Carbonating apparatus

Dec. 18, 1945

W. W. BOWMAN

2,391,003

CARBONATING APPARATUS

Original Filed Jan. 15, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1

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ATTORNEY

Dec. 18, 1945

2,391,003

W. W. BOWMAN

CARBONATING APPARATUS

Original Filed Jan. 15, 1942

Sheets-Sheet 2

<img file="US2391003A_D0002.tif" />

ATTORNEY

Dec. 18, 1945.

2,391,003

W. W. BOWMAN

CARBONATING APPARATUS

Original Filed Jan. 15, 1942

Sheets-Sheet 3

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INVENTOR

BY

ATTORNEY

Patented Dec. 18,1945

2,391,003

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,391,003

CARBONATING APPARATUS

Wade W. Bowman, New York, N. Y., assignor to Frostidrink Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York

Original application January 15,1942, Serial No. 426,822. Divided and this application November 21, 1942, Serial No. 466,431

Claims.

The invention relates to carbonating apparatus and more particularly to new and useful apparatus and devices for charging water with carbon dioxide gas for use in beverage dispensing apparatus or the like.

Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part hereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations and improvements herein shown and described.

The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a part hereof, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

Of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic showing of a beverage dispensing apparatus wherein the subject matter of the invention is embodied, said apparatus illustrating one preferred use of the invention. In said Fig. 1 the various parts of said apparatus are shown substantially in their mechanical forms, some in elevation and some in vertical section, but said parts are arranged as in an expanded flow diagram rather than in their actual positions in a commercial apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section, with parts in elevation, comprising an enlarged view of the carbonating apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a modified form of lever-controlled, liquid-supply switch; and

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line 4—4 of Fig. 3.

The present application is a division of my copending application Ser. No. 426,822, filed January 15,1942.

One object of the invention is to provide novel and improved carbonating apparatus whereby it is possible to impregnate water with the maximum amount of carbon dioxide and to maintain the degree of carbonation constant regardless of the number and frequency of drinks dispensed. Also with my carbonating apparatus the wear and tear on the mechanism is reduced to a minimum and expenditure of power is very low. A novel and (Cl. 261—93) simple electrolytic control of the fluid supply to the carbonating apparatus is one of the novel features of the carbonating apparatus; same being used in combination with means for creating swirling and agitation of the water in the carbonating tank. By means of this feature of the invention it is possible to control the supply of , make-up water by varying the level of the liquid in the tank Which effects the electrolytic circuit between a static level and a dynamic level, the latter being created by the agitating or swirling action of the agitating apparatus. This arrangement and novel feature of the invention makes it possible to nicely regulate the times and quantities of make-up water added to the carbonated fluid and preferably to reduce the frequency of make-up supply operations by supplying a greater quantity of make-up water at one time than would normally be called for by the change in static levels in the tank due to withdrawals of carbonated fluid. Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved form of liquid agitating means in a water carbonating apparatus. The invention also includes an improved form of float valve control for make-up water supply, same being applicable to and usable with certain of the other features of the invention.

It will be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description as well are exemplary and explanatory but are not restrictive of the invention. Fig. 1 shows the several units of a beverage dispensing apparatus capable of use with the present invention, but, except for the carbonating and liquid supply apparatus hereinbelow described and claimed, said units constitute no necessary part of the present invention. As shown, said units are arranged to illustrate their functional relationships, but in practice they are mounted within an appropriate cabinet which may be of any suitable type commonly known and used for dispensing beverages into paper cups by means of coin-controlled devices.

In general the units comprising the complete apparatus consist of a conventional supply for carbon dioxide shown as the pressure tank I ; a conventional refrigeration unit 10 which may comprise any suitable power-operated refrigerating mechanism; a fresh water supply tank 20

9,381 having a motor-driven pump unit 25 connected therewith; a water-refrigerating and carbonating unit comprising the tanks 30 and 35; the syrup or flavor supply unit comprising a plurality of syrup tanks 50 conveniently mounted within 5 the chilling tank 30; the beverage mixing and delivery unit comprising sets of electrically operated valves 60 and 70 and the chilled delivery nozzle unit 80; the cup supply and dispensing unit 90; and the coin-controlled selective and 10 sequence-determining unit generally indicated at 100 in Fig. 1. Said latter unit may also be considered to comprise the battery of push button control devices and associated therewith the drink totalizing and registering unit. 15

Referring now in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention, same includes the detailed mechanism shown in Fig. 2 and the coordination therewith of the carbon dioxide unit i, the refrigeration unit 10 and the 20 water supply and pump units 20 and 25. As embodied, the water chilling tank is preferably rectangular in shape, being provided wk- a bottom, end and side walls 31 and a top closure 32. Said tank is preferably filled to near the top with a 25 chilling fluid F which may be plain water or other suitable fluid. A suitable chilling coil i I is provided in the tank 30 for the circulation or refrigerant from the refrigerating unit 10 to which it is connected by an inflow pipe 12 and 30 an outflow pipe 13. Although said coil is shown diagrammatically in one portion only of the tank, in practice it preferably covers both sides and the bottom thereof. The particular means for operating the refrigeration unit and the circu- 35 lation of refrigerant therefrom and through the coil 11 may be of any conventional construction, constitutes no essential part of the present invention and is therefore not shown in detail. Means may be provided for circulating the chill- 40 ing fluid within the tank 30 so as to distribute same fairly uniformly throughout the body of the tank and as embodied said means comprise a circulating device having one or more sets of rotary vanes 36 on the vertical shaft 37 which 45 depends from the top of the tank 32 and is driven from a pulley 38 by suitable connections from the pump motor 26.

The carbonation of water is performed within the closed tank 35 which is preferably cylindri- 50 cal in cross-section and is suspended from the top 32 of the tank 30. Said tank 35 is suitably sealed so as to be gas and liquid tight. For that purpose the tank itself is preferably made of glass or other ceramic material and is suspended from 55 the top 32 of the refrigerating tank by means of an outer suspending cylindrical container or metal casing comprising vertical walls 351 and a bottom 352 on which rests the bottom of the tank 35, a suitable cushion 353 of rubber or the go like being preferably placed between them. The upper ends of the walls 351 are flanged outwardly at 354 and are supported from the top plate 32 by bolts 355. A gas and liquid-tight seal is provided at the top of the tank 35 by an annular ₀₅resilient gasket 356 of rubber or the like. The construction described conveniently permits removal of the carbonator tank as a unit from the chilling tank.

Means are provided for supplying chilled water 70 to be carbonated to the interior of tank 35. (Fig.

1.) As embodied a water supply pipe 20 i leads to the gear pump 25. The outlet 202 from the pump passes through a suitable strainer 203 and thence into the chilling tank 30 where it may 75 ,Q03 be provided with a plurality of colls 214 and thence through the top 32 of said tank to a suitable check valve 205. Thence the water tube 206 leads downwardly again through the top 32. Preferably a by-pass pipe 208 is provided for returning water from pipe 202 above.the strainer to the supply tank 20 and a hand controlled valve 209 Is positioned in said by-pass, to regulate the amount of water so permitted to return to the supply tank. In this manner the amount of water supplied to the carbonating tank may be conveniently regulated.

It will be understood that the use of the bypass construction, as shown, permits employment of a high capacity pump while regulating the input of fresh water therefrom so that a substantial amount of time is occupied in delivering the water into the carbonating chamber. Thus a too rapid inflow of water Is avoided and ample time provided for its carbonation, while retaining the advantages of the strong and high capacity pump.

Means are provided for introducing the chilled water into the top of the tank in the form of a spray and for that purpose an elongated and inclined spraying head 360 is attached to the lower end of the pipe 206, said head being provided with a plurality of small openings 361 which spray the water laterally against the tank walls over a substantial space near the top of the tank 35.

Said spray of water is located in a space above that ever reached by the level of the liquid in the tank 35 and is designed to forcefully eject and spray the water in a locus where it will meet and co-mingle with the carbon dioxide gas which is introduced into the tank for the purpose of carbonation. The embodied means for so introducing the carbon dioxide gas comprises a downwardly disposed, open-ended pipe 365 just within the top 32 of the carbonating tank thereby providing a space full of gas above the top level of liquid in the tank. The gas conduit 365 communicates through a check valve 366 in the cover 32 and a pipe 367 to a pressure reducing valve 368 which is preferably set to deliver gas at a pressure of approximately 40 lbs. per sq. in. from the tank I via the conduit 369.

Means are provided for facilitating intermixture of gas and water by agitation within the tank 35 and as embodied said means comprises a vertically-disposed rotary shaft 375 depending from the top of the tank and extending nearly to the bottom thereof. It will be noted that said shaft is spaced only a short distance from the wall of the tank 35 and thereby is eccentric with respect to the cylindrical mass of liquid in said tank. A plurality of sets of vanes 376 are mounted to rotate with shaft 375 at different levels within the tank, all of said sets of vanes being preferably positioned below the top of the liquid in the tank at the lowest level which it ever normally reaches. The setting and inclination of said vanes 376 is such as to create a vortex action, causing the swirling liquid to rise in the vicinity of the shaft during rotation thereof. The circulating mass of liquid is higher at the walls and lowest in the vicinity of the control chamber 408. Due to the eccentric location of the shaft 375, the highest level of liquid is near the shaft as shown and the upper set of vanes also acts to impel and throw water upwardly and further aid in breaking it up' in the gas chamber. Thus when the liquid is at its higher stage in the tank and the agitator shaft 375 is stationary, the liquid will assume a static level indicated by the broken line D whereas

2,891,003 when the agitator is rotated, the surface of the liquid will lie along a curve indicated by the broken line C. Similarly when the liquid in the tank is at its lowermost stage, there will be a static level as indicated by the line A and a dynamic surface contour for the liquid indicated by the line B, depending upon whether the agitator is stationary or rotating. The particular contour of the liquid under the So-called dynamic conditions, i. e. when the agitator shaft is rotating, may be varied somewhat by changing the inclinations of the various vanes 376 and/or the R. P. M. of the shaft, and although no means is specifically shown for this purpose it will be understood that same is within the purview of my invention.

It will further be understood that rotation of the eccentrically disposed shaft 375 will cause a pronounced swirling movement and agitation of the liquid within the tank 35. The liquid will tend to be drawn toward the shaft and flow upwardly so that it will swirl around and about the tank within the levels indicated, thereby effecting very thorough and uniform agitation of the liquid so that intermixing of the gas and water and production of a highly carbonated water will ensue. The embodied means for imparting driving movement to the shaft 375 comprises a pulley 378 fixed at the upper end of said shaft and driven by a belt 380 from a suitable drive pulley on the pump motor 26. It will be noted that the drive for agitator shaft 37 in the chilling tank 30 is conveniently provided by pulley 379 on shaft 375 which transmits the required drive to pulley 38 by a belt 381.

Means are provided for withdrawing the carbonated water from the body of liquid within the tank 35 and preferably from near the bottom thereof by means of an open-ended tube 385 which lies diametrically opposite to the shaft 375 and near the opposite wall of the tank 35. Said tube passes through the top 32 of tank 30· and thence downwardly again through' said top but outside carbonating tank 35 and along the outside thereof through the chilling fluid F. A suitable coil 386 is provided in said conduit 385 within the chilling fluid and from said coil the conduit passes out through the top 32 of the tank at the opposite end for distribution of carbonated water to any desired receptacle.

The invention provides means for preventing the supply of carbonated water in the tank 35 from falling below a desired predetermined level and for supplying make-up water to the tank to be carbonated as required- This feature of my invention avoids the use of any moving parts such as floats, levers or the like in the carbonating tank. It is exceedingly accurate and certain in its operation. It is likewise relatively inexpensive and simple in construction. As embodied I employ a control circuit in which the carbonated water acts as an electric conductor, the circuit being broken when the level of the carbonated water falls to a point where the flow of current through it is insufficient to maintain a closed circuit. The apparatus therefor comprises a pair of electrodes 400 and 401 which depend from the top 32 of the tank in which they are mounted and from which they are insulated by a supporting block 402 of di-electric material. Said block is flanged at its bottom

403 and fixed to the top of the tank by bolts

404 which also preferably support an annular washer 405 of rubber or the like. The electrodes

1δ

Immediately surrouding the elecpreferably enclosed within a cylin408 of glass or other suitable mashield is supported from the top comprise rods of stainless steel or other noncorroding metal. Said rods, which are preferably vertically disposed, are spaced apart, preferably about their spacing depending upon their own conductivity and that of the liquid in which they are immersed. Preferably one rod 400 is somewhat longer than its companion 401 so that the former extends deeper into the liquid in the tank and thereby constantly remains in liquid contact.

The space trode rods is drical shield terial. Said 32 of the tank by an external metal frame 409.

Fluid communication between the main body of the tank 35 and the interior of the container 408 is permitted by openings 4f0 in the bottom of the container and its frame, while a plurality of gas holes 411 may be provided adjacent the top of the container 408. Thus the level of liquid and the gas in the container 408 is substantially the same as that in the adjacent portion of the surrounding tank 35.

The electrodes 400 and 401 are electrically connected to circuit wires 412 and 413 respectively which are tapped into the main line 110 volt wires 40 and 4f. Across line 4(2 there is connected a low voltage relay 415 which is actuated by current of the order of 6 to 10 volts. When energized, relay 4(5 serves to hold switch arm 416 away from contact 4(7 in the line 418.

As will be clear from following the lines 418 and 4(9, said switch controls the energization from the main line 40—41 of the circuit to the motor 26 for driving the water pump 25 and the agitator 375. The position of the electrodes is such that when the carbonated water in tank 35 remains above a predetermined level A, the resistance of the electrolytic current path between the electrodes will be sufficiently low to permit passage of enough current to maintain energization of the relay 4(5 and thereby hold open the circuit for motor 26. However, when the water reaches level A, the relay 415 will, become deenergized and thereby switch 416 will be closed, thus causing the water to flow into the tank through spray 360 and simultaneously initiating rotation of agitator shaft 375.

As previously explained, one effect of the agitator is to change the surface of the water from its static level A to a vortex contour B in which the level of the water adjacent the electrodes is somewhat depressed while it rises in the remote parts of the tank around it. Consequently, the first effect of the agitator movement is further to reduce the liquid current path between the electrodes and thereby prolong the time during which the relay 415 remains de-energized. As the liquid level rises due to the inflow of water, eventually a vortex surface C is reached adjacent the electrodes at which time the current flow is sufficient to re-energize the solenoid and thereby break the circuit of the motor 26. It will be clear that the relay will not be re-energized when the water returns to the original level A at which the relay circuit was broken. There will be a substantial lag in re-establishment of that circuit due to the weight and inertia of the relay core and this factor, among others, may be predetermined so as to give as great a difference between the levels A and C as may be desired. As soon as agitator 375 stops, the static water level will flatten out at D thereby further raising

2,881,003 same in the vicinity of the electrodes. Consequently a substantial differential in liquid levels may be provided between the time when fresh water is introduced and the time when it is cut off, due to the combined effects of the differential between the static and dynamic levels of the water in the tank and the lag provided by the electric circuit itself.

It will further be understood that the difference between the static and dynamic liquid levels may ¹⁰be controlled and varied by changing the pitch of the blades 376 on the agitator shaft and/or by changing the speed of rotation of said shaft.

Referring now to the fresh water supply apparatus, I preferably provide means for breaking 15 the electric circuits to all units of the mechanism, except the refrigeration unit, when the supply of fresh water in the tank 20 falls below a predetermined minimum level. As shown the water supply tank 20 is provided with a float 430 20 which is movably centered on a guide rod 431. The lower end of said rod is provided with a cross bar 432 against which the float comes to rest when the water level falls below that of the bar. The upper end of said rod 431 projects through a suitable opening in the top of the water tank and is provided with a top bar 433 which is normally urged upwardly from the tank by a light spring 434. The rod 431 is adapted to move downwardly against the spring under the weight of the float 430 when the water is insufficient to buoy it up and thereby to open the switch comprising the movable arm 435. Thus the depletion of water in the tank 20 opens the switch 435 and thereby breaks the current flowing to the main line conductor 40 and hence de-energizes all of the units of the machine except the refrigeration unit.

That unit is preferably maintained in operation at all times so as to keep the carbonated water and syrup supplies chilled, whereby renewed op- . eration of the machine at any time will be possible without waiting for cooling of the supplies. The refrigeration unit, as shown, is directly connected to the main electrical line inside the water-control switch 435. A thermostat (not shown) is preferably provided in the tank 30 adjacent to the water tank 35 and said thermostat is set to control the operation of the refrigeration unit whereby the chilling fluid in tank 30 may be maintained at a desired temperature.

In Figs. 3 and 4 there is shown a modified form of control means for the solenoid circuit 412—413 which regulates the water supply pump motor 26. Instead of using the electrolytic principle for controlling the supply of current to said circuit, in the modified form I provide a mechanical switch directly operated by a float, the level of which varies with that of the liquid in the carbonating chamber 35.

As embodied, the cylindrical shield 408 in the chamber 35 is adapted to house a float comprising the cylindrical cup 450 which is inverted so that its open end 451 extends downwardly into the liquid in the container and its closed end 452 is uppermost. For preventing rotational and other erratic movements of the float a guide wire or rod 453 depends from near the lower end of the float along the inner wall thereof to extend through an opening 454 in the bottom of the shield 408 and its supporting frame, thereby insuring straight up-and-down movement of the float. To the upper end 452 of the float is attached an upwardly projecting switch-control rod

455. A suitable projecting surface 488 on said rod is adapted to underlie and engage with the projecting arm 437 on the pivoted switch member 488 so that when the float is in its uppermost position said pivoted switch member is held as shown in Fig. 3. The switch member 488 is pivotally supported on a depending L-shaped contact bracket 489 which forms the terminal of the circuit wire 412, being mounted in the insulating block 402 at the top of the carbonating chamber. The other circuit wire 413 is similarly attached to a relatively short right-angled contact terminal 460 at the lower face of the insulating block. Said terminal 460 is adapted to engage outer movable end 461 of the switch member 488. The shape of the switch member 488 is such that it will remain in the position shown in Fig. 3 until the extending arm portion 467 thereof Is depressed.

The upper end of the rod member 486 on the float 462 is provided with a second projecting latch 463 which is adapted to engage and depress the end 487 of the switch member after a predetermined downward movement of the float.

Hence when the liquid level in the container 38 has siink sufficiently to bring the member 463 on the float rod down against the upper edge of the switch arm 457, the weight of the float 452 will then cause the switch member 458 to rock about 30 its pivot and thus disengage the portion 461 from contact with the member 468. Thereby the circuit of solenoid 418 is broken, causing the water pump to function to supply water to the carbonating chamber as previously described.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific mechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from the principles of 40 the invention and without sacrificing its chief advantages.