GB2063219A - Tap fitment and method for dispensing liquids from portable containers - Google Patents

Abstract

A tap fitment (11) comprises an L-shaped dispensing tube (17) having means (15) for connecting it to a portable container, a tap (13) for controlling the flow of liquid and an opening (34) for receiving a tubular appendage (33). It enables the full contents of a container to be discharged without tipping and provides for the use of a sight-glass, vent or other accessory. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Tap fitment and method for dispensing liquids from portable containers This invention relates to a tap fitment and to a method for dispensing liquids from portable containers.

According to the present invention we provide a tap fitment for controllably dispensing under gravity the full contents of a liquid container, the fitment comprising a substantially rigid L-shaped liquid-dispensing tube having at one end means for connecting said tube to the opening of a portable container, at the other end a tap for controlling the flow of liquid through the tube, intermediate the ends an opening for receiving a tubular appendage and surrounding the opening a means for sealably securing the appendage in the opening. The invention also includes the tap fitment when fitted with a tubular appendage and a portable container when fitted with such a tap fitment.

Many portable containers are used with taps located on a vertical face of the container and towards its base. Because of constructional considerations the opening to which the tap is fitted may be set as much as a quarter of the way up the vertical face of the container from its base.

The disadvantage of this type of container is that it needs to be tipped to dispense all of the liquid contents. This may be unacceptable if the contents are not to be unduly disturbed while being dispensed. Tipping of the container may also require extra help for obvious practical reasons particularly where dangerous liquids are being handled. It may result in loss of control of the flow of the liquid being dispensed. The orientation of the tap will alter as the container is tipped and this may also be unacceptable.

The present invention makes possible the complete discharge of liquid from a portable container without the need for tipping and disturbing the container and provides for the use of a sight glass, vent or other accessory.

The opening in the L-shaped tube is conveniently located close to the tap and upwardly directed when the tap fitment is operational. The means for sealably securing the tubular appendage may be a collar in which the appendage is held in a tight sliding fit.

The appendage may be a sight glass for indicating the level of liquid in the container to which the tap fitment is attached. If the container is not of the collapsible type or a more accurate reading is required, a vent pipe, for venting the space above the liquid level in the container when the container is in a dispense position, may be passed through the opening in the L-shaped tube inside the sight glass. The vent pipe may be kept above the liquid level by virtue of its own stiffness, or if it is very flexible, by a float attachment or other means. The vent pipe should be long enough to project above the level of liquid in both the container and the sight glass. The vent pipe maintains the space above the liquid level in the container at ambient pressure during any chemical, fermentative or temperature changes and dispensing of the liquid.It also improves the flow of liquid from the tap by eliminating "glugging".

If a sight glass is not required, the vent pipe may, by itself, form the appendage. The vent pipe may terminate in a valve or be provided with some other closure member which may be controlled by operation of the tap, e.g. the tap on being closed may act to constrict a flexible portion of the vent and on being opened remove the constriction.

An air-lock, which may be of the type used in fermentation processes, may be incorporated in the vent.

If the tap fitment is to be used without any appendage, the opening may be closed by, for example, a stopper which press-fits into a collar surrounding the opening.

In another aspect of the invention we provide a method for dispensing liquids from a portable container which comprises connecting a tap fitment according to the invention to the opening of the container to be discharged, positioning the container with the opening lowermost and operating the tap fitment to control discharge of the liquid from the container.

By way of example only, the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figures 1 and 2 are both cross sections of preferred embodiments of the invention fitted to a container shown only in part in broken line.

In the drawings, a tap fitment 11 comprises a tap 13 connected to a screw-threaded container closure member 1 5 by an L-shaped tube 1 7. The tap 13 comprises a partially axially-bored rod 1 9 extending through and held in a tight turning fit by a cylindrical housing 21. An orifice 23 provides an inlet to the partial bore 1 8 of the rod 19 which has an outlet 25. A necked opening 27 in the housing 21 registers with orifice 23 when the tap is in an open position (as shown in the drawing) providing liquid access to the bore 18. A wing 28 for turning the rod 19 in housing 21 enables the orifice 23 to be moved out of register with the opening 27 to a closed position. The long limb 29 of tube 17 connects with the housing 21 in a tight sliding fit into the neck 26.The short limb 31 of tube 17 is flanged inside closure member 1 5 so that when the closure member is screwed tightly to a correspondingly threaded neck of a container the flange is pressed against the closure member holding the tube 1 7 firmly in place and acting as a liquid seal. Tube 1 7 is free to turn relative to the closure member prior to fully tightening the closure member. An opening 34 in tube 17 receives a semi-flexible sight glass 33.

Surrounding the opening a collar 35 sealably secures the sight glass in a tight sliding fit.

The broken line terminating at A and B indicates the location of a flexible vent pipe when used. The pipe is sufficiently stiff to support itself inside the container.

In Figure 2 a vent tube is shown in place of the sight-glass in Figure 1.

In use, the tap fitment is attached to the opening of a filled liquid container, which is positioned with its opening uppermost and with its cap or bung removed, by tightly screwing the closure member 15 to the screw-threaded neck of the container opening. The direction of the long limb 29 of the tube relative to the container is adjusted, as necessary, prior to fully tightening the closure member so that the tap 13 lies outside the boundary of the vertical walls of the container. The container is then inverted to a dispense position and stood on a support or supports which should be dimensioned or arranged to allow the tap fitment to protrude unimpeded.

The liquid contents of the container are now ready for dispensing in a controlled manner through the tap fitment, the container being vented, as appropriate, either by a direct vent in the package or by the use of a vent pipe or tube.

Collapsible packages may not require venting.

All parts of the tap fitment are made of polythene but it will be evident that other plastic materials could be used and also different types of material such as wood, metal, and glass and combinations of these. Greasing of the rod 19 may be desirable to facilitate its turning in the housing 21 and to provide a seal between the two.

The closure member has a standard 55 mm screw thread but may be made to fit 35 mm or 50 mm standard threads or any non-standard container opening. The limbs of the tube 17 may be made to any length to suit the size of the container with which the fitment is to be used.

An advantage of these particularly described embodiments of the invention is that the tube 17 can be directed as desired relative to the container and independently of the cap, and the tap turned independently to the desired dispensing angle without leakage.

Separate supports to provide tap clearance may be unnecessary for packages having deeply sunken openings or which have an outer case constructed with built-in supports. Conveniently the tap fitment may be used in conjunction with the package described in UK Patent Specification No. 2038780.

It is envisaged that the tap 13 could be replaced by any other suitable tap or valve, such as a pinch valve, a piston, frustum or plunger seal, an iris butterfly valve or petcock, without detracting from the invention.

Claims (9)

1. A tap fitment for controllably dispensing under gravity the full contents of a liquid container, the fitment comprising a substantially rigid L-shaped liquid-dispensing tube having at one end means for connecting said tube to the opening of a portable container, at the other end a tap for controlling the flow of liquid through the tube, intermediate the ends an opening for receiving a tubular appendage and surrounding the opening a means for sealably securing the appendage in the opening.

2. A tap fitment according to claim 1 when fitted with a tubular appendage.

3. A tap fitment according to claim 2 in which the tubular appendage is a sight glass.

4. A tap fitment according to claim 3 in which a vent pipe, for venting the space above the liquid level in the container when the container is in a dispense position, passes through the opening inside the sight glass.

5. A tap fitment according to claim 2 in which the tubular appendage is a vent for venting the space above the liquid level in the container when the container is in a dispense position.

6. A tap fitment according to claim 5 in which the vent incorporates an air lock.

7. A tap fitment according to claim 1 substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.

8. A method for dispensing liquids from a portable container which comprises connecting a tap fitment according to any one of claims 2 to 7 to the opening of the container to be discharged, positioning the container with the opening lowermost and operating the tap fitment to control discharge of the liquid from the container.

9. A method according to claim 8 substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings.