Beverage dispenser coupling

In combination with a fluid-transmitting probe having an exterior recess means and a laterally outwardly projecting means adjacent said recess means, a fluid dispensing device comprising

• a tubular spout having an outer end and an inner end, attachment means at said inner end adapted for attachment to a fluid-containing vessel, and a duality of shoulders on the inner surface thereof,
• the first of said shoulders being adjacent and facing said outer end, and the second of said shoulders being spaced from said first shoulder, and adjacent and facing said inner end,
• said spout having a first section adjacent said outer end and a second section inwardly of said outer end,
• said second section having a smaller lateral dimension than that of said first section,
• a valve member in said spout,
• said valve member being a hollow tubular member with an open outer end adapted to receive said probe and a closed inner end,
• said valve member having a duality of spaced shoulders on the exterior surface thereof, the first of said shoulders of said valve member being adjacent said outer end thereof, and facing said inner end thereof and the second of said shoulders of said valve member being adjacent said inner end thereof and facing said outer end thereof,
• opening means extending through the wall of said valve member,
• laterally inward protrusion means adjacent the outer end of said valve member, and
• resilient means carrying said laterally inward protrusion means in a normal inward position, said resilient means being laterally outwardly bendable so that said laterally inward protrusion means are laterally outwardly deflectable,
• said valve member at said protrusion means being of a smaller exterior lateral dimension than that of said first section of said spout,
• said valve member and said spout having interengaged sealing means for preventing liquid flow between the exterior of said valve member and the interior of said spout,
• said valve member being movable relative to said spout between a first position and a second position,
• said valve member and said spout being arranged such that when said valve member is in said first position, said first shoulder of said spout is adjacent and opposite from said first shoulder of said valve member, said second shoulder of said spout is adjacent and opposite from said second shoulder of said valve member for thereby providing a resistance to substantial axial movement of said valve member in either direction,
• said sealing means prevents liquid flow from the interior of said spout to said opening means, and
• said protrusion means is adjacent said first section of said spout for permitting outward deflection of said protrusion means, said laterally outwardly projecting means of said probe being dimensioned so as to engage said protrusion means for deflecting said protrusion means outwardly when said probe enters said valve member, whereby said resilient means causes said protrusion means subsequently to move laterally inwardly to enter said recess means, whereby said valve member is being movable by said probe to said second position in which said opening means are inwardly of said sealing means for permitting fluid to flow from a vessel attached to said spout through said opening means into said probe, and said valve member is movable by said probe from said second position to said first position for preventing such flow.

In combination with a fluid-transmitting probe having an exterior recess means and a laterally outwardly projecting means adjacent said recess means, a fluid dispensing device comprising

• a tubular spout having an outer end and an inner end, attachment means at said inner end adapted for attachment to a fluid-containing vessel, and a duality of shoulders on the inner surface thereof,
• the first of said shoulders being adjacent and facing said outer end, and the second of said shoulders being spaced from said first shoulder and adjacent and facing said inner end,
• said spout having a first section adjacent said outer end and a second section inwardly of said outer end,
• said second section having a smaller lateral dimension than that of said first section,
• a valve member in said spout,
• said valve member being a hollow tubular member with an open outer end adapted to receive said probe and a closed inner end,
• said valve member having a duality of spaced shoulders on the exterior surface thereof,
• the first of said shoulders of said valve member facing said inner end thereof, and the second of
• said shoulders of said valve member facing said outer end thereof,
• opening means extending through the wall of said valve member, and
• laterally inward protrusion means adjacent the outer end of said valve member, said laterally inward protrusion means being resiliently laterally outwardly deflectable,
• said valve member at said protrusion means being of a smaller exterior lateral dimension than that of said first section of said spout,
• said valve member being movable relative to said spout between a first position and a second position,
• sealing means for providing a seal between said valve member and said spout for preventing flow of fluid from a fluid-containing vessel attached to said means at said inner end of said spout to said opening means of said valve member when said valve member is in said first position thereof,
• said valve member and said spout being arranged such that when said valve member is in said first position, said first shoulder of said spout is adjacent and faces said first shoulder of said valve member,
• said second shoulder of said spout is adjacent and faces said second shoulder of said valve member for thereby providing a resistance to substantial axial movement of said valve member in either direction, and
• said protrusion means is adjacent said first section of said spout for permitting outward deflection of said protrusion means,
• said laterally outwardly projecting means of said probe being dimensioned so as to engage said protrusion means for deflecting said protrusion means outwardly when said probe enters said valve member for permitting said protrusion means subsequently to move laterally inwardly to enter said recess means,
• said valve member being movable by said probe to said second position,
• said valve member and said spout being arranged such that where said valve member is in said second position, said opening means is remote from said sealing means for permitting fluid to flow from a fluid-containing vessel attached to said means at said inner end of said spout through said valve means into said probe, said protrusion means cooperating with said recess means to permit said probe to move said valve member back to said first position of said valve member.