Beverage dispensing system

• US 3,995,441 A
• Filed: 07/15/1975
• Issued: 12/07/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cornelius Co. (Minnesota) (IMI PLC)
• Original Assignee: Cornelius Co. (Minnesota) (IMI PLC)
• Inventors: McMillin, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wayner, William E.
• Application Number:
  US05/596,174
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 62/177, 62/179, 62/180, 62/399, 62/503, 62/200, 62/390, 62/525, 236/99 D
• US Class Current: 62/177
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/005 with means for converging streams
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/07 Cleaning beverage-dispensing apparatus B67D1/0834, B67D1/0837 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0861 the evaporator acting through an intermediate heat transfer means
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 2210/00104 Cooling only
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 31/002 Liquid coolers, e.g. beverage cooler receptacle coolers F25D31/006

Abstract

A beverage dispensing system has a water line to be connected to a source of water, a refrigeration evaporator line extending through and along a length of the water line, and a thermostatic control that has a sensing element extending along refrigerated portions of the water line.

Claims

1. A refrigeration system for first and second sources of beverage ingredient, comprising:

a. a condensor;

b. a refrigeration compressor having a discharge connection to said condensor;

c. a first evaporator adapted to be in heat exchange relationship with the first source of beverage ingredient;

d. a second evaporator adapted to be in heat exchange relationship with the second source of beverage ingredient;

e. a refrigeration line, including a first capillary tube, connected at its upstream end to said condensor;

f. a valve interconnecting the downstream end of said line to said first evaporator;

g. a further refrigeration line, including a second capillary tube, interconnecting said downstream end of said first-named line to said second evaporator;

h. an accumulator;

i. a first suction line from said first evaporator and a second suction line from said second evaporator, both of said suction lines being connected to said accumulator, and a further suction line from said accumulator to said compressor; and

j. thermostatic control means adapted to sense the temperature of beverage ingredient in the first source, and connected to actuate said valve and said compressor.

2. A refrigeration system according to claim 1 in which said second capillary tube is sized to have a greater restriction to refrigerant flow than said first capillary tube.

3. A refrigeration system according to claim 1 in which said first evaporator is a helical coil and said accumulator is disposed centrally of said coil.

4. A refrigeration system according to claim 3 in which the turns of said coil extend about a vertical axis, said first suction line extending upwardly in a loop between the lower end of said first evaporator and the lower end of said accumulator for precluding liquid refrigerant from draining from said accumulator into said first evaporator.

5. A refrigeration system according to claim 4 in which said second suction line extends under said coil to the lower end of said accumulator.

6. A beverage mixing and dispensing system, comprising:

a. a water line for being connected at one end to a pressurized source of water, its other end leading to an outlet;

b. a refrigeration system having an evaporator line extending through and along a length of said water line;

c. a thermostatic control for said refrigeration system having a sensing element extending along refrigerated portions of said water line;

d. a source of liquid flavored beverage ingredient;

e. a second evaporator line connected in parallel with said first-named evaporator line and disposed to refrigerate said source of beverage ingredient;

f. a second thermostatic control for said refrigeration system responsive to the temperature of said source of beverage ingredient; and

g. a valve in said first-named evaporator line under the control of said first-named thermostatic control.

7. A beverage dispensing system which includes a supply of water, said supply comprising:

a. a water line a length of which is arranged as a helical coil for being connected at one end to a pressurized source of water, its other end leading to an outlet;

b. a refrigeration system having an evaporator line arranged as a helical coil extending through and along said length of said water line and thus surrounded therby; and

c. a thermostatic control for said refrigeration system having a sensing element being arranged in a zig zag manner and extending along refrigerated portions of said water line in engagement with successive adjacent pairs of turns of the water coil, said sensing element having a longer portion engaging the outlet end of said water coil which is shorter than the portion engaging the inlet end.

8. A beverage dispensing system which includes a supply of water, said supply comprising:

a. a water line a length of which is arranged as a helical coil for being connected at one end to a pressurized source of water, its other end leading to an outlet;

b. a refrigeration system having an evaporator line arranged as a helical coil extending through and along said length of said water line and thus surrounded thereby;

c. a thermostatic control for said refrigeration system having a sensing element being arranged in a zig zag manner and extending along refrigerated portions of said water line in engagement with succesive adjacent pairs of turns of the water coil;

d. an arcuate clamp forcing said sensing element into positive engagement with said successive adjacent pairs of the water coil; and

e. yieldable insulation between said clamp and said sensing element.

9. A beverage dispensing system which includes a supply of water, said supply comprising:

a. a water line a length of which is arranged as a helical coil for being connected at one end to a pressurized source of water, its other end leading to an outlet;

b. a refrigeration system having an evaporator line arranged as a helical coil extending through and along said length of said water line and thus surrounded thereby; and

c. a thermostatic control of the limited vapor fill type for said refrigeration system and having a sensing element, a portion of said sensing element extending along the lengths of and in heat transfer with a plurality of turns at the inlet end of the water coil, another portion of said sensing element extending along the lengths of and in heat transfer with a plurality of turns at the outlet end of the water coil, and an intermediate portion of said sensing element extending transversely to the other turns comprising a central portion of the water coil.

10. A beverage dispensing system according to claim 9 in which said sensing element extends from the top of said water coil to said thermostatic control.

11. A beverage dispensing system according to claim 10 in which the portion of said sensing element which extends through air between said water coil and said thermostatic control is covered with insulation where exposed to surrounding air cooled by said refrigeration system so as not to be affected by the temperature thereof.

12. A beverage dispensing system according to claim 9 in which the refrigeration system includes an accumulator connecting the evaporator to a suction line, said accumulator being disposed in a cylindrical air space of said water line coil in radially spaced non-heat-transfer relation thereto.

13. A beverage dispensing system which includes a supply of water, said supply comprising:

a. a water line a length of which is arranged as a helical coil for being connected at one end to a pressurized source of water, its other end leading to an outlet;

b. a refrigeration system having an evaporator line arranged as a helical coil extending through and along said length of said water line and thus surrounded thereby; and

c. a thermostatic control of the limited vapor fill type for said refrigeration system and having a sensing element, said sensing element being arranged in a zig-zag manner with horizontal portions thereof each in parallel engagement with successive adjacent pairs of turns of the water coil.

14. A beverage dispensing system according to claim 13 including an arcuate clamp surrounding said sensing element forcing said sensing element into direct positive engagement with said successive adjacent pairs of the water coil.