GB2123381A

GB2123381A - Barrel rack

Info

Publication number: GB2123381A
Application number: GB08316528A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Glyn Douglas Prescott
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-06-18
Filing date: 1983-06-17
Publication date: 1984-02-01
Also published as: GB8316528D0; GB2123381B

Abstract

A rack for barrels has uprights (2) and arms (3). Each arm carries a support plate having fingers (9, 10) which support a barrel in use, the support plates being pivotable between positions in which the barrel lies substantially horizontal and tilted at a slight angle. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Barrel rack The present invention relates to racks for barrels, more particularly, to racks for barrels containing beer.

With the re-introduction of so-called "real ale" storage problems have arisen in many public houses due to the necessity to store barrels of such beerfor longer periods than required for barrels of "keg beer".

Barrels of real ale need to be stored stationary for a longer period before the beer is in a condition to be dispensed to customers. Whilst there has been a re-introduction of real ale type beers there has continued a reduction in the number of public houses and thereforethose that remain and which serve real ale need to have largerstocksthan when theywere first built. There is thus a considerable pressure on storage. Unlike so-called keg beers where the barrels are put under gas pressure and the beer pumped out by such pressure, the barrels thus being able to stand on their ends, barrels containing traditional beers are usually stood on racks so as to lie with their longitudinal axes substantially horizontal, or slightly tilted, and there needs to be space between the barrels to allow access so that beer can be poured back into the barrel.

Conventionally, barrels of traditional beer are supported on horizontal trestles with pairs of wedges placed underthe ends of the barrels to stop them from rolling. When it is required to tiltthe barrel to avoid wastage of beer within the barrel, the rear ofthe barrel, that isto say the end opposite the tap, has to be lifted and the wedges either pushed closertogetherto raise the rear of the barrel or a further block of wood inserted to raise that end.

Whilst such proceduresaretraditional and have been in use for many years, with larger sizes of barrels in particularthe problem oflifting the end ofthe barrel to tilt it is a severe one due to the weight of the barrel.

According to the present invention, a rack for supporting a plurality of barrels comprises a frame having a plurality of pairs of arms, each arm of each pair having a pivotablesupportforsupporting a barrel substantially centrally of its length, each support being pivotable between a first position in which, in use, the barrel is supported with its longitudinal axis substantially horizontal and a second position in which the axis of the barrel is tilted.

Preferably, the pairs of arms are arranged in at least two rows one above the other, the cooperating pairs of arms in one row being horizontally offset in position relative to those in the adjacent row.

Advantageously, each of the supports comprises a plate which has a number of fingers which rest against the curved sidewall of the barrel in use to support it at one side, a corresponding support plate holding the other side, and both plates are pivotable about a substantially horizontal axis so as to allow the barrel to tilt on the plates. Preferably one support of each pair is provided with a latching device to hold the support in a given one of at leasttwo positions,the same plate advantageously having a forwardly extending lever by means of which the plate and thus the barrel and the other plate can be moved between its two or more positions.

By means of such a rack a larger number of barrels than usual can be stored at any one time, with access being maintained to each barrel at all times, and each barrel being spaced from its adjacent barrels and being tiltable, when required, without great physical effort on the part ofthe publican or his staff.

One example of a rack constructed in accordance with the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 isafrontviewofa rack; Figure 2 is a side view of a rack; Figure 3 is a detailed view of one arm; and Figure 4 is a side view of a truck for loading barrels onto the rack.

The rack comprises a series of metal members 1 each having an upright 2 and a pair of forwardly, generally horizontally, extending arms 3, the lower one ofwhich has a downwardly and forwardly extending leg 4 to provide a firm footing for the member 1.The membersalso includetriangularfillets 5which are welded to the upright2 and arms3to provide extra strength atthejoints.

A number of members 1 can be assembled together, as shown in Figure 1, bolted to intervening spacing horizontal members 6to form a rack as shown. The rack shown is intended to supportthree barrels, but it will be appreciated that with the unit construction of the members 1 a rack of substantially any length can be assembled. At each end of the rack a smaller member 1' having but a single arm 3 and leg 4 is used.

As is best seen in Figure 1 barrels 7 are supported in a staggered arrangement in two rows, one above the other, the barrels in the upper row lying substantially centrally between the barrels in the lower row.

Tosupportthe barrels each arm has a plate 8which is pivotable about a substantially horizontal axis, each plate 8 having upwardly and slightly outwardly turned fingers 9,1 for supporting the side wall of a barrel. By bending the fingers 9,10 slightly outwardllythe upper parts of the fingers 9,10 can be arranged to lie substantially tangentially to the surface of the barrel, thefingers 10 lying in the conventional waisted central portion of the barrel's cylindrical surface.

Each ofthe plates 8 is freely pivotable between two end positions defined by stops 11,12 which abut againstthe upper and lowersurfaces ofthe end portion ofthe arm 3, and an intermediate position (not shown).

One plate of each pair used to support a single barrel has a forwardly extending lever arm 13 by means of which the plate and thus any barrel resting on it can be moved between substantially horizontal and slightly tilted positions. To fix the plate in position a pair of holes 14 are provided into which a latch bolt 14' in the form of a pin can be slid, the latch bplt or pin sliding through a corresponding aperture in an end portion of the arm 3.

The outerfingers 9 on each plate 8 have apertures 15 into which buttons or pegs can be sloted to reduce the effective distance between the pair of plates and allow the plates to support barrels of a smaller size. The difference in diameter between larger and smaller barrel sizes is sufficiently close that inserting buttons (of about 2-3 cm. depth) compensates for the differ ence. In use barrels which are to be loaded onto the rack are first positioned on a truck 16 having a mast assembly 17 mounted on a forked wheeled frame 18 and carrying a carriage assembly 19 which can be moved up and down the mast 17 by means of a conventional chain and pulley assembly 20 operated bya hydrauliccylinder21 with a manually operable.

pump lever handle 22. The carriage 19 has four rollers 23, the longitudinal axes of which are inclined so as to cradle a barrel. and to allowthe barrel to be rotated until the vent point is uppermost. Barrels can be unloaded from a vehicle directly onto the truck (with the carriage assembly in its raised position shown dotted in Figure 4), or indirectly if trolley is used in a cellar (with the carriage assemblythen lowered), the carriage assembly then lowered to the bottom ofthe mast onto the deck ofthe truck and the truckthen wheeled to the rack. The barrel can then be raised again to the required heightto registerwith the chosen pair of arms and the truck moved between the legs ofthe rack, when in position between the correct pair of arms the carriage assembly being dropped to lowerthe barrel onto the plate supports of the rack.

When beer is being dispensed from such barrels, at a certain stage of emptiness ofthe barrel (usually when about halfthe beer has been served) the barrel needsto betippedforward and to achieve this all that is necessary is for the weight ofthe barrel to be taken on the lever arm ofthe respective plate, for the pin to be removed and for the plate then to be pivoted so that the barrel tilts forward, the pin then being reinserted in the second hole 14. The barrel then lying in an intermediate position. When half the remaining beer has been sold the barrel can be moved to the final position defined by the stop 1 the supports then being in their most angled position (at about 8" to the horizontal).

Itwill be appreciated clearly from Figure 1 that access between the barrels is readily achievable so that beer can be poured back into the top of the barrels in the lower rowwithout having to move barrels in the upper row.

A rack of this type is clearly able to provide a much greater degree of storage than with conventional trestles and, furthermore, is considerably easierto use requiring but little physical effort.

Claims

1. A rackforsupporting a plurality of barrels, the rack comprising a frame having a plurality of pairs of arms, each arm of each pair having a pivotable supportforsupporting a barrel substantially centrally of its length, each support being pivotable between a first position in which, in use, the barrel is supported with its longitudinal axis substantially horizontal and a second position in which the axis ofthe barrel is tilted.

2. A rack according to claim 1, wherein the pairs of arms are arranged in at least two rows, one above the other, the cooperating pairs of arms in one row being horizontally offset in position relative to those in the or each adjacent row.

3. A rack according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each arm is supported from an upright member.

4. A rack according to claim 3, wherein a plurality ofthe upright members each supporttwo arms spaced apartvertically and extending substantially parallel with one another.

5. A rack according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein the arm or a lowermost arm connects with a leg for supporting the upright.

6. A rack according to any of claims 3 to 5, further comprising a pluralityoftransverse members for connecting uprights in a spaced apart relation, the uprights being bolted to connecting transverse members.

7. A rack according to any ofthe preceding claims, wherein each of the pivotable supports comprises a plate having a plurality offingersforsupporting the sidewall ofa barrel.

8. A rack according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one support of each pair includes abutmentsfor defining the end positions of pivotal movement of the support and thus ofthe barrel in use.

9. A rack according to any ofthe preceding claims, wherein the support includes a lever arm for enabling the user to move the barrel between its tilted and substantially horizontal positions.

10. A rack according to any of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of each pair of supports include means for latching the support in two or more positions.

11. Arackforsupportinga plurallityofbarrels substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.