Patent Document ID: 4413752
Application ID: 06227857
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. Apparatus for dispensing a carbonated beverage, comprising: (a) a plurality of beverage dispensing valves: (b) a beverage reservoir fluidly connected to each dispensing valve; (c) a beverage supply conduit having (1) a donwstream end fluidly connected to said reservoir, (2) an upstream end having thereon means for fluidly connecting the beverage conduit to a supply vessel having carbonated beverage therein, and (3) a normally closed beverage supply valve between the upstream and downstream ends for normally precluding flow of carbonated beverages through the conduit; (d) a supply vessel propellant gas conduit having (1) an upstream end adapted to be fluidly connected to a supply of pressurized propellant gas, (2) a downstream end having thereon means for fluidly connecting said gas conduit to said supply vessel, and (3) means for regulating propellant gas pressure at the downstream end of said gas conduit at a predetermined level of pressure; (e) a reservoir propellant gas conduit having (1) an upstream end adapted to be fluidly connected to a source of pressurized propellant gas, (2) a downstream end fluidly connected to said reservoir, and (3) means for regulating the pressure of propellant gas within the reservoir at a level of pressure at least equal to the carbonation saturation pressure of beverage within the supply vessel and less than the predetermined level of pressure at the downstream end of said supply vessel gas conduit; (f) means for sensing the quantity of carbonated beverage within the reservoir; and (g) means operatively connected said sensing means to said beverage supply valve for opening said beverage supply valve upon the sensing of less than a predetermined quantity of carbonated beverage within the reservoir by said sensing means.