US2612182A - Valve for delivering carbonated beverages - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 30, 1952 N. L. LUSTER 2,612,132

VALVE FOR DELIVERING CARBONATED BEVERAGES Filed April 19, 1946 f/uwior fer Patented Sept. 30, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VALVEJFQRPELWERING GABBONATED BEVERAGES" Norman L, Luster, Chicago, 111. A p i a n mine 6 rse elrfle-v fifi 7.Clai 1 ns. (01. 1 37-505) 'a thin circular sheet flowing from a region of hi h- 1 5 4 t fil 1 9 ipwe n e I has been .found, however, that this .sheet of water-must be extremely thin in orderto produce the desired result-when used with the conventionalheverage dispensingequipment. In order th his-s e ethin, theona qu d as hfi p di ee etl 9. 1 1 9 a n xed s r c an th 5k W Q l the Qu d tQetni ci cu ar ..1T 9 S c h space hrmieh -Whi9h il uiq asses s extremely thin. ma a t i rm t e 1 min int a i mm edimen in .?1E ?-@?b9 :11ql d 91955 1 Q fi fill-@311 W 1 1 lifiiiifi' 23.55%-

?Ihe prinoipalobje s of my inventionare to overcome these difiicul s andprevent-the clogans ch -the r fiq h-m ii which the. a n t liquid pil fifi wi h s dim nt b HQYi iiIJl a-va qr del verin er enai dli ui in h form o a thin film, which valve hasawariable constriciiQP Whic -O W e and ema in a Wide aop n positio n when the flowso f carbonated fluid h l l l t a s t p l-and u mat c l na row t e Pr determin d'l e ii e en -c rbq a ed l ui qw t -ih ou h th a ve- 1 ;A mere; specific object .ofi ny invention is-to m/ s ea sub ant all c nstan ow. liv r ya-lveoperated -bythe action of-a carbonated l q id n ussie d to beett c to a nventional type of soda foun a indraft arm,,which restrictsthe-delivery orifice of the valve and causes the ca ben te li id o hed liv r d in a thin film en thedraf-t ar m valve is turnedon .to,

double .yalve operated by th parbqnated liquid,

to close and provide predetermined restricted passageways when-the carbonated liquid ,flows into said valve and to open wideto permitgthe valve to clear itself fwhen the flow ofthe-carbonated liquid stops.

These and other objects ofmy inventionyvill appear from time to time as the following specification proceeds and withnreference lto the ac.- companying drawings wherein: l

Figure, Lshows a valveconstructed in'accord ance vwith my invention attached-to a soda fountain draft arm of a conventional type;

Figure '2 is an enlarged ectionaLy-iewtaken thr ieh' h valve h n i i ir 1 Fi ure 3. s? a m ntar se tiona vi w aken substan iel lel m in lie-.3 o Fi u e fi v+ 11seim 'm n e transver sec na w'takeh sub tan ia alon line .4-4 oili ure .3; a K

i u e 5 i a Y e erin a m dified term 91 valve nstructed in ia serda w w th a m vention;

Figure ,6,is a sectionalview ofla valve illustratins anoih sm dified.ie mp m i ven en F r ames -19m v ivt lsen sub tan i ll along line-1:541 of Figures; and

F 7 is eciion wei .a a ve i lu trat n still anotherlierm o in en ion In Eigures-J. and? of the drawings .a conven-,-

.tional type oisoda fountain dr aft arm I0 is s n e hews-Pr ded t del ve esa brqi ei i s mhe ermeated wate or a t r i 'h 'b carbonated -e e e 1 h e i 1 9f which I is controlled. by 'means of .a valye operat: ingl'handle ll ina well ,bnowninanner. A de& livery valve .IZ -eonstructed in-accordance vwith li in en i ns s c-tr s t -the n o a d sdr' t mtaswill.hereina te m clearly -ear as thi e fiqa iqn pceedsa d i enc edb wa n ii-threade on th e -en o sa d d afiia ean penin t i Q iQ to t m-Va spont-fprthe discharge, of the carbonated liquid. Ihe delivery valve. i2 is hereinshown as have ins- .central iehtmem Ii h a e nt-an ap rture -r or io 1- o t ed'r a aid central member has a central fluid passageway [,6

with .a restricted dischargenoazle. Said fluid passageway communicateswith a central passagewayulil otsaid draft arm, for deliveringta f ne stream of carbonated-water when the valve handle I l isturned-to one position, which stream o wate ii -req ed or ce ain Soda, f t n s 1 products; a

A valve casing l8. extendsalong and encircles the central member 1,4 and is spaced" therefrom and is secured. thereto in abutting relation with respect-to the lower end of saiddraft arm by means of a nutl9 threaded on the lower end-of -t e u r h memb and abutt n o to e sa rc -n h win ha an .-u e h b 2 op it imme sed nd c t1 1 1 2 4 a n w a P1 1 1 rality of passageways 2 2, 2 2 fo rme d in said draft ,arm, for delivering carbonated fluid from said clraftarm tothe-deliver-y-valve- I2. Said chamber i tmeq. #9 3 @11 311 1 1 1 m m e 2.3 having a downwardlyextending flanged portion 2 4, which ls-secured at its lower end toa spacing member of a substantially QYlindrical-- construction. -I-l [oles A6, 16 are drilled through said spacing member -paraHeIto its vertical axis, and-form fluidpassageways leading to achamber 21 havinga -valve--disk;3ll of-a double -valve,3l movable there n fi id valyezdi k is ada t d to restrictan 'shown in Figure 2.

ment which may have become lodged between opening 32 leading from said chamber to radial passageways 33, 33 formed in said spacing member. Said passageways 33, 33 lead from said opening 32 to-the inside of the casing 13, for discharging carbonated liquid to the atmosphere through the spout formed in the lower end of said casing.

The chamber 21 is formed from a cylindrical member 35, secured to the lower end of the spacing member 25, as by welding, and depending therefrom. An annular disk 36 is threaded in the lower end of said cylindrical member and has a cylindrical bottom member 31 abutting its lower end and mounted on the lower end of the upright central member [4 and held in position thereon by means of the nut l9. Said cylindrical bottom member withits closed lower end forms a chamber 39 communicating with the chamber 21 and having a valve disk 40 of the double valve 3| movable therein to open or restrict an annular passageway 4| encircling the stem of said valve and connecting said chambers together. H

Passageways 42, 42 lead from the chamber 39 to the inside of the casing l3. Said passageways are of a relatively small diameter in comparison with diameters of the passageways 33, 33 and are arranged to provide a predetermined back pressure in the chamber 39, which is sufficient to raise the double valve 3| above the bottom of the chamber 39, and to support the weight of said double valve.

When the valve handle ll of the draft arm I3 is turned to admit carbonated fluid through the passageways 22, 22, carbonated'fluid will flow through said passageways to the chamber 2| and through the holes 26, 26 in the spacing member 25, to the chambers 21 and 39. The double valve 3| being balanced, the carbonated fluid will exert equal pressures in opposite directions on the facing sides of the disks 30 and 40. The distance between said disks is such that the disk .30 will seat on the bottom of the spacing member 25, to restrictor close the opening 32 formed therein and the disk'40 will seat on the bottom of the disk 36, to restrict or close the passageway from the chamber 33 to the chamber 21. The restricted passageways. 42, 42 leading from the chamber 39 will set up a pressure in said chamber and will provide a back pressure on the disk' 46 which will .tend to raise said double valve and restrict the opening 32 leading to the passageways 33, 33, to cause the carbonated beverage to pass into said opening in the form of a thin circular film and pass to the atmosphere through the passageways 33, 33 and the spout formed by the bottom of the casing I3. 7

v When the flow of carbonated fluid is turned on, the double valve 3| will drop of its own weight until the lower end of the stem of said valve rests on the bottom of the chamber 39, as is This will allow any sedithe valves and their seats to clear itself from said valves and pass on through the valve.

It should here be noted that when the carbonated water is flowing through the valve, the passageways 42, 42 are so proportioned that the rate of flow of the water through said passageways will 'be such as to provide enough back pressure to act valve, assuming that the resistance offered by the passageways 33, 33 is negligible in comparison with the resistance offered by the passageways 42, 42. Thus when the size of the passageways 42, 42 is properly determined and fixed, a valve is provided which has constant flow characteristics regardless of variations in pressure of the source of carbonated fluid.

In the modified form of my invention shown in Figure 5 a chamber 43 is mounted in a valve casing 44 on the end of a pipe 45. Said pipe is connected with a source of carbonated fluid and communicates with the inside of said chamber. A limp diaphragm 46 is connected between a top cover 41 for said casing and an upper flanged portion 49 of said casing. An opening 48 is provided in the top of said cover, to relieve said diaphragm from air pressure during compression thereof. A stem 56' of a double valve 5| is mounted on and depends from said diaphragm through the chamber 43. A valve disk 52 is threaded on said stem within said chamber and is adapted to restrict the passage of fluid through an opening 54 in the central portion of an annular member 53, which forms the top'of said chamber. A valve disk 55 is threaded on the lower end of said valve and is adapted to restrict the passage of fluid through an opening 56 in a bottom portion 5T of said chamber. Said valve stem is also slidably guided at its lower end in a disk 59, closing the lower portion of the casing 44. A plurality of restricted passageways 6!], 66 extend through said disk for the passage of carbonated fluid therethrough and througha spout 6|, threaded on the lower end of said valve casing and depending therefrom.

When carbonated fluid flows through the pipe into the chamber 43 and out of the openings 54 and 56 formed in the top and bottom of said chamber, the restricted passageways 60, 69 will set up a pressure within the casing 44, which willact on the diaphragm 46. This will cause said diaphragm to raise the double valve 5|, to restrict the flow of carbonated fluid through the openings 54 and 56 and cause the fluid to pass through said openings in the 'form of thin circular films. It should here be understood that said double valve will be raised by said diaphragm until an equilibrium position will be reached which is determined by the size of the passageways 66, 66. When this equilibrium position has been reached, the rate of flow of the carbonated fluid will be such as to establish a pressure in the casing 44, which is sufiicient to support the weight of said double valve.

In the form of my invention shown in Figures 6 and '7, a valve 663 is secured to and depends from a conventional type of draft arm in much the same manner the valve |2-is secured to the lower end of the draft arm H). In this form of my invention, carbonated fluid enters a cham- -ber6||lat the upperend of said valve and passes downwardly through a plurality of vertically extending passageways 63, 63 formed in an intermediate member 64 of said valve, which lead through said intermediate member into an annular chamber 65. Said annular chamber is formed by a member 66 threaded in the lower end of the intermediate member '64. Saidmember 66 encircles and is spaced from the' stem of a double valve 61. Said double valve has a valve disk 69 on its upper end, movable in a chamber 16 in the lower end of said'intermediate member. Said chamber communicates with a plurality of radial passageways 12, 72 disposedabove said chamberand leadingto the. outsidepf said .valve intoa casingl3. .Said valve .disk is-adapted t restrict the passageway from said chamber to said :radial passagewaysand to deliver "the fluid to said passageways in the form of a thin film. Said :casing is similar to thecasing 13 shown in Figurel and-is threaded on anddepends-froman annular flanged member 68, which iscthreaded on the upper .end -o'f .theintermediate .member 64, and abuts the bottom of :the draft arm. .A spout T4 is'formed attheilower end of said casing, fforthe discharge of oarbonated :fluid.

A plurality of apertures 15, :15 lead through the-member 66 from the chamber65to the chamber-l0, just-beneath the disk 69 of the double valvet'l, and are so arrangedjthat Jets ofca-r bonated fluid passing therethrough will exert a direct pressure on said valve disk'to move said valve upwardly into position to restrict the passage of carbonated fluid from said chamber to rthe'passageways 1-2, 12 and form a thin ori.-= fice tocause the carbonated fluidto pass tosaid passageways in the form of a thin circular film. Carbonated'fiuid will also pass in the-space'between said-member andthe stem of the valve 61 into a chamber H disposed beneath said memberj66. Said chamber 11 is held in abutting relation with respect to the bottom of the member 66 by means of a nut 19 threaded on the lower end of a central upright member 80 of said valve, which is similar to the upright central member l4 of-the-valve 12.

The chamber H has a lower disk 8| of the double -valve 61 movabletherein, torestrict the passageway leading from said chamber to the chamber 10. A pluralityof restricted passageways 83, 83'lead from said chamber 11 -to the inside of the casing 13, to cause a pressure to be builtup in said chamber, which will tend to move said double valve vertically-and hOldi't insequilibrium in much the'same manner asin the form of my invention shown in FigureZ.

Itmay here be seen that in the embodiment of myinvention just-described, the jets of carbonated'fluid entering the chamber 10 directed upwardly against the underside of the valve disk 69'will lift said valve disk withthefirst surge of carbonated 'water, and will bring said valve into position where the back pressure thereon will become efiectiveto hold it in this elevated position.

In the form of my invention shown in Figure 8, a chamber-85 is shown'as beingsupporte'd within a valve casing 86 one pipe al whichis adapted to supply carbonated-fluid to said chamber inmuch the same manner-as in the form of my invention shown in Figure 5. Said chamber is of a substantially cylindrical form with an annular top 88 and an annular bottom ;89. The opening in said-annular top ,is adapted to'be restricted by a valve disk 90 mounted within said chamber on the upper end of a hollow valve stem-9i. Said valve stem is slidably mounted on a rod 92, which extends through and is secured to thetop of the ,casing..8B,-by means of a nut 93 threaded on the upper end of saidrod and abutting the top of said valve casing. A nut 94 threaded on the lowerendofsaid rod limits downwardrmovement of said-valve along said rod. A valve disk 95 ismounted adjacent the. lower end of said valve stem and isadapted to ,restrict the opening in ,the ,bottom ofsaid chamber. Said valve disk is of a larger diameter than'the valve disk 90, but the portion of said valve disk exposed directly to pressure in said chamber is; .of substantiall time Etta: as :the correspondingportio .of he valv. .158 90,120 balance said valve.

When carbonated fluid enters the chamber .35 through the pipe 81, the pressure between the upper surfaceof the .valve disk 95 and the bot-. tom 89 ofsaid chamber-will be reduced elow the pressure in-the valve casing 86 by the ra id fiowbf the carbonated fluid between these two surfaces. 'This will produce a suction-which will cause the avalve disk 9.5 to. move towards the bottom :89 of said chamber and move the valve disk 90 upwardly to form ,a thin orifice which will restrict the flow of carbonated fluid from theu-pper end of said chamber and cause-it'to flow .into the casing 86 in the form of a, thin film. The orificeibetween the valve disk 95 and bottom -,of the chamber will likewise be ;re-. stricted-to deliver carbonated fluid in the form of a :thin film. When the flow of carbonated fluid through the pipe, .81 stops, the valve disks and .will drop to a wide open position-to permit sediment to wash through the valve.

While I have hereinshown and described, sev-. eral forms in which my'invention may be em-.- bodied, it will lie-understood that the construction thereof and'the arrangement of the various parts may be-alteredwithout departing-from the spirit-and scope thereof. Furthermore, -Ido not wish to beconstrued as limiting my invention to the, specific embodiments illustrated, excepting as;it maybe limited lathe-appended claims.

:I claim as myinvention:

1, 'In a delivery means for carbonated fluid, a chamber, a substantially unrestrictedpassagee way leading from one wall of said chamber, vanotherchamber, an unrestricted passageway connecting said chambers together and passing through-an opposite wall of said first'mentioned chamberfrom said onewall, a double valve-having-a valve member ineach of saidchambers-and each cooperating with an unrestrictedpassageway leading from the respective chamber and the wallsuthrough which said passageways extend to form thin delivery spaces, delivering the carbonated fluid through said passageways in the formcf thin film-like sprays, said-second mentioned chamberhaving a restricted passageway leading therefrom, to build up pressure in said second mentioned chamber to act on said valve in said second mentioned chamber and move said valves towardthe walls through which said passageways extend, and conduit meansdelivering carbonated fluid tosaid first mentioned chamber.

12; A.-:delivery means for carbonated fluid in accordance with claim 1 wherein the conduit means comprises passageways arranged to. direct jetssof parbonatedlfluid on thebottom or-the valve-member in the firstmentioned chamber.

33.111 :a delivery means for carbonated fluids, a chamber having two vertically 1 spaced -hor'izcntal :walls, a passa w y le in "from one .of w, ls,;a.pipe del-ivering carbonated fiuidto said she. H another ch-amber; disposed beneath said first chamb r, a p ssa ewa leadin from thezcth r .e said W ll .cc i ecti s said-ch b rs vto. g et1t1er,-;awa mber in each :of sai c ambers and coQr rat witbsaidassa eways to restr -t pas a e e earbqu te wat r t ere.- through, means connecting said valve members to .move to ether to :wide open positions by ravity. and a d se nd e tioned chamber ha.- ing a--restricted passageway leading=the and .-s prop rti -n d -.w tb respect to said r passag ways s up upmde e m beet pressure in said second chamber to act on said valve member in saidsecondchamber' andmove said valve members upwardly toward said horizontal walls and the passageways therethrough and to cooperate therewith and form thin flow spaces for the carbonated fluid, forming the carbonated fluid into thin film-like sprays.

I 4. A delivery means for carbonated fluids including two vertically aligned chambers, means for delivering carbonated fluid to the upper of said chambers, a substantially unrestricted passageway leading from an upper wall of said upper chamber, a substantially unrestricted passageway leading through an upper wall of the lowermost of said chambers and connecting said chambers together, a restricted passageway leading from the lowermost of said chambers and so proportioned with respect to said last mentioned unrestricted passageway as to build up pressure in said lowermost chamber, a separate valve niemher in each of said chambers, means connecting said valve members to move together, said valve member insaid lowermost chamber being acted upon by the pressure of carbonated'fluid built up therein, and move said valve members against gravity toward the unrestricted passageways leading through the walls of said chambers, and said valve member in said upper chamber being of alarger cross sectional area than said passageway through the upper Wall thereof, to form with said wall a thin delivery space to deliver carbonated fluid through said passageway to a region of low pressure in the form-of a thin filmlike spray when said valve member is moving against gravity.

' 5. A delivery means for carbonated liquids including two vertically aligned chambers, means for delivering carbonated fluid to the upper of said chambers, a substantially unrestricted passageway leading from an upper wall of said upper chamber, a substantially unrestricted passageway leading through an upper wall of the other of said chambers and connecting. said chambers together, a valve disk ineach of said chambers of a larger cross sectional area than said passageways and cooperating therewith, a stem connecting said valve disks to operate together, a restricted passageway leading from the lower of said chambers and so proportioned with respect to said unrestricted passageways as to build up pressure in said upper chamber to move said valve disks against gravity toward said walls, and with said walls and passageways form thin delivery spaces to deliver the carbonated fluid to a region of low pressure in the form of a thin film-like spray.

6. In a delivery means for carbonated fluid, a valve chamber, means for supplying carbonated fluid to said valve chamber, said valve chamber having annular top and bottom surfaces-for the discharge of carbonated fluid therefrom through the open portions of said annular surfaces, a second valve chamber mounted beneath said valve chamber and adapted to'receive carbonated fluid discharged through the annular bottom surface of said first valve chamber, a balanced double valve having a valve disk mounted within said first mentioned chamber and movable into position-to form a thin orifice between the top of said valve disk and the bottom of said top annular surface of said chamber to deliver carbonated fluid through the open portion of said annular surface in the form of a thin film-like spray, a valve stem depending from said valve disk into said second valve chamber and having another valve disk mounted thereon in said secand chamber and movable into position to form a thin orifice between the bottom of said bottom annular surface'and the top of said valve disk to deliver carbonated fluid into said second chamber through the open portion of said annular surface in the form of a thin film-like spray, and said second valve chamber having a plurality of restricted passageways therein for the discharge of carbonated fluid therethrough, said passageways being so proportioned as to restrict the passage of carbonated fluid therefrom and to build up a back pressure therein, to act on said lower valve disk and move said valve disks into positions to form said thin orifices, said valve disks moving downwardly to wide open positions when the flow of carbonated fluid into said chambers stops. 1

7. In a delivery means for carbonated fluid, a valve chamber having annular top and bottom surfaces for the discharge of carbonated fluid therefrom through the open portions of said annular surfaces, a second valve chamber mounted beneath said first valve chamber and adapted to receive carbonated fluid discharged through the annular bottom surface of said first valve chamber, said second valve chamber having a plurality of restricted passageways therein for the discharge of carbonated fluid therethrough, and said passageways being so proportioned as to restrict the passage of carbonated fluid therefrom and to build up a pressure in said second chamher, a balanced double valve having a valve disk mounted within said first mentioned chamber and movable into position to form a thin orifice between the top of said valve disk and the bottom of said top annular surface of said chamber to deliver carbonated fluid through the open portion of said annular surface in the form of a thin film-like spray, a valve stem depending from said valve disk into said second valve chamber and having another valve disk mounted thereon in said second chamber and movable into position to form a thin orifice between the bottom of said bottom annular surface. and the top of said valve disk to deliver carbonated fluid through the open portion of said annular surface in the form of a thin film-like spray, to cause the car bonated fluid to build up a predetermined back pressure therein, and passageways for the carbonated fluid leading into said first chamber and arranged to direct jets of carbonated fluid on the bottom of said upper valve disk, to initially move said double valve into position to form said thin orifices leading out of said first valve chamber, the back pressure on said lower valve disk in said second chamber serving to hold said valves in said predetermined position, and said valve disks moving to a wide open position to permit said valvesto clean themselves when the fiow of carbonated fluid into said chambers stops.

NORMAN L. LUS'IER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are. of record in the file of this patent:

v UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Rice Jan. 2, 1940

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