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Claims  |
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What is claimed is:
1. Drink dispensing apparatus comprising a container for holding a supply
of a particulate drink ingredient adapted to be mixed with water to
constitute a drink, said container having an outlet, means for dispensing
a charge of the particulate drink ingredient from the container through
the outlet for the mixing of a drink, a mixing and delivery system for
receiving the charge of the drink ingredient disposed from the container
and a charge of water, mixing the two and delivering the resultant drink
into a cup, said system comprising a blender, and means for supplying said
charge of water for mixing with said charge of the drink ingredient in the
blender, said blender having means for mixing said charges while holding
them in the blender and having an outlet for flow of the resultant mixture
out of the blender and into a cup after mixing has been completed, the
outlet of the blender being a constantly open outlet, said mixing means
comprising an impeller rotatable in the blender for mixing the drink
ingredient and the water adapted when in operation to impel the water away
from the blender outlet thereby to hold the drink ingredient and the water
in the blender for the mixing thereof without closing the blender outlet,
the blender defining a mixing chamber, the impeller having blades for
impelling the water away from the outlet and around the interior periphery
of the chamber, the mixing chamber being of non-circular shape in
transverse section with certain portions of its interior periphery
disposed closely adjacent to the surface of revolution defined by the
rotating impeller, and other portions of its interior periphery spaced
radially outwardly of the surface of revolution so as to provide spaces
between the interior periphery of the mixing chamber and the surface of
revolution enabling water to flow back toward the blender outlet after it
has been impelled away from the blender outlet, the impeller and said
spaces thereby enabling the water to be circulated within the mixing
chamber during the mixing of the drink.
2. Drink dispensing apparatus comprising a container for holding a supply
of a particulate drink ingredient adapted to be mixed with water to
constitute a drink, said container having an outlet, means for dispensing
a charge of the particulate drink ingredient from the container through
the outlet for the mixing of a drink, a mixing and delivery system for
receiving the charge of the drink ingredient dispensed from the container
and a charge of water, mixing the two and delivering the resultant drink
into a cup, said system comprising a blender, and means for supplying said
charge of water for mixing with said charge of the drink ingredient in the
blender, said blender having means for mixing said charges while holding
them in the blender and having an outlet for flow of the resultant mixture
out of the blender and into a cup after mixing has been completed, the
outlet of the blender being a constantly open outlet, said mixing means
comprising an impeller rotatable in the blender for mixing the drink
ingredient and the water adapted when in operation to impel the water away
from the blender outlet thereby to hold the drink ingredient and the water
in the blender for the mixing thereof without closing the blender outlet,
the blender defining a mixing chamber, the impeller having blades for
impelling the water away from the outlet and around the interior periphery
of the chamber, the mixing chamber being polygonal in transverse section
so that spaces are provided between the surface of revolution defined by
the rotating impeller and the interior periphery of the mixing chamber to
enable water to flow back toward the blender outlet after it has been
impelled away from the blender outlet, said spaces being at the corners of
the polygonal transverse section, the impeller and said spaces thereby
enabling the water to be circulated within the mixing chamber during the
mixing of the drink.
3. Drink dispensing apparatus comprising a container for holding a supply
of a particulate drink ingredient adapted to be mixed with water to
constitute a drink, said container having an outlet, means for dispensing
a charge of the particulate drink ingredient from the container through
the outlet for the mixing of a drink, a mixing and delivery system for
receiving the charge of the drink ingredient dispensed from the container
and a charge of water, mixing the two and delivering the resultant drink
into a cup, said system comprising a blender, and means for supplying said
charge of water for mixing with said charge of the drink ingredient in the
blender, said blender having means for mixing said charges while holding
them in the blender and having an outlet for flow of the resultant mixture
out of the blender and into a cup after mixing has been completed, and a
system for delivering a quantity of water to the mixing and delivery
system for rinsing it, the outlet of the blender being a constantly open
outlet, the blender having an impeller rotatable therein for mixing the
drink ingredient and the water adapted when in operation to impel the
water away from the blender outlet thereby to hold the drink ingredient
and the water in the blender for the mixing thereof without closing the
blender outlet, the blender defining a mixing chamber, the impeller being
rotatable therein and having blades for impelling the water away from the
outlet and around the interior periphery of the chamber, the mixing
chamber being of non-circular shape in transverse section with certain
portions of its interior periphery disposed closely adjacent to the
surface of revolution of the impelleer, and other portions of its interior
periphery spaced radially outwardly of the surface of revolution so as to
provide spaces between the interior periphery of the mixing chamber and
the surface of revolution enabling water to flow back toward the blender
outlet after it has been impelled away from the blender outlet, the
impeller and said spaces thereby enabling the water to be circulated
within the mixing chamber during the mixing of the drink.
4. Drink dispensing apparatus comprising a container for holding a supply
of a particulate drink ingredient adapted to be mixed with water to
constitute a drink, said container having an outlet, means for dispensing
a charge of the particulate drink ingredient from the container through
the outlet for the mixing of a drink, a mixing and delivery system for
receiving the charge of the drink ingredient dispensed from the container
and a charge of water, mixing the two and delivering the resultant drink
into a cup, said system comprising a blender, and means for supplying said
charge of water for mixing with said charge of the drink ingredient in the
blender, said blender having means for mixing said charges while holding
them in the blender and having an outlet for flow of the resultant mixture
out of the blender and into a cup after mixing has been completed, and a
system for delivering a quantity of water to the mixing and delivery
system for rinsing it, the outlet of the blender being a constantly open
outlet, the blender having an impeller rotatable therein for mixing the
drink ingredient and the water adapted when in operation to impel the
water away from the blender outlet thereby to hold the drink ingredient
and the water in the blender for the mixing thereof without closing the
blender outlet, the blender defining a mixing chamber, the impeller being
rotatable therein and having blades for impelling the water away from the
outlet and around the interior periphery of the chamber, the mixing
chamber being polygonal in transverse section so that spaces are provided
between the surface of revolution defined by the rotating impeller and the
interior periphery of the mixing chamber to enable water to flow back
toward the blender outlet after it has been impelled away from the blender
outlet, said spaces being at the corners of the polygonal transverse
section, the impeller and said spaces thereby enabling the water to be
circulated within the mixing chamber during the mixing of the drink.
5. Drink dispensing apparatus comprising a container for holding a supply
of a particulate drink ingredient adapted to be mixed with water to
constitute a drink, said container having an outlet, means for dispensing
a charge of the particulate drink ingredient from the container through
the outlet for the mixing of a drink, a mixing and delivery system for
receiving the charge of the drink ingredient dispensed from the container
and a charge of water, mixing the two and delivering the resultant drink
into a cup, said system comprising a blender, and means for supplying said
charge of water for mixing with said charge of the drink ingredient in the
blender, said blender having means for mixing said charges while holding
them in the blender and having an outlet for flow of the resultant mixture
out of the blender and into a cup after mixing has been completed, a
closure for the outlet of said container to exclude air from entering the
container through the outlet, and means for opening the closure upon
operation of the dispensing means for the dispensing of the drink
ingredient, said means for dispensing the charge of the drink ingredient
from the container for the mixing of a drink comprising an auger rotatable
in the container and extending to the outlet of the container and an
electric motor for driving the auger, the means for opening the closure
comprising an armature magnetically attractable to the motor by the
magnetic field established by the motor when the motor is energized to
drive the auger, the armature being biased to a retracted position
relative to the field of the motor when the motor is deenergized and the
armature is thereby demagnetized, the closure being controlled by the
armature for movement from its closed to its open position when the motor
is energized and the armature is thereby attracted to the motor, and for
movement to this closed position when the motor is deenergized and the
armature is thereupon returned to its retracted position.
6. Drink dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 5 further comprising
means detachably coupling the motor to the auger and means detachably
connecting the closure and the armature, whereby the container may be
removed.
7. A dispenser for a particulate product comprising a container for holding
a supply of the product, said container having an outlet, means for
dispensing product from the container through the outlet comprising an
auger rotatable in the container and extending to the outlet and an
electric motor for driving the auger, a closure for the outlet to exclude
moisture from entering the container through the outlet, and means for
opening the closure upon operation of the motor comprising an armature
magnetically attractable to the motor by the magnetic field established by
the motor when the motor is energized to drive the auger, the armature
being biased to a retracted position relative to the field of the motor
when the motor is deenergized and the armature is thereby demagnetized,
the closure being controlled by the armature for movement to its closed
position when the motor is deenergized and the armature is thereupon
biased to its retracted position.
8. Apparatus for dispensing a particulate product comprising a support, a
container for holding a supply of the product, said container having an
outlet, the container being removably mounted on the support, an auger
rotatable in the container and extending to the outlet for dispensing the
product from the container, an electric motor carried by the support for
driving the auger, means for detachable coupling the auger to the motor
when the container is mounted on the support, said coupling means being
disengageable for removal of the container, closure means for the outlet
of the container to exclude air from entering the container through the
outlet, said closure means being carried by the container and removable
with the container, and means for opening the closure upon operation of
the motor comprising an armature a portion of which is magnetically
attractable to the motor by the magnetic field established by the motor
when the motor is energized to drive the auger, said armature being
pivotally mounted on the support for rocking movement and being biased to
a retracted position relative to the field of the motor when the motor is
deenergized and the armature is thereby demagnetized, the closure being
controlled by the armature for movement between a closed position when the
motor is deenergized and the armature is thereupon biased to its retracted
position and an open position when the motor is energized and the armature
is thereupon pivoted away from its retracted position.
9. A blender comprising a receptacle having a bottom outlet and an impeller
rotatable in the blender formed to impel liquid in the blender away from
the outlet when the impeller is in operation, thereby to hold liquid for a
drink in the blender without closing the outlet, the liquid draining out
through the outlet when the impeller stops, said blender defining a mixing
chamber, the impeller having blades for impelling the liquid away from the
outlet and around the interior periphery of the mixing chamber, the mixing
chamber being of non-circular shape in transverse section with certain
portions of its interior periphery disposed closely adjacent to the
surface of revolution defined by the rotating impeller, and other portions
of its interior periphery spaced radially outwardly of the surface of
revolution so as to provide spaces between the interior periphery of the
mixing chamber and the surface of revolution enabling the water to flow
back toward the blender outlet after it has been impelled away from the
blender outlet, the impeller and said spaces thereby enabling the water to
be circulated within the mixing chamber during the mixing of the drink.
10. A blender comprising a receptacle having a bottom outlet and an
impeller rotatable in the blender formed to impel liquid in the blender
away from the outlet when the impeller is in operation, thereby to hold
liquid in the blender without closing the outlet, the liquid draining out
through the outlet when the impeller stops, said blender defining a mixing
chamber, the impeller having blades for impelling the liquid away from the
outlet and around the interior periphery of the mixing chamber, the mixing
chamber being polygonal in transverse section so that spaces are provided
between the surface of revolution defined by the rotating impeller and the
interior periphery of the mixing chamber to enable the water to flow back
toward the blender outlet after it has been impelled away from the blender
outlet, said spaces being at the corners of the polygonal transverse
section, the impeller and said spaces thereby enabling the water to be
circulated within the mixing chamber during the mixing of the drink.
11. Drink dispensing apparatus comprising a container for holding a supply
of a particulate drink ingredient adapted to be mixed with water to
constitute a drink, said container having an outlet, means for dispensing
a charge of the particulate drink ingredient from the container through
the outlet for the mixing of a drink, a mixing and delivery system for
receiving the charge of the drink ingredient dispensed from the container
and a charge of water, mixing the two and delivering the resultant drink
into a cup, said system comprising a blender, and means for supplying said
charge of water for mixing with said charge of the drink ingredient in the
blender, said blender having means for mixing said charges while holding
them in the blender and having an outlet for flow of the resultant mixture
out of the blender and into a cup after mixing has been completed, the
outlet of the blender being a constantly open outlet, said mixing means
comprising an impeller rotatable in the blender for mixing the drink
ingredient and the water adapted when in operation to impel the water away
from the blender outlet thereby to hold the drink ingredient and the water
in the blender for the mixing thereof without closing the blender outlet,
the blender defining a mixing chamber, the impeller having blades for
impelling the water away from the outlet and around the interior periphery
of the chamber, the mixing chamber being of such shape in transverse
section that spaces are provided between the surface of revolution defined
by the rotating impeller and the interior periphery of the mixing chamber
to enable water to flow back toward the blender outlet after it has been
impelled away from the blender outlet, the impeller and said spaces
thereby enabling the water to be circulated within the mixing chamber
during the mixing of the drink, the axis of the blender being generally
vertical, the outlet of the blender being at the bottom thereof, said
impeller comprising a hub extending along the axis of the blender, the
impeller blades extending radially from the hub, each blade having an
upper portion inclined upwardly in the direction of rotation of the
impeller, a flange at the top of the upper portion extending in the
direction of rotation, and a lower portion inclined downwardly in the
direction of the rotation of the impeller.
12. Drink dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said
blender has a conical bottom tapering to said opening, said impeller
blades each having an upwardly inclined lower edge extending generally
parallel to a generatrix of the surface of the conical bottom, thereby
enabling the impeller to be spaced closely adjacent the bottom of the
blender.
13. Drink dispensing apparatus comprising a container for holding a supply
of a particulate drink ingredient adapted to be mixed with water to
constitute a drink, said container having an outlet, means for dispensing
a charge of the particulate drink ingredient from the container through
the outlet for the mixing of a drink, a mixing and delivery system for
receiving the charge of the drink ingredient dispensed from the container
and a charge of water, mixing the two and delivering the resultant drink
into a cup, said system comprising a blender, and means for supplying said
charge of water for mixing with said charge of the drink ingredient in the
blender, said blender having means for mixing said charges while holding
them in the blender and having an outlet for flow of the resultant mixture
out of the blender and into a cup after mixing has been completed, and a
system for delivering a quantity of water to the mixing and delivery
system for rinsing it, the outlet of the blender being a constantly open
outlet, the blender having an impeller rotatable therein for mixing the
drink ingredient and the water adapted when in operation to impel the
water away from the blender outlet thereby to hold the drink ingredient
and the water in the blender for the mixing thereof without closing the
blender outlet, the blender defining a mixing chamber, the impeller being
rotatable therein and having blades for impelling the water away from the
outlet and around the interior periphery of the chamber, the mixing
chamber being of such shape in transverse section that spaces are provided
between the surface of revolution defined by the rotating impeller and the
interior periphery of the mixing chamber to enable water to flow back
toward the blender outlet after it has been impelled away from the blender
outlet, the impeller and said spaces thereby enabling the water to be
circulated within the mixing chamber during the mixing of the drink, the
axis of the blender being generally vertical, the outlet of the blender
being at the bottom thereof, said impeller comprising a hub extending
along the axis of the blender, the impeller blades extending radially from
the hub, each blade having an upper portion inclined upwardly in the
direction of rotation of the impeller, a flange at the top of the upper
portion extending in the direction of rotation, and a lower portion
inclined downwardly in the direction of the rotation of the impeller.
14. Drink dispensing apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said
blender has a conical bottom tapering to said opening, said impeller
blades each having an upwardly inclined lower edge extending generally
parallel to a generatrix of the surface of the conical bottom, thereby
enabling the impeller to be spaced closely adjacent the bottom of the
blender.
15. A blender comprising a receptacle having a bottom outlet and an
impeller rotatable in the blender formed to impel liquid in the blender
away from the outlet when the impeller is in operation, thereby to hold
liquid for a drink in the blender without closing the outlet, the liquid
draining out through the outlet when the impeller stops, said blender
defining a mixing chamber, the impeller having blades for impelling the
liquid away from the outlet and around the interior periphery of the
mixing chamber, the mixing chamber being of such shape in transverse
section that spaces are provided between the surface of revolution of the
rotating impeller and the interior periphery of the mixing chamber to
enable the water to flow back toward the blender outlet after it has been
impelled away from the blender outlet, the impeller and said spaces
thereby enabling the water to be circulated within the mixing chamber
during the mixing of the drink, the axis of the said blender being
generally vertical, the outlet of the blender being at the bottom thereof,
said impeller comprising a hub extending along the axis of the blender,
the impeller blades extending radially from the hub, each blade having an
upper portion inclined upwardly in the direction of rotation of the
impeller, a flange at the top of the upper portion extending in the
direction of rotation, and a lower portion inclined downwardly in the
direction of the rotation of the impeller.
16. A blender as set forth in claim 15 wherein said blender has a conical
bottom tapering to said opening, said impeller blades each having an
upwardly inclined lower edge extending generally parallel to a generatrix
of the surface of the conical bottom, thereby enabling the impeller to be
spaced closely adjacent the bottom of the blender. |
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Claims |
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