EP0224293B1

EP0224293B1 - A beer tapping installation

Info

Publication number: EP0224293B1
Application number: EP86201949A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jacobus Dijkstra; Gijsbert Slootweg
Original assignee: Heineken Technisch Beheer NV
Current assignee: Heineken Technical Services BV
Priority date: 1985-11-08
Filing date: 1986-11-07
Publication date: 1990-02-07
Anticipated expiration: 2006-11-07
Also published as: ZA868494B; NL8503067A; BR8606966A; AU591739B2; NZ218199A; JPS63502024A; EP0224293A1; AU6621886A; DE3668877D1; OA08548A; WO1987002975A1

Description

The invention relates to a beer tapping installation comprising a first cask installation and cooling unit adjacent a second cooling unit, a third unit supporting a tap and a storage space accomodating a gas container, a beer line with a cask coupling at its one end extending from the inside of the first unit to the tap and connected with its other end to said tap arranged near the free end of said third unit which comprises a hollow support protruding vertically from the coupled units, enveloping the beer line adjacent the tap and being in open communication with said first unit, the beer line with cask coupling being movable longitudinally of the hollow support, and a gas supply line extending between the gas container and the cask compling.
Such a beer tapping installation is known from US-A 4 350 267. In coupled condition the three units form a portable beverage dispenser for a single cask or keg, particularly meant for use at home, as portable will say a gross weight of about 100-150 N which means a keg of about 5-10 I. When the cask or keg is drained a fresh cask or keg has to be installed. If the fresh cask or keg wasn't stored in a cooled space dispensing of the beverage, especially if it is beer, has to be deferred till the cooling unit has brought the beverage at the temperature desired.
In case this should be a problem, as it would be in a beverage selling catering establishment, other installations are available as for instance known from US-A 2 199 718 comprising two separated cooled cask installation spaces. When the one cask is drained tapping can be immediately carried on using the other cask permitting the drained cask to be replaced by a fresh one, which will be cooled to the desired temperature during draining said other cask. Such an installation, to which mostly standard casks of 50 I. are connected, is destined for establishments having such beer sales that a coupled cask is emptied and replaced within three days. When a cask is connected to the system for a longer period, a loss of quality will result, after which the beer even may go "flat". The beer still present in the cask is then no longer fit for sale, which means a loss. Establishments having minor or strongly varying beer sales have therefor been using beer in bottles up till now. This means carrying out many additional and often heavy operations with bottles and crates, in addition to the fact that the clients cannot be offered draught beer. Moreover such an installation will economically be unattractive both from a cost and a space viewpoint for establishments, in- _! stitutions or clubs having the above mentioned minor or varying beer sales.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a beer tapping installation suitable for commercial use, which has a relatively simple design and is relatively inexpensive and simple in operation.
It is a further object of the invention to provide for a conception which allows for an installation having overall sizes of a customary buffet or buffet part designed for a single cask of 50 L, but adapted for almost continuously tapping of beer in establishments, institutions or clubs having minor or strongly varying beer sales.
According to the present invention, this is achieved in an installation as previously mentioned in that said three units and said storage space are all parts of one refrigerator including a revolving platform in the first cask installation and cooling unit on which at least two casks can be placed, and the gas container contains C0₂. These features allow to obtain a complete beer tapping installation which, when smaller casks of e.g. 20 I. capacity are used, enable to use a refrigerator having a depth dimension in the order of magnitude of a conventional tap.
An empty cask can be removed in a simple manner because of cask coupling, beer line and tap can be lifted jointly, after which the empty cask can be brought into the optimum removal position by rotation of the revolving platform. Preferably, the casks are arranged on said platform in such a manner that this rotation brings full cask in the coupling position with the beer line. A particularly effective arrangement can be obtained when, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the revolving platform is adapted for the arrangement of three casks in rotational symmetry. A new full cask to be coupled is at the proper temperature due to its being stored in the cooling space, so that beer tapping can be continued virtually without loss of time. The empty cask is removed and replaced by a full one, which is brought at the desired consumption temperature by placement in the cooling space. Thus, the revolving platform provides not only a simple method of replacement for an empty cask, but also ensures that the full cask longest present in the cooling space is tapped. The placement of full casks in the cooling space gives the additional advantage that the storage of casks in stock does not require special cooling measures, since the cooling space contains a sufficiently large cooled stock. The cooling space also ensures a constant low temperature, which means that C0₂ consumption is minimal, while a one-off adjustment of the C0₂ pressure is sufficient. Moreover, the presence of an installation space for a C0₂ container in the refrigerator ensures a convenient method of inspection and replacement of said container. The application of the refrigerator has the additional advantage that the beer line can be cooled up to the tap in a simple manner, namely, through the open communication between the hollow support and the cooling space. This means that beer having remained in the beer line for some time has not been warmed up but has been maintained at the desired tapping temperature and need not be discarded, so that the loss of beer is reduced.
By means of the features according to the present invention, there is thus obtained a relatively simple, compact and, if desired, movable beer tapping installation occupying little space, which is simple and convenient in use and is excellently suitable for operation with smaller casks than conventional, so that a tapped cask is empty more quickly which, with given beer sales, mean less loss of beer and a constant good quality of the beer.
When, in accordance with a further embodiment of the present invention, the cask coupling is mounted for rotation relative to the beer line, beer line and tap need be movable vertically only for the purpose of uncoupling a cask. A vertical displacement of the tap relative to the hollow support can then be realized in a simple manner when, in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention, the hollow support is provided with a longitudinal slot through which extends the tap attached to the beer line. After uncoupling an empty cask, the cask coupling, for the purpose of replacing the cask, can be maintained at a higher level in a simple manner when, in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention, the hollow support is closed at its top with a removable cover. After removing the cover and lifting the tap out of the longitudinal slot, the tap can be rotated and, supported on the top of the hollow support, be positioned so that the beer line and the cask coupling attached thereto continue to hang in a lifted position, in which they do not hinder the replacement of the cask.
When, in accordance with a still further embodiment of the present invention, the cask coupling is attached releasably to the beer line, there is further provided a possibility of washing out the beer line in a rapid and simple manner. After loosening the cask coupling, the beer line with tap can be pulled out of the hollow support and be coupled to a source of hot water for being flushed. This can be done by the user himself, so that no specialized company need be employed, which is a further cost- saving factor.
The beer in a cask placed in the cooling space can be cooled within 12 hours from ambient temperature to the ideal temperature of 5_°C when, according to a still further embodiment of the present invention, the refrigerator is provided with a forced cooling element.
One embodiment of the beer tapping installation according to the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a beer tapping installation on the line I-1 of Fig. 2;
Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line II-II of Fig. 1; and
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line III-III of Fig. 1.

The beer tapping installation shown in Figs. 1-3 comprises a refrigerator 1 having a cooling space 2, a cooling element 3, a forced cooling element 4 and a storage space 5.
The cooling space 2 is accessible by means of a door 6, the storage space 5 by means of a door 7. In cooling space 2 is arranged a revolving platform 8, whose possibility of rotation is shown diagrammatically by an axis 9. By means of an upright peripheral edge 10 and ribs 11 platform 8 is divided into three surfaces, each for receiving a cask 12, 13, 14. The storage space 5 contains provisions installing and connecting a C0₂ cylinder 15.
Formed in the upper wall of refrigerator 1 is a through opening 16 terminating in cooling space 5 and communicating with a hollow support 17 mounted on the upper wall of refrigerator 1. Hollow support 17 is closed at its top with a removable cover 18 and is provided with a slot 19 through which extends a beer line 20 with tap 21 mounted thereon. Beer line 20 extends through hollow support 17 and openi 16 downwardly and is provided at its lower end with a cask coupling 22 having a connecting socket 23 for a C0₂ line, not shown, to the C0₂ cylinder 15 in storage space 5.
Cask coupling 22 is coupled to the cask 12 by a screwing movement. To perform this screwing movement without rotation of the beer line 20, which rotation would be prevented by the beer line 20 with tap 21 extending through slot 19, cask coupling 22 is connected to the beer line 20 so as to be rotatable. Said rotary connection is also releasable, so that after removal of cover 18, the beer line 20 with tap 21 can be pulled upwardly out of the hollow support 17. As a result, beer line and tap can be cleaned separately and in a simple manner by connecting the cask coupling end of the beer line 20 to a source of hot water and, after opening tap 21, flushing the line 20 for the desired period of time.
The following procedure is followed for the replacement of a cask.
After shutting off the C0₂ supply from cylinder 15 and removing cover 18, the cask coupling 22 is loosened with a screwing movement, which is possible because the cask coupling 22 is rotatable relative to the beer line 20 and because the beer line 20 can be moved upwardly relative to the cask 12 and the hollow support 17, while the tap 21 is lifted in slot 19. After loosening cask coupling 22, this is pushed upwards together with the beer line 20 and the tap 21 to the extent that the tap 21 gets out of the slot 19, after which, through pivotal movement of the beer line 20 and through tap 21 bearing on the upper edge of the hollow support 17, the assembly 20-23 continues to hang in the lifted position. It is observed that the C0₂ line should be either uncoupled or be flexible.
Subsequently, platform 8 is rotated to the right, as viewed in Fig. 2, in such a manner that cask 12 comes to be in the position formerly occupied by cask 14, while simultaneously cask 13 comes to be in the position occupied earlier by cask 12. The empty cask 12 can now be removed from refrigerator 1 in a simple manner and be replaced by a new cask, while cask 13 is then in the proper position for being connected to the beer line 20 by means of cask coupling 22, which is effected by performing the above uncoupling operations in the reverse order.
It appears from the above procedure that cask 13 was present in the cooling space already longer than cask 14, so that automatically the full cask that is longest present is connected. The newly placed cask in replacement of the cask 12 will be cooled, while the through-flow time of the installation (first, cask 13 and then cask 14 will have to be emptied) will generally be sufficient to bring said cask in an optimally cooled condition before it is connected.
It will also be clear from the above description that the C0₂ cylinder 15 in the storage space 5 is optimally accessible by means of door 7.
Naturally, many modifications and variants are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. For instance, a number of casks other than three can be used with a corresponding adjustment of the revolving platform 8. Furthermore, the entire beer tapping installation can be placed on wheels when a mobile use is desired.

Claims

1. A beer tapping installation comprising a first cask installation and cooling unit (2) adjacent a second cooling unit (3), a third unit (17) supporting a tap (21) and a storage space (5) accomodating a gas container (15), a beer line (20) with a cask coupling (22) at its one end extending from the inside of the first unit to the tap (21) and connected with its other end to said tap (21) arranged near the free end of said third unit which comprises a hollow support (17) protruding vertically from the coupled units, enveloping the beer line (20) adjacent the tap (21) and being in open communication with said first unit (2), the beer line (20) with cask coupling (22) being movable longitudinally of the hollow support (17) and a gas supply line extending between the gas container (15) and the cask coupling (22), characterized in that said three units (2, 3, 17) and said storage space (5) are all parts of one refrigerator (1) including a revolving platform (8) in the first cask installation and cooling unit (2) on which at least two cask (12, 13, 14) can be placed, and the gas container (15) contains C0₂.

2. A beer tapping installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the revolving platform (8) is adapted for arrangement of three casks (12, 13, 14) in rotational symmetry.

3. A beer tapping installation according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cask coupling (22) is mounted for rotation relative to the beer line (20).

4. A beer tapping installation according to claim 3, characterized in that the hollow support (17) has a longitudinal slot (19) through which extends the tap (21) attached to the beer line (20).

5. A beer tapping installation according to claim 4, characterized in that the hollow support (17) is closed at its top with a removable cover (18).

6. A beer tapping installation according to claim 5, characterized in that the cask coupling (22) is attached releasably to the beer line (20).

7. A beer tapping installation according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the refrigerator (1) includes a forced cooling element (4).