Automatic wine dispenser

Claim 1

In a wine dispenser, an improvement including: (a) first and second reservoirs connected by a flow conduit; (b) a first valve for preventing reverse flow from said second reservoir to said first reservoir; (c) bottle mounting means on the first reservoir for reeeiving an inverted bottle of wine for supplying a predetermined quantity of wine to the first and second reservoirs; (d) a wine dispensing line connected to the second reservoir and having flow valve means interposed therein for controlling the flow of wine being dispensed from said second reservoir through said line; (e) a vent valve communicating with the first reservoir for venting any air trapped within said first reservoir; (f) a supply of pressurized nitrogen gas; (g) gas line means connecting said first and second reservoirs and said supply of nitrogen gas, said gas line means including (1) first control means connected between the supply of nitrogen gas and the first reservoir for purging air from said first reservoir and for maintaining a nitrogen enriched atmosphere therein above the level of the wine, said first control means including a demand regulator which supplies a predetermined quantity of nitrogen gas to the first reservoir after each drink is dispensed from the second reservoir, a purge valve for supplying a sufficient quantity of nitrogen gas to the first reservoir to purge any air that is trapped in said first reservoir through the vent valve after placing a filled bottle of wine on said first reservoir, and said demand regulator and purge valve being connected in parallel; and (2) second control means connected between the supply of nitrogen gas and the second reservoir for supplying pressurized nitrogen gas to said second reservoir for dispensing of wine therefrom, and for maintaining a nitrogen enriched atmosphere is contact with the wine in the second reservoir.