Turbulent flow carbonator

Claim 2

In apparatus for carbonating a liquid: a liquid container having carbon dioxide and liquid inlets and a liquid outlet; means for supplying liquid to the container through said liquid inlet thereof; an elongated turbulator having a liquid inlet at one extremity thereof communicating with the liquid outlet of the container and a carbonated liquid outlet at the opposite extremity of the same; and carbon dioxide supply and control structure including mechanism for directing carbon dioxide under pressure into the container through said carbon dioxide inlet thereof to carbonate the liquid therein to a low lever and force at least a part of such liquid to and through the turbulator, and for permitting selective direction of carbon dioxide simultaneously to the carbon dioxide inlets of the container and the turbulator whereby the degree of carbonation of the low carbonated liquid directed to the turbulator from the container may be increased to a level to cause the outflow from the turbulator to be a liquid of high carbonation.

Claim 3

In apparatus for carbonating a liquid as claimed in claim 1, wherein said turbulator includes structure for imparting turbulence to the carbon dioxide and liquid as the same flow through the turbulator to said liquid outlet thereof.

Claim 4

In apparatus for carbonating a liquid as claimed in claim 2, said structure comprising a plurality of perforated partitions spaced along the turbulator between said liquid inlet and the liquid outlet thereof.

Claim 5

In apparatus for carbonating a liquid as claimed in claim 3, there being a plurality of end-to-end tubes in the turbulator, each partition being secured to a corresponding tube.

Claim 6

In apparatus for carbonating a liquid as claimed in claim 1, said liquid supply means including a liquid supply tank open to the atmosphere; said container being at least partially immersed in the liquid with the liquid inlet thereof communicating with said liquid of the tank; and said liquid inlet having means precluding flow of liquid from the container to the tank.

Claim 7

In apparatus for carbonating a liquid as claimed in claim 1, wherein is provided: a pair of said containers connected to said turbulator; and means for alternatively directing carbon dioxide into first one and then the other of said containers and for alternatively replenishing the liquid therein.

Claim 8

In apparatus for carbonating a liquid as claimed in claim 6; and a liquid supply tank; said containers being immersed in the liquid supply of said tank; both of said containers having their liquid inlets communicating with said liquid supply; and said liquid inlets each having means precluding the flow of liquid from respective containers to the tank.

Claim 9

In apparatus for carbonating a liquid as Claimed in claim 6, and means for exhausting said containers of carbon dioxide after each discharge of carbonated liquid therefrom.

Claim 10

In apparatus for carbonating a liquid as claimed in claim 6; there being a carbon dioxide supply line connected with the carbon dioxide inlet of each container respectively; and multiposition valving in said line for admitting carbon dioxide into the line when the valve is in one position, and exhausting the line of carbon dioxide when the valve is in a second position.

Claim 11

In apparatus for carbonating a liquid: a liquid supply tank; a carbon dioxide supply line; a liquid container having liquid inlet means communicating with said supply tank for filling therefrom, said inlet means having means for precluding flow from said container to the tank, and a liquid outlet, said container having a second inlet communicating with said carbon dioxide supply line and a liquid outlet adjacent the bottom of the container; means for exhausting carbon dioxide from the top of the container; an elongated turbulator having a liquid inlet at one extremity thereof communicating with the liquid outlet of the container and a liquid outlet at the opposite extremity of the same; a carbonated liquid-dispensing line joined to said liquid outlet of the turbulator; a conduit communicating the carbon dioxide supply line with the turbulator adjacent said liquid inlet thereof; and control mechanism in said carbon dioxide supply line and the conduit operable in one mode to direct carbon dioxide under pressure into the container through said carbon dioxide inlet thereof for an interval of time to carbonate the liquid therein to a low level and force at least a part of such liquid to the dispensing line through the turbulator whereby the outflow from the dispensing line is low carbonated liquid, and operable in a second mode to direct carbon dioxide under pressure simultaneously to the carbon dioxide inlets of the container and the turbulator for said interval of time whereby the degree of carbonation of the low carbonated liquid directed to the turbulator from the container is increased in the turbulator to a level to cause liquid of high carbonation to be delivered from the dispensing line.

Claim 12

In apparatus for carbonating a liquid: a liquid supply tank; a carbon dioxide supply line; a liquid container having liquid inlet means communicating with said supply tank for filling therefrom, said inlet means having means for precluding flow from said container to the tank, and a liquid outlet, said container having a second inlet communicating with said carbon dioxide supply line and a liquid outlet adjacent the bottom of the container; means for exhausting carbon dioxide from the top of the container; an elongated turbulator having a liquid inlet at one extremity thereof communicating with the liquid outlet of the container and a liquid outlet at the opposite extremity of the same; a carbonated liquid-dispensing line joined to said liquid outlet of the turbulator; a conduit communicating the carbon dioxide supply line with the turbulator adjacent said liquid inlet thereof; and control mechanism in said carbon dioxide supply line and the conduit operable in one mode to direct carbon dioxide under pressure into the container through said carbon dioxide inlet thereof for an interval of time to carbonate the liquid therein to a low level and force at least a part of such liquid to the dispensing line through the turbulator whereby the outflow from the dispensing line is low carbonated liquid, and operable in a second mode to direct carbon dioxide under pressure simultaneously to the carbon dioxide inlets of the container and the turbulator for said interval of time whereby the degree of carbonation of the low carbonated liquid directed to the turbulator from the container is increased in the turbulator to a level to cause liquid of high carbonation to be delivered from the dispensing line.

Claim 13

Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein is provided: a pair of said containers each having liquid inlet means communicating with said supply tank and a carbon dioxide inlet connected to said carbon dioxide supply line; the liquid outlets of each of the containers being connected to said liquid inlet of the turbulator; said control mechanism being operable to alternately direct carbon dioxide to one and then the other of said containers through said carbon dioxide inlets thereof; and blocking means in said liquid inlet of the turbulator for preventing flow of liquid into one container from the other while the latter is connected to said carbon dioxide supply line and vice versa.

Claim 14

A In apparatus for carbonating a liquid as claimed in claim 11 said blocking means in the liquid inlet of the turbulator being a common shiftable check valve alternately movable into a position blocking flow of liquid from the turbulator to either of said pairs of containers.

Claim 15

In apparatus for carbonating a liquid; a liquid supply tank open to the atmosphere; a carbon dioxide supply line; a liquid container having liquid inlet means communicating with said supply tank for filling therefrom, said inlet means having means for precluding flow from said container to the tank, said container having a second inlet communicating with said carbon dioxide supply line and a liquid outlet adjacent the bottom of the container; means for exhausting carbon dioxide from the top of the container; a tube of substantially smaller cross-sectional area than said container and having a dispensing outlet, a carbon dioxide inlet connected with said carbon dioxide supply line, and a liquid inlet communicating with said cArbon dioxide inlet and connected to said liquid outlet of the container; means within said tube for causing turbulent liquid flow therethrough; a variable orifice valve in the portion of the carbon dioxide supply line leading to the carbon dioxide inlet of said tube for adjusting a pressure differential at the inlets of said tube to obtain optimum carbonation and smooth liquid flow from the outlet of said tube; and means for controlling the supply of carbon dioxide to said carbon dioxide supply line.

Claim 16

In apparatus for carbonating a liquid; a liquid supply tank open to the atmosphere; a carbon dioxide supply line; a liquid container having liquid inlet means communicating with said supply tank for filling therefrom, said inlet means having means for precluding flow from said container to the tank, said container having a second inlet communicating with said carbon dioxide supply line and a liquid outlet adjacent the bottom of the container; means for exhausting carbon dioxide from the top of the container; a tube of substantially smaller cross-sectional area than said container and having a dispensing outlet, a carbon dioxide inlet connected with said carbon dioxide supply line, and a liquid inlet communicating with said cArbon dioxide inlet and connected to said liquid outlet of the container; means within said tube for causing turbulent liquid flow therethrough; a variable orifice valve in the portion of the carbon dioxide supply line leading to the carbon dioxide inlet of said tube for adjusting a pressure differential at the inlets of said tube to obtain optimum carbonation and smooth liquid flow from the outlet of said tube; and means for controlling the supply of carbon dioxide to said carbon dioxide supply line.