GB2145396A

GB2145396A - Apparatus for dispensing pressurised liquid

Info

Publication number: GB2145396A
Application number: GB08418988A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael John Start
Original assignee: Homark Associates Ltd
Current assignee: Homark Associates Ltd
Priority date: 1983-08-26
Filing date: 1984-07-25
Publication date: 1985-03-27
Also published as: GB8323015D0; GB8418988D0; GB2145396B

Abstract

The invention relates to apparatus for dispensing pressurised liquids, such as pressurised liquid beverages like beer, lager, cider or wine contained in a pressurised container, the apparatus including a valve unit 27 having a diaphragm 28 separating two chambers 29,30, the chamber 29 having an inlet connected to the inlet of a manually operated pump 41, the outlet of the pump 41 being connected to the chamber 30, the valve unit 27 having a valve member 36 connected to the diaphragm 28 for controlling a flow of liquid at pump pressure to a dispensing nozzle 38, and a spring 48 being provided for urging the valve 36 to its closed position, the arrangement being such that when the pump 41 is inoperative the pressures within the chambers 29,30 equalize and the spring 48 urges the valve 36 to the closed position and when the pump 41 is operated the pressure in the chamber 30 overcomes the force of the spring 48 and the pressure in the chamber 29 and the diaphragm 28 moves the valve 36 to its open position. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for dispensing pressurised liquid This invention relates to apparatus for dispensing pressurised liquids, particularly pressurised liquid beverages, such as beer, lager, cider, wine or the like.

It is known to pressurise liquid in a container by means of a gas under pressure and to dispense the liquid through a manually operated control valve.

More and more brewery companies and publicans require their liquid beverages, such as beer, to be dispensed with the use of a pump operated by a pump handle mounted on the bar. Many brewery companies and publicans would now like to be able to dispense their pressurised liquid beverages by use of a pump operated by a pump handle but so far this has not proved to be workable because the liquid is supplied to the pump under pressure and when the pump is in its inoperative state, the liquid is forced past the piston of the pump and flows to the dispensing nozzle outlet.

The present invention provides an apparatus for dispensing pressurised liquids which incorporates a manually operated pump but which does not suffer from the disadvantages referred to above.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for use in dispensing a pressurised liquid, comprising a valve unit having a diaphragm separating two chambers one chamber having an inlet for receiving liquid at the same pressure as that supplied to the inlet of a manually operated pump from a source of liquid under pressure, the outlet of said pump being in fluid communication with the other chamber of the valve unit, said valve unit being provided with a valve member connected to said diaphragm for controlling a flow of liquid at pump pressure to a dispensing nozzle, and resilient means for urging the valve to its closed position, the arrangement being such that when the pump is inoperative any leakage across the pump will cause the pressures within the two chambers to become equal and the resilient means urges the valve member to the closed position, and when the pump is operative the pressure in said other chamber rises to overcome the force of the resilient means and the pressure within said one chambe and the diaphragm moves the valve member to its open position.

Two embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of examples, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure lisa diagrammatic illustration of a first embodiment of an apparatus according to the present invention; Figure2 is a diagrammatic illustration of a second embodiment of an apparatus according to the present invention; Figure3 is a longitudinal section through the valve unit shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a section through the chamber cleansing valve shown in Figure 2; and Figure 5 is a section through another form of chamber cleansing valve.

The dispensing apparatus shown in Figure 1 comprises a valve unit 10 which incorporates a flexible diaphragm 11 which separates two chambers 12 and 13. The chamber 12 has an inlet 14 connected by a conduit 15 to the outlet of a container 16, such as a key, containing liquid, such as beer or lager or cider or wine, under pressure. The chamber 12 also has an outlet 17 connected by a conduit 18 to the inlet of a manually operated pump 19 which is preferably operated by a pivotally lever or handle (not shown). The outlet of the pump 19 is connected by a conduit 20 to an inlet 21 of the chamber 13. A cooler 22 may be incorporated in the conduit 20. The chamber 13 is provided with an outlet 23 connected by a conduit 24to a dispensing nozzle.

Connected to the diaphragm 11 is a valve member 25 which closes the outlet 23, the valve member 25 being urged to its closed position by a light spring 26 located in chamber 12.

When the system is inoperative the pump 19 is not actuated and the valve member 25 closes the outlet 23. The liquid under pressure flows from the container 16 through the conduit 15 and inlet 14 into the chamber 12, out through the outlet 17 and conduit 18 to the pump 19 and across the piston of the pump 19 through the conduit 20 and through the inlet 21 into the chamber 13. Therefore the pressure in the chambers 12 and 13 are equal and the spring 26 urges the valve member 25 to the closed position.

When liquid is to be dispensed the pump 19 is operated by means of its lever or handle and the pump 19 forces liquid through the conduit 20 to the chamber 13 which increases the pressure within the chamber 13 relative to that in chamber 12 and when the pressure exceeds the force of the spring 26 the diaphragm 11 will move and will move the valve member 25 to the open position to allow pressurised liquid to flow th rough the outlet 23 and conduit 24 to the dispensing spout. When actuation of the pump 19 is stopped the pressure in chamber 13 will fall to equal the pressure in chamber 12 and the spring 26 will move the valve member 25 to the closed position.

The pump 19 may comprise a metering pump as disclosed in our co-pending United Kingdom Patent Application No.8319403.

The dispensing apparatus shown in Figure 2 comprises a valve unit 27 having a flexible diaphragm 28 which separates two chambers 29 and 30. The chamber 29 is connected by a conduit 31 to a manifold unit 32 and the chamber 30 is connected by a conduit 33 to the unit 32. Connected to the diaphragm 28 is a rod 34 which extends through a chamber 35 and the rod 34 is provided at its free end with a valve member 36 which cooperates with a valve seat 37 formed in a discharge nozzle 38. The chamber 35 is connected by a conduit 39 to the manifold unit 33.

Connected to the unit 32 by a conduit 40 is a container 41, such as a Keg, containing liquid under pressure, such as beer or lager or cider or wine. The conduit 40 is in communication with the conduit 31 and is connected to the inlet side of a manually operable pump 41 which is operated by a pivotable lever or handle 42. The outlet side of the pump 41 is connected to a conduit 43 which is in communica tion with the conduits 33 and 39. The conduits 33 and 39 are connected to a cooler 44.

The chambers 29 and 30 are respectively connected via conduits 45 and 46 to a chamber cleansing valve 47.

The valve unit 27 is shown in greater detail in Figure 3 and it will be seen that a spring 48 is provided in the chamber 29 which acts on the diaphragm 28 in a direction to cause the valve member 36 to seat against the seat 37. The periphery of the diaphragm 28 is engaged between two casings 49 and 50 which define the chambers 29, 30 and which are secured together by bolts or screws 51. Connected to the casing 50 is a body 52 in which the chamber 35 is formed and on one end of which is mounted the discharge nozzle 38. Surrounding the body 52 and discharge nozzle 38 is a sleeve 53 secured to the casing 50 by screws 54. Sealing strips 55, 56 and 57 are provided.

The chamber cleansing valve 47 is shown in greater detail in Figure 4 and it consists of a valve body 58 having inlets 59 and 60 connected to the conduits 45 and 46 respectively and an outlet 61.

Provided in the valve body 58 is a valve member 62 which is urged by a spring 63 to a closed position in which it closes off the inlets 59 and 60 from the inlet 61. The valve member 62 is provided with a stem 64 having at its outer end a knob 65 which is used to move the valve member 62 against the force of the spring 63 to a position in which the inlets 59 and 60 communicate with the outlet 61 thus allowing fluid under pressure to flow from the chambers 29 and 30 to the outlet 61 thus purging the chambers 29 and 30 of any bacteria build-up or growth in the chambers.

When the head 65 is released the spring 63 will return the valve member 62 to its closed position.

As shown in Figure 5, the valve 47 can be incorporated in the valve unit 37.

In use of the apparatus shown in Figure 2 to 5 when the pump 41 is inoperative the pressure in the chamber 30 will fall and if fluid leaks across the pump the pressures in the chambers 29 and 30 will tend to become equal and the valve 36 will be held against the seat 37 by the force of the spring 48.

When the pump 41 is operated the pressure in chamber 30 will rise to pump pressure andover- come the pressure in the chamber 29 and the pressure of the spring 48 and the valve 36 will move offthe seat 37 allowing fluid at pump pressure to be discharged through the nozzle 38.

Claims

1. Apparatus for use in dispensing a pressurised liquid, comprising a valve unit having a diaphragm separating two chambers, one chamber having an inlet for receiving liquid at the same pressure as that supplied to the inlet of a manually operated pump from a source of liquid under pressure, the outlet of said pump being in fluid communication with the other chamber of the valve unit, said valve unit being provided with a valve member connected to said diaphragm for controlling a flow of liquid at pump pressure to a dispensing nozzle, and resilient means for urging the valve to its closed position, the arrangement being such that when the pump is inoperative any leakage across the pump will cause the pressures within the two chambers to become equal and the resilient means urges the valve member to the closed position, and when the pump is operative the pressure in said other chamber rises to overcome the force of the resilient means and the pressure within said one chamber and the diaphragm moves the valve member to its open position.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the valve is provided in a chamber to which the outlet of the pump is connected.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which said one chamber has an outlet connected to the inlet of the pump and said other chamber has an outlet controlled by said valve.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim in which a cooling device is connected between the pump outlet and the valve unit.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which each chamber of the valve unit is connected to a chamber cleansing valve which when open allows fluid to flow through the chambers to purge the chambers.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, in which the cleansing valve is manually operable.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the valve member of said valve unit is provided at one end of a rod connected to the diaphragm.

8. Apparatus for use in dispensing a pressurised liquid, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figure 1 or Figures 2 to 5 of the accompanying drawings.