US2675018A - Multiple mixing faucet - Google Patents

Description

April 1954 J. HUDSON ET AL 2,675,018

' MULTIPLE MIXING FAUCET Filed Oct. 14, 1947 1 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FEE-.17

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MULTIPLE MIXING FAUCET Filed Oct. 14, 194? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTO& James L. HUG 60f? y Phi/ '0 fi fiender RTTGRNE Y3 Patented Apr. 13, 1954 MULTIPLE MIXING FAUCET James L. Hudson, Detroit, and Philip F. Bender, 4 Ferndale, Mich., assignors to Kenneth Hudson Foundation Inc., Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application October 14, 1947, Serial No. 779,718

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to multiple mixing faucets. That is, a faucet which is capable of mixing two or more syrups with soda water and dispensing each mixture separately and also is capable of dispensing the carbonated water or soda water separately. This is not broadly new, but we believe that our mixing faucet is the first one that so accomplishes this mixing so that there is no taint of one mixture carried over into the other mixture. A feature of this mixing faucet is that it is so designed and constructed that after the mixture of syrup and soda water from one syrup line has been completed no drops of the syrup will issue from the syrup pipe to mix with the next draft and thereby objectionably alter the flavor of the next mixture. Furthermore, the syrup discharge is kept completely away from the wall of the faucet at the discharge end so that one syrup cannot be mixed with the other.

In the present day bars it is customary to have a line of faucets with beer taps at each end of the coil box or draft station and a soda water tap and a water tap in the intermediate positions. placed in the line of faucets in place of the usual soda water tap. It Will furnish the customary soda water and by throwing the handle to either the left or the right will dispense a mixture of different syrups with soda water. away with the necessity of the bar owners using bottled soft drinks to provide soft drinks as chasers with whiskey. The customary chasers used with whiskey are approximately 95% cola soft drinks, ginger ale, soda water and beer. The soda and beer are provided from the taps oi the line dispensing faucets now in common use, but if cola or ginger ale are called for the bartender must open and dispense a small bottle of the soft drink. By employing our multiple mixing faucet in place of the soda faucet now in use the bartender, by a simple manipulation of the faucet handle can provide either a ginger ale syrup and soda mixture or a cola syrup and soda mixture, or can draw plain soda Water. The mix tures will not contaminate each other by reason of dripping from the syrup conduits or what may be left on the internal Wall of the faucet.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. .l is a longitudinal section through my This will do My mixing faucet or dispenser can be 1..

Fig. 5 is a sectionon' the line 5-5 of Fig. Fig. 6 is a section on the'line 6-6 oi Fig. Fig. 7 is a view on the line !---1 of Fig. i. Fig; 8 is a section on the line li--8 of Fig. 1. l designates the soda water conduit, 'hich is'in the middle; 2 designates a syrup conduit which may, for example, be ginger ale syrup; and 3 designates a third conduit which may be a cola syrup conduit. These syrup conduits are connected with containers not shown in which is contained a syrup which is under pressure. The soda water conduit which can be connected with a carbonating apparatus not shown in which;

Water is mixed with carbon dioxide gas and is kept under a relatively high pressure, say 125 pounds to the square inch. A suitable carbonat ing apparatus is described in my application Serial Number 579,762, filed February 26, 1945, The application re-' ferred to shows a suitable carbonating apparanow Patent No. 2,431,936.

tus, but any other-carbonating apparatus can be used. A fixture "4 can be located in the wall 5.

of the so called coil box used in the conventional bar. This fixture has on the outside a threaded nipple 6 and on the inside end passing through the coil box wall an externally threaded pipe section '5. this threaded pipe section to draw the annulus 9 up against the outside wall of the coil box.

This fixture serves as a casing for the three con-- duits i, 2, and 3which have their outer ends fastened into the body ill of the faucet. The position of the outer ends of these conduits is best shown in Fig. 4. Each leads into a bushing or valve casing which is located in a'vertical passageway in the 'body of the faucet. Each passageway is pro-' vided with a valve casing or bushing. This valve casing is designated by a reference character corresponding to the conduit that leads into the casing, but with a charactera added so that the reference characters do, 20;, and 3a indicate the valve casings. The lower end of each valvecasing is enlarged to provide-heads 11);"21), and 3b, on each valve casing head is screwed a cap namely lc, 2c, and 3c. The valve stems are located in the bushing, and designated Id, 2d, and 3d.

casing caps secure tubes to thevalve casing heads. The'center tube desi'gnate'd lg, is a tube A nut 8 maybe screwed onto These sleevesare given a of larger diameter than the syrup dispensing tubes 2g, and 3g, which are of a small diameter that may be classed as a capillary. I find that .093 I. D. is a suitable capillary tube.

The lower end of the body it) has an annular flange II on to which can be removably fitted a large nozzlecover 5]. At the topoflthe faucet body we. lever i2 is secured by a ball and socket joint 13. The ball !3 is clamped in place by the plate M which is secured to the body by screw [5. the upper end. The ball l3 has a threaded stem I8 which screws into the stem I! of the lever and holds a tri-lug rocking table l9 between the The lugs are designated -Ih, 2h, and

two stems. 3h. They are arranged to engage the actuating heads of the valve stems, to wit, Ii, vit; 31; when the rocking table is rocked. A pair of coil springs and 2! (Fig. 6) connect a pin on the end of bolt [5 with two pins 22: and 23 on the rocking table I9. This tends to centralizeTthe tablet-and the lever stem and keep it in: theuprightrear central position as shownrin'Fig: '7 in full lines.- The cap 24 can. be fitted'overthe top of the faucet body and secured thereto by" fastening screws 25. Preferably this" screw engages. in: a vertical slot in the flange 26 atthe top of the body for'properly positioning the cap and its triangular opening The ca 24 can beeasily removed after handle l6 has been unscrewed from the threaded stem l8 of' the ball and screw removed; Cap 24 is provided with a triangle opening 21' (see Fig; 7) forthe stem ll. Thetriangular opening forms a guide for the movements of the handle IS in the dispensing'operation which will now'be described.

When handle I 6 is brought immediately'forward to the center position shown in dotted lines inFig. 7'lug lh on the table I9 is tipped down to engage-theactuatinghead ii of the valve stem:

This pushes down the valve stem against the pressure of the valve spring. These springs are not given reference charactersas the large numher already applied to each valve rather confuses the drawings. down valve head' lb andopens the conduit of soda water to th'e'dispensing'tube lg. The faucet now dispenses pure soda water. If the handle is tilted forward but to the right two lugs I71. and 3h will come in contact with the corresponding 'actuating valve stem heads ii and 3i.

If the handle is tilted forwardbut to the left the actuating lugs iii and zh will' come in con tact with the corresponding actuating heads Ii and'Zz'. Hence, in each of the last two cases the faucet will dispense a mixture of one or the other of the syrups and soda water. Hence, the

bartender can dispense either pure soda water by a forwardjerk, or soda water and cola syrup by a movement forward andto one'side orjslodawater and ginger ale'syrupby a: movement for-- ward and" to the other side. Of course; any

other two syrups might besubstituted for" ginger and cola syrups.

The capillary tubes 29 and 39 are so located and their ends are so directed (see Figs. 2 and 5) that they discharge the syrup directly in the central'stream which is afforded b'y'means of the nozzle lg for the carbonated water. Compare Figs: 1 and 2. The result is that none of the syrup gets on to the inside wallof the faucet or what Icall the. nozzle" cover. Consequently, one mixture of syrup and soda water cannot contaminate. the other mixture of soda water and syrup. So far asIknow the prior art mixers- The lever has a handle 16 screwed on.

This movement pushes v 1 has been designed to prevent the: syrup pipes from dripping, which will also contaminate the next mixture drawn through the faucet. One may also alter the pressure in the syrup containers to provide the correct mixture. Or a variable restriction may be used in the form of a needle valve.

The capillary tubes, by reason of the capillary action tend to prevent the syrup left therein dropping out after the valve is closed. The dropping of syrup is very undesirable because one syrup may drop into a. glass of pure soda water'or aglass of the other syrup mixture and impair the taste or flavor of the other syrup mixture and impair, the taste or flavor of. the contents of the next glass. By using soft gaskets on the valve heads'I get about .OOS-moVement'aftT er'the'flow of the syrup has been closed ofi. This will create a perfect seal and a'slight vacuum or slight rarification of the valve chamber to the rear of the capillary, and, consequently, tend to pull the contents of the capillary upwardly and hence, keep it from droppingout the lower end of the tube. Hence, the :good. seal and'this' slight vacuum helps to prevent the drippingof syrup from these capillary tubes. The rubber sealing rings 40 or 0 rings seals off the soda water and. the syrups from thevalve-springs. Fig. 3. The valves close against the pressure and this prevents hammering.

The vacuum eifect and thegood sealon the valves, serves to assure a cleanvalve-which will not gum up because the syrup left in the line does not come in contact with the atmosphere.

The mixing faucet described is. an effective mixer of soda. water and soft drink'syrups: and at the'same time can be used as a pure soda water dispenser; It can be placed. in the usual line of. taps. behind the. bar to'take theplaceof' the. soda water faucet, and do away with the necessity of using bottled soft drinks of the usual kind used for chasers;

We claim:

1. In a mixing and dispensing faucet the combination of a body, a plurality of conduits lead.- ing into the body and including in each conduit a valve casing and a spring closed valve, a nozzle cover at the lower end of said body into which the several conduits discharge,- but with streams removed from, means by-which one valve may be opened or selectionsof a plurality of the valves separately opened for mixing the flow from the conduits, the said means comprising a. handle and lever supported upon a ball and socket which may be-tilted' in one of several directions and ac-- tuating connections between the handle and the valves to select the desired valve'or two valves for coincidental opening, and a cap fitting over the top of the body and having a triangular opening therein to act as a guide for the lever to the two positions for opening simultaneously two valves.

2. In a mixing and dispensing faucet the combination of a body, a plurality of conduits bearing liquids under pressure andleading into the body, each conduit including a valve casing and a valve spring-closed against the pressure in the conduit, a nozzle cover at the lower end of said body into-which the several 'conduitshave noz- See" zles discharging streams spaced from the inside of the nozzle cover, means by which one valve may be opened or selections of a plurality of the valves separately opened for mixing the flow from the conduits, the said means comprising a handle supported upon a ball and socket connection with the body and a plural-lug rockable table, the handle of the table arranged to be tilted to cause the one lug to operate one valve by a direct forward pull on the handle or tilt to either right or left of center to cause two lugs to select the center valve and one or another of the remaining valves for opening, and a cap for the body provided with a triangular opening forming a guide for the lever handles movement to right or left.

3. In a mixing and dispensing faucet the combination of a body, a plurality of conduits leading into the body and including in each conduit a valve casing and a spring closed valve, a nozzle cover at the lower end of said body through which the several conduits discharge, and means by which one valve may be opened or selections of a plurality of the valves separately opened for mixing the flow from the conduits, the said means comprising a handle and lever which may be tilted in one of several directions and actuating connections between the handle and the valves to select the desired valve 01' valves for opening, and means for guiding the handle in each tilting movement to one side or the other, comprising a cap with a triangular opening at the top through which the handle stem projects.

4. In a mixing and dispensing faucet the combination of a body, a plurality of pressure liquid conduits leading into the body and including in each conduit a valve casing and a spring closed valve, a nozzle at the lower end of said body into which the several conduits discharge without the liquid ordinarily contacting the inside of the nozzle, means by which valves may be opened for mixing the flow from the conduits, the said means comprising a handle and rotatable table supported by a ball and socket joint which may be tilted in one of several directions and lugs on the bottom of the table for punching the desired valve or two valves for coincidental opening, means for guiding the handle in each tilting movement to one side or the other, and a spring for returning the table and handle to central position.

5. In a mixing and dispensing faucet, a body,

a plurality of conduits leading through and below the body ct'or carrying syrups under pressure, the portion of the conduit below the body being a capillary tube, a conduit through the body and discharging beyond the body and arranged to carry carbonated water, the said conduit ends being grouped together in the middle of the later mentioned nozzle cover to discharge free ofthe walls of said cover, valve and valve casings arranged in the conduits and the body, a nozzle on the lower end of the body surrounding the ends of the conduits, and means for selectively operating the soda water valve and a selected syrup conduit valve, said means comprising a handle and a table supported tiltably and rotatably by a universal joint and provided on the bottom with lugs for selectively pushing open the soda valve or the soda water valve with one of the syrup conduit valves when the handle and table are rotated to the right or left and tilted.

6. In a mixing and dispensing faucet, a body, a plurality of conduits leading through and below the body for carrying syrups under pressure, the portion of the conduit below the body being in a capillary tube, a conduit through the body and discharging beyond the body and arranged to carry carbonated water, valve and valve casings arranged in the conduits and the body, a nozzle cover on the lower end of the body surrounding the ends of the conduits, and means for selectively operating the soda water valve or the soda water valve and a selected syrup conduit valve, said means comprising a rotatable and tilta'ble handle and a table provided with contacting means [for selectively operating the soda valve or the soda water valve with one of the syrup conduit valves, and spring means for normally centering the tiltable table and the handle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 850,916 Fitzgibbon Apr. 23, 1907 963,221 Haynes July 5, 1910 1,208,709 La Rue Dec. 12:, 1916 1,516,190 Holderle Nov. 18, 1924 1,600,170 Henderson Sept. 14, 1926 1,831,342 Buskard Nov. 10, 1931 2,075,917 Vorech Apr. 6, 1937 2,371,432 Di Pietro Mar. 13, 1945

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