US3163177A

US3163177A - Beverage mixing and dispensing faucet

Info

Publication number: US3163177A
Application number: US148275A
Authority: US
Inventors: Welty Frank; Raymond D Welty
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-10-27
Filing date: 1961-10-27
Publication date: 1964-12-29
Anticipated expiration: 1981-12-29

Description

De 29, 1964 F. WELTY ETAL 3,163,177

BEVERAGE MIXING AND DISPENSING FAUCET Filed Oct. 27, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOKS F RAN K WE LT Y B R AYMOND D. WELTY Dec. 29, 1964 F. WELTY ETAL 3,163,177

BEVERAGE MIXING AND DISPENSING FAUCET Filed 00%. 27, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS FRANK WELTY BY RAYMOND D.WELTY United States Patent ()fifice 3,163,157? Patented Dec. 29, 1964 3,163,177 BEVERAGE MIXING AND DISPENSENG FAUCET Frank Welty, 4962 Lockwood Blvd, and Raymond D. Weity, 4397 Lake Road, both of Youngstown, Ohio Filed Oct. 27, 1961, Ser. No. 148,275 11 Claims. ((11. 137-607) This invention relates to the art of dispensing beverages and has particularly utility in beverage dispensing systems of the general kind in which carbonated water and a flavoring syrup are intermixed directly in a faucet used to fill a consumers glass. Normally in such systems the carbonated water and the syrup sources are pressurized but the equipment used inherently allows changes in absolute and relative pressures which complicates the proper proportioning of the fluids in the dispensing apparatus. One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved combined beverage mixing and dispensing faucet wherein the desired volume proportioning of the water and the syrup may be more uniformly and more accurately maintained even though the individual and relative pressures in the fluid sources may vary widely. An ancillary object in this regard is that the apparatus be fairly simple and inexpensive in mechanical construction, small, compact, and pleasing in appearance, yet capable of being easily serviced and cleaned as need for the same may arise.

A further object of the invention is the provisions in apparatus of the kind outlined above of improved arrange ments for the fluid passages through the assembly whereby the intermixing of the two fluids is more thorough and uniform, and whereby there is no appreciable loss of carbonation during discharge of the water, its mixing with the syrup, and the subsequent flow of the mixed beverage into the consumers glass.

An important further object of the invention is the provision of an improved mechanical arrangement for valving the discharge of the syrup in relation to a flow of water so that when the equipment is at rest the syrup is efiectively sealed from the air and the surfaces of any parts which are alternately exposed to syrup and air are thoroughly washed clean at the end of each dispensing cycle. This is important for sanitation reasons since the syrups used are commonly heavy in sugar-content and thus are subject to very rapid oxidation when exposed to air.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of improved apparatus having the characteristics outlined above which is rugged and dependable in operation, thus suited for commercial installations, but which nevertheless is readily adaptable to being power operated (by solenoids, for example) under remote or local control.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following specification and the accompanying drawing wherein there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a solenoid-powered beverage mixing and dispensing faucet constructed according to the principles of our invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the apparatus of FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section taken along the line IIIIII of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a principal supporting block or body member used in the assembly of FIGURES 1-3, and showing two of the plug inserts therein.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated there is provided a block-like body member which, as shown in FIGURE 1, is adapted to be mounted in horizontal position with one end face 11 thereof abutted against and rigidly secured to an upstanding square tubular column 12. The latter has suitable means at its lower end for being rigidly secured to a bar structure, not shown, and, of course, the further function of the column 12 is to house the various conduits and electrical conductors required for the valve assembly of this invention.

Body member 10 is formed with a spaced pair of vertically disposed and shouldered thru-bores 13 in each of which is snugly received a sleeve-like plug 14 having a transverse web 15 therein. As shown more clearly in FIGURE 3, the webs 15 have centrally disposed apertures therein with the material immediately about said apertures being raised to form valve seat 16. One of the conduits passing through column 12 carries carbonated Water and is arranged to be suitably connected to an inlet port 17 in the block 10. This inlet port leads to an annular recess 18 in the outer wall of the adjacent sleeve 14 from whence the Water passes through bores 19 in this sleeve to the space within the sleeve immediately above the valve seat 16.

Screw-threadedly received within the lower portion of the sleeve 14 which is adjacent the inlet 17 and inserted from below the block 11) is a fitting 20 in which is received a flow-control assembly consisting of a fixed orifice member 21 on which rides a deformable button 22. Orifice member 21 discharges through

passages

23 and 24 in fitting 20 to an annular space 25 at the bottom end of sleeve 14, from which annular space the water discharges through a bore 26 in block 10 to an annular space 27 immediately below the lower end of the other sleeve 14.

Another of the conduits passing through column 12 carries flavoring syrup and this latter conduit is, in practice, suitably connected to a second inlet port 28 formed in the block 10, and as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, the inlet port 28 is connected through passage 29 in the block 111 to an annular recess 31) formed in the outermost of the sleeves 14. Again, this latter sleeve has passages 31 through which the syrup may pass into the space immediately above the valve seat 16 of this latter sleeve.

Screw-threadedly received into the lower end portion of the .Outermost sleeve 14 and inserted from below the block 10 is a fitting 32 having an integral depending tubular shank 33. Housed within the fitting 32 and discharging into the tubular shank 33 is a flow-control device having a fixed orifice member 34 on which rides a deformable button 35. Loosely received over the shank 33 and secured in proper vertical position by a screw member 36 is a tubular member 37 which has an enlarged upper flange received within the lower portion of bore 13, being sealed therein by a resilient deformable O-ring 38. It should be noted that the threaded shank of the screw member 36 is received within the enlarged threaded lower portion of the bore through shank 33, and that the fitting 33 has .a vertical passageway 39 leading to radial passageways .40 to discharge syrup into an annular space 4 1 at the lower end of the conical surface 42 of the fitting 36. Adjacent the lower extremity of fitting 36 is an annular groove 43 in which is received the thick apertured bottom wall of a yieldable cup-shaped valve element .44. This latter element is formed of a suitable rubber or plastic composition having restorative properties so that normally the upper lip of the element overlies and remains in contact with the conical surface 42 of the fitting 36 but which is suflicient-ly yieldable to allow the lip to move outwardly under the pressure of the fluid issuing from passages 40 .to eject .a thin and substantially continuous sheet of fluid upwardly and outwardly of the adjacent annular edge of the fitting 36.

As pointed out above, one of the important features of the present invention is the arrangement whereby the rather viscous flavoring syrup of the beverage is thoroughly interrnized with and/or uniformly dispersed throughout the carbonated water in the consumers glass without requiring any spraying, swirling or impinging of the car- 'bonated water which heretofore have resulted in severe loss of carbonation and consequently in a fiat and relatively unpalatable drink. The arrangement whereby this most advantageous object is achieved comprises the above described method of ejecting the flavoring syrup into the path of the downward flowing carbonated water, and the apparatus for effecting this downward flow will now be described. At the outset, however, we desire to point out that in the dispensing of carbonated water, or of a carbonated mixed drink, into the consumers glass it is essential that the pressure and velocity of the liquid be killed in such a manner that there is no premature breakout of the carbonating gas from the liquid since such action is' of a progressive nature and results in a severe loss of carbonation. Therefore, and in accordance with our prior inventions, it is desirable to maintain a solid flow of the carbonated water or beverage until a discharge point is reached from which the liquid descends downwardly under conditions of substantially free gravity flow into the consumers glass. In adapting these principles to the present invention various of the parts above described are so dimensioned and formed with such close tolerances that a thin annular downward passage is provided between the

parts

33 and 37. The lower end of part 37 is crenelated, and clamped between this end and the outermost flange of fitting 36 is the heavy bottom wall of a cuplike sleeve 45'WhiCh is accurately made preferably of stainless steel and which is so dimensioned that a thin annular but elongated passage is provided between the outer cylindrical surface of the member 37 and the inner surface of the cup 45. An inlet passage thereto is provided by the crenelationsat the bottom end of member 37, and in passage area the annular space between

members

37 and 45 is slightly larger than that between

members

37 and 33. Consequently the carbonated water entering from the annular space 27 under high pressure and high velocity discharges over the top. edge of cup 45 in a solid and fairly slow flow. The cup 45 provides a deep trap to inhibit the break-out or escape of carbonating gas as would otherwise be the result of discharge from the annular restricted passage between

members

33 and 37. To further entrap the carbonated gas within the Water and to direct the downward gravity flow of the water in wiping contact with the outer surface of the cup 45 and thus into effective and widely dispersed contact with the syrup flowing upwardly and outwardly of the outer peripheral edge of the fitting 36 we provide a ring 46 disposed concentrically about the cup 45 adjacent the open top discharge end thereof. The ring 46 is suitably secured to the body member by the screws 47 which passthrough apertures formed in the continuous annular ledge 48 of the ring. During operation of the apparatus the carbonated water issues upwardly and outwardly of the cup 45 and partially fills the annular space above the ledge 48 thus providing, in effect, a reservoir of car bonated water which is devoid of any pressure above atmospheric. From this reservoir as well as directly from the top of the cup the water flows downwardly over the outside of the cup in a sheet wmeh is substantially uniform in thickness circumferentially about the cup. Because of the wide dispersion of the syrup and water the mixing thereof is uniform, complete, and substantially instantaneous. The mixture discharges downwardly into the consumers glass under conditions of substantially free gravity fiow, a funnel-like cover 4Q which is carried by the ring 46 being provided to prevent any spillage.

Because the syrup passage from valve to mixing location is more direct and shorter than that for the water, the ejection of syrup at the mixing location always precedes the initiation of water flow thereto, and at the end of a dispensing cycle water continues to flow for a short time after the flow of syrup is stopped and after the upper edge portion of the yieldable valve-like member 44 has reclosed onto surface 42. This not only insures maximum use of the downward flowing water for mixing purposes but also insures the thorough washing and cleaning of the syrup ejecting parts at the end of each dispensing cycle. Flav ring syrups spoil rapidly when exposed to air and since the dispenser may be used only intermittently, it is highly desirable that the exposed parts of the dispenser be kept free of syrup between dispensing cycles. Also contributing to the sanitation of the apparatus is the action of the resilient cup 4 which, as stated above, has its upper lip normally biased inwardly to overlie the conical surface 42 of the fitting 36. As shown in FIGURE 3, this lip overlies surface 42 over a substantial area so that an effective seal is provided and no air can enter into contact with the syrup which lies inwardly of the seal thus provided. Since the clear carbonated water continues to run for a time after the syrup is shut off, any of the parts surfaces which are covered with syrup during a dispensing cycle are thoroughly washed clean after the seal provided by cup 4 5 and surface 42 is effectively established. Therefore nothing remains on these parts surfaces for air to attack between dispensing cycles and the apparatus remains in clean wholesome condition.

Valve ports 16 are controlled by plungers 50 which carry at their lower ends resilient valving inserts 51. While any suitable means, either manual or powered, may be used to raise and lower these plungers Sit and thus open and close the valves the embodiments specifically illustrated utilize solenoids 52 to operate these plungers. For this purpose, the plungers 5d are made or" magnetic material and are so dimensioned and located that upon energization of the solenoids the plungers are raised sufliciently to permit the proper opening of the valves.

To mount the solenoids 52 we provide the tubular fittings 53 which are provided at their lower ends with externally threaded heavy flanges 54 screw-threadedly received in recesses formed in the upper ends of the plugs 14. The upper ends of the tubular fittings 53 have studs 55 onto which nuts 56 are threaded to hold down the inverted cup-like covers 57 for the solenoid coils. Of course, the tubular fittings 53 are made of non-magnetic material to increase the efiiciency of the solenoids and, in actual practice, the coils may be mounted directly on these fittings.

The solenoid-powered valve apparatus described above may be employed in automatic vending equipment wherein the energization of the solenoids would be time-controlled. When used at a soda bar, however, we prefer to control the energization of the solenoids by means of a small micro-switch 58 (see FIGURE 1) which is mounted in a bracket 59 secured to the front wall of the column 12 immediately below the body member 10. Micro-switch 58 is arranged to be operated, in an obvious manner, by a lever 65 which is pivotally mounted at its upper end on the bracket 59 and which carries at its lower end a target 61 which is in the nature of a vertically disposed disc positioned immediately below and to the rear of the bottom end of the funnel-like member 49. In use, these various parts are 50 related that an attendant, with one hand, may place the rim of a consumers glass lightly against the tar-get 61 to actuate the svsdtch 58 until the glass is properly filled with the beverage. As soon as the glass i removed slightly from the target 61 the switch 58 becomes de-energized and the valves close automatically due to the weight of the plungers 58. The attendant may delay the further and complete removal of the glass to allow the. bulk of the final and rinsing water to be discharged.

It should now be apparent that we have provided an improved beverage mixing and dispensing apparatus which accomplishes the objects initially set out.

trol devices

21, 22 and 34, 35 consistently proportion the syrup and caubonating water in an accurate manner and since these devices operate independently and may be in.

dependently selected the proportion may be properly predetermined and made a semi-permanent part of the dispensing apparatus not capable of being normally altered by the attendant. However, they may readily be removed for cleaning, inspection, and replacement if necessary. It is well known in the flow-control art that different rates of flow may be achieved by varying the durometer value of the resilient buttons or

washers

22 and 35.

By integrating and arranging the two valves and the various fluid passages the invention makes possible a more direct path of discharge for the syrup from its valve so that upon the simultaneous closing of both valves water continues to flow a short time after the cessation of flow of syrup to wash oif the parts in the manner described above. Also, the character of discharge of the syrup in relation to the downward gravity flow of the mixing water is such that uniform and thorough intermixing is accomplished without subjecting the Water to such action as would liberate the carbonating gas absorbed therein.

The above specifically described embodiment of the invention should be considered as illustrative only as obviously many changes may be made therein without departing the spirit or scope of the invention. Reference should accordingly be had to the appended claims in determining the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. In a beverage mixing and dispensing faucet having a body member with inlet ports to receive carbonated water and flavoring syrup under pressure the improvement comprising:

(a) a pair of plug-like inserts removably secured in said body member and each having an inlet port communicating with one or the other of the inlet ports in said body member and each having an outlet port,

(12) a valve and a flow-control device mounted in series relation in each of said inserts and said flow-control devices being each of the kind operative to effect a uniform rate of flow regardless of variations in the source pressure of the fluid transmitted,

(0) means to provide an elongated restricted passage having an enlarged trap at the outlet end thereof for receiving carbonated water from the outlet port of one of said inserts to dissipate the source pressure of said water and to discharge the same from said trap under conditions of substantially free gravity flow,

(d) conduit means to conduct syrup from the outlet port of the other of said inserts to discharge in the path of the downwardly flowing carbonated water, and

(e) means to open and close said valves.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 further characterized in that each of said inserts (a) comprises a tubular member open at each end and having an apertured transverse wall intermediate its ends defining a valve port, a movable valving element carried by one end portion of said tubular member for coaction with said valve port, and the flow-control device in each insert being received and held within the opposite open end of the tubular member.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 further characterized in that each of said inserts (:2) comprises a tubular body member open at each end and having an apertured transverse wall intermediate its ends defining a valve port, and a movable valving element for coacting with said valve port carried by one open end portion of said insert, said one end portion of said insert being externally shouldered to limit movement of said tubular member in one axial direction relative to said body member, a fitting detachably received in the other open end of said tubular member and carrying the flow-control device for the insort, and said fitting being externally flanged to engage said body member and thereby prevent movement of the insert in the opposite axial direction with respect to said body member.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 further characterized in that at least the insert which is connected to the syrup inlet port is mounted vertically in said body member and in that said component (0) comprises a hollow shank secured to and depending from said last mentioned insert and adapted to transmit the syrup passing through the valve and flow-control device in said insert, a sleeve spaced closely concentric about said shank, means to conduct the carbonated water from the other of said insert into the upper end of the annular space between said shank and sleeve, an upwardly opened cup having its bottom wall below the lower end of said sleeve and having its side wall spaced closely concentric about said sleeve to define said trap, and means to discharge the syrup from the lower end of said shank circumferentially about the lower end of said cup.

5. Apparatus for mixing carbonated water and a flavoring syrup to provide a carbonated beverage and for dispensing the same into a consumers glass under conditions of substantially free gravity flow comprising in combination:

(a) a depending hollow shank downwardly through which the syrup is adapted to flow,

(b) a sleeve about said shank intermediate the ends thereof and spaced closely concentric therefrom to provide an elongated thin annular passage adapted to receive carbonated water at its upper end,

(0) an upwardly open cup-like member having its bottom wall spaced below the bottom end of said passage and having its side wall encompassing but spaced outwardly of at least a portion of the sleeve to provide a liquid trap for the carbonated water issuing from said passage and a discharge outlet for the water up and over the upper edge of said cup, and

(d) means at the lower end of said shank and below said cup-like member to discharge syrup in a pattern extending circumterentially about the lower end of the side wall of said cup-like member whereby water flowing down the outside surface of said side wall will intercept said syrup pattern.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 further characterized in that said component (d) comprises a fitting at the lower end of said shank having a longitudinal passage communicating with the passage in said shank and having a radially outward extending passage communicating with said longitudinal passage, said fitting having an annular outer surface above said radial passage and concentric with the side wall of said cup-like member, and a resilient yieldable cup-like valve member secured by its bottom wall to the said fitting below said radial passage and having the upper free portion of its side wall overlying said annular surface, said valve member normally applying a clamping force to said annular surface to thereby provide an eflective seal between the upper rim portion of said valve member and said annular outer surface.

7. Apparatus according to claim 5 further including valve and conduit means to continue the flow of water through said passage and over the rim of said cup-like member for a short interval of time after the cessation of flow of syrup from said syrup discharge means at the end of each dispensing cycle to thereby wash said dis charge means clean in preparation for standby between dispensing cycles.

8. In a beverage mixing and dispensing faucet the improvement comprising:

(a) a body member having a substantially fiat bottom surface and a bore extending vertically upward through said body member from said surface,

(1)) a tubular insert rcmovably received in said bore and open at either end but having an apertured transverse wall defining a valve port,

(0) means mounted on the upper end portion of said insert to open and close said port,

(d) a hollow fitting removably received in the lower portion of said insert and having a depending shank to conduct downwardly flavoring syrup discharged through said valve port,

(e) a sleeve concentrically disposed in closely spaced relation about said shank intermediate the ends thereof to provide a thin elongated annular passage adapted to receive carbonated water at its upper end,

(f) a cup-like member having a side Wall disposed in spaced concentric relation about said sleeve and having a bottom Wall below the bottom end of said passage and said cup-like member forming a trap for the water issuing from said passage and an outlet for the Water over the lip thereof,

(g) means at the bottom end of said shank to discharge syrup therefrom in a thin pattern disposed circumferentially about the bottom edge of said cup-like member and thus into the path of the Water flowing down the outside surface of said side wall, and

(h) a funnel-like guard having an inwardly directed annular bafiie adjacent its upper end secured to said flat surface of said body member and said annular baffle being operative to entrap water flowing over the rimof said cup-like member and redirect the same into downward flow closely adjacent the outer surface of said side Wall.

9. Apparatus for mixing and dispensing a beverage comprising:

(a) a body member having a pair of fluid passages therethrough adapted to be connected at their inlet ends to sources of flavoring syrup and mixing water maintained under pressure,

(12) a valve in each of said passages to control the flow of syrup and Water separately,

(6) a flow-control device in each of said passages to control the proportioning of the syrup and Water dispensed regardless of variations in the pressure of said sources,

(d) means at the outlet ends of said passages to intermix the syrup and water dispensed therefrom, and

(e) the length of the syrup passage intermediate the means (d) and the valve in said syrup passage being shorter than the length of the Water passage between said means (d) and the valve in said water passage whereby water is caused to flow through said means (d) for a short interval after the cessation of syrup flow from said syrup passage,

10. Apparatus for mixing and dispensing a beverage comprising:

(a) a body member having a pair of passages there through adapted to be connected at their inlet ends to a pressurized source of flavoring syrup and a pressurized source of mixing Water, respectively,

(b) a valve in each of said passages to individually control the flow of fluid therethrough,

(c) a fitting having a conical outer surface at the outlet end of the syrup passage and a resilient cupshaped valve member adapted to receive syrup from said syrup passage and having a rim-like portion normally overlying and in Contact With said conical surface but adapted to be moved outwardly by syrup pressure to discharge syrup in an annular pattern between said conical surface and said rim-lil-1e portion, and

(1!) means to discharge water from the Water passage in an annular pattern interceptive of the syrup discharge pattern.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 further including means to continue the discharge fiow of Water for a short interval after cessation of the discharge flow of syrup from said resilient cup-like valve to Wash the exposed parts thereof at the end of each dispensing cycle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,174,695 Frickie Oct.3, 1939 2,223,567 Kersten Dec. 3, 1940 2,639,724 Cohen May 26, 1953 2,855,958 Welty Oct. 14, 1958 2,890,838 Jannsen lune 16, 1959 2,916,252 Hobbs Dec. 8, 1959 3,082,789 Welty Mar. 26, 1963

Claims

1. IN A BEVERAGE MIXING AND DISPENSING FAUCET HAVING A BODY MEMBER WITH INLET PORTS TO RECEIVE CARBONATED WATER AND FLAVORING SYRUP UNDER PRESSURE THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: (A) A PAIR OF PLUG-LIKE INSERTS REMOVABLY SECURED IN SAID BODY MEMBER AND EACH HAVING AN INLET PORT COMMUNICATING WITH ONE OR THE OTHER OF THE INLET PORTS IN SAID BODY MEMBER AND EACH HAVING AN OUTLET PORT, (B) A VALVE AND A FLOW-CONTROL DEVICE MOUNTED IN SERIES RELATION IN EACH OF SAID INSERTS AND SAID FLOW-CONTROL DEVICES BEING EACH OF THE KIND OPERATIVE TO EFFECT A UNIFORM RATE OF FLOW REGARDLESS OF VARIATIONS IN THE SOURCE PRESSURE OF THE FLUID TRANSMITTED, (C) MEANS TO PROVIDE AN ELONGATED RESTRICTED PASSAGE HAVING AN ENLARGED TRAP AT THE OUTLET END THEREOF FOR RECEIVING CARBONATED WATER FROM THE OUTLET PORT OF ONE OF SAID INSERTS TO DISSIPATE THE SOURCE PRESSURE OF SAID WATER AND TO DISCHARGE THE SAME FROM SAID TRAP UNDER CONDITIONS OF SUBSTANTIALLY FREE GRAVITY FLOW, (D) CONDUIT MEANS TO CONDUCT SYRUP FROM THE OUTLET PORT OF THE OTHER OF SAID INSERTS TO DISCHARGE IN THE PATH OF THE DOWNWARDLY FLOWING CARBONATED WATER, AND (E) MEANS TO OPEN AND CLOSE SAID VALVES.