US 6,981,387 B1
Apparatus for delivering carbonated liquid at a temperature near or below the freezing point of water
Louis A. Morgan, 805 Rancho Estates Blvd., Yukon, Okla. 73099 (US)
Filed on Oct. 16, 2003, as Appl. No. 10/687,049.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/428333, filed on Nov. 22, 2002.
Int. Cl. B67D 5/62 (2006.01); B67D 5/56 (2006.01); E03B 1/00 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 62—390 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for delivering a carbonated beverage at or near the freezing point of water, blending fresh water, carbon dioxide gas and beverage syrup together for dispensing a cold soft drink at a faucet bank, comprises essentially:
a double tank carbonator having an inner tank contained within an outer tank, with an insulated void between said inner tank and said outer tank, said inner tank surrounded by and attached to a set of refrigerated cooling coils attached to a refrigerant circulating system;
a compressed gas line connected to a carbon dioxide cylinder, directing carbon dioxide gas to the inner tank and to a plurality of syrup pumps;
a plurality of diet syrup lines and a plurality of sugared syrup lines, each of said plurality of diet syrup lines connected to a diet syrup tank, and each of said plurality of sugared syrup lines connected to a sugared syrup tank, each of said plurality of diet syrup lines and each of said plurality of sugared syrup lines passing through one of said plurality of syrup pumps, said plurality of diet syrup lines further directed through a heat exchange unit to said faucet bank, each of said plurality of sugared syrup lines passing through one of said plurality of syrup pumps to a syrup coil, said syrup coil passing within said inner tank, said syrup coil further attached to said faucet bank;
a water circulating system comprising a first fresh water line to said heat exchange unit, a second fresh water line from said heat exchange unit to a water circulating loop delivering fresh water to said faucet bank and to said inner tank with a soda water outlet line connecting said inner tank to said faucet bank, a first return soda line connecting said faucet bank to a central soda water tube within said heat exchange unit and a second return soda line connecting said central soda water tube to said water circulating loop;
a fluid level probe within said inner tank integrated with and controlling said water circulating loop;
a temperature sensing means within said inner tank integrated with and controlling said refrigerant circulating system;
a lower end of said inner tank suspended within a lower end of said outer tank by a support peg;
a seal cap allowing access to said void through an upper end of said outer tank; and
a hub attached to said upper end of said outer tank, said hub further penetrating into an upper end of said inner tank, said hub having a central opening attaching to a perforated inner cylinder within which is inserted said fluid level probe, said fluid level probe attached within said central opening of said hub by an attaching means, said fluid level probe regulating the flow of fresh water into said inner tank through said solenoid.