US2887249A - Dispensing device to deliver single measured volume - Google Patents

Description

May 19, 1959 J, w. SMITHWICK ET AL 2,837,249

DISPENSING DEVICE TO DELIVER SINGLE MEASURED VOLUME Filed Sept. 24, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS Jack W. Smirhwick Richard Ruffv BY, WW%

ATTORNEY y 1959 J. w. SMITHWICK ET AL 2,887,249

DISPENSING DEVICE TO DELIVER SINGLE MEASURED VOLUME '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 24, 1956 i no Ml (06 107 Fig.4

Fig.2

Fig.5

INVENTORS Jo ck W. Smifhwick Richard Ruff ATTORNEY United States Patent DISPENSING DEVICE TO DELIVER SINGLE MEASURED VOLUME Jack W. Smithwick and Richard B. Ruflt, Brady, Tex., assignors to Intercontinental Manufacturing Company, Inc., Garland, Tex., a corporation of Texas Application September 24, 1956, Serial No. 611,646

7 Claims. (Cl. 222-63) This invention relates to dispensing devices and more particularly to a device for dispensing liquid in predetermined quantities.

An object of this invention is to provide a new and improved dispensing device for dispensing predetermined quantities of liquid from a source wherein the liquid is maintained under pressure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing device, of the type described above, wherein the liquid is conveyed from its pressurized source to a tank from which it is dispensed in a measured quantity by a piston.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved dispensing device, of the type described above, where the degree of movement of the piston within the tank is controlled to predetermine or measure the amount of liquid dispensed during each dispensing operation of the device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device, of the type described above, wherein the foaming of the liquid, which may be a carbonated beverage, is prevented or minimized by the control of the movement of the piston by a vent valve which maintains uniform the movement of the piston and thus prevents undue agitation of the liquid during the dispensing operation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device, of the type described above, wherein the interior of the tank between one end thereof and the piston is always full of liquid since the liquid is always maintained under pressure in the interior of the tank due to the action of a piston biasing means even when an inlet valve of the tank is in closed position shutting off the interior of the tank from the pressure of the source of liquid.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device, of the type described above, wherein the inlet valve is held open to permit fluid under pressure to enter into the interior of the tank to displace the piston downwardly to its lowermost position until the piston reaches its lowermost position.

Still another object is to provide a device, of the type described above, wherein the inlet valve is held closed and the outlet valve is held open until the piston has moved upwardly from its lowermost position during the dispensing operation to a predetermined higher position, thus insuring that the full predetermined quantity of liquid is dispensed during such movement of the piston.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device having a plurality of valves controlled by a single driver means to open and close the valves in predetermined sequence in order that a predetermined measured amount of liquid may be dispensed thereby.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described above wherein a means is provided to jar the piston towards dispensing movement in order to free the piston should it be frozen in the tank.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described above wherein liquid to be dispensed is introduced under pressure into a measuring chamber having a piston slidably mounted therein, which liquid under pressure forces the piston to a lowermost position against the force exerted by a spring during the filling operation of the tank and wherein the force of the spring is utilized to move the piston upwardly to force a predetermined amount of liquid out of a tank to a dispensing point.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Figure l is a side view of the dispensing device and the associated control mechanisms, showing the piston in its lowermost position;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the various cams shown in the position prior to the commencement of a dispensing operation;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view of the tank and valve assembly of the dispensing device;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of the electrical circuit for controlling operation of the valve.

Referring now to the drawing, the liquid dispensing device 10 includes a tank 11 having a tubular or cylindrical member 12 which is closed at the bottom end by a bottom cap 13 having a reduced upper portion 14 telescoped therein and which provides an upwardly facing annular shoulder 15 which abuts the lower end of the tubular member 12. The reduced portion 14 of the bottom cap 13 is provided with an external annular groove or recess in which is disposed an annular sealing member 16 which seals between the bottom cap and the tubular member 12 to prevent flow of any fluid therebetween. The upper end of the tubular member 12 is closed by a top cap 18 having a reduced lower portion 19 which telescopes into the upper end of the tubular member 12 and also provides a downwardly facing annular shoulder 20 which abuts the upper end of the tubular portion 12. The reduced portion 19 of the top cap 18 is also provided with an external annular recess or groove wherein is disposed an annular member 21 which seals between the top cap and the tubular portion 12 to prevent flow of fiuid therebetween.

The bottom and top caps 13 and 18, respectively, are held rigidly in the telescoped positions in the lower and upper ends of the tubular member shown in Figures 1 and 5, by means of a bottom bracket 25 and a top bracket 26 which have horizontal portions 27 and 28, respectively, which abut the lower and upper surfaces of the bottom and top caps. Four tie rods 30 disposed outwardly of the tubular member 12 extend through registering apertures in the horizontal portions 27 and 28 of the bottom and top brackets 25 vided with nuts 31 and 32 threaded on the lower and upper ends of the tie rods, respectively, and about the horizontal portions 27 and 28, respectively, to hold the bottom and top caps rigidly telescoped in the lower and upper ends of the tubular member 12. The lower threaded portions of the tie rods 30 extend below the lower bracket 25 and support, by means of nuts 33, a substan tially rectangular bottom bracket 34.

A piston 40 is slidably mounted in the tubular member 12 of the tank assembly 11 between the bottom and top caps 13 and 18 and is provided with an external annular and 26, respectively, and are pro ass sts recess in which-is disposed an annular sealing member 41 which seals between the piston and the tubular member to prevent flow of fluid therebetween. The piston 40 is provided with a piston shaft 42 threaded in a central bore 43 thereof and extending downwardly through a central vertical bore 44 of the bottom cap and through a bushing 45 disposed therein. The bushing 45 is pro vided with an external flange 46 received in a suitable annular groove of the bottom cap 13. The horizontal portion 27 of the lower bracket 25 abuts the lower surface of the flange 46 to hold the bushing in place in the bottom cap 13. The piston shaft 42 extends through a suitable aperture 47 in the horizontal portion 27 and has its lower end disposed slidably in a sleeve guide 51) of a spring retainer 51.

The spring retainer includes a substantially circular plate 52 resting on the top surface of the bottom bracket 34 to which the upper end of the guide sleeve is rigidly secured. The bottom bracket 34 and the plate 52 of the spring retainer 51 extends and bridges a central aperture 53 of the bottom bracket 34. An aperture 54- is provided in the plate 52 which registers with the central aperture 53, so that the actuating lever 55 of a switch 56 may extend through the apertures 53 and 54 of the bottom bracket 34 and the plate 52, respectively, to contact a disk 60 disposed on the piston shaft 42 above the bottom bracket and the spring retainer 51. The disk 60 is held against upward movement on the shaft 42 by a collar 61 rigidly secured in any suitable manner, as by a set screw, on the piston shaft 4-2.

A flat helical spring 63 rests on the bottom bracket 34 and is held against lateral movement by the upwardly extending lugs 64- of the spring retainer. The smaller inner end 66 of the spring bears against the disk 615 to urge the piston shaft and the piston upwardly. When the piston is moved to its upper position the helical spring 63 will assume the position shown in broken lines in Figure 1.

The bottom of the sleeve guide 56 of the spring retainer 51 is provided with an end plate 79 rigidly secured thereto in any suitable manner, as by welding, which engages the bottom 71 of the piston shaft 42 when the spring retainer is moved upwardly by a jack 72 which is pivotally mounted, as at 73, to a dependent arm 74 of the bottom bracket 34. The jack is provided with an arcuate cam surface 75 which is adapted to slide on the end plate of the spring retainer as the jack 72 is pivoted about its pivotal axis 73. When the end plate 72 engages the bottom 71 of the shaft 42, continued upward movement of the cam surface 75 will cause the piston shaft 42 to be moved slightly upwardly thus causing the piston 40 to be moved slightly upwardly in the tubular member 12. The co-action of the jack 72 with the spring retainer 51 serves to jar or free the piston for upward movement in the event that it is frozen or stuck in the tubular member 12 as may occur if the liquid within the tank 11 is very cold.

The outer end of the jack 72 is pivotally connected to the bottom end of a push rod 80 having a transverse downwardly open slot 81 in the lower end thereof in which is received the outer end of the jack. A screw or.

bolt 82 may extend through the lower end of the push rod and through an elongate slot 83 provided in the jack 72. The push rod is biased upwardly to the position shown in Figure l by a spring 86 disposed about the push rod and above the horizontal portion 27 of the lower bracket 25. The push rod extends through a slot of the lower bracket and through an aperture 88 the upper bracket. The lower end of the spring bears against the lower bracket adjacent the slot thereof and its upper end bears against a disk 39 rigidly secured to the push rod by any suitable means, as by a set screw 90.

A normally open switch 92 is mounted on the horizontal portion 27 of the lower bracket 25 by means of 4 a supporting bracket 93 and is provided with an actuating arm 94 which extends downwardly through a second slot 95 of the lower bracket to contact the piston disk 60 when the piston has moved to its uppermost position. The actuating arm or lever 94 of the switch 92 closes the switch 92 when the piston reaches its uppermost position in the tubular member 12. The switch 56 mounted on the bottom bracket 34 is likewise a normally open switch and is closed when the piston moves to its lower- 10st position shown in solid lines in Figure l and engages the lever arm 55 of the switch to close the switch.

The top cap 18 is provided with a longitudinal bore in which is slidably disposed the shank 101 of a valve 122. The longitudinal bore 160 is provided with a downwardly and outwardly beveled portion 103 which forms a valve seat for the valve 102. The valve 102 is provided with an annular external recess in which is disposed an annular sealing ring which seals between the valve seat 193 and the valve. The lower enlarged portion 105 of the longitudinal bore is closed by a plug 106 threaded therein. The plug 1136 is provided with an external flange 167 received in a recess 103 formed by an enlargement of the longitudinal bore 100. An annular sealing means 109 is interposed between the external flange 167 of the plug 106 and the downwardly facing annular shoulder 111] of the top cap to seal therebetween and prevent flow of fluid between the plug and the top cap.

The shank 101 of the valve 102 is provided with an annular recess in which is disposed the annular sealing member 112 which seals between the valve shank and the top cap to prevent flow of fluid thercbetween. The upper end of the longitudinal bore 1% may be enlarged as at 113 to receive a bushing 114 through which the upper end of the valve shank 101 may extend. The shank 101 also extends through an oval recess or slot 115 in the horizontal portion 28 of the top bracket, 26.

A lateral bore 121 communicates with the enlarged portion 1115 of the longitudinal bore above the plug 106 and is enlarged and threaded to receive the threaded portion 121 of an inlet fitting 122 which extends laterally outwardly through an aperture 123 in the tubular member 12. The fitting 122 is also provided with an external threaded portion 124 by means of which a suitable conduit may be secured to the fitting 122 through which fluid or liquid under pressure may be admitted to the enlarged portion 105 of the longitudinal bore 169 through the lateral aperture and the longitudinal internal bore 125 of the fitting.

The top cap is also provided with a vertical aperture or bore 136 which extends parallel to the bore and has a horizontal angular portion 131 which opens into the longitudinal bore 1% adjacent the upper end of the valve seat 1193. It will thus be apparent that when the valve 102 is moved downwardly to a position wherein it approaches the upper end of the plug 106, fluid or liquid may flow through the longitudinal bore 125 of the fitting 122 into the lateral aperture 121 and thence through the beveled portion 1113 of the longitudinal bore 113%) to the horizontal angular extension 131 of the bore 130 and thence through the bore 130 into the interior of the tubular member below the top cap 18. it will thus be apparent that a valve 102 is an inlet valve controlling the introduction of liquid into the interior of the tubular member 12.

An outlet valve 141? is disposed in the cone shaped lower end portion 141 of a. longitudinal bore 14-2 of the top cap 13. The valve 141) seats on the upper beveled surface 143 of the bore 142 which thus serves as a valve seat for the valve 14-9. The valve 14% is provided with an annular external recess or groove in which is disposed an annular sealing member 144 which seals between the valve and the valve seat when the valve is in the upper closed position shown in Figure 5.

The outlet valve is provided with a shank 145 which is slidably disposed in the longitudinal bore 142 and is provided with an external annular recess in which is disposed an annular sealing member 146 which seals between the top cap and the valve stem. The upper end of the longitudinal bore 142 may be enlarged as at 147 to receive the bushing 148 through which the valve shank 145 slides.

The top cap is provided with a downwardly and outwardly extending outlet passage 150 which communicates with a lateral aperture 151 of the tubular member 12 and with the longitudinal bore 142 above the valve 140. It will thus be apparent that when the valve 140 is moved downwardly liquid may flow from the interior of the tubular member 12, when the liquid is moved upwardly by the upward movement of the piston 40, and then laterally and downwardly through the outlet passage 150 and the lateral aperture 151. A suitable outlet conduit not shown, may be telescoped in the outlet passage 150 to direct the dispensed liquid to a cup or any other suitable receptacle.

In order to vent the upper end of the outlet passage 150 an upwardly extending vent aperture 153 is provided which communicates with the upper portion of the outlet passage 150 and with the lower end of a longitudinal bore 154 of the top cap. The longitudinal bore 154 is provided with an intermediate threaded portion 155 which receives a bushing 156 in which is slidably mounted a valve shank 157 whose lower end is provided with a valve 158. The lower end of the bushing 156 is beveled downwardly and outwardly to provide an annular valve seat 160 against which the valve 158 mayseat. The valve 158 is provided with a suitable external annular recess in which is disposed a, resilient annular sealing member 161 which seals between the valve seat 160 and the valve 158. The bushing 156 is provided with a lateral aperture 162 which communicates with a lateral aperture 163 of the cap 18. It will now be seen that when the valve 158 is moved downwardly from the valve seat 160 air will be free to move into the upper end of the outlet passage 150 through the lateral aperture 163 of the top cap, the lateral aperture 162 of the bushing, the longitudinal bore 165 of the bushing, the longitudinal bore 154 of the top cap and the vent aperture 153. The valve shanks, 101, 145, and 157 extend through the slot 115 of the upper bracket 26 and are provided with threaded bores in the upper ends thereof in which are received screws 170, 171 and 172, respectively, which serve to retain springs 174, 175 and 176, respectively, which are disposed about the shanks 101, 145, and 156. The springs [bias the valves upwardly towards closed positions.

The push rod 80 and the valve shanks 101, 145 and 156 are moved downwardly against the yielding resistance of their respective springs by means of fingers 177, 178, 179 and 180, respectively, which have flat substantially horizontal portions which abut the upper ends of the screws 170, 171, and 172 and the upper rounded end of the push rod 80 and are twisted to provide substantially vertical portions 181, 182, 183 and 184, respectively, which are provided with lateral apertures through which extends a rod 185a. The rod 185a extends through aligned lateral apertures in the flanges 185 and 186 of the top bracket 26 and are secured thereto 'by nuts 187 threaded on opposite ends of the rod 185a. The fingers are held in properly spaced relationship to one another and to the flanges 185 and 186 by means of spacer sleeves 190 which are disposed on the rod 185 therebetween.

The fingers are pivoted downwardly about the rod 185a by cams 200, 201, 202 and 203, respectively, rigidly mounted on a shaft 204 journaled in the flanges 185 and 186 of the top bracket 26 and rotated by an electric motor 205 rigidly mounted on the flange 185 by means of its mounting bracket 206. Also, rigidly mounted on the cam shaft 204 is a switch cam disk 207 provided with a pair of depressions 208 and 209 in which is received the rounded end 210 of a switch operating lever 211 of the switch 212. The switch 212 is mounted on the side of the flange 186 by means of a suitable bracket 213.

If it is now assumed that the piston 40 is in the lowermost position shown in broken lines in Figure 1, it is held there by the pressure of the fluid to be dispensed, exerted through the longitudinal bore of the inlet fitting, against the resistance of the spring 63. The valve 102 is now in its lower open position since the portion 220 of the cam 201 is now in contact with the finger 178 and is holding the finger in its depressed position. The outlet valve is now in closed position since the flat or straight surface 221 of the cam 202 is adjacent the finger 179 and is actually not engaging the finger 179. The vent valve 158 is now in open position since the curved surface 222 of the cam 203 is engaging the finger 180 and holding it in a depressed position. The push rod 80 is in its raised position since the flat surface 229 of the cam 200 is now barely engaging its finger 177. The operating lever 55 of the switch 56 is now held in depressed position by the disk 60 and the movable contact 230 of the switch 56 now engages the stationary contact whereby the switch is closed. The switch 92 is open with the movable contact 232 thereof remote from its stationary contact 233 since the operating lever 94 of the switch 92 is now in its lowermost position. The switch 212 is now open since the operating lever thereof is in the depression 208 of the cam 207 whereby its movable contact 234 is remote from its stationary contact 235.

If the switch 240, which is connected in series with the switch 56, is now closed, it connects the motor 205 across the source of electrical current 241 through the conductors 242 and 243, the movable contact 2411) of the switch 240, the conductor 244, the stationary contact 231 and the movable contact 230 of the switch 56, the conductors 245, 246, 247 and 248. When the motor is thus energized, the shaft 204 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow 250 in Figure 3. Such rotation of the cam shaft 204 now causes the arcuate surface 251 of the cam 200 to engage the finger 177 and move the push rod 80 downwardly whereby the jack 72 is pivoted in a counter clockwise direction, Figure l, and moves the spring retainer 51 upwardly whereby the piston shaft is moved upwardly to free it should it be frozen in the tubular member 12. Simultaneously, the arcuate surface 220 of the cam 201 now moves past the end of the finger 178 and the finger 178 snaps upwardly to contact the rounded inner surface 252 of the cam 201 thus freeing the inlet valve 201 to move upwardly to closed position, so that no further flow of liquid may take place into the interior of the tubular member 12 through the fitting 125. Also, simultaneously, the curved surface 222 of the cam 203 is moved out of contact with the finger 180 which permits the finger 180 to snap upwardly to contact the rounded surface 253 of the cam 203. The vent valve 158 is thus closed and no communication is now possible between the upper end of the outlet aperture and the vent aperture 163 of the top cap. The rotation of the cam 207 also moves the depression 208 past the rounded end 210 of the operating lever 211 of the switch 212 so that the rounded end now rides on the arcuate surface 254 of the cam 267 thus closing the. switch 212 by moving the movable contact 234 into engagement with the stationary contact 235 thereof.

When the inlet valve 102 and the vent valve 158 are in closed positions, and the switch 212 is closed, further rotation of the cam shaft 204 causes the curved surface 255 of the cam 202 to engage the upper surface of the finger 179 and depresses the latter to move the outlet valve 144 to open position. The piston 40 will now begin to move upwardly under the influence of the spring 63 which biases it upwardly since the counter balancing pressure of the fluid which is in the longitudinal bore 125 of the inlet fitting 122 is now shut ofifrom the interior of the tubular member 112 by the closing of the inlet valve 102.

The piston 40 will then slowly move upwardly forcing the liquid which was trapped in the tubular member 12 between the piston and the top cap 18 outwardly through the longitudinal bore 141 and the outlet passage 150. The rate of travel of the piston 40 is controlled by a needle valve 260 threaded in a lateral bore 261 of the bottom cap which controls the effective orifice of the bore 262- which communicates with both a vertical bore 263 which extends to the top surface of the bottom cap and with a transverse bore 263 which extends laterally thru the bottom cap 13 to the atmosphere. As the piston 40 moves at a slow controlled rate upwardly in the tubular member 12, the cam shaft continues to rotate until the rounded end 210 of the operating lever 211 of the switch 212 drops into the recess or depression 209 of the cam 207. This causes the movable contact 234 of the switch 212 to move out of engagement with the stationary contact 235 and the motor 204 is now disconnected from its source of current because as the piston 40 moved upwardly, the disk 60 which moves therewith moved out of engagement with the operating lever 55 of the switch 56 and thus caused the movable contact 230 of the switch 56 to move out of engagement with the stationauy contact 231. The switch 240 is open since the movable contact 241 of the switch 240 is closed only momentarily when it is desired to initiate operation of the vending dispensing device. The depression 209 is so disposed that the switch 212 is opened when the cam 202 has been rotated to such a position that the curved surface 255 thereof next to the step 265 engages the finger 179 and holds it in a depressed position. The outlet valve will thus be held in open position even though the motor 205 is not energized until the piston 40 has moved to a predetermined upper position wherein a predetermined amount of liquid has been forced out through the longitudinal bore 141 past the outlet valve 140 and through the dispensing lateral passage 150 of the top cap at which point the disk 60 engages the lower end of the operating lever 94 of the switch 92 which causes the movable contact 232 thereof to engage the stationary contact 233. As a result the motor 205 is again connected across the source of current 24-1 through the conductors 242, 243 and 266, the movable contact 232 of the switch 92, the stationary contact 233 thereof, the conductors 246, 247 and 248. The motor again being energized continues the rotation of the shaft 204 causing the rounded end 210 of the operating lever 2.11 to ride out of the recess 209 and on the curved or rounded surface 267 of the cam 207 whereby the switch 212 is again closed. The continued rotation of the cam 202 then causes its rounded surface 255 to move out of engagement with its finger 179 causing the free end of the finger 179 to snap upwardly past the step 265 to engage the other rounded surface 268 thereof. Such upward movement of the finger 179, of course, permits the outlet valve 140 to move upwardly to its closed position. Simultaneously, the curved surface 220 of the cam 201 now moves into engagement with the finger 178 and the curved surface 222 of the cam 203 moves into contact with its finger 180 thus causing the fingers 178 and 130 to be depressed and move the inlet valve 102 and the vent valve 158 to open position. Opening of the vent valve 15% to open position permits venting of the upper end of the outlet passage 150 of the top cap thus permitting evacuation of any liquid trapped in the upper end of the outlet passage 50. Opening of the inlet valve 102, of course, permits liquid under pressure to move through the bore 125 of the fitting and through the bores 120, 105, 130 and 131 of the top cap into the interior of tubular member 12 whereby the pressure of such fluid causes the piston 40 to be moved slowly downwardly, the rate of movement of the piston being determined both by the pressure of the fluid entering the inlet fitting and the elfective orifice of the vent bores 262, 263 and 263a.

As the piston 40 moves downwardly the switch 92 will againopen since the disk 6tlwil1 move out of engagement with the operating lever 94 thereof. The switch 56 will also be open since the disk 60 is now moving downwardly towards the operating lever 55 thereof. The cam shaft 204 then continues to operate until it reaches the beginning position illustrated in Figure 3 with the rounded end 210 of the operating lever 211 of the switch 12 again disposed in the recess 20% of the cam 207 whereby the switch 212 is again opened. The motor 205 cannot again be energized until the switch 56 is again closed which can occur only when the piston has moved to the lowermost position wherein the disk 60 engages the operating lever of the switch 56 to close the latter. At this stage the closing of the contact 241b of'the switch 240 will again initiate the above sequence of operation.

The provision. of the fingers between the cams and the pistonshanks of the valves 102, and 158 provides for a snap action closing of these valves since the fingers snap up when the cams rotate to move the steps 265 thereof past the ends of the fingers. The fingers also act as levers to provide a mechanical advantage to the action of the cams since the cams contact the fingers remote from the rod 185a about which the fingers pivot and the upper ends of the valve shanks engage the fingers adjacent the rod 185a.

It will now be seen that a new and improved dispensing device 10 for dispensing predetermined amounts of liquid has been illustrated and described which includes a tank 11 having a piston slidably mounted .therein and biased upwardly by a spring 63. It will also be seen that the device includes an inlet passage and an outlet passage and that liquid may be introduced into the interior of the tank above the piston through the inlet passage and that the pressure of the liquid so admitted into the interior of the tank forces the piston 40 downwardly to its lowermost position against the resistance of the spring 63. It will also be seen that when the inlet valve 102 is closed and the outlet valve 140 is open the force exerted by the spring is instrumental in moving the piston upwardly to force the liquid in the tank 11 through the outlet passage to a dispensing point. It will also be apparent that the outlet passage is inclined downwardly and outwardly from the passage 141 and that the upper end of the outlet passage 150 is vented by the opening of the vent valve 158 whenever the outlet valve 140 is closed, whereby the outlet passage 150 is always fully evacuated at the'end of each dispensing operation.

It will be seen that the initiation of operation of the dispensing device is controlled by the closing of the switch 240, which may be a suitable coin controlled switch, which closes momentarily whenever a coin is inserted in a suitable coin receptacle of a beverage vending machine.

It will be further seen that the dispensing operation can commence only when the tank 11 is completely filled with beverage and the piston is in the lowermost position due to the provision of the switch 56 which is connected in series with the control switch 240.

It will also be seen that the dispensing operation once commenced, must be completed before any other operation can commence due to the provision of the switch 92 which must be closed by contact with the disl: 60 when it reaches the predetermined upper position before the filling operation can be commenced by the closing of the outlet valve 140 and the opening of the inlet valve 102.

It will be further seen that the switch cam 207 stops the operation of the motor 205 after the outlet valve 102 has been opened and the inlet valve 140 has been closed until the piston 140 has been moved to its lowermost position and the switch56 is closed.

It will furtherbe seen that the switch cam also stops operation of the motor 205 after the outlet valve 140 has been opened and the inlet valve 102 has been closed until the piston 40 has moved from its lowermost position to a predetermined upper position, which is predetermined by the position of the disk 60 on the piston shaft 42 and the position of the lower end of the operating lever of the switch 92.

It will further be seen that the liquid to be dispensed is held under pressure throughout the dispensing cycle of operation since when the inlet valve is in open position the liquid is held under pressure of its source since the outlet valve 140 is always in closed position when the inlet valve is open and the spring 63 always holds the piston biased for upward movement.

It will further be seen that during the upward movement of the piston 40 the liquid is still maintained under pressure since the orifice of the outlet passage 141 is relatively small as regards the cross sectional area of the piston.

It will be further seen that the movement of the piston 40 is uniform and smooth due to the provision of a vent 263 which controls the escape of the air trapped between the piston 4t) and the bottom cap 13 during filling operations of the tank 11 and also controls the upward movement of the piston 40 by controlling the introduction of air behind the piston 40 into the tank 11 as the piston moves upwardly in the tank.

It will be apparent that various changes in the construction of the device can be made without departing from the invention and it is intended, therefore, to cover in the appended claims all such changes or modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

What we claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A dispensing device comprising a tank having closed opposite ends, a piston slidably mounted in the tank and biased towards movement towards one of said ends of said tank, one of said ends having an inlet passage closed by an inlet valve whereby liquid under pressure may be introduced into the interior of said tank to move said piston from said one end and to fill the tank, said one of said ends of said tank being provided with an outlet passage closed by an outlet valve for permitting flow of the liquid from the interior of the tank when the piston moves towards said one of said ends, means for closing said outlet valve when said inlet valve is open and for closing said inlet valve when said outlet valve is opened, a vent passage in the other of said ends of said tank communicating with the interior of said tank and the exterior of the tank, means for adjustably varying the effective orifice of said vent passage, said one of said ends being provided with a second vent passage communicating with the upper end of the outlet passage and the atmosphere, said second vent passage being closed by a vent valve, said outlet valve, said inlet valve, and said vent valve having shanks extending outwardly of said one of said ends, cam means disposed adjacent the valve shanks for sequentially moving said valve shanks inwardly to move said valves to open positions during the cycle of operation of said dispensing device, biasing means associated with said valves for biasing said valves towards closed positions, said cams being rigidly secured to a rotatable shaft, said shaft being rotated by an electrically driven means, a switch cam mounted on said rotatable shaft and operatively associated with a first switch for controlling the closing of said first switch during each rotation of said shaft, said first switch interrupting the energization of said electrically driven means when said shaft has been rotated to a position wherein the outlet valve is closed and said inlet valve is open, a second switch means responsive to the position of the piston for energizing said electrically driven means when said piston has been moved to one extreme position wherein the tank is completely filled with the liquid to be dispensed whereby the shaft is caused to be rotated to cause the inlet valve to close and said outlet valve to open, said switch cam causing said first switch to open to stop rotation of said shaft when said inlet valve is closed and said outlet valve is open, and a third switch responsive to the position of 10 the piston for energizing the electrically driven means when said piston is in a position remote from its said extreme position whereby the shaft is rotated to close the outlet valve and open the inlet valve to complete the cycle of operation.

2. A dispensing device comprising a tank having closed opposite ends, a piston slidably mounted in the tank and biased towards movement towards one of said ends of said tank, one of said ends having an inlet passage closed by an inlet valve whereby liquid under pressure may be introduced into the interior of said tank to move said piston from said one end and to fill the tank, said one of said ends of said tank being provided with an outlet passage closed by an outlet valve for permitting flow of the liquid from the interior of the tank when the piston moves towards said one of said ends, means for closing said outlet valve when said inlet valve is open and for closing said inlet valve when said outlet valve is opened, a vent passage in the other of said ends of said tank communicating with the interior of said tank and the exterior of the tank, means for adjustably varymg the effective orifice of said vent, said one of said ends being provided with a vent passage communication with the upper end of the outlet passage and the atmosphere, said vent passage being closed by a vent valve, said outlet valve, said inlet valve, and said vent valve having shanks extending outwardly of said one of said ends, cam means disposed adjacent the valve shanks for sequentially moving said valve shanks inwardly to move said valves to open positions during the cycle of operation of said dispensing device, biasing means associated with said valves for biasing said valves towards closed positions, said cams being rigidly secured to a rotatable shaft, said shaft being rotated by an electrically driven means, a switch cam mounted on said rotatable shaft and operatively associated with a first switch for controlling the closing of said first switch during each rotation of said shaft, said first switch interrupting the energization of said electrically driven means when said shaft has been rotated to a position wherein the outlet valve is closed and said inlet valve is open, a second switch means responsive to the position of the piston for energizing said electrically driven means when said piston has been moved to the one extreme position wherein the tank is completely filled with the liquid to be dispensed whereby the shaft is caused to be rotated to cause the inlet valve to close and said outlet valve to open, said switch cam causing said first switch to open to stop rotation of said shaft when said inlet valve is closed and said outlet valve 1s open, a third switch responsive to the position of the piston for energizing the electrically driven means when said piston is in a position remote from its said extreme position whereby the shaft is rotated to close the outlet valve and open the inlet valve to complete the cycle of operation, and a fourth switch connected in series with said second switch for initiating the cycle of operation of the dispensing device.

3. A dispensing device comprising a tank having closed opposite ends, an operative means mounted in the tank and biased towards movement towards one of said ends of said tank, one of said ends having an inlet passage closed by an inlet valve whereby liquid under pressure may be introduced into the interior of said tank to move said operative means from said one end and to fill the tank, said one of said ends of said tank being provided with an outlet passage closed by an outlet valve for permitting flow of the liquid from the interior of the tank when the operative means moves towards said one of said ends, and means for closing said outlet valve when said inlet valve is open and for closing said inlet valve when said outlet valve is opened, and means operatively associated with said operative means and said control means for positively moving the operative means toward said one of said ends when said inlet valve is initially opened.

4. A liquid dispensing device for dispensing predetermined quantifies of liquid from a-pressurized source of the liquid comprising: a tank having closed opposite ends, one of said ends having an inlet passage connectable to the pressurized source of the liquid for conveying the liquid into the tank and an outlet passage for conveying liquid from the tank to a dispensing point, ,an inlet valve for closing the inlet passage and an outlet valve for closing the outlet passage, 3 piston slidably mounted in the tank for movement between the ends of the tank, means for biasing the piston for movement toward said one of said ends and away from the other of said ends, and an operative means for sequentially movingsaid inlet valve to open position while said outlet valve is in closed position to permit liquid to flow through the inlet passage into the tank and move the piston toward the other of said ends, moving the inlet valve to closed position and then moving the outlet valve to open position whereupon the biased piston moves toward said one of said ends forcing the liquid from the tank through the outlet passage to the dispensing point, said operative means including a rotatable shaft, a plurality of cams mounted on said shaft for sequentially moving said valves to open positions, said valves having means biasing said valves toward closed posistions, and driver means for rotating said shaft, and control means for said driver means responsive to the position of said piston for deenergizing said driver means when said outlet valve is closed and said inlet valve is open duringthe tank filling phase of the cycle of operation of the device until said piston is moved to an extreme position .and said tank is filled with liquid.

5. .A liquid dispensing device for dispensing predetermined quantities of liquid from a pressurized source of the liquid comprising: a tank having closed opposite ends, one of said ends having an inlet passage connectable to the pressurized source of the liquid for conveying the liquid into the tank and an outlet passage for conveying liquid from the tank to a dispensing point, an inlet valve for closing the inlet passage and an outlet valve for closing the outlet passage, a piston slidabiy mounted in the tank for movement between the ends of the tank, means for biasing the piston for movement toward said one of said ends and away from the other of said ends, and an operative means for sequentially moving said inlet valve to open position while said outlet valve is in closed position to permit liquid to flow through the inlet passage into the ta a and move the piston toward the other of said ends, moving the inlet valve to closed position and then moving the outlet valve to open position whereupon the biased piston moves toward said one of said ends forcing the liquid from the tank through the outlet passage to the dispensing point, said operative means including a rotatable shaft, a plurality of cams mounted on said shaft for sequentially moving-said valves to open positions, said valves having means biasing .said valves toward closed positions, and driver means for rotating said shaft, and control means for said driver means responsive to the position of said piston for tie-energizing said drive means when said outlet valve is open and said inlet valve is closed during the tank emptying phase of the cycle of operation of the device until a predetermined quantity of liquid is dispensed from the tank by the piston.

6. A liquid dispensing device-for dispensingpredeten mined quantities of liquid from a pressurized source of the liquid comprising: a tank having closed opposite ends, one of said ends having an inlet passage connectable to the pressurized source of the liquid for conveying the liquid into the tank and an outlet passage for conveying liquid from the tank to a dispensing point, an inlet valve for closing the inlet passage and an outlet valve for closing the outlet passage, a piston slidably mounted in the tank for movement between the ends of the tank, means for biasing the piston for movement toward said one of said ends and away from the other of said ends, and an operative means for sequentially moving said inlet valve to open position while said outlet valve is in closed position to permit liquid to flow through the inlet passage into the tank and move the piston toward the other of said ends, moving the inlet valve to closed position and then moving the outlet valve to open position whereupon the biased piston moves toward said one of said ends forcing the liquid from the tank through the outlet passage to the dispensing point, said operative means including a rotatable shaft, a plurality of cams mounted on said shaft for sequentially moving said valves to open positions, said valves having means biasing said valves toward closed positions, and driver means for retating said shaft, and control means for said driver means responsive to the position of said piston for de-energizing said driver means when said outlet valve is closed and said inlet valve is open during the tank filling phase of the cycle of operation of the device until said piston is moved to an extreme position and said tank is filled with liquid, and control means for said driver means responsive to the position of said piston for de-energizing said driver means when said outlet valve is open and said inlet valve is closed during the tank emptying phase of the cycle of operation of the device until a predetermined quantity of liquid is dispensed from the tank by the piston.

7. A liquid dispensing device for dispensing predetermined quantities of liquid from a pressurized source of the liquid comprising: a tank having closed opposite ends, one of said ends having an inlet passage connectable to the pressurized source of the liquid forconveying the liquid into the tank and an outlet passage for conveying liquid from the tank to a dispensing point, an inlet valve for closing the inlet passage and an outlet valve for closing the outlet passage, a piston slidably mounted in the tank for movement between the ends of the tank, means for biasing the piston for movement toward said one of said ends and away from the other of said ends, and an operative means for sequentially moving said inlet valve to open position while said outlet valve is in closed position to permit liquid to flow through the inlet passage into the tank and move the piston toward the other of said ends, moving the inlet valve to closed position and then moving the outlet valve to open position whereupon the biased piston moves toward said one of said ends forcing the liquid from the tank through the outlet passage to the dispensing point, said operative means including a rotatable shaft, a plurality of cams mounted on said shaft for sequentially moving said valves to open positions, said valves having means biasing said valves toward closed positions, and driver means for rotating said shaft, and means operable by said shaft for moving the piston a short distance toward said one end at the commencement of the tank emptying phase of the cycle of operation of the device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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