Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~13734
The present invention generally relates to a soluble
coffee urn in which freeze-dried coffee powder and hot water are
discharged into a mixing area and then discharged through a
spigot into a cup or other receptacle upon acutation of an
operating handle with the flow of product into the cup or
receptacle being controlled by the handle with the urn being con-
structed to replace existing conventional roasted coffee urns
or coffee urns in which a batch of coffee is brewed or made
and retained in a heated condition for an extended period of time
during which the coffee is consumed, which results in consider-
able deterioration in the quality of the coffee.
The present invention is defined as a soluble coffee
urn comprising a housing, a canister in the housing, for freeze-
dried coffee, hot water supply means in the housing, a discharge
and mixing assembly projecting from the housing and communicated
with the canister and the hot water supply means, the discharge
and mixing assembly including manually actuated means for
discharging freeze-dried coffee and hot water into the discharge
and mixing assembly for blending and dispensing coffee into a
receptacle continuously while the manually actuated means is
actuated, a lid on said housing forming a closure for the
canister, the housing, the lid, the manually actuated means and
the portion of the discharge and mixing assembly disposed
externally of the housing being conætructed to simulate the
shape, size and appearance of a conventional roasted coffee -
urn thereby enabling the soluble coffee urn to occupy the same
position as and replace a conventional roasted coffee urn so that
discharge of mixed coffee from the soluble coffee urn will simu-
late the discharge of brewed coffee from a conventional roasted
coffee urn and an observer will not recogniæe that a roasted
coffee urn has been replaced by the soluble coffee urn.
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Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the demand
preparation soluble coffee urn illustrating the association
of the components thereof.
Figure 2 is an end elevational view of the construction
of Fig. 1.
Figure 3 is a vertical, sectional view taken substan-
tially upon a plane passing along section line 3--3 of Fig. 1
illustrating specific structural details of the urn.
Figure 4 is a fragmental enlarged sectional view
illustrating the specific construction of the mixing chamber
and related structure. -
Figure S is a fragmental sectional view of the urn
illustrating an alternative construction.
Figure 6 is a fragmental front elevational view of
the mixing chamber and control switch actuator.
Figure 7 is a vertical sectional view taken substan-
tially upon a plane passing along section line 7--7 of Fig. 6
illustrating further structural details of the mixing chamber
and control switch actuator.
Figure 8 is a side elevational view of another embodi-
ment of the urn with portions broken away.
Figure 9 is a top plan view of Fig. 8.
Figure 10 is a fragmental sectional view passing along
section line 10--10 of Fig. 8.
Referring now specifically to Figs. 1-4, the demand
preparation soluble coffee urn of the present invention is
designated generally by reference numeral 10 and includes a
rectangular housing 12 provided with generally parallel, spaced
side walls or panels 14 and 16 interconnected by end walls or
panels 18 with the bottom of the housing or cabinet 12 including
a bottom wall 20 and the top thereby being provided with a
top wall 22, all of which
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are interconnected in any suitable manner and constructed of conventional
sheet metal, such as stainless steel, or the like. The bottom of the housing
or cabinet 12 is supported by depending legs 24 engageable with a supporting
surface 26 and having laterally extending drain troughs 28 along one or both
sides thereof. The soluble coffee urn 10 may be supported in exactly the same
location as a conventional roasted coffee urn and the housing or cabinet
structure 12 is closely simulative of a conventional urn so that customers
observing the urn 10 will recognize it as having the same appearance as a
roasted coffee urn.
Disposed on the top wall 22 is a pair of lids 30 of generally
cylindrical configuration and provided with a central handle 32 in the form
of a knob, or the like. The lids 30 are quite similar in appearance to the
cover lids normally provided on a conventional roasted coffee urn. The out-
ermost edge of each lid 30 is supported from the top wall 22 by a hinge
structure 34 which enable the lid 30 to be swung upwardly to the broken line
position illustrated in Fig. 1 with the hinge structure being such that the
lid 30 will be retained in its open position until manually closed.
Disposed in the housing or cabinet 12 is a hot water tank 35 having
a vertical standpipe 36 extending upwardly therefrom in the central portion
of the cabinet 12. The tank and standpipe may be covered with insulation 37.
The tank 35 includes an inlet pipe 38 extending downwardly from a float chamber
39 having a float valve 40 therein which maintains a predetermined water level
41 in standpipe 36. The float valve 40 is connected with a source of cold
water and standpipe 36 includes a vent 42. A suitable thermostatically con-
trolled heater element (not shown) is provided in the tank 35. The standpipe
36 is al~o provided with a plurality of hot water discharge lines 43 each of
which i8 provided with a solenoid valve 44 incorporated therein to control
discharge of hot water to a mixing and discharging assembly generally desig-
nated by numeral 46.
Supported in each end portion of the housing 12 is a pair of can-
isters 48 for receiving freeze-dried coffee or other powdered food products
with the upper end of the canister 48 extending above the top wall 22 into
the interior of the lid 30. The lower surface of the top portion of the lid
1~13734
is provided with a depending closure plug 50 of tapered configuration or
frusto-conical in configuration and constructed of relatively soft, resilient
material, such as plastic, or the like, to form a seal for the upper end of
the canister 48. Thus, when the lid is in closed position, both of the can-
isters 48 will be closed by a plug 50 and when the lid 30 i8 pivoted to its
open position, both of the canisters 48 will be opened thus facilitating the
filling of the csnisters 48 with freeze-dried coffee, or the like. The lower
end of each canister 48 i8 supported by a suitable supporting bracket struc-
ture 52 attsched to a supporting partition or deck 54 disposed interiorly of
the housing 12. Also, the lower end of the canister 48 is provided with a
bottom wall 56 at the lower end of a reduced lower end portion 58. The
reduced lower end portion 58 is provided with a laterally extending delivery
tube 60 terminating in a closed end but including a depending discharge nozzle
; 62 communicating with the outer end portion of the tube 60 as illustrated in
Fi8. 4. A metering auger 64 is disposed transversely of the reduced end por-
tion 58 of the canister 48 and throughout the length of the discharge tube 60
: with the end of the auger 64 opposite to that disposed in the dischsrge tube
60 extending into an adapter 66 having a drive motor 68 connected thereto and
connected to the auger 64 to rotate the auger 64 and discharge freeze-dried
coffee or other powdered food from the nozzle 62. The auger 64 and its drive
motor i8 sub3ect to continuous operation as long as the tor 68 is energized
which will provide a metered quantity of product to the discharge and mixing
assembly 46 with energization of the motor 68 also energizing the solenoid
valve 44 to open the discharge line 43 to enable hot water to be discharged
into the assembly 46 simultaneously with discharge of the powdered food,
freeze-dried coffee, or the like, into the assembly 46.
The discharge and mixing assembly 46 includes a housing 70 which
extends through the wall 14 and terminates in a vertically disposed, down-
wardly tapering nozzle 72 simulative of a spigot. Disposed within the hous-
ing 70 is a mixing assembly generally designated by numeral 74 and includingan open topped shallow tray 76 having a generally horizontal bottom portion
78 at its inner end and a dow~wardly inclined bottom portion 80 at its outer
end which is provided with a discharge spout or nozzle 82 concentrically
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arranged with respect to the vertical nozzle 72 on the housing 70 so that
coffee will be dispensed therefrom by gravity. The end of the tray 76 remote
from the spout or spigot 82 is connected with the hot water supply line 43 a6
illustrated in Fig. 4. The top wall of the housing 70 is provlded with an
opening 84 therein in alignment with the discharge nozzle 62 of the auger
receiving tube 60 so that product will be dropped by gravity from the dis-
charge nozzle 62, through the opening 84 onto the bottom 78 of the tray 76
with the water and soluble coffee or other powdered product being mixed as
the water flows along the surface of the bottom portions 78 and 80 of the tray
76 for discharge from the spout 82.
In order to operate the motor 68 and the valve 44, a switch 86 is
provided interiorly of the wall 14 with an actuating plunger 88 depending
through the top wall of the housing 70 into engagement with one end of the
pivotally mounted switch actuating lever 90 which has a central portion there-
of pivoted to the opposite walls of the housing 70 by a transverse pivot pin
92, or the like. The outer end of the actuator or lever 90 is connected to
a pin 94 which is slidably mounted through a removable cap 96 on a screw
threaded portion 98 of the top wall of the housing 70 and provided with lugs
100 at its upper end pivotally supporting an operating handle or lever 102
for pivotal movement about a pivot pin 104. A compression coil spring 106
biases the pin 94 downwardly and the bottom end edge of the lever 102 includes
a rounded cam portion 108 and a flattened cam portion 110 so arranged that
when the handle 102 is pulled outwardly, the switch 86 will be actuated as
long as pressure is exerted to pull the handle 102 outwardly. When the hantle
102 is pushed inwardly, the flat surface 110 engaging the surface of the cap -~-
90 will retain the switch 86 in operative position for continuous discharge
of protuct from the spout 82.
Discharge of hot water into the tray 76 adjacent the nozzle 62 for
the powdered product could result in steam vapor causing isture penetration
into the powdered product and caking or clogging of the nozzle 62 or tube 60.
In order to preclude this possibility, the nozzle 62 is spaced slightly above
the top of the housing 70 and the aperture 84 in the housing 70 is larger
than the nozzle 62 thereby providing an air passageway ccmmunicating the
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interior of the housing 12 with the interior of the housing 70 above the tray
76. A vertical, enlarged vent pipe 112 extends from the top wall of the
houslng 70 adjacent the aperture 84 up through the top wall 22 as illustrated
in Fig. 4 with 8 heater 114 being disposed in the vent pipe 112 which is con-
tinuously operated. Optionally, the heater 114 may be cycled in any suitable
manner. This arrsngement prevents moisture intrusion by maintenance of a
constant flow of unheated ambient air across the product delivery aperture as
indicated by the air flow arrows in Fig. 4. The heater 114 creates air move-
ment rather than directly warming the aperture and its immediate environs.
This precludes the 1088 of volatile aromatics which occurs when coffee and
other food powders are in contact with elevated temperatures for extended
periods.
The flue or vent pipe 112 containing the heater 114 which is sup-
ported in spsced relation to the inner periphery thereof produces a low pres-
sure chamber within itself and the mixing area. The air flow caused by the
heater lowers the pressure within this area rather than raising it in the rest
of the cabinet and the specific dimensional characteristics, temperatures and
vent pipe or flue construction may be varied as long as the upward flow of
-~ I heated air and humid air causes inflow of cool and dryer air around the dis-
charge nozzle 62 80 that the powdered material in the canister will not absorb
-~ vapor from the hot water as it mixes with the powdered food product discharged
into the tray and the powdered material will not lose volatile aromatics as
it is waiting to be dispensed from the canister thereby retaining maximum
flavor characteristics of the product.
Each of the discharge and mixing assemblies has an identification ~-
and indicator gauge associated therewith generally designated by 116 which
includes a plastic rod or thick walled plastic tube 118 filled with either
water or a coffee colored liquid or colored in any manner with the two ends
of the rod or tube being supported by opposed brackets 120 having facing -~
sockets 122 therein. It is also possible for the gauges to be labelled by
u~ing appropriate indicia on the rod or tube or on a label applied thereto.
Figs. 5-7 disclose alternative structures for providing the same
functions as the specific structural features disclosed in Figs. 1-4. In thi~
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embodiment, the housing of the urn is generally designated by numersl 130 and
is similar in construction to the housing 12 in Figs. 1-4 with the dispenser
normally being placed on a special stand having a built-in drain. The canis-
ter 134, closure lid 136, closure plug 138 thereon, discharge tube 140 having
the auger 142 therein and the discharge nozzle 144 are substantially the same
as the corresponding elements disclosed in Figs. 1-4.
The discharge and mixing assembly 146 includes a housing 148 sup-
ported through the front wall 150 and includes a re vable lid 152. Disposed
within the housing 148 is an inclined tray 154 having a discharge spout 156
at its lower end and having its other end connected to a hot water inlet pipe
158. The lid 152 is provided with an opening 160 in alignment with but spsced
slightly below the discharge nozzle 144 as illustrated in Fig. 4 80 that
powdered material discharged into the tray 154 will be mixed with water enter-
ing the tray from the hot water pipe 158 80 that a mixed product will be dis-
charged from the spout 156. The housing 148 also includes a vertically dis-
posed member 162 at the outer end thereof which simulates a spigot and i8
disposed in concentric spaced relation to the spout 156 so that cool dry air
can enter the opening 160 pass around the tray and be discharged between the
spout 156 and the vertical member 162 as illustrated in Fig. 7 80 that steam
vapor will not contact the nozzle 144 or associated portions of the tube 140
and auger 142 to preclude moisture intrusion and prevent elevated temperatures
in the structural components snd the powder product engaged therewith.
In this embodiment, a generally U-shaped actuator or lever 164 is
pivotally attached to the opposite sides of the housing by pivot pins 166 and
the other end of the U-shaped lever is provided with a vertically enlarged
portion 168 having a push plate 170 across the top end thereof to provide an
area for depressing the outer end of the lever 164. The inner end of the
lever 164 is engaged with the actuating plunger 172 of a switch 174 which
functions to drive the auger and open the solenoid valve in the hot water
line 158.
To provide for air flow downwardly through the opening 160, the -
housing 130 is provided with a screened air inlet 176 ad~acent the upper end
thereof having a fan 178 therein with a tor 180 driving the fan to move air
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37;~4
from the exterior of the housing or cabinet 130 into the interior thereof,
thereby providing a positive pressure in the housing. At the lower end of
the housing 130, an opening defined by a tubular member 182 i8 provided and
a closure plate 184 forms a closure for the inner end of the tubular member
182 which i8 inclined so that the pivot axis 186 for the closure plate is
such that the closure plate 184 will normally hang vertically in spaced rela-
tion to the inclined inner edge of the tubular member 182 as illustrated by
the broken line position in Fig. 5. The end of the closure plate 184 which
extends above the pivot axis 186, designated by numeral 188, engages a pivotal
actuator 190 mounted on a switch 192 in engagement with the operating plunger
194 therefor so that the switch 192 is, in effect, a pressure sensitive switch
so that when there is a positive pressure in the housing 130, the pressure
plate 184 will be closed and the pressure switch 192 will enable operation of
the solenoid valve in the hot water line and the auger when the push plate 170
is depressed and the switch 174 actuated. In the event that the fan 178 is
not being driven by the fan motor 180 and the pressure in the housing 130
- drops to ambient pressure, the closure plate 184 will move to its vertical
position due to gravity, thus enabling the operating lever 190 to pivot and
actuate the plunger 194 80 that the circuit to the hot water valve will be
broken. Even though the differential pressure between the interior of the
housing 130 and the pressure exterior thereof is only slight due to the fan
178, it is clearly sufficient to provide a constant flow of dry air past the
crltical product discharge area, thus preventing the intrusion of moisture
and thereby precluding moisture contamination of the highly hygroscopic food
powders.
In this construction, a closure door or panel 196 i9 provided in
the front wall 150 of the cabinet with a supporting hinge 198 and latch struc- ~-
ture 200 being provided therefor in order to provide access into the interior
of the cabinet or housing for repair, replacement, or the like. A similar
access panel may be provided in the rear of the cabinet. The pressure switch
192, in addition to deactivating the machine because of fan failure, will also
suspend machine operation when either access panel is open or removed thereby
protecting against caking problems resulting from unauthorized entry into the
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dispenser or accidental operation when servicing. A suitable microswitch
positioned to be controlled by the position of each access panel could also
be used to prevent caking problems.
In this arrangement, the outer end of the tube 140 having the nozzle
144 thereon is constructed so that the nozzle is in the form of a sleeve 145
which enables it to be rotated to the broken line position illustrated in Fig.
6, so that the lid 152 may be removed from the housing 148 to provide access
to the tray and associated structure for ease of cleaning and the like.
Figs. 8-10 illustrate another embodiment of the urn 202 which
10 includes a large hot water tank 204 located below the canisters and the dis-
charge and mixing assemblies and located below deck 205 and acts as a support
for it and insulation therebetween. The tank 204 may be of a size to receive
approximately ten gallons of water and is co;~unicated with a water supply in
a manner similar to that shown in Fig. 3. Communicated with the center of the
tank 204 is a vertical stand pipe or extension 206 which is centrally disposed
between end pairs of canisters 208. Water discharge lines 210 and control
valve8 212 are disposed closely adjacent the stand pipe or extension 206 80
that the hot water tank 204 and the extension 206 will form an effective heat
sink to maintain the discharge pipes 210 and control valves 212 at an ele- -
20 vated temperature. A cover 214 is positioned in enclosing relation to the
valves 212 and a portion of the discharge lines 210 to retain the heat from
the heat sink in association with these components. The canisters 208 and
the hot water supply lines 210 are connected with discharge and mixing assem-
blies 216 associated with a housing 218 which has closure lids 219 for the
canisters 208 in a manner similar to the structure disclosed in the other
embodiments of the invention.
To provide access to the interior of the housing 218, side panels
220 may be vertically slidably removed from the top edge of the housing with
the lower edge thereof being provided with notches 221 receiving the dis-
30 charge and mixing assemblies 216 with the indicator gauges mounted on thepanel 220, if desired. Also, the tank 204 is supported by suitable supporting
legs 222 and a bottom panel 224 extending beyond the tank and provided with a
removable panel 226 to enable access to the heater elements 228, thermostatic
3~
control, supply valve or other structural components normally concealed by
the panel 226. In addition to spatial, structural and maintenance benefits
of this arrangement, the direct physical connection to the stand pipe provides
the best possible thermal conduction between it and the valves and the dis-
charge lines, so that these components will not absorb substantial heat as
the powdered product and water are metered, mixed and dispensed, which can
result in a low temperature of the finished product. By eliminating the
customary manifold and physically joining each valve to the standpipe and due
to its vertical configuration, full flow will be provided through all valves
without any pressure or flow fluctuations regardless of the number of valves
which may be simultaneously opened. The float valve to control the filling
of the water tank may be located in any desired position above the service
deck and will fill the tank from the bottom so that the float valve chamber
will be filled with cool or cold water which reduces mineral build-up, cor-
rosion and rusting of the float valve components.
In each instance, suitable heating elements, controls therefor and
controls for maintaining the water supply in the tank are utili~ed and may be
of various conventional components. Also, sanitation and health requirements
of various ~urisdictions m~y be easily complied with along with regulations
relating to plumbing and electrical installations.
The soluble coffee urns provide a mixed coffee product which not
only is closely simulative of the brewed coffee from roasted ground coffee
but also is dispensed from an apparatus which is quite simulative of a con- -
ventional roasted coffee urn. In addition, the mixing of the freeze-dried
coffee and water immediately before discharge enables a relatively high water
temperature to be used so that the coffee will be quite hot which is signifi- ~ -
cant when feeding in various institutions, such as hospitals, and the like,
where substantial delay may be encountered in delivering the coffee to the
actual consumer.
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