Beverage dispensing system

Claim 1

A mixing valve to produce beverages of uniform consistency by combining water and a beverage concentrate, said valve comprising: (a) a first inlet for water, wherein water flow through the inlet is essentially horizontal; (b) a second inlet for beverage concentrate, wherein concentrate flow through the inlet is essentially vertical; (c) an outlet for the beverage; (d) an outer casing; (e) an inner movable member defining a horizontal flowpath and having an opening which is selectively alignable with said second inlet, said inner member being movable between a closed position wherein the concentrate inlet is sealed and an open position wherein the concentrate inlet communicates with the interior of the mixing valve, said inner member being movable within the outer casing; (f) a flow restriction in the path of the water flow, said flow restriction reducing the cross-sectional area of the water flow path by at least about 50% and said flow restriction being located prior to the water flow intersecting the concentrate flow; (g) said outer casing and said inner member defining means to permit the flow of water to intersect the flow of concentrate and to pass the resultant combined flow in the direction of the water flow; and (h) elbow means to effect a change in the direction of the combined flow, said elbow means feeding the outlet for the beverage.