GB1575855A - Beverage dispense systems - Google Patents

Description

(54) AN IMPROVEMENT IN OR RELATING TO BEVERAGE DISPENSE SYSTEMS (71) We, BRITISH SYPHON INDUSTRIES LIMITED, a British Company, of Netherthorpe Road, Sheffield 3, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to beverage dispense systems and has for its object to provide an improvement therein.

It is customary in a dispense system for beverages which should be served in cold condition, such as beer, to pass the beverage through a tube first extending through a cooler and then communicating with a dispense tap. Such a cooler normally comprises a tank of water through which extends the evaporator section of a closed circuit refrigeration unit which cools the water and indeed sometimes forms a socalled "ice-bank" around the evaporator tubing. In addition, there is usually provided means for agitating the water in the tank so that the rate of heat transfer between the beverage in the tube and the water in the tank is increased. However, it has been found that in such a dispense system the temperature of the beverage in the tube can be reduced more than is desirable when the beverage is not being dispensed for any extended period of time.

The invention aims to at least alleviate this disadvantage.

According to the invention, a dispense system for a beverage or beverages required to be served in cold condition includes a cooler comprising a water tank through which extends the evaporator section of a closed circuit refrigeration unit, agitator means for agitating the water in the water tank, an electric motor for driving said agitator means, and two or more tubes extending through the tank for the separate supply of a single beverage to respective dispense taps or for the supply of different beverages to respective dispense taps, as the case may be, said tubes extending for at least some distance at the inlet side of the runs of tube through the tank in a cluster, with a thermostatic switch forming part of the cluster, the arrangement being such that the switch is sensitive to changes of temperature of the beverage or of the beverages at that end of the runs of tube whereby the agitator ceases to be driven when the temperature of the beverage or beverages at the said inlet side of the runs of tube, and thus throughout the runs of tube through the tank, falls to a predetermined value. Three rubes may extend through the tank for the supply of the beverage or beverages to respective dispense taps, the thermostatic switch being located within a housing made of a thermally conductive material and provided with longitudinally extending fins, the three tubes being located within the respective seatings provided by the housing and fins. In this case, the housing for the thermostatic switch may be made of metal tube and the longitudinally extending fins may be brazed or welded on the tube.On the other hand, the housing for the thermostatic switch may be made of thin-walled metal tube deformed to such an extent that it forms substantially the shape of a cylindrical housing with connected fins.

In order that the invention may be fully understood and readily carried into effect, the same will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification, of which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a dispense system embodying the invention, Fig. 2 is a scrap view of a part of the system which will be described, drawn to a somewhat larger scale than Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 in Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 and illustrating a possible modification, and Figs. 5 and 6 are views which illustrate further possible modifications which will be referred to.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the dispense system there illustrated includes a cooler generally indicated 10 and comprising a water tank 12 through which extends the evaporator section 14 of a closed circuit refrigeration unit 16. The cooler also includes an agitator 18 mounted on a drive shaft 20 which projects into the tank and which is drivably connected to an electric motor 22.

Three separate tubes 24, 26 and 28 are shown to extend through the water tank and they communicate with respective dispense taps (not shown) for the supply of the beverage concerned, or for the supply of different beverages, in cold condition (and it will be understood that the three tubes may either be connected to a common source of supply of the beverage concerned, for example a beer cask, or may be connected to supplies of different beverages.

For example one could be connected to a beer cask, another could be connected to a cask containing Lager and the other could be connected to a cask containing some other beverage such as Stout).

It will be understood that when the dispense system is in use, a so-called "ice- bank" may form around the evaporator section of the refrigeration unit. It will also be understood that the purpose of the agitator is to circulate the water in the tank so that the rate of heat transfer between the beverage or beverages in the tubes and the water in the tank is increased beyond what it otherwise would be.

A thermostatic switch 30 is associated with the three tubes 24, 26 and 28 and as indicated by the chain-dotted line is arranged to control the switching on and switching off of the electric motor 22. The switch is intimately associated with the three tubes just below the level of water in the tank and at the inlet side of the runs of tube through the tank so that the electric motor is controlled according to the temperature of the beverage (or the two or three different beverages) in the tubes, but is also influenced by the temperature of the water surrounding the tubes. When a measure of any one of the available beverages is served, the switch 30 immediately detects the presence of comparatively warm beverage in the run of tube concerned as flow commences.The switch is therefore caused to close and the electric motor is immediately switched into operation and agitation of the water in the tank commences. On the other hand, when the flow of the beverage ceases, the switch 30 is very quickly re-opened under the influence of the cold water surrounding the cluster of tubes and the agitator stops.

Consequently, when a further measure of the beverage or one of the available beverages is served following a prolonged period when none has been dispensed, it will not be served at a temperature very much below the required temperature.

It will be understood that, since the switch is associated with the three tubes just below the level of water in the tank and at the inlet side of the runs of tube through the tank, it can be safely assumed that when the agitator ceases to be driven as the temperature of the beverage or beverages at the said inlet side of the runs of tube falls to a predetermined value, the temperature throughout the runs of tube through the tank will be at or below said predetermined value.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, these illustrate the manner in which the thermostatic switch 30 is associated with the three tubes 24, 26 and 28. The switch is located within a tubular housing 32 to which longitudinally extending fins 34 have been brazed at equally spaced intervals around the housing. The tubes 24, 26 and 28 are located within the respective seatings provided by the housing 32 and fins 34 (the housing and fins having been made of a thermally conductive material such as copper to ensure good heat conduction). It will be understood that the thermal conduction between the tubes 24, 26 and 28 and the housing for the switch would be improved still more if the tube walls were deformed locally as shown in chain-dotted fines in Fig. 4.

In Figs. 5 and 6 there are illustrated two further possible modifications which could be made without departing from the scope of the invention. In Fig. 5 a thin-walled tube has been deformed to such an extent that it forms substantially the shape of the housing and brazed on fins illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4, that is to say it includes spaced portions for contacting the thermostatic switch and other radiating portions for forming respective seatings for the tubes.

In Fig. 6 there is illustrated a thin-walled tube which has been deformed in a similar manner except that it conforms more closely to the curvature of the tubes, being an intimate thermal contact with each tube around substantially a half of its circumference.

Various other modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, it will be understood that there may be any required number of tubes extending through the tank for the supply of the beverage concerned or for the supply of the different beverages concerned. However, what is important is that where the tubes extend in close proximity to the thermostatic switch they should be disposed in a cluster around the switch and be in thermal contact with it so that the switch is sensitive to changes of temperature of the beverage or beverages in the tubes (and it will be understood that two such tubes could fulfill this requirement if deformed to partially envelop the switch or if the switch was contained in a housing made of a thin-walled tube deformed to such an extent that it formed seatings for the respective tubes).

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A dispense system for a beverage or beverages required to be served in cold condition, the system including a cooler comprising a water tank through which extends the evaporator section of a closed circuit refrigeration unit, agitator means for agitating the water in the water tank, an electric motor for driving said agitator means, and two or more tubes extending through the tank for the separate supply of a single beverage to respective dispense taps or for the supply of different beverages to respective dispense taps, as the case may be, said tubes extending for at least some distance at the inlet side of the runs of tube through the tank in a cluster, with a thermostatic switch forming part of the cluster, the arrangement being such that the switch is sensitive to changes of temperature of the beverage or of the beverages at that end of the runs of tube whereby the agitator ceases to be driven when the temperature of the beverage or beverages at the said inlet side of the runs of tube, and thus throughout the runs of tube through the tank, falls to a predetermined value.

2. A dispense system according to claim 1, in which three tubes extend through the tank for the supply of the beverage or beverages to respective dispense taps, the thermostatic switch being located within a housing made of a thermally conductive material and provided with longitudinally extending fins, the three tubes being located within the respestive seatings provided by the housing and fins.

3. A dispense system according to claim 2, in which the housing for the thermostatic switch is made of metal tube and in which the longitudinally extending fins have been brazed or welded on the tube.

4. A dispense system according to claim 2, in which the housing for the thermostatic switch is made of thin-walled metal tube deformed to such an extent that it forms substantially the shape of a cylindrical housing with connected fins.

5. A dispense system for a beverage or beverages required to be served in cold condition, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. concerned. However, what is important is that where the tubes extend in close proximity to the thermostatic switch they should be disposed in a cluster around the switch and be in thermal contact with it so that the switch is sensitive to changes of temperature of the beverage or beverages in the tubes (and it will be understood that two such tubes could fulfill this requirement if deformed to partially envelop the switch or if the switch was contained in a housing made of a thin-walled tube deformed to such an extent that it formed seatings for the respective tubes). WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A dispense system for a beverage or beverages required to be served in cold condition, the system including a cooler comprising a water tank through which extends the evaporator section of a closed circuit refrigeration unit, agitator means for agitating the water in the water tank, an electric motor for driving said agitator means, and two or more tubes extending through the tank for the separate supply of a single beverage to respective dispense taps or for the supply of different beverages to respective dispense taps, as the case may be, said tubes extending for at least some distance at the inlet side of the runs of tube through the tank in a cluster, with a thermostatic switch forming part of the cluster, the arrangement being such that the switch is sensitive to changes of temperature of the beverage or of the beverages at that end of the runs of tube whereby the agitator ceases to be driven when the temperature of the beverage or beverages at the said inlet side of the runs of tube, and thus throughout the runs of tube through the tank, falls to a predetermined value.

2. A dispense system according to claim 1, in which three tubes extend through the tank for the supply of the beverage or beverages to respective dispense taps, the thermostatic switch being located within a housing made of a thermally conductive material and provided with longitudinally extending fins, the three tubes being located within the respestive seatings provided by the housing and fins.

3. A dispense system according to claim 2, in which the housing for the thermostatic switch is made of metal tube and in which the longitudinally extending fins have been brazed or welded on the tube.

4. A dispense system according to claim 2, in which the housing for the thermostatic switch is made of thin-walled metal tube deformed to such an extent that it forms substantially the shape of a cylindrical housing with connected fins.

5. A dispense system for a beverage or beverages required to be served in cold condition, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated by the drawings accompanying the Provisional Specification.