Improvements in Apparatus for Storing Liquids and Drawing them off in Measured Quantities.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 26th Mar., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Storing Liquids and Drawing them
off in Measured Quantities.
I WILLIAM MILES FOWLER, of No. 15 Vandewater Street in the City of
New York, in the State of New York, United States of America, Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:—
My invention relates to an improvement in apparatus for dispensing liquids,
especially those used as beverages, in which several supply reservoirs are supported
in a manner to be brought, at pleasure, into position to discharge a portion of
their contents into a glass or other suitable receiver, and in which provision is
made for conveying the glass or other suitable receiver out of reach of the
operator while receiving its charge from the reservoir, and preventing access to it
until a permanent record has been made of its price.
A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in the accompanying
drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a view in vertical section through the reservoir support, showing the
receiver support and the case which encloses the check printing mechanism in
front elevation.
Fig. 2 is a view of said casing, the receiver support, and the base of the reservoir
support, in side elevation.
Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section, partly in elevation, from front to rear
through the said casing and receiver carrier.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged bottom plan view of the several operating parts within the
said casing, showing the casing itself in horizontal section.
Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the receiver carrier support, a portion of the same
being broken away to indicate more clearly the operating mechanism.
Fig. 6 is a partial top plan view of the reservoir support and the receiver
carrier.
Figs. 7 and 8 are views in detail representing respectively a top plan view and a
transverse vertical section of the glass or receiver carrier; and
Fig. 9 is a view in detail of the ratchet and cam wheel and parts adjacent
thereto.
In describing this apparatus I shall find it convenient to refer in the first place
to the arrangement and manipulation of the several reservoirs; secondly to the
ineans for supporting and carrying the receiver into position to receive its charge
of liquid from the reservoir and returning it to be removed; and finally to the
mechanism for printing the price of the liquid dispensed, and for severing the
printed tickets.
A represents the base of the reservoir support, the same being sustained at its
rear portion by legs a, and at its front portion by a casing B, which latter encloses
the printing mechanism, and forms a support for the receiver carrier. The base A
is here shown as provided with an upwardly projecting rim a', and at its centre
it has an upwardly projecting threaded boss a². It is also provided with an
annular upwardly extending ring portion a³, in the upper face of which is formed
an annular groove a' for the reception of a series of ball-bearings a*.
The rotary support for the several reservoirs C is provided with a flat bottom c,
which rests upon the ball-bearing a', and with upwardly and outwardly flaring
sides, provided on their outer faces with an annular lip c³, adapted, when the
support is in position, to overlap the upper rim a¹ of the base A. The outer
portion of the bottom c of the rotary support is provided at intervals with

page_text: openings for the reception of the necks of the reservoirs. Fixed centrally
to the bottom C, and uprising therefrom, is a central hub D, which has secured to
its upper end a plate d provided with openings therethrough, for the reception
of the reservoirs, and further provided with an upwardly projecting rim or
flange, having a shoulder d³ formed therein for the reception of the edge of
a cover d³.
A spindle & extends centrally through the hub D and bottom of the reservoir
support, and screws into the boss a in the support A. At its upper end the
spindle extends upwardly through the top of the cover d, and is provided at or
near its upper end with an annular groove d' located just below the top of the
cover A lock d is fixed to the under side of the cover in position for its
bolt to be shot into and out of the grooved in the spindle, and to thereby lock
the cover to the spindle, or release it therefrom, as may be desired. Access to the
lock is had from the top of the cover ³, by removing the ornamental piece
represented in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings.
It will thus be seen, that when the parts are assembled, access to the reservoirs
can only be had by a person holding the key to the lock d³.
At a predetermined point, in the present instance within the limits of the
top of the casing B, the base A is provided with an opening over which that
reservoir from which the liquid is to be drawn may be placed, by rotating the
Support about the spindle upon the bearings a. Provision may be made for
stopping each of the reservoirs in the desired adjustment by a series of notches
in the outer face of the support, adapted to receive the nose of a spring-actuated
dog e pivotally secured to the rim of the base A. The necks of the reservoirs
are provided with suitable valves of any well known or approved form adapted
to be operated by the arm e on a spring-actuated rock shaft E journaled in
suitable bearings in the base A, as shown in Fig. 6, and provided at its outer end,
outside of the base, with an operating handle e. The valve which the particular
arme herein shown is adapted to operate, is that shown and described in my
British Patent No. 11129, dated June 30, 1891, although the particular form
of valve to be employed is not a feature of my present application.
The mechanism for conveying the glass or receiver into position underneath the
neck of the reservoir, in position to discharge and return it to the operator, is
constructed and arranged as follows:
The upper portion of the casing B is of less depth from front to rear than
the lower portion, and upon the deeper lower portion there is mounted a horizontally
rocking wheel F, provided on its periphery with a series of bevel teeth f, which
intermesh with a bevel toothed wheel G fixed on the operating shaft H. The
shaft His journaled in suitable bearings in a hanger fixed to the casing B, and
extends through the front of the casing, and is there provided with a crank ¹
for operating it. The wheel Fis provided with a hub f', which turns freely
within a suitable bearing within the top of the casing, being secured in position by
a collar fixed to the hub, at the under side of its support. The wheel F has
fixed to its upper side, and spaced therefrom by means of bosses f³, a plate,
which supports a transparent guard fo. The guard f' is preferably made of glass,
having the general form of an inverted glass dish, and is intended to be of such
depth as to occupy, with an easy fit, the space between the top of the plate f
and the bottom of the base A. It is provided with an indentation in its
periphery, adapted to receive the seat on the plate for the glass or other
receiver, which is intended to receive its charge from the reservoir, and the wall
of the indentation is further indented at the inner end of the indentation, as
shown at f, for the purpose of admitting the fingers or hand, to conveniently
grasp the receiver, when on its seat f' within the indentation f".
The plate f, and the transparent guard f³, are so located as to extend for a
distance equal to half their diameter, or less, between the bottom of the base A and
the top of the deeper portion of the casing, and between the side walls of the
upper portion of the casing, so that when the wheel F, with its plate" and

page_text: receiver and guard thereon, are turned to carry the glass or receiver within the space
beneath the bottom of the base A, access to the glass will be cut off, although the
glass will remain visible to the operator.
To prevent any possible return of the glass or receiver after it has passed out of
reach, and before it has been brought into position directly beneath the reservoir
arranged to discharge, and also to prevent its retrograde movement after it has once
been started on its road from beneath the reservoir toward the operator, I provide
a double-acting pawl I, see Fig. 5, which is provided with arms extending in opposite
directions in position to engage the teeth on the wheel F, and prevent it from rotating
in one direction or the other, according to the direction in which the pawl I may be
tilted. A spring-actuated dog i presses against the tapered back of the pawl,
and is so arranged with relation to the pawl, that when the pawl is tilted in one
direction it will engage one side of the tapered portion, and hold the pawl
in that position, while when the pawl is tilted in the opposite direction, past the
nose of the dog, the latter will engage the opposite side of the tapering portion,
and will tend to hold the pawl tilted in the opposite direction. The pawl is
forcibly and automatically tilted at the proper moments, namely, at the extreme
limits of the rocking movement of the receiver support by means of hook shaped
lugs which, as the receiver support reaches the limit of its stroke, over-ride
one of the oppositely extended arms of the pawl, and force that arm of the pawl
with which they engage, down into contact with the teeth and the tapered back ¿'
of the pawl, past the nose of the dog i. From this it follows, that when the
receiver support is being carried from without, into position beneath the reservoir,
the paw!
will allow the support to rotate freely in the direction to carry the
receiver in, but will not allow its movement in the opposite direction, and there
will be no means of changing the effect of the pawl until the receiver support
has been rotated to the extreme limit of its stroke, and thereby brought the
pawl-operating lug into engagement with the pawl, and thereby rocked it past
the nose of the dog i, so as to reverse its effect. In the same manner, while the
receiver support is now free to be rocked in the opposite direction to carry the
receiver outwardly within reach of the operator, it will not be possible to reverse
its movement until it has been brought outwardly to the limit of its stroke, and
the pawl I has been rocked in the opposite direction by means of the operating
lug at that limit of its stroke.
The glass guard ƒ is secured against lateral displacement by its engagement
with the receiver seat f' in connection with a pair of pins f projecting upwardly
from the face of the plate f^.
The printing of the price of the liquid dispensed, and the severing of the printed
tickets, is accomplished as follows:-
A horizontally rotating ratchet wheel K is provided with a depending notched
rim, forming a series of cams k. The ratchet wheel K is loosely.mounted upon a
stud k fixed to the top of the casing, and the number of its ratchet teeth ², in the
present instance four, corresponds with the number of depending cams k. The
cams & taper from a broad base to narrow vertices at their lower ends, and serve
to operate both the swinging type carrier and the movable jaw of the cutter, as
will hereinafter appear. The wheel K is rotated in a step by step movement by
means of a pawl (see Fig. 4), pivotally secured to an arm k, the latter projecting
from a rocking disc s, loosely mounted on the stud . The free end of the arm k
is connected with a stud ko, fixed to the wheel F, and depending from its under-side
by means of a link. The stud projects downwardly through a curved slot k
in the top of the casing, the latter corresponding with the path in which the stud **
would travel when carried by the wheel in its rocking movement. The arrange-
ment of the pawl ³, the arm A, and the link &, is such, that when the wheel Fis
rocked by means of the crank in the direction to carry the receiver into position
underneath the reservoir, the pawl will be advanced the distance of one tooth, k³,
on the wheel K, and will hook over the end of the tooth at the termination of the

page_text: inward movement of the receiver. When the receiver support is rocked in the
opposite direction, to return the charged receiver to the operator, the pawl k³ will
be drawn, by means of its connection with the wheel F, in the opposite direction,
and will carry with it the ratchet wheel K the distance of one tooth corresponding
to the distance between two successive cams k.
An operating arm for depressing the impression pad to make the print, consisting
in the present instance of an angular shaped portion L, I, and an extension 1 fixed
to the parts Land of the angle portion, is pivotally secured at one end to a
suitable support 2, with its free end projecting over the swinging frame M,
carrying the impression pad m. The part 1 of the angle portion of the arm is
provided, at or near its free end, with an antifriction roller P, which is hell
normally in engagement with the faces of the cams by means of a spring
attached to the top of the casing and to the free end of the frame L, and
tending to lift the said frame, and the operating arm with it, toward the top of
the casing.
Beneath the impression pad m, a type bed N is located, and connected with its
support on in such a manner that it may be slid transversely with respect to the
impression pad m. It is here shown as having a dovetail connection with its
support n, as shown in Fig. 3, where it is seen in end elevation. The said type
bed N is provided with as many different sets of type as there are different prices
of liquids to be dispensed, in the present instance with two sets. As it is intended
to print the tickets in duplicate, a set of type will consist of duplicate characters
spaced apart to correspond with the two strips of ribbon or other material to be
impressed. The prices designated in the accompanying drawings are respectively
10 and 15 cents, and hence I have shown in plan, Fig. 4, in dotted lines, a
duplicate 10 and a duplicate 15. The type bed N is held normally, by means of
a spring n', in a position to print the price 10, and is moved temporarily along in
its support n, to print the higher price 15, by means of a lever O fulcrummed to
a suitable support, as o, and connected, at its lower end, by means of a stud o', with
the bed plate N, its upper end o projecting upwardly through the bottom of the
base A into position to be engaged by lugs of depending from the bottom of the
rotary reservoir support, and so located as to operate the lever O only when a
reservoir containing the higher price liquid is brought in position to discharge into
the receiver.
In rotating the reservoirs C, to bring any particular one into position to discharge
other than those containing the higher priced liquid, the depending lugs o³ will
pass the top of the lever O, and the type bed N will return, under the tension of
the spring n', to its normal position.
When the ratchet wheel K is rotated the distance of one tooth, the antifriction
roller will ride downwardly along one side of the cam k, and when it reaches the
vertex of the cam, the impression pad will have brought the ribbon into contact
with the type upon the bed N, and after passing the vertex, the said roller will
ride upwardly on the opposite side of the cam k, under the tension of the spring,
thereby allowing the impression pad to recede from the type bed. The strips p
of material to be printed are fed over the type bed N from supply rolls I as
follows:-
A feed roller Q, located a short distance from the type bed, is mounted in suit-
able bearings to admit of its rotary movement, and is provided, on one end, with
bevel
gear 9, which intermeshes with a bevel gear wheel ' fixed on a stud 9², which
depends from a ratchet wheel q³. The ratchet wheel is seated in proximity to
the upper
face of the wheel F, and the depending stud extends loosely through
the hub on the wheel F. A spring actuated pawl 9 (see dotted lines Fig. 5)
is carried by the wheel F in engagement with the ratchet wheel q³, so that when
the wheel Fis rocked in one direction, the pawl g' will engage the ratchet wheel g³,
and cause it to rotate with the wheel F, hut when the wheel F is rotated in the
opposite direction, the pawl q* will ride over the teeth on the wheel g³, and allow

page_text: the latter to remain at rest. The arrangement is such, that the ratchet wheel 2ª
will be rotated, and the feed roller Q thereby rotated to feed the strips along over
the type bed when the receiver is being carried from without into its position
underneath the reservoir. A pressure roller 9' is mounted in vielding bearings
in position to hold the strips of material firmly against the face of the feed
roller Q, so as to cause them to be positively fed forward by the rotation of said
feed roller.
Between the feed roller Q and type bed N, there is located a cutter consisting of
a stationary jaw R and a movable jawr, between which jaws the strips of material
are fed in position to be printed. The movable jaw is held normally open by
means of a suitable spring, and has fixed thereto an arm, carrying an antifriction
roller, which is held normally in engagement with the cams k, depending from
the ratchet wheel K. At the same time that the impression pad m is depressed to
make the impression, the movable jaw r, by means of the roller in engagement
with one of the cams k, is caused to close upon the jaw R, and sever the strips, so
that when the jaw R is allowed to recede at the same time that the pad m recedes,
the printed tickets will be free to fall into their respective receptacles. One of
these receptacles, S, is located within the casing B, and access thereto can be had
only by the person holding the key to the door of the casing. The other receptacles
consists of a conduit leading from within the casing to the outside thereof,
so that the ticket may be received by the operator through an opening s' in the
casing.
In order to prevent the return of the type bed N into position to print a lower
price by the further turning of the reservoir support, after it has once been turned,
and liquid drawn from that reservoir containing the higher priced liquid, I provide
a spring actuated stop consisting of a bar or rod T having a sliding movement
within its bearings t, and extending from the operating wheel G on the shaft H,
to a point in proximity to the end of the type bed N. A spring t¹ tends to hold
the rod T normally out of engagement with the end of the typo bed N, and the
Baid rod is forced toward the type bed against the tension of the spring, by means of
a cam t on the inner face of the wheel G (see Fig. 4), which, as the said wheel G
is turned to carry the receiver into position beneath the reservoir, causes the end
of the rod T to ride up the face of the cam t, and thereby project into the path
of the end of the type bed N. So long as the type bed N remains in position to
print the lower price, the rod T will play back and forth out of engagement with
the type bed N, but when the type bed N. has been shifted to print a higher price,
the end of the rod T will be advanced into a socket t' in the end of the bed, and
will thereby lock it in position to print the higher price, no matter how the reservoir
support may be thereafter manipulated.
For the purpose of giving audible notice of the movement of the impression
device, I provide the rim of the ratchet wheel K with pins t, corresponding to the
number of ratchet teeth k³ and cams & thereon, which, as the wheel K is rotated,
engage a spring-actuated arm to, connected with a bell hammer te, and thereby
rock the hammer away from the bell 7, and allow it to come back and strike as the
pin passes the arm.
The operation of the several parts having been described in detail, the operation
of the apparatus, as a whole, may be briefly described as follows:-
The reservoir support is first turned to bring that reservoir from which it is
desired to dispense the liquid, into position. The glass or other receiver is then
placed upon its seat within the indentation, within the transparent guard, and is
carried, by manipulating the crank h¹ at the front, into position beneath the receiver
from which the liquid is to be drawn. This movement of the receiver carrier will,
at the same time, feed the strips of material to be printed forward over the
type bed, and will carry the pawl into position to operate the ratchet wheel K.
The valve-operating handle e being now manipulated, the liquid may be drawn
into the receiver in such quantity as may be desired, up to the capacity, of the
receiver. When this is done, the reverse movement of the operating lever h¹ will

page_text: return the charged receiver to the front, and will, at the same time, print the price
and sever the strips, one of the printed tickets remaining within the casing, and the
other being discharged within the reach of the operator.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
-claim is :-
1. In combination, two or more reservoirs, means for bringing them successively
over a predetermined point, a discharging device, a receiver carrier adapted to carry
the receiver from without into an enclosure beneath the discharging reservoir, and
means for operating the said receiver carrier, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination with a supply reservoir, an enclosure surrounding its
discharge, and a receiver carrier having a movement to convey the receiver from
without to the discharge within the enclosure and return, of a guard on the receiver
carrier forming a part of said enclosure, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with a supply reservoir, an enclosure surrounding its
-discharge, and a receiver carrier having a movement to convey the receiver from
without to the discharge within the enclosure and return, of a transparent guard on
the receiver carrier forming a part of said enclosure, substantially as set forth.
4. The combination with a series of reservoirs, a rotary support for the
reservoirs, and means for locking the reservoirs in their support, of a base enclosing
the discharge ends of the reservoirs, and provided with an opening through which
the several reservoirs may discharge, an enclosure surrounding the said discharge
opening, a movable receiver carrier, a guard on the receiver carrier forming a part
of said enclosure, means for operating the carrier, and means for regulating the
discharge from the reservoirs, substantially as set forth.
5. The combination with the rotary reservoir support, comprising the bottom and
top plates, provided with rims or flanges, the central hub connecting the plates, and
the cover fitted to the top plate, of the base provided with bearings upon which
the reservoir support rests, the spindle engaged with the base, and extending
through the hub, and a lock for securing the cover to the spindle, substantially as
-set forth.
6. The combination with a supply reservoir and its support, of a receiver carrier
having a reciprocating movement to carry the receiver into position to receive the
discharge from the reservoir and return it, a wheel fixed to rotate with the carrier,
an operating wheel engaged with said first named wheel, and an operating crank,
substantially as set forth.
7. The combination with a supply reservoir, a movable receiver carrier, and
means for operating the carrier, of a check printer under the control of the means
for operating the receiver carrier substantially as set forth.
8. The combination with a supply reservoir a movable receiver carrier, and
means for operating the carrier, of a check printer, and a feeding device, both
under the control of the means for operating the carrier, substantially as set forth.
9. The combination with a supply reservoir, a movable receiver carrier, and
means for operating the carrier, of a check printer, a feeding device, and a cutter,
all under the control of the means for operating the receiver carrier, substantially
as set forth.
10. The combination with a plurality of reservoirs adapted to contain liquids
having different prices, and means for moving the reservoirs to a predetermined
point to discharge, of a variable check printer, under the control of the moving
reservoirs, to determine the price to be recorded, substantially as set forth.
11. The combination with a plurality. of reservoirs, and means for moving them
into position to discharge, of a receiver carrier, means for operating it, and a
variable check printer, the check printer being under the control of the movable
reservoirs, to determine the price, and under the control of the means for operating
the receiver carrier, to print the check, substantially as set forth.
12. The combination with the movable reservoirs, the movable receiver carrier,

page_text: the variable check printer under the control of the movable reservoirs, to set it, and
means for operating the receiver carrier, of a stop actuated by the said operating
means, to lock the check printer in its position, to print the desired price,
substantially as set forth.
13. The combination with a supply reservoir, a receiver carrier mounted upon a
rotary support, and means for rotating the carrier support, of a cam wheel
controlled by the movements of the rotary receiver support, and a check printer
controlled by the cam wheel, substantially as set forth.
14. The combination with the rotary support for the receiver carrier, the receiver
carrier, and the means for operating it, of the cam wheel, provided with teeth, the
pawl connected with the rotary support for operating the cam wheel, and the check
printer, a movable part of the check printer being under the control of the cam
wheel, to print the check substantially as set forth.
15. The combination with the rotary support for the receiver carrier, the receiver
carrier, and means for operating it, of a cam wheel under the control of the rotary
support, a check printer under the control of the cam wheel, and a cutter under the
control of the cam wheel, substantially as set forth.
16. The combination with the rotary support for the receiver carrier, the receiver
carrier, the means for operating it, and the check printer under the control of said
rotary support, of a feeding device for advancing the ribbon or material to receive
the impression, a ratchet wheel under the control of a pawl carried by the rotary
carrier support, and gear connecting the ratchet wheel with the feeding device,.
substantially as set forth.
.
17. The combination with the rotary support for the receiver carrier, the receiver
carrier, and means for operating it, the said rotary support being provided with a.
hollow hub, of a check printer under the control of the rotary support, a feed roller,
a ratchet wheel located in proximity to the face of the said rotary support, a pawl
carried by the rotary support, in engagement with the said ratchet wheel, the said
ratchet wheel being provided with a stem extending through the hollow end of the
support, and gear connecting the stem of the ratchet wheel with the feed roller,
substantially as set forth.
18. The combination with the rotary support for the receiver carrier, and the
receiver carrier, of the check printer and the severing device actuated by said
rotary support during its movement in one direction, and the feeding device actuated
by said rotary support during its movement in the opposite direction, substantially
as set forth.
19. The combination with a reservoir and a casing partially enclosing its.
discharge, of a receiver carrier having a movement to carry the receiver within the
casing in position to receive the discharge from the reservoir, and a transparent.
guard carried by the receiver carrier, and provided with an indentation to receive
the receiver, the said guard serving to close the casing surrounding the discharge,.
and prevent access thereto, substantially as set forth.
20. The combination with the rotary receiver carrier having a predetermined
movement in opposite directions, of a stop to prevent the retrograde movement of
the carrier during its travel in either direction, and means for shifting the action of
the stop at the limit of movement of the carrier, substantially as set forth.
21. The combination with the rotary receiver support, provided with a series.
of teeth, of a double-acting pawl seated in position to engage the said teeth, a dog
adapted to hold the pawl in position, and pawl-operating devices located at the
limits of the rotary movement of the said receiver support, for shifting the pawl,.
substantially as set forth.
Dated thin Och dan of Wal1000
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.