A beverage dispensing apparatus of the type for use with a pressurized source of soda and a number of syrups comprising:
- a beverage dispensing head;
- and
- means for fluidly coupling said head to the soda and syrup source, said coupling means including a plurality of syrup hoses and a soda hose;
- said dispensing head including:
- a housing;
- soda and syrup buttons, corresponding to the soda and the syrups, mounted to the housing for access by a user;
- first, second and third valve blocks secured to one another and mounted within said housing beneath said buttons;
- said first block including a plurality of first and second openings, said first openings extending into said first block from a first face of said first block, said second openings extending into said first block from a second face of said first block, said first and second openings being transverse to one another, said first and second openings sized and positioned to intersect one another at chosen locations, said first and second openings extending straight into said first block so said first block can be a molded member with said first and second openings formed therein during molding;
- said second block having a third face mounted adjacent said second face of said first block and having a fourth face on the side of said second block opposite said third face, said second block including a plurality of third openings extending generally straight into said second block from said third and fourth faces so said second block can be molded with said third openings formed therein during molding;
- said third block having fifth and sixth faces on opposite sides thereof and a plurality of fourth openings extending generally straight into said third block from said fifth and sixth faces so said third block can be molded with said fourth openings formed therein during molding, said fifth face of said third block mounted to said fourth face of said second block;
- a syrup valve stem connected to each of said syrup spool buttons and a soda valve stem connected to said soda spool button, said syrup and soda valve stems each having a cylindrical valve seat surface;
- said second, third and fourth openings defining syrup and soda valve stem bores for reciprocally housing said syrup and soda valve stems therein for movement between extended and retracted positions;
- said second openings including syrup and soda discharge pathways;
- a discharge nozzle mounted to said housing in fluid communication with said discharge pathways;
- valve seats positioned along said valve stem bores against which said valve seat surfaces press when respective syrup and soda valve stems are in retracted positions to close said valve stem bores;
- means for operably coupling at least one said syrup valve stem to said soda valve stem so movement of said at least one syrup valve stem from its retracted position to its extended position moves said soda valve stem from its retracted position to its extended position as well;
- said syrup and soda valve stem bores including syrup and soda entry and exit chambers, said entry chambers positioned on one side of said valve seats and said exit chambers positioned on the other side of said valve seats;
- means for fluidly connecting said syrup and soda exit chambers to said syrup and soda discharge pathways respectively;
- means for biasing said valve stems and said buttons therewith toward said retracted positions;
- and
- means for fluidly connecting said soda and syrup hoses to said first openings at said first face of said first block.