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US 4,477,003 AGranted
Condiment dispensing system
AssigneeAutomated Portion Control Technology, Inc.
InventorsForrest E. Baker, Norman D. Sullivan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus (110) for dispensing condiments, and the like, has a gun (10) arrangeable for dispensing a measured amount of a condiment preloaded into the gun upon release of a trigger (60) of the gun following a previous dispensing action. Provision is made for keeping the condiment refrigerated throughout the system, which can be periodically cleaned in a simple and efficient manner that results in virtually no waste of the condiment or other substance being dispensed.
Claims7
Apparatus for dispensing condiments, and the like, comprising, in combination:
- (a) gun means arrangeable for dispensing a measured quantity of substance, including in combination,
- (1) a housing having a first portion defining a chamber for receiving said measured quantity,
- (2) motor means mounted in a second portion of said housing and having a piston and a rod affixed to the piston, the piston and the rod being slideably disposed in said chamber, and a fluid motor attached to the rod and arranged for selectively reciprocating the rod and the piston for selectively discharging said measured quantity from said chamber, and
- (3) trigger means connected to said motor means for selectively actuating said motor means for reciprocating the rod and the piston disposed in said chamber which selectively causes discharge of said measured quantity from said chamber;
- (b) pump means connected to said gun means and connectable to a supply of a substance for selectively feeding to said gun means said measured quantity from the supply thereof including at least one pump and a pump motor connected to the pump for driving same, and time relay control means arranged for communication with said gun means and connected to the pump, responding to a signal indicative of said trigger means being released from a dispensing mode;
- (c) flow means connected to said chamber by a discharge opening and said pump means, placing said gun means and pump means in communication with one another and with said supply, the flow means arranged for transmitting the signal from said gun means, actuating said pump means, and feeding said gun means said measured quantity from said supply only when said trigger means is released from the dispensing mode, and includes connector means for releasable attachment to a container of said supply, and cleaning means to which said connector means is attachable alternately with attachment to the container of said supply of substance for periodically cleaning said flow means.
3 more elements
Apparatus for dispensing a measured amount of a substance, comprising, in combination:
- (a) a housing defining a chamber and having a discharge opening communicating with the chamber;
- (b) double acting fluid motor means disposed in said housing for selectively causing a measured quantity of substance in said chamber to be discharged through said discharge opening, said fluid motor having a pair of spaced ends, and said trigger means having a valve having a block, a valve element moveably disposed in said block, an inlet port, and two outlet ports, one of said outlet ports being connected to a one of said ends of said fluid motor, and the other of said outlet ports being connected to the other of said ends of said fluid motor, said valve element alternately venting a one of said outlet ports and connecting said inlet port to the other of said oulet ports, said inlet port being connected to a source of fluid under pressure, connection of one of said ends of said motor to the fluid under pressure moving said piston toward the discharge opening of said housing, the other of said outlet ports being connected to said pump means for generating a signal when the other of said oulet ports is vented;
- (c) discharge valve means inserted between said chamber and said discharge opening and operable simultaneously for actuation of said motor means to discharge the motor;
- (d) trigger means associated with said housing for selectively actuating said motor means and discharging said measured quantity of substance in said chamber to be discharged;
- and
- (e) signal means associated with said trigger means and connectable to a pump arranged for feeding a premeasured quantity of substance thereby feeding such amount into said chamber of said housing when said trigger means is released immediately following discharge of said measured quantity previously in said chamber.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.