US2138454A - Apparatus for dispensing beverages - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 29, 1938.

L. KOENIG APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING BEVERAGES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 21, 1958 Nov. 29, 1938. A. 1.. KOENIG APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING BEVERAGES Wise 2 Nov. 29, 1938. KOENIG APPARATUS FOR DISPENSING BEVERAGES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 21, 1938 fit/6 772 071 4 Z4 4-m/4? Patented Nov. 29, 1938 UNITED STATES rArET OFFlCE 12 Claims.

In my prior application, Serial No. 89,535, there is disclosed a novel form of draft arm for mixing-a liquid and a syrup at .highpressure and dispensing the same which, of course, must be connected to a container for a supply of syrup for connecting the draft arm to the syrup container, so as to make the attachment and detachment of the draft arm simpler and easier and insure against injury due to the pressure applied against parts which should be in registration with-each other but are not.

The draft arm, proper, which contains mech- .anism that requires accurate adjustment in order to control the flow of the syrup and the water or other liquid, the measuring 'of the syrup, the mixing and the discharge of the mixture, is usually provided with a .seal which must not be broken by the user. However, bacterial or fungus growths develop in the draft arm casing and the latter must be cleaned from time to time. One 30 of the objectsof the present invention is to permit the interior of the draft arm to be effectively washed Without breaking the seal.

In the construction illustrated in the aforesaid application the supply pipe for the fluid under .high pressure is connected to one end of the measuring chamber which, normally, is in open communication-with the interiorof a hollow valve into which syrup flows to keep it filled. In the prior construction it sometimes happens that the 40 soda water or other liquid under pressure leaks into the measuring chamber. One of the objects of the present invention is to produce a simple and novel connection which will prevent such leakage.

' The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a fullunderstanding of my invention and of its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

- Figural is a vertical section through a dis,- penser for beverages showing, in elevation, mixing and dispensing apparatus embodying the present invention; Fig. 2 is a section online 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a top plan view, on a larger scale than Figs. 1 and 2, of the syrup container, showing in full and dotted lines, respectively, two positions of a device for yieldingly applyingpres- 5 sure to a securing device for the draftarm; Fig. 4

is an elevation, on a larger scale than Figs. 1 and 2,-of a fragment of the draft arm, showing the opposite side of that portion of the casing which is at 'the lefthand end in Fig. 6; Fig. 5 is an end view of so much of the draft arm casing as appears in Fig. 4, portions, being shown in section, and the stationary support to'which the draft arm is fixed being shown in section; Fig. 6 is a view showing the draft arm partly" in side elevation and partly in section; Fig. 7

is a section showing, on a still larger scale, on

a plane parallel with that on which the parts appearing in section in Fig. 6 are taken, a fragment of the draft arm in the region where thesupply pipe for liquid under pressure is connected; Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig.7, showing the condition after the water or other liquid under pressure has been admitted into the draft arm, whereas in Fig. '7 the fluid pressure within the draft arm is assumed to be atmospheric pressure; and Fig. 9 is a view of the inner side of they heavy cover plate at the righthand of the structure in Figs. 7 and 8.

The general construction and arrangement of'- parts illustrated in the drawings isthe same as that disclosed in my aforesaid prior application; there being a container l for syrup, a casing 2 which houses the valve mechanisms and measuring means for liquids to be dispensed, andi a nozzle 3 through which the liquids are ultimately discharged. This apparatus is housed within a suitable receptacle A. The operation of the draft arm is controlled by a lever 4. The nozzle extends through the bottom wall of the casing and is shown as being provided with a wide, deep vertical flange 5 engaged with the inner side of the front or other vertical wall of the receptacle. 7 r

The container has depending from the bottom thereof, at one end, an elbow-shaped conduit 1 which, as best shown in Fig. 6, has its open end in registration with the open end of the valve chamber 8 in the casing. There is no actual fastening between the elbow and the casing, the parts being so arranged that the casing is simply slipped upon the end of the elbow; a fluid-tight joint being obtained by means of a gasket 9 placed between the elbow and the casing and adapted,

to be compressed when endwise pressure is applied to the casing.

Depending from the bottom of the syrup container, at the opposite end from that at which the elbow 'I is located, is a bracket I9 which is long enough to extend down past the draft arm casing when the latter is engaged with the elbow. Extending slidably through the lower end of this bracket, with its axis aligned with the axis of the horizontal arm of the elbow 'I with which the easing is engaged, is a pin I2 that may slide lengthwise into and out of engagement with the draft arm casing. As shown in Fig. 4, the pin I2 has an end portion I3 of reduced diameter that is adapted toenter a cup-shaped bearing I4 in the wall of the casing, so as accurately to align the casing and insure that the same will meet the elbow squarely. On the other end of the pin I2 is a flat head I5 of considerable diameter adapted to be engaged by a vertical lever I6 reaching from the same to the top of the syrup container. The lever I6 is shown as pivoted to the bracket at or close to the bottom of the syrup container. Consequently, the only pressure that comes on the bracket I0 through the action of the lever, is' delivered at the base of the latter, and there is no danger of distorting the bracket through the application of a holding pressure for the draft arm through the free or lower end of the bracket. That arm of the lever extending downwardly from the pivot to the pin I2 is short compared to the upper arm, so that a holding pressure applied to the upper end of the lever in a direction to force the pin against the draft arm casing is greatly multiplied. The lever may be operated by means 7 of a finger piece I8 at the upper end, particularly when the draft arm is to be released, and it is normally held in its locking position by a resilient pressure device. In the arrangement shown, the pressure device comprises a tubular arm I9 lying on top of the syrup container and secured at one end to the latter by a pin or bolt 20 so that it may position itself in a plane par allel and close to the plane of swinging movement of the lever I6. The arm I9 contains a coaxial rod 22 of small diameter extending throughout the length thereof and projecting a considerable distance therefrom at the free end of the arm. Surrounding this rod within the arm is a compression spring 23. Atubular stem 24 extends into the bore of the arm through the free end of the latter and into engagement with the spring; this stem surrounding and being slidable on the rod 22. The free end of the rod 22 may be headed, as indicated at 25, to prevent the stem from slipping off. Fixed to the outer end of the stem and extending at right angles thereto, is a flat plate 26 which constitutes both a head for engagement with the lever I6 and a finger piece. The rod 22 is preferably long enough to insure that when the free end is swung outwardly it will engage with the side of the lever I6 when the latter is in its holding position, thereby permitting the rod to serve as a device to' limit the outward swinging movement of the swinging device, The parts are so proportioned that when the lever occupies its holding position, as shown in the drawings, and the swinging catch is in its working position with the plate 26 engaged with the inturned flange 21 at the upper end of the lever and carrying the finger piece I8, the plate and its stem 24 are forced back somewhat so that the force of the spring is applied directly to the upper end ofthe lever through the stem and the plate 26 and, therefore, a constantly yielding pressure is exerted on the lever.

Access is usually had to the interior of the receptacle through the top and therefore the draft arm and the connections between the same and the syrup container cannot easily be seen, but the connections must be completed by the sense of touch. With the arrangement just described, it is not difiicult, with the latch released, to engage the casing properly with the elbow-"i and then to bring the cup-shaped bearing I4 on the other end of the casing opposite the pin I2, so that the pin will enter the bearing when the lever is shifted into its holding position. In any event, should the draft arm casing be improperly engaged with either the elbow or the pin I2, or both, there is no danger of applying too great a pressure in an effort to secure tightness when it is found that the syrup leaks out; the predetermined spring pressure being sufiicient to prevent leaking if the parts are properly engaged and leakage being therefore evidence of improper engagement and not of a lack of pressure. Consequently, if the syrup leaks out through the joint between the elbow and the casing after the connection has been made, all that need be done is to unlatchthe lever I6 and then work the casing gently until the elbow and the pin are both properlyseated in their bearings inthe casing; whereupon the lever may be again latched in its holding position and be left thus .until it is desired to disconnect the draft arm from the syrup container for cleaning or other purposes. The release of the connection between the draft arm and the. syrup container of course requires only the swinging of the spring pressure device into'the dotted line position of Fig. 7, and the pulling out of the pin I2 which is not retracted by the lever but remains temporarily engaged with the casing.

In order to permit the interior of the draft arm casing to be thoroughly flushed with water or other cleaning. liquid and accumulations. of foreign matter to be washed-out, I provide the casing 2 with openings of considerable size in what may be termed the front and rear walls, these openings being indicated at 28 and 29, respecfitting tightly into the opening 29. "Thus, the a tightening of the screw 30 not only draws the front wall of the casing into intimate contact with the supporting flange 5, but also draws the closure 34 into the opening 29.

When the draft arm is disconnected from the syrup container .and the screw 30 is unscrewed to detach it from the front wall of the receptacle, both of the openings 28 and 29 are uncovered 'and the draft arm may then be held under a faucet, for example, and water under pressure be allowed to discharge into one of the openings and, after traversing the interior of the casing, leave through the other opening.

The remaining feature of my invention has to do with the prevention of leakage of the liquid under pressure, with which the syrup is to be mixed, into the measuring chamber for the I syrup.

bular stem.

surrounding gasket 4.

The soda water, under-pressure, with which havingat its outer end an external flange or enlargement 3! fitting against the surrounding walls of the chamber. The measuring chamber opens out through one end of the casing, so that the plug-like unit may be inserted through this openend. The actual connection for the soda 5 water supply pipe is through a nipple 38 prowhich'also fits against the surrounding walls of jecting outwardly from a thick plate or slab 39 the measuring chamber. Between the members 31 and 39 is arubber gasket 49 which is squeezed between the members?! and 39 upon the tightening of a series of bolts 4i that extend through the member 39, the gasket, and through the 'fiange'3'i.

The gasket expands radially when so squeezed and produces a joint that is sufficiently tight to prevent the escape of syrup. Where this gasket has been relied upon to prevent the escape of soda water under high pressure past the same, there'have been frequent failures due to the fact that rubber has a greater rate of contraction under a drop in temperature than do the metals between which the rubber gasket is clamped. Consequently, if the screws 4| are tightened at room temperature, the gasket will shrink away from one or both of the surfaces between which it is clamped, when the receptacle is supplied with ice in order that the beverage may be cooled. On the other hand, if the screws are tightened while the temperature of the rubberis low, difficulties are encountered because the temperature cannot be kept low at all times, beginning with the original adjustment.

Inorder to overcome the objection of soda water leaking past the gasket 40 from the interior of theplug-like unit, I have provided an additional gasket, leaving to the gasket 40 the sole function of preventing leakage of the syrup; something which is easily accomplished, since the syrup is simply at atmospheric pressure. This additional gasket, indicated at 43, fits into the tubular stem 36 and is pressed against the central portion of the member 39 by the spring 44 that closes the valve 45 that controls the flow of the soda Water from the inner end of the tu- It will be seen that the gasket 49 is thick enough to hold the members 31 and 39 apartand, also, that the internal diameter of the washer-like member 40 is considerably smaller than the-normal external diameter of the gasket 43'. Thus, there is left a small annular chamber or space 46 between the members 37 and 39 and between the gasket 43 and the inner edge of the A number of small passages 41 lead from this small annular space through the thickness of the member 39 to the exterior, so as to place this chamber in com- .munication with the fluids in the main receptacle which are at atmospheric pressure. The passages 41 are at greater radial distances from the axis of the tubular stem than the radius of the gasket 43.

The face of the plateor head 39 in contact with the gasket 43 is preferably cerrated, as indicated at 48; the serrations comprising alternate concentric V-shaped ridges and valleys.

When the parts'of the draft arm are assem- .bled, and prior to the admission of soda water under pressure, the gasket 43 appears as shown 'in Fig. 7; the spring 44 serving to forcethematerial thereof into the valleys of the serrated surface 48. Then, when soda water under pressure is admitted into the stem 39, a further squeezing action of the gasket :43 results, until the condition illustrated in Fig. 8 is obtained. The gasket 43, both in Fig. 7 and in Fig. 8 is expanded radially into engagement with the surrounding tubular stem, but in Fig. 8 the gasket has been compressed to such an extent that a portion thereof has oozed outwardly, as indicated at 49, past the rounded corner 59 at the inlet end of the sleeve. The gasket now, in Fig. 8, makes a perfectly tight seal for the outer or inlet end of the tubular stem and prevents any fluids within the stem from escaping past the periphery of the gasket and past the gasket 49 if the latter happens to have shrunk away from one or both of the surfaces between whichit lies. It will be noted that it makes no difference whether the gasket 43 and draft arm be hot-or cold for, as long as the interior of the tubular stem is in communication with a source of supply of soda water under pressure, this pressure acts on the gasket to force it into the shape illustrated in Fig. 8 and thus provide an eflective seal at all times when such a seal is needed.

As in the aforesaid application, the plug-like unit, including the headed stem 39 and the cover plate 39. may be held in place by metal strips or cleats 5| overlapping marginal portions of the cover plate and held against adjacent portions of the casing by screws 52.

While I have illustrated and described with particularity only a single preferred form of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to the exact structural details thus illustrated anddescribed; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which come within the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a draft arm, a casing having a measuring chamber for syrup open at the outer end,'a tubular member arranged in said chamber and having a valved outlet at the inner end and an external flange or head at the outer end fitting against the surrounding walls of the chamber, a cover plate positioned beyond the outer end of the tubular member and also fitting into the chamber, a washer-like rubber gasket having an internal diameter greater than that of the tubular member between the head and the cover plate, means securing the cover plate and the flange together to clamp the gasket, a thick rubber disk fittingthe interior of the said tubular member and engaged with the said cover plate, means yieldingly pressing said rubber disk against the cover plate and causing it to expand into'close contact with the surrounding tubular member, and there being an inlet into the interior of said tubular member for liquid under pressure through the centers of the cover plate and the disk.

2. In a draft arm, a casing having a measuring chamber for syrup open at the outer end, a tubular member arranged in said chamber and having a valved outlet at the inner end and a head at the outer end fitting against the surrounding walls of the chamber, a cover plate positioned beyond the outer end of the tubular member and also fitting into the chamber, a washer-like :gasket having an internal diameter greater than that of the tubular member between the head and said cover plate, means securing the cover plate and the flange together to clamp the gasket between them and expand it radially against the said walls, a thick rubber disk fitting the interior of the said tubular memchamber for syrup open at the outer end,-a tubular, member arranged in said chamber and having a valved outlet. at the inner end and a head at the outer end fitting against the surrounding'walls of the chamber, a cover plate positioned beyond the outer end of the tubular member and also fitting into the chamber, a washer-like rubber gasket having an internal diameter greater than that of the tubular member between the head and the cover plate, means securing the plate and the flange together to clamp the gasket, a thick rubber disk fitting the interior of the said tubular member and engaged with the cover plate, said cover plate having concentric ridges and grooves alternating with each other in that portion thereof engaged by the disk,'means yieldingly pressing said rubber disk against the cover plate, the bore of the tubular member having the outer end flared on a short radius to produce a rounded corner, said tubular member having an inlet for liquid. under pressure extending through the cover plate and the disk, and said cover plate having small passages extending through the same in the zone between the periphery of the disk and the inner edge of the said gasket.

4. In a draft arm, a casing having a measuring chamber for syrup open at the outer end, a tubular member arranged in said chamber and having an external flange or head at the outer end fitting against the surrounding walls of the chamber, a cover plate positioned beyond the outer end of the tubular member and also fitting into the chamber, a washer-like rubber gasket having an internal diameter greater than that of the tubular member between the head and said cover plate, means securing the cover plate and the flange together to clamp the gasket, a thick rubber disk fitting the interior of the said tubular member and engaged with the said cover plate, said cover plate having concentric ridges and grooves alternating with each other in that portion thereof engaged by the disk, a valve at the inner end of said tubular member, a compression spring arranged between said valve and said rubber disk and pressing the latter against the cover I plate, the bore of the tubular member having the outer end flared on a short radius to produce a rounded corner, there being an inlet for liquid under pressure through the centers of the cover plate and the disk, and said cover plate having small passages extending therethrough in the zone between the periphery of the disk and the inner edge of the said gasket.

5. In combination, a draft arm casing, a syrup container above the draft arm, a syrup outlet member on the container, said member and the casing having cooperating bearing seats adapted to be engaged and disengaged by lateral movements of the casing, a pin slidably mounted on a depending part of the syrup container so as to lie parallel to the direction of movement of the casing in becoming engaged with or disengaged from the said outlet member, the casing having a bearing seat'adapted to be engaged by the inner end of the said pin, and a spring-actuated pressure device engaged with the pin yieldingly to hold it against the casing and the casing to be held against said outlet member.

6. In combination, a draft arm casing, a syrupcontainer above the draft arm, a syrup outlet member on the container, said member and the casing having cooperating bearing seats adapted to be engaged and disengaged by lateral movements of the casing, a pin slidably mountedon a depending part of the syrup container so as to lie parallel to the direction of movement of the casing in becoming engaged with or disengaged from the said outlet member, the casing having a bearing seat adapted to be engaged by the in-f ner end of the said pin, a lever mounted on the syrup container with one end in position to engage with the outer end of the pin to force the pin against the casing, and a spring-actuated pressure device movable bodily between anidle casing having cooperating bearing seats adapted to be engaged and disengaged by lateral movements of the casing, a pin slidably mounted on a depending part of the syrup container so as to lie parallel to the direction of movement of the casing in becoming engaged with or disengaged from the said outlet member, the casing havinga a bearing seat adapted to be engaged by the inner end of the said pin, a vertical lever mounted on the syrup container with the lower end in position to engage with the outer end of the pinto force the pin against the casing, the upperend of the lever reaching to the top of the container, and a latch device adapted to exert a yielding pres- Sureagainst the upper end of the lever in a direction to cause the lever to hold the pin against the casing and the casing against said outlet member.

8. In combination, a draft arm casing, a syrup container above the draft arm, a syrup outlet member on the container, said member and the casing having cooperating bearing seats adapted to be engaged and disengaged by lateral move- -ments of the casing, a pin slidably mounted on a ing in becoming engaged withor disengaged from the said outlet member, the casing having a bearing seat adapted to be engaged by the inner end of the said pin, a vertical lever mounted on the syrup containerwith its lower end in position to engage with the outer end of the pin to force the pin against the casing, the upper end of the lever reaching to the top of and having a flange overlying the container, a strut lying on top of the container and pivoted at one end to the latter between an idle position and a position parallel to the plane of movement of the lever and behind the flange on the latter,-said strut having thereon a device adapted to exert a yielding pressure against the upper end of the lever to cause the lever to hold the pin against the casing and the casing against said outlet member.

9. In a draft arm apparatus, a casing containing mixing and dispensing mechanism, said casing having openings through the walls so spaced as to permit cleaning fluids to be delivered into the casing through one opening and to leave through another opening after passing across the interior of the casing.

10. In a draft arm apparatus, a casing containing mixing and dispensing mechanism, said casing having in opposed walls openings to per mit cleaning fluids to be delivered into the casing through one opening and to leave through the other opening after passing across the interior of the casing, and means simultaneously to secure the casing against a wall and close said openings.

11. In combination, a casing containing mixing and dispensing mechanism, said casing having in opposed Walls openings to permit cleaning fluids to flow through the casing by entering one of said openings and escaping through the other, a wall, and fastening means to cover one of said openings and secure the casing to said wall with the latter covering the other opening.

12. In combination, a casing containing a mixingand dispensing mechanism, said casing having in opposed Walls openings to permit cleaning fluids to flow through the casing through one opening and out through the other, a supporting wall, a screw extending through the casing and into the supporting wall to secure the casing to that wall and cause the latter to cover one of said openings, and a washer associated with said screw and covering the other of said openings when the screw is tightened.

ALPHONSO L. KOENIG.

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