US3517932A

US3517932A - Carbonating and dispensing receptacle for liquids

Info

Publication number: US3517932A
Application number: US738230A
Authority: US
Inventors: Dorothy G Clinkscales
Original assignee: DOROTHY G CLINKSCALES
Current assignee: DOROTHY G CLINKSCALES
Priority date: 1968-06-19
Filing date: 1968-06-19
Publication date: 1970-06-30
Anticipated expiration: 1987-06-30

Description

United States Patent 3,517,932 CARBONATING AND DISPENSING RECEPTACLE FOR LIQUIDS Dorothy G. Clinkscales, 3315 Rosewell Road, Atlanta, Ga. 30305 Filed June 19, 1968, Ser. No. 738,230 Int. Cl. B65d 83/00 U.S. Cl. 222-399 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A liquid carbonating and dispensing device provided with a capsule of compressed gas and a piercing device movably associated therewith. The device is mounted directly within a liquid containing receptacle provided with a manually controlled discharge nozzle.

The present invention generally appertains to improvements in receptacles for dispensing liquids and more particularly relates to novel improvements in containers or receptacles for carbonating and dispensing liquids, such as beverages and carbonated water for human consumption.

Receptacles for such liquids are known, wherein the receptacles have removable closures which support, in a very cumbersome and mechanically complicated manner, an externally disposed apparatus for effecting carbonation of liquids in the container. Such apparatus, which are very complicated, from a mechanical fabrication, maintenance and operational standpoint, have their major portions positioned externally of the receptacle, thereby interfering with the facile transportation of the receptacle and having a deleterious effect upon the overall external appearance of the receptacle from an aesthetic viewpoint. Furthermore, such known receptacles include very complicated valve dispensing means which detract from simplicity of construction and operation so that such receptacles do not possess a domestic simplicity, enabling a consumer to have and use one as an ordinary household item.

An important object of the present invention is to overcome the foregoing and other drawbacks, attendant with known receptacles or containers of this type, by providing a simply, compactly and sturdily constructed receptacle which has a carbonation means entirely disposed within the interior thereof and operable by a simple operating member, which is unobtrusively positioned externally of the receptacle.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a receptacle for dispensing carbonated liquids which includes a very simple dispensing means that is constructed in a compact manner and of an extremely limited number of operating components and which: is highly effective but easily operable.

A still further important object of the present invention is to provide a carbon dioxide pressure capsule, as a source of high pressure gas, and to provide a carrier means for supporting the capsule entirely within the interior of a receptacle and for supporting it in such a way that, at the volition of a user, the capsule can be pierced whereby the gas contents thereof can be dispersed entirely, evenly and thoroughly through the liquid in the receptacle.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a carrier assembly for supporting the gas capsule entirely within the receptacle and for holding it in a position for potential piercing or opening by piercing means, the piercing means and capsule being moved into piercing association or engagement by virtue of the operation of a simple manually depressable member, which is disposed externally of the receptacle and which is the sole component of the capsule carrier means that is so exposed externally of the receptacle, such member being related, with respect 3,517,932 Patented June 30, 1970 to the external appearance of the receptacle, so that it is hardly noticeable.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide an extremely uncomplicated and simple dispensing means, which is in the form of an external spigot assembly on the receptacle and which, otherwise, includes passageways disposed internally of the receptacle and having the flow of liquid therethrough controlled by a simple valve means.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a compact arrangement of the spigot and the capsule carrier, which are orientated on a closure member for the mouth of the receptacle in such a way that they add to the external appearance of the receptacle.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a very inexpensive, simply constructed and oper- I ated carbonating and dispensing receptacle, which, though because of its simplicity, from a fabrication, operational and external visual standpoint, is primarily designed for domestic use, nonetheless, can be adapted for carbonating and dispensing use in association with any type of receptacle or container.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a receptacle, constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view, illustrating in detail the carbonating and dispensing means of the present invention; and,

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view, taken substantially on line 33 of FIG. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the carbonating and dispensing device 10, which is provided for liquids, particularly beverages and carbonated water, includes a container or receptacle 12.

The receptacle 12 is formed with a rigidified annular or cylindrical side wall 14 and a flat bottom wall 16 and has an inwardly extending neck portion 18, which terminates in a mouth portion 20.

The bottom wall or base 16 is formed with a central well 22, the purpose of which is to increase the volume capacity of the receptacle and also to permit all of the liquid in the receptacle to be discharged therefrom.

Apart from such functional purposes of the Well, the well serves a structural advantage, in that it is seated in a spherical opening 24 formed in a frustoconical solid base 26. The base is preferably made of hard plastic and serves to support the receptacle in a balanced position, with the well seated in the spherical opening 24 and the base 16 resting on the flat top wall of the base member 26. Thus, the receptacle is supported in a secure and balanced vertical position.

The mouth portion 20, which is defined by the inturned edge of the neck portion 18, has a threaded inner wall 28, which is adapted to receive a closure member 30, which defines a closure wall for the receptacle. The closure member 30 is formed with an exteriorly threaded edge 32, which is threaded into the threaded wall 28, the fit being such that the closure member 30 is sealingly and tightly fitted in the mouth 20 so as to close oil the open mouth 20 of the receptacle and constitute an air and liquid tight closure wall for the receptacle.

The closure member 30 further serves as a support or a carrier means 34 for a capsule 36, containing the gas, such as CO for charging or carbonating the liquid in the receptacle or container 12. The carrier means 34 is disposed entirely within the interior of the receptacle 12 and is mounted therein by virtue of a cap member 38.

June so, 1970 D. G. CLINKSCALES CARBONATING AND DISPENSING RECEPTACLE FOR LIQUIDS Filed June 19. 1968 Dorothy 6. C/in/rsca/es l6 INVENTOR.

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tridge, follower means engaging the cartridge in opposed relation to the piercing member, and actuating means engaged with said follower means and adjustably associated with the carrier means for moving the follower means and cartridge toward the piercing member, said actuating means and follower means being retractable in relation to the piercing member to enable replacement of the cartridge, said actuating means terminating above the closure member for operation of actuating means from a point above the closure member, said carrier meansbeing in direct communication with the interior of the container to discharge gas into the container when the cartridge is pierced, said dispensing spigot being mounted on the closure member and including a tube depending from the closure member alongside of the carrier means and terminating in an inlet end below the bottom of the carrier means and adjacent the bottom of the container, said dispensing valve means including an actuating handle adjacent the actuating means for the cartridge follower means, said spigot, tube, dispensing valve means, carrier means, cartridge, piercing member, follower means, and actuating means being removable from the container with the closure member to provide unimpeded access to the interior of the container for easier cleaning and replenishing the supply of liquid therein and, wherein said carrier means includes a cap member removably mounted on the closure member, guide rods depending from the underside of the cap member, and a fixed block secured to the lower ends of the guide rods and supporting them in association with the cap member, and said piercing member upstanding from the block.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein said carrier means further includes vertically spaced apart cradle plates slidably mounted on the rods and between which the cartridge is held, the upper of said plates forming said follower means engaging the cartridge.

3. The invention of claim 2, wherein the lower of said cradle plates has an opening through which the cartridge projects with the rupturable seal positioned to be engaged by the piercing member.

4. The invention of claim 3 including means normally retaining the cartridge and the piercing member out of engagement, said means including spring means on said rods and bearing between the block and the lower of said cradle plates.

5. The invention of claim 4, wherein the upper cradle plate is connected to and actuated by the actuating means, said actuating means including a plunger threaded through the cap member and attached to the upper cradle plate.

6. The invention of claim 5 wherein said valve means includes a valve seat in the tube adjacent its juncture with the closure member, a bulbous resilient valve seated in said valve seat and held therein by the pressure of the liquid in the container.

7. The invention of claim 6, wherein said valve actuating handle includes a slidable plunger rod connected to the valve and slidable through the closure member and disposed alongside the actuating means for moving the cartridge toward the piercing member.

8. The invention of claim 7, wherein said container has a base formed with a depending center well in which the tube terminates to assure discharge of all of the liquid.

9. The invention of claim 1, wherein said dispensing spigot is in the form of a rigid tubular member extending laterally outwardly and downwardly for association with a hand held receptacle, said actuating handle for the dispensing valve means being disposed above the actuating means for moving the cartridge towards the piercing member to enable manual discrimination between the actuating handle and actuating means, said spigot and discharge valve means being disposed adjacent the periphery of the closure member with the terminal end of the tubular member defining the spigot being disposed laterally outwardly of the periphery of the closure member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,921,452 8/1933 Brorander 2225 2,592,029 4/1952 Hansen 169-31 2,730,093 1/1956 Neely 239-309 X 2,738,020 3/1956 Allen 16931 3,006,515 10/1961 Midnight 222-399 X 3,373,907 3/1968 Batrow 222-399 ROBERT P. REEVES, Primary Examiner N. L. STACK, 1a., Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.