US2239984A - Machine for dispensing liquids - Google Patents

Description

April 29, 1941.

J. C. BARREDA MACHINE FOR DISPENSING LIQUIDS Filed Jan. 10, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 29, 1941- J. c. BARREDA MACHINE FOR DISPENSING LIQUIDS Filed Jan. 10, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 29, 1941 NT OFFICE MAcnrNE FOR DISPENSING mourns Julian C. Barreda, Flushing, N. Y., assignor of one-half to Harold J. McLaughlin, Brooklyn,

Application January 10, 1938, Serial No. 184,211

13 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved machine for dispensing liquids, and although it is applicable and useful for vending various kinds of liquids, it is particularly applicable and useful for vending milk into drinking vessels of the kind known as tumblers.

one object of the invention is to provide an improved vending machine which includes certain improvements that were absent in the liquid dispenser covered by Patent No. 1,998,215 of which I am one of the owners.

Another object is to provide this improved dispensing or vending device with check-controlled means which normally locks the operating crank from being turned, but which can be unlocked by proper application of a coin or check of the proper size.

Another object is to provide an improved milkshipping and milk-vending can which comprises normally closed air-inlet and liquid-outlet provided with a mutually openable closure mechanism, and also comprises stirring elements therein.

Another object is to provide a practical means that is automatically operable to efiect the opening of the air-inlet and liquid-outlet by the valveclosures upon rotary movements of the milk-can or liquid container for stirring or agitating the liquid in the container.

Another object is to provide a practical means whereby the Weight of liquid in the receiving vessel or tumbler automatically operates a locking or latching device which controls the valveclosure actuator.

Another object is to mount the receiving vessel carriage and other working parts on the door of the main housing, so these parts are automatically moved out of the way of the lowering and rising support of the liquid container when the door is opened.

Other objects and important features are pointed out or implied in the following details of description, in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the lines l-l-I of Fig. 4, showing some of the working parts and a part of the liquid container or milk-can in full elevation.

Fig. 2 is a detail-sectional view along the line 2-2 of Fig. l, the external working parts and supporting and stopping elements being omitted, the valves or valve-closures being in the normal closing positions, whereas they are in the inletopening outlet-opening positions in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view along the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, showing the dispensing carriage in top plan, the dispensing vessels or receivers being omitted, the broken line position of the dispensing vessel seats being intended to show the relation thereof to the chute that provides means to conduct the vessels or tumblers onto the respective seats one by one, a part of each bearingbracket, for the carriage-axle, being broken out to avoid hiding other parts.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the vending machine, a part of the check-casing or receiver being in vertical section, and the vending carriage being in the position to receive a vending vessel from the vending-vessehchute,

Fig. 5 is a fragmental elevation, the right side being broken oif, the door being open so as to show its inner side and the working parts and supporting elements thereon, and the pivotally mounted secondary supporting structure being in its lowered position in the doorway of the primary supporting structure or main housing.

Referring to these drawings in detail, in which, similar reference numerals refer to similar parts in the several views, the invention is described in detail as follows:

A support or main housing ill, includes a rear wall I and side walls l2, and is provided with a doorway I? closed by a door or main closure l4 that is hinged at I5 and may be provided with any appropriate fastening means or look (not shown). The door is provided with an opening Ma which is in open communication with an opening Ida of the right-hand wall l2 for a purpose presently shown. This housing I0 is a primary support for the secondary support which is pivoted thereto in the bearings IS.

The secondary support comprises a bent bar or supporting element ll whose pivotal ends are in the bearings H5, a heat-insulating container or receptacle i3 having a cover l9 held in its normal position by spring catches 2!! or other appropriate means, bearings 2| and 22, and a rotary receptacle 23 journalled in these bearings. This rotary receptacle is preferably formed of two separable sections 23a and 2311, the latter having plates 24 permanently secured there-to; while the section 23:: has slots 23c that receive securing bolts 25 that may be loosened to permit the parts 23a and 23b to be separated. These sections are apertured respectively at 23d and 23a, and their concave-convex walls are tapered for fitting closely around the cover of a milk-can.

I'he liquid container or milk-can 25, with its cover 27, is preferably of the standard size and shape as the milk-shipping cans in general use;

but it differs from the others by the inclusion of an air-inlet 28, liquid-outlet 29, a dual-valveclosure element and liquid-mixing elements or The dual valve closure 38 has been found to operate satisfactorily, and while other forms of valve-closure may be used instead of this, it is described as follows:

The closureelement or valve-closure 38a is connected to the valve-closure 30?) by a normally straight rod 30c which is flexible and springy so as to be bendable (as in Fig. l) and which will straighten itself (when permitted to do so) so as to close the air-inlet and liquidoutlet and keep them closed except when pressure is applied on the reduced upper end of the valveclosure 30a; whereupon, the rod will bend, and in bending, will tilt the valve-closure 3019 so as to open the liquid-outlet simultaneously with the opening of the air-inlet, so the liquid will flow when the elements are in the relation shown in Fig. 1.

When the doorway is open, the door or main closure l4 being in the broken line position of Fig. l or in the position shown in Fig. 5, the secondary supporting structure (l1, [8 etc.) can be lowered into the position shown in Figs. 1 (broken line position) and 5, or substantially to the floor on which the machine rests; so that, when the liquid-filled can 25 has been placed in the pivotal section 23b of the receptacle 23, and when the section 23a has been secured in place by the bolts 25, these elements can be lowered into the receptacle or heat-insulating chamber 18, its cover l9 secured in place, and then the entire secondary support can be raised to its normal position by any appropriate means; but before the cover I9 is applied, it is preferable that an annular icecontainer 32 (preferably with dry ice therein) be placed around the tapered part 23a-23b of the secondary support so as to keep the liquid cool. One practical and appropriate means for raising and lowering the secondary support is here shown, comprising a Windlass that includes a shaft 33, journalled in bearings 34, and having thereon a ratchet-wheel 35, which shaft and ratchet-wheel are turnable by means of a crank 35 which may be removed and replaced at will, a squared end of the shaft being provided to receive the crank; and a pawl 31 being provided with a weight 38 (or other appropriate means) to hold it in engagement with the ratchet wheel; but when desired to lower the secondary support, the weight 38 can be held up with one hand while the other hand turns the crank 36, and inasmuch as there is greater weight in front of the supporting element ll than in rear of it, as to the elements supported thereby, the force of gravity automatically starts the secondary support downward against the restraint of a cord, wire, cable or other restraining and pulling line 39 that is secured to the opposite sides of the member l8 by any appropriate anchoring means, as indicated at 40.

A dispensing carriage is rotatably mounted in bearing-brackets 4| and 42, adjacent to the openings [2a and Ma, on the main closure [4; this dispensing carriage comprising an upright axle 43 journaled in the bearings 41 and 42 and having arms 44 united therewith and carrying elements 45 that are pivotally mounted at 4B and have at one end (of each element 45) a weight 41, and motion-limiting studs or lugs 48 and 49; and on an arm at the other end, a dispensing vessel seat or receiver 50 is secured. The axle 43 is tilted forwardly, but slightly, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to automatically bring the heavierweighted end of the carriage to the front, out side of the opening l4a, so the vessel or tumbler 5| will be in easy and unobstructed reach of the buyer of the drink or dispensed liquid. A stop 52, secured on and depending from the member l8, has a narrow end that is in the path of rotation of the ends of the arms of the members 45, so as to stop and detain them and the receiving vessels respectively at the proper position to receive liquid from the outlet 29, which latter extends through the opening 23e and is over the opening lBa of the member l8. To prevent retrograde movement of the vending carriage or dispensing carriage, a spring-detent 52a. is secured on the main closure l4 so as to engage with the outer part of the carriage at the same instant that the element 52 engages with the inner part of the carriage. When the inner vessel 5| has been filled, or has received a predetermined weight of the liquid, such Weight of liquid will overbalance the weight 41, so the end that is against the stop 52 will move down so as to pass under said step when the carriage is rotated so as to bring the dispensed liquid outside of the opening Ma and to bring the empty vessel 5| to the liquid-receiving position under the outlet 29.

Before dispensing the liquid, it is desirable that it be stirred or agitated so as to avoid dispensing an unduly poor or an unduly rich mixture of the liquid (poor milk or rich cream, for instance); and it is the purpose of the plates 3| to cooperate with a crank 53 for agitating the liquid while rotating the receptacle l8 and the contents thereof, and thereby also bringing the liquid-outlet down to the dispensing position after the liquid is sufficiently mixed.

It is desirable to prevent rotation of the receptacle or chamber 23 and its contents until after payment has been made for the liquid to be dispensed; so a check-controlled device is used for this prevention, the same comprising a detaining lug 54 and a detaining lever 55 which is pivoted at 56 to an upright wall of the coin or check receiving case or housing 5'l The lever 55 has a notch 58 to engage with the lug 54 when the crank is at its starting position, and a weighty end 59 of the lever 55 normally keeps the latter in the position shown in Fig. 4; so when this lever has released the lug 54, preparatory to agitating the liquid, the user should merely rock the crank 53 clockwise and counter-clockwise several times, each time avoiding the return of the lug 54 to the notch 58 until ready to begin the operation of dispensing. However, before the lug 54 can be released, it is necessary to place a coin or check 0 of the proper size, shape and Weight in the slot s (Fig. 4) so as to depress the lever 55 and thereby move the notch 58 out of engagement with the lug 54. This simple form of coin or check controlled device is only one of a number of different forms of check-controlled devices that may be employed.

The means whereby the air-inlet and liquidoutlet ports 28 and 29 are opened comprises 'a spring 59, secured on the section 23a so as to turn with the chamber or container 23, a roller 53 on the free end of the spring 53, a cam El on an axle or pintlc 62 that is journaled in an opening or bearing of the adjacent wall of the member l3, an arm 53 united with the elements 62 and ill, a detent-lever 64, an upright rod 65 that is slidable in a bearing 66 on the main closure, a lever 67 which has the rod 65 pivoted to one end, and a supporting bracket 63 to which the intermediate part of the lever 61 is pivoted. The weight of the rod 65 holds the adjacent arm of the lever 61 in its normal position on the stop or rest 69, while the other end of the lever 61 is turned upward and terminates in the horizontal plane of the normal position of the lower edge of the arm that carries the inner vessel-seat 56, so said arm rests on or very slightly above said upwardly turned end of the lever 61; so, assuming that a tumbler or receptacle has been deposited in each of the seats 50 (by the chute W or by other appropriate means) and that the working parts are positioned as in Figs. 2 and 4, the operation is as follows:

First, the customer or user turns the dispensing carriage to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3 where the element 52 arrests the carriage, and the element 52a prevents it from moving backward, so one of the tumblers 55 is secured in place under the outlet 29. Next, the user deposits a check or coin of the proper kind in the slot s (Fig. 4), thereby depressing the lever 55 so as to release the lug 54 from the notch or keeper 58, and at the same time, the operator or user turns the handle leftward, as indicated by the arrow, continues turning it leftward through about three-fourths of a revolution, then rightward about three-fourths. of a revolution, and repeats these rocking movements several times for thoroughly stirring and mixing the liquid (milk and cream, for instance), being careful not to return to the starting position until ready to fill the tumbler; but when ready, the user turns the handle or crank 53 rightward until the roller tit goes under the right-hand end of the cam GI and is depressed thereby as it moves against the lug ii, and while it moves to this position, the lug 54 must be passed over the notch 58 by a relatively quick movement that does not permit the notch to then engage with the lug; and now, the roller 65%), being depressed by the cam 6i, depresses the valve closure 39, by means of the spring-arm 59 and a stud 59a thereof, thereby simultaneously opening the airinlet and liquid outlet (as shown in Fig. 1), so the liquid then begins to how into the tumbler (under the outlet 29). Soon as the weight of liquid in the tumbler is sufficient to ovorbalance the weight 4'1, the arm 45 that is over the lever 6! swings the latter on its pivot or fulcrum and thereby raises the rod 65 and thus actuates the of the cam-member 6!, the latter swings on its pivot 62 and permits the roller iii? to pass around or over the stop-lug i l, and this movement of the spring-arm 55 withdraws its stud Eda and permits the valve-closing member to straighten and close the inlet and outlet as shown in Fig. 2.

At this stage of the operation, the inner end of the arm 55 is lower than the stop-element 52, so it can pass thereunder; and inasmuch as the shaft or axle 43 is forwardly inclined, it is only necessary to start the outer seat iii! rightward, and the movement will be continued by force of gravity until the vessel of dispensed liquid arrives "at a position outside of the closure [4 where it can be received by the customer.

At the end of each vending operation, the roller 60 being near the stop-lug H, the handle or crank 53 must be turned rightward until the roller 60 arrives at the position shown in Fig. 4, and at this stage, the lug 54 becomes re-engaged with the notch 58; this resetting movement may be accomplished by the operator, or by any appropriate automatic means not shown.

To effect the feeding of the tumblers 5|, one at a time into their seats it), I have shown a starwheel Hie rotatable on a pivot-bearing member 12 and operable through a slot 13 by hand or by any appropriate means, and this star-wheel may be provided with frictional resistance by any appropriate means (not shown) so as to hold the tumblers back from the opening 14 through which the respective tumblers fall into the respective seats 5%.

From the foregoing, it is evident that I have no intention of limiting my patent protection to the precise details of structure and arrangement as here shown, for the invention is susceptible of numerous changes within the scope of the inventive ideas as implied and claimed.

What I claim as my invention is follows:

1. In a machine for dispensing a liquid, the combination of a liquid container having a normally closed liquid-outlet port and also having a liquid stirring element therein, means to support said liquid container rotatably, means to effect a proper rotary movement of said liquid container for stirring the liquid therein and for bringing said outlet port to a lower position from a higher position after the stirring of the liquid, means provided to move a receiving vessel under and from under said liquid-outlet port when the latter is in its lower position, and means operable by said rotary movement of the liquid container for opening said liquid-outlet port.

2. The combination defined by claim 1, said liquid container also including an air-inlet port, the last said means being also efiective to open said air-inlet port.

3. The combination defined by claim 1, and cheok controlled means to detain the secondsaid means against operation and to release it for operation.

4. The combination of a liquid container having a liquid-outlet port, means comprising primary and secondary supporting structures for supporting said liquid container, the secondary supporting structure being pivotally mounted on the primary supporting structure, means provided to support a receiving vessel, and means on the primary supporting structure for causing the secondary supporting structure to swing on its pivotal mounting from a low position to a higher position and thereby to bring said outlet port over the means that is provided to support said receiving vessel.

5. The combination defined by claim 1, and movable means to support said receiving vessel, said movable means including a receiving vesselseat and also including a substantially horizontal arm having said vessel-seat thereon and having a transverse horizontal pivot in connection with a support, means to cooperate with said arm and pivot. for holding the receiving vessel-seat elevated and for permitting the vessel-seat to be lowered and thereby to lower the vessel supporting end of said arm, and means operatively correlated with said arm and operable by movement of said arm on said pivot for effecting the closing of said liquid outlet port.

6. The combination defined by claim 1, and means to conduct receiving vessels respectively into the means that is provided to move a receiving vessel.

7. The combination in a machine for dispensing liquids, of a liquid container having an outletport provided with a closure which keeps it normally closed and is operable for opening the outlet-port; a receiving vessel-carriage which comprises a rotatably mounted upright shaft having thereon horizontally extending primary arms, secondary arms pivotally mounted on the respective primary arms and being horizontally disposed and having free end portions that are movable vertically, and vessel-seats properly disposed on the said vessel-carrier so as to be moved by the latter to a position under said outlet-port; and arresting means in a proper position to engage alternately with said free end portions for stopping the latter at the proper position for disposing the respective vessel-seats under said outlet-port, the vertical movement of said free end portions being effective to disengage them from the said arresting means, so that the disengaged vessel-carriage can be turned about said upright shaft for bringing the respective vesselseats into a convenient position to be reached by the user for taking vessels of dispensed liquid therefrom.

8. The combination defined by claim '1, means to open said normally closed outlet port, and means operable by the vertical movement of either of said free ends of the secondary arms so as to effect the closing of said outlet port by said closure.

9. The combination defined by claim '7, and means to prevent retrograde movement of the vessel-carriage when any of the vessel seats is under said outlet-port.

10. The combination defined by claim 7, means to prevent retrograde movement of the vesselcarriage when any of the vessel-seats is under said outlet-port, means to open said normally closed outlet-port, and means operable by the vertical movement of either of said free ends of the secondary arms so as to effect the closing of said outlet port by said closure.

11. In a machine for vending a liquid, the combination of a housing which includes upright walls and a doorway which is normally closed by a movable closure, a supporting structure pivot ally mounted on said upright walls and operable for movement about its pivotal mounting from an elevated position at the upper part of said housing to a lower position substantially within said doorway when the latter is not closed by said closure, a liquid container normally engaged with and supported by said supporting structure and having an outlet port provided with a valveclosure to keep it normally closed, a carriage on said movable closure and including a seat to hold a vessel for receiving liquid from said outlet-port when open and when the vessel is held under the outlet-port by the said carriage while the said movable closure is in the position for closing said doorway, said carriage being movable by the opening movement of the movable closure to a position out of the path of movement of said supporting structure when the latter is being lowered or elevated through said doorway.

12. In a liquid container for shipping and dispensing a liquid, a can which includes a cylindrical wall-portion having an outlet-port therein for the outpouring of liquid when the container's cylinder axis is disposed horizontally, means within said can for normally closing said outletport and being operable by its contact with an extraneous means so as to open said outlet-port, and means inside the can for agitating the liquid by rotation of said can when its cylinder-axis is disposed horizontally, whereby such rotation for agitating the liquid also moves the said outletport from upper positions to a lower position whereat the dispensing occurs.

13. The structure defined by claim 12, in combination with a support therefor including a hollow receptacle in which said liquid container is normally seated and which has an opening through which said outlet-port communicates with space outside the receptacle, said receptacle being provided with means to mount it for rotation, and means on said receptacle and being operable by an extraneous means so as to actuate the means that closes said outlet-port.

JULIAN C. BARREDA.

Images