Beverage dispenser

Abstract

A drive apparatus is easily detachable from an operating lever, and the manual and automatic operation of the lever can be easily changed. A beer pourin 14 provided in front of the server main body 12 extends from the faucet main body 18 and includes the operating lever 20 which functiones to change pouring of beer or the head by tilting the lever back and forth. The drive apparatus 26 capable of automatic operation of the operating lever 20 comprises a housing 32 provided movably vertically with respect to the server main body 12, a horizontally movable slider 34 in forward and backward directions housed in the housing 32 and a drive mechanism 36 which moves the slider 34 forward and backward. The drive apparatus 26 is positioned at an operating position where the operating lever 20 is inserted into the engagement hole 61 of the slider 34 or at a non-operating position where the operating lever 20 is separated from the engagement hole 61 by moving the housing vertically.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a beverage dispenser, and more specifically, relates to a beverage dispenser capable of pouring out beverages by manually or automatically operating a lever of a pouring faucet provided in the main body of the dispenser.DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART[0002] An apparatus for pouring a sparkling beverage by lever operation; for example, a beer server has an operating lever on a beer pouring faucet provided in the main body and some of the beer server has a function, after tilting the lever manually in a predetermined direction to pour a desired amount of beer into a jug, to post-pour frothy beer onto the head of beer in the jug by tilting the lever in the opposite direction. However, when beer and the head are poured out by manual lever operation, there are disadvantages that irregularity of the poured amount due to a difference of operator's skill will occur. Thus, an automatic pouring apparatus disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publicatio...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, when beer and the head are poured out by manual lever operation, there are disadvantages that irregularity of the poured amount due to a difference of operator's skill will occur.

In the above-mentioned automatic pouring apparatus, since the drive mechanism and the operating lever are linked by the linking mechanism, these components are not easily detachable from each other.

Thus, provided that the drive mechanism is locked during beer pouring, it becomes impossible to return the operating lever to the initial position, whereby excess beer or the head is possibly poured out in vain.

Further, at the time of breakdown of the drive mechanism, it is difficult to manipulate the operating lever so that a problem is pointed out where the beer server cannot be used until repair is finished.

And furthermore, since the drive apparatus is fixedly provided in the main body, a repairman has to repair the drive apparatus under the fixed condition on the main body, which leads to a complicated and troublesome operation.

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