US2243675A - Beverage dispensing draft arm - Google Patents

Description

May 27, 1941. A; L, OENI 2,243,675

- BEVERAGE DISPENSING DRAFT ARM Filed July 1, 19:59 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 y 27, 1941. i A. L. KOENIG 2,243,675

BEVERAGE DISPENSING DRAFT ARM Filed July 1, 1939 4 SheecIs-Sheet 2 May 27, 1941.

A. 1.. KOENIG 2,243,675

BEVERAGE DISPENSING DRAFT ARM I Filed July 1, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 May 27, 1941. A. L. KOENIG BEVERAGE DISPENSING DRAFT ARM Filed July 1, 1939 4 Sheets-Shet 4 Patented May 27, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OEFEQE 11 Claims.

In my prior Patents Nos. 1,525,650 and 2,162,- 384, there is disclosed a so-called draft arm the purpose of which is to dispense a mixture of syrup and charged water which are supplied separately to the draft arm and are mixed within the latter. The object of the present invention is to produce a modified form of draft arm which shall be much simpler in construction, comprise fewer parts, and be considerably less costly to manufacture than the draft arm of the aforesaid patents While embodying the most desirable features of the latter.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding of my invention and of its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a dispensing apparatus provided with one of my improved draft arms; Fig. 2 is a side view of the apparatus, partly in elevation and partly in section, the draft arm being shown in elevation; Fig. 3 is a section, on a larger scale than Figs. 1 and 2, through the draft arm and its housing, taken on a central vertical plane extending from front to rear; Fig. 4 is a section taken roughly on line 4-4 of Fig, 3, many of the parts being, however, shown in elevation; Fig. 5 is a section, on a still larger scale, also taken approximately on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, showing only the lower part of the draft arm; and Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a suitable receptable open at the top and provided with a cover B. In the arrangement shown, the receptacle is double-walled, comprising, in substance, an outer shell I and a smaller inner shell 2. These shells are joined at the top and the inner receptacle stands clear of the other at the bottom. The space between the bottom walls of the two shells is filled with a suitable the two shells is also filled with a heat-insulating material 4 which may conveniently be mineral wool, since it is not required to carry any load as does the heat insulating material 3. Secured around the interior of the receptacle, at the top, is a rubber ring which projects slightly above the metal forming the upper edge of the receptacle. The cover rests on this gasket which thus forms a seal between the cover and the receptacle. The

double front wall of the receptacle has a large hole through the same; the cross sectional contour corresponding to the cross sectional contour of the body of a housing 6 for the draft arm casing. Around the inner end of the housing 6 is an outwardly-projecting flange l which is larger than the opening in the wall of the receptacle so that it serves as a stop probably to position the said housing when the latter is inserted in the opening from within the receptacle and moved outwardly until the flange strikes the marginal portions of the receptacle wall bounding the opening. In the arrangement shown, the opening in the outermost wall contains a frame 8 of cushioning material, preferably soft rubberwhich is slotted so as to fit over and embrace the marginal portions of the wall bounding the opening and which must be compressed slightly to permit the insertion of the housing for the draft arm casing. When the housing is in position, the rubber member forms a sealed joint between the same and the other wall of the receptacle.

The metal of the inner wall of the receptacle is pressed outwardly around the opening for the draft arm to provide a step formation. What may be termed the lower tread 9 of this steplike formation, namely the part closest to the exterior of the receptacle, lies just in front of or outwardly from the flange I. By placing a gasket iii of cushioning and sealing material, pref erably soft rubber, between the part or seat 9 and the flange l, a water-tight joint is created between the housing and the receptacle, provided the gasket is clamped between the flange and the seat 9. The clamping may be effected in any suitable way. In the arrangement shown, there are a series of screws ll distributed along and extending through the tread [2 of the second step in the step-like formation of the inner wall of the receptacle, the screws extending through a frame-like clamping plate M which overlies the tread element l2 and the marginal portions of the inner face or base of the housing; the parts being so proportioned that the clamping plate does not lie fiat against the receptacle wall but stands clear of the same so that tightening of the screws serves to increase the pressure of the clamp on the housing.

The fastening screws may take various forms. In the arrangement shown, I employ simple headed screws, the heads of which lie on the front side of the inner wall of the receptacle, in

the space between the double walls, and are soldered or otherwise fastened to the wall through which they pass. Each screw is provided on its inner end, namely within the main chamber in the receptacle, with a nut i5. In order to release the draft arm, only the nuts l5 are unscrewed, thus permitting the clamping frame to be removed.

Instead of employing a syrup container that is supported by the receptacle and connected to the draft arm casing by more or less complicated fittings, I fasten the syrup container, indicated at I6, directly to the draft arm casing which then serves as a support therefor. As in my prior constructions, the draft arm casing H, as best shown in Fig. 3, has a frustoconical, horizontal chamber l8 containing a cupshaped frusto-conical valve I9, which is adapted to receive the syrup from the syrup container.-

This chamber opens out at the rear of the casing which, at this point, has the form of a short thick-walled tube. The front side of the syrup container fits against the rear face of this tubular part of the casing and is soldered or otherwise permanently fastened to the casing; the front wall of the syrup container having therein a large hole 2 registering with the chamber l8, so that syrup may flow directly from the syrup container 'into this chamber.

Within the syrup container, behind the opening 20, is a suitable strainer 2| which prevents solid or semi-solid particles from passing down into the draft arm.

The draft arm casing is not supported directly from the receptacle walls but from the housing 6 which may be molded hard rubber or other suitable material that possesses the requisite strength. The housing 8 is deeper in the vertical direction than is the body portion of the :draft arm casing, to provide room within the same, for a large sleeve-like part or hub 22 projecting downwardly from the bottom wall of the casing. Surrounding this hub-like part is a thick ring 24 of rubber or other suitable cushioning material which engages at its upper edge .at the under side of the casing and rests at its lower edge upon the bottom wall of the housing. Surrounding this rubber ring there is preferably a short section of thin-walled metal tubing 25 to keep the ring from expanding laterally.

The bottom wall of the housing contains a large round hole 26 somewhat smaller in diameter than the external diameter of the hub 22 and in axial registration with the hub. The upper part of this hole is preferably enlarged, as indicated at 21, to the same diameter as that of the hub; and the hub is made long enough to project down into this enlarged portion of the opening, without bottoming in the same. Thus the hub serves accurately to center the draft arm casing in the housing while the rubber ring 24 forms a water-tight seal between the casing and the bottom of the housing around the hole into which the hub projects. The hub 22 serves also to support a suitable nozzle which, in the arrangement shown, comprises a lower member or nozzle proper 28 of hard rubber or other suitable material; this nozzle being molded about the lower end of a long sleeve 2!) which extends up through the hole 26 and is screwed into the hub 22. It will be seen that the nozzle cannot be screwed up far enough to cause the bottom wall of the housing to be gripped or clamped between the same and the lower edge of the hub, there being a clearance between the bottom edge of the hub and the underlying part of the bottom wall of the housing. These clearances provide for small irregularities in dimensions and make the housings entirely changeable with each other.

The only fixed connection between the draft arm casing and the housing consists of a bolt 30 extending from side to side through the housing and the enclosed draft arm casing and having on one end a suitable nut 3i, preferably of an ornamental type; the rubber ring 24, which is always compressed to some extent, compensating for small variations in dimensions of casings and housings. This bolt fits within a sleeve 32 that extends through the entire width of and is fixed to the draft arm casing, as in my prior construction. In order that the housing may be drawn tightly against the sides of the draft arm casing without being objectionably stressed, I provide the casing with bosses 23 through which the bolt 39 passes and which are finished to fit accurate- 1y against the adjacent walls of the housing.

The housing 6 has in the top a slot 34 through which extends a stem 35 extending radially into the thick end wall of the cup-shaped valve member IS. The outer end of this stem may extend into a suitable handle 86 and, if the handle be of molded plastic material, may be embedded therein in the making of the handles.

In the casing ll, below the chamber I8, is a measuring chamber 3? provided in the top with an opening 38 through which syrup may fiow when the usual port 39 in the valve I9 is brought in registration therewith. There is a forward extension 33 at the bottom of the measuring chamber, and this chamber opens downwardly into the space enclosed by the sleeve-like hub 22; the final outlet from the measuring chamber being thus a large round port 30 coaxial with the sleeve-like hub and the nozzle attached to the latter. This port is normally closed by the usual, upwardly seating valve 4|. The valve 4| is opened in the same way as in my prior constructions, namely by means of a pair of vertically-slidable pins 42 connected together at their upper ends by a cross bar 44 carrying at the middle a roller 45; this roller being adapted to be engaged by a cam lug 4E fixed to the closed end of the frusto-conical valve l9. Lying within the chamber 33 and co-axial with the outlet port is a nipple 4! the bottom edge of which engages with the valve 4| when the latter is closed. The bore of this nipple extends well up r into the body of the casing and there terminates in a chamber 48 to which there is connected by a tightly sealed joint a conduit 49 which receives from the receptacle cold charged water under high pressure. It will be seen that the member 49 is fixed in and extends through a comparatively long nipple St on the rear side of the casing. One'end of a cooling coil 5| arranged in the bottom of the receptacle, as best shown in Fig. 2, is secured to this nipple by a suitable coupling member 52.

One of the important departures from my prior constructions lies in the delivery of the charged water directly into the chamber 48, instead of placing a valve between the conduit 49 and the chamber 48. This makes it unnecessary to employ the previous complex mechanism, operated directly by the handle, for opening a valve to admit water under pressure into the chamber 48. As a result, only the single cam 46, heretofore described, is required in association with the handle, and this cam may be formed integral with the frusto-conical valve; making it feasible to make this valve of stainless steel and eliminating the frusto-conical thin-walled brass sleeve liner that has heretofore been placed within the chamber l8 around the body of the valve IS. The only gasket or liner that is now needed is the usual narrow ring-like washer 54 between the meeting frusto-conical faces on the flange 55 at the closed end of the cup-shaped valve and the immediately surrounding portions of the casing. Also, by eliminating the valve mechanism that had to be contained within the measuring chamber 31, there is no obstruction in this chamber except the comparatively small conduit 49, and the syrup can flow more freely through the same, and the same can be cleaned more easily.

As in my prior Patent No. 2,197,186, dated April 16, 1940, there is screwed into the nipple 41, from below, a long thick-walled tube or hollow stem 58 that projects a considerable distance below the lower end of the nipple. The upper end of this stem extends into the vicinity of the chamber 48. Into the upper end of the stem is fitted a nozzle-like member having a very small bore which is made flaring at the top, as indicated at 58. The stem 56 extends loosely through the main syrup valve 4| and serves as a guide for the latter in its up and down movements. The opening 5Q in the valve 4|, through which the stem passes, is made frusto-conical, with the larger base of the cone at the lower end, to permit the valve to rock slightly and insure perfect seating of the same.

Screwed upon the lower end of the stem 5'6 is a capsule-shaped shell 60 comprising an upper section BI and a lower section 52, screwed together. The lower end of this shell or extension is preferably brought to a blunt or rounded point, as indicated at 64, while the top consists of a thick flat wall 65. Within the shell are two long compression springs 66 and 61, arranged coaxially with the former surrounding the latter. Resting on top of the outer spring 66, which is also the heavier of the two, is a thick piston 68. Resting on top of the piston are the heads of a plurality of headed pins 69 which extend up through and are slidable in the top wall 65 and engaged with the under face of the valve GI. Normally the spring 65, acting through the piston 68 and the pins 69, holds the valve 4| closed.

The piston 58 has a central bore extending through the same, and the tubular stem has a lower end section l l, somewhat smaller in diameter than the diameter of the bore, extending down into the latter. Slida-bly arranged within the bore 19, below the tubular stem, is an upwardly seating valve which, by closing the lower end of the bore in the tubular stem, prevents the escape of fluids as long as the valve is seated against the stem. In the arrangement shown, the valve comprises a metal cup-shaped member 12 fitting slidably in the bore ill and containing a block 14 of rubber or other suitable material which provides the actual valve face. The member 72 rests on top of the spring 6'? so that normally the valve for controlling the discharge of the charged water is held closed by this spring. The lower end of the member '32 is abruptly enlarged in diameter to provide an upwardly facing annular shoulder 15 underlying the under face of the piston 68; the distance between the shoulder and the piston, when the valve is closed,

being preferably as great as or greater than the distance to which the lower end of the tubular stem 56 extends into the piston when the valve 4! is closed.

It will thus be seen that the valve 4! which controls the discharge of the syrup, and the valve '74, which controls the delivery of the charged water, are normally held closed, by the spring 60 and 67, respectively. When a drink is to be dispensed, the handle 36 is simply swung toward the right from the upright position illustrated in Fig. 1, causing the cam 46 to ride upon the roller 5 and thereby pressing the roller carrier, including the pins 42, downwardly and opening the valve 4!. After this valve has been given a predetermined opening, and not before, the valve M is opened, through the engagement of the piston 68 with the shoulder 15 on the valve 74. In other words, the first part of the downward movement of the valve actuators 42 results in a partial opening of the syrup valve, after which the valve for controlling the charged water begins to move downward in unison with the syrup valve. Thus, no water can be delivered without also delivering syrup, assuming that there is syrup in the syrup container.

The syrup valve is provided with the usual cylindrical skirt 76 that surrounds the upper half of the shell 62; the syrup flowing down over the outer surface of this skirt and meeting the charged water at the lower edge of the latter.

It will be seen that before the valve M opens, the piston 68 must move down until the upperface is flush with or somewhat below the lower end faces of the tubular valve stem 56. Therefore, the escaping water can flow laterally in all directions across the top of the piston, Without immediately being dashed into a spray. As in my aforesaid patent application, the cylindrical wall of the shell '60 contains a series of narrow slots 11 extending entirely around the same except for small sections 18 which separate adjacent slots from each other. The pins 69 lie just within and in registration with the unmutilated portions 18 of the shell and form smooth, rounded barriers that divide the flowing water to separate it gently into streams as wide as the length of one of the slots.

The shell 66 has a small hole 19 through the same in such position as is normally covered by the piston 68. The piston has a circumferential groove Bil that normally lies at a higher level than the opening 19 but is brought opposite the latter when the valves are opened. This permits any water which may leak down past the piston to collect in the groove 80 and from there escape through the opening 19 instead of flowing down into the bottom of the shell. Should any water reach the bottom of the interior of the shell, it can flow out through a drain hole 8!.

In order to make it possible to close the valve M if it should fail to close normally, or at any other time, I have provided a rod 32 that extends up through the bottom of the shell 60 and through the bottom wall of the cup-shaped member '12 where it is riveted over or heated, as indicated at 83. Between the head 83, and the rubber valve proper I place a small metal disk 84 which takes the thrust of the rod when the latter is pushed upwardly, and distributes it over the entire area of the under face of the rubber.

It will thus be seen that with my present construction I am enabled to measure syrup and deliver it at the measuring point in the same manner as in my previous draft arms and,

further, to discharge the charged water at the proper time and in the proper manner to effect the desired mixture with the syrup, without requiring special cam devices or mechanisms associated with the operating handle to open the valve that controls the flow of the charged water. Because of the simplified water-controlling valve and means for opening it, and because the syrup container is attached directly to the draft arm casing, the construction as a whole is very simple. Furthermore, by connecting the draft arm casing and the syrup container together as a single unit, it is certain that the dispensing will be properly done when this unit is set in place in the dispensing receptacle and connected to the supply pipe for charged water, because no change in the adjustment of any part of the entire unit that determines the character of the mixture that is dispensed needs to be made in the act of applying a unit to a dispensing receptacle or removing it therefrom. It will further be seen that by providing a simple, sturdy housing for the draft arm, which serves as the direct support for the complete unit, the unit may be placed in position after unscrewing the large nozzle and the handle, and be firmly fastened by means of the single bolt or screw. So, also, the unit as a Whole may be removed, without disturbing any direct connections with the receptacle, by simply taking out the single belt or screw after detaching the nozzle and the handle; the housing remaining fastened to the receptacle, so that there is no danger of loosening the joint between the inner wall of the receptacle and the housing for the draft arm casing in making a replacement of a draft arm or upon removing a draft arm for cleaning. It will further be seen that the actual mixing of the syrup and charged water is accomplished in the same way as in my aforesaid patent application, thereby causing the charged water to retain a larger portion of its gaseous content than would otherwise be the case. Not only is the syrup properly measured, but the interior of the measuring chamber is practically unobstructed, so that each charge of syrup can flow out of the measuring chamber more rapidly than in the old form of draft arm. It will also be seen that by making the housing 6 of hard rubber or other material which is a poor conductor of heat, the metal draft arm is protected against the heat of the surrounding atmosphere, so that the fluids are not appreciably warmed through contact with the metal of the draft arm after the latter has once been cooled. Another important advantage resides in the ease with which all of the principal parts may be cleaned. By causing the metal sleeve 29 of the nozzle to extend up to the very top of the bore in the hub, the entire internal cylindrical surface of the hub 22 if protected and, upon unscrewing the nozzle, the interior cylindrical surface of the hub is left in a clean state; only the nozzle requiring cleaning. Likewise, by unscrewing the shell 62 and the stem 55, both of the fluid-controlling valves and associated parts are released and can be carried away and cleaned.

While I have illustrated and described with particularity only a single preferred form of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to the exact structural details thus illustrated and described; but intend to cover all forms and arrangements which come within the definitions of my invention constituting the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a draft arm apparatus including a casing provided with a syrup measuring chamber having an outlet in the bottom, a device for admitting syrup to said chamber, a. valve for said outlet, a handle for actuating said device and opening said valve: of a stationary tubular element for supplying charged water extending loosely through the aforesaid valve, a crntrolling valve for said element, and means actuated by the first-mentioned valve to open said controlling valve.

2. The combination with a draft arm apparatus including a casing provided with a syrup measuring chamber having an outlet in the bottom, a device for admitting syrup to said chamher, a valve for said outlet, a handle for actuating said device and opening said valve: of a stationary tubular member extending loosely through said valve and adapted to deliver charged water, a second valve cooperating with an end of said tubular member alternately to shut off and permit a discharge of water, and means actuated by the first valve, upon opening, to open the second valve.

3. The combination with a draft arm apparatus including a casing provided with a syrup measuring chamber having an outlet in the bottom, a device for admitting syrup to said chamber, a valve for said outlet, a handle for actuating said device and opening said valve: a stationary tubular stem for supplying charged water extending loosely through the aforesaid valve, a controlling valve for said element, means actuated by the first-mentioned valve to open said controlling valve, and independent coil springs acting on said valves to close them, one of said springs surrounding the other and both surrounding said stem,

4. The combination with a draft arm having a vertically movable valve for the delivery of syrup and a handle for opening the same, of a sta tionary vertical tubular stem for delivering charged water extending loosely through said valve and forming a guide therefor, a second valve seating upwardly against the lower end of said stem, a coil spring below and normally holding said second valve closed, a second coil spring surrounding the other, a member resting on said second coil spring, thrust devices between the latter member and the under side of the syrup valve, and a shoulder on the second valve lying at some distance below but in the path of downward movement of said member when both valves are closed.

5. In a draft arm apparatus of the general character described having an outlet for syrup, a valve for said outlet, and a tubular member for delivering charged water extending through the center of the valve: said tubular member being stationary and the valve being slidable thereon, an enlarged capsule-like extension on the lower end of said tubular member having near the upper end side outlets in the form of slots distributed around said extension, a piston in said extension below said outlets, thrust means resting on said piston and including pins slidable through the top of the extension and engaged with the under side of the valve, a compression spring in said extension below and exerting an upward pressure on the piston, said piston having a central opening, a second valve extending through said opening, a second spring within said extension normally holding the second valve against the lower end of said tubular member,

and a shoulder on said second valve underlying the piston and spaced apart therefrom a short distance when both valves are closed.

6. In a draft arm apparatus of the general character described having an outlet for syrup, a valve for said outlet, and a tubular member for delivering charged water extending through the center of the valve: said tubular member being stationary and the valve being slidable thereon, an enlarged capsule-like extension oh the lower end of said tubular member having near the upper end side outlets in the form of slots distributed around said extension, a piston in said extension below said outlets, thrust means resting on said piston and including pins slidable through the top of the extension and engaged with the under side of the valve, a compression spring in said extension below and exerting an upward pressure on the piston, said piston having a central opening, a second valve extending through said opening, a second spring within said extension normally holding the second valve against the lower end of said tubular member, a shoulder on said second valve underlying the piston and spaced apart therefrom a short distance when both valves are closed, and a rod connected to said second valve and extending freely through the bottom of said extension.

'7. Ina dispensing apparatus, a receptacle having an opening in a side wall, a deep housing for a draft arm open on the rear side movable into and out of said opening, a flange around the rear end of the housing for engagement with the inner face of said wall, means for clamping said flange tightly to said wall, said housing having an opening in the lower side and a slot in the top outside of said wall, a draft arm casing within and adapted to be moved in and out through the open rear side of the housing, means to secure the draft arm casing in the housing, a detachable handle extending from the casing through said slot, and a detachable nozzle extending down from the casing through the opening in the bottom of the housing.

8. In a draft arm apparatus of the general character described having an outlet for syrup, a valve for said outlet, a nozzle for liquid under high pressure above and in axial alignment with the valve, and a tubular member aligned with the nozzle and extending through the center of the valve: said tubular member being stationary and the valve being slidable thereon, an enlarged capsule-like extension on the lower end of said tubular member having near the upper end side outlets in the form of a plurality of slots arranged in a manner completely to encircle the said extension except for short interruptions between adjacent slot ends, a piston in said extension below said outlets having a peripheral groove surrounding the same, the side wall of the extension having an orifice therein at a point considerably below the groove in the piston when the latter is in its normal raised position, thrust means resting on said piston and including pins slidable through the top of the extension and engaged with the under side of the valve, and a compression spring in said extension below and exerting an upward pressure on the piston.

9. The combination with a draft arm casing having a spring-closed valve for delivering syrup and a handle for opening the same, of a tubular member screwed into the casing for supplying charged water to mix with the syrup extending through and forming a guide for the aforesaid valve, a spring-closed valve associated with said tubular member, and means actuated by the first-mentioned valve during opening movements thereof to open the second valve.

10. In a dispensing apparatus, a receptacle having a thick wall provided with an opening therethrough, a deep housing for a draft arm casing composed of a material that is a poor conductor of heat extending through said opening, said housing having a flange engaged with the inner side of the said wall around the opening in the latter, and a continuous member of soft rubber fitted around the housing and in embracing relation to the marginal portions of-the outer side of the wall around the opening.

11. In an apparatus of the character described,

a housing of molded rubber or other'hard material that is a poor conductor of heat, a draft arm casing arranged loosely in said housing and hav- .ing at opposite sides bosses bearing against the housing Walls, and a bolt extending through the housing and through the casing at a point where it passes through said bosses.

ALPI-IONSO L. KOENIG.

Images