Abstract:
An apparatus for distributing a beverage includes a dispenser configured to be mounted to a shaft. The shaft is surrounded on a lower portion by a base. The dispenser is arranged having a number of discharge ports mounted in a 360-degree orientation. The discharge port arrangement allows a number of operators to distribute beverage without interfering with each other.

Description:
This present application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/636,324, filed Dec. 15, 2004, which application is hereby incorporated by reference herein. 

   BACKGROUND 
   The present disclosure relates generally to beverage dispensers, and more particularly to fountain-type beverage dispensers. 
   Fountain-type beverage dispensers are used in a variety of settings. A number of beverage dispensers allows a greater quantity of patrons to be served simultaneously. Coupling a number of individual dispensers to a single hub or drum allows numerous servers to access the beverage dispensers without interfering with each other. 
   SUMMARY 
   The present disclosure may comprise one or more of the features recited in the claims, and/or one or more of the following features and combinations thereof. An apparatus for distributing a beverage may comprise a dispenser having a drum coupled to an upper portion of a shaft and a number of discharge ports coupled to the drum. The shaft may comprise a hollow cylinder configured to receive a liquid supply tube coupled to one end of a supply source, and on another end, to the number of discharge ports coupled to the drum. 
   The dispenser may further include a platform coupled to the shaft below the drum. The platform may provide means for supporting a beverage receptacle so that a server does not have to hold the receptacle when filling it from the discharge ports. 
   The dispenser may further include a basin surrounding a lower portion of the shaft to collect any liquid which is spilled in the process of filling the beverage receptacle. The basin may further include a water supply line and a waste outlet. The water supply line may be a pipe configured to deliver tap water to the base for cleaning, for example. The waste outlet may be a pipe configured to allow waste liquids to exit the basin and flow to an appropriate waste collection system. 
   Additional features of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the apparatus for distributing a beverage including a number of discharge ports coupled to a drum, the drum coupled to an upper portion of a shaft, the shaft surrounded on a lower portion by a concentrically arranged basin to collect liquids spilled in the distribution process, and the basin being formed to include a hinged door panel, a water supply line, and a waste outlet; and 
       FIG. 2  is a plan view of the apparatus for distributing a beverage of  FIG. 1 , with portions broken away, showing the number of discharge ports arranged in a spaced-apart relationship generally 360 degrees around the drum, the concentrically arranged basin surrounding a lower portion of the apparatus, and the waste outlet. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the disclosure, reference will now be made to one or more illustrative embodiments illustrated in the drawing and specific language will be used to describe the same. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , an apparatus for distributing a beverage  10  is shown and includes a dispenser  12 , a shaft  16 , and a basin  20 . Dispenser  12  includes a number of discharge ports  13  coupled to a drum  14 . Drum  14  is coupled to an upper portion of shaft  16  in a conventional manner. A lower portion of shaft  16  is coupled to basin  20 . 
   An upper portion of shaft  16  is arranged having drum  14  coupled to the upper portion of shaft  16 , the lower portion of shaft  16  is coupled to basin  20 , and a beverage receptacle platform  18  coupled to shaft  16  therebetween. In the illustrative embodiment, beverage receptacle platform  18  is an annular tray or annular plate  18  formed to include an aperture at its center arranged to receive shaft  16 . Tray  18  extends radially outwardly away from shaft  16  to provide a surface for a server to place a beverage container (not shown) below discharge ports  13  so that the server can fill the container without having to hold the container during the distribution process. 
   Illustratively, shaft  16  is formed to include a hollow bore configured to receive a supply tube  28  coupled to a supply source (not shown) located away from apparatus  10 . Supply tube  28  extends through the lower portion of shaft  16  to an upper portion of shaft  16  where it is coupled to discharge ports  13  for fluid communication between shaft  16  and discharge ports  13 . 
   Each discharge port  13  includes a spigot  30 , a control valve  32 , and a control valve actuator  34 . Spigot  30  allows a beverage to be dispensed out discharge port  13  to a beverage container. Control valve  32  is configured to control the flow of beverage from supply tube  28  to the beverage container. Control valve actuator  34  is arranged to allow a server to manually operate control valve  32 . In the illustrative embodiment, actuator  34  is a palm-receiving rod. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2 , discharge ports  13  are arranged in a spaced-apart relation to one another around drum  14  in a generally 360-degree orientation. The 360-degree orientation provides means for a number of servers to access dispenser  12  simultaneously so that they do not interfere with each other while filling beverage containers. Illustratively, sixteen ports  13  are shown. However, it is within the scope of this disclosure to include a dispenser  12  having any number of discharge ports  13 . 
   Basin  20  includes an outer side wall  36  and a bottom wall  38  cooperating to define an interior region  29 . Outer side wall  36  is configured having an upper portion  22  and a lower portion  24 . Bottom wall  38  is formed to include an outlet  26  associated with a drain pipe  27 . Bottom wall  38  may include an inlet aperture  40  to provide, for example, means for supplying a fresh water source such as an inlet pipe  41 . Upper portion  22  is generally frustoconical in shape having a wide-diameter top end and a narrow-diameter bottom end. Upper portion  22  is coupled to lower portion  24  to form a unitary structure. Lower portion  24  is generally cylindrically-shaped. Outer side wall  36  may be formed to include a hinged door panel  42  to allow access to interior region  29  of basin  20 . It will be understood that while a single hinged door panel is illustrated in  FIG. 1 , outer side wall  36  may alternatively include more hinged door panels for access to interior region  29  of basin  20 . Illustratively, an upper rim  25  of upper portion  22  defines a mouth of basin  20  that is wider than or includes a diameter greater than the drum with spigot  30  and the tray  18 . 
   Bottom wall  38  is formed to include apertures arranged to receive shaft  16 , drain pipe  27 , and water supply line  41 . In the illustrated embodiment, water supply line  41  extends through aperture  40 . Water supply line  41  may be configured so that a source of water is provided, for example, to clean basin  20  or other components of dispenser  12 . Bottom wall  38  may be generally conically-shaped to allow waste liquids to reach outlet  26 . 
   Although a generally circular drum  12 , tray  18 , and basin  20  are shown, it should be understood that each of the drum  12 , tray  18 , and/or basin  20  may be configured in any other suitable shape such as, for example, an oval, a square, a rectangle, a triangle, etc. In the case of a square drum, for example, the discharge ports  13  may be spaced-apart along the four walls of the drum. It should also be understood, therefore, that such discharge ports  13  positioned along the four walls of the square drum may be considered to be arranged in a generally 360-degree orientation around the drum. 
   In an alternate embodiment contemplated by this disclosure, supply tube  28  is arranged to depend from an overhead source. In this embodiment, supply tube  28  is configured to be coupled to dispenser  12  on an upper portion of drum  14 . 
   While the disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the foregoing drawings and description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only illustrative embodiments thereof have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the disclosure are desired to be protected.