US2414607A

US2414607A - Automatic carbonating apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2414607A
Application number: US518801A
Authority: US
Inventors: Philip H Phillips
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1944-01-19
Filing date: 1944-01-19
Publication date: 1947-01-21
Anticipated expiration: 1964-01-21

Description

Jan. 21, 1947. P. H. PHILLIPS 2,414,607

AUTOMATIC CARBONATING APPARATUS 'Filed Jan. 19, 1944 INVENTOR. fz'Zq'pbfliZZajzs BY 7 Patented Jan. 21, 1947 UNITED STATES PATEN OFFICE 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to carbonating apparatus especially adapted for dispensing carbon dioxide efiervescing liquid.

More specifically the invention relates to a carbonating device which is particularly intended for use where space limitations require a compact mixing and dispensing unit such as in soda fountains and coin vending machines.

An object of the invention is to provide a compact carbonating unit having a relatively small chamber in which is housed means of the instantaneous absorption type for mixing the liquid and the gas; means for automatically controlling the flow of liquid to the mixing means and the level of the carbonated liquid within the chamber, and means for effecting a reduction in the pressure ofthe carbonated liquid to substantially atmospheric pressure as the liquid is dispensed from the chamber.

Another aim of the inve ntion is to provide a carbonatin'g unit .of the character described and wherein ebullition and disturbances within the carbonating chamber will not efiect or disturb accurate and consistent performance of the automatic controlling means.

Another object is to provide a device of the aforementioned type Without any moving parts and so constructed that it can be readily assembled or disassembled .when servicing is required.

A further object is to provide a small, compact and effective carbonating unit which is of simple construction and which may be manufactured at low cost.

Other objectswill be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein I have shown one embodiment which the present invention may take:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View through an apparatus embodying the invention, and

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the connections between the inlet flow and the automatic controlling means.

Referring to the drawing, the unit comprises a relatively small main casing 19 of cylindrical cross section having a top closure l2 and bottom closure M, all defining a main chamber A. About the casing is a shell i5 and between the walls of the casing and shell is suitable insulation IT. The shell is shown only in part in Fig. '1;

Arranged in the top closure I2 is a threaded Opening M5 for receiving a threaded plug l8. The plug l 8 has a top threaded bore '20 and a bottom threaded bore 22 concentric with but of larger diameter than the top bore. Fitted within the top bore is the threaded end of a water inlet pipe 24, which pipe leads from a pump 26 (Fig. 2). The pump is adapted to draw water from any suitable pre-cooled source (not shown). Secured within the lower bore 22 is an instantaneous absorption type mixing means 28 of the kind disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 504,138, filed September 28, 1943. Also arranged within the top closure l2and adjacent the means 28 is a second opening 30 for receiving the threaded end of a carbon dioxide gas inlet pipe 32,'which' pipeconnects to a conventional supply cylinder or drum having suitable reducing means, the same not being shown as itis well known in the art.

The mixing means 28 is fully described in the above mentioned application, Serial No. 504,138, and for an understanding" of the present invention itis suificient to point out that upon water passing through the venturi section thereof, the carbon dioxide gas entering chamber A through inlet 32 will b drawn through inlet openings 36 in means 28 and entrained by the water, with the resulting eifervescent mixture discharged through the lower end of means 28 into the main chamber A.

In order to automatically control th flowoi liquid to the mixing means and the level of the carbonated liquid within the chamber A, a short metallic probe or electrode 42 and a long ,metallic probe or electrode 44 depend intothecas'ing and are'operatively connected to apump or other means for establishing the flow of liquid through the inlet pipe 2 3. In the present instance, these electrodes are carried by and extend through a holder which is screwed into a threaded open ing 38 in the top closure I2, and the electrodes are connected by connectors 46 to a suitable relay 48 (Fig. 2) which, in turn, controls the operation of the pump 26. The operative form of relay circuit shown in the patent to Warrick, No.

l,979,12'7, dated October 30; 1934, may be em- 'ployed.

With this arrangement, when the carbonated liquid in chamber A reaches a level where both probes are partially immersed, the relay 48 will act to cut out the pump 26 and carbonation will stop, and when the liquid is drawn off, so that the level thereof drops, carbonation will be resumed.

It will be noted at this point that top closure l2 provides a common support for the mixing means 28, the gas inlet pipe 32, the electrode holder 40 and also the hereinafter described tube 52 and form therewith a complete sub-assembly permitting ready assembly of the parts on the closure and subsequent location of the closure l2 on the casing ID with proper positioning of all parts.

In view of thejfact that considerabl agitation and ebullition will occur in the chamber A due tothe force with which the carbonated water issues into the chamber from the mixing device, and such agitation and ebullitionwould, unless prevented, result in faulty operation ofthe autothe tube may be secured to the closure l2 in anysuitable manner as by means of welding, as in- (heated at 50. The sleeve 54, in the present ini st'ance', is concentric with, but of larger diameter than, the tube 52. The lower end otthe' sleeve ispi'ovided with a flange 55 whichis secured between the bottom'clo'su're l4 andf'a header 5'! secured tothe under side of the bottomlclosure by i,

bolts 59. The upperend of thesleeve overlaps the lowerend of the tube 52 and is flared inwardly so 'as to define a restricted annular opening 56 which forms a-vent between the auxiliary chamher and the main chamber. Openings 58 are provided adjacent the top of the tube 52 for venting the interior thereof to thechamber A. The sleeve 54 is provided with openings 5| located slightly above the bottom of the chamber A and through which the carbonated liquid flows from that chamber tothe bottom of the chamber B.

By providing the auxiliary chamber B, it will be seen that the liquid within this chamber will remain relatively quiet I and undisturbed by agitation within "chamber A. In this way accurate fluid control will be maintained as the contrel means will be responsive to the true'level of the liquidwithin the device. A ffThe-carbonated hquid is withdrawn from the apparatus as desired through an outlet passage fizinjthe header-.51 to which is connected quick opening valve 6 3 of any conventional design. As the carbonated liquid within'the apparatus will be aboveatmospheric pressure and it is desirable to dispense the same at atmospheric pressure, there is provided within the bottom of the chamber B an outlet flow control means comprising a pressure restrictor 60 which may be of the type disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No.

.4 509,883, filed November 11, 1943. The lower end of the restrictor is threaded, as at 64, so as to be screwed into the header 51. As described in my said co-pending application Serial No. 509,883, the restrictor has, extending therethrough, a large number of individual, like channels parallel to one another, and each having a small mean hydraulic radius. These channels, at their upper ends, communicate with the chamber B and, at their lower ends, with the outlet passage 62. Obviously, any suitable design of restrictor, capable of meeting the specific pressure drop requirements, can be employed.

Aspreviously. indicated, casing I0 is relatively small and apar-ticular advantage of the structure is that the compact arrangement, elimination of moving parts, and location of the control means within a quiet zone permit the making of a very small device. In fact, the structure shown may have a diameter of four and one-half inches and a height of eight inches. As a result, the apparatus particularly lends itself for installation in soda fountains, coin vending machines, or in other devices Where very little space is available. As many changes couldbe made in the above construction and many apparently widely diiierent embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter. contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and. not in a limiting sense. 7

It is also to beunderstood ,that the. language used in the following claim is intended to cover all of the generic and specific vfeatures of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim as my invention: H 1 In a device of the character described, a main chamber, means for supplying gas to the main chamber, carbonating means of the instantaneous absorption type located in the main chamber and suspended from the top Wall thereof, means for supplying a liquid under pressure to said oarbonating means, a vertical and generally tubular auxiliary chamber located in saidfmain chamber and communicating therewith, a pair of probes depending into said auxiliary chamber and operatively associated with said liquid supply means 7 and responsive to the level of liquid within the auxiliary chamber for controlling the flow of liquid to said carbonating means, a valved outlet leading from the bottom of said auxiliary chamber, and a pressure restrictor located in the bottom of said auxiliary chamber and associated with said valved outlet.

PHILIP H. PHILLIPS.