Drink dispensing and mixing system

Claim 2

A construction for preparing liquid mixtures comprising a plurality of compartments holding a variety of ingredients for said mixtures, said compartments being included in a common housing, and including separate cells in said housing communicating with said compartments for replenishing said ingredients to maintain a constant amount of ingredients in the compartments, dispensing means associated with each compartment adapted to be individually operated for removing ingredients from the compartments, outlet means connected to said compartments, said outlet means being positioned at a common location so that the ingredients from said compartments can be collected in a container, a movable selector means, actuating means for said dispensing means, operating means for said actuating means, said operating means being positioned relative to the dispensing means in response to movement of said selector means, said dispensing means including piston means for forcing liquid from said compartments, and wherein said operating means comprise elements adapted to be moved into contact with said piston means to achieve the dispensing action, said elements comprising a plurality of pins of different lengths mounted on a supporting plate, the length of an element determining the stroke imparted to piston means engaged by the element to thereby control the amount of ingredients dispensed, said supporting plate comprising said selector means, said plate being rotatably mounted for positioning said elements relative to the dispensing means, and said plate being receiprocally mounted whereby said elements can be driven into engagement with said piston means to achieve dispensing action, said selector plate being attached to a piston of a vacuum operated piston and cylinder construction, a vacuum pump, anD an electrically operated means for moving said piston and associated selector plate in response to the drawing of a vacuum by said vacuum pump, and wherein the particular operating means in position for actuating selected dispensing means depends on the position of the supporting plate.

Claim 3

A construction for preparing liquid mixtures comprising a plurality of compartments holding a variety of ingredients for said mixtures, said compartments being included in a common housing, and including separate cells in said housing communicating with said compartments for replenishing said ingredients to maintain a constant amount of ingredients in the compartments, dispensing means associated with each compartment adapted to be individually operated for removing ingredients from the compartments, outlet means connected to said compartments, said outlet means being positioned at a common location so that the ingredients from said compartments can be collected in a container, a movable selector means, actuating means for said dispensing means, operating means for said actuating means attached to said selector means, said dispensing means including pistons mounted on each compartment, said actuating means comprising a tappet construction secured to each piston, each tappet construction including an upwardly extending arm adapted to be engaged by said operating means to thereby effect movement of a tappet construction and an associated piston in a compartment whereby the piston operates to force liquid from the compartment, said operating means comprising pins attached to a reciprocally movable plate, said pins being located on said plate for engagement with selected ones of said arms depending upon the position of the plate relative to the arms, and said pins being of varying length whereby the stroke of a piston in a compartment will depend upon the length of the pin engaging the tappet arm associated with that piston, means for moving said selector means in a first direction for selectively positioning different operating means relative to the dispensing means in response to movement of said selector means, and means for moving said selector means in a second direction for operating said dispensing means by means of said operating means, the particular operating means in position for actuating selected dispensing means depending on the position of the selector means.

Claim 4

A construction for preparing liquid mixtures comprising a plurality of compartments holding a variety of ingredients for said mixtures, said compartments being included in a common housing, and including separate cells in said housing communicating with said compartments for replenishing said ingredients to maintain a constant amount of ingredients in the compartments, dispensing means associated with each compartment adapted to be individually operated for removing ingredients from the compartments, outlet means connected to said compartments, said outlet means being positioned at a common location so that the ingredients from said compartments can be collected in a container, a movable selector means, actuating means for said dispensing means, operating means for said actuating means attached to said selector means, said dispensing means including pistons mounted on each compartment, said actuating means comprising a tappet construction secured to each piston, each tappet construction including an upwardly extending arm adapted to be engaged by said operating means to thereby effect movement of a tappet construction and an associated piston in a compartment whereby the piston operates to force liquid from the compartment, said operating means comprising pins attached to a reciprocally movable plate, said pins being located on said plate for engagement with selected ones of said arms depending upon the position of the plate relative to the arms, and said pins being of varying length whereby the stroke of a piston in a compartment will depend upon the length of the pin engaging the tappet arm associated with that piston, means for moving said selector means in a first direction for selectively positioning different operating means relative to the dispensing means in response to movement of said selector means, and means for moving said selector means in a second direction for operating said dispensing means by means of said operating means, the particular operating means in position for actuating selected dispensing means depending on the position of the selector means.

Claim 5

A construction for preparing liquid mixtures comprising a plurality of compartments holding a variety of ingredients for said mixtures, dispensing means associated with each compartment adapted to be individually operated for removing ingredients from the compartments, outlet means connected to said compartments, said outlet means being positioned at a common location so that the ingredients from said compartments can be collected in a container, a movable selector means, actuating means for said dispensing means, operating means for said actuating means attached to said selector means, means for moving said selector means in a first direction for selectively positioning different operating means relative to the dispensing means in response to movement of said selector means, and means for moving said selector means in a second direction for operating said dispensing means by means of said operating means, the particular operating means in position for actuating selected dispensing means depending on the position of the selector means, and including a reversible motor for driving said selector means in said second direction when the motor is driven in one direction to thereby achieve dispensing action, clutch means for disengaging driving connection with said selector means when the motor is driven in the opposite direction, a mixing means for mixing ingredients in a container, and second clutch means for providing driving movement between said motor and said mixing means during driving of the motor in said opposite direction, said second clutch means removing driving engagement between said mixing means and said motor When said motor is driven in said one direction.

Claim 6

A construction for preparing liquid mixtures comprising a plurality of compartments holding a variety of ingredients for said mixtures, dispensing means associated with each compartment adapted to be individually operated for removing ingredients from the compartments, outlet means connected to said compartments, said outlet means being positioned at a common location so that the ingredients from said compartments can be collected in a container, a movable selector means, actuating means for said dispensing means, operating means for said actuating means attached to said selector means, means for moving said selector means in a first direction for selectively positioning different operating means relative to the dispensing means in response to movement of said selector means, and means for moving said selector means in a second direction for operating said dispensing means by means of said operating means, the particular operating means in position for actuating selected dispensing means depending on the position of the selector means, and including a reversible motor for driving said selector means in said second direction when the motor is driven in one direction to thereby achieve dispensing action, clutch means for disengaging driving connection with said selector means when the motor is driven in the opposite direction, a mixing means for mixing ingredients in a container, and second clutch means for providing driving movement between said motor and said mixing means during driving of the motor in said opposite direction, said second clutch means removing driving engagement between said mixing means and said motor When said motor is driven in said one direction.

Claim 7

A construction in accordance with claim 1 including a light attached in the construction, and relatively movable contacts, said contacts being brought together for turning on said light when said piston has completed its stroke for achieving dispensing action.

Claim 8

A construction for preparing liquid mixtures comprising a plurality of compartments holding a variety of ingredients for said mixtures, dispensing means associated with each compartment adapted to be individually operated for removing ingredients from the compartments, outlet means connected to said compartments, said outlet means being positioned at a common location so that the ingredients from said compartments can be collected in a container, a movable selector means, actuating means for said dispensing means, operating means attached to said selector means adapted to be moved into engagement with said actuating means, said operating means comprising a plurality of pins of different lengths means normally retaining said operating means out of engagement with said actuating means, means for moving said selector means in a first direction for selectively positioning different operating means relative to the dispensing means in response to movement of said selector means, and means for moving said selector means in opposition to said retaining means in a second direction for operating said dispensing means by means of said operating means, the particular operating means in position for actuating selected dispensing means depending on the position of the selector means the length of the pins comprising said operating means determing the degree of movement imparted to said actualing means.

Claim 9

A construction for preparing liquid mixtures comprising a plurality of compartments holding a variety of ingredients for said mixtures, dispensing means associated with each compartment adapted to be individually operated for removing ingredients from the compartments, outlet means connected to said compartments, said outlet means being positioned at a common location so that the ingredients from said compartments can be collected in a container, a movable selector means, actuating means for said dispensing means, operating means attached to said selector means adapted to be moved into engagement with said actuating means, said operating means comprising a plurality of pins of different lengths means normally retaining said operating means out of engagement with said actuating means, means for moving said selector means in a first direction for selectively positioning different operating means relative to the dispensing means in response to movement of said selector means, and means for moving said selector means in opposition to said retaining means in a second direction for operating said dispensing means by means of said operating means, the particular operating means in position for actuating selected dispensing means depending on the position of the selector means the length of the pins comprising said operating means determing the degree of movement imparted to said actualing means.

Claim 10

A construction in accordance with claim 5 wherein each of said compartments defines an outlet opening, a conduit extending from each outlet opening to said common location, and a check valve included in each conduit, said check valves normally blocking movement of liquid through said conduits, and wherein actuation of said dispensing means operates to force liquid through said check valves.

Claim 11

A construction in accordance with claim 6 wherein said conduits extend to an assembly comprising upper and lower plates which when assembled define a plurality of flowthrough passages, means connecting said conduits to said assembly for communication with each passage, and wherein said check valves are mounted within said passages.

Claim 12

A construction in accordance with claim 5 wherein said compartments are included in a common housing, and including separate cells in said housing communicating with said compartments for replenishing said ingredients to maintain a constant amount of ingredients in the compartments.

Claim 13

A construction in accordance with claim 8 including conduit means extending between the respective replenishing cells and compartments, and check valves in said conduit means, said check valve operating to block communication between a compartment and its associated replenishing cell during dispensing movement of the operating means, and wherein liquid is automatically drawn into a compartment through its check valve from its associated replenishing cell on the return movement of said dispensing means.

Claim 14

A construction in accordance with claim 8 wherein said dispensing means include pistons mounted on each compartment, a tappet construction secured to each piston, each tappet construction including an upwardly extending arm adapted to be engaged by said operating means to thereby effect movement of a tappet construction and an associated piston in a compartment whereby the piston operates to force liquid from the compartment.

Claim 15

A construction in accordance with claim 10 wherein said operating means comprise pins attached to a reciprocally movable plate, said pins being located on said plate for engagement with selected ones of said arms depending upon the position of the plate relative to the arms.

Claim 16

A construction in accordance with claim 8 whErein a plurality of different types of operating means are provided, and wherein each type of operating means dispenses a different amount of ingredients when operating a dispensing means.

Claim 17

A construction in accordance with claim 12 wherein said dispensing means include piston means for forcing liquid from said compartments, and wherein said operating means comprise elements adapted to be moved into contact with said piston means to achieve the dispensing action.

Claim 18

A construction in accordance with claim 13 wherein said supporting plate comprises said selector means, said plate being rotatably mounted for movement of the plate in said first direction to position said elements relative to the dispensing means, and said plate being reciprocally mounted for movement of the plate in said second direction whereby said elements can be driven into engagement with said piston means to achieve dispensing action.

Claim 19

A construction in accordance with claim 14 wherein said housing displays means for identifying the drink selection available, said means for moving said selector plate in said first direction operating to move the plate to positions assigned to each selection, and wherein detent means for accurately aligning the selector plate are located in each position.