US1663686A - Method and apparatus for dispensing carbonated beverages - Google Patents

Description

March' 27, 192s. 1,663,686

w. E. DOUGHTY METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING CARBONATED BEVERAGES A TToRNEYs. l

i Patented Mar. 27, lf9 28. I i i umrlazn STATE PAT fr ori-ica WILLIAM E. DOUGHTY, DETBGIT, MICHIGAN, ASIGNOR T JAMES VERNOR COM- IPANY, OF DETROIT, INlII('2HI(3i A1\l',A A CORQPORATION 0F MICHIGAN. i

i METHOD AND APPARATUS Fon DISPENSING cARBoNA'rED BEVERAGES.

Application inea June'l, 1926. serial No. 113,056.

This invention relates to apparatus for ably connected bj' a valve controlled conduit dispensing carbonated beverages and more to the. settling c lamber so that at intervals especially to improvelnents therein pertainthe gas from this settling chamber will be ing toagitating means employed in connecpermitted to escape through this ejector tion with the cooling' medium for the bevnozzle to thereupon cause an agitation of the 60 erag'e. cooling fluid. f f -While the invention finds utility in dis- The valve controlling the flow of this gas i pensing apparatus of. various characters and to the ejector nozzle may be operated in de- 'designs nevertheless it may be employed to pendence upon and as a result of the-operaparticular advantage in' small portable units tion of thel beverage dispensing valve or au- 65 4such are designed to be quickly and ecotomatically by means of avalve actuated in 'nomically manufactured and sold at a small dependence upon the level of the beverage cost for use on the counter or the like of in the settling tank and the pressure ofthe :1 drugstores, contectioners'andother similar accumulated gas therein. As the descripl5 establishments.v f'

tion of the invention proceeds it will be ob- 70 Apparatus of this character to' Vbe comvi'ous that the passage of the gasto the ejecmercially successfulv must function to ad e` tor maybe controlled in other ways as for quately cool the beverage andto maintain instance solely by means of. a pressure actheidesired low temperature even under contuated Valve operable .in Adependence upon 20 ditions Where the beverage 1s .being Aconthe pressure in the'settlingtank. 7& 5

stantly dispensed. This has heretofore been This invention therefore also .contemaccomplished with `more'or less success by plates and has as one` of its primary objects -providing'a tank adapted to contain a coolthe provision of a. un1tary structure or selfving medium such as Water and cracked ice contamed-unlt 'which may be `manufactured in which a cooling coil is immersed together and shlpped complete and ready for installa- 80 with asettling chamber to which the high tlon lWithout necessitating the employment pressure carbonated beverage is conducted of outslde or separate mechanism in use.

and from. which the beverage is drawn as a, This is possible because the agitating means `low pressurebeverage. In order that such .is contained and operable from Within the :in cooling means' function efficiently when the cooling medium container. Obviously the 8b capacity of the cooling coils is taxed to the .use of agitating means for the cooling melimit. by reason of-the beverage being cond1um, 1f for instance compreed air were stantly dispensed, a'gitating means areA proused, would necessitate the provision, exterivided for circulating the cooling medium Orly of the unit, of a compressed air tank or and maintaining'the' same in a state of agicompressor or both while the employment of 90 tation. a motor-driypn or other mechanically oper- Heretofore a motor-driven propeller has ated agitator would necessitate the employbeen employed as an agitator and while an ment exteriorly of the container,v of mechaarrangement of this character functions msm for actuating the agitator. Obvious- ,4o more or less eticiently it not only adds maly with the present invention the source of 95 terially Vto` the cost of manufacture, but also power of the agitator means is arranged in creases the maintenance cost. In small wlthm the container and forms a part of the portable units 'which may otherwise be eco complete self-contained unit.

nomically manufactured and operated, this -The invention also contemplates broadly character' of agitat-ing means, 'owing to lts the provision of a fluid agitator as dis- 100 i cost, is relatively unsatisfactory. `tinguished from mechanical agitators and as f -It' is therefore anobject of\this invention stateid hereinbefore proposes the use of the 1 to provide? means for agitating'or# circulatgas collected in the settling| chamber which ing the cooling medium withoutthe employconstitutes a suitable source of energy for 15" ment --f exterior or added mechanism 'or this purpose' vvhich would otherwise be lost. 105 power A butf to utilize the excess gas freed The invention furthermore contemplates from 'the beverage and accumulated in the broadly the'provision of an agitator for the sett-ling tank. To this end theinventon cilng medium which is operable at int'ercontemplates` an. 'ejectonnozzle or. the like vals without the use of complicated Control submerged in the', cooling liquid' and suit-.' means.- Owing to the adherent nature 01.110

lthe agitator means'employed this automatic ,control of the agitating means maybe more conveniently provided for. Such an .arrangement is particularly advantageous inasmuch as the coolingfmediumlwhich customarily consists of water together with ice, may be more economically used inasmuch as such cooling medium is only agitated during the timethe beverage or other liquid to bev cooled is being withdrawn. When constantly operatedagitators are employed the ice vmelts quicker and consequently a greater lsupply of ice is consumed during any given perio p Y. l p l Various other such objects, advantageous and novel details of construction of this i'nvention will^ be ymadewmore apparent as this descriptionvproceeds, .especially when con- Figure 3 is an enlarged viewlof the ejector nozzle.I

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figurei'ly showing a slightly modified arrangement and Figure 5 is a fragmentary detailv sectional-l view of the ejector control valve.

Referring nowparticularly to the. d rawing wherein like reference characters indicate like parts-it will be noted that there 1s illustrated a tank 10 1which' wmay, comprise inner and outer walls 11 and 12 .arranged with in insulating medium '13 therebetween.

This tank is adapted to contain acooling.

vmediumsuch as-water 14 and ice 15. The

reference character 16 indicates a cover or closure for the upper open side of the tank 10.

It is customary, for 'con enience in han- 7dling, 'storage and shipment, to.pl ace the 17 through theintermediary of a` coupling beverage in tanks containingmfor v.instance ten (1o) gamona one of which tanks (11%@ shown) will be connected to a cooling coil 18. Obviously the cooling coil 17 may be of any desired length( and configuration and lwill be immersed within the cooling medium contained Within the tank 10. The reference character- 19 indicates a settling chamber or tank into which the high pressure beverage flows vfrom the end 20 of the cooling coil. The function of the settling chamber 19 is to relievethe high .pressure beverage of a large amount of thegas contained there -in so thatwhen the vbeverage is drawn from the settling chamber it will not'become unduly foamy, a condition which would result if the beverage. were drawnv directly from Lacasse.

the high pressure tank br original-container. 'l'lhus the beverage-flowing-into the tank 19 .liberates a certain amount ofthe gas con- -taine'd therein which gas accumulatesin the upper end of the tank 19.

The reference character 21 indicates gen lerally a draftl apparatuslwhich includes a draw-pff spoutor nozzle22 controlled by a valve 23 actuated lby a handle 24'. This Adraft y apparatus maybe providedgwith a. tubular or. sleeve-like extension which extends throughthe wall of the tank 10 anud threadedly engages -a coupling sleeve v26. lA packing gland 27 may-beprovided at the point at whichthe' extension 25` passes through the wall 10 together' with a nut 28 for. holding' the same in place. A pipe 29 connected to the settling chamber 19 at the bottom thereof as indicated at 30 and to the sleeve 26 as indicated at .31,provides means for ber or tank 19 toD -the draft apparatus.

i The reference 4character 32 indicates.`l a -valve casing providedwith a threaded portion 33l for engagement with the adjacent threaded end of a sleeve 26. The casing 32 withdrawing the .beverage fromthe cha`1n is provided with a chamber' 34 in which a valve 35 is adapted toreciprocate, this valve beingnormally urged against its seat 36 by means ofa spring 37 bearing on the one hand against the valve. 35 and on the otherhand against a screw cap 38 threaded onto 'the end of the casing 32. A pipe or conduit 39 is connected tb the chamber 34 through thelcap 38 and is connected on thev other hand, as indicated at 40, to the top of they settlingchamber, 19. The'valve35 'controls communication between chamber 34iandtl1e lobbore or chamber`41 which isconnected by a pipe 42 with an ejector device 43. `This ejector device is in the form of a circular tube 44 provided with a plurality of openings 45.

through which the gas escapes. Obviously, however, `any other desired form of ejector device or discharge nozzle or. nozzles may be employed. Thearrangement'of the parts preferably .is such that'the gas issues subv vstantially in the direction of the settling tank or toward that side. of the tank 10 diametrically ,opposed to'theaxis of the -vent tube 44. j

In this embodiment of the invention 'it is proposed to control the valve 35by means fof the draft valve control handle 24 and for this purpose the following construction is providedf The' handle 24 which isl pivoted lao as at 46 has its lower end 47 extending into a slot 48 formed in a slidingblock 4 9 lwhich 'carries the valve 23; A rod 5.0 slidably engaging the block 49 extends through a packing.51 -in the valve lcasing 32 and through the bore 41 where it is connected tothe valve 35. The forward end 52 of the 'rod 50 is held projected in to 4the slot 48 b the .l p

-spring 37 before referred to. It`wi l be noted that this slot 48 is of a greaterwidth than the end 47 of the valve -handle so that f there is a lost motion connection between the handle 24 and the block 49. Thus dur- ,ing the initial movement ot' the handle24 in the direction ot the arrow A, which is the direction for opening the valve 23,' thevalve IQ3 will not be immediately opened but au independent movement will first beimparted to the rod 50 to unseat the valve 35. @bviously during a continued movementI ofy the handle Q4.- both the block 49 and consequently quently the valve 35. will move' in unison.l

the valve Q3 as Well as the rod 50 and conse- A spring 53 is arranged toinormally urge the valve. )3 inits closed position.

`When the valve 35 is opened gas from the top ofthe settling chamber '15 will flov'v through conduit 39, chamber 34, -pass the val ve through the bore 41 and conduit 42 to 'the ejector device where it Will'issue through the openings of the nozzle` 44. This Wi-llcausean agitation of the water v constituting 'a part of the cooling medium and. the .circulation thus promoted effects au more etlicient cooling of the beverage. Obviously by thearrangementjust described .athis agitationv of the cooling -medium will` commence prior to the -time'that the .val-ve Q3 is opened so that the circulation of the cooling medium starts before any of the bev- @rage iswvitlidrawn from the'draw-o'il noz,-

zle Q2. lt will furthermore be obvious that gas will continue .to issue from the ejector device (hiring the entire time. that the. beverage isb'eing withdrawn as during this time the valve 35 is-maintained 'in open position. lVhen'thehandle 24 is released the springs 37 and 53 Willreturn the valves and 23 to their closed positions.-

The tank lOWill 'preferably be provided I l' with an overflow pipe 54 for controlling the level' ot' the water which pipe may be.`

- protected by protectivel screen '55.

form of construction is illustrated in which the escape of the gas from the settllng In Figures l chamber is automaticallycontrolled. Inasmuch as 4most 'of the essentials-of the dispensing apparatus are similar to that reviously described, only those fparts aviich4 differ W'il'know'be: referred to.

' ln` this construction the end ofthe cooligco'il 17 enters the settling tank 19 asindicated at 56 and the ejector device 4:3is connected by means of a tube or conduitf57 'to an automatic control device 58 connected to'the settlingtank 19 at the .top thereof. By reference to Figure5 it willbe noted that this automatic control device involves the following construction or its equivalent. l I provide a lvalve casing v59 formed with a gas chamber 60. Thefgas' from the settling'chamber 19 is free to pass to thecham- 'berf'32 through port 61 ofplug 62, the lat;

ter havin an axial bore aHordi'ng a sliding bearing or valve stem.,63 of a primary 'registering with the port 65 aording passage orthe gas from the chamber 6() to a {chamber/ in the secondary valve casing,

the passage of gas thereto being controlled by a secondary valve 7-1normally Seated by spring 72. rlhe gas in chamber 70 is free to 'escape through ports 73 and 74', the latter' communicating with the pipe or conduit 57 afore:referred-to.y The pressure ot spring 72 may be regulated by properly adjusting thecap 75, forming an abutment for this spring. l

-With this construction the s be adjusted to seat the secon ary. valve`71 wheneverv the .pressure in the settling 'chamring 72 may ber-falls/or instance beloiv two pounds` per 'i square inch. When the beverage lis drawn per square inch high pressure beverage will flow therein past a regulator'valve 76 from the coil 17. enever thep'ressurel of the beverage in the settling chamber is more thanktwo pounds per' square'v inch, and the' valve 64 unseated, the excess pressure passes om the settling chamber'to theI primary .valve chamber 60, past valve and through ports 65and 69 to the secondary valve cham# tber70, whence it acts to unseat the ndary valve 71, the gas then passing through ports 73 and 74 and through pipe 57 to the ejector device.v Thus. it. will be seen that the ejector device will' function in depend# ence upon the pressure of the gasin the .set-

v,tling chamber primarily although this ,presi sure isto some extent 'dependent upon the level of the beverage therein so that 'the actuation of the 'ejector is partlyjinluenced bythe actuationotthe draft device.

From the foregoing it will bev apparent"l that this invention contem latesy the utilization of a source of energy eretoforewasted because 'ip either'ioff thetwo herein described from the settling chamber the float-'66 lowersmww" u'nseatmg the valve 64.t ltfthe pressure in thesettli'ng chamber is'lessfthan six pqunds.

constructions or many substantially similar types of dispensing apparatus it 4has been necessary to periodicall relieve the settling tankof the accumulated gasfreed from the settled or low pressure beverage. Obviously;

,with the resent invention this source of -enj' ergyris4 eihciently utilizedtosagitate the'cool- From the foregoing description it'vwilllbe apparent that tilleul.principlesv ofthe inven-v ing medium' to force a circulation thereof. p,

tion may be embodied in different structural l arrangements, tivo of such arrangements being shown and described'herein.

Accordingly it should be understood that the invention consists'broadly in conducting' the excess gas freed from the settled or low pressure beverage to an' ejector or agitator device'employed for agitating `er enforcing v a circulation ofthe cooling mdium." As the l0 mechanical details wherein the invention -is carried into executionmayibe variedas d- ,sired or found necessary or expedient, the

illustrative embodiment of the invention herein shown and described should not be consideredlas limiting the scope/of the in- ,'35 the gas collected by said settling chamber.

' .ing medium, a- .coil for introducing a bevsaid gas.'

lventioii in any particular whatsoever..` Accordingly reservation is made t make such changes in the details of construction and Y in the. manner of carrying into execution the .20 invention as vmay come Within the purview of the accompanying claims.

lWhat I claim as iny invention is.:

1. In a carbonated beverage dispensing apparatus, a tank adapted to contain a cool- 95 ing liquid, meanswi'thn said tank for rev-- ceiving the--beverageand for collecting a portion of the gas therefrom and an agitator 3.'In a carbonated beverage dispensing apparatus', a tank adapted. tol contain atcoolera'ge to be cooled into said tank and means for ejectinggas from said beverage \into said cooling lmedium belowa portion of said coil -for ,circulating the cooling 4medium around the coil. Y

'4. In; acarbonated -beverage dispensing apparatus,` a tank adapted to -contain a cooling .'liquid, means'A for conducting a beverage to be cooled through said liquid, said meansincluding a settling chamber in which "gas fromsaid beverage `collects, a discharge noz'zle below the normal vlevelfot the said cooling liquid and adjacent thel said cham- .ber'and means foi-'conducting the gas from szliid settling chamber to said discharge nozz e. v

' 5. In a carbonatedy beverage dispensing apparatus, a tank adapted to contain a cooling liquid, means for' conducting 'a bev-- erage to be cooled through said liquid, said means including a settling chamber. in which gas from said beverage collects, a cooling liquid agitating device including a tube provvided With a plurality of spaced discharge openings arranged around said chamber and means for: conducting gas from said .settling chamber to 'said tube.-

`apparatus, a tank adapted to contain a cooing medium, lmeans -itor introducing a bevierageto be cooled into said tank incIuding a cooling coil anda settling chamber, a substantially circular discharge ynozzle arranged below the normal level of "said cooling mediumand means connecting said nozzle to said settling chamber whereby gas freed from said beverage is supplied to said nozzle for agitatingsaid cooling medium.

7. Ina carbonated bevera'ote dispensing apparatus, a tank adapted to contain a coolerage to be cooled into saidv tank including ving liquid,` means for introducing a beva settling chamber, adraft apparatus for withdrawing liquid from said settling chamber, a discharge nozzle extending partially around said settling chamber and automatic 4Valve `control meansl connecting said dislcharge nozzle to said settling chamber Whereby gas collected in the latter maybe conducted to said'discharge nozzle.-v 8. In a carbonated beverage dispensing apparatus, atank adapted to contain a cooling liquid, means for introducing a beverage to be cooled into said tank including -a coolfrom said' beverage. collected thereinj may be conducted to Said' discharge nozzle, a

combined level and pressure controlled valve' -for controlling said gas .and a draft ap-y paratus including a valve `connected to said settling chamber. i 9. 'Ihe method of cooling a carbonated beverage, which consists in conducting the beverage through a cooling liquid iii a tank, relieving the beverage of a portion of its gas and agitating the cooling liquid around the beverage conducting meansl by said gas.

1Q. '.llie method of cooling a carbonated beverage, which consists in conducting the beverage in heat 'exchange With a liquid v ilo mixed With ice, relievingthe beverage of a 'portion of its gas and agitating .the cooled.

liquid by ,ejectin'of said gas therethrough.

11. In a liquid cooling apparatus, a tank for a cooling medium, a, container Within the tank for the liquid to be cooled and Huid means lfor agitating said cooliiigymedium around the said container.

12. In a liquid cooling apparatus, a container for ac ooling me iumkmeans'in the forni of a` conduit for-introducing the liquid to be cooled into said cooling medium and means for ejectiig fluid into engagementA .with saJideooling medium around saidconduit?` for agitating the said cooling medium.'

y13. In a liquid cooling apparatus a container for a cooling medium, means in the form of la conduit for introducing the liquid to be cooled into said'cooling medium and means operablel at intervals ,for agita-ting said coolingmedium around said conduit.

14. The method of cooling a'. carbonated beverage which consists in` conducting the 18. In a carbonated beverage Cooling apparatus, a containerior a cooling medium,

a chamber Within said container for'receivlng the beverage and for collecting a portion 5 beverage through a cooling liquid, and discharging a gas into the cooling liquid adjacent, the beverage conducting means to agitate the cooling-v liquid.` v v ll5. In a carbonated beverage dispensing 10 apparatus, a tank adapted to contain a cool- 'of the gas therefrom, means for discharg` ing the gas collected in the said chamber into the lower portion of the container andinto Contact. with the cooling medium to agitatal the cooling medium and a valve operable the said chamber medium.

ing mdium, means for conduct-ing a beveryage within said tank, andl vmeans for discharging a portion of the gas from said bevera'ge below a portion of the said beverage conducting means for agitating the said cooling -medium around the beverage conducting means.

16. In a carbonated beverage' dispensing apparatus, a tank adapted to contain a cool- ,I I2o'ing medium, a chamber Within thesaid tank fort receiving a beverage to be cooled and lfor separating-a portion of the gas therefromand a conduit connected `to\ the upper portion of the chamberand having a portion 25 partially encircling. the said chamber for discharging the gas separated therein around -17. In a carbonated beverage dispensing 30 apparatus, a tank adapted tocontaina cool- 4ving medium, means for circulating a bever-- age to be cooled through the said tank including a chamber and a coil connected to the said chamber and'means for circulating 35 they cooling medium in the tank around the said coil and chamber including-,a conduit radapted to receive a portion ofv the gas from the carbonated beverage and.J to discharge the said gas into'the tank below a portion of 40 the said coil and chamber;

to agitate the cooling upon a predetermined pressure of the gas Within the chamber for controlling the How of the gasthrough the said discharge means.

19, In 'a carbonated beverage cooling apparatus, a container for a. cooling medium,

.achamber Within saidcontainer for receiving the beverage and Jfor collecting a por-` tion vofthe;v gasl therefrom, meansfor discharginof'the gas collected in the said chain f paratus, a container for a cooling medium,

a chamber Within saidcontaineror receiving the beverage and for collecting a portion of the gas therefrom, means for discharging the gas collected inthe said cham-` ber into contact with the cooling medium around the chamber to agitate the cooling medium and a valve'operable in dependencev .upon-the level of the beverage vWithin ther said chamber and the pressure of the gas"Us Within the said `chamber for controlling the flow of the gas through .the said discharge means. i j v ,In testimony whereof I aix my signature. 4 E. DOUGI-ITY.

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