Abstract: A pressure vessel, a system and/or a method dispense a comestible mixture. The pressure vessel, the system and/or the method are used to cool, freeze and/or entrain a gas into the comestible mixture before dispensing the same. The pressure vessel may have a lid and a body that are connected to form an air-tight compartment. The compartment is sized to receive a deformable bag of the comestible mixture. The bag has an opening to communicate the comestible mixture from the bag and/or the compartment through a hole in the lid. The pressure vessel, the system and/or the method has a compressor or other source of a compressed gas a hose to communicate the compressed gas from the compressor into the compartment. Further, the hose communicates the compressed gas to a freezing chamber and/or a cooling chamber of the machine. The pressure vessel, the system and/or the method has a tube to communicate the comestible mixture from the bag to the freezing chamber and/or the cooling chamber.

Abstract: A pressure vessel, a system and/or a method dispense a comestible mixture. The pressure vessel, the system and/or the method are used to cool, freeze and/or entrain a gas into the comestible mixture before dispensing the same. The pressure vessel may have a lid and a body that are connected to form an air-tight compartment. The compartment is sized to receive a deformable bag of the comestible mixture. The bag has an opening to communicate the comestible mixture from the bag and/or the compartment through a hole in, the lid. The pressure vessel, the system and/or the method has a compressor or other source of a compressed gas a hose to communicate the compressed gas from the compressor into the compartment. Further, the hose communicates the compressed gas to a freezing chamber and/or a cooling chamber of the machine. The pressure vessel, the system and/or the method has a tube to communicate the comestible mixture from the bag to the freezing chamber and/or the cooling chamber.

Abstract: A pressure vessel, a system and/or a method dispense a comestible mixture. The pressure vessel, the system and/or the method are used to cool, freeze and/or entrain a gas into the comestible mixture before dispensing the same. The pressure vessel may have a lid and a body that are connected to form an air-tight compartment. The compartment is sized to receive a deformable bag of the comestible mixture. The bag has an opening to communicate the comestible mixture from the bag and/or the compartment through a hole in the lid. The pressure vessel, the system and/or the method has a compressor or other source of a compressed gas a hose to communicate the compressed gas from the compressor into the compartment. Further, the hose communicates the compressed gas to a freezing chamber and/or a cooling chamber of the machine. The pressure vessel, the system and/or the method has a tube to communicate the comestible mixture from the bag to the freezing chamber and/or the cooling chamber.

Abstract: A pressure vessel, a system and/or a method dispense a comestible mixture. The pressure vessel, the system and/or the method are used to cool, freeze and/or entrain a gas into the comestible mixture before dispensing the same. The pressure vessel may have a lid and a body that are connected to form an air-tight compartment. The compartment is sized to receive a deformable bag of the comestible mixture. The bag has an opening to communicate the comestible mixture from the bag and/or the compartment through a hole in the lid. The pressure vessel, the system and/or the method has a compressor or other source of a compressed gas a hose to communicate the compressed gas from the compressor into the compartment. Further, the hose communicates the compressed gas to a freezing chamber and/or a cooling chamber of the machine. The pressure vessel, the system and/or the method has a tube to communicate the comestible mixture from the bag to the freezing chamber and/or the cooling chamber.

Abstract: A vending apparatus for dispensing trays of hot food is provided with a vertical stack of the compartments for storing and heating the trays of food. Each compartment has a lower support-shelf, under which is an electrical, coil-resistance heater for keeping the food in the tray at a temperature of about 150 degrees F. Opening of the door of a compartment causes the opening of a micro-switch associated with the selected compartment, which opening causes power to be shut off to the solenoid of the compartment. Operatively associated with each compartment is a push-mechanism that causes the selected tray to be partially pushed out of its compartment when the associated door is manually opened. Each push-mechanism has a push-rod coupled through suitable linkage to the door, which push-rod contacts the rear surface of the selected tray for pushing it out as the door is opened.

Abstract: A soft serve ice cream dispensing apparatus includes a tank, a closure plate having an integrally formed dispensing chamber and a recirculation passageway and a dispensing valve. When the dispensing valve is closed, the recirculation passageway is not in communication with the dispensing chamber. This allows the apparatus to recirculate ice cream without causing it to flow through the dispensing chamber. During recirculation, the ice cream is recirculated in an open loop consisting of the recirculation passageway, a hollow tube and the tank. The hollow tube is in flow communication with the recirculation chamber, formed in the closure plate, and the interior of the tank and extends approximpately one-third of the distance into the tank. An important aspect of the invention relates to the simplicity and reduced number of parts of the recirculation system which significantly facilitates cleaning.

Abstract: An overrun-producing gas such as nitrous oxide is introduced into a lower portion of a tank containing unfrozen ice cream mix at elevated pressure, until sufficient gas is entrained in the ice cream mix to provide the desired overrun. The gas may be collected at an upper portion of the tank and recirculated back into the lower portion of the tank. Pressurized air may also be introduced through the top of the tank while the gas-entrained contents are dispensed into pressurized containers, to maintain a predetermined pressure thereon.

Abstract: New and unexpected control is achieved over the ratio of food ice mix/air directed from a food ice mix container to a freezer chamber. A one-way float valve is disposed within the channel between the food mix container and the freezer chamber. Float valve apparatus is operative within the food mix container capable of automatically adjusting the size of a food mix port or aperture extending in fluid communication with the freezer chamber so that as the level of food mix in the food mix container becomes lower, the size of the food mix port becomes larger to maintain a constant flow rate of food ice mix from the food mix container into the freezer chamber. Level indicating apparatus is operatively associated with the float including a vertically movable elongated member extending above a cover on the food mix container such that when the level of the food ice mix drops, the elongated level indicator similarly drops.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are disclosed for actuating a desired device, such as a switch controlling a pump, in response to a predetermined pressure condition in a selected environment of varying pressure, such as closed vessel. A tube having a flattened segment of deformable material is disposed in fluid communication with the selected environment and a flattened segment of the tube is inserted between a tube support surface and a movable tube segment compression member. When the flattened tube segment expands in response to an increased pressure condition within the monitored environment, the tube segment compression member moves to actuate the device.The flattened tube segment unexpectedly improves the precision and consistency in actuating the device exactly at the predetermined pressure condition.