Drink metering and indicating device from a beverage bottle

Claim 1

A device for metering and indicating individual drinks dispensed from a beverage bottle comprising a housing having a liquid chamber, said housing having an inlet and an outlet, valve means for selectively opening and closing said inlet and outlet, an operating shaft for operating said valve means, said operating shaft extending outwardly of said housing, gear means rotatably mounted on said housing, a ratchet pivotally attached to said operating shaft and being engageable with the teeth of said gear means to index said gear means a partial revolution in one direction when said operating shaft is rotated, and to ratchet over said gear means in the opposite direction without rotating said gear means, a numbering wheel having a series of consecutive numbers on the periphery thereof and having gear teeth on the inside thereof engageable with said gear means for indexing said wheel when said gear means is indexed a partial rotation, an operating cover encasing said numbering wheel, said operating cover having a transparent portion adjacent said numbering wheel for the operator to visualize the number of drinks dispensed, and means interconnecting said operating cover with said operating shaft.

Claim 2

A device for metering and indicating individual drinks dispensed from a beverage bottle comprising a housing having a liquid chamber, said housing having an inlet and an outlet, valve means for selectively opening and closing said inlet and outlet, an operating shaft for operating said valve means, said operating shaft extending outwardly of said housing, gear means rotatably mounted on said housing, a ratchet pivotally attached to said operating shaft and being engageable with the teeth of said gear means to index said gear means a partial revolution in one direction when said operating shaft is rotated, and to ratchet over said gear means in the opposite direction without rotating said gear means, a numbering wheel having a series of consecutive numbers on the periphery thereof and having gear teeth on the inside thereof engageable with said gear means for indexing said wheel when said gear means is indexed a partial rotation, an operating cover encasing said numbering wheel, said operating cover having a transparent portion adjacent said numbering wheel for the operator to visualize the number of drinks dispensed, and means interconnecting said operating cover with said operating shaft.

Claim 3

A device for metering and indicating individual drinks dispensed from a beverage bottle comprising a housing having a liquid chamber, said housing having an inlet and an outlet, valve means for selectively opening and closing said inlet and outlet, an operating shaft for operating said valve means, said operating shaft extending outwardly of said housing, gear means rotatably mounted on said housing, a ratChet pivotally attached to said operating shaft and being engageable with the teeth of said gear means to index said gear means a partial revolution in one direction when said operating shaft is rotated, and to ratchet over said gear means in the opposite direction without rotating said gear means, a pawl mounted on said housing, spring means urging said pawl into resilient engagement with said gear means to allow rotation of said gearwheel in said one direction but to prevent rotation of said gearwheel in the opposite direction, a numbering wheel having a series of consecutive numbers on the periphery thereof and having gear teeth on the inside thereof engageable with said gear means for indexing said wheel when said gear means is indexed a partial rotation, an operating cover encasing said numbering wheel, said operating cover having a transparent portion adjacent said numbering wheel for the operator to visualize the number of drinks dispensed, and means interconnecting said operating cover with said operating shaft.

Claim 4

A device for metering and indicating individual drinks dispensed from a beverage bottle comprising a housing having a liquid chamber, said housing having an inlet and an outlet, valve means for selectively opening and closing said inlet and outlet, an operating shaft for operating said valve means, said operating shaft extending outwardly of said housing, gear means rotatably mounted on said housing, a ratChet pivotally attached to said operating shaft and being engageable with the teeth of said gear means to index said gear means a partial revolution in one direction when said operating shaft is rotated, and to ratchet over said gear means in the opposite direction without rotating said gear means, a pawl mounted on said housing, spring means urging said pawl into resilient engagement with said gear means to allow rotation of said gearwheel in said one direction but to prevent rotation of said gearwheel in the opposite direction, a numbering wheel having a series of consecutive numbers on the periphery thereof and having gear teeth on the inside thereof engageable with said gear means for indexing said wheel when said gear means is indexed a partial rotation, an operating cover encasing said numbering wheel, said operating cover having a transparent portion adjacent said numbering wheel for the operator to visualize the number of drinks dispensed, and means interconnecting said operating cover with said operating shaft.

Claim 7

A device for metering and indicating individual drinks dispensed from a beverage bottle comprising a housing having a liquid chamber, said housing having an inlet and an outlet, valve means for selectively opening and closing said inlet and outlet, an operating shaft for operating said valve means, said operating shaft extending outwardly of said housing, gear means rotatably mounted on said housing, a ratchet holder fixedly mounted on said operating shaft outwardly of said casing, a ratchet pivotally attached to said ratchet holder, said ratchet having a tapered knifelike edge engageable with the teeth of said gear means to index said gear means a partial revolution in one direction when said operating shaft is rotated, and to ratchet over said gear means in the opposite direction without rotating said gear means, a pawl mounted on said housing, spring means urging said pawl into resilient engagement with said gear means to allow rotation of said gearwheel in said one direction but to prevent rotation of said gearwheel in the opposite direction, a diverting element attached to said housing in a position between the ratchet and the pawl to prevent contact between the edge of the ratchet and the back edge of the gear teeth, a numbering wheel having a series of consecutive numbers on the periphery thereof and having gear teeth on the inside thereof engageable with said gear means for indexing said wheel when said gear means is indexed a partial rotation, a stop post mounted on the periphery of said numbering wheel between the last numeral and the first numeral thereon, a stop element pivotally mounted on the housing in a position to engage said stop post when said numbering wheel has been sequentially rotated to the last numeral, said stop element being manually releasable to allow said stop post to pass thereby for resetting said device to dispense a new series of drinks, an operating cover encasing said numbering wheel, said operating cover having a transparent portion adjacent said numbering wheel for the operator to visualize the number of drinks dispensed, and means interconnecting said opeRating cover with said operating shaft.

Claim 8

A device for metering and indicating individual drinks dispensed from a beverage bottle comprising a housing having a liquid chamber, said housing having an inlet and an outlet, valve means for selectively opening and closing said inlet and outlet, an operating shaft for operating said valve means, said operating shaft extending outwardly of said housing, gear means rotatably mounted on said housing, a ratchet holder fixedly mounted on said operating shaft outwardly of said casing, a ratchet pivotally attached to said ratchet holder, said ratchet having a tapered knifelike edge engageable with the teeth of said gear means to index said gear means a partial revolution in one direction when said operating shaft is rotated, and to ratchet over said gear means in the opposite direction without rotating said gear means, a pawl mounted on said housing, spring means urging said pawl into resilient engagement with said gear means to allow rotation of said gearwheel in said one direction but to prevent rotation of said gearwheel in the opposite direction, a diverting element attached to said housing in a position between the ratchet and the pawl to prevent contact between the edge of the ratchet and the back edge of the gear teeth, a numbering wheel having a series of consecutive numbers on the periphery thereof and having gear teeth on the inside thereof engageable with said gear means for indexing said wheel when said gear means is indexed a partial rotation, a stop post mounted on the periphery of said numbering wheel between the last numeral and the first numeral thereon, a stop element pivotally mounted on the housing in a position to engage said stop post when said numbering wheel has been sequentially rotated to the last numeral, said stop element being manually releasable to allow said stop post to pass thereby for resetting said device to dispense a new series of drinks, an operating cover encasing said numbering wheel, said operating cover having a transparent portion adjacent said numbering wheel for the operator to visualize the number of drinks dispensed, and means interconnecting said opeRating cover with said operating shaft.

Claim 9

A device for metering and indexing individual drinks dispensed from a beverage bottle comprising a housing having a liquid chamber, said housing having inlet and outlet means, valve means for selectively opening and closing said inlet and outlet, clamping means for locking said device in place on said beverage bottle comprising a clamping housing, a locking cover pivotally mounted on an interiorly threaded ring clamp encircling said clamping housing, a pair of supporting posts fixedly mounted in said locking cover, locking segment supports pivotally mounted on said posts respectively, locking segments carried by said locking segment supports respectively, spring means acting between said locking cover and said locking segments respectively to urge the locking segments towards each other, a locking screw interconnecting said clamping housing to the neck of said bottle, said locking screw having a locking portion on the head thereof, said spring means serving to urge the locking segments towards each other and when inserted over the head of the locking screw into engagement with said locking portions, thereby preventing rotation of said locking screw and removal of the locking cover, a key positionable through a keyhole in said locking cover, key drops mounted in said locking cover for receiving said key, said key drops being mounted on said supports to open the locking segments to release the head of the screw when said key is inserted therein.

Claim 10

A device for metering and indexing individual drinks dispensed from a beverage bottle comprising a housing having a liquid chamber, said housing having inlet and outlet means, valve means for selectively opening and closing said inlet and outlet, clamping means for locking said device in place on said beverage bottle comprising a clamping housing, a locking cover pivotally mounted on an interiorly threaded ring clamp encircling said clamping housing, a pair of supporting posts fixedly mounted in said locking cover, locking segment supports pivotally mounted on said posts respectively, locking segments carried by said locking segment supports respectively, spring means acting between said locking cover and said locking segments respectively to urge the locking segments towards each other, a locking screw interconnecting said clamping housing to the neck of said bottle, said locking screw having a locking portion on the head thereof, said spring means serving to urge the locking segments towards each other and when inserted over the head of the locking screw into engagement with said locking portions, thereby preventing rotation of said locking screw and removal of the locking cover, a key positionable through a keyhole in said locking cover, key drops mounted in said locking cover for receiving said key, said key drops being mounted on said supports to open the locking segments to release the head of the screw when said key is inserted therein.

Claim 11

A device for metering and indexing individual drinks dispensed from a beverage bottle comprising a housing having a liquid chamber, said housing having inlet and outlet means, valve means for selectively opening and closing said inlet and outlet, clamping means for locking said device in place on said beverage bottle comprising a clamping housing, a retaining member mounted within said housing for engaging the neck of said bottle, insulating means interposed between said retaining member and said clamping housing, a mounting element which encircles the neck of said bottle, a holding strip which extends up to the mouth of said neck for positioning said mounting element, a lug having a bore mounted on said mounting element and said holding strip, a locking cover pivotally mounted on said mounting element, a pair of supporting posts fixedly mounted in said locking cover, locking segment supports pivotally mounted on said posts respectively, locking segments carried by said locking segment supports respectively, spring means acting between said locking cover and said locking segments respectively to urge the locking segments towards each other, a locking screw interconnecting said clamping housing to the neck of said bottle, said locking screw having a locking portion on the head thereof, said spring means serving to urge the locking segments towards each other when inserted over the head of a locking screw into engagement with said locking portions, thereby preventing rotation of said locking screw and removal of the locking cover, a key positionable through a keyhole in said locking cover, key drops mounted in said locking cover for receiving said key, said key drops being mounted on said supports to open the locking segments to release the head of the screw when said key is inserted therein.

Claim 12

A device for metering and indexing individual drinks dispensed from a beverage bottle comprising a housing having a liquid chamber, said housing having inlet and outlet means, valve means for selectively opening and closing said inlet and outlet, clamping means for locking said device in place on said beverage bottle comprising a clamping housing, a retaining member mounted within said housing for engaging the neck of said bottle, insulating means interposed between said retaining member and said clamping housing, a mounting element which encircles the neck of said bottle, a holding strip which extends up to the mouth of said neck for positioning said mounting element, a lug having a bore mounted on said mounting element and said holding strip, a locking cover pivotally mounted on said mounting element, a pair of supporting posts fixedly mounted in said locking cover, locking segment supports pivotally mounted on said posts respectively, locking segments carried by said locking segment supports respectively, spring means acting between said locking cover and said locking segments respectively to urge the locking segments towards each other, a locking screw interconnecting said clamping housing to the neck of said bottle, said locking screw having a locking portion on the head thereof, said spring means serving to urge the locking segments towards each other when inserted over the head of a locking screw into engagement with said locking portions, thereby preventing rotation of said locking screw and removal of the locking cover, a key positionable through a keyhole in said locking cover, key drops mounted in said locking cover for receiving said key, said key drops being mounted on said supports to open the locking segments to release the head of the screw when said key is inserted therein.

Claim 13

A device for metering and indicating individual drinks dispensed from a beverage bottle comprising a housing having a liquid chamber, said housing having an inlet and an outlet, an activating arm mounted in said chamber having a first arm segment carrying an intake valve arranged for sealing engagement with the inlet and having a second arm segment carrying an outlet valve adapted for sealing engagement with the outlet, said activating arm having a U-shaped medial segment, a centrally disposed operating shaft, a pin, means mounting said pin for sliding movement in said U-shaped portion for urging said activating arm in one direction to close said inlet and open said outlet and for Urging said activating arm in the opposite direction to open said inlet and close said outlet, said operating shaft extending outwardly of said housing and having an indenture thereon, an operating cover carrying a second housing, a locking segment mounted in said second housing, spring means engageable with said locking segment to urge said locking segment into said indenture in said operating shaft, said operating cover having a keyway therein, key means for rotating said locking segment out of engagement with said operating shaft for unlocking said operating cover with respect to said operating shaft, said operating shaft being rotatable by rotation of said operating cover when locked thereto, gear means rotatably mounted on said housing, a ratchet pivotally attached to said operating shaft and being engageable with the teeth of said gear means to index said gear means a partial revolution in one direction when said operating shaft is rotated, and to ratchet over said gear means in the opposite direction without rotating said gear means, a numbering wheel having a series of consecutive numbers on the periphery thereof and having gear teeth on the inside thereof engageable with said gear means for indexing said wheel when said gear means is indexed a partial rotation, clamping means for locking said device in place on said beverage bottle comprising a clamping housing, fastening means interconnecting said clamping housing to the neck of said bottle, a locking cover hingedly mounted on said clamping housing for covering said fastening means, key-operated means for opening said locking cover, air vent means for expediting the flow of fluid from said bottle into said chamber comprising a tube extending from within the bottle through a fitting in said intake valve, a passageway in said housing leading to the atmosphere from the fitting, and a passageway in the first arm segment of said activating arm registerable with the passageway in said housing when said outlet valve is in its open position to allow airflow between the atmosphere and said chamber.

Claim 14

A device for metering and indicating individual drinks dispensed from a beverage bottle comprising a housing having a liquid chamber, said housing having an inlet and an outlet, an activating arm mounted in said chamber having a first arm segment carrying an intake valve arranged for sealing engagement with the inlet and having a second arm segment carrying an outlet valve adapted for sealing engagement with the outlet, said activating arm having a U-shaped medial segment, a centrally disposed operating shaft, a pin, means mounting said pin for sliding movement in said U-shaped portion for urging said activating arm in one direction to close said inlet and open said outlet and for Urging said activating arm in the opposite direction to open said inlet and close said outlet, said operating shaft extending outwardly of said housing and having an indenture thereon, an operating cover carrying a second housing, a locking segment mounted in said second housing, spring means engageable with said locking segment to urge said locking segment into said indenture in said operating shaft, said operating cover having a keyway therein, key means for rotating said locking segment out of engagement with said operating shaft for unlocking said operating cover with respect to said operating shaft, said operating shaft being rotatable by rotation of said operating cover when locked thereto, gear means rotatably mounted on said housing, a ratchet pivotally attached to said operating shaft and being engageable with the teeth of said gear means to index said gear means a partial revolution in one direction when said operating shaft is rotated, and to ratchet over said gear means in the opposite direction without rotating said gear means, a numbering wheel having a series of consecutive numbers on the periphery thereof and having gear teeth on the inside thereof engageable with said gear means for indexing said wheel when said gear means is indexed a partial rotation, clamping means for locking said device in place on said beverage bottle comprising a clamping housing, fastening means interconnecting said clamping housing to the neck of said bottle, a locking cover hingedly mounted on said clamping housing for covering said fastening means, key-operated means for opening said locking cover, air vent means for expediting the flow of fluid from said bottle into said chamber comprising a tube extending from within the bottle through a fitting in said intake valve, a passageway in said housing leading to the atmosphere from the fitting, and a passageway in the first arm segment of said activating arm registerable with the passageway in said housing when said outlet valve is in its open position to allow airflow between the atmosphere and said chamber.

Claim 15

A device for metering and indicating individual drinks dispensed from a beverage bottle comprising a housing having a liquid chamber, said housing having an inlet and an outlet, valve means for said inlet and outlet, an operating shaft for operating said valve means, said shaft extending outwardly of said housing and having an indenture thereon, an operating cover carrying a second housing, an arm member pivotally mounted on said second housing, a locking segment pivotally mounted on said arm member, spring means for urging said locking segment into said indenture in said operating shaft, a travel-limiting member mounted adjacent said cover for limiting the rotational movement of said locking segment when said operating shaft has been removed, said operating cover having a keyway therein, key means for rotating said locking segment out of engagement with said operating shaft for unlocking said operating cover with respect to said operating shaft, said key means including a two-piece casing, a finger-actuating portion, a connecting portion having one end fixedly attached to said finger-actuating portion, an engaging portion fixedly connected to the other end of said connecting portion, spring means mounted between the connecting portion and the casing serving to retain the engaging portion in its retracted position, said engaging portion being extendible when said finger-actuating portion is depressed, thereby to rotate said locking segment when said key means is inserted in said keyway, said operating shaft being rotatable by rotation of said operating cover when locked thereto by the application of said operating cover over said operating shaft.

Claim 16

A device for metering and indicating individual drinks dispensed from a beverage bottle comprising a housing having a liquid chamber, said housing having an inlet and an outlet, valve means for said inlet and outlet, an operating shaft for operating said valve means, said shaft extending outwardly of said housing and having an indenture thereon, an operating cover carrying a second housing, an arm member pivotally mounted on said second housing, a locking segment pivotally mounted on said arm member, spring means for urging said locking segment into said indenture in said operating shaft, a travel-limiting member mounted adjacent said cover for limiting the rotational movement of said locking segment when said operating shaft has been removed, said operating cover having a keyway therein, key means for rotating said locking segment out of engagement with said operating shaft for unlocking said operating cover with respect to said operating shaft, said key means including a two-piece casing, a finger-actuating portion, a connecting portion having one end fixedly attached to said finger-actuating portion, an engaging portion fixedly connected to the other end of said connecting portion, spring means mounted between the connecting portion and the casing serving to retain the engaging portion in its retracted position, said engaging portion being extendible when said finger-actuating portion is depressed, thereby to rotate said locking segment when said key means is inserted in said keyway, said operating shaft being rotatable by rotation of said operating cover when locked thereto by the application of said operating cover over said operating shaft.