CO.sub.2 Supply system for a carbonator device

Abstract

A CO.sub.2 supply system for a carbonator includes a CO.sub.2 cylinder containing a combination of liquid carbon dioxide and gaseous carbon dioxide under pressure at approximately 900 p.s.i.g., an openable end including a valve element disposed in an elongated extension of that end, an adaptor socket for receiving the elongated extension and supporting the cylinder, a pressure regulator connected to the adaptor and a hose coupling the same to a carbonator tank and an elongated tube extending from the open end of the cylinder toward a closed end thereof and terminating at a position spaced from the closed end. The elongated tube is open at both ends to permit the flow of liquid or gas therethrough, depending on the orientation of the CO.sub.2 cylinder. In order to dispense CO.sub.2 gas to a carbonator, the CO.sub.2 cylinder is disposed with its open end down and plugged into the adaptor socket. In this position, CO.sub.2 gas is present in the head space of the CO.sub.2 cylinder adjacent the closed end thereof. Accordingly, this CO.sub.2 gas will flow through the elongated tube out through the open end of the container and the pressure regulator to the carbonator tank. However, if the CO.sub.2 cylinder is inverted with the closed end on the bottom and the open end on the top, the liquid and gaseous phases within the cylinder will be reversed, permitting only liquid to be dispensed from the CO.sub.2 cylinder. Thus, the CO.sub.2 cylinder of the present invention will operate satisfactorily to dispense CO.sub.2 gas only with the open end on the bottom and plugged into the adaptor socket.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.