Patent ID: 8162294

Claim:
An apparatus for producing a supply of carbonated water, comprising: supply means ( 2 ) for receiving a supply of uncarbonated water; discharge means ( 5 , 8 ) for discharging carbonated water; a first carbonating unit ( 10 ) having a charging inlet ( 53 ) for uncarbonated water and a delivery outlet ( 54 ) for carbonated water; a second carbonating unit ( 11 ) having a charging inlet ( 56 ) for uncarbonated water and a delivery outlet ( 57 ) for carbonated water; a volumetric control unit ( 9 ) operable in a first mode: to deliver a volume of carbonated water to the discharge means ( 5 ), to receive a like volume of carbonated water from the delivery outlet ( 54 ) of the first carbonating unit, to receive a like volume of uncarbonated water from the supply means ( 2 ), and to deliver a like volume of uncarbonated water to the second carbonating unit ( 11 ); and operable in a second mode: to deliver a volume of carbonated water to the discharge means ( 5 ), to receive a like volume of carbonated water from the delivery outlet ( 57 ) of the second carbonating unit, to receive a like volume of uncarbonated water from the supply means ( 2 ), and to deliver a like volume of uncarbonated water to the first carbonating unit ( 10 ).