Fluid dispensing apparatus and display means

Advertising apparatus with electrically operated attention drawing means conveniently in the form of a lamp or device for emitting an audio signal. The apparatus is for use with a device for dispensing liquids from inverted bottles and has a support bracket, a resilient mounting projecting from the bracket and adapted to locate a liquid metering device and a bottle attached thereto, and a switching circuit for operating the attention-drawing means with the switching circuit being closed by movement of the bottle on the resilient mounting when the liquid metering device is activated.

This invention relates to advertising apparatus forming part of a device 
for dispensing liquids from bottles removably mounted on the device. 
Dispensing devices of this type are well known and are often found in bars 
where liquor is sold. A bottle of spirits is supported upside down and has 
a metering device located in the opening thereof. This metering device, 
commonly known as a tot measurer, is often operated by pushing a glass up 
against an operating bar which is forced upwards, thus operating the 
measurer and metering the desired amount of liquid into the glass. 
Generally the label of the bottle is directed forwardly to show to the 
customer what liquor, or brand thereof, he is purchasing. Because the 
bottle is upside down this is not very effective and furthermore does not 
serve to display the brand name to its best advantage. This is, of course, 
very important to persons trading in the liquor as they wish to obtain 
maximum advertisement of their product. 
An object of this invention is thus to provide advertising apparatus for 
use in the advertisement of products sold in the above mentioned manner. 
According to the invention advertising apparatus for use with a device for 
dispensing liquids from inverted bottles comprise: 
a support bracker; 
a resilient mounting projecting from the bracket and adapted to locate a 
liquid metering device and a bottle attached thereto; 
electrically operated attention-drawing means; and 
a switching circuit for operating the attention-drawing means said 
switching circuit being closed by movement of the bottle on the resilient 
mounting when the liquid metering device is activated. 
The attention-drawing means may be either in the form of a device for 
emitting an audio signal or a lamp or a combination of these. Where a lamp 
is used this forms part of a visul advertisement and the lamp serves to 
illuminate this advertisement.

In this embodiment advertising apparatus will be described in conjunction 
with a liquor dispensing device of which it forms part. 
The liquor dispensing device comprises an elongated metal member 1 to one 
end of which is fitted a clamp 2 suitable for clamping the device in an 
upstanding orientation to a shelf or other similar support. 
On the opposite side of the clamp 1 is small clamp 3 which locates a 
mounting 12 of resilient material. This mounting locates a removable tot 
measurer 13 incorporating a suitable valve. The tot measurer includes an 
inlet 4 for sealing co-operation with a liquor bottle 5 or the like and an 
oppositely directed outlet 6 and valve activator 7; the latter including a 
transverse activating bar 8. 
At the second end of the elongated member is a display 9 which consists of 
a plastics housing and a forwardly directed translucent screen 10 bearing 
advertising material. Behind the screen 10 is a lamp which is powered 
either by batteries or a suitable mains supply. A switching circuit for 
the lamp includes a switch in the form of an elongated spring metal strip 
11 mounted in an insulated manner at a point adjacent the small clamp 3. 
The strip 11 projects away from the elongated member at a small acute 
angle and then bends towards the member at its free end 14, with the 
extremity terminating a short distance from the member 1. By contacting 
the member 1 with the free end of the strip 11 the switching circuit is 
closed and the lamp illuminated. 
At its point furthest removed from the member 1 the strip is adapted to 
contact the side of a liquor bottle lying along the length of the member 
with its opening sealingly attached to the inlet 4 and further supported 
by a support ring 12 on the elongated member just below the display. 
Thus, in use, the liquor dispensing device is mounted by the clamp 2 to a 
support as described. The tot measurer is removed from the small clamp, 
the inlet inserted into a bottle of liquor and this bottle then inverted 
into the support ring and the measurer reclamped in position. 
To draw a tot from the bottle, a glass is urged upwardly against the 
transverse bar of the valve activator thus opening the valve. The upward 
thrust on the measurer causes its resilient mounting to bend slightly and 
hence the remote end of the bottle moves the strip 11 towards the 
elongated member. When the strip contacts the elongated member the 
switching circuit for the display is closed and the screen is illuminated 
by the lamp. As soon as the thrust is removed from the bar the bottle 
returns to its original position and the light goes out. 
There are many forms which the switching circuit may take but this is 
simply a feature of the apparatus and its design. Furthermore, it should 
be noted that the switching circuit may activate an audio signal, such as 
a bell, in addition or alternatively to, the lamp of the illuminated 
display.