Imi Wilshire Inc.

Wilshire Partners

The Coca-Cola Company

Brian C Jones

Jeffrey Alan Rutchik

Robert Allen Crosby, Jr

David George Kmetz

Lawrence Blair Ziesel

Robert J Bordonaro

Peter Currier

Richard Norman Chasse

Steven T Jersey

Combined ice and beverage dispenser

The present invention concerns a combination ice chute and ice bin covering door for directing ice into the ice storage area of an ice or beverage dispenser. The ice chute cover is pivotally secured to a top surface of the beverage dispenser so that it can move from a closed position to an ice directing/loading position. In the closed position the ice chute cover serves to cover an opening to the ice storage area of the dispenser. A handle on the chute cover can be grasped to manually swing it between both positions. In the ice loading position a portion of the chute extends outward of the perimeter of the beverage dispenser. In operation, the handle is used to move the chute cover from the closed position to the loading position. A bucket of ice can then be lifted so that the open end thereof rests on the lip of the chute cover. The bucket can then be tipped upward so as to empty its ice contents onto the bottom surface of the chute cover. The ice then flows along the bottom surface and is directed thereby towards the back edge, where it then falls into the ice retaining area of the dispenser.

Apparatus and method for loading ice into a storage bin

A dispenser includes a plurality of beverage dispensing valves mounted thereto along a front end thereof Each valve includes an air switch that is pneumatically operable to turn its associated valve on and off. An equal plurality of air actuators are secured to an elongate panel hingedly secured to the dispenser front surface. Each air actuator includes a pressurized chamber and a pliable front surface. Flexible tubes extend between the air switches and the air actuators for communicating pneumatic pressure there between. The air actuators include a graphics layer secured to the front surfaces thereof. In operation, a front surface an air actuator is depressed manually whereby pneumatic pressure created thereby in the pressurized chamber is communicated by the tube thereof to its particular air switch. The air switch then serves to operate a solenoid of the valve with which it is associated, resulting in dispensing of the beverage. Release of pressure on the actuator front surface breaks the electrical connection stopping dispensing.

Beverage dispenser having improved actuator mechanism

A beverage dispenser with a carbonator and water pump provides improved flow of water for dispensing non-carbonated drinks. When a non-carbonated drink is dispensed a valve in a pump bypass line opens allowing water to flow around the pump rather than through it.

Combined carbonated and non-carbonated beverage dispenser

A premix beverage dispensing apparatus is provided with an adapter to eliminate the standard threaded connection between dispensing valves and a premix beverage dispensing tower. The adapter includes a plug-in connector fitting welded at the outlet of the beverage conduit on the dispensing tower and an adapter fitting having one end threaded into the dispensing valve and the other end engaging the plug-in connector fitting.

Premix beverage dispenser

An ice bank control for use in controlling the size of an ice bank in an ice water tank in a beverage dispenser utilizes an especially constructed probe having a sealed tubular member containing an electrolyte treated water well therein. An electrode extends into the water well and a ground is in contact with the water well so that the probe senses the existence of ice at a point within the tank while the tubular member insulates the electrode and ground from contact, electrical and physical, with the contents of the ice water tank.

Ice bank control for a beverage dispensing machine

A plain water boost system for a carbonated beverage dispenser provides for a pressure boost of plain water to be dispensed without the need for a second pump. A pressure regulator protected by an isolation valve is actuated when plain water is dispensed to reduce the output pressure of the carbonator input pump to an appropriate level for dispensing pressure boosted plain water.

Plain water pressure boost system for a carbonated beverage dispenser

A removable ice bank probe assembly includes a guide tube mounted through an opening in the deck of a refrigeration unit and secured to an evaporator coil of the unit disposed within a water bath of a post-mix beverage dispenser. The removable assembly also includes an elongated rod for supporting an ice bank probe at a bottom end thereof and a transverse arm at the top end thereof which fits in a key slot in the top of the guide tube in order to accurately align the probe assembly within the refrigeration unit. The upper transverse arm may be gripped by the fingers of an operator to quickly remove the probe when repair or servicing is needed. The probe may then be easily reinserted into the guide tube and positioned via the transverse arm and slot in a proper alignment with respect to the evaporator coils which form the ice bank which it monitors. In addition, an ice bank probe protection bracket includes a wire form cage which surrounds the ice bank probe secured to the evaporator coils of a removable refrigeration unit in order to protect the ice bank probe during servicing of the refrigeration unit.

Growing community of inventors

Collinsville, CT, United States of America

Brian C Jones