Abstract: Plural liquid containing bottles of differing sizes are simultaneously held in a cabinet in an inverted position so that the liquid flows by gravity from an orifice at the top of each bottle. A tension spring controls the vertical position of a first, fixed bearing surface for the top of each bottle relative to a second bearing surface for the bottom of the bottle to facilitate insertion of different sized bottles between the surfaces. A valve is selectively opened to enable liquid to be dispensed by gravity from the bottle through a dispensing tube extending through a stopper in the orifice. A vent tube attached to the stopper has an open end exposed to the atmosphere above a liquid-air interface in the bottle to assure the flow of liquid to the valve. The second surface carries the stopper and is on a plate that is detachable from the remainder of the holding structure and is horizontally slidable toward and away from a door through which bottles are inserted into the cabinet.

Abstract: The amount of beverage dispensed from each of a plurality of reservoirs in units at a plurality of remote locations, such as hotel rooms, is controlled and indicated. A central console, such as a hotel front desk, includes a keyboard for deriving data and command signals, as well as a data processor that responds to the data and command signals to derive addressing and command signals for the units. A display at the central console responds to the keyboard data and command signals to display the keyboard data signals, as well as data signals derived from addressed units. At each of the units, a liquid flow controller for each reservoir responds to an output of a data processor at the unit. The unit data processor responds to a customer input and command signals from the console to activate the flow controller. In response to a unit being addressed by the console, the unit data processor supplies signals to the console to indicate the amount of beverage dispensed from the reservoirs.