US2940483A - Dispensing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

June 14, 1960 l H. J. MossBERG, SR 2,940,483

DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed May 15. 1958 I a F' 1506! "SMM 4 a4 I i/h. l 1 V ginwmimw E illllllf:

United States Patent O DISPENSING APPARATUS Harry J. Mossberg, Sr., Inglewood, Calif., assignor to Modern American Products, Inc., Hawthorne, Calif., a corporation of California Filed May 15, 1958, Ser. N0. 735,514

4 Claims. (Cl. 141-105) This invention relates to tluid dispensing apparatus and involves a novel arrangement for proportioning, mixing and dispensing a plurality of iluids, under pressure, through a common outlet, by unidirectional lever action. ln particular, the present invention is adapted for the proportioning, mixing and dispensing of soft drink concentrates with a soda water base.v

Among the requirements for apparatus of this character are accuracy of proporticning; simplicity of installation and operation; cleanliness', minimum agitationfof the soda water; attractive appearance; and low cost.

The present invention satisfies these requirements in that it may be operated simply by pressing a glass, which is to receive the drink, against a lever actuator, and holding it in that position until the glass is filled. Accurate proportioning and the dispensing of the uid mixture is accomplished by a novel arrangement of a pair of valves which, with their actuators, are designed with such capacities as to proportion properly the concentrate and the soda water diluent with a minimumvagitation 'whenever my novel means, which actuates both valves simultaneously, is operated.

The lever actuator may be provided with means, such as a pair of diverging ngers, for receiving the glass. The two fluids are mixed and delivered through a common xed spout, the mouth of which is disposed directly above the glass when so inserted in such receiving means. This spout may protrude through an orice or slotting in the actuator lever which is so constructed as to be movable relative to the spout.

In one embodiment of the invention, the proportioning of the liquids is actually accomplished by a pair of plungers disposed in barrels in the wall behind the lever actuator, these plungers being directed in line with the movement of the lever actuator so as to be pushed by the latter in the course of its stroke. The end of each plunger most removed from the actuator may be fluted or serrated lfrom its outer' wall radially inwardly. The thusserrated tip of the plunger is maintained in contact with a ball valve, spring-biased to close a coaxial O-ring valve port of a coaligned cylindrical chamber. A duct leading from each chamber is connected to the source of one of the two fluids to be mixed. The wall of each barrel surrounding the serrated end of its plunger is opened or connected by duct means to the common outlet which terminates in the spout through which the mixed uids, are delivered to the glass. Pressure exerted by the lever actuator'simultaneously against both plungers results, in the' case of each valve, in unseating the ball from the O-ring valve port, thereby permitting fluid in thechamber to pass from the valve chamber along the uting or serrations with a minimum agitation and into the common outlet.

In another embodiment, valving of each uid is accomplished by' providing a chamber, the inside diameter of the walls defining such chamber being -increased for a distance from a preselected point in the barrel in which lan actuatingv plunger is slidably inserted. A ball-like ice Vdelivered for mixing during each dispensing is accomp lished in part by providing valve ports and/or ducts of preselected diameter for each of the two fluids. Thus, the valve port for the concentrate may be constructed of a diameter substantially less than the diameter of the l valve port through which the Ysoda water is to be passed to the common outlet.

Adjustment of the proportioning may be accomplished by providing means for varying the stroke of the plungers with any given movement of the lever actuator. The preferred means for effecting such variance comprises a pair of screws disposed in, and extending through, the actuator, and aligned coaxially with the plungers. These screws may be threaded through the actuator to contact the ends of the plungers, and thereby increase the strokes thereof for any given movement of the lever actuator.

It is also possible with this novel apparatus to effect a selection of the tluids and quantities thereof for each particular dispensing. This may be accomplished by disposing one of the two valve actuating plunger's in such a manner that it is not actually contacted during initial movement ofthe lever, while the other plunger is disposed to abut the lever at its non-actuating position. With this arrangement, when the lever actuator is only partly pressed, uid is delivered to the common outlet from the single valve which is actuated. The second uid is not added then until the lever is pressed further and contact is made with the second plunger. In the particular ernbodiments of the invention, ywhich is herein illustrated and described, this would permit the operator to increase the strength of the drink by permitting only concentrate to ow into the glass during part of the dispensing operation. The manner in which the apparatus is constructed and operates may be further understood fromthe description thereof which follows with `reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a perspective view of part of a battery of several units of the apparatus set up to -dispense mixed drinks at a soda fountain; g

Figure 2 is a section taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1; v i

Figure 3 isa partial view similar to that of Figure 2, but showing the disposition of the components of the apparatus When the actuating lever is depressed; Y.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of` an alternative means for-pivotably attaching the lever actuator to the forward wall of the dispenser blocks; v

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a partial `section similar to, the upper portion of Figure 2, showing an alternative valvng arrangement for use in the apparatus; and Y Figure 7 is' an exploded elevation, partly in section, of the plunger and valve assembly employed in the Fgure 6 embodiment. t The apparatus, illustrated -in IFigures 1 through 3, com.- prises a plastic body 10 which is adapted to bebolted to a suitable shelf 12 of a soda. fountain ,or other place from which the drinks are to be dispensed. A horizontal bore 14 is drilled through the rear portion of this bodyl0, and this bore 14 is appropriately connected by means i6 to a pipe 18. The latter leads to the source (not shown)V of a liquid, such as soda Water, which is to be mixed with the concentrate to dilute the same into a palatable drink. Below the level of the `duct 14 in the body 10, are bores 20, each of which is widened toward the rear of the housing at 22 to receive the nipple 24`of a concentrate duet outlet 26. Above and parallel to each of the bores 20, another bore 28 is drilled to connect with the horizontalbore 14. A counter-.bore 30 is provided to extend .from each bore 2 0,- through to the forward wall of ,the

*. hody 1 0." '.Sinrilanly, a counterbore 32 is provided Vto 'connect with each b ore 2 8. Each of these counterbores 30 and 32, where'it meets its respective bore 2 0 o1"2$ respectively,l forms an annular V34, 36, respectively, against which may beseated, in the c ase of counterbore 30, la helical'spningrand in the case of -the'counterhore 32, a similar spring 40;

Thebody'lll is further bored at anangle from its underside 421toprovide a passage 44,' and in to the lowermost extremity of this bore 44, a Vsleevelike member 46 is insertedf to serve as a spout. The bore 44 is located to intersect both counterbores 30 and 32. yAt an appropriate ,point rearward o f the vintersection of the bore 44 with Veach of the ih ores 3 0 and v32, is provided,in the wall dening the counterbore 32, an annular groove 48 in which is disposed an Daring 50. Similarly, in the 'wall defining the counterbore 30, is provided a pair of annular grooves 2, :54 which serve to receive O-iings 56 and 58 respectively. 'A Vball valve member 60 is seated Aagainst the VO-.ring 50; and similarly, a ball valve member 62 is seated against l the O-ring member 56. The spring 40 serves t0 4pass the ball `60 against the O-ring '50, and, in like manner, 'the spring 38 serves to press the ball 62 against the 0- ring 56, to prevent the passage of fluid vpast these ball valve members. f

Actuaftion of the valve members 60 and 6 2 is effected by a pairof plungers 64, 66 respectively. Each of these gplungers fis cylindrical in shape and is inserted in that portion of 'its counterbore forward of the ball valve, but with one end pressing against the latter. The circumference `of theinnerend of each of the-plungers64 and is cut to provide a series of axially extending serrations or ilutiugs 68.

Appropriate sealingmeans 70 and 72'areprovided for- 'ward of the intersection of the bore 44 with the counter- `b0res30 and 32, to prevent the passage of any fluid alongthe plungers to the forward end of these counterbores. Each of the vplungers `64 and 66 is made long enonghto extend 'from its respective ball valve 60, 62 `to a point just outside of the forward wall 74 of the body'10. In the preferred embodiment ofthe invention, thetwo counterbores 30 Aand '32 are aligned with .their .axes in a common vertical plane so that'the axes of the `two vertical plungers are correspondingly aligned. On ,thenpper portionof theforward wall 74 of the body 10, a bracket 726 is provided which serves to mount pivotally, bymeans vof a pin 78, a lever actuator 80.

Ihis Iactuator 80 is formed with `an upper verticalpor- 'tion -82, a rearwardly extending segment 84, angled back from the portion 82,.a nd arlowervertical extending portion'86 which may be integrally formed with a `pair or" forwardly Ydivergingfingers 88. 0n these iingers', preferably are provided balls 90V of'resilientmaterial, such as rubber, thereby to adapt the two fingers toreceive-for 'pressing engagement a glass or other container (not shown) in a manner commonly found iin a cafeteria or soda foutain water dispensers, segmente84 and `upper part of the portion 86 are cut out to permit thesp'out '46to extend downwardlyV through the member 80, and to'allow movement of the latter relative to the spout about the pivot. axis 78.

The body is `:further boredfat y92 toprovideV a duct extending between the serrated end of the .plunger 66 and bore 44.

The Vactuator`80 is furtherbored in the axes of the counterbores 30 and 32, at 94 and 96 respectively, and these bores94 and 96are'threaded to receive, screws 98 and1100 respectively, the function of which will be 4described hereinafter.

' vf-'Ihe apparatus operatespimply in theiollowing manner: AAfrom the sourcepf concentrate 4enters the ,chamber 31, which is formed rearward of the ball check valve 62 in the counterbore 30, via pipe 26, nippleV 24 and bore 20. The diluent rfluid, such as soda water, which is to be mixed with the particular concentrate, arrives from its source through the pipe 18, duct 14 and bore Z8 in the chamber 29, formed by the portion of the counterbore 32 rearward @of the ball check valve 60. Both valves 60 and 6 2 r are normally biased to closed position by the respective springs V40 and 38. It will be seen, zhoweyer, lthat the .applicationof any substantial'horizontal 'force against the plungers 64' and 566 will'zresultv in the unseating -of the ball valve members`60 and62,-thereby permitting vuid .undertpressure inthe chambers 29 and 'I he central rarea offV the 31 to pass around`-the ball, 'and'along ther series of liutings or 4their respective 'serrations 68.` In the case ofthe plunger 64, uid passing the ball valve member 60 and v along the serrations 68, escapes directly into the bore 44 through `which the fluid ows doWnW- ardly .andout of .the spoutv member 46. In thelcase Vo i the plunger 66, it will be seen that the fluid, .which passes the ball 62, ilows along the uatedend'of the plunger 66 anddown through the vduct 92 to enter Vthe bore 44 from whence it also passes downwardly and out through the spout 46.

The exertion of the requisite horizontal .forces in the axes ofthe two plungers'64 and 66 is accomplished by pressing the lever actuator 80 inwardly toward'the wall r102 .of the fountain in the manner illustrated .particularly'in AFigure 3. Such pressure causes the actuator' to pivot slightly about the axis pin 7 8. Since the upper .portion82 of the 'actuator A80 is normally maintainedeither incOntaCt, or almostin contact with the forwardly projecting endskoffthe plungers 64 and 66, ,pivoting the member 80 rearwardly applies a rearwardly Vdirecnedfhorizontal pressure V against both the projecting ends of these two plungers. The screws 98 and 100 may be advanced to vary the stroke of the plungers 64 and 6 6, thereby Vpermittingsome adjustment to be made in the quantity of uid which Yis passed byeach ofthe valve members 64, and 66. Thus, if it is desired to increase the amount of concentrate which is permitted topass by the check valve 62, the screw 98'mayfbe turned to pass through the member 80 so thatits `extremity abultsthe 'end of the plunger 66 .when the actuator 80 is vin nonfactuation position. In this posture, depressing the Alever 80 rearwardly wil-l cause `the plunger 66 kto yunseat the ball 62 vfronrthe ring 56 anduforce it back thefart'hest distance, thereby permitting the greatest quantityf concentrate to. passthroughthevalve for dispensing. Conversely, if

,thescrew 10D threadedfinwardlytomake.oontact}with theforward projecting'end of the plnnger in the nonactuating position of lever 80, thenrearwardmpvement .It is also possible to adjust my dispensing apparatus :in snch a manner that the operator maylrave theoption 0f dispensing in the glass only concentrateto increase thefsitrength of the `drink. Wherefit is; desired `to accord ,QP-.filon $01116 Qperator, theplunger 64 mayfbe made of, such lengthvthatfits Vimser-rate'd end does not initially abut the back of the actuator 8 0 when the latterlis in its non aotuating position.y .The length'offrtheplunger :66, however, would be made suchas 'tohave its e'dfin abut- ;maf with the 'back dfgtneglever so. with such' design- Yingof `the two fplunger s,'A .it will beaplileciated that, durjing thednitial pant of the movement oi ,the lever-.80 rearwardly toward the wall of the fountaimlQZ, 4the vyalve ,62 will be .unseated .from .its Ofringtopass concentrate fromthe chamberO `to vthe .bore .44 and spout elioass for mixing and dispensing. If it is desired to provide the operator with an option of running soda water alone, then obviously the plunger 64 will be made long enough to abut the member 80 and the plunger 66 will be shortened lto avoid contact during initial movement of the lever 80. Alternatively, both plungers may be shortened enough to avoid initial contact with the back of the lever 80 and initial contact may be made by threading in one or lthe other of the two screws 98 and 100.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate an alternative method of pivotally securing the lactuator lever 80 to the Wall 74. ln this embodiment, which is actually preferred over the more standard construction shown in Figures 1-3, two ball-headed bolts 110 are embedded in the body 10 and secured against lateral movement in said body by nuts 112. The lever actuator 80 is then constructed of a plastic block 1.14 -into which are further embedded two vertical members 116, 118. The latter are bent back and bridged to form a handle structure generally similar to that shown in the Figures 1-3 embodiment. 'I'he block 114 is drilled on its back side to provide a pair of bores 120 to receive the ball 'heads 122 of the bolts 110. Each bore 120 is cut out at 124 specially to receive the ball head as shown in Figure 5, and isfurther cut to provide an annular circumferential channel 126. A small O-ring 128 having only a very slightly larger outside diameter than the bore 120 is then inserted and pressed into the end of the bore, where it is secured by a larger O-ring 139, seated in the channel 126. 'Ihe ball end 122 of each bolt 110 may then be pressed into the bore 120 past the two O-rings and into the spherical cavity 124. The block 114 is thus held close to the wall 74, but is permitted by the arrangement of the ball-headed bolts 116 in the double O-ring lined bore 120 to be pivoted vertically a sutncient distance to actuate the plungers 64 and 66. Advantageously, the entire actuator 80a may be removed, by simply pulling the block away from the wall 74 along the axis of the bolts 110.

The valve embodiment of Figures 6 and 7 may be preferred for installations where the nature of the uids proportioned and dispensed is such that they may tend undesirably to deposit and stick in O-ring grooves which may be cut at points along the ow passage. To eliminate such grooves, the walls f the counterbores 30, 32 are reamed at 30a, 32a respectively to provide bulb-like cavities 30h, 32b which serve as valve chambers. Valving of the fluids may be accomplished by the plunger assembly shown in Figure 7, which assembly comprises a sleeve 140, having inner threading, a matingly threaded bolt 142, one end of which is provided with a coaxial portion 144 of lesser diameter than that of the threaded portion, and a head 146 backed by a node 148. A donut shaped resilient 0ring or washer 150 is slipped over the threaded end of the bolt until it is seated on the portion of lesser diameter and against the head 146. The sleeve 140, which may be of plastic, is formed with a lesser outside diameter than the inside diameter of the counterbores 30, 32.

To install this valve assembly the sleeve 140 is threaded partway onto the bolt 142, leaving the O-ring 150 free to expand axially between the end 152 of the sleeve and the head 146 of the bolt 142, and the entire assembly is then slipped into the counterbore 30, or 32 from the front wall 74 until the node 148 seats in the spring 38 or 40 and the O-ring 1S@ and head 146 are disposed in the bulb-like chamber 3017 or 32b. Despite the fact that the outside diameter of the ring 150 is larger than the inside diameter of the counterbores 30, 32, the assembly may be forced through these counterbores because the ring 150 can distort axially along the portion 114 of the bolt 142. After the ring reaches the chamber 3617, however, it expands radially to its normal shape. A screw driver is then inserted into the slot 156 through the end 154- of the sleeve 149 and the bolt 142 is screwed back 6 into the sleeve until the end 152 presses tightly against the side 158 of theO-ring 150, and squeezes the latter Vagainst the bolt head 146. 'Ihispsqueezing of the ring causes it to expand radially, and when biased by the spring 38 or 40, serves to close the chamber 30h or 3217 from the counterbore 30 or 32 respectively. Upon the application of horizontal pressure to the end 154 of the sleeve, the squashed'ring 150 valverclosure is unseated and moved into the center of the chamber 30b or 32b, allowing fluid under pressure in the chamber to pass around the ring and `into fthe counterborev along the outside of the sleeve 140 until it reaches either passage 44a directly or 92a, from whence it proceeds for mixing and dispensing in a manner similar that of the Figures 1-3 embodiment.

O-rings 158 are provided to prevent uid from passing in the counterbores 30, 32 along the sleeves 140 into undesired areas.

Further, in the Figures 6 and 7 embodiment, is shown an annular restrictor element 160,which is integrally formed with the end of each of the springs 38a, 40a. This restrictor element .160 is frusto-conically shaped at its free end to seat in the mouth of the bores 20', 28, and is itself bored in its axis at 162 to provide a passage from bores 20a Vand 28a to counterbores 30 and 32 respectively. .'I'hese restrictors thereby serve to limit the volume of iiuid which is permitted to pass through lthe respective valve arrangements.

=From a consideraion of the accompanying drawings and the foregoing disclosure, it may be seen that the apparatus of this invention can be utilized to provide delinite proportioning of two liquids, or to provide such proportioning with an option to the operator to dispense singly one or the other of the two constituent fluids.

It will also be appreciated that the apparatus is simple and economical in construction and may be added to conventional soda fountain installations without substantial modiication of existing structures.

While certain particular valve arrangements have been illustrated `and described, it will be obvious to anyone skilled in the art that many variations may be made in the actual valve structure employed, which variations will utilize the principles of construction an'd operation herein disclosed. All such modifications are intended yto be comprehended within the scope of the inventionv hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

l. Apparatus for dispensing an admixture of a plurality of liquids into an open top container, said apparatus comprising a valve body, said valve body having a front face vand Ia block of material extending rearwardly therefrom; a pair of chambers in said valve body; a pair of first duct means also in said valve body, each of said means connecting one of said chambers to a separate source of fluid under pressure, and each said chamber being provided with an outlet valve pont and valve means for opening and closing said valve port, each said valve means being spring urged forwardly to closed position; a pair of duct passages in said valve body, each of said passages extending forwardly from one of said ports in a straight axis; said pair of valve chambers, outlet ports, valve means and duct passages, being so arranged as to dispose one said port, one said valve means and one said passage above another with their respective axes lying in a substantially vertical common plane; a dispensing spout, said spout extending downwardly from a level at least as low as that of the lowermost of said passages; second duct means communicatively connecting both of said passages with said spout; a pair of valve means actuating stem elements, one of each of said elements being of substantially lesser outside diameter than the inside diameter of, and disposed coaxially and slideably in, one of said passages, and extending forwardly past said second duct means to project one of its extremities from the front face of said valve body; and a lever actuator, said actuator being'pivotally .mounted .on the frontface of said Vvalve body to zpivot insaid lplane and with its pivot axis disposed above `the uppermost projecting `stem extremity, and said actuator'extending d own- .Wa'frdly'y insaid plane below the spot outlet; saidactuator r,below the level of thespout, the actuator causes the valve stem elements to open-the :pair of valve means thereby to pass .via the passages, fluid rom both chambers v"into the spout, and Vthence -to the container.

v2. The apparatus as described in claim l, wherein the Vspout extends downwardly through the underside of the block of material adjacent the front face thereof, and the Ylever actuator bent back rearwardly toward the underside of said block and thence downwardly substantially normally thereto, the v.orifice in the actuatorV being provided in the bent portion of the leved actuator to permit `the spout to project therethrough.

v 3. In a dispenser comprising'a valve body having a iront face and a block of material extending rearwardly therefrom, a bulbshaped chamber in said valve body, a cylindrical bore in asid'valvebody, said bore being of lesser diameter than the maximum diameter of said chamber but -being coaxial therewith, a dispensing outlet, said bore being communicatively Yconnected with said dispensing outlet said chamber being communicatively connected with aV source of fluid under pressure to be dispensed, and a bore extension, said bore extension projecting rearwardly from-and coaxially with said `chamber and having an annular area remote from said chamber extending radially inwardly to receive one end of a coil spring;V valve means comprising a cylindrical stem of substantially lesser outside diameter than the inside diameter of said bore, said valve stem being provided with an annular shoulder ex- Y tending radially outward and disposed adjacent but spaced from the inwardly extending extremity of said stem, the opposite extremity of said stem being recessed to receive a screw driver tip and said stem Yfurther being threaded along at least a portion of itsrlength from the last said extremity, aresilient bulblike element disposed coaxially on saidvstem in abutment with said shoulder, said bulb-V Y being provided with inner -threadingcooperating with .the Y threading on said stem, said sleeve being annularly recessed to receive an O-Iing adjacent to but spaced from its forward extremity, and a coil spring, one end of said Vspring receiving the rear extemityv of said stem and abutting said shoulder, and the other end being received in said annular area, whereby said spring and said stem may be inserted in said bore to disposesaid bulblile element in said chamber and the stern tightened within said sleeve 'to compress said .bulblike element axially to cause it to expand .radially and thereby form "insaid chamber-a valve normally closed by the urging of. said spring, but adapted to open upon the application of an axial force rearwardly applied to theforward extremity of said stem.

' 4. In a dispenser comprising a valve body having a front face and a block of material extending rearwardly therefrom, a bulb-shaped chamber in said valve body, a

.cylindrical bore in said valve body, said bore being kof lesser diameter than the maximum diameter of said chamber but being coaxial therewith, a dispensing outlet, said bore being communicatively connected with' said .dispensing outlet, said chamber ,being communicatively connected with a source of uid lunder `pressure VtoV be dispensed, andra bore extension, said bore extension'projecting rearwardly from and coaxially with said chamber and havingan annular area remotefrom `said chamber extending radially inwardly to receive one end of fa coil spring; valvemeans'comprising a cylindrical stem of substantially lesser outside diameter than the inside diameter of i said bore, said valve stem being provided with an annular shoulder extending radially outward and disposed adjacent but spaced from the inwardly extending extremity of said stem, said stem further having a portion of lesser diameter than the remainder of the stem, said portion extending forwardly Vfrom r'saidl shoulder, the opposite extremity of said stem being recessed to receive a screw driver tip and said stem further being threaded along at least a portion of its length from the last said extremity, a resilient bulblike 1elementl disposed coaxially on* said stem in abutment with said shoulder, said bulblikeV element, when placed yon said stem being slightly greater in maximum diameter'than the inner Vdiameter of the bore, a sleeve on said stern, said sleeve also being of an outside diameter less than the inside diameter of the bore so as to permit the passage'of fluid between the outer walls of said sleeve and the bore walls, said sleeveL being provided with inner threading cooperating with the threading on saidstem, said sleeve being. annularly recessed to receive an Oring adjacentto but spaced from its forward extremity, and a coil spring, one end of said spring receiving the rear extremity of said stem and abutting said shoulder, and the other end being received in said annular area, whereby said Yspring and said stem may be inserted in said bore to dispose said bulblike element in said chamber and the stem tightened within said sleeve to compress said bulblike element axially to cause .it to expand radially and thereby form in said chamber a valve 'normally closed by the urging of said spring, out adaptedto open upon the application of an axial force rearwardly applied to the forward extremity of said stem.

References Cited in the fle of this patent UNITI-:YD slr-Aras PATENTS 1,606,082 Jacobs oct. 12, 1926 2,160,983 Painter .V. June 6, 1939 2,578,543 HarrY Dec. 11, 1951 2,604,114 Rogers et al July 22, 1952Y 2,675,018 Judson et al. Apr. 13, 1954 2,678,064 Brown j. May 11, 1954 *M -nar @man UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F CURRECTION Patent Noo 2940q483 June 14V 1960 Harry Je Mossloergv Sro It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 7V line 22 for "leved" read lever ee; line 27V for "esic" read said --0 Signed and sealed this 29th clay of November 1960 (SEAL) Attest:

KARL H AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSN Attesting Oicer Commissioner of Patents

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