Abstract: An automated drinkmaker system which is designed to accept an input drink order, as from a cash register, and deliver the drink order, for different sizes and different flavors, with or without ice, completely finished in lidded containers to an output station. The automated drinkmaker system is designed for labor free processing of drink orders in high volume quick service or fast food establishments. The machine is designed around a carousel type of drink transporter which intermittently carries each drink to and from four circularly spaced stations, cup dispensing, ice dispensing, soda dispensing, lid application and marking. The carousel design allows a cup to be dispensed at one station while another cup is being filled with ice at a second station, and yet another is being filled with soda at a third station, etc. The use of carousels is extended to both cup and lid dispensing.

Abstract: An automatic cup dispensing arrangement for separating the bottommost cup from a stack of cups supported in a cup dispenser. The cup dispenser is pivotally mounted about a substantially horizontal pivot, about which the cup dispenser is cyclically pivoted to allow the cup stack to cyclically swing through a dispensing travel arc during a dispensing cycle. A pair of opposed cup separating members are mounted on opposite sides of the stack of cups in the cup dispenser along the dispensing travel arc. The opposed cup separating members are spaced a distance apart substantially equal to the width of a cup just beneath the cup rim, and each of the pair of opposed cup separating members comprises at least one cup separating wedge positioned opposite to a corresponding cup separating wedge in the oppositely positioned cup separating member. The oppositely positioned cup separating wedges cooperate to separate the bottommost cup from the cup stack as the cup dispenser is pivoted along the dispensing travel arc.

Abstract: An automatic lid dispensing and applicator arrangement for an automated drinkmaker machine. The lidding arrangement automatically separates lids from a stack of lids and applies the separated lids onto cups. A large supply of lids is maintained in a rotatable lid supply carousel. A lid shuttle is positioned adjacent the bottom of a lid dispenser, and is supported for linear translating and reciprocating movement between retracted and extended positions. The lid shuttle supports a lid engaging member designed to engage a first bottommost lid of the stack of lids and to retain the first bottommost lid in a first intermediate position in the lid shuttle while the lid shuttle is moved in translation to its extended position. The lid shuttle is then moved in translation to its retracted position, during which the first lid is moved within the lid shuttle to a second loaded position therein beneath a lid applicator supported by the lid shuttle.