Device for concurrent delivery of measured quantities of at least two liquids

• US 5,899,245 A
• Filed: 01/09/1998
• Issued: 05/04/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: R&A Bailey Company Limited
• Original Assignee: R and A Bailey & Company Limited
• Inventors: Bycroft, Vaughan, Wrigley, Andrew Nicholson
• Primary Examiner(s): JACYNA, J CASIMER
• Application Number:
  US08/945,728
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• Field of Search: 141/9, 141/100, 141/351, 141/360-362, 222/129.3, 222/129.4, 222/426-430, 222/442, 222/449-451, 222/453
• US Class Current: 141/100
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 3/02 Liquid-dispensing valves having operating members arranged to be pressed upwards, e.g. by the rims of receptacles held below the delivery orifice
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 11/32 for liquid or semiliquid

Abstract

A measure for dispensing measured quantities of two liquors from a pair of bottles has a pair of measuring and receiving bowls associated with the bottles. Sleeves engage within necks of the bottles for delivery of liquid from each bottle to an associated bowl. Valve members in each bowl have normally open inlet liquid seals which cooperate with the sleeves to control filling of the bowls. Outlet liquid seals on the valve members normally close liquid outlets of the bowls. An actuating lever is operable to raise the valve members, moving the seals upwardly for opening the outlets and closing the inlets of the bowls. Thus, liquid measures flow from the bowls substantially concurrently into a glass or the like placed below the liquid outlets. The outlets are arranged to direct the two liquids to opposite sides of the glass so that the liquids remain separated within the glass. Release of the actuating lever drops the valve members closing the liquid outlets and opening the inlets for recharging the bowls.

Claims

1. A dispensing measure for substantially concurrent delivery of measured quantities of at least two different liquids from associated containers, the measure comprising:

a head part having separate engagement means for engagement with the necks of adjacent containers, each engagement means having a liquid inlet closable by a liquid inlet valve means;

a measuring receiving bowl associated with each liquid inlet, each measuring receiving bowl having an air passageway closable by an air valve means, and a liquid outlet closable by a liquid valve outlet means; and

actuating means for simultaneously operating the outlet valve means to deliver measured quantities of liquids from at least two of the measuring receiving bowls.

the liquid outlets being arranged for substantially direct delivery of separate divergent streams of the liquids from the measuring receiving bowls into a receptacle without mixing to provide a layered effect in the receptacle with one liquid layer lying on top of the second liquid layer.

2. A dispensing measure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the liquid outlets are arranged for delivery of the liquids to opposite sides of a receptacle.

3. A dispensing measure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the angle between the axes through adjacent liquid outlets is at least 90°

.

4. A dispensing measure as claimed in claim 3, wherein the angle is approximately 120°

.

5. A dispensing measure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the liquid outlets are at substantially the same level.

6. A dispensing measure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the liquid valve means comprises a liquid valve member extending through the measuring receiving bowl from the liquid outlet to the liquid inlet, the valve member being movable in the measuring receiving bowl by the actuating means from a closed position in which the liquid outlet is sealed to an open position in which liquid is delivered from the measuring receiving bowl.

7. A dispensing measure as claimed in claim 6, wherein the valve member is movable by the actuating means from a normally closed position in which the liquid outlet is sealed to a released open position for delivery of liquid from the measuring receiving bowl.

8. A dispensing measure as claimed in claim 6, wherein the air valve means comprises an air valve member extending through an air inlet to the measuring receiving bowl, the air valve member being movable in the measuring receiving bowl by the actuating means from a closed position in which the liquid outlet is closed to an open position in which air may pass into the measuring receiving bowl.

9. A dispensing measure as claimed in claim 8, wherein the air valve member is fixed to the liquid valve member for simultaneous movement of the valve members on operation of the actuating means.

10. A dispensing measure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuating means is operable by a receptacle into which the liquids are to be delivered.

11. A dispensing measure as claimed in claim 10, wherein the actuating means comprises an actuating lever having engagement means for engaging by a receptacle.

12. A dispensing measure as claimed in claim 11, wherein the engagement means comprises a receptacle receiving recess.

13. A dispensing measure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuation means includes an actuating linkage, the linkage having means to receive the actuating lever and means to engage the valve means for movement of the valve means between open and closed positions.

14. A dispensing measure as claimed in claim 13, wherein the valve means includes an actuation shroud to which a valve member is fixedly mounted, the actuation shroud being engageable by the actuating lever to move the shroud and hence the valve member between open and closed positions.

15. A dispensing measure as claimed in claim 14, wherein the actuation shroud is biased towards a liquid outlet valve closing position.

16. A dispensing measure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each liquid inlet comprises a passage, the liquid inlet valve being slidably mounted in said passage, the liquid inlet valve having a valve stem of cruciform cross section extending through the passage with a valve member at a lower end of the stem for sealing engagement with an outlet of the passage.

17. A dispensing measure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the liquid inlet valve and the liquid outlet valve are interconnected for synchronous operation.

18. A dispensing measure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the relative volumes of the measuring receiving bowls being in a preselected desired ratio.