Abstract: A liquid sensor system particularly suitable for commercial washing machines for drinking glasses and soft drink dispensers employs a capacitive detector providing a tortuous path through which the liquid passes and constituting part of the dielectric of the resultant capacitor. The pumps supplying the liquid through the capacitor to the dispensing means are controlled in accordance with the capacitance, as measured by a circuit. A preferred measuring circuit comprises a pulse generator; one series of pulses split from the generator output is delayed by a fixed period and fed to a flip-flop, while the second series also from the generator output are delayed by a period dependent upon the sensor capacitance and are also fed to the flip-flop, the output of which is dependent upon which series of pulses is in advance of the other. The circuit also provides for automatic adjustment of its sensitivity upon start-up or reset to adjust for differences in the sensors and the liquids.

Abstract: The invention provides a compact automatically operating distillation apparatus comprising a baseplate that will free-stand, but is more usually located on a reservoir to receive the distillate, which usually is water. A boiler container having an electric heater is removably mounted on a support, which is movably mounted on the baseplate with the weight of the container and the water opposed by a spring. The support operates electric switches that open a solenoid-operated valve to supply water to the boiler when its weight decreases a predetermined amount, and that will switch off the heater if the boiler has insufficient water. The output of the boiler goes to a condenser coil which is supplied with cooling air by a fan. A float in the reservoir controls another switch that will stop operation when the reservoir is full.

Abstract: A machine for washing drinking glasses has a conveyor upon which the glasses are conveyed from a loading zone through wash and rinse zones to an unloading zone. The machine may be operated on a continuous basis or it may be operated on a timed cycle basis, or it may be operated intermittently, being stopped by detector mechanism sensing the arrival of a glass at the unloading zone.

Abstract: A framing unit is provided for holding together a plurality of rectangular structures placed side by side, such as vending machines, so that they form a monolithic unit. At the same time the unit provides a decorative surround and conceals the fact that the units are not of uniform height. The unit consists of two end panels which are big enough to cover the ends, a top cross member to which the end panels are fastened, an intervening spacer member between each two adjacent structures also fastened to the top cross member, and a depending front member that conceals the top edges and presents a uniform top edge. The front member is hinged to the top cross member so that it can be lifted from the depending position to one in which it is clear of the structure fronts and will not block opening of the front doors of the structures when these reach to the top edges thereof.

Abstract: A dishwasher of the batch type is provided with vent means to atmosphere to relieve pressure build-up in its interior. The vent means consist of a vent structure disposed to one side of a front-opening door, preferably one on either side, this structure providing a horizontal vent passage that intersects a vertical drain passage leading to the dishwasher sump. The structure is formed by three elongated members of various shapes, that fit together to provide two separate drain channels of the drain passage, and that also provide a channel receiving and supporting the door side sealing gaskets.

Abstract: An electrically operated vending machine is electrically associated with a microwave oven so that use of the oven is permitted only upon the vending of a food item from the vending machine and for a specified period of time after such vending. The vending machine incorporates an electrical outlet to which the microwave oven is connected, a first relay which causes energization the outlet when an item is vended, and a second relay which energizes the outlet and maintains the energization of the oven provided that operation of the oven is commenced within a predetermined time after the vending of a purchase from the machine.