AU731171B2 - Hydraulic valve - Google Patents

Description

I, Regulation 3.2 -1-

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT

APPLICANT:

NUMBER:

FILING DATE: ANDALE REPETITION ENGINEERING PTY. LIMITED PO 0914/96 10/ 7/1996 Invention Title: HYDRAULIC VALVE The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: II I 2 HYDRAULIC VALVE This invention relates to a hydraulic valve connection means, in particular a means for providing an alternative tapping means for beer kegs. In this specification, although we shall refer to beer kegs, it is to be appreciated that the means is equally applicable to the delivery of any other liquid for which continuous distribution is desired.

Beer kegs were originally USED to provide a single ready supply of beer to a bar for serving to the consumer, this supply ideally lasting for at least one working day.

There are many users of beer kegs, for example, hotels, sports clubs, recreational clubs, restaurants, private parties and the like. Different users' demands vary at different times and for different reasons and depending on this demand the user can choose between different sizes of beer kegs, in Australia usually 40.9 litre or 81.8 litre or, when there is substantial use can provide a manifold of two or more kegs.

A hotel may empty two or more large kegs in one day or tap into more than one line of kegs in a day, whereas a private party user may not empty one small keg during any social event.

In most commercial bars a beer keg set up usually consists of at least one beer keg and a connection means to what is commonly known as a "Fob Monitor" or a "Cellar Boy", hereinafter referred to as a monitoring device, which senses the difference between liquid and gas, specifically beer and carbon dioxide, which is D:\WP51\SPEC\ANDALE2.CAP\BV\10 July, 1997 h( 3 used to effect the movement of the beer through the beer lines.

The monitoring device also comprises an outlet means which is connected to the beer lines to supply beer to the bar. Inside the monitoring device is a float which indicates whether the keg contains any beer. Once the keg is empty the float lowers and seals off the monitoring device from the keg and prevents further flow of beer to the beer lines.

.r A common problem associated with beer kegs in commercial premises is the limited holding capacity of the kegs versus the demand by consumers.

It is preferable that once beer supply is initiated at the commencement of trading it should continue uninterrupted until I' closing and the physical handling of barrels or kegs avoided.

This is because the replacement of kegs is time consuming and may lead to unavailability of beer until a new keg or group of kegs is set up and running. Such groups or lines of kegs can be S manifolded in such a way that the gas pressure is on the beer on the last keg such that beer is drained from keg to keg as it is dispensed.

Tapping of kegs, whether individually or sequentially, in the standard manner still provides the problem that the beer lines fill with gas and the beer takes some time to come through to the bar.

D:\WP51\SPEC\ANDALE2.CAP\BV\10 July, 1997 It is the object of this invention to overcome the abovementioned problems that are typically encountered by beer keg users and to provide a device whereby two beer kegs, or groups of manifolded kegs, can be set up ready for use on one beer line.

The invention in its broadest sense comprises a valve connection means for connecting at least two beer kegs, said connector comprising a body member having a beer outlet associated with at least two inlet arms, each adapted to act as valve housings and having a moveable valve member, with each inlet arm leading to a beer keg such that, while beer is being delivered through one inlet arm from a first keg, the moveable valve member in the inlet arm from any other keg is maintained closed by the delivery oo o beer pressure; as the first keg becomes effectively empty the pressure in its inlet arm reduces and the valve member in the inlet arm from another keg opens automatically such that beer flow is continuous.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood a preferred embodiment thereof will be described with reference to S the following drawings.

Fig. 1 is a cross section of the connection device with left hand valve member open and right hand valve member closed; Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view, partially sectioned, of the valve connection device; The preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. i. The beer connector 1 comprises a central body member 20 with an outlet tube 10 which passes into this central member 20 such that beer enters opening 11 and passes out through opening 12 in tube to a beer line, shown in broken lines.

The central body member has arms 22 which are threaded 23 to receive the nut device 30 which is provided with a shoulder 32 which seats on a portion 43 of valve housing 40, which is provided with a threaded inlet arm 90 for connection to beer lines, such that when the nut device is tightened, the shoulder S 32 acts on a member 45 inserted in recess 44 of valve housing to locate it securely within an inlet arm 22.

Figure 1 shows a cross-section of the connector as it would function in use. Valve member 70 on the left hand side is in its ~open position so that beer can enter central member 20 and the valve member 70 on the right hand side is in its closed position.

g It can be seen that valve member 70 includes a hollow tubular member 71 into which beer can enter through opening 73 from beer lines, shown in broken lines, and exit through apertures 72. The diameter of tubular member 71 is sufficient to allow the valve member 70 to slide easily within valve housing 40. Adjacent inlet portion 71 of the valve member, and continuous with it is a solid tubular portion 76 which is separated from section 71 by an O ring 75 located in recess 74. The leading edge 80 of the valve member 70 is a circular member 80 with an 0 ring 79 positioned in a recess 78 in this member The leading member 80 of the valve member 70 is of a larger diameter than tubular portions 71 and 76 and is proportioned to D:\WP51\SPEC\ANDALE2.CAP\BV\10 July, 1997 abut a shoulder 47 adjacent the front edge of valve housing member 40 and otherwise move freely within tubular member 43.

When the valve is in its sealed position 0 ring 79 provides a firm seal against the leading edge of valve housing member 41.

It can be seen also that an 0 ring provides a seal at the rear edge of member 41 so that beer cannot enter central chamber through the closed inlet arm 22.

Figure 2 shows the components of a bleed valve located in portion 41 of valve housing 40. The bleed valve comprises a bolt 50 with a hollow tubular portion 51 through which the shank 61 of the S bleed valve pin 60 can pass. The width of the bore in the bolt is a similar diameter to that of the pin shank 61 within the nut 52 section of the bolt 50 and wider below so that members 62 and 63 may move freely therein such that when the bleed valve is in its closed position rubber rim 62 firmly abuts the shoulder 54 thus provided.

Bleed valve pin 60 is provided with an annular lower member 62, which effects a seal as described, while adjacent and below it is a slotted 64 member 63 which provides that gas can from within valve housing 40 can enter aperture 91 in threaded aperture in member 41 into which bolt member 50 is screwed.

The arrangement as shown in Fig. 1 is then such that beer flows through an open valve from one keg and the associated pressure maintains the bleed valve in the associated valve housing in a closed state. The delivery beer pressure on the leading face of the valve member in the inlet to the unused full keg acts to D:\WP51\SPEC\ANDALE2.CAP\BV\10 July, 1997 keep that valve closed as the diameter of this face is larger than that of the O-ring 75. Thus, as long as the pressure in each line is substantially identical, the valve will remain closed. The presence of the bleed valve which is located between the O-rings 79 and 75, when the valve is closed, ensures that there is no build up of pressure on the rear of member 80 which could tend to open the valve prematurely.

When the beer in the first keg is effectively exhausted the reduction in beer delivery pressure in chamber 20, because of the operation of the monitoring device, causes the valve in the valve housing connected to the inlet arm from the second keg to open automatically and hence close the valve in the valve housing connected to the inlet arm from the first keg. By this process automatic switching from one keg to another, or one group of manifolded kegs to another group thereof, can be effected without the requirement for any manual intervention.

This also enables the publican or cellarman to change the exhausted keg or manifold set of kegs without there being any oooo Sbreak in supply and when the other keg, or kegs, is exhausted, there will again be an automatic change over.

Whilst we have described herein one specific embodiment of the invention it is to be understood that variations and modifications in this can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

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Claims (8)

1. A valve connection means for connecting at least two beer kegs, said connector comprising a body member having a beer outlet associated with at least two inlet arms, each adapted to act as valve housings and having a moveable valve member, with each inlet arm leading to a beer keg such that, while beer is being delivered through one inlet arm from a first keg, the moveable valve member in the inlet arm from any other keg is maintained closed by the delivery beer pressure; as the first keg becomes effectively empty the pressure in its inlet arm reduces and the valve member in the inlet arm from another keg opens automatically such that beer flow is continuous. *e

2. A valve connection means as claimed in claim 1 wherein the body member includes two valve members and each valve member has a head at one end thereof and a beer inlet at another end thereof, a first side or face of which head abuts the outlet when the valve member is in its open position and a second side of which seats in a shoulder in the interior of an inlet tube when in its closed position, the arrangement being such that the valve connection means will remain closed as long as there is substantially equal pressure on the faces of the valve members.

3. A valve connection means as claimed in claim 2 wherein the valve members have outlet apertures to permit beer flow into the body member when a valve member is in its open state.

4. A valve connection means as claimed in claim 3 wherein each inlet arm has a bleed valve which is open when the valve member is closed and is closed when the valve member is open.

A valve connection means as claimed in claim 4 wherein the pressure of beer flow through an inlet arm causes the bleed valve to be closed.

6. A method of delivering beer from at least two kegs comprising the steps of: connecting each keg to an input arm of a valve connecting means, an outlet of which carries the beer to a dispenser; providing a moveable valve member in each input arm, which valve member is open as beer enters one input arm while valve members in unused input arms are maintained closed by the beer pressure; the arrangement being such that when the beer pressure in the open line drops the valve member of the another inlet is opened and beer flow is maintained.

7. A connection means substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A method of delivering beer substantially as hereinbefore described. Dated this 10th Day of July 1997 Andale Repetition Engineering Pty. Limited By Its Patent Attorneys A TATLOCK ASSOCIATES