Abstract: An ice cooled beverage dispensing apparatus including an L-shaped cold plate having a horizontal portion and a vertical portion. The cold plate includes a plurality of beverage lines extending therethrough and, in particular, extending vertically through the vertical portion of the cold plate. The beverage fluid lines provide for connecting between a plurality of beverage dispensing valves and the cold plate. A heat tube extends partially into the cold plate vertical portion and terminates with an evaporative cooling tube portion adjacent a carbonated water manifold extending adjacent the beverage dispensing valves. A carbonator is integral with the cold plate and located generally at the juncture of the vertical and horizontal portions. Metal thermal jackets cover the portions of the beverage fluid lines extending between the cold plate and the beverage dispensing valves. In operation, the heat tube provides for evaporating cooling of the manifold.

Abstract: The present invention concerns improvements in electric defrost heaters used in frozen carbonated beverage machines. The frozen carbonated beverage machine includes freeze cylinders used to produce the frozen beverage. One or more tubes are secured in heat exchange relationship along the exterior of the freeze cylinder. Cartridge type heating elements are releasably insertable into the tubes to provide for defrosting of the beverage in the freeze cylinder.

Abstract: A conveyor for providing motion of a wheeled cart, and the like, through a curve. A rigid frame supports a central fixed support and a pair of wheel guides on either side thereof. A mounting rail is slideably secured to the central support and includes a plurality of gravity dogs pivotally secured thereto. The central support, mounting rail and cart wheel guides extend through a common arc. A cylinder drive, is pivotally secured on one end to the main mount rail, and on an opposite end thereof to the frame. A control provides for alternate extension and retraction of the cylinder to provide for a back and forth ratcheting motion of the main mount rail with respect to the central support. The double pivot mounting of the drive cylinder provides for converting the linear motion thereof to the radial motion of the main mount rail relative to the central mount rail support.

Abstract: The present invention is a beverage dispensing valve having an exterior housing consisting of a main housing cover and an access plate slideably engageable therewith. The access plate houses electronics for controlling the operation of the valve wherein the electronic control is electrically connected to a power source and an operating solenoid through a plug connection. The plug connection provides for complete removal of the access plate from the remainder of the valve.

Abstract: The present invention is a beverage dispenser having a low overall vertical height profile. The dispenser includes a water bath tank. The tank volume is enclosed along a top surface thereof by a support plate. A condenser extends horizontally with and adjacent to a top surface of the support plate. A motor is secured to the top plate and includes a shaft with a blade on one end thereof for agitating the water held within the water bath, and includes a condenser cooling fan on the opposite end of the shaft thereof for cooling the condenser. An evaporator is located in the tank horizontally with and closely adjacent to the tank bottom surface. An elongate carbonator extends lengthwise in a substantially horizontal manner in the tank and is located therein between the support plate and the evaporator. In one embodiment, the level of water within the carbonator is regulated by the buoyancy level of the carbonator in the tank.

Abstract: A wheel lock mechanism for use in carts and the like for releasably locking an opposed pair of swivel caster wheels of such carts. The present invention includes a lever arm extending outwardly from the cart operable by the foot of an operator for moving a locking mechanism between a wheel locking position and a free wheeling position.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for electronically controlling the size of an ice bank, particularly as used in beverage dispensing equipment. A single pair of probes provide for both establishing a reference conductivity value of the water so that the present invention is adaptable to a wide variance in water qualities. In addition, the single pair of sensors also provide for sensing the physical size of the ice bank.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing carbonating of water. The apparatus including a carbonating tank having a carbon dioxide inlet, a water inlet, and a carbonated water outlet. The carbonating tank is pivotally mounted to a rigid structure and connected to an electric motor for providing an undulating or rocking motion of the carbonator about its pivot mounting. The motion of the carbonating tank providing for carbonating of the water held therein.

Abstract: The present invention is a post-mix beverage dispensing valve for accurately maintaining the proper ratio of two liquid beverage components. The present invention includes a valve main body having a gear pump secured thereto. The gear pump includes two sets of oval gears. One set of oval gears is in fluid communication with a source of pressurized carbonated water, and the second set is in fluid communication with a source of syrup. The valve body also includes solenoid operated pallet valves for each of the beverage components. Ratioing of the solenoid provides for simultaneous opening of both pallet valves whereby the pressurized carbonated water flows between the carbonated water gears and is swept thereby through the valve body to the dispensing nozzle. One gear of each gear pair is secured to a common rotating shaft. Pressurized carbonated water provides for the rotation of the syrup gears, thereby providing for the pumping of the syrup to the nozzle.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a device sequence for burning waste oil and includes a circulating system having a pump for circulating the oil therein and a heater for heating the oil to a suitable combustion temperature during this circulation. A combustion oil system is included for diverting a portion of the circulating oil to an atomizing gun for combination therein with a source of atomizing air. The gun includes a heat exchange body portion in fluid communication with the circulating system. A linear actuator is included having a rod with a needle end that is operated by the actuator in a linear manner along the central axis of the atomizing gun for extending through the injection orifice for providing mechanical cleaning thereof and for regulating oil flow therethrough. The present invention includes a control system for regulating the operation thereof. In particular, oil is heated and circulated prior to diversion to the combustion system which also allows for pre-heating of the atomizing gun.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dispensing beverage with programmable electronic portion control of one or more serving sizes has the steps of and apparatus for placing a discrete magnet adjacent the electronic control, the control having a reed switch which changes state under influence of the field of the magnet and switches the control from a normal select and dispense mode to an alternative hold and program mode.

Abstract: A beverage dispensing valve primarily for post-mix has a valve body that will accept all known types of beverage flow controls, water and syrup valves that are interchangeable in either of two fluid ports, a reversible block between the valves and a nozzle that enables syrup to be used in either port and water to be used in either port, a positively sealing and easily removable nozzle for improved sanitation and mixing, and multiple fulcrums in the valve body that will respectively accept a manual actuator or a switch actuator and a solenoid driven actuator.

Abstract: A novel thermoplastic manifold and thermoplastic fluid fittings for the distribution of fluids, such as pressurized carbonated water, has an elongate tubular thermoplastic conduit with a plurality of apertures spaced along its length for receiving the thermoplastic fittings. Each fitting has a spud extending from one end thereof with a sonic energy director around the perimeter thereof. The fittings also include a saddle portion having a pair of arcuate sonic energy directing ridges thereon spaced on each side of the spud. Each fitting is fastened and sealed to the conduit by the sonic welding of the spud perimeter to the conduit aperture perimeter followed by the sonic welding of the saddle to the exterior surface of the tube.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method and tools for forming sheet metal, and in particular, a method for making a chase top from a stock rectangular piece of sheet metal. Creasing tools are described that each have a handle member and a creasing wheel suspended therefrom cooperates with a support lip to form first and second crease lines and first and second flange areas along each perimeter edge of the workpiece. A reinforcing ridge tool is shown having a handle member with a wheel rotatively suspended therefrom is used to indent the sheet metal along desired lines inwardly of the crease lines to form reinforing ridges. A bending tool is described having cooperating bending members for clamping the workpiece along each second crease line for bending the workpiece there along to form vertical wall portions.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for maintaining cold carbonated water in a beverage dispensing device so that unacceptably warm water is not dispensed therefrom. A modified beverage dispensing apparatus is shown including a carbonated water supply, a cold plate, a cabonated water supply line extending through the cold plate, and in fluid communication with a carbonated water plenum immediately adjacent and in fluid communication with a plurality of beverage dispensing valves. An electronic control device connected to a temperature sensing thermostat located in the plenum and to a solenoid discharge valve of the plenum. The control device is also connected to a temperature sensing thermostat in the cold plate and to a pressure sensor located in the line between the source of compressed carbon dioxide and the carbonated water reservoir.

Abstract: A self feeding peg and pegbar have a pair of elongate parallel support members extending outward from a mounting structure to a common nose, a goods pusher slideably mounted upon the support members, and a negator spring having a coil behind the pusher and a fixed end secured to the peg nose. The method has the step of pulling the pusher and goods forward with the negator spring being extended through the goods.

Abstract: The present invention concerns improvements in the electronic control of frozen carbonated beverage machines and improvements in electric defrost heaters used therein. A control scheme is shown that provides for accurately determining the viscosity of a semi-frozen beverage as a function of the torque of a drive motor used in the harvesting and mixing thereof. The torque is first calculated based upon the current and voltage to the motor and the phase difference there between. The torque is adjusted to compensate for motor efficiency after which the net torque value is converted to a viscosity scale. The viscosity scale has a zero value relating to the net torque experienced by the motor when the beverage is known to be completely liquid. Viscosity is maintained within a narrow range based upon pre-defined three level low, medium and high viscosity sets, and wherein compressor short-cycling is eliminated.

Abstract: A receptacle tray for permitting the filling of oversized receptacles by a beverage dispenser designed for the filling of standard sized receptacles. The receptacle tray releasably secureable with the dispenser below the valves thereof. The tray having a top surface area the perimeter of which is greater than a standard size dispenser tray. The receptacle tray of the present invention also including a receptacle support. The support of equivalent surface area with that of the tray for resting on the top thereof. The tray surface area substantially greater than a standard sized dispenser tray surface area so that over sized containers can be placed on the receptacle rest and supported thereon.

Abstract: The present invention is a liquid sensing device used for in determining the presence or absence of liquid in a container by the presence or absence of electrical current flow between two conductive probes. Moreover, the present invention prevents the false indication of liquid as can result from the presence of foam, or from bridging of the probes at the proximal ends thereof. A main body portion is formed of an electrically conductive material and has a probe channel extending therethrough. A non-conductive plug is inserted into the proximal end of the probe channel and provides for the retaining of a conductive probe that extends along the central axis of the probe channel. An end cap is secured to the distal end of the main body and covers the distal end of the probe channel for preventing foam access into the probe channel.

Abstract: An automatic cup-filling control arrangement for beverage dispensers utilizes the spray or mist of liquid droplets, formed by flowing beverage striking beverage already in the cup, to complete an electrical circuit. This electrical circuit extends from an electrically conducting member, such as an actuating lever, to beverage flowing through a dispensing valve. When the mist of droplets permits a pre-established magnitude of current to flow between the actuating lever and the flowing beverage, which occurs when beverage in the cup reaches a pre-determined level, dispensing of the beverage is terminated.