Apparatus for dispensing dye into a beverage container

A dye dispensing apparatus which includes a reservoir for a liquid, a bellows having an interior, and fluid communication apparatus extending from the interior of the bellows. The apparatus also includes a first check valve that is connected to the fluid communication apparatus and includes apparatus for opening the first check valve in response to elevated pressure in the fluid communication apparatus. The apparatus also includes a second check valve connected to the fluid communication apparatus. The second check valve includes apparatus for opening the second check valve responsive to decreasing fluid pressure in the fluid communication apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to beverage dispensing apparatus and particularly to 
apparatus for dispensing a dye with a beverage being dispensed into 
glasses or other containers. One application for such apparatus is to 
dispense green dye into individual glasses or pitchers on Saint Patrick's 
Day. It is common practice to add green dye to kegs of beer in many 
lounges on such occasions. This approach may limit the bartender from 
supplying beer that is not green when the contents of the keg have been 
colored and may result in green beer being left over after Saint Patrick's 
day has passed. 
It will be understood that the invention is not solely limited to adding 
green dye and that other colors may be added on other occasions that are 
significant for other nationalities as well as other occasions. Such other 
occasions may be secular such Valentines day or even commercial functions 
such as trade shows. 
It is an object of the invention to provide apparatus that will allow the 
bartender to selectively add a dye to a given glass or pitcher. 
It is another object of the invention to provide apparatus that will also 
work with soda dispensing apparatus. 
It is an object of the invention to provide apparatus which is inexpensive 
to manufacture. 
Still another object of the invention is to provide apparatus that may be 
easily be retrofitted to existing beer and soda dispensing apparatus. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It has now been found that these and other objects of the invention may be 
attained in a dye dispensing apparatus which includes a reservoir for a 
liquid, a bellows having an interior, and fluid communication means 
extending from the interior of the bellows. The apparatus also includes a 
first check valve that is connected to the fluid communication means and 
includes means for opening the first check valve in response to elevated 
pressure in the fluid communication means. The apparatus also includes a 
second check valve connected to the fluid communication means. The second 
check valve includes means for opening the second check valve responsive 
to decreasing fluid pressure in the fluid communication means. 
In some forms of the invention the apparatus further includes a handle 
dimensioned and configured for engagement with an associated conventional 
beverage dispensing valve. The apparatus may have the reservoir, the 
bellows, the fluid communication means, the first check valve, and the 
second check valve are disposed within the handle. In other embodiments 
the bellows, the fluid communication means, the first check valve, and the 
second check valve are disposed within the reservoir which may be defined 
within the handle. The apparatus may further includes a fluid delivery 
tube extending from the first check valve through a wall of the reservoir.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to FIGS. 1-4 there is shown a first embodiment of the 
invention. A dye dispensing apparatus 10 includes a handle 12 that has the 
same general external shape as the handle on a conventional beer 
dispensing apparatus such as that in every bar. Unlike the conventional 
handle however the handle 12 is hollow and has a reservoir 14 for dye 
within it. The handle 12 is provided with an internally threaded insert 36 
that cooperates with a conventional beer valve 22. The internally threaded 
insert 36 provides a stronger connection between the handle 12 and a stem 
15 that is part of the conventional beer valve 22 carried on a panel or 
housing 13. 
In the conventional manner the bartender may pull the top of the handle 12 
toward him or herself and the consequent turning of the conventional beer 
valve 22 will cause beer to be dispensed from the conventional primary 
spout 16. The apparatus in accordance with the invention allows such 
conventional use. 
The reservoir 14 is provided with a vent 17 to insure free flow of the dye 
from the reservoir 14. Disposed within the reservoir 14 is the dye pumping 
apparatus that includes a first check valve ball 27, a first check valve 
seat 28, a second check valve ball 32, a second check valve ball 32, a 
second check valve seat 34, a bellows 24, and fluid couplings between 
them. The first check valve ball 27 is biased by a spring 29 against a 
first check valve seat 28. The second check valve ball 32 is biased by 
gravity against the second check valve seat 34. 
It will be seen that when the second check valve ball 32 is seated on the 
second check valve seat 34 that fluid will not pass out of the tube 37 
past the second check valve ball 32 when the pressure in the tube 37 is 
greater than the pressure in the reservoir 14. The bellows 24 is disposed 
in fluid communication with the tube 37 as well as a tube 38 that extends 
to the first check valve ball 27 and the first check valve seat 28. A dye 
feed tube 20 extends from the opposite side of the first check valve seat 
28 down through the bottom wall of the reservoir 14. More particularly, 
the dye feed tube 20 has the outer surface thereof sealed to the wall of 
the reservoir 14 to prevent leakage of any dye out of the reservoir 14. 
The dye feed tube 20 is fixed by a retainer 19 to the primary spout 16. 
In operation the depression of the bottom 24a causes the bellows 24 to 
contract within the sleeve 24b. This will compress any fluid within the 
tubes 37 and 38. The second check valve ball 32 will seat against the 
second check valve seat 34 and prevent passage of any fluid. The pressure 
in the tubes 37 and 38 will increase until the first check valve ball 27 
is forced off the first check valve seat 28 and thereby allows fluid to 
flow out the dye feed tube 20. 
As the bellows 24 expands the pressure in the tubes 37 and 38 will fall and 
the first check valve ball 27 will seat on first check valve seat 28. 
Concurrently, the second check valve ball 32 will be drawn off the second 
check valve seat 34. This will result in liquid dye disposed in the 
reservoir 14 being drawn into the tube 37 and the bellows 24. Some of the 
dye may even pass immediately into the tube 38. Those skilled in the art 
will recognize that subsequent depression of the bellows 24 will force dye 
out the dye feed tube 20. 
Those skilled in the art will also recognize that some pumping of air may 
be necessary to prime the pumping apparatus that has been described. 
Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 5-7. This embodiment 
is particularly easy to install on existing beverage dispensing apparatus. 
The dye dispensing apparatus dye 48 includes bellows 50 that is preferably 
secured to the conventional handle 51 of a conventional beer valve 22. In 
a manner similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4 the bellows 50 is in fluid 
communication with a spring biased closed check valve comprising a first 
check valve ball 58 and a first check valve seat 60. A spring 61 biases 
the first check valve ball 58 against the first check valve seat 60. More 
particularly, the spring 61 holds the first check valve ball 58 on the 
first check valve seat 60 until the pressure in the tube 63 rises above a 
predetermined level. When the bias of the spring 61 is overcome dye 
disposed in the tube 63 and the bellows 50 is forced through a dye feed 
tube 56 that communicates with the first check valve comprising the first 
check valve ball 58 and the first check valve seat 60. 
The bellows 50 is also in fluid communication with a gravity biased closed 
check valve comprising a second check valve ball 62 and a second check 
valve seat 64. This check valve is disposed below the fluid level in a 
reservoir 54. Accordingly, gravity will position the second check valve 
ball 62 on the second check valve seat 64 until a vacuum is produced in 
the tube 63 which will overcome the force of gravity holding the second 
check valve ball 62 on the second check valve seat 64. This will occur 
when the bellows 50 is expanding. At this time dye within the reservoir 54 
will enter the tube 63. Thereafter, when the bellows 50 is compressed the 
dye will be ejected. 
FIG. 7 illustrates an installation of three separate dispensing apparatus 
48 of the type shown in FIGS. 5-6. 
Those skilled in the art that the present apparatus may be readily adapted 
to the soda dispenser often utilized in many bars. In various forms of the 
invention the dye dispensing apparatus 10 and 48 may have substantial 
portions thereof molded in one molding operation. Although the invention 
has been described in terms of a dye dispenser for coloring a beverage it 
will be understood by those skilled in the art that dye for other purposes 
may be dispensed with the present invention. In addition other fluids may 
be dispensed with the apparatus of the present invention. 
The invention has been described with reference to its illustrated 
preferred embodiment. Persons skilled in the art of such devices may upon 
exposure to the teachings herein, conceive other variations. Such 
variations are deemed to be encompassed by the disclosure, the invention 
being delimited only by the following claims.