revolution, the wall 10 is moved upwardly by the total of the lead of the two external screw threads 7* 59 and thereafter remains in its adjusted position during operation.

Because the upward movement. of the lever 1 required to lower the discharge piston 2 effects the discharge of the icecream, a larger force is required for this operation than for raising the discharge piston 2. For this reason, springs may be provided, which are stressed as th discharge piston 2 is raised. The force of these springs assists the discharge of the icecream portion sotiat this operation is facilitated. In this way, the difference between the forces required to raise and lower the discharge piston 2 is reduced.

I In the embodiment shown in Pig. 2 just as in the embodiment described before, the lever 1 must be lowered to raise the discharge piston , xhich exposes the inlet opening 5 when the piston has reached its top dead center.

The discharge piston 2 is operatively connected to the lever 1, e.g., by means of a fork 25, an eccentric member, a linkage or the like. Before the Inlet opening 2 is exposed, an actuating extension 18 provided at the pivoted lever 1 forces down the valve stem^9 of the valve 51 to close the outlet opening 5. The metering chamber 4 is now filled with icecream. During the movement of the valve stem 19, the actuating extension 18 of the lever 1 slides along a ramp 52-» which is formed on the valve stem;. 19 and inclined to the direction of movement of the actuating extension 18.

To discharge the Icecream portion, the lever 1 is raised the actuating extension 18 releases the valve stem 19 and the spring 21 forces the valve stem 19 upwardly so that the outlet opening 5 is opened. The discharge piston 2 is depressed at the same time to close the inlet opening 3 and thereafter to discharge the icecream portion completely.

The quantity of the icecream portion is adjusted by an adjusting screw 22, which consists preferably of a knurled or milled screw and limits the downward movement of the lever 1 to control the top dead center of the discharge piston 2 and the volume of the metering chamber 4.

In the embodiment shown in Fife. 2, th lever 1 is also lowered to raise the discharge piston 2 so that the inlet opening 3 leading into the metering chamber 4 is exposed.

When the lever 1 is lowered, the extension 58 formed on the lever 1 and used to actuate the valve 52 depresses an actuating member JO, which is mounted in the valve stem 54 and movable transversely to the axis of the stem. When the actuating extension 18 has moved past the aotuating member 5 , the latter is forced back by a spring 31 into the path of the actuating extension 18. When the lever 1 is then raised to discharge the icecream portion, the actuating extension l8 cooperates with the actuating member JO to raise the valve stem 19. When the latter causes the outlet opening 5 to be exposed, the discharge piston 2 closes the inlet opening J and subsequently discharges the iceream portion. When the lever 1 has been completely returned, the actuating extension 18 r uses the actuating member JO so that the return spring 61 returns the valve stem 19, which in this operation discharges the residual icecream which has been left near the outlet opening f>. A funnel-shaped recess J5 at the end of the valve stem 19 and an extension J6 xvhich is provided on the stem 9 and extends through the extrusion die J7 ensure that the residual icecream will be completely discharged and the icecream on the cornet wafer will be reliably separated from the extrusion die.

The valve 52 can be locked in its uppermost position b a rocker lever 40, 41, which is engageable wSh an extension 55» which is provided on the valve stem 5^ and protrudes from the actuating member JO. This arrangement permits of an un-metered discharge of Icecream.

A stop sleeve 38 is detachably mounted on the pivot 3 for the rocker lever 40, 4l and is engageable by the lever 1 as it is lowered. When the stop sleeve 38 is replaced by one which is larger in diameter, the movement of the lever 1 will be limited earlier, the discharge piston 2 will be raised only to a lower level and the quantity of the icecream portion which is discharged will be reduced.

The icecream outlet opening 48 which is formed in the wall 10 can be closed by means of a gate 42, which can be displaced in a T-shaped groove 4j5 of the wall 10.

I all Figures of the drawing, arrows indicate the flow path of the icecream from the inlet opening 3 or 48 to the Icecream outlet opening 7.

In automatic icecream dispensers for a plurality of kinds of icecream, e.g., two kinds thereof, a separate discharge piston 2 is provided for each kind of icecream. For this reason, the operation of each discharge piston 2 will result in a discharge of one portion of one kind of icecream. When both discharge pistons 2 are operated at the same time, two portions consisting of equal quantities of respective kinds of icecream are discharged at the same time.

The apparatus according to the invention shown in Figs. 4 - 12 comprises a housing 107* which contains at least one cylinder 106, which has an inlet opening 3 and at least one outlet opening 5 for the icecream. A metering chamber 4 is formed in the cylinder 106 between a discharge piston 2, which controls the inlet 3, and a wall 108, which extends across the cross-section of the cylinder 106. The discharge piston 2 is slidably guided in the cylinder 106 to move relative to the wall 108, which is stationary. The outlet opening 5 of the cylinder i3 controlled by a valve. Various embodiments of such valve are shown in the Figures of the drawings. In all embodiments, the outlet opening 5 of the cylinder 106 consists of an aperture in the stationary wall 108 which defines themetering chamber 4. The valve 109 or 110 or 111 or 112 or 115 is movably mounted outside of the cylinder housing 107 In a recess 114 of a plate 115, which is secured to the cylinder housing 107· In the embodiments shown in Figs. and 5, the valve 109 or 110 consists of a flap valve, which is operable by a pin 116, whic is slidably mounted in the housing 107 of the cylinder 106 and at one end engages the pivoted arm 11 or 118 of the flap valve and at the other end engages a cam portion 119 o an operating lever 1, which is pivoted in the housing 107 of the cylinder 106 and serves to reciprocate the discharge piston 2 in the cylinder 106. As is apparent from Fig. 4, the actuating member 117 of the flap valve 109 forms a two-armed lever. The actuating pin 116 engages one lever arm 117a. The valve member 120 of the valve is secured to the second lever arm 117b. The actuating pin 116 for the flap valve 117 in the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 is biased by a spring 129 tending to move the pin 116 from the lever arm 117a of the actuating member 117 of the flap valve 109· When in the embodiment shown in Fig. 4 the operarlng lever 1 is pi otally moved lnthe clockwise sense as viewed in Fig. 4, the piston 2 is raised and the pin 116 is lowered against the pressure of the spring 129 so that the lever arm 117a of the aotuatlng member 117 of the flap vlalve 109 s pivotally moved in a counterclockwise sense as viewed in Fig. 4 and the outlet opening 5 of the cylinder 106 is cloeed before the discharge piston 2 opens the inlet opening J < for the icecream. The inlet opelning j5 for the iceoream is not opened until the valve member 120 of the flap valve 109 has closed the outlet opening 5 of the cylinder 106.

In the embodiment shown in Pig. 5 the actuating member ll8 of the flap valve 110 consists of a leaf spring, one end of which is secured to the plate 115* which is formed with the recess 114 accomodating the valve 110, whereas the other end of the spring carries the valve member 120 of the valve 110. The leaf spring 118 forming the actuating member of the flap valve 110 tends to hold the valve member . of the flap valve in the outlet opening 5 of the.cylinder 106. In this case, a pivotal movement of the operating lever 1 in the clockwise sense as viewed in Fig. 5 causes the discharge piston 2 to descend and the pin 116 to apply pressure to the leaf spring ll8 so that the outlet opening 5 from the cylinder 106 is opened.

In the embodiment of the icecream dlepenser shown in Fig. 6, the outlet opening 5 of the cylinder 106 is adapted to be closed by a valve member 120 of a valve 111. One end of a coll spring 121 is secured to the valve member 120. The other end of the coll spring 121 is secured to the discharge piston 2. In this embodiment, the valve member 120 is lifted by the spring 121 and ela3tlcally forced against, the rim of the outlet opening 5 to close the same as the pi3ton 2 is raised. Fig. 6 shoifs the parts in a position in which the spring is fully compressed. As the piston is raised, the spring gradually expands. The spring. ill finally lift the valve member 120 as the upward movement of the piston is continued. It is understood that the outlet opening 5 is closed before the lower edge of the discharge piston 2 moves1 past the lower edge of the inlet opening j5. On its end fact contacting the rim of the opening 5, the valve member 120 has a pad of elastic material, preferably in the form of a rubber ring.

In the embodiments shown in Figs. 7 to 12, the valve member 120 of the valve 112 or 112 is secured to at least one stem and preferably to two stems 122, such as are shown in Figs. to 12. A spring abutment 123 Is secured to each stem at the end thereof which is remote from the valve member 120. The spring abutment 13 may be screw-threadedly engaged with the stem 122 to define different positions for the end of the spring. The second end of the spring is engageable with the discharge piston 2 before the latter opens the inlet opening 2, through which the Icecream to be dispensed enters the cylinder. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 9 to 12, the second end of the spring bears on the discharge piston 2 with a backing plate 125 interposed. In the embodiments shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the stem 122 connected to the valve member 120 extends through the piston head of the discharge piston 2 and into an oversize bore 126, which extends axially of the discharge piston 2. That end of the spring 124 which is remote from the spring abutment 122 secured to the ' end of the stem 122 is engageable with the bottom 127 of the bore 126 in the discharge piston 2. The length of the spring 124 when expanded is smaller than the length of the bore 126 of the discharge piston 2. In this embodiment too, the valve member 120 is provided with a resilient pad to ensure that the outlet opening 5 of the oylinder 106 can be sealed.

When the piston 2 has been raised to a predetermined exient from its bottom dead center, the bottom 127 of the bore 126 engages that end of the spring 124 which faces the valve member 120. The second end of the spring 124 bears on the spring abutment. The valve member 120 is now moved in unison with the piston and engages the rim of the outlet opening 5· As the upward movement of the piston.2 is continued, the spring 124 is compressed and the valve member 120 is forced tightly against the outlet opening 5 so that the latter is held closed while icecream enters the cylinder 106 through . the inlet opening j5. In the .embodiment shown in Fig. 7> the pivot for the operating lever 1 is arranged so that the icecream is discharged by an upward .movement of the oper4«ating lever 1 from a generally horizontal position to a vertical position.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 8, the icecream is discharged when the operating lever 1 is moved from a generally vertical position to a generally horizontal position. This is accomplished in the embodiment shown in Fig. 8 in that the pivot for the operating lever is mounted in the housing 107 on that side of the discharge piston 2 which is remote from the operator.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 7 the quantity of the portion can be selected by a change of the stroke of the discharge piston 2. For this purpose, a plug pin 131 is provided, which is engageable by the operating lever 1 as it moves from a vertical position toward a horizontal position. The plug pin 1^1 may be inserted into various bores 1^0, which are formed in the housing 107 In the range of the pivotal movement of the operating lever 1.

The. spring 124 in the embodiments shown in Figs. 7 and 8 is so long that it engages the spring abutment 1 5 and the bottom 127 of the bore 126 when the piston 2 is at its bottom dead center, so that in that position of the discharge piston 2 the valveTiBmber 120 also engages the outlet opening 5 under the pressure exerted by the spring 124 on the stem 122. In this case, the valve member is moved away from the outlet opening 5 b the pressure which is exerted on the valve member 120 by the descending, piston through the Intermediary of the icecream. This arrangement of the spring has the advantage that the raising o the piston 2 produces in the cylinder 106 a subatmospherlc pressure, which assists the inflow of the icecream through the inlet openings 5· In the embodiment shown by way' of example in Fig. 8, the stroke of the discharge piston 2 is limited in that the opera-ring lever 1 engages a stop late 152 during its move-' ment from a generqlly horizontal position to a generally vertikal position. The distance from the stop plate 152 to ' the pivot for the operating lever 1 is determined by a detachable sleeve. When the sleeve 155 in the embodiment * shown in Fig. 8- is replaced by a shorter sleeve, th stop plate 152 will be moved nearer to the pivot for the operating lever 1 so that the stroke of the discharge piston 2 and the quantity of the portion to be dispensed are reduced.

In the embodiment shown by way of example in Figs. 9 to 12, the backing plate 125. is mounted in a recess 128 formed in the housing 107 of the cylinder 106 and the periphery of the plate 125 extends into the path of two spaced apart, parallel discharge pistons 2, which are disposed in the cylinder housing 107· In this embodiment, the two cylinders 1 can be supplied with different kinds of icecream at the same time or each piston can be operated Independently of the other.

In the embodiment shown in Pigs. 9 to 12, each piston has a milled recess 133* which is connected by a step 134 to the cylindrical skirt of the piston. As the discharge piston 2 is raised, the step 154 engages the backing plate 124 and carries the backing plate 125, the stem 122 and the valve member 120 along so that the latter is moved toward th outlet opening 5 of the cylinder 106. That portion ό . the valve member 120 which is disposed below the outlet opening 5 is provided with sealing discs 135 of elastic material psferably rubber. To facilitate the disoharge of the icecream the valve member 120 is formed with a central bore 136. The use of the spring 124 enables the use of a given dispenser to discharge icecream portions differoing in quantity because the springs 124 ensure that the outlet opening 5 will always be closed at the time when the inlet opening 3 is exposed by the lower edge of the raising piston 2 regardless of the dead center position of the piston.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 5s a lever 37 is provided which serves to operate a counter. The lever 37 is pftvoted in the housing 107 of the cylinder 106 and is operated by the cam portion 119 of the operating lever 1. The movement of the lever 1 from an approximately vertical position to an approximately horizontal position may be limited by a stop 138, which extends into the path of movement of the lever 1. Different stops 1 8 may be inserted,to stop the lever 1 in different positions and to limit the raising of the piston 2 accordingly.

Claims (5)

What is claimed Is*

1. An icecream dispenser, which comprises a housing formed with a cylinder and with an inlet opening communicating with said cylinder, a stationary wall extending across the cross-section of said cylinder and spaced from said inlet opening in the axial direction of said cylinder, said housing and wall being formed with an outlet opening which communicates with said cylinder and is spaced from said inlet opening in the axial direction of said cylinder on the same side of feaid inlet opening as said wall, a discharge piston which is slidably mounted in said cylinder for movement between first and second dead center positions and arranged to define with said stationary wall a metering chamber which communicates with said inlet and outlet openings when said piston is in said first dead center position and to engage said stationary wall and close dald inlet opening when said piston is in said second dead center position, and a valve arranged to control said outlet opening.

2. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 1, in which said piston is arranged to close said inlet opening when it has moved slightly from said first dead center position toward said second dead center position.

3. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 1, in which said valve is a pressure-relief valve.

4. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 5, which comprises valve-setting means for adjusting the opening pressure of said pressure-relief valve.

5. An Icecream dispenser as set forth in claim , in which said valve-setting means comprise a plug, which is Inserted in said housing and has an end face, a spring abutment in screw-threaded engagement with said plug and overlying said end face, and a sealing ring interposed between said end face and said spring abutment, and said valve comprises a valve disc and a spring interposed between said valve disc and spring abutment and tending to hold said valve disc in a closed position.

6. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 1, which comprises an operating lever for moving said piston between said first and second dead center positions and valve-operating means operatively connecting said valve to said lever so that said valve is olosed when said piston is in said first dead center position and open during a movement of the piston from a point slightly spaced from said first dead center position to said second dead center position.

7. An ioeoream dispenser as set forth in claim 6, In which said valve-operating means comprise an actuating extension carried by said lever.

8. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 7» in whioh said valve comprises a valve member, a stem connected to said valve member, and a spring tending to move said valve member to an open position, and said valve-operating means oomprlse a ramp, which is inclined relative to the direction e£ in which said actuating extension is movable by said lever, and said actuating extension is adapted to cooperate with said ramp to move said valve member to a closed position - 1 - against the force of said spring.

9. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 7» i which said valve comprises a valve member, a stem connected to said valve member, and a valve spring tending to move . said valve member to a closed position, said valve-operating means comprise a valve-actuatin member which is alidably mounted in said stem for a movement which is transverse to the axis of said stem, said valve-actuatin member is adapted to assume an operative position in which it protrudes into the path of saia actuating extension, a spring is provided which urges said valve-actuating member toward said operative position, and said actuating extension is arranged to engage said valve-actuating member and move said valve member to its . open position against the force of said valve spring as said lever is operated to move said piston to said second dead center position.

10. A valve as set forth in claim 9* which comprises valve-locking means adapted to lock said valve member in its open position..

11. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 10, in which said valve-locking means comprise a valve-locking extension carried by said stem and a valve-locking lever which is engageable Xfith said valve-locking extension to lock said valve member in its open position.

12. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 11, in which said valve-locking extension protrudes from said valve-actuating member. 135.. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 1, tyhlch comprises wall-mounting means connecting said stationary wall to said housing for an adjustment of said wall in the axial direction of said cylinder.

14. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 13, in which said wall-mounting means comprise an adjusting screw.

15. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 14, in which · · - ... said wall-mounting means compris .a retaining member . which is secured to said housing and formed with a tapped, opening, ' said stationary wall has a tapped opening, and said adjusting screw has two mutually independent external screw threads in screw-threaded engagement with said tapped openings of said retaining member and stationary wall, respectively.

16. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 13, in which said outlet opening is formed In said stationar wall.. · , ■ ' ■

17. An icecream dispense as set forth in olaim 16, which comprises a plate which Is disposed outside said cylinder and secured to. said housin and formed with a recess which contains at least part of said valve.

18. An iceoreara dispenser as set forth in claim 17» in which said valve consists of a flap valve.

10. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 18, in which said flap valve comprises a pi otally movable valve-actuatin'g member, . ■'■ ■ ''- 19'- / ■ ■' ' 1 .'-"7-:-i: an operating lever is pivofcted to said housing and operable to move said piston between said first and second dead center positions, ''■ said operating lever is provided with cam means, and . a valve-actuating pin is slldably mounted In said housing and has one end engaging said cam means and another end engaging said valve actuating member to actuate said valve in response to the movement of said lever.

20. An icecream dispenser as set forth In olaim 19, In which said valve-actuating member consists of a leaf sprin having two ends, one of which is secured to said plate, and said valve comprises a valve member secured to the other end of said leaf springe .

21. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 17* i which said valve comprises a valve member and a spring having one end secured to said valve member and another end secured to said piston.

22. An icecream dispenseras set forth In claim 17* in which said valve comprises a valve member, at least one stem secured to said valve nember and extending axially through said piston, a spring abutment secured to each of said stems on the side of said piston which is opposite to said wall, and a spring interposed between said spring abut ment and said discharge piston and adapted to bear on said spring abutment and discharge piston before said discharge piston opens said inlet opening as said piston moves from said second to said first dead center position. 2j5« An Icecream dispenser as set forth In claim 22, ! in which said spring abutment is adjustably secured to said stem.

24. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 22, in which a backing plate is interposed between said piston and said spring.

25. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 22, in which . !said piston is formed with an axial bore through which said stem extends and which at its end remote from said wall has a counterbore portion havin a bottom, said counterbore portion is oversize with respect to . said stem, said spring is adapted to expand to a length which is smaller than the length of said counterbore portion* and tha end of said spring which is remote from said spring abutment is engageable with the bottom of said oounter-bore-portion.

26. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 25, in which said spring is adapted to assume a fully expanded state in which its length is smaller than that of said counterbore-portion. 27· An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 1J, in which said valve comprises a valve member, two stems secured to said valve member and extending through said piston, two spring abutments respectively secured to said stems on the side of said piston which is opposite to said valve member, and two springs, each of which is Interposed between one of said spring abutments and said discharge piston and adapted to bear on said spring abut- . ment and discharge piston before said discharge piston opens said inlet opening as said piston moves from said second to said first dead center position.

28. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 1, in which said outlet opening is formed in said housing. . An icecream dispenser as set forth i claim 28, in which ' said piston has a head facing said stationary wall and a skirt extending from said head away from said stationary wall, - . said skirt is formed with an axial groove which extends from said head and has an and portion remote from said head, •and said end portion is arranged to register with said outlet opening when said piston is. in said second dead center position.

50. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 1, in which said spring consists of a coil spring.

31. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 1, whioh ; said piston has a lower edge portion a rranged to control said inle opening. · 5 . An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 21, in which said inlet opening is slot-shaped.

33. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 1, whioh . comprises an operating lever for moving said piston between said first and second dead center positions and a stop engageable by said lever in its position corresponding to the first dead center position of said piston.

54. An Icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 55, in which said s¾op consists of an adjusting screw.

55. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 54, in which said adjusting screw is a finger screw. :

56. Anjicecream dispenser as set forth in claim 55, in which said stop comprises a detachably mounted sleeve extending into the path of movement of said operating lever.

57. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 1 , in which . ( said valve comprises a valve member consisting of a valve piston having an end portion which faces in the discharge direction and is formed with a cylindrical extension having a funnellike recess.

58. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 1, in which . , said outlet openin is formed in said housing, said wall extends laterally beyond said cylinder and is formed with a dispensing opening which is adapted to communicate with said outlet opening and a closure is provided, which is adapted to open and close said dispensing opening.

59. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 5l> in which said closure consists of a gate valve.

40. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 59* In which said wall is formed with at least one groove with · which said gate valve is slidably engaged.

41. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 59, in . which said wall is formed with two grooves with which said gate valve is slidabl engaged.

42. An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 1, which comprises a counter arranged to indicate the number of portions of Icecream which have been dispensed. ■.'■ ! An icecream dispenser as set forth in claim 1, which comprises a counter arranged to indicate the total sales price of the portions of icecrara. which have been dispensed. . An icecream dispenser, which comprises. a housing formed with first and second parallel, laterally spaced apart cylinders, two inlet openings respectively oommunicating with said cylinders and a guide opening which is disposed between said cylinders and extends parallel thereto and intersects both said cylinders, a stationary wall extending across the cross-section of both said cylinders and spaced from said inlet openings in the axial direction of said cylinders and formed with an outlet opening which communicates with both said oylinders, said outlet opening when the piston is in said first dead center position and to engage said stationary wall and close the respective inlet opening when said piston is in said second dead center position, said guide opening extending axially beyond said piston on the side thereof opposite to said wall when said piston is in said first dead center position, . a plate which is disposed outside said cylinders and secured to said housing and formed with a recess,, and a valve arranged to control said outlet opening and partly received in said recess, . said valve comprising a valve member, at least one stem secured to said valve member and extending axially beyond said pistons to that side thereof which is opposite to said wall and into said guide opening, a spring abutment secured to each of said stems on the side , of said pistons which is opposited to said wall means, a backing plate guided in said guide opening on the pistons oppositedto said walljand extending into both said cylinders into the path of movement of each of said pistons to be axially engageable thereby, and a spring interposed between said spring abutment and said backing plate and adapted to bear on said spring abutment and through said backing plate on each of said pistons before the latter opens the respective inlet opening as it moves from said second toward said first dead center position.