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A beverage dispenser has a housing, a dispenser head with an electrically conductive combination cup actuator lever and beverage level probe, a control circuit connected to the probe and to a start switch actuatable by the probe and to a solenoid for a beverage valve, and a drip tray and cup rest wh

A beverage dispenser has a housing, a dispenser head with an electrically conductive combination cup actuator lever and beverage level probe, a control circuit connected to the probe and to a start switch actuatable by the probe and to a solenoid for a beverage valve, and a drip tray and cup rest wherein the cup rest is tilted rearward toward the actuator lever to hold a cup against the lever and keep the back of the cup rim against the lever. An improved actuator lever has a dielectric journal, an electrically conductive thin wall metal tube cantilevered probe extending down from a single fastener securing a control lead and the probe to the journal piece and the conductive probe is spaced from and is below the level of the valve body and lever fulcrum. A conductive plastic flow control is mounted in the valve body and a second control lead is connected to the electrically conductive flow control for providing a potential signal in the beverage. A heater element for the probe either continuously or intermittently heats the probe to keep it insect free and sanitary.

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In a cold beverage dispenser head having a body with a nozzle for discharging beverage, a beverage cup support positioned and spaced below said nozzle fo receiving thereon a beverage cup with a circumferential upper rim, a normally closed solenoid controlled valve in a beverage line extending throug

In a cold beverage dispenser head having a body with a nozzle for discharging beverage, a beverage cup support positioned and spaced below said nozzle fo receiving thereon a beverage cup with a circumferential upper rim, a normally closed solenoid controlled valve in a beverage line extending through said body to said nozzle for controlling discharge of beverage from said nozzle, a movable dispensing actuating lever having an electrically conductive beverage probe engageable with the cup rim firstly for starting dispensing and secondly for making electrical contact with cold beverage dispensed into said cup, and a control circuit electrically interconnecting said lever and probe for actuating said solenoid controlled valve to start dispensing upon movement of the lever and probe by the cup and for terminating actuation of said solenoid controlled valve to stop the dispensing of beverage into the cup when the dispensed beverage attains a predetermined level in the beverage cup and makes contact with the probe or when the cup is withdrawn from the lever and probe; the improvement comprising: (a) a lever and probe fulcrum fixed in and with respect to said body, said fulcrum being at a level above the level of said nozzle; (b) said probe being an elongate electrically conductive structure fixed to said lever and extending downward below the fulcrum from a level adjacent to a bottom of the nozzle to a lower level spaced well below the nozzle, said probe being directly engageable against the cup rim during dispensing; (c) discrete dielectric means pivotally mounting said lever and probe directly upon said fulcrum and to said body, said dielectric means electrically isolating the probe from both the fulcrum and the body; (d) a discrete first lead electrically connecting said probe to said control circuit during dispensing and providing electrical continuity between saiad dispensed beverage at the cup rim and the control circuit during dispensing thereby enabling a beverage sensing signal to be sent from the control circuit in a loop through the dispensed beverage and across the cup rim and through the probe to the control circuit, for reliably and repeatedly automatically terminating dispensing as soon as the dispensed beverage fills the cup to the rim and contacts the probe; and (e) a discrete second lead electrically extending through said body and into said beverage line, said second lead being connected to and under the control of said control circuit for effecting the beverage sensing signal into the dispensed beverage in the cup during dispensing, said dielectric means preventing signal feed between the probe and either of the fulcrum or body.