US1760887A - Beverage display - Google Patents

Description

June 3, 1930. H. P. SAUGMAN I BEVERAGE DISPLAY Filed Oct. 24, 1927 0 4 A w a a m/ 0 i- 1? Z m mm m m JK 0F \\\\\\&m .0 a 4 4412271111 W. l 4 2 M M Wh. ,q 5 a 0 0 M 42 r 4 fl Patented June 3, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application filed October 24, 1927.

This invention has to do with a beverage display and it is a general object of this invention to provide a device of this character suitable for installation in stores, windows,

6 or other places, to advertise and/or attract attention to a product such as a beverage.

In advertising or calling the attention of the public to a beverage, or like product, it

has been found desirable to employ some sort of moving display. It is, of course, desirable in the case of a beverage that the beverage itself be displayed so that an observer can see the product advertised. Display devices of the type in which the beverage itself is visible have been used. However, such devices have generally had certain undesirable features that have materially limited their commercial value, For example, most display devices of this type have been so constructed as to make them very difficult to clean and, therefore, in practice, they are often neglected and allowed to become dirty and unattractive. Further, this class of display usually involves a transparent container or receptacle holding the beverage so that solid particles, such as particles of fruit, or the like, from which the beverage has been prepared, are allowed to settle in a manner to accumulate at parts and thus materially .30 impair the attractiveness of the display.

It is a general object of this invention to provide a display device of the general type above referred to in whicha liquid, for instance, a beverage, is handled or circulated so that it is visible but is not displayed stationary in a container, or the like.

' It is another important object of this'invention to provide a liquid handling display in which various parts are of simple con- 4 struction and are accessible so that they can be easily and thoroughly cleaned.

It is another object of my present invention to provide various improvements in the formation and arrangement of parts in a display device of the character mentioned.

The various objects and features of the invention will be best and more fully understood from the following detailed description of a typical form and application of the invention, throughout which description I re- Serial No. 228,208.

fer to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an exterior view of the device provided by my invention, showing it mounted on counter;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, detailed, transverse, sectional view of the device taken as indicated by line 22 on Fig. 1;

i Fig. 3 is a vertical, detail, sectional view of the device, being a view taken as indicated by line 3-3 on Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged, detailed, sectional y iew, taken as indicated by line 44 on The device or apparatus provided by my invention includes, generally, a display unit 10, a base 11 for mounting the unit 10 on a counter, or the like, a fluid reservoir 12 to be mounted under the counter or at any remote point, fluid circulating means 13 operable to receive fluid at the reservoir and circulate it through the display unit, and various other parts, the details and functions of which will be hereinafter described.

The display unit 10 includes, generally, a dome-shaped body 14 around or over which liquid can flow, a top or hood 15 over the body, a bottom 16 supporting the body and hood, a mounting member 17 mounting the bottom 16, body 14 and hood 15 on the base 11, and illuminating means 18. In accordance with my invention, the body 14 and hood 15 are transparent, or substantially transparent, being preferred to form them of clear glass. In the preferred design, the body 14 is spherically curved or dome-shaped and the hood 15 is correspondingly shaped to fit over the body with suitable clearness to leave a fluid passage A between the body and hood. Fluid is adapted to be discharged onto or over the body from its upper end so that it will flow downwardly over or around the body to the bottom 16. Suitable bafiles may be applied to the exterior of the body 14 to direct or interrupt the flow of liquid over the body. In the drawings, I have shown a bafiie flange 20 that may be formed spirally on the exterior of the'body 14. When the body 14v and dome 15 are shaped and related,-as above described, the bottom 16 on which they are mounted may be an annular member of sufliient diameter and width to form a support for the lower ends of the body and hood. in practice, I malts the bottom 16 of metal and insert a washer 21 between the body and deed and the bottom 16. The mounting mem- "er 1? applied to the top of the base 11 nd extends outwardly and upwardly from csupport the bottom 18. The memprovided at its upper end with a flange that extends upwardly around the bottom 16 and conceals the joint between the hoot. and bottom 16. In practice, it is desirable to curve or shape the member 17 so that it carries out more or less the general configuration of the hood and body. The parts of the display unit above described are held in assembled relation through a single central means comprisin a central part or pipe 2% projecting upwardly from the base 11 through the member 1?, bottom 16, body 14 and hood 15. A nut 25., or the like, may be applied to the pipe 2 to clamp the member 17 to the top of the base while a nut 26 may be applied to the pipe 2 1 to engage the top of the body 1 1 to clamp the body to the bottom 16. Further, a nut or cap is applied to the up er end of the pipe 2% to close it and to clamp the head 15 to the bottom 16. In practice, the cap 27 is prefers. ly provided with an ornamental part 28 representing a fruit, or the like.

The illuminating means 18' provided in the unit 10 may comprise one or more electric bulbs 29 mounted within the unit in a mannor to illum nate the body 1% and hood 'l in the draw l have shown a orachet carried by the pipe 2; to support a plurality of electric bu'bs 29 so that they are within the unit and operate to effectively illuminate the body and hood thereof. Electric ares 31 may extend upwardly through the base 11 and through the bottom of the member 17 to make the necessary connection with the bulbs 29.

The base 11 is provided primarily as a support for mounting the unit 10 on a counter 32, or the like, and, in practice, may be a bellshaped sheet metal part. In the preferred form of'the invention, the base 11 not only acts as a support for the unitbut also as a housing for certain parts of the fluid circulating r e s, as wil be hereinafter described.

The fluid reservoir 12 forms the liquid or beverage cortainer for the apparatus and is mounted or arranged at any suitable point, for instance, below the counter 32, as shown in the drawings. In the preferred arrangement, thereservoir arranged under the counter directly below the other parts of the apparatus. it is to be understood, of course, that the reservoir 12 may be of any desired shape and capacity. 1

The fluid circulatin means includes, generally, a pump 10, a motor ll or other suit able power means for operating -the pump,

a discharge pipe 24 extending from the pump through the base 11 and through the unit 10, as above described, to discharge into the top of the space A between the body 14 and hood 15, one or more outlet openings 13 for conducting fluid from the bottom of the space A and a return pipe 14 connected with the openings i3 and extending to the reservoir 12. In the preferred arrangement, the pump 10 is located in the reservoir 12 with its intake open to the interior of the reservoir to receive liquid therefrom. The pipe 24, connected with the discharge of the pump, 0::- tends upwardly from the reservoir 12 through the counter 32, through the base 11 and to the top of the unit 10. Discharge openings 15 are provided in the upper portion of the pipe 2 1 to discharge the liquid into the space A so that it flows outwardly and downwardly around or over the body 14: between the body 14' and hood 15. The outlet openings 43 receive the fluid from the bottom of the space A to conduct it to the discharge pipe a l. In the preferred construction, the bottom 16 has a web extending between substantially diametrically opposite points and the opening" 13 are formed in the bottom 16 to communicate with a port 51 formed through the web 50, as shown in Fig. 2. The pipe 44. connects into the web 50 to communicate with the port 51 at a point close to the center of the apparatus. The pipe 44L extendsdownwardly from the web 50 through the base 11, counter 32 and into the reservoir 12. The particular construction just described is not only simple and inexpensive of manufacture, but also provides a very simple and direct connection between the space A and the discharge pipe 44:. In practice, the body 16 may be a cast member, having the web 50 cast in it, and the openings 4-3 may be in the nature of holes drilled to communicate withthe port 51 which may be a drilled hole, closed at its ends by plugs 53. To clean this part of the apparatus, it is merely necessary to remove one of the plugs 53, thus making the various openings accessible.

The motor 41, provided for operating the pump 40, is preferably mounted in the base 11 by means of a suitable bracket 60. The drive shaft 61 of the motor extends downwardly through the counter 32 to connectv with the pump 10 in the reservoir 12. W i th this. arrangement, the motor is completely removed from the liquid being handled by the apparatus. In practice, means is provided for circulating air within the unit 10 and base 11 to cool the parts, particularly the motor 411'. For this purpose, a fan 65 is carried on the motor shaft 61 within the base 11 and air openings 66 are provided in the "unit 10. With this arrangement, air circulates through the opening 66 and passes between the unit 10 and the base 11 through openings 67, the circulation being forced by the action 01 the fan 65. In practice, one or more fans may be mounted within the unit 10 adjacent the light bulbs 29 to be rotated by the circulation of air in the unit. The fans 70 may have blades formed of colored light filtering material, and the fans may be mounted as shown in Fig. 3 so that light from the bulbs 29 filters through the blades in reaching parts of the body 14:. By

a ing the blades of various colors, a very attractive eiiect is obtained in the display.

A dispensing faucet may be provided in connection with the reservoir 12 so that the fluid can be dispensed. In the preferred arrangement, the dispensing faucet is incorporated in or formed with the parts above described; for instance, a dispensing pipe 81 extends laterally from the pipe 24 within the unit 10 to extend through the bottom 16 and the flange 22 of the member 17. The faucet 80 is applied to the outer end o1 the pipe so that it is at the exterior of the unit 10. With this arrangement, liquid being circulated through the pipe 24 by the pump 40 may be withdrawn whenever desired by opening the faucet 80.

In practice, a beverage, for instance, orange juice, or the like, is filled into the reservoir 12 and the motor 41 is put in operation. The pump 40 receives the liquid from the reservoir 12 and circulates it through the pipe 24; to discharge into the top of the space A. The fluid entering the top of the space A circulates or flows around over the body 14 and discharges through the openings 43 and port 51 into the pipe 4 1 which returns it to the reservoir 12. It the pump is operated at sufiicient speed, the liquid will fill the space A between the body and hood and the liquid will be discharged through the openings 45 with considerable velocity so that it will cause a bubbling etl'ect in the space A, making the display very attractive. While the liquid is thus being circulated so that it is visible through the hood 15, the bulbs 29 may be energized so that light shines through the liquid, making the circulation and bubbling of the liquid very attractive and conspicuous.

Having described only a typical preferred spaced over the body, a bottom supporting the body and hood and having a drain opening, a liquid conduit extending upwardly to the top of the body to deliver liquid to the space between the body and hood, and a valve controlled liquid outlet connected with said conduit.

2. A device of the character described, including a body, a hood over the body, a bottom for the hood and body, a support for the bottom, a liquid conduit extending vertically through the body, hood, bottom and support, and means whereby the body, hood, bottom and support are held together as a unit on the conduit.

3. A device of the character described, in cluding a body, a hood over the body, a bottom for the hood and body, a; support for the bottom, a liquid conduit extending vertically through the body, hood, bottom and support, and means whereby the body, hood, bottom and support are held together as a unit on the conduit, the conduit having an opening to discharge liquid between the body and hood.

4. A device of the character described, including a body, a hood over the body, a bottom for the hood and body, a support for the bottom, a liquid conduit extending vertically through the body, hood, bottom and support, and means whereby the body, hood, bottom and support are held together as a unit on the conduit, said means including members screwthreaded on the conduit.

5. A device of the character described, including a dome like body, a transparent hood spaced over the body, an annular bottom supporting the body and hood, and means for delivering liquid to the top 01 the body to circulate between the body and hood, the bottom having a web extending between spaced points there being a drain opening in the bottom and through the web.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 12th day of September, 1927.

I-IARTVIG P. SAUGMAN.

Images