Abstract: Apparatus for blending and dispensing liquids, e.g., beverage concentrate and water, using cylinders and pistons, the apparatus including magnetic position sensors to terminate piston strokes, a mixing chamber including repeated flow restrictions and flow diverters, a beverage concentrate bag having an engageable structure at its top and a drainage portion at its bottom, a two-piece fitting for connecting the concentrate bag to a supply line to a cylinder, a bag support structure movable between an operational position in which the bag is suspended and a loading position in which the bag is supported along its side, a multiple piece piston rod threadedly connecting a piston between rod pieces, and a symmetrical arrangement of ports and an annular groove to symmetrically distribute liquid between a cylinder end wall and a piston against it.

Abstract: A liquid discharge nozzle that dispenses liquid upon demand in a quantity that matches the volumetric capacity of the cup used to activate the nozzle. The nozzle has a first and second pair of diametrically opposed switch members that are disposed radially inwardly and outwardly, respectively, of an annular divider wall that depends to a bottom wall of the nozzle housing. The rim of a cup having a diameter less than the diameter of the divider wall engages the radially inwardly disposed switch members. The switch members, when so engaged or activated, make a call for service which results in the dispensing of the correct volume of liquid for that cup. The rim of a cup having a diameter greater than the diameter of the divider wall engages the radially outwardly positioned switch members which switch members when actuated cause liquid to be dispensed into the cup in the proper amount for that cup.

Abstract: A fill and seal machine designed to charge liquid products into open-topped containers of predetermined configurations and dimensions and to apply closure members to such containers after the charging operation. An incrementally rotatable carrier disc disposed in communicating relation to a plurality of work stations has a plurality of circumferentially spaced dished portions that communicate with the periphery of the carrier disc, said dished portions successively receiving and transiently retaining individual ones of the containers. A lid delivery assembly for supplying the closure members to conventionally filled containers also provides the lid-sealing function. The novel capping operation is performed by the lid delivery assembly that is angularly disposed at a critical angle relative to the vertical. The filled and sealed containers are removed from the container carrying disc by a passive sweeping arm disposed in path-interruptive relation to such containers.

Abstract: An apparatus of the prime mover type for reconstituting a liquid concentrate. Water under pressure, supplied by a municipal system, alternately flows into and out of opposite ends of a first cylinder in which a double-acting piston is slideably mounted, thereby reciprocating the same. From the first cylinder, the water flows to a collection hopper where it is mixed with a concentrate requiring reconstitution.The concentrate is pumped to the collection hopper by a single-acting piston means, disposed in a second cylinder, that is mechanically connected to the double-acting piston. The displacement volumes of the first and second cylinders are the same so that each cycle of the double acting piston pumps two parts of water into the collection hopper for every one part of concentrate pumped thereinto by the single-acting piston.