Apparatus for dispensing beverages

An apparatus for dispensing semi-frozen beverages containing water, flavoring syrup and a food-grade gas comprising, a freezing chamber having a rotary beater therein for freezing a semi-frozen beverage, a dispensing valve connected to the freezing chamber for dispensing beverage therefrom, beverage delivery means including a mixed beverage delivery line for conveying mixed beverage to the freezing chamber, water storage means for storing a quantity of water and having a gas inlet and water feed line, syrup storage means for storing a quantity of flavoring syrup and having a gas inlet and a syrup feed line, water flow restricting means connecting the water feed line to said beverage delivery line, a syrup filter having a filter inlet and a filter outlet and a syrup flow restricting means connecting the outlet of the syrup filter to said beverage delivery line, a syrup control valve means having a first connection to the syrup feed line and a second connection to the filter inlet and a drain connection, said syrup control valve means including means selectively movable from a normal position communicating said first connection with said second connection while blocking flow through the drain connection and back flush position blocking flow through the first connection while communicating the second connection with the drain connection, gas pressurizing means including a source of food-grade gas for supplying gas under a preselected substantially constant pressure to said gas inlet of said water storage means to feed water under the gas pressure through the water feed line and water flow restricting means to the beverage delivery line, said gas pressurizing means including means for supplying gas under substantially the same preselected pressure to said gas inlet of said syrup storage means to feed syrup under the gas pressure through the syrup feed line and in one direction through the filter and flow restricting means to the beverage delivery line when said syrup control valve is in its normal position, said syrup control valve being operative in its back flush position to block the flow of the syrup from a syrup feed line and to communicate the filter inlet with the drain connection whereby water under the gas pressure from the water feed line will flow in the other direction through the syrup flow restricting means and syrup filter to drain to back flush the same.