Apparatus for producing and dispensing aerated or blended fluid products

Apparatus for producing and dispensing an aerated food product comprising

• mixing means for mixing a liquid and a gas to produce an aerated fluid stream comprised of liquid particles;
• means defining a flow-through passage having an entrance end positioned to receive the fluid stream from the mixing means and an exit end spaced from the entrance end, said passage confining the flow of the fluid so that the liquid particles coalesce and become aerated before the fluid leaves the passage through said exit end thereof;
• cooling means located adjacent to said passage defining means for cooling the aerated fluid exiting said passage to form said food product;
• source means for providing a liquid to said mixing means in response to fluid pressure;
• a source of pressurized gas, and
• means for conducting said gas to said mixing means and to said source means so that said gas propels said liquid to said mixing means, aerates the liquid in said mixing means and forces the aerated fluid stream through said passage so that a uniformly aerated fluid exits said passage.

Apparatus for producing and dispensing an aerated food product comprising

• a mixing chamber having first and second inlets and an outlet;
• a source of pressurized gas;
• a small diameter conduit connected to the chamber outlet;
• a pressurizable source of liquid product connected to the chamber first inlet;
• means for supplying gas from said source to the second chamber inlet and to said pressurizable source so that the same gas propels the liquid product to the mixing chamber, aerates the liquid product in that chamber and forces the aerated liquid product through the conduit so that a uniformly aerated liquid product is delivered from the conduit, and
• means for cooling the liquid product delivered from the conduit.

Apparatus for producing and dispensing an aerated food product comprising

• a mixing chamber having first and second inlets and an outlet;
• a source of pressurized gas;
• a small diameter conduit connected to the chamber outlet;
• a pressurizable source of liquid product connected to the chamber first inlet;
• means for supplying gas from said source to the second chamber inlet and to said pressurizable source so that the same gas propels the liquid product to the mixing chamber, atomizes the liquid product in that chamber and forces the atomized liquid product through the conduit so that a uniformly aerated liquid product is delivered from the conduit, and
• means for cooling the liquid product delivered from the conduit to at least partially freeze said product.