US1681929A - Mixed-beverage-vending apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 28, 1928. 1,681,929

t w. C. DE ARMOND ET AL MIXED BEVERAGE VENDING'APPARATUS Filed March 27, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 4 1 M. AWWA... /IU|| Y ATTORNEYS Aug. 28, 1928.

' 1,681,929 W. C. DE ARMOND ET AL MIXED BEVERAGE VENDING APPARATUS a Filed March 27. 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEYS ,m 3 .M E Dn ,9, u v # m m m T 6, 5 www A .m o @f .w s 7 5 Lm m A MM5 ff @f Nm Q 0D7 Mmm 5 @0.0 MEM M f/J. -m GM www WJ 00, VH.. CMF .-.u

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Aug. 28, 1928.

Aug. 2s, 192s. W. C. DE ARMOND ET AL.

MIXED BEVERAGE VENDING lAPJEARATUS Filed- Maron 27, 1925 5 sheets-Sheet 4' luftig-.9,

ily/a fg l@ @m 3543 4f WWW i? W" '4] y ATTORNEYS Aug. 28, 1928. 1,681,929

^ w. c. DE ARMOND l-:T AL

MIXED BEVERAGE VENDING APPARATUS Filed March 27, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Amiga 2S, i928.

Uittill) STATES PATENT Qvii'FlCE.

WILLIAM C. DE A MOND AND VJILLAM RAY H. WATT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENN- SYLVANIA, ASSGHORS TO GBLV'Y CARBONATOR CGMPANY, GF PHILADELPI-IIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A COREORiTON F DELAW'ARE.

llIIXED-BEVERAGE-VENDING APPARATUS.

Application tiled March 27, 1925.

Our invention relates to a new and useful apparatus tor the mixing and dispensing of variously tlavored beverages ot the carbonated water type, known as soda or soda water, and it relates more particularly to apparatus ot the character stated, adapted to be controlled by means ot a coin ot a particular denomination; whereby the mixed beverage may be sold as well dispensed through mechanical means, without the aid or attendance ot an operator, clerk or salesman.

Our invention relates more particularly to the automat type ot beverage dispensing device, wherein the apparatus is normally locked in an inoperative position and may be released therefrom so as to permit the operation thereof only by the insertion ot a particular denomination coin into a suitable coin receiving aperture.

Our invention further relates to a mixing device adapted to mix one or several flavors or syrups with a diluent such as carbonated water; suitable means for automatically premeasuring bot-h the flavor or syrup as well as thc carbonated water tor each portion ot beverage to be discharged; and a coin controlled mechanism for first releasing the tlavor or syrup measuring and dispensing` devices, and

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thereafter to release the carbonated water dispensing` device so as to permit the mixing of thc two liquids to torni the completed beverage.

Our invention further relates to an individual diinliini` receptacle dispensing device, in novel combination with such beverage mixing and dispensing devices, and also controlled by the coin ccntrolling mechanisms; adapted automatically to supply a new and unused individual paper or other cup, beneath and in vertical alignment with the discharging noz- Zle, at the beginning of each operation, betere the liquid has been discharged.

Our igivention also relates to a novel water carbona'ting or charging device, in novel combination with such beverage mixing, dispensing mech anisn; and vending devices mentioned hereinbe'tore, adapted continuously to carbonate a supply ot fresh water, and to keep the same on tap at the mixing device, in preincasnrod quantities, tor each discharge of beverage.

l/Vith the above ends in view our invention consists of a novel water carbonating or charging battery or unit, of the general type Serial No. 18,653.

disclosed in our cO-pending application Serial llo.728,066,iiledon JulyQ/th,l9l-l,adapted to receive at one end thereof, an intermittent supply of fresh water, to carbonate the same through several stages ot' carbonation in the successive absorption chambers thereof, and to measure predetermined quantities or portions ot completely carbonated water.

Our invention further consists ot a novel 1 control valve or draft arm and a mixing chamber co-operating therewith, adapted to control the flow ot water and the carbonating gas from and to the charging or carbonating battery or unit, to receive within the mixing chamber a suitable quantity ot tlavoring liquid or other liquid ingredient ot the beverage, to discharge into said mixing chamber containing the tlavoring` liquid, a premeasured quantity ot carbonated water, to mix the same with the Havering liquid and to discl'iarge the mixtur-e through a suitable discharge nozzle into a cup or other receptacle positioned beneath the latter.

Qur invention further consists ot' a series ot novel syrup or flavor measuring and ejecting devices, adapted to receive a measured quantity of syrup or other liquid and then to eject and force the same into 'the above mentioned mixing chamber by the manual operaion of one of a corresponding series of plungers.

O'ur invention further consists ot a coin controlling device in combination with such measuring and dispensing devices adapted to receive a coin; to deposit and position the saine in operative relation with respect to the syrup measuring and ejecting device so as to malte such device operative; to release said coin from said position only after saidy syrup measuring and ecting device has been moved through a complete cycle otl operations, namely after such device has passed through a. forward and reverse stroke; to

drop said coin thereafter into a second coinv v controlling device adapted to release thereby, from its locked position` the control valve or draft arm7 mentioned heretofore; and

age mixing and dispensing devices, controlled and operated through the second coin operated device, namely the draft arm, and adapted to discharge a new and unused receptacle, such as a paper cup, at the beginning of each stroke of the draft arm so as to deposit the same, through suitable guiding means beneath the discharge nozzle or faucet of the mixing va ve onto a serving platform, from which the cup .may be removed by the purchaser of the beverage only after the same has been filled or substantially filled with the beverage.

Our invention further consists of a novel serving platform adapted to receive an empty drinking cup or receptacle and to retain such empty receptacle inaccessible to the pur- Chaser until the same has been filled, or substantially filled. with the mixed beverage dispensed and ready to be sold.

For the purpose of illustrating our invention, we have shown in the accompanying drawings, forms thereof which are at present preferred by us, since they have been found in practice to give satisfactory and reliable results, although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities of which our invention consists can be variously arranged and organized and that our invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and organization of these instrumentalities as vherein shown and described.

ReferriinT to the drawings in which like 1') 3 reference characters indicate like parts;

Fig. 1 represents a reai elevational view of a novel coin controlled mixed beverage dispensing apparatus, embodying our invention. Fist. 2 re aresents a section on line 2-2 of .s l Fie 1 on an enlaro'ed scale.

." 2 7 Fig. 3 represents a perspective view of a coin retaining and gaging plate.

Fig. t represents a vertical section of our novel water carbonating or charging` battery or unit.

Fig. 5 represents a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 represents a section on line 6 6 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 represents a front elevation of the coin controlled draft arm latch.

Fig. 8 represents a top plan view of the same, with the coin bosv in section.

Fig. 9 represents a section on line 9-9 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 10 represents a section on line 10-10 of Fig, 9.

Fig. 11 represents elevational views of the faces of the stationary and movable portions respectively, of our novel mixing valve, in the closed or oil position of the valve.

Fig. 12 represents elevational views of the faces of the stationary and movable portions respectively of our novel miXin g valve, in the open or discharging position of the same.

Fig. 13 represents a section on line 13-13 of Fig. 11, showing the movable or disc portion of our novel mixing valve.

1st represents a top plan view of the movable or disc portion of the mixing valve, showing the arrangement of passageways and dischurging` apertures in the valve stem.

Fig. 15 represents a. section on line 15-15 of Fig. 11.

Fig. 1G represents a section on line 16-16 of F 11.

Referring to the drawings there is shown in Fig. 1, in the rear elevation, a series of syrup or flavor liquid reservoirs 1, 2, 3 and 4, which may be increased to any desired number, within practical limits of the apparatus; each containing one of a series of different flavoring liquids or other liquid ingredients of the beverage to be dispensed. Each of the syrup reservoirs is connected by means of a suitable pipe connection 5, 6. 7 and 8 respectively, to a corresponding series of measuring and ejecting pumps 9, 10, 11 and 12, one of which is shown in detailed section in Fig. 2. The Havering liquid or other liquid ingredient normally fills the pipes 5, 6 and 7 or in the particular illustration shown in Figs. 2 and 9, the pipe 6; and also fills the corresponding` ejector chamber 13, to which it is connected through the ball check valve 14, (Fig. 2) which permits the flow of the liquid towards the chamber 13 and prevents any reversa-l of the i'iow, by the seating of the check ball 15, on the valve seat 16 of said check valve. The liquid contained in the tank also lls therefore the pipe or passageway 18 in the particular illustration shown in Fig. 2, in a manner similar to passageways 17, 19 and 20 illustrated in Fig'. 1. Each of the passageways 17, 18, 19 and 20 terminate in a corresponding series of check valve devices 21, 22, 23 and 24@ shown in Figs. 1, 2, 9 and 10, which are connected to, and carried by, the wall 25 ofthe mixing chamber 26 of our novel mixing and dispensing valve mechanism 27. Each ofthe check valve devices 21, 22, 23 and 24- is provided with a check ball or a suitable valve plate 23, which is normally held seated against the valve seat 29, in a yieldable manner, by means of the helical compression spring 30 surrounding` the valve stein 31, and interposed between the upper plate 32 carried by said valve stem 31, and the stationary spring seat portion 33 of such check valve devices. Thus the weight of the flavor syrup or other liquid ingredient which 'normally fills the pipe G and chamber 13 as well as the passageway 13, is retained within said passageways by means of the yieldable valve ball 2S held against the valve seat 29 in a yieldable manner by means of the springl 39 or other suitable tensioning means. Tvlhenever the piston 311- of the ejector pump 10 is forced forward in the direction of the arrow 35, the check ball 15 being thereby forced up against the valve seat 16, causes the piston 34 to Til ill)

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force a quantity of ilavoring liquid through they-ieldable check device 22 into the mixing chamber The quantity of flavoring liquid thus discharged or forced into the mixing chamber 26 by the piston 34, is equal therefore to the volume displacement of the piston 34, which in practice is substantially uniform, since the stroke of the piston is the same at all times.

In order to retain the measured quantity of the flavoring liquid within the mixing chamber 26, after it has been discharged thereinto, and before it is mixed with a suitable quantity of carbonated water, there is provided a check ball valve 36, seated on the valve seat 37 by gravity, the ball 36 being of such weight that it will not be disturbed or removed from said valve seat 37 by the entrance or discharge of the iavoring liquid into the mixing chamber 26, and yet of such weight and bulk that it will be readily removed from the valve seat by the force of the carbonated water as it is projected into the mixing chamber 26.

In the rear 0f the mixing chamber 26y integral with the wall 25 thereof, is the stationary portion 38 of the mixing valve 27, into which are led, a series of live pipes 4l, 42, 43, 44 and 45, which interconnect the corresponding` series of stationary port holes 5l, 52, 53, 54 and 55 in the face 39 of the stationary portion 38 fof the valve, with the Various elements of the carbonating apparatus. Thus the port 5l of the stationary portion of the valve is permanently connected, through the pipe 4l, with the storage tank 8O containing a supply of compressed carbonating gas or carbondioxide. The port 52 is connected through the pipe 42 to the discharge end of the charging or carbonating battery 8l. The port 53 is ,permanently connected, through the pipe 43, with the receiving end of the charging or carbonating battery 81. The port 54, through the pipe 44, is connected with the top of the measuring chamber 82; and lastly the port 55 is connected through the pipe 45, to the manifold 83 of the charging or carbonating battery 81, at a point between the measuring chamber 82 and the series of absorption chaini bers 84, 85 and 86.

The movable or disc portion 87 of the valve 27, revolved by means of the valve stem 83, and held in operative contact with the face 39 of the stationary portion 38 of said valve, is provided on its contacting face 89 with a number of port holes 6l to 67 inclusive so located with respect to the port holes 5l to 55 inclusive in the stationary portion 38 of the valve 27, and so provided with passageways interconnecting the various port holes 6l to 67 inclusive in said disc or movable portion 87, as to properly and differently connect up the various pipes 4l to 45 inclusive and the mixing chamber 26, in two different angular positions of said disc, namely in the closed and in the open position thereof respectively. The

closed position of the valve shown in Fig. 1l, and the open position thereofI shown in Fig. l2, are approximately 45 degrees apart, in the direction indicated by the arrow 90 in Fig. 12. Accordingly the ports 6l and 63 are interconnected by the passageway 7l shown in Figs. 1l, l2 and 13 particularly; the ports 62 and 65 are interconnected by means of the passageway 72 as shown in particular in Figs.

ll, l2 and l5; the port 64 passes straight' through the disc 87 through the passageway 73, directly into the mixing chamber 26 while the ports 66 and 67 are connected by means of the passageways and respectix elj,T through an axial passageway 78 in the stem 88 of the valve disc 87, and a plurality of radially disposed discharging openings 79, with the mixing chamber 26. Thus in the closed position of the valve, as shown in Fig. 1l, the ports 6l and 65 inclusive correspond and coincide with the ports 5l to 55 inclusive in the stationary portion 38 of the valve 27. It will be seen that in this position of the valve, the carbonating gas from the -tank 8O is conveyed directly, through the pipe 4l to the ports 5l, 6l and then through the passageway 7l through the ports 63 and 53 back through the pipe 43 into the first absorption chamber 86 of the cl'iarging battery 8l, thus exerting a full pressure of the gas on the series of absorption chambers 84, 85 and 86. In this closed position of the valve disc moreover, the pipes 42 and 45 are interconnected through the ports 52 and 55, and 62 and 65 and the passageway 72, so as to permit the water to flow' freely from the last absorption chamber 84 into the measuring chamber 82. Lastly, in this closed position of the valve disc 87 the pipe 44 from the top of the measuring chamber 82 is connected through the passageway 74 and the corresponding ports to 64, to the mixing chamber 26 of the valve 27. The charging or carbonating operation, which takes place during the olf or closed position of the valve 27 is as follows :l`he gas enter ing the absorption chamber 86, from the tank 80, through the pipes 4l and 43 and through the valve 27 as mentioned hereinbefore, passes through the water contained in said absorption chamber 86, and at the same time forces the water out from the chamber 86 through the passageway 91 in the manifold 83, into the vertical spray pipe 92 and forcing the water, mixed with gas, out 'through the perforated funnel 94, in the form of a spray, which then descends to the bottom of the chamber 85, through the mixing screen 95. The water then continues to travel on through the successive absorption chambers 84, urged by the pressure of the gas supplied from the pipe 43, through the series of passageways 96, in the common manifold 83 and the corresponding series of vertical spray tubes 97 extending into said absorption chambers 84. The water thus fully charged with the carbonating gas, in its passage through the series of absorption chambers, enters into the passageway 98 in the manifold 83, from whence it will pass into the measuring chamber 82, either by raising the check ball 99, which is provided on the valve seat 100, to prevent the retreat of the carbonating water from the measuring chamber into the absorption chambers, or through the pipe. and the ports 55, and 52, and 65 and 62, and through the pipe 42 and passage way 101 as shown particularly in 4. As the measuring chamber 82 is filled with the carbonated water, entering the same through the bottom thereof, the gas originally filling the measuring chamber 82 passes out through the pipe 44 and the ports 54 and 64 and the passageway 74, into the mixing chamber 26 of the valve 27. When however the carbonoted water has risen to the height of the check valve ball 102, contained within the cage 103, it lifts and forces the check valve ball 102 against the corresponding valve seat 104, thereby shutting olf the pipe 44, and preventing the exit of the carbonated water from the measuring chamber 82, so as to retain within said chamber 82 while the valve 27 is closed, or in the off position, a. premeasured and fixed quantity of fully charged or carbonated water. rllhe check valve ball 105, normally held seated on the valve seat 106 by the force of gravity, is provided for the ,purpose of shutting off the fresh water intake port 107, when the pressure of the carbonated gas is exerted on the series of absorption chambers, namely during the off position of the control valve 27. Upon revolving the valve disc 89 of the valve 27, in a righthand direction indicated by the arrow 90, from the off position shown in Figure 11, into the on position shown in Figure 12, namely the open or discharging position; the following cycle of events talies place :The carbonating gas (CO2) from the storage tank 80 passing through the pipe 41 and port 51, now instead of passing to the top of the first absorption chamber 86, as in the off, charging or closed position of the valve 27, passes through the movable port 63, the passageway 71, and the ports 61 and 54, and through the pipe 44 into the top of the measuringchamber 82, and eX- erts the full pressure of the carbonating gas on the premeasured quantity of carbonated water contained in said measuring chamber 82. rlhe pressure of the gas thus exerted on the water of the chamber 82 seats the check valve ball 99 tightly on the valve seat 100` thereby shutting` oif the measuring chamber from the absorption chambers, and forces the measured quantity or charged water through the passageway 101, the pipe 42, ports 52 and 67, and through the passageways 77 and 78, out through the discharfe apertures 79 into the miXin chamber 26. The force of the carbon ated water. imnelled by the presi-mrc ef the gas from tank 80 discharging through the series of radial discharge openings 79, raises the check valve ball 36, resting on the valve seat 87, thereby permitting the discharge of the carbonated water now thoroughly mined with the flavor-ing liquid previously deposited in said mixing chamber 26, through the discharge nozzle 108. ln this position of the valve dise 89 moreover, the port 66, coinciding with the port 58, connects the first absorption chamber 86, through the pipes 43 and the passageway 76, with the axial passageway 78, at a point a slight distance in front of the point where the passageway 77 meets the passage way 78. Thus the carbonated water passing through the passageways 77 and 78 and the discharging apertures 79 with great velocity, due to the pressure of the carbonating gas urging the same, produces a jetting action on the gas contained within the passageway 76; hence producing suction in the pipe 48. Since the ball check` valve 98 prevents retreat of any wat-er or gas from the absorption chamber 85, back into the absorption chamber 86, the suction created by the etting action of discharging carbonated water through the passageways 77 and 78, reduces the pressure within the chamber to a point where the fresh supply of water connected to the supply port 107, raises the chech valve ball 105 from the valve 106, and thus enter-v and refills absorption chamber 86 with a fresh supply of water.

Upon resetting, or turning back the valve disc 87 into the off or closed position shown in Fig. 11, the cycle of carbenating or charging operations and events is again repeated, and a quantity of water is again charged or carbonated, and is caused to refill the measuring chamber 82, which has been emptied during the discharging or on7 position of the valve, by relieving tbe within the measuring chamber 82 the gas being allowed to pass olf from the top of the chamber; through the pipe 44; the check valve ball 102 thereafter shutting off said pipe 44 from the measuring chamber, when the liquid has reached the ball.

The cycle of epcrations between the 'flavoring liquid or syrup measuring devices and the cup supply device. is as follows z-l`irst a given quantity of flavoring liquid or syrup is forced into the mixing chamber 26, secondly the cup is deposited beneath and in vertical alignment with the nozzle 108, and lastly t-he carbonated water, mixed with the flavoring liquid, is discharged through the nozzle 108 into the cup beneath the latter.

In order to permit the automatic vending of the mixed beverage, independently of a salesman or operator, as is customary in dispensing beverages over the counter, the various mechanisms hereinbefore described, and those to be described hereinafter, are all mountulupon and bach' ot a vertical panel 109 which may be of any suitable finished material, such as is commonly employed in soda fountain construction, and there is provided a novel series of locking and releasing devices for the syrup ejectors, for the carbonatedwater discharging and mixing valve, for the paper cup supply mechanism 110, as well as for the serving platform 111; all released in proper succession by a single coin of the proper denomination dropped into the coin slot 112. Thus in the normal position of the apparatus, before a coin has been deposited in the coin slot 112, the syrup plunger knob 113 may be forced inwardly, against the tension of the spring 114, without however actuating the syrup piston 34, since the plunger 134 enters freely the hollow rod 115, ofthe ejector 10. Similarly the valve stem 88 carrying the crank handle 116, as well as the locking arm 117, is locked against any movement by means if a latch mechanism shown in Figs. 2, 6, and 8, which is only released by the dropping of the coin from the syrup ejecting mechanism, after the same has passed through a full cycle of operations with said coin, into the coin box 118, carried by locking arm 117. Similarly the paper cup supply mechanism 110, which may be of any usual construction now found on the market, operated by the lever 119, is not brought into action unless the arm 117 is actuated, since the arm 117 and the arm 119 are operatively interconnected by means of the spring or other suitable connection 120. The serving platform 111, being pivotally mounted at a point 121, on the hinge door 122 carried on the hinges 123, is in turn locked in the closed position shown in Fig. 2, by means of the catch 124 engaging the slight notch 125 in the base 126, the platform 111 being retained in the normal raised position by one of several fiat springs 127, or by any other suitable yielding means.

Upon depositing the coin of the proper denomination in the coin slot 112, the same is guided by means of the chute 128, into the coin box 129, which is shown in detail in Fig. 5 as well as in Fig. 2. The coin box 129 is carried rigidly on the end of the hollow piston rod 115 and travels with the latter, and is provided with the vertical slot 130, open at its bottom. In the coin receiving position of the coin box 129, the same is superimposed upon the narrow portion 131 of aI coin gauging and retaining plate 132, fixed in a stationary manner on the panel 109, as shown in Fig. 2, which narrow portion 131 is of a width just sufficient to prevent the coin of the proper denomination from falling through, yet wide enough to permit any smaller coin to drop through. After the coin 133, indicated by the dotted circle in Fig. 5, has been dropped into the coin box 129, it blocks the passage of the plunger rod 134 through the coin box 129. The plunger 134 upon being forced inwardly thus encounters and engages the coin 133, and by means of such engagement with the coin 133, forces the coin box 129, and hence the piston rod 115 and the piston 34 rearwardly. in the direction of the arrow 35, thereby forcing the predetermined quantity of syrup or other Yliavoring liquid into the mixing chamber 26 ofthe valve 27. Upon releasing the plunger knob 113, the same is returned by the spring 114, while the piston 34 is returned by the spring 135, against the compression of the air behind the piston 34, as the same escapes slowly through the vent hole 136. The tension of t-he springs 114 and 135 and the size of the vent hole 136, are so iixed, that the plunger rod 134 is returned much faster and therefore ahead of the piston rod 115 and the coin box 129, so as to release its hold upon the coin contained in the slot 130, during the re: turn. The coin 133 thus freed of the plunger 134, and thev coin box 129, being thus superimposed upon the wide portion 137 of the coin gauging plate 132 during the return stroke, the coin 133 drops out of the slot 130 in the coin box 129, 'through the wide portion 127 of the plate 132, into a chute 138 positioned beneath the plates 132, which chute guides the coin to the second coin box 118 carried by the arm 117, shown in Figs. 1, 2, 6 and 8 of the dra-wings. The coin box 118 is again provided with the coin slot 139, having a bottom opening 140 which is slightly smaller than the diameter of the coin of the proper denomination, so as to retain said coin but permit any smaller coin to fall through. The coin box 118 is also provided with an edge opening 141 adapted to permit the coin 133 to drop out of the coin box 118 when the arm 117 is tilted or swung into the extreme right inclined position. The coin box 118 is further provided in one wall thereof, with a small plunger 142, slidably mounted in a suitable bearing opening 143, which plunger is reta-ined and held out and clear of the slot 139 by a spring 144 interposed between the head 145 of said plunger 142 and the coin box 118. The opposed side of the coin box 118, is also provided with an opening 146 into Vwhich the plunger 142 may enter. The latch member 147 fixed to the panel 109 and made preferably of a thin springy material, is provided at its lower half 148 with a locking notch or ledge 149 which is in alignment with the arm 117 so as to lock the same against any movement thereof in the normal position of the lat-ch, while the upper portion 150 of said latch member 147 is shaped to act as a cam or wedge on the head 145 of the plunger 142, while their free ends 151 are joined so as to move in unison with each other. Thus so long as there is no coin in the slot 139 of the coin box 118, the plunger 42 will be forced into and through the slot 139, and into the opening 146, by the cam 150, when the arm 117 is swung towards the right a slight dist-ance in the direction of the arrow 152, by means of the handle 116. Thus the arm 117 soon encounters the ledge or notch 149, of the latch member 143, and is stopped and locked thereby. Whenever a coin 133 is deposited in the coin box 113 in the position indicated by the dotted circle in Fie. 6, the plunger 142 cannot latch members 148 and 15() away from the arm 117 in the direction of the arrow 152, thereby withdrawing the ledge or notch 149 from alignment with the arm 11?, so as to permit the arm 11'( to be swung freely to the limit of its deflected or open position. 1t is thus that the valve stem 33 is locked in 'the closed posit-ion of the valve, when there is no coin in the coin box 113, and is released by the insertion of a coin thereinto.

During the first small fraction of the forward movement of the arm 117, in the direction of the arrow 152, after it is released by the coin 133 in the coin box 113, it actuates an operating arm 119 of the paper cup dispensing and supply mechanism 110 shown in Figures 1 and 2, through the spring or other suitable connection 120, causing the same to drop a paper' cup 153 into the guide members 154C, which guide the paper cup in an upright position onto the serving platform 111, where it is caught and positioned in vertical alignment with the nozzle 103, by support' 155. fis the handle 116 swung completely to the open or deflected position, revolving the valve disc 37 into the open or discharging position thereof, the mixture of syrup and carbonated water discharged through the nozzle 103 into the cup 153.

As the cup 153 is approximately three quarters filled with the beverage to be dispensed, the serving' platform 111 is deflected a slight amount against the tension of the spring 127, thereby raising the catch 1211 clear of the lockingl notch 125, so as to unlock the door 122. The door 122 may then be swung open, upon the hinges 123, by grasping the knob 156. A return spring, lnot shown in the drawings, may be provided to return the door 122 into the closed position thereof, after the cup 153`has been removed from the serving platform 111, so as to position said platform 111 beneath the nozzle 108 in a locked position again, for a subsequent operation of the device.

lt will now be apparent that we have devised a new and useful mixed beverage vending apparatus, which embodies the fea-tures of advantage enumerated as desirable in the statement of the invention and the above description, and while we have, in the present instance, shown and described a preferred embodiment thereof which will give in practice satisfactory and reliable results, it is to s be understood that such embodiment is susceptible of modification in various particulars without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. ln a device of the character stated, a charging unit having a plurality of consecutive charging chambers upon a common manifold, a` measuring chamber upon said manifold, a passage-way intermediate the last of a series of charging chambers and the said measuring chamber, a pipe communicating with said passage-way, a check valve intermediate said measuring chamber and said passage-way, opening into said chamber, an opening in the top of said measuring chambei', and a check valve in said opening, adapted to open in to the mixing chamber, said valve being closed only by engagement with a liquid, and being unaffected by the passage of the gas therethrough.

2. 1n a device of the character stated, a controlvalve, a mixing chamber communicating therewith, said valve including a set of stationary ports, and a set of movable ports,

a charging unit operatively connected to the stationary ports of said valve, a syrup ejector operatively connected with said mixing chamber, and a check valve intermediate said ejector and said mixing chamber to limit the passage of liquid from the ejector' to the chamber.

3. ln a device of the character stated, a door, a vertically movable ser\f'ing platform adapted to receive and retain in an upright position a drinking receptacle, yielding means to retain said platform in its uppermost position, adapted to support the empty receptacle and adapted to permit the downward movement of said platformunder the weight of the fiuid receptacle and means whereby said door will be unlocked by the downward movement of said platform.

f1. 1n a device of the character stated, a door, a. latchnormally to lock the same, a vertically movable serving platiorm carried by said door, and adapted to receive and retain in an upright position a drinking receptacle, yielding means to retain said platform in its uppermost position, and adapted to support the empty receptacle and adapted to permit the dowfiward movement of said platform under the weight of the filled receptacle and means intermediate of said latch and said platform whereby said door will be unlocked by the downward movement of the platform.

1n a. device of the character stated, a door, a serving platform adapted to receive a receptacle, a discharging nozzle above and in vertical alignment with the receptacle.,v

means to retain said door in a locked position with the platform free, and means actuated by the weight et the liquid in the receptacle for releasing said locking means.

6. In a device of the character stated, a door, a serving platform normally retained in an uppermost position, means common to said doo' and said platform for retaining said door in a locked position when said platform is in its uppermost position, and to release the same when the platform is in its lowermost position, and means positioned above and in alignment with said platforn'i for so weighting said platform as to release the door from its locked position.

7. In a device o't' the character stated, a control valve having a casing, a stationary valve `tace carried by said casing, a rotatable valve dise mounted in said casing, and havingl a movable valve tace juxtaposed said stationary lace, a port in said stationary valve face communicating with a source of carhonatinggas supply, a port in said stationary valve face, communicating with a carbouating battery and a third port in said sL itionary valve face communicating with a measuring device, said three ports being lo* cated on the same circle with respect to the center ot rotation oit said movable valve disc, and equally spaced from the central port` two ports in said movable valve face, interconnected within said valve disc by means of a passage-way, adapte-d to connect said rst mentioned stationary port with either one of the two succeeding stationary ports alternately, a port in said stationary valve face communicating with the discharge end of a measuring device. and a corresponding port in the movable valve tace, an axial valve stem carried by said valve disc, a` discharge opening therein, and a passageway between said discharge opening and said last mentioned port in the movable disc.

8. In a device of the character stated, a control valve, a mixing chamber carried thereby and communica-ting therewith, a syrup supply pipe communicating with said mixing chamber, a check valve at the end of said supply pipe, opening into said mixing chamber, a. discharge nozzle at the bottom ot said miX- ing chamber and a gravity check valve ou said nozzle adapted to be lifted by al jet otliquid.

9. In a device of the character stated, a valve housing, a valve seat therein` a mixing chamber formed integral therewith, a series of syrup supply pipes communicating with said mixing chamber, a check valve at the end of each of said pipes opening into said chamber, a discharge nozzle at the bottom ot said chamber, a check valve seated on the top or said nozzle, and a valve seated on said valve seat, by its own weight.

10. ln a device of the character stated. a valve housing, a valve seat therein, a mixing chamber formed integral therewith, a series or" syrup supply pipes communicating with said mixing chamber, a check valve at the end of each of said pipes opening into said chamber, a discharge nozzle at the bottom ot said chamber, a check valve seated on the top of said nozzle, a. valve dise seated within said valve casinor and rotatable therein. an axial valve stem carried by said valve disc and journaled within said casing and radial discharge openings in said valve stem, communicating with a port in said valve.

1l. In a device of the character stated, a valve disc having the ports Gl, 62', 63, 64, 65, G6 and 67, the passage- ways 71, 72, 76 and 77, a co-aXial valve stem, a passage-way 78 in said stem, and radial discharge openings in said stem communicating with said passageway 78.

WILLIAM C. DE ARMOND. VILLIAM RAY H. lVATT.

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