Delivery system for carbonated beverages

A delivery system for carbonated beverage syrup, comprising:

• (a) a plurality of syrup storage tanks each having a drain means and a fill means, where one of said plurality of syrup storage tanks holds a quantity of syrup and another of said plurality of syrup storage tanks is substantially empty of syrup;
• (b) means for dispensing syrup from one of said plurality of tanks holding a quantity of syrup;
• (c) means for cleaning and filling the other of said plurality of syrup storage tanks including:
• (i) means for communicating said tank with a cleaning system to allow delivery of cleaning solution to said tank and for venting air from the tank while syrup is being delivered from said supply of syrup and for stopping the flow of syrup into the tank whereby a predetermined amount of syrup is delivered to said tank and (ii) means for communicating the tank with a supply of syrup to allow delivery of syrup to the tank.

A multi-function valve for use in a liquid storage tank comprising:

• a) means defining a passage between the interior and exterior of the tank such that air can be vented from the interior of the tank as the tank is filled with liquid;
• b) means for closing said passage when a predetermined amount of liquid has been delivered to the tank;
• and
• c) spray nozzles for delivering a cleaning liquid to the interior of the tank, said spray nozzles forming part of said passage.

An automatic filling system for syrup tanks, comprising:

• (a) a syrup storage tank having a drain and a fill pipe;
• (b) means, including a fill line for communicating said tank fill pipe with a supply of syrup;
• (c) valve means for venting air from the tank during filling, for stopping the flow of syrup into the tank when the tank is substantially full and for delivering cleaning solution to the tank when the tank is substantially empty comprising:
• i) means defining a passage between the interior and exterior of the tank such that air can be vented from the tank as the tank is filled with syrup;
• ii) means for closing said passage when a predetermined amount of syrup has been delivered to the tank;
• and
• iii) spray nozzles for delivering cleaning solution to the interior of the tank, said spray nozzles forming part of said passage.

A method for automatically filling a syrup tank comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a syrup storage tank having a drain and a fill pipe;
• (b) communicating a supply of syrup through a fill line to said fill pipe;
• (c) providing valve means for venting air from the tank during filling and for stopping the flow of syrup into the tank when said tank is substantially full;
• (d) pressurizing the supply of syrup to deliver syrup to said tank;
• (e) preventing venting when said tank is substantially full of syrup thereby to pressurize said tank and removing pressure in the fill line such that the pressure in the tank causes reverse flow of syrup from the tank to the supply thereby to evacuate the fill line of syrup.