Apparatus for preparing and dispensing drinks

Claim 1

In an apparatus for mixing beverage materials including at least a flowable beverage concentrate and a liquid diluent, the combination of body means defining an inlet chamber having at least one suction port, an outlet, and a flow restriction located between said inlet chamber and said outlet; a discharge tube extending into said inlet chamber and having a discharge tip adjacent to and coaxial with said flow restriction, said discharge tip having two diametrically opposed forwardly converging end surfaces which intersect the wall of the bore thereof, whereby the stream discharged from said tip is caused to have a transverse cross section which has a longer axis, extending across said converging surfaces, and a shorter axis, extending generally parallel to the intersection of said converging surfaces, the bore of said discharge tip being small in comparison to said flow restriction and said discharge tip being so located relative to said flow restriction that, when liquid is supplied to said discharge tube at a predetermined pressure, said shorter axis of the transverse cross section of the stream discharged from said tip will be smaller than the corresponding dimension of said restriction as the stream passes through said restriction; means whereby liquid can be supplied to said discharge tube; tubUlar means having an inlet end connected to said outlet of said body means, an outlet end spaced from said inlet end, and wall means defining a final mixing zone extending from said inlet end toward said outlet end; transverse means located within said tubular means at the end of said final mixing zone and presenting a baffle surface extending across the path of travel of the stream discharged by said discharge tube, there being space between said baffle surface and said wall means via which liquid can flow from said final mixing zone; and conduit means connected to said outlet end of said tubular means for conducting liquid away from said tubular means.