Abstract:
An operating apparatus for safely and effortlessly operating beverage dispensers of the character which embody a manually operated air pump for expelling the beverage from the dispenser. The operating apparatus of the invention, which can simultaneously support and operate a plurality of air pump dispensers in a side-by-side relationship, safely constrains the dispensers within an upright supporting structure of novel design to which a number of lever-like, air-pump operating arms can be pivotally connected. The operating arms, each of which includes a pump engaging member, is separately movable from a first at rest position to a second, downward operating position. Because of the mechanical advantage offered by the lever-like operating arms of the device, the plunger component of the air pump can be effortlessly depressed while the dispenser is being securely held in position within the superstructure of the device.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to devices for dispensing beverages. More particularly, the invention concerns a manually operated apparatus for operating the air pump of beverage dispensers of the character having an internally disposed air pump that includes a depressible plunger which, upon being depressed, causes the beverage to be dispensed from the container. 
     2. Discussion of the Prior Art 
     In recent years, beverage dispensers having internally mounted air pumps for dispensing the beverage from the dispenser have become very popular. In operating these types of dispensers, a plunger, which is usually mounted to the top of the dispenser, is depressed by the user to pressurize the interior of the dispenser container in a manner to controllably force the beverage from the container through a side mounted dispensing spout. 
     Dispensers of the aforementioned character are widely used in fast-food restaurants, including donut shops and the like for dispensing hot coffee and other beverages. In many instances several dispensers are located side by side in the serving area of the restaurant. The dispensers may be operated either by the customer or by employees of the restaurant. 
     In those establishments where the beverage is dispensed from the air pump dispensers by the employees, the repetitive pumping action required by the employee can become quite tiring by days end. Additionally, when hot beverages, such as coffee and tea are being dispensed, serious burn injuries can occur if the dispenser is accidentally tipped during the pumping action or if the arms or hands of the user accidentally come too close to the outlet of the dispenser during the dispensing operation. Additionally, because the pumping operation itself is cumbersome and somewhat awkward, the employees hands and arms can be unduly stressed sometimes causing numbness and other physical problems. 
     In the service establishments where the customer dispenses the beverage from the air pump dispensers, there is a danger that the customer can be seriously injured if the dispenser is not properly constrained or if the dispenser is operated in an improper and unsafe manner. Where several air pump dispensers are placed side by side in a restricted serving area, the risk of injury during the dispensing, particularly of hot beverages, increases because of the crowded serving conditions and because of the awkward manner in which the air pump of the typical dispenser must be operated. 
     The thrust of the present invention is directed toward solving the problems discussed in the preceding paragraphs by providing a novel, easy-to-use operating apparatus for safely operating the air pumps of the beverage dispenser while the dispensers are constrained in a secure position within the serving area. More particularly, the operating apparatus of the invention, which can simultaneously support and operate a plurality of air pump dispensers, safely constrains the dispensers within an upright supporting structure of novel design to which a number of lever-like, air-pump operating arms can be pivotally connected. The operating arms, each of which includes a pump engaging member, is separately movable from a first at rest position to a second, downward operating position. Because of the mechanical advantage offered by the lever-like operating arms of the device, the plunger component of the air pump can be effortlessly depressed while the dispenser is being securely held in position within the superstructure the device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide an operating apparatus for safely and effortlessly operating beverage dispensers of the character which embody a manually operated air pump for expelling the beverage from the dispenser. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide an operating apparatus of the aforementioned character which can be used to support and separately operate a plurality of beverage dispensers positioned in a side-by-side relationship. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus as described in the preceding paragraphs which will accommodate beverage dispensers of different sizes and one which will safely secure the dispensers in a fixed position during the beverage dispensing operation. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide an operating apparatus for operating air pump type beverage dispensers which is easy to use, is of simple construction and requires little or no maintenance. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of one form of the operating apparatus of the invention for operating a plurality of beverage containers. 
     FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 3 is a generally perspective view of the forward beverage dispenser clamping member of the base assembly of the apparatus. 
     FIG. 4 is a side-elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 5--5 of FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 6 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along lines 6--6 of FIG. 4. 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along lines 7--7 of FIG. 5. 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 8--8 of FIG. 7. 
     FIG. 9 is a side-elevational view similar to FIG. 4, but showing one of the lever-like operating arms of the apparatus moved into a fluid dispensing position. 
     FIG. 10 is a fragmentary, front elevational view similar to FIG. 1, but showing the apparatus having been adjusted to accommodate beverage dispensers of a different size. 
     FIG. 11 is a side-elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 10 having phantom lines illustrating the movement of the lever-like operating arm into the fluid dispensing position. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIGS. 1 through 5, one form of the operating apparatus of the present invention is there illustrated. This form of the operating apparatus is adapted to accommodate a plurality of beverage dispensers &#34;D&#34; each being of the character comprising a container portion &#34;C&#34; having an internally disposed air pump (not shown) which is operated by a depressible plunger &#34;P&#34; (FIG. 9) to cause the beverage contained within the container to be dispensed therefrom through a delivery spout &#34;S&#34;. Beverage dispensers &#34;D&#34; are of a character well known in the art and are readily commercially available from a number of sources such as the United States company Cooks Club, Inc. of Harrison, N.J. and the Japanese Peacock Company. While the commercial dispensers are obtainable in various sizes, they all embody substantially identical operating components. 
     In the form of the invention shown in the drawings, the operating apparatus comprises a base assembly 14 comprising a floor defining member 16 and locating means connected to floor member 16 for locating the beverage dispensers &#34;D&#34; on the floor member in a side-by-side relationship as shown in FIG. 1. The locating means here comprises a first, rearwardly disposed dispenser engaging member 18 which is interconnected with floor member 16 and a second, forwardly disposed dispensing engaging member 20 which is slidably connected to floor member 16. The details of the construction and operation of this novel locating means will presently to be described. Connected to base assembly 14 in an upright shown in the drawings as upright framework 22. Upright framework 22 comprises spaced-apart side assemblies 24 and an elevated cross-member 26 which is connected to and spans side assemblies 24. 
     Forming an extremely important aspect of the operating apparatus of the present invention is operating means for operating the air pumps of the beverage dispensers &#34;D&#34;. This novel operating means here comprise a plurality of lever-like operating arms 30 which are pivotally connected to cross member 26 for movement between the first elevated position shown in FIG. 4 to the second operating or beverage dispensing position shown in FIG. 9. As best seen in FIG. 5, each operating arm 30 extends outwardly from cross member 26 and each includes a first end portion 30a which is pivotally connected to cross member 26 and a second end portion 30b which forms the handle portion of the operating arm which is grippable by the user of the apparatus. Formed intermediate ends 30a and 30b of arms 30 is an intermediate portion 30c which is disposed over the beverage dispensers resting on base assembly 14. This intermediate portion 30c comprises the plunger engaging means of the invention and comprises a generally V-shaped protuberance 33 which functions to depress the depressible plunger &#34;P&#34; of the air pump upon the operating arm being moved toward the second position shown in FIG. 9. 
     As best seen by referring to FIGS. 1 and 6, side assemblies 24 each comprise a first side member 24a and a cooperating second side member 24b. Each side member 24a has a lower extremity 35 which is interconnected with floor member 16 by suitable connectors such as screws 37 (FIG. 1). The upper portion 39 of each side member 24a is provided with an elongated, generally vertically extending slot 40. Each side member 24b is provided with a threaded connector 43 which includes a shank portion 43a that extends through and is slidably received within slot 40. A wing nut 44 is threadably received on each connector 43 and functions when tightened against a side member 24a to position the side member 24b at a selected height above the base assembly 14. 
     Turning to FIGS. 10 and 11, it is to be noted that with the construction described in the preceding paragraph, side member 24b along with cross member 26 to which it is connected can be adjusted relative to side member 24a so as to controllably adjust the height of cross member 26 and, in turn, the operating arms 30 relative to the upper surface of floor member 16. Accordingly, when the apparatus of the invention is used with smaller dispensers, such as dispensers &#34;D-1&#34; which are of the character shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the wing nuts 44 of each side assembly 24 can be loosened and side member 24b can be lowered to enable the so operating arms 30 to moved into the correct operating position with respect to dispensers &#34;D-1&#34;. With the operating arms thusly positioned, they can be selectively operated to depress the plunger &#34;P&#34; of the dispenser &#34;D-1&#34; over which the arm is superimposed in the manner indicated by the phantom lines of FIG. 11. To provide rigidity to side members 24a, diagonal braces 27 extend between floor member 16 and each side member (FIG. 4). 
     Turning now to FIGS. 7 and 8, it is to be observed that each of the operating arms 30 is pivotally interconnected with cross member 26 by means of brackets 48 which are, in turn, interconnected with cross member 26 by threaded connectors such as connectors 51. Each of the brackets 48 includes a channel-like opening 52 which closely receives the end portion 30a of an operating arm 30. The side portions of bracket 48, which define the channel-like opening, as well as end portion 30a of operating arm 30, are drilled to accept a pivot pin 54. As best seen in FIG. 7, pivot pin 54 extends through drilled bores 53 provided in the side portions of bracket 48 and also through a drilled bore 55 provided in end portion 30a of operating arm 30. With this construction, each arm 30 is readily pivotally movable between the first elevated position shown in FIG. 4 and the second beverage dispensing position shown in FIG. 9. 
     Turning once again to FIGS. 2 and 3, it is to be noted that first dispensing engaging member 18 of the locating means of the invention is affixed to floor member 16 by any suitable means such as adhesive bonding or threaded connectors. To closely receive the base portion of a dispenser &#34;D&#34;, a plurality of arcuate shaped cut-outs 63 are provided at longitudinally spaced locations along the length of first dispenser engaging member 18 (FIG. 1). The second dispenser engaging means, the configuration of which is best seen in FIG. 3, rather than being fixedly connected to floor member 16 is slidably connected thereto so that the second dispenser engaging member can be moved toward and away from first dispenser engaging member 18 to accommodate dispensers of various sizes. More particularly, second dispenser engaging member 20 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced, generally V-shaped cut-outs 65 the sides of which are movable into engagement with the base portions of the dispensers &#34;D&#34; as member 20 is moved in a sliding relationship with floor member 16 in a direction toward first dispenser engaging member 18. To permit this sliding movement, dispensing engaging member 20 is provided with a pair of longitudinally spaced slots 67 which closely receive the shank portions 69a of a pair of spaced-apart threaded connectors 69 which are connected to and extend upwardly from the top surface of floor member 16 (FIG. 1). Wing nuts 70 are provided on threaded connectors 69 so that dispenser engaging member 20 can be securely clamped at a selected location against floor member 16. By loosening wing nuts 70, member 20 can be moved either toward or away from dispenser engaging member 18 to accommodate dispensers having different size base portions. 
     Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, it is to be noted that in the form of the invention there shown, the first dispenser engaging member 18a is also slidable with respect to floor member 16. For this purpose member 18a is slotted to receive shank portion of connectors such as connector 69 (FIG. 11) and functions in the same manner as sliding member 20. 
     As best seen by referring to FIG. 3, second dispenser engaging member 20 is also uniquely provided with an elongated fluid capture channel 74 which, as illustrated in FIG. 9 is adapted to contain fluid spills which may occur during the beverage dispensing operation (see FIG. 9). This capture channel functions to effectively capture and retain spilled liquids and thereby help to prevent the spill of liquids onto the floor and onto table tops located within the serving area. 
     It is to be understood that the frame work of the apparatus of the invention can be constructed from plastic, wood, metal or any other suitable material. 
     Having now described the invention in detail in accordance with the requirements of the patent statutes, those skilled in this art will have no difficulty in making changes and modifications to the individual parts or their relative assembly in order to meet specific requirements or conditions. Such changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, as set forth in the following claims.