Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
This inven~ion has to do with a proportional
mixing apparatus for liquids and is particularly con-
cerned with an attachment for a beverage dispensing
machine to intermittently and automatically deliver
proportional volumes of water and liquid beverage con~
centrate into a beverage holding tank of the machine.
BACK~ROUND OF TH~ INVENTION
In the beverage art, machines for holding,
cooling and dispensing non-carbinated beverages have
been in wide use for many years. The most common and
widely used class of dispensing machine of the character
referred to includes a box like housing engageable on a
counter top and a transparent beverage holding tank
supported atop the housing. The tank accommodates elements
and~/or parts of a refrigeration uni~t, circulating pump
and a dispensing valve. The holding tank has an open top
which is normally closed by a removable cover. The circu~
lating pump operates to draw beverage from the bottom of
the tank and delivers it to the top of the tank to flow
down and about the interior surfaces thereof for aesthetic
purposes and to keep the beverage mixed. The refrigeration
unit serves to maintain the beverage in the tank chilled.
The dispensing valve is a simple on and off valve with an
inlet side connected with the bottom of the tank and an
outset side connected w~th suitable dispensing tubes which
extend to a conveni~ent location at the exterior of the
machine for directing beverage into drinking cups or glasses.
The valve includes a manually operable operating lever
~L~4~5i
accessible at the ex~erior of the houseing. The discharge
end of the dispensing tube occurs above a glass suppo-rting
catch basin at the front o:E the housing and the operating
lever includes a bar-like part at the front of the housing,
rearward of and below the d:ispensing tube where it can be
engaged to open the valve by cups or glasses manually
advanced into beverage receiving position below the tube.
The principal shortcoming to be found in the
above noted class of machine resides in the fact that
the supplly of beverage in the holding tank must be
periodîcally replenished. Such replenishing of beverage
is ordinarily accomplished by removing the cover from
the tank and pouring measured amounts of water and beverage
concentrate into the open top of the tanks as by means
of water pitchers, mixing cups and the like. Such an
operation is not only awkward and difficult~ especially
for persons with limited height, reach and/or poor coordina-
tion, it is also an unpleasant operation for pat~ons of
the establishment in which the machine is used to witness.
As a result of the above, it is common practice
for the operators of such machines to avoid replenishing
the supply of beverage in the tanks of such machines until
it is absolutely necessary.
The above practice of waiting to replenish the
supply of beverage in such a machine brings about an
added serious adverse ef-fect. That effect is the inability
of the machine to effectively and ade~uately chill large,
unchilled volumes of newly introduced beverage instantly
or even in a modestly short period of time. As a result,
after the supply of beverage in such a machine has been
let to diminish substantially and has been replenished,
an excessive period of time n~us~ be let to pass to enable
the refrigeration unit to chill the beverage and before
adequately chilled beverage can be dispensed.
Another shortcoming found in the operation and
use of the above noted class of machine resides in the fact
that the required hand-measuring of the water and beverage
concentrates is oftentimes improperly caTried out. It
is not infrequent that insufficient or excessive volumes
of concentrate will be used in establishing new batches
of beverage, with the Tesult that the beverage is likely
to be too weak or too strong. The use of insufficient
volumes of concentrate and the dispensing and sale of
weak beverage results in dissatisfied customers and a
potential loss of trade, while the use of excessive volumes
of concentrate and the dispensing of beverage which is
too strong most generally results in the serious loss of
profits.
As a result of the foregoing, there has been
a long existing need and want for a simple, practical
and effective means for automatically, intermittently
mixing small measuTed volumes of water and liquid beverage
concentrate and delivering the mixture directly into
the holding tanks of beverage dispensing machines of the
character referred to above, to maintain a full and ready
supply of beverage at all times.
A further want and need has existed for a means
of the general character referred to above which operates
to conduct both water and beverage from remote, obscure
3n sources diTectly into the holding tanks of such machines,
without the need to remove the covers from the tanks.
Still further, there has existed a want and
need for a means of the character referred to which
is such that small volumes of water and beverage con-
centrate can be mixed and introduced into the holding
tanks of the machines at frequent intervals whereby
the volumes of unchilled liquids added ~o the tank at
any one ^time is insufficient to warm or remove the chill
from the previously established supply of beverage in
the tanRs.
OBJECTS AND FEATURES OF THE INVENTION
An object and feature of my invention is to
provide automatic means for receiving and mixing the
water and beverage concentrate in predetermined volumes
and for deliveIing the mixed water and concentrate, as
newly constituted beverage, directly into the holding
tank of a related beverage dispensing machine.
Another object of the present invention is to
provide a means of the character referred -to which
connects with a pressurized water service system and
utilizes the service water as the motive force for drawing
and delivering fluid beverage concentrate from a remote
concentrate supply.
Yet another object and feature of my invention
is to provide a means which is such that the volume of
concentrate drawn into the means is proportional to the
volume of service water flowing into the means and wherein
the concentrate and water are mixed within said means wheTeby
newly reconstituted beverage flows from said means.
It is an object and feature of my invention
to provide a means of the character referred to which
includes a fluid aspirator with a low pressure upstream
end and a downstream end, a concentrate duct extending
between the concentrate supply and the low pressure end
of the aspirator whereby the concentrate is drawn into
and through the aspirator means by and with water directed
through it, and beverage delivery means communicating
with the downstream end of the aspirator means and ex~
tending into the holding tank of a related beverage
dispensing machine.
A further object and feature of this invention
is to provide a means of the character referred to above
which includes a liquid level control switch responsive
to the liquid level in the holding tank and a related
solenoid operated on and off valve means to start and
stop the flow of water and resulting flow of concentrate
in response to the liquid level in the tank.
Still another object and feature of this inr
vention is to provide a means of the character referred
to which includes a manually adjustable pressure regulator
between the water service and downstream end of the
aspirator whereby the pressure and corresponding flow rate
and volume of water and the corresponding flow rate and
volume of concentrate flowing into and through the as~
pirator can be adjusted and accurately controlled.
It is another object and feature of the present
invention to provide a means of the general character
referred to which i5 small, neat and compact and
such that it can be advantageously and effectively
~L~4~
engaged atop and supported by the holding tank cover
o a related beverage dispensing machine.
Another object and featuTe of this inven~ion
is to provide a means of the character referred to
S including an elongate ver~ical beverage delivery tube
which depends from the aspirator through an opening
established in a related holding tank cover and thence
into the holding tank to below the fluid level in the
tank whereby beverage delivered into the tank does not
splash and generate undesirable foam, noise and the
like and a ~eans wheTein the switching means includes
an elongate probe carried by and depending fTom the
cover into the tank.
It is an object and feature of the present
invention to provide a unitized means of the characteT
referred to above which is such that it can be attached
and related to any standard, conventional non-carbonated
beverage dispensing machine holding tank cover by simply
making a pai~r of small holes in the cover to receive
the beverage del~veTy tube and the probe depending from
the unit and a structure wherein said tube and probe
serve to releasably retain or pin the unit in position
atop the tank cover.
The foregoing and other objects and eatures
of my invention will be apparent and will be fully under-
stood fTom the following detailed description of one
typical form and carrying out of the invention throughout
which description Teference is made to the accompanying
: drawings:
DESCRIPTION OF THE ~RAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a beverage
dispensing machine with my invention related to it;
Fig. 2 is an enlarged ~etailed sectional
view taken substantially as indicated by line 2-2 on
Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken
substantially as indicated by line 3-3 on Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken as indicated
by line 4-4 on Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken as indicated
by line 5-5 on Fig. 4;
Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken as indicated
by line 6-6 on Fig. 5; and
lS Fig. 7 is a view taken as indicated by line
7-7 on Fig. 6.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In Fig. 1 of the drawings, I have illustrated
a typical non-carbonated beverate dispensing machine M.
The machine M is shown mounted or set on top of a counter
10 and includes a lower housing ll with a forwardly opening
recess 12 to accommodate glasses or like receptacles into
which beverage is to be delivered, A drQp tray 13 is
provided at the bottom of the recess 12. A beverage
dispensing tube 14 depends into the recess from the top
thereof and a beverage dispensing valve actuator 15 is
arranged in the recess between and rearward of the tray
13 and the tube 14.
~ ~ L~ 5~ 5
Arrallged and supported atop the housing 11 is
a beverage holding tank T. The tank T can be established
of a suitable transparent plastic material so that the
beverage within the tank can be viewed, for display
purposes, The tank T has an open top 16 which is normally
closed by a substantially flat hori~ontal cover 17, as
shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings.
The housing 11 serves to enclose and suppoTt
the whole or parts of a recirculating pump means (not
shown) to maintain the beverage in the tank T circulating
and mixed and the whole or parts of a refrigeration
means (not shown) to chill the beverage in the tank T.
The pumping means commonly includes a drive motor in the
housing to OCCUT adjacent the bottom of the tank, a pump
in.a well at the bottom of the tank and a magnetic drive
coupling between the motor and the pump (not shown)~
The refrigeration unit commonly comprises a compressor
and a condensor in the housi.ng and an evaporator coil
which projects up from the housing into a cavity pro-
vided in the bottom of the tank (not shown~,
The housing 11 also houses a normally closed
dispensing valve (not shown) which is connected with
and between the tank T and the dispensing tube 14 and
which is actuated OT opened by means o-f the above noted
valve actuator '15,
The machine ~f illustrated in the drawings
and briefly described above is intended to show one
typical class of machine with which my new proportional
mixing apparatus can be advantageously and effectively
related. The detaIls of construction and the design
of the machine M can be varied widely without departing
5~
fTom or affecting the spirit of my invention, Accordingly,
further detailed illustration and description of the
machine M can and will be dispensed with.
From the following, it will be apparent that
the proportional mixing apparatus that I provide is pre~
ferably such that it can be advantageously related to
any beverage dispensing machine which includes a holding
tank from which beverage is to be dispensed and which is
such that the supply of beverage in the tank mus-t be
periodically repleni~s-hed ~y the introduction of water
and ~everage concentrate in predetermined volumetric
ratios.
The proportional mixing apparatus P that I
provide, and which is shown in the drawings, includes
an aspi:rator A, water deliverr means W to conduct water
to the aspirator A, valve ~eans V and switching means
S to start and stop the flow of wa-ter through the
delivery means W, a manually adjustable pressure regulator
R to adjust the pressure and corresponding flow rate and
volume of water deli~vered into the aspirator, concentrate
delivery me~ns C to conduct liquid beverage concentrate
to the aspirator and beverage delivery means D communicating
with and extending downstream from the aspirator and into
the tank T.
The aspi~rator A and the several means C, D,
S, V and W noted above are within or have parts or portions
within a rectangular ~lock-like body B established of a
suitable metal or plastic material. The body B is shown
as having flat top and bottom s~des 20 and 21 ? flat front
and Tear sides 22 and 23 and flat right-hand and left-hand
ends or sides 24 and 25,
-10-
~L4V5~5i
The aspirator A includes an elonage large
diameter cylindrical aspirating chamber 30 with inlet
and outlet or upstream and downstream ends 31 and 32;
an elongate, small diameter, cylindrical water nozzle
S duct 33 with upstream and downstream ends 34 and 35
concentric with and extending axially from the upstream
end of the chamber 30; and a lateral liquid or concen~
trate port 36 communicating with the upstream end of
the chamber 30.
The aspirator A is arranged within the body B
with the chamber 30 and nozzle duct 33 extending sub-
stantially hori.zontally and longitudinally thereof
with their do~lstream ends disposed toward the right
hand end 25 of the body, their upstream ends disposed
toward the let-hand end 24 of the body and with the
port 36 extendlng toward the rear side 23 of the body.
The downstream end of the chamber 30 communi-
cates with the large diameter receiving chamber 40 in
the body defined by the upper end portion of an elongate
vertical cyli`ndrical bore 41 entering the bottom side
21 of the body.
The lower portion of the bore 41 below the
receiving chamber 40 is a part or portion of the beverage
delivery means D, which means, in addition to the bore
41 includes an elongate vertical, large diameter delivery
tube 45 with an upwardly opening upper end portion threaded
or otherwise securely engaged in the bore 41. The tube 45
depends freely from the body and has an open lower end.
The upstream end 34 of the nozzle duct 33 communi-
cates with the downstream side of a vertical, upwardly
~L~4V5C~5
opening valve chamber 46 (of the valve means ~) which
is established in the body from the top side thereof.
The port 36 is concentric and communicates
with a horizontal forwardly extending concentrate inlet
duct 47 of the means C, which enters the rear side of
the body B.
The means C, in addition to the duct 47,
includes an elongate, pre-ferably flexib:Le, suction hose
48. The hose 48 has a downstream end which is suitably
coupled with or sealingly engaged in the duct 47 and a
lower upstream end which extends to and is engaged in
a supply of liquid beverage concentrate, as will herein-
after be described.
With the structure thus far described, it will
be apparent that when water, under pressure, is introduced
in the upstream end of the nozzle duct 33 and flows there-
through, a high velocity jet of water is directed longi-
tudinally through the chamber 30 -From the upstream end to
the downstream end thereof and that a minus pressure is
established in the upstream end portion of the chamber 30,
about the jet. The minus pressure established in the
upstream end porti`on of the chamber is communicated with
or established in the port 36 and in t~he hose 48 of the
means C and operates or functions to draw liquid beverage
concentrate from a related supply of concentrate through
the hose 48 and the port 36. The concentrate flowing
through the port 36 and into the chamber 30 combines and/or
mixes with the jet of water flowing downstream through
the chamber. The combined or mixed water ard concentrate
establishes the desired beverage and the beverage thus
-12-
1140505 ll
established flows freely from the downstream end of the
chamber 30 into the receiving chamber 40. The beverage
flowing into the chamber 40 ~lows freely downwardly ~rom
within that chamber into and through the tube 45 of the
means D and into the related tan~ T.
The valve means ~ related to and operable to
start and stop the flow of water in and through the
water supply means W and aspirator A can vary widely in
-form without departing from the spirit o~ my invention.
In the case illustrated 7 the valve means ~ is
an elrctrically operated or solenoid operated diaphragm-
type on and off valve incorporated in the body B. The
valve, in addition to the aforementioned vertical chamber
46 which communictes with the nozzle duct 33 o-~ the means A,
includes an annulaT, upwardly opening inlet chamber 50
about the upper end of the chambeT 46 and communicating
with a water inlet passage 51 entering the rear side 23
of the body; a flexible diaphragm 52 overlying the chamber
46 and 50; a bonnet 53 with a vertically extending tubular
armature guide is releasably secured to the top of the
body to overlie and hold the diaphragm in plaee. A vertical
shiftable valving armature 54 is arranged within the guide.
A spring means (not shown) is arranged within the guide
to normally yieldingly urge the armature 54 and the diaphragm
52 down in closed position where -flow of water ~rom the
chamber 52 to the chamber 46 is stopped. ~inally, the
valve includes an electro~magnetic co-il unit 55 carried
by the bonnet and engaged about said g~lide and operable,
when energized, to elevate the armature valving membeT 54
to an up or open position. ~hen the coil is energized and
-13
s
thc member 54 is elevated, water, under pressure in the
chamber 50, is free to lift the diaphragm and to flow
from the chamber 50 into the chamber 46.
With the valve means V set forth above, it
will be apparent that the valve can be opened and closed
to start and stop the flow of water into and through the
construction and that opeTation thereo~ can be effected
by suitable switching means, such as that switching means
S, w~ich will hereinafter be described.
It is to be noted and it will be apparent that
the valve V illustrated and described above can be replaced
by any one of a number of other common forms or types
of electTically operated valve without materially affecting
or departing from the spirit of my invention.
The water delivery means W, in addition to the
duct 51 entering the rear side of the body, and communi-
cating with the chamber 50 or i~nlet side of the valve
means V includes an elongate water hose 56 with upstream
and downstream ends. The downstream end of the hose
is provided with a suitable coupling 57, screw threacled
in a coupling receiving opening entering the rear si~e
of the body and communicating with the duct 51. The other
or upstream end of the hose(not shown) extends to and
suitably connectes with a pressurized water service outlet
or faucet (not shown) in the area or facility in which
the construction is used.
The pressure regulator R, the function of which
will hereinafter be described~ can be considered a part
of the water delivery means W and can, as shown, be engaged
in the hose 56, intermediate its ends and remote from the
-14-
~L~4~05
body or can be incorporated in the body or engaged
between the downstream end of the hose and the body,
as desired or as cirsumstances require. Since the
regulator R that I utilize is a rather large and bulky
item and would unduly enlarge the body if incorporated
therein, or would be unsightly if connected directly
with the body, it is preferred, for aesthetic reasons
only, that it be arranged remote from the body, as shown.
In the preferred carrying out of my invention,
the switch means S includes a fluid level responsive
switch D and a manually operated master switch 81. The
switch 80 is a float actuated magnetically operated
reed switch unit or device such as is shown in Fig. 7
of the drawings. The switch 80 includes an elongate,
tubular, non~ferrous~ probe 82 with a closed lower end
and a plug 83 engaged in and closing its upper end, a
pair of elongate vertical non-ferrous resilient reeds
84 and 84' arranged within the probe in spaced parallel
relationship and with their upper end portions exten~ing
through the plug 83 to establish terminals at the top
exterior of the probe. The lower end portions of the
reeds are provided w~th normally spaced contact points
85. One reed (the reed 841) has an extension at its
lower end on which a bar magnetic 86 is suitably fixed.
An annular non-ferrous float 87 is engaged about the
exterior of the probe for free, vertical, longitudinal
shifting relative thereto. The float 87 carries a
ferrous ring 88.
In practice~ a suitable stop 87 is prov~ded
at the lower end of the probe to releasably retain the
float engaged about the probe.
-15-
5~5
The above switch construction is such that
when the ring 88 is moved axially downwardly into a
common radial plane with the magnet 86, the magnet,
attracted to the ring, moves it related reed 84' toward
S the reed 84, cl osIng the switch,
The switch 80 here provided has a suitably
wide operating range, that is, it is necessary that the
float 87 and its ferrous ri`ng 88 move a substantial
distance longitudinally of the probe and relative to:
the magnet 86 to effect closing and opening of the
contacts 85. This wide range of operation is the
result of the differences in the field gap between
the magnet and the ring when the switch is in its
open and closed posi`.tion.
The upper end portion of the probe 82 is
engaged in a vertical through opening 90 provided in
the body B with its terminals established by the upper
end portions of the reeds, accessible at the top of the
body. The terminals of the switch 80 are connected in
or with one leg or an electrical power line L which ex~
tends ~rom the coil unit 55 to a suitable electric
service outlet (not shown) in the area or facility in
which the construction is used.
The remainder of the switch 80 depends freely
from the body.
The master control switch 81 is a simple
manually operable toggle switch or the like, connected
in the power lineL in series with the switch 80 and
is provided so that the power to the coil unit 55 can
be positively shut off and the construction can be ta~en
-16-
s
out of service, when desired or when circumstances
require.
It is to be noted that the several openings,
ducts, chambers and ports within the body B are arranged
and disposed so that they can be easily and effectively
established in the body by su.itable drilling and plugging
operations. ~urther, the construction of the body,
with the several chambers, ducts, ports and/or passages
established therein lends itself to inexpensive mass
production through injection molding techniques and
the like.
In furtherance of my invention, the block-like
body B is provided with an inverted cup-like decorative
cap 91 to obscure the valve structure V at and projecting
upwardly from the top of the body, to obscure switching
means S and to overlie and obscure the front, rear and
end side surfaces of the body.
In practice, and as shown in the drawings, the
switch 81 of the means S can be advantageously mounted
within the cap 90 with its manually engageable actuator
projecting through an opening in the cap for normal en-
gagement at the exterior thereof.
In the preerred carrying out of my invention,
the structure next includes a soft sponge rubber mounting
pad 92 on the bottom of thebody B to engage the top sur-
face of the holding tank cover 17 of the beverage dis-
pensing machine M with which the body is related.
The top of the cover 17 is provided with an
opening 93 in and through which the beverage delivery
tube 45 of the means ~ is slidably engaged and an opening
94 in and through which the probe 82 of the switch 80
is slidably engaged. With the body tube and probe re-
lated to the cover 17 as noted above, it will be apparent
that the body is effectively retained in position, on
top of the cover, by the tube and probe.
The tube 45, engaged through the openlng 93
depends freely from the cover 17 in-to the interior of
the tank T to terminate in the lower portion of the tank,
within the supply of beverage therein, whereby the beverage
introduced into the tank is not allowed to splash and
splatter about so that undesirable noise is not generated
during operation of the construction and so that the newly
introduced beverage is delivered into and comminglecl with
old beverage in a predetermined and most effective manner.
The probe 82 depends from its related opening 94 in the
top 17 to depend freely into the tank and into the supply
of beverage therein.
In practice, a supply of concentrate is con-
tained by a suitable vessel remote from the machine and
the upstream end of the suction hose 48 of the means C
is extended into the vessel and into the supply of con~
centrate therein,
In the case illustrated, the ~essel for the
supply of concentrate is a glass bottle 100 supported
on a shelf 101 beneath the counter 10 on which the machine
M is supported. The bottle lO0 has a vented stopper 102
through which the upstream end portion of the suction
hsoe 48 is engaged. The hose 48 extends down into the
bottle to terminate in the bottom portion thereof.
-18-
In practice, since the supply of concentrate
in the bottle 100 occurs a substantial distance below
the means P atop the tank cover 17, a substantial hydro-
static head pressure is established in the suction hose
48 between the bottle and the means P.
The head pressure in the suction hose, though
substantial, is equal to but a fraction of the minus
pressure that can be established in and by the aspirator
means A when water is delivered to the aspirator means
by the water delivery means W at the maximum or greatest
pressure and flow rate afforded by the pressuri~ed water
service with which the means W is connected. If the
presure and rate of flow o:~ water into the aspirator
means A is not reduced by the pressure regulator ~, the
minus pressure generated in the aspirator means A will
be excessive, excess concentrate will be drawn into the
aspirator means, and the beverage delivered thereby will
be excessively strong. Accordingly, in operation and
in setting up and adjusting the structure that I provide,
the regulator R is first adjusted or set to reduce the
pressure and rate of flow of water entering the aspirator
means A whereby a minus pressure, sufficient to overcome
the hydrostatic head in the hose 48 is established in the
aspirator means A, whereby concentrate is drawn up from
the bottle or supply of concentrate to the aspirator
means. ThereafteT, the regulator R is operated to increase
the pressure and rate of water introduced into the aspirator
means and to thereby increase the minus pressure in the
aspirator means to that extent where the flow rate and/or
volume of concentrate flowing into and through the aspirator
-19-
mcalls A is sucll that thc beverage flowing from the
aspirator means into the chamber 40 and thence through
the means D into the tank T is of desired strength or
ratio of concentrate and water.
The lower end of the probe 82 of the switch 80,
which depends from the cover 17 into the beverage in the
tank T, depends into the beverage a sufficient distance
so that the float 87 about the probe is floated in the
beverage and so that when the level of the beverage in
the tank is at its top or uppermost point~ the ferrous
ring 88 of the switch 80 is spaced vertically above and
relative to the magnet 86 to a position where the force
exerted between the magnet and the ring is insufficient
to hold the resilient Teed 84' in a latera]ly displaced
or biased closed position and allows the reed 84' to return
and assume its normal open position.
When and as ~he liquid level in the tank T
drops, the ferrous ring 88 carried by the flow 87 moves
downwardly toward the magnet 86 until such time as the
gap between the magnet and the ring is reduced to that
extent where the force of the magnetic field acting on
the ring is sufficient to bias the resilient reed 8~'
and move it to its closed position.
By suitably adjusting or varying the buoyancy
of the float, as by increasing or decreasing its effective
cross-section, the distance which the float must move to
effect opening and closing of the switch 80 can be adjusted.
By so adjusting the operating range of the switch 80,
it is both easy and practical to adjust and set the volume
of beverage that is dispensed before the apparatus that
.
.
-20-
5~)5
I providc is put into operation to replenish the supply
of beverage. For example, where the holding tank T holds
a minimum o~ two gallons of beverage, the means that I
provide can be adjusted and set so that the supply of
beverage is replenished each time the supply is reduced
by about one, two or three quarts, as desired or as
circumstances require,
In practice, the upper end portion of the
beverage delivery t~lbe 45, above the level of beverage
ln the tank T must be and is provided with a lateral
anti-syphon vent opening 90 or an equivalent of such a
vent opening, The opening 90 serves to prevent the
tube 48 from filling with beverage and creating a reverse,
syphon flow of beverage from the tank T, back through
the body B, means C and into the bottle 100.
It is to be noted that with the i.nvention here
provided, the only work required to be performed on the
machine M is establishment of the tube and probe accomo-
dating holes 93 and ~4 in the holding tank cover 17.
In practice, when`it is desired to service
OT cl ean the machine M ? the tnk cover T with the means P
that I provide related to it ? can be easily and quickly
removed from engagement with the tank T. Further, if it
is desired that the means P be cleaned separately or
that the cover 17 be cleaned separately, the means P
can ~e easily and quickly separated from the cover by
si.mply removing the float 17 from the probe 82 and then
manually lifting the body from engagement therewith,and
extracting the tube 45 and probe 82 from within the
openings 93 and 94 in the cover 17.
-21-
o~
It is to be noted and will be apparent from
the foregoing that if desired, the aspirator A can be
varied considerably in design and can, if desired,
or if circumstances require, be replaced by any venturi-
type of aspirating means which would function in sub-
stantially the same manner as the aspirator A to attain
the same end results.
It is to be further noted and it will be
apparent that if desired, or if circumstances ~equire.
other common forms of float actuated switching devices
might be substituted for the special form of switching
device 80 illustrated and described above without materially
affecting the novelty or departing from the spirit of
my invention.
From the foregoing, it will be apparent that
I provide a novel, simple, practical and effective means
for automatically maintaining a full supply of properly
reconsituted beverage in the holding tank of a non-
carbonated beverage dispensing machine and that I have
thereby effectively eliminated and/or overcome the
majority of shortcomings and undesirable problems which
have long been associated with a daily operation and use
of such machines.
Having described only one typical preferred
form and application of my invention, I do not wish to
be limited to the specific details herein set forth,
but wish to reserve to myself any modifications and/or
variations that may appear to those skilled in the art
and which fall within the scope of the following claims:
-22-
