Dispensing apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus for dispensing fluids comprising a housing including an elongated chamber having inlet and outlet valves at one end thereof, means for coupling a supply of fluid to be dispensed to said inlet valve, a piston in said chamber adapted to move longitudinally therein towards and away from said one end, a piston rod connected to said piston and extending longitudinally of said chamber through the housing at the other end thereof, controllable means for supplying pressurized fluid to said chamber to move said piston towards said valve end, spring means coupled between said piston rod and said housing for urging said piston away from the valve end of the chamber, and manually adjustable electric circuit means for actuating said controllable means to supply pressurized fluid to said chamber to move said piston towards said valve end a predetermined distance corresponding to the manual adjustment of said electric circuit means, said electric circuit means being responsive to said piston moving said predetermined distance to actuate said contRollable means to stop said supply of pressurized fluid to said chamber and to exhaust the pressurized fluid already supplied, said spring means thereafter being effective to return said piston to a rest position adjacent said other end of the chamber.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said controllable means comprises a solenoid valve coupling said chamber alternately between a source of pressurized fluid and exhaust means.

Claim 4

Apparatus for dispensing fluids comprising a housing including an elongated chamber having inlet and outlet valves at one end thereof, means for coupling a supply of fluid to be dispensed to said inlet valve, a piston in said chamber adapted to move longitudinally therein towards and away from said one end, a piston rod connected to said piston and extending longitudinally of said chamber through the housing at the other end thereof, controllable means including a solenoid valve coupling said chamber alternately between a source of pressurized fluid to move said piston towards said valve end and exhaust means, spring means coupled between said piston rod and said housing for urging said piston away from the valve end of the chamber, a source of electrical energy, latching switch means for actuating said solenoid valve to supply pressurized fluid to said chamber upon manual actuation, first multi-position switch means having a plurality of fixed contacts and a movable contact coupled to said piston rod for conjoint movement, means for selectively enabling a desired one of said fixed contacts corresponding to a predetermined longitudinal displacement of said piston, and further circuit means coupling said first multi-position switch means to actuate said solenoid valve to connect said chamber to said exhaust means, said spring means thereafter being effective to return said piston to a rest position adjacent said other end of the chamber.

Claim 5

Apparatus for dispensing fluids comprising a housing including an elongated chamber having inlet and outlet valves at one end thereof, means for coupling a supply of fluid to be dispensed to said inlet valve, a piston in said chamber adapted to move longitudinally therein towards and away from said one end, a piston rod connected to said piston and extending longitudinally of said chamber through the housing at the other end thereof, controllable means including a solenoid valve coupling said chamber alternately between a source of pressurized fluid to move said piston towards said valve end and exhaust means, spring means coupled between said piston rod and said housing for urging said piston away from the valve end of the chamber, a source of electrical energy, latching switch means for actuating said solenoid valve to supply pressurized fluid to said chamber upon manual actuation, first multi-position switch means having a plurality of fixed contacts and a movable contact coupled to said piston rod for conjoint movement, means for selectively enabling a desired one of said fixed contacts corresponding to a predetermined longitudinal displacement of said piston, and further circuit means coupling said first multi-position switch means to actuate said solenoid valve to connect said chamber to said exhaust means, said spring means thereafter being effective to return said piston to a rest position adjacent said other end of the chamber.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said outlet valve is of the solenoid operated type and is connected to said latching switch means for operation in conjunction with said solenoid valve whereby said outlet valve is opened to permit fluid flow while pressurized fluid is being supplied to said chamber and closed to fluid flow while said chamber is connected to said exhaust means.

Claim 7

The appartus of claim 3 wherein said selective enabling means includes a second multi-position switch means having a plurality of fixed contacts and a manually positionable movable contact, and means connecting the fixed contacts of said second switch means to selected fixed contacts of said first switch means, whereby manual positioning of the movable contact of said second multi-position switch means is effective to predetermine the extent of longitudinal displacement of the piston.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said first multi-position switch is of the rotary type and is mounted on said housing with said movable contact secured to a rotatable shaft, and said means coupling said movable contact to said piston rod comprises pinion gear means secured to said shaft and rotatable therewith, and rack gear means secured to said piston rod for longitudinal movement therewith adapted to mesh with said pinion gear means.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising counter means coupled to said latching switch means for recording the movement of said piston.

Claim 10

Apparatus for selectively dispensing predetermined amounts of alcoholic beverages and the like comprising, reservoir means for storing a quantity of the liquid to be dispensed, pump means including a cylinder and piston, said cylinder having at one end thereof an inlet valve coupled to said reservoir and an outlet valve coupled to a delivery conduit, said piston adapted to move longitudinally in said cylinder and having a front surface facing the valve end of the cylinder and a rear surface facing the other end of the cylinder, a piston rod extending from said rear face and through the wall of said cylinder, coil spring means coupling said cylinDer and said piston rod to maintain said piston normally adjacent to but slightly spaced from said other end of said cylinder, conduit means coupled through said cylinder wall and into the space between the rear surface of said piston and the other end of said cylinder, solenoid valve means coupling said conduit means selectively to a source of pressurized fluid and exhaust means, said conduit normally being coupled to said exhaust means, a source of electric power, latching switch means coupling said power source to said solenoid valve, first multi-position switch means mounted exteriorly of said cylinder and having a plurality of fixed contacts and a movable contact, means coupling said movable contact to said piston rod for conjoint movement, second multi-position switch means having a plurality of fixed contacts and a manually positionable movable contact, means connecting the fixed contacts of said second switch means to selected fixed contacts of said first switch means, push-button means for actuating said latching switch means to operate said solenoid valve to couple pressurized fluid to said conduit, thereby to move said piston towards the valve end of said cylinder and discharge liquid in said cylinder through said outlet valve and delivery conduit, said movable contact on said first switch means being moved conjointly with said piston rod, and further circuit means operable upon said movable contact of said first switch reaching the fixed contact connected to the fixed contact of the second switch on which the movable contact of the latter has been manually positioned to actuate said latching switch means to operate said solenoid valve means to change the connection of said conduit from said source of pressurized fluid to said exhaust means, whereby forward motion of the piston ceases and the spring means is effective to return the piston to its normal position, the return movement of said piston creating a suction force operable to draw liquid from said reservoir through said inlet valve to fill said cylinder.

Claim 11

Apparatus for selectively dispensing predetermined amounts of alcoholic beverages and the like comprising, reservoir means for storing a quantity of the liquid to be dispensed, pump means including a cylinder and piston, said cylinder having at one end thereof an inlet valve coupled to said reservoir and an outlet valve coupled to a delivery conduit, said piston adapted to move longitudinally in said cylinder and having a front surface facing the valve end of the cylinder and a rear surface facing the other end of the cylinder, a piston rod extending from said rear face and through the wall of said cylinder, coil spring means coupling said cylinDer and said piston rod to maintain said piston normally adjacent to but slightly spaced from said other end of said cylinder, conduit means coupled through said cylinder wall and into the space between the rear surface of said piston and the other end of said cylinder, solenoid valve means coupling said conduit means selectively to a source of pressurized fluid and exhaust means, said conduit normally being coupled to said exhaust means, a source of electric power, latching switch means coupling said power source to said solenoid valve, first multi-position switch means mounted exteriorly of said cylinder and having a plurality of fixed contacts and a movable contact, means coupling said movable contact to said piston rod for conjoint movement, second multi-position switch means having a plurality of fixed contacts and a manually positionable movable contact, means connecting the fixed contacts of said second switch means to selected fixed contacts of said first switch means, push-button means for actuating said latching switch means to operate said solenoid valve to couple pressurized fluid to said conduit, thereby to move said piston towards the valve end of said cylinder and discharge liquid in said cylinder through said outlet valve and delivery conduit, said movable contact on said first switch means being moved conjointly with said piston rod, and further circuit means operable upon said movable contact of said first switch reaching the fixed contact connected to the fixed contact of the second switch on which the movable contact of the latter has been manually positioned to actuate said latching switch means to operate said solenoid valve means to change the connection of said conduit from said source of pressurized fluid to said exhaust means, whereby forward motion of the piston ceases and the spring means is effective to return the piston to its normal position, the return movement of said piston creating a suction force operable to draw liquid from said reservoir through said inlet valve to fill said cylinder.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising means coupled to said reservoir for indicating an empty condition and for disabling said dispensing apparatus.