Method of and apparatus for dispensing beverage into a tilted receptacle with automatic level responsive shut off

A method of dispensing beverage into an open topped receptacle comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a supply of beverage at a solenoid operated beverage dispensing head;
• (b) placing an open topped beverage receptacle into contact against a generally vertical elongate electrically conductive beverage level probe which is positioned below a nozzle of the dispensing head;
• (c) supporting the receptacle in a rearwardly tilted attitude with a receptacle support positioned under the nozzle, with a lowest portion of a similarly tilted receptacle upper rim being adjacent the probe;
• (d) starting and continuing dispensing of beverage into the tilted receptacle;
• (e) electrifying beverage dispensed into the tilted receptacle;
• (f) sending an electrical signal that the tilted receptacle is filled to the lowest point of the tilted rim upon the dispensed beverage reaching the lowest portion of the rim and making contact with the probe, said signal being sent in a loop through the dispensed beverage and the probe to an automatic dispensing shut-off control;
• (g) terminating dispensing automatically with the control upon receipt of the signal;
• and
• (h) removing the filled tilted receptacle from the receptacle support and placing the filled receptacle upon a generallY horizontal surface and standing the cup upright, whereupon the beverage level in the receptacle shall become generallY parallel to and evenly spaced from the now generally horizontal receptacle rim.

An improved method of making a receptacle filling beverage dispenser automatically shut off in response to the actual level of dispensed beverage in an open topped receptacle, having the steps of

• providing a beverage dispenser with a beverage dispensing head having a body with a beverage line having an inlet connectible to a supply of beverage and an outlet nozzle for dispensing of beverage into the receptacle, a normallY closed valve in the beverage line, a solenoid operatively connected to open said valve, a dispensing switch operatively connected to activate the solenoid and start dispensing, an automatic electrical control operatively connected to deactivate the solenoid and terminate dispensing, and a receptacle rest below the nozzle;
• providing an electrically conductive generally elongate and "generally" vertical dispensed beverage level probe below the nozzle and operatively electrically connecting it to said control during dispensing;
• and
• providing means for electrifYing the beverage dispensed into the receptacle;
• wherein the improvement comprises the further steps of:
• tilting the receptacle rest rearwards toward the electrically conductive beverage level probe, for supporting a beverage receptacle tilted toward the probe with an upper rim of the receptacle being similarly tilted and having its lowest point proximate to the probe, so that the dispenser will automatically shut off when dispensed beverage reaches the lowest point of the receptacle rim and contacts the probe.

An automatic dispenser for filling beverage receptacles with liquid having receptacle supporting means for supporting said receptacles in a receiving position to receive said liquid, a liquid dispenser including a nozzle spaced above said supporting means and including a solenoid controlled valve for controlling the dispensing of liquid into a beverage receptacle placed in said receiving position, at least one contact member positioned to make electrical contact with the liquid dispensed into a receptacle in said receiving position when said liquid reaches a predetermined level, means activated bY the placement of a receptacle in receiving position on said supporting means for actuating said solenoid controlled valve to dispense liquid into said receptacle, and control circuit means electrically interconnecting said contact member and said solenoid controlled valve for actuating said valve to stop the dispensing of liquid into a receptacle in said receiving position when the liquid attains said predetermined level in said cup for making electrical contact with said contact member;

• wherein said receptacle supporting means comprise structure below the nozzle for supporting an open topped receptacle in a tilted attitude with the lowest portion of a similarly tilted receptacle upper rim being adjacent the probe, so that an electrical signal to terminate dispensing will be sent in a loop through the dispensed beverage and the contact member to the control circuit means upon the beverage dispensed into the tilted receptacle reaching a predetermined level adjacent the lowest part of the tilted receptacle rim and making electrical contact with the contact member.

In a beverage dispenser including:

• a nozzle for discharging liquid;
• a beverage receptacle supporting means positioned below said nozzle for receiving a receptacle having an upper rim;
• a solenoid controlled valve for controlling the discharge of said liquid from said nozzle;
• probe means engageable with the rim of said cup for making electrical contact with said liquid dispensed into said cup;
• control circuit means electrically connecting said probe means and said solenoid control valve for actuating said valve to stop the dispensing of said liquid into said cup when said liquid attains a predetermined level in said cup;
• and
• switch means for activating said solenoid controlled valve to initiate the dispensing of liquid into said receptacle;
• the improvement comprising receptacle support means below the nozzle for supporting said beverage receptacle in a tilted attitude with the lowest portion of a similarly tilted said receptacle upper rim being adjacent the probe, so that an electrical signal to terminate dispensing will be sent in a loop through the dispensed beverage and the probe to the control circuit means upon the beverage dispensed into the tilted receptacle reaching the predetermined level adjacent the lowest portion of the tilted receptacle rim and making contact with the probe.

In a beverage dispenser for automatically controlling the filling of a receptacle, said dispenser having

• at least one source of beverage;
• at least one valve means for controlling discharge of beverage from said source into the cup to be filled;
• actuating means to cause said valve means to be energized to initiate dispensing of the beverage into the receptacle to be filled;
• an electrically conductive member associated with the beverage dispenser and disposed to be outside of and adjacent to an upper rim of the receptacle that is being filled;
• circuit means for electrically interconnecting said electrically conductive member with dispensed beverage and control means for operating said valve means in response to a change in impedance between said electrically conductive member and the dispensed beverage, when the receptacle has been filled to a pre-determined level, to automatically discontinue beverage flow to the receptacle;
• the improvement comprising receptacle support means for supporting an open topped said receptacle in a tilted attitude with the lowest portion of a similarly tilted said receptacle upper rim being adjacent the conductive member, so that an electrical signal to terminate dispensing will be sent in a loop through the dispensed beverage and the conductive member to the control means upon the beverage dispensed into the tilted receptacle reaching the predetermined level adjacent a lowest portion of the tilted receptacle rim and making contact with the conductive member.