US2197186A - Sirup valve for draft arms - Google Patents

Description

A. L. KOENIG SIRUP VALVE FOR DRAFT ARMS April 16, 1940.

Filed May 29. 1939 Patented Apr. 16, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT 1 OFFICE 2,197,186 snwr VALVE FOR DRAFT ARMS Alphonso L. Koenig', Chicago, 111.

Application May 29, 1939, Serial No. 276,350

11 Claims.

mixing sirup delivered under'low pressure and charged water supplied at a high pressure and discharging the mixture for use. An improved valve device of this type is illustrated in my Patent No. 2,162,384 to be granted June 13, 1939.-

One objection to the valve device of said patent is that, as the mixture of sirup and charged water is dispensed, it flows down over a coiled springthat underlies the sirup valve, proper, and tends constantly to hold itin its closed position. It is difficult to keep the. spring andthe part which it surrounds clean so that, unless great careistaken, the dispensed liquid is causedto flow over surfaces that are unclean. One. of the objects. of the present invention is to produce an outlet valve device of thetype of my aforesaid patent, in which the mixture of sirup and charged water flows only over smooth surfaces which can be readily cleaned. A further object .of the present invention isto producesuch a valve device in a form that permits it to be detached without the use oftools and to be separated. into parts one of which is simply the valve for the sirup and the cylindrical skirt with which it is customary to provide valves of this'kind..

In the old form of valve device a-large part of the charged water is driven through the tubular. stem of the outlet valve forthe sirup, and some or all of it discharged radially against the sur rounding coiled spring through small ports in the cylindrical wall of the stem. These ports are usually drilled, so that the charged liquid is driven past sharp, corners upon. entering the ports. The result of these two conditions is that an excessive amount of the gas with which the liquid is charged becomes free and causes the dispensed liquid to be less sparlding than it'would be if moreof the gas were retained. A further object of the present invention is to produce a.

valve device which delivers a-mixture of charged liquid and sirup with a substantially higher gas content than is possible in the caseof the previous types of valves. This object I attain by eliminating from the path of the charged liquid all sharp edges or obstructions that could serve to break up a'solidstream, particularly a small one, into a spray or mist. I

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with'particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding of myinvention and of its objects andadvantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description'taken in con nection with the accompanying drawing, where- Figure 1 is a vertical section through that portion of a draft arm adjacent to and including what may be termed the nozzle, illustrating the present invention; Fig. 2 is a similar section, on a. larger scale, showing only a fragment of the tube or hollow stem into whichliquid under high pressure is delivered through a nozzle, together with its enlarged downward extension; Fig. 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, the pins for closing the sirup valve being also included; Fig. 4 is a sec-' tion on line 33 of Fig. 2, looking in the oppc-, site direction from that in which the arrows point, the tube or hollow stem. and the thrust pins which appear in'Figs. 1 and3 being shown in elevation. r

The present invention has to do only with what may be termed the valve for controlling the sirup outlet, and the immediate means for causing the sirup to be mixed with charged water and, there fore, only so much of the'remainder of the draft arm, disclosed and claimed in mytwoaforesaid patents, as is necessary for an'. understanding of the present improvements, is illustrated.

Briefly described, the draft arm may be said to comprise a casing I having a measuring chamber 2 for sirup, and a chamber 3 for receiving from a suitable source of supply charged water sirup chamber.' The sirup chamber communie cates at the bottom with a vertical cylindrical chamber 4 open on the under side and provid ing the outlet for the sirup. This outlet is normally closedby the usual valve fi-which may have the form of a. thick disk The high pressure chamber 3 has an extension. 6 of smaller diameter which overlies the chamber 4. Communication between the chamber 3;and. its extension is con trolled by the usual valve 1. adapted to be opened by means of the usual or anysuitable operating handle 8. This handle, by means not here shown, also serves .to-force the valve 5 down and open the sirup outlet at the same'time that the valve 1 is opened. Lying within and coaxial with the cylindrical chamber 4 is a nipple 9 theupper end of which is closed b 'y-Ta thin wall Ill that separates the bore in thenipple from the cham ber 6. A nozzle ll, having a 'verysmall orifice,

extends through and is fixed in the wall or partition I 0 so that when the valve 1 is opened, fluid tofore specifically described are disclosed in one or the other of my aforesaid patents.

In accordance with the present invention, I screw into the nipple 9 along tube or hollow stem that projects downwardly a considerable distance below the lower end of the nipple. The bore of the member i2 is very much greater than that of the nozzle I! so that the fluid discharged into the same from the nozzle immediately expands and greatly reduces the pressure thereof. Consequently, the charged liquid that is dispensed from the lower end of the tube or stem i2 is at the desired pressure for filling drinking containa ers. The member l2 serves not only as a conduit or spout for carrying charged water to a pre-. determined outlet point, but also as a guide and centering device for the valve 5. It will be seen that the valve 5 has a central hole M through which the member l2 extends. I prefer that the opening 14 shall be frusto-conical, the smallest diameter being at the top, whereby the valve is centered against bodily lateral movements but may rock through a limited angle in order to seat itself properly against the valve seat surrounding the open'end of the chamber 4, and may, slide freely up and down on the member l2.

Screwed upon the lower end of the member !2 is a capsule-shaped shell comprising an upper section 15 and a lower section l6 screwed together, as indicated at IT. The lower end of this shell or extension is preferably brought to a blunt or rounded point, as indicated at l8, while the top consists of a fairly thick, flat wall I9; the connection between the extension and the member l2 being produced by screwing the member l2 into and through the wall l9.

Within the hollow extension is a suitable compression spring device which may conveniently consist of two long compression springs 20 and 2!, one of which surrounds the other. Resting on top of the springs is a piston 22 in the form of an inverted cup comprising a flat bottom which meets the cylindrical skirt or wall 24 in a sharp corner: the piston being a good sliding fit that will make it diificult for fluids to pass between the same and the surrounding shell. On top of the piston is set a disk 25 the under side of which is convex, so that the disk may rock from side to side in any direction. The top face of the disk is polished so as to be very smooth, and the periphery is rounded, as indicated at 25, so as to leave no sharp edges or corners.

Resting upon the disk 25 are the heads 2'! of a plurality of pins'28 which extend up through and have a sliding fit in the wall l9 forming the top of the capsule or extension. I prefer to use three of these pins. as shown. The heads of the pins serve as limiting stops to prevent thev pins from being pushed too far in the upward direction by the underlying springs. The upper ends of the pins engage with the under side of the valve 5 and, when free to do so, the pins hold the valve seated. In other words, the parts are so proportioned that when the valve 5 is closed, as shown in Fig. 1, the springs are'under compression and thus cause the pins to exert upward pressure on the valve.

The disk 25 servesas a spreading device for charged water delivered against the same from the lower end of the tube or hollow stem i2, the water passing radially, in all directions, and leaving the interior of the shell or extension through a number of slots distributed around the shell or extension with theirupper bounding edges lying in the plane of the under face of the wall IS; the combined length of the slots being a yielding only a little less than the circumference of the shell or extension, so that each slot is separated at its ends from the adjacent slots by narrow, uncut strips of metal. In the arrangement shown, there are three of these slots 29, and 3|, separated from each other at their ends by narrow wall sections 32. The pins 28 are so disposed that each lies just within or behind one of the wall sections; the head of each pin being cut away on one-side, as shown, so as to fit against one of the sections 32. The pins and their heads are round so that the charged Water striking them after being deflected laterally by the spreading disk 25 meets no sharp corners or edges. Care is also taken to round the corners at all of the wall edges bounding the three outlet slots. Consequently, the charged water, after leaving the lower end of the tubular stem [2, does not encounter any sharp corners or edges which invariably act to liberate excessive quantities of the gas with which the water is charged, and the water therefore contains a desirably high gas content when it is delivered into the drinking glass or container along with the sirup.

The charged water escaping from the shell or extension travels laterally in the plane of the under side of the wall l9 until it is arrested by the usual cylindrical skirt 34 that surrounds and depends from the valve 5. The sirup flows down over the exterior surface of this skirt and is met at the lower edge of the skirt by the charged water which is traveling downward along the interior surface. Some of the charged water and, subsequently, some of the mixture of water and sirup, may flow down along the extension on the hollow stem; but, by making the extension circular in cross section and providing it with a polished exterior. the water and sirup encounter no obstacle, while flowing down,- that would cause undesired liberation of the charging gas in the water.

The piston 22 may be a good enough fit within the surrounding shell to prevent any substantial leakage of water downwardly past the same, particularly since the top and sides of the piston meet in a sharp corner or edge. However, in order to relieve the pressure directly above the piston after it has been forced down by the opening of the valve 5, I place a small hole 35 in the wall of the shell or extension at a point which lies between the lower edge and the top of the piston when the valve 5 is closed, and at or above the top of the piston when this valve is open. Since the spreader plate 25 must be permitted to rock.

' it cannot be as close a fit in the surrounding shell as is the piston and, therefore, some charged water will drive down past the spreader disk and against the piston. This water can escape through the hole or orifice 35. I also place at the lowest point in the bottom of the capsule-like extension a drain orifice 36 which will permit water to drain out of the interior of the extension after the valve 5 has been closed; should any waterv succeed in getting down past the piston.

It will thus seen that I have produced a construction in which none of the sirup, after mingling with the charged water at the lower edge of the skirt 34 comes in contact with anything except the smooth outer surface of the lower end of the capsule-like extension or shell. Consequently, this surface is kept clean by the action of the charged water, while the draft arm is in use. Should the draft arm be left idle for a time long enough to cause any growths to develop on surfaces to which some of the sirup adheres, all such surfaces can be cleaned easily and efiectively. Since no sirup comes in contact with the springs housed in the polished shell, they do not require to be cleaned as'dosprings over which themixtureof charged water and sirup flows and, furthermore, they are so efiectively housed that neither the water nor thesirup can be contaminated through contact therewith.

It will also be seen that the entire valve and mixing unit can be quickly and easily removed and the main sirup valve with its skirt be separated from the remainder of the unit so that each may be cleaned independentlyof the other,

while the two sections of the capsule-like de'-- vice may be unscrewed from each other to permit the removal of the springs and other mov-' able elements within the interior thereof. It is unnecessary to remove thetubular element or: hollow spring that supports the capsule-like device so that, lay-screwing the capsule-like device on to the stem until it meets alimiting. shoulder, accurate adjustment of theparts is assured upon reassembling them in thedrait arm fol lowing their removal for thepurpose of cleaning them. What will not be so evident from the mere inspection of the structure as the ease for keeping the structure clean, is the important advantage of conserving the gaswith which the water is charged. Actual experience shows that by avoiding the driving of the charged water against sharp edgesor corners, the drink as it is; dispensed to the user contains twenty-five percent more gas than that dispensed by one of my prior draft arms, and therefore possesses greater life and is more sparkling and refreshing.

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 and de-' scribed; but intend to cover 'all 'forms and arrangements which comewithin the definitions of *my' invention constituting the appended claims.

I claim: e 1. In a draft arm apparatus ofthe general character described having an outlet forsirup, a' valve for said outlet, a nozzle for liquid under high pressure above, andin-axial alignment with the valve, and a tubular member. aligned with the nozzle and extendingthrough the center of,

a valve for said outlet,'a nozzle for liquid under high pressure above and inaxial alignmentwith the valve. and a tubular member aligned with then 0221c and extending through the center of the valve: said tubular member being stationary, the valve having "a centralfrusto-conical opening through which said tubular member1 passes, the smaller end of'said opening'having approximately the same diameter as. the external diameter of the tubular member so that the valve may rock on the latter-as well as slide lengthwise thereof, an enlarged capsule-like extension onthe lower endof said tubular member having side" outlets near the upper end, a piston' in said extension below said outlets, thrust means resting on said piston and including pins'slidable throughthe top of the extension and engage'dwith the under side of the valve, and a compression spring in said extension below and exerting an upward pressure on the piston.

'3. In a draft arm apparatus of the general character described having. an outlet for sirup,

a valve for said outlet, afnoz'zle for liquid'unde'r high pressure above and in axial alignment with the valve, and a tubular member aligned with the I nozzle and extendingthroughthe center of the valve: said tubularmember beingstationaryand the valve being slidable thereon, an enlarged cap sule-like extension on the lower end of said tubu lar member having side :outletsnear the upper end, apiston in said extension below said outlets,

adisk' havinga convex'under side resting on tending" slidably through the top of said extension into engagement with. the under side 'of said piston, pins restingon' said disk and exsaid valve, and a compression spring in said extension below and exerting an upward pressure on said piston.

4. In a "draft arm apparatus of the general character described having an outlet for" sirup, a valve'for said outlet, a nozzle for liquid under high pressure above and in axial alignment with thevalve, and a"tub ul ar member aligned with the nozzle and ext'endinglthroughthe center of the valve: said tubular memberbeing stationary and the valve being slidable thereon, an enlarged capsule-like extension on the lower end ofsaid tubular member having near the upper end side outlets in the form of a plurality of slots arranged in a mannercompletely toencircle the said extension except for short interruptions be tween adjacent slot ends, a piston in said extension below said outletsjthrust means resting-on said piston and including pins slidablethrough the top of the extensionand engaged withthe under side of the valve,and a compression spring in said extension below and exerting an upward pressure'on the piston. I

5.'In a draft arm apparatus of the general character described having an outlet valve for said outlet, a nozzlefor the valve,;and a tubularm'ember' aligned with for sirup, a liquid under high pressure above and in axial alignment with the nozzle and extending through the center of the valve: said tubular member being stationary and the valve being slidable thereongan enlarged capsule-like extension on the lower end of. said tubular member having near the upper end a group of slots arranged in a manner completely I to en'cir'cle the said extension except for short interruptions between'adjacentslot ends,-a piston in said extension below said outlets, thrust means i resting on said piston and including pins each located just inwardly from an unmutilated por tion of said extension between two adjacent'slot ends and slidable through the top of the extension and engaged with the under side of the valve, 7 and a compression spring in said extension below i and. exerting an upward pressurje'on the piston. n

6.-In a draft arm apparatus of the general. character described having an outlet for sirup, a

valve for said outlet, a nozzle for liquid under high pressure above and in axial alignment with the valve, and a tubular memberaligned with the nozzle and extending through the center of the valve: said tubular member being stationary and the valve being slidable thereon, anenlarged said disk and extending slidably through the top of said extension into engagement with the under side ofsaid valve, said pins having shoulders to limit the upward movements thereof, a compression spring in said extension below and exerting an upward pressure on said piston, and the side wall of said extension having long outlet slots arranged end to end to encircle the extension just below the top wall or the latter.

'7. In a draft arm apparatus of the general character described having an outlet for sirup, a valve for said outlet, a nozzle for liquid under high pressure above and in axial alignment with the valve, and a tubular member aligned with the nozzle and extending through the center of the valve: said tubular member being stationary and the valve being slidable thereon, an enlarged capsule-like extension on the lower end of said tubular member having near the upper end side outletsi-n the form of a plurality of slots arranged in amanner completely to encircle the said extension except for short interruptions between adjacent slot ends, a piston in said'extension below said outlets, the side wall of the extension having an orifice therein a little below the top of the piston, thrust means resting on said piston and including pins slidable through the top of the extension and engaged with the under sideof the valve, and a compression spring in said extension below and exerting an upward pressure on the piston.

8. In a draft arm apparatus of the general character described having an outlet for sirup, a valve for said outlet, a nozzle for liquid under high pressure above and in axial alignment with the valve, and a tubular member aligned with the nozzle and extending through the center of the valve: said tubular member being stationary and the valve being slidable thereon, an enlarged capsule-like extension on the lower end of said tubular member, a piston in the upper part of said extension, a spreader disk having a flat polished top and a convex under side resting on said piston, pins resting on said disk and extending slidably through the top of said extension into engagement with the under side of said valve, said pins having shoulders to limit the upward movements thereof, a compression spring in'said extension below and exerting an upward pressure on said piston, there being long outlet. slots through the side wall of said extension at about the level of the top of the extension and arranged end to end to encircle the extension, and all of the edges of the slots having rounded corners.

9. In a draft arm apparatus of the general character described having an outlet for sirup, a

a ve o sa d Ou et n le for q id under high pressure above and in axial alignment with the valve, and; a tubular member aligned with the nozzle and; extending through the center of the valve: saidtubular member being stationary and the. valve being slidable thereon, an enlarged capsule like extension on the lower end of said tubular member having, side outlets near the upper end, a piston in the upper part of said extension, means resting on said piston and including pins extending s'lidably through the top of said extension into engagement with the under side of said valve, a compression spring in said extension below and exerting an upward pressure. on saidpiston, and there being long slots through the. side wall oi said extension encircling the latter near the topthereof, said extension' having a smooth periphery and terminating in a rounded point. i

10. Ina draft arm apparatus of the general character described having anoutlet for sirup, a valve for said outlet,- a nozzle for liquid under high pressure above and in axial alignment with the valve, and a tubular member, aligned with the nozzle and extending through the center of the valve: said tubular member being stationary and the valve, being" slidable thereon, an enlarged capsule-like. extension on the lower end of said tubular member having side outlets near the, upper end, a piston in the upper part of said extension, means resting on said piston and including pins extending slidably through the top of said extension into engagement with the under side of said valve, a compression spring in said extension below and exerting an upward pressureon said piston, and there being long slots through the side wall of said extension encircling the latter near the top thereof, said extension having a smooth periphery and terminating in a rounded point and having a drain orifice in the lower, end and a pressure reliei port at a point a little below the top oi the piston when the latter is u 11. A valve device for a draft arm comprising a tubular member, a disk-like valve slidable thereon, an enlarged capsule-like extension on the lower end of said tubular member, said extension being formed in two sections united by screw threads, a piston in the upper part of said extension, a spreader disk having a convex underside resting on said piston, pins resting on said disk and extending slidably through the top of said extension into engagement with the under side of said valve, said pins having shoulders to limit the upward movements thereof, a compression spring in said extension below and exerting an upward pressure on said piston, and the side wall of said extension having long outlet slots arranged end to end to encircle the extension just below the top wall of the latter.

ALPHONSO L. KOENIG.

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