Self-fill system

A filling apparatus for a machine that dispenses a liquid comprised of water and a flavored concentrate syrup mixed with the water, said apparatus comprising;

• a tank that is adapted to be filled with the liquid,
• a pump means adapted to pump the syrup to the tank under selective control,
• a pair of fill pipes associated with the tank, one for carrying water and the other for carrying said syrup,
• said fill pipes each having output port ends that introduce liquid flow into the tank at a top position thereof above the maximum desired predetermined liquid level in the tank,
• wherein each fill pipe extends substantially vertical with the output port therefrom disposed at a turn in the pipe at the top end thereof so as to at least partially direct the liquid downwardly therefrom,
• in combination with a sensor probe assembly and in which the fill pipes introduce liquid into the tank at a position just above the sensor probve assembly,
• said sensor probe assembly comprising a post member and means commonly supporting said fill pipes and post member in a vertically disposed, close-coupled array from the bottom of the tank,
• said means commonly supporting including an evaporator coil housing disposed at the bottom of the tank and having respective means for receiving the fill pipes and post member,
• wherein said sensor probe assembly includes a low probe means for detecting a low predetermined level of liquid in the tank and a high probe means for detecting a high predetermined level of liquid in the tank and adapted to respectively generate low and high probe signals, and control circuit means receiving and responsive to said low and high probe signals for controlling said pump means to operate when said low probe is uncovered and terminating said pump means operation when the liquid level reaches the high probe position, whereby the liquid level in the tank is maintained at a level between said low and high probes.

An apparatus for controlling the filling of a machine that dispenses a liquid comprised of water and a flavored concentrate syrup mixed with the water, the apparatus comprising a tank that is adapted to be automatically filled with the liquid, a sensor member disposed in the tank in a position so as to be responsive to the rise and fall of liquid in the tank, pump means adapted to pump the syrup to the tank under selective control, and in which the sensor member has a low probe means for detecting a low predetermined level of liquid in the tank and a high probe means for detecting a high predetermined level of liquid in the tank and adapted to respectively generate high and low probe signals, a pair of fill pipes associated with the tank, one for carrying water and the other for carrying said flavored concentrate syrup, said fill pipes each having output port ends that introduce liquid flow into the tank at a top position thereof, said sensor member further including a post member and means commonly supporting said fill pipes and post member in a vertically disposed, close-coupled array from the bottom of the tank, said means commonly supporting including support means disposed at the bottom of the tank and having respective means for receiving the fill pipes and post member, said apparatus further including a control circuit comprising first input means for receiving the low probe signal, second input means for receiving the high probe signal, and bistable logic gate means coupled to the first and second input means, said bistable logic gate means adapted to assume its operative state for operating said pump means only when both said high and low probe means are uncovered, and means said bistable logic gate means including a bistable device having a pair of inputs and an output, said inputs receiving signals from said first and second input means,

• said control circuit further comprising a relay for operating the pump means and means coupling the output of the bistable device to the relay for activation thereof.

A filling apparatus for a machine that dispenses a liquid comprised of water and a flavored concentrate syrup mixed with the water, said apparatus comprising;

• a tank that is adapted to be filled with the liquid,
• a pump means adapted to pump the syrup to the tank under selective control,
• a pair of fill pipes associated with tank, one for carrying water and the other for carrying said syrup, said fill pipes each extending substantially vertically and each having an output port end for introducing liquid flow into the tank at a top position thereof,
• in combination with a sensor probe assembly and in which the fill pipes introduce liquid into the tank at a position vertically adjacent the sensor probe assembly,
• said sensor probe assembly comprising a post member and means commonly supporting said fill pipes and post member in a vertically disposed, close-coupled array from the bottom of the tank,
• said means commonly supporting including support means disposed at the bottom of the tank and having respective means for receiving the fill pipes and post member,
• wherein said sensor probe assembly includes a low probe means for detecting a low predetermined level of liquid in the tank and a high probe mens for detecting a high predetermined level of liquid in the tank and adapted to respectively generate low and high probe signals, and control circuit means receiving and responsive to said low and high probe signals for controlling said pump means to operate when said low probe is uncovered and terminating said pump means operation when the liquid level reaches the high probe position, whereby the liquid level in the tank is maintained at a level between said low and high probes.