Abstract:
920,843. Dispensing carbonated soft drinks. VENDO CO., and COCA-COLA CO. June 21, 1960, No. 21653/60. Class 116. [Also in Group XIII] In a method of keeping arid dispensing carbonated soft drinks containers filled with the drinks are cooled to within a predetermined temperature range and placed while still at the cooled temperature in direct communication with a container containing carbon dioxide under pressure, the soft drink being dispensed by opening a valve on the soft drink container and the temperature of the soft drink in the container and the pressure of carbon dioxide thereon being maintained constant. The temperature to which the soft drink containers are cooled is less than 40‹ F. and preferably from 36‹ F. down to a temperature just above the freezing point of the soft drink. The pressure of the carbon dioxide is preferably from 24- 18 p.s.i.g. Apparatus for carrying out the method comprises an insulated cabinet 12 containing a refrigerating unit in a top portion thereof and having the lower portion divided into two compartments by a shelf 88 of reticulated metal. Containers 90 of soft drink to be cooled are placed on the shelf 88 and previously cooled containers 96 are placed on the bottom of the cabinet and connected by lines 110 to a cylinder 106 containing carbon dioxide. Soft drinks are fed from the containers 96 by lines 112 to a valve (not shown) operated by a coin mechanism of known type. A fan 78 (Fig. 6) circulates air cooled by the refrigeration unit within the cabinet via a duct 86. The cooled air is discharged at a point above the shelf 88 and at the base of the cabinet and in amounts regulated by the number of openings 92, 94 (Fig. 5) in the wall 62 of duct 86 and by the number of tubular ducts 70 extending downwardly from the wall 66 closing the base of the duct 86. Ducts 70 are open at each end and also have openings 100 as shown. In a modified form of cabinet (Fig. 8, not shown) cooled air is circulated to the cabinet above and below the shelf on which the soft drink containers are initially cooled by separate fans each being associated with a duct delivering air to the appropriate part of the cabinet and controlled by a thermostat. In a further modification (Fig. 10, not shown) the proportion of cooled air delivered to the two parts of the cabinet storing soft drink containers is controlled by a thermostatically controlled flap valve.