US2291256A - Sanitary dispenser - Google Patents

Description

H. REHRIG ET AL July 2s, 1942.

SANITARY DISPENSER l m l/ ff 4 /l xJ m Z s I l v rnJ 6,

Patente-cl .uly 28, 1942 l' SANITARY DISPENSER Houston Rehrig, Alhambra, and Eugene H. Hudson, Jr., Huntington Park, Calif.

Application November 6, 1940, Serial No. 364,510

4 Claims.

This invention relates to dispensing containers for liquids, particularly liquids such as milk in which it is essential to be able to thoroughly sterilize all parts of the container. l

A general object of the invention is to provide a practicable refrigerated dispensing container that can be easily and thoroughly sterilized.

Other more specic objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description to follow of certain specific embodiments of the invention.

In general, the invention comprises as its main elements an outer insulated refrigerating case and an inner tank removable from the refrigerating case for containing the liquid to be dispensed. Liquid is dispensed from the tank through a spigot extending laterally from the bottom of the tank through a registering aperture in the case. The case is open at the top for the removal and insertion of the tank, since the tank must be removed from the case to sterilize it. The removal of the tank is complicated by the presence of the spigot extending laterally through the aperture in the case. It is feasible to remove the spigot proper prior to removing the tank from the case, but it is not feasible to completely eliminate all projecting outlet structure from the tank, because of established regulations of sanitary codes. As a result of such codes, it is necessary to have formed integral with the tank a projecting outlet fitting to which the spigot is detachably fastened. Such an outlet tting must, therefore, be provided for in any commercial dispensing container.

According to the present invention, we provide a dispensing unit the tankof which has a laterally projecting outlet connection, but we so construct the tank and or the case as to provide for the free vertical movement into and out of the case without interference.

One method in accordance with the invention for providing for such removal is to construct the case with a vertically extending slot in its inner wall to accommodate the outlet connection.

Still another method in accordance with the invention is to indent the portion of the Wall of the tank immediately adjacent the outlet connection, whereby although the outlet connection projects from the adjacent portion of the Wall of the tank, it does not project beyond the projected plane of the main portion of the tank surface.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view with portions broken away of one embodiment of the invention with the spigot removed.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View of the device taken substantially in the plane II-II of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken in the plane III-III of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal detailed section taken in the plane IV--IV of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a detailed vertical section similar to Fig. 2, but showing a modified construction.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the structure therein disclosed comprises as its main elements, an outer case I and an inner tank 2, both being approximately cylindrical in general shape.

The tank 2 is open at the top and capped with a lid 3. It has a sloping bottom wall 4 and at the lowermost edge is provided with an outlet fitting 5. The fitting 5 consists of a tubular member welded or soldered to the tank and having a threaded ange 6 and a conical seat I for the attachment of a spigot 8. Thus the spigot 8 may have a stem 9, the extreme end of which is tapered to seal against the seat l. A union nut Ill engages a flange on the stem 9 and is adapted to be screwed onto the threads 6 of the outlet fitting 5.

The outer case I is of substantially larger outside diameter than the tank 2, to provide space for insulating material I I. It comprises an cuter substantially cylindrical wall I2, an outer bottom wall I3, an inner substantially cylindrical wall I4 and an inner bottom Wall I5. The inner cylindrical wall I4 is dimensioned to t quite closely against the tank 2, and the inner bottom wall I5 is sloped to conform with the slope of the tank bottom wall 4.

Coils of tubing I5 are provided immediately Within the wall I4 for cooling purposes, the ends of the coils being brought out through the outer wall I2 of the outer case at I1, where they may be connected to any suitable source of refrigerant. The coil I6 may be of copper, and adjacent turns of the coils may be soldered together and to the inner wall I4 to provide for rapid heat transfer between the coils `and the tank 2. It is to be understood that other materials may be used in 'lieu of solder. Thus, tar may be poured over the coils to form a heat conductive path between the coils and the wall I4. As shown to best advantage in Fig. 1 the coils I6 are arranged in the form of curved pancake coils, two in num- 'ber in the particular construction disclosed. The two pancake coils do not completely enclose the tank 2, but are spaced apart at the front of the device immediately above the outlet fitting 5 for a purpose next to be explained.

As shown in Fig. 2, the outer end of the outlet fitting 5 projects a substantial distance out from the side Wall 20 of the tank, and the outer Wall I2 of the outer case is dished inwardly adjacent the fitting 5 to provide room for the attachment to the fitting of the spigot 8 by means of the union nut I Il. Also, the inner wall I4 of the outer case I is folded away from the wall 20 of the tank along a line extending upwardly from the center of the recess 2| defined by the dish portion of the outer wall I2, as most clearly shown in Fig. 3. This provides a vertical channel 22 extending upwardly from the recess 2l for the passage of the outlet fitting 5 when the tank 2 is lifted upwardly out of the outer case.

To facilitate removal of the tank in the man- I ner described, the outer case is provided with a detachable lid 23, and the tank 2 is provided with upwardly projecting handles 24.

When the tank 2 has been removed from the outer case, it can readily be completely sterilized by scrubbing and scalding, since all surfaces in Contact with the milk or other liquid handled can be readily reached. The spigot 8 when detached from the tank has all of Vits surfaces readily accessible for cleaning and sterilizing.

Although the insulation efciency is slightly reduced by the provision of the passage 22, this s is not serious since the area of the tank 2 that is exposed to the passage 22 is relatively small.

However, it is possible to eliminate the passage 22 while still having a tank that can be as completely and thoroughly sterilized as the tank of Figs. l to 4 by the modified structure shown in Fig. 5.

The structure of Fig. 5 corresponds in general to that of Figs. l to 4 and corresponding parts bear the same reference numerals primed. In this instance, however, the side Wall 20' of the inner tank instead of being cylindrical throughout, has its lower edge portion truncated as indicated at 39. With this construction, the outlet fitting 5 can extend the requisite distance outwardly from its point of attachment to the tank, While at the same time, its outer end is Within the projected plane of the cylindrical portion of the tank wall 20. Therefore, the wall I4 of the outer case can be shaped to contact the wall 23' over its entire circumference, and it is merely necessary to provide a slot 3| in that portion of the outer case juxtaposed to the slanting wall 3Q of the tank and immediately above the outlet fitting 5', to permit removal of the tank from the outer case.

For the purpose of explaining the invention, two specific embodiments thereof have been described in considerable detail, but it is to be understood that numerous other modifications can be made while still utilizing the advantageous features of the invention, and the latter is to be limited only to the extent set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

l. In combination, a tank having a discharge fitting extending laterally therefrom, an open top refrigerating case for removably containing said tank, said case having an aperture in its lateral Wall registering with said discharge fitting when the tank is positioned fully within the case, and a spigot attachable to and detachable from said discharge fitting while the latter is in register with said aperture, said outer case having outer and inner walls substantially parallel to and spaced from each other, cooling means adjacent the inner wall, insulating means between said cooling means and the outer wall, said case having a vertical groove in its inner surface extending upwardly from said aperture for passage of said discharge fitting during insertion and removal of said tank.

2. In combination, a tank having a discharge fitting extending laterally therefrom, an open top refrigerating case for removably containing said tank, said case having an aperture in its lateral wall registering with said discharge fitting when the tank is positioned fully within the case, a spigot attachable to and detachable from said discharge fitting while the latter is in register with said aperture, said case comprising insulating walls of substantial thickness over` the major portion of its lateral area and having its outer surface dished inwardly adjacent said aperture to provide a recess for attachment of said spigot to said discharge fitting, said tank substantially filling said case laterally, whereby it cannot be moved laterally within the case to release said discharge fitting from said aperture, and said case having a groove extending upwardly from said recess for passage of said discharge fitting during removal and insertion of said tank.

3. In combination, a tank having a discharge fitting extending laterally therefrom, an open top refrigerating case for removably containing said tank, said case having an aperture in its lateral wall registering with said discharge f1tting when the tank is positioned fully within the case, a spigot attachable to and detachable from said discharge fitting while the latter is in register with said aperture, said tank filling said case laterally so that it is removable from the case only by straight upward movement, said tank wall being reentrant immediately adjacent said discharge fitting, whereby the outer end of said fitting lies within the downwardly projecting plane of the main portion of the lateral surface of the tank above said fitting.

4. The combination as described in claim 3, in which said case also has a reentrant wall to conform with the reentrant portion of said tank Wall.

HOUSTON REHRIG. EUGENE H. HUDSON, Je;

Images