Beverage dispensing apparatus

An apparatus for dispensing a beverage of the type for use with pressurized sources of base and mixing fluids comprising:

• a first housing having first and second openings;
• a base fluid valve stem and a mixing fluid valve stem, each base fluid valve stem and mixing fluid valve stem having a valve seat surface;
• the first and second openings defining base and mixing fluid valve stem bores for reciprocally housing the base and mixing fluid valve stem therein for movement between valve open and valve closed positions;
• valve seats positioned along the valve stem bores against which the valve seat surfaces press when the respective base and mixing fluid valve stems are in valve closed positions to close the valve stem bores;
• the base and mixing fluid valve stem bores including base and mixing fluid entry and exit chambers, the entry chambers being positioned on one side of the valve seats, and the exit chambers being positioned on the other side of the valve seats;
• means for fluidly coupling the base and mixing fluid exit chambers to a discharge opening;
• means for biasing the base and mixing fluid valve stems toward the valve closed positions;
• a plate disposed over the base and mixing fluid valve stems, the plate having an opening located over the base fluid valve stem capable of receiving the base fluid valve stem therethrough, and the plate having a rigid surface disposed over the mixing fluid valve stem;
• and
• first plate moving means for moving the plate toward the base and mixing fluid valve stems, so that the rigid surface of the plate causes the mixing fluid valve stem to be in the valve open position, and so that the base fluid valve stem passes through the opening in the plate for maintaining the base fluid valve stem in the valve closed position;
• and
• second plate moving means for moving the plate toward the base and mixing fluid valve stems, the second plate moving means including base fluid valve stem impeding means for impeding the passage of the base fluid valve stem through the opening in the plate, so that the rigid surface of the plate causes the mixing fluid valve stem to be in the valve open position, and so that the base fluid valve stem impeding means impedes the passage of the base fluid valve stem through the opening in the plate and causes the base fluid valve stem to be in the valve open position.

In a beverage dispensing head of the type for use with pressurized sources of base and mixing fluids coupled to the head by a plurality of fluid conduits, the head including a plurality of fluid passageways connecting the fluid conduits to a discharge nozzle with associated mixing fluid and plurality of base fluid valves controlling the flow of fluid along the passageways, the mixing fluid and plurality of base fluid valves including mixing fluid and base fluid valve stems which move between valve closed and valve open positions for selectively closing and opening the mixing fluid and plurality of base fluid valves, the base and mixing fluid valve stems being biased in the valve closed position, a kit for coupling the operation of the mixing fluid valve to selected ones of the plurality of base fluid valves comprising:

• a plurality of rigid plates for being disposed over the mixing fluid valve stem and selected ones of the plurality of base fluid valve stems, the selected base fluid valve stems for one plate being different from the selected base fluid valve stems for another plate, each plate having an opening located over each base fluid valve stem capable of passing its associated base fluid valve stem therethrough and each plate having a rigid surface disposed over the mixing fluid valve stem;
• first plate moving means for moving a selected plate toward its associated mixing fluid and plurality of base fluid valve stems so that the rigid surface of the plate causes the mixing fluid valve stem to be in the valve open position, and so that the selected base fluid valve stems pass through their associated openings in the plate for maintaining the plurality of base fluid valve stems in the valve closed position;
• and
• second plate moving means for moving the selected plate toward the mixing fluid and selected base fluid valve stems, the second plate moving means including base fluid valve stem impeding means for impeding the passage of a base fluid valve stem through its associated opening in the plate, so that the first surface of the plate causes the mixing fluid valve stem to be in the valve open position, and so that the base fluid valve stem impeding means impedes the passage of the base fluid valve stem through its associated opening in the plate and causes the base fluid valve stem to be in the valve open position.