GB2224487A - Recovering drink prior to cleaning supply lines - Google Patents

Abstract

Recovery apparatus is provided for recovering drinks in a drinks supply system (1) for supplying drinks eg beer from a container (3) eg keg to a tap (4) via a supply conduit (8), the recovery apparatus comprising liquid drive means (6, 16 A/B 17, 18) for the creation of a flow of driving fluid, eg. CO2, causing a return flow of drinks in the supply conduit (8) to the container (3). A special valve is provided, conveniently in the keg head (10), which operates to preclude a return flow of drinks via the supply conduit (8) during normal operation but permits a drinks return flow to the container (3) when this return flow is created by the additional pressure of the driving fluid. The recovery apparatus enables a saving of drinks when drinks containers are changed over or when the drinks supply system is to be flushed with cleaning fluid. <IMAGE>

Description

"DRINKS SUPPLY SYSTEM WITH DRINK RECOVERY APPARATUS": DESCRIPTION: The present invention relates to a drinks supply system with drink recovery apparatus, wherein conduit means serve to supply drinks from a liquid container e.g. keg to a tap at a dispensing location, a source of driving fluid being provided to expel drinks from the container into said conduit means. The drinks can take the form of beer, lager or cider for example. Such a drinks supply system is hereinafter referred to as a drinks supply system of the type aforesaid.

The above drinks supply system is of course used in public houses and other establishments, the drinks kegs usually being located in a cellar and the drinks being delivered to a font at the bar by lines. For health and hygene reasons, it is necessary for the lines to be cleaned at frequent intervals, for example every week. The reason for this is that the drink such as beer in these lines can be biologically active causing deposits of bacteria to build up in the lines. Consequently it is necessary for these lines to be frequently flushed with cleaning solution, to control this bacterial build up.

Each liquid line can hold a fair amount of drinks, and when the line is cleaned, there is the disadvantage that all of the drinks (e.g.

beer) in the line will be flushed out and lost. In a public house and the like there will be a nuriber of liquid lines for the dispensing of a considerable variety of types and brands of drink so that the total drinks loss for the overall cleaning operation of the lines can be substantial.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide in a drinks supply system of the type aforesaid drink recovery apparatus which is operable to avoid the above drinks loss in an efficient and convenient manner.

According to the present invention a drinks supply system of the type aforesaid includes drinks recovery apparatus comprising means for withdrawing driving fluid from the container, valve means for permitting a controlled return flow of drink to the container from the conduit means and liquid drive means for creating a return flow of drinks in the conduit means for passage of the drinks to the container via said valve means.

Preferably said liquid drive means comprises control means settable to create a forcing flow of said driving fluid such as to cause a return flow of liquid in said conduit means.

In a preferred embodiment, the control means has a plurality of outlet ports each for connection to a respective conduit means extending between an associated container and tap and preferably the control means comprises a manifold device.

Preferably a line connecting member is intercalated in the conduit means by means of first and second ports on the member, said ports connecting with a through-passage in the member; the member further including a third port connected to said control means, and flow regulating means precluding a discharge flow of drinks via said third port but permitting an inward flow of driving fluid via said third port to the conduit means, the connecting member being arranged to preclude the presence of any dead spaces causing undesired accumulation of liquid in the member.

Preferably the connecting member includes flexible diaphragm means positioned to preclude the existence of said dead spaces, said diaphragm means preventing drinks flow to the third port while being displaceable by driving fluid entering said third port to permit entry of said driving fluid into the conduit means for return drinks flow to the container.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Fig. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a drinks supply system including drinks recovery apparatus, in accordance with the present invention, Fig.2 shows a sectional side elevation of the drinks (beer) keg of the system of Fig.l with keg head fitted to a larger scale, Fig.3A shows a sectional elevation view of the float/plug valve unit of the keg head located to preclude drinks return flow, while Fig.3B shows a similar view but in the situation where there is return drinks flow via a secondary valve, Fig.4 shows a side-view of the T-piece line connection member in the delivery line of the system, Fig.5 is an end view of the member of Fig.4, Fig.6 shows a sectional elevation of the distribution and control unit for driving fluid in the drinks recovery apparatus of the present invention, Fig.7 shows a different form of control valve located in the keg head; and Fig.8 shows in plan view an alternative distribueion means for the driving fluid, in the form of a manifold, with Fig. 9 a side view.

Referring to Figs. 1-6, a drinks supply system 1 installed in a public house for example.

The beer supply system 1 shows a well established arrangement comprising conduit means 2 from the beer keg 3 in the cellar C to a tap 4 at the font 5 in the bar B, and a CO2 gas cylinder 6 for supplying driving fluid to the keg 3 via a gas line 7, the conduit means 2 comprising the beer line 8, pump 9 and cooler 10. A typical public house or hotel would contain a plurality of these basic systems, a separate system being necessary for each brand or type drink being dispensed, and also for each bar.

For the dispensing of beer, a full keg 3 is connected to the keg head 10 by means of the keg head secure and release handle 11, the fitted keg head 10 opening a sealing valve 12 (Fig. 2) in the top of the keg 3.

Consequently, the CO2 driving gas is allowed to enter the top of the keg 3 (see Fig. 2) via conduits 13, pressurizing the beer so that beer is forced up the central tube 14 and expelled via line 8 to the pump 9 which pumps the beer through the cooler 10, and up to the font 5 at the bar B where the beer is dispensed (sold) by means of the tap 4.

To enable an empty keg 3 to be replaced, a valve unit 15 is incorporated in the keg head 10 which valve unit 15 functions as a non-return valve to allow beer to flow in the forward direction (see Fig. 1) but to block beer return flow (see Fig. 3A) so enabling the keg 3 to be removed from the keg head 10 without beer draining from the beer line 8. During normal operation, a head of beer always exists in the beer line 8. To flush and clean out the conduit means 2, a container of cleaning solution is fitted to the keg head 10 and driven through the conduit means 2 utilising the CO2 driving gas. This has resulted in total wastage and loss of the residual beer in the beer line 8.

It is a feature of the present arrangement to embody beer recovery apparatus in the system 1 which avoids the above beer loss by returning the residual beer to the beer keg 3 prior to the cleaning operation, and as will be seen in Fig. 1 this apparatus comprises a CO2 branch line 16A from the line 7 to a distribution and control unit 17 from which unit 17 a delivery line 16B delivers the C02 gas to the line 8 via a T-piece member 18 close to the font 5. A carbon dioxide dump valve 19 in the line 7 can be set to bleed off all of the C02 driving gas in the top of the keg 3, and this allows C02 gas entering line 8 via T-piece 18 to displace the beer back through the conduit means 2 to the keg 3, the valve unit 15 being especially arranged (as will be explained later) to allow this liquid return flow to the keg 3.A line valve 20 is also provided for selective CO2 gas flow via line 7 or via line 16A.

The valve unit 15 (see Figs. 3A/B) comprises a body 21 made of suitable material and defining a float, the body 21 having a frusto-conical bottom surface 22 defining a primary valve surface engagable with a valve seat 23 in the keg head 10. A central through-bore 24 is present in the body 21 and the bottom of this bore 24 is bevelled to form a secondary valve seat 25 (see Fig. 3B) for a valve plug 26 closing the bore 24. The plug 26 includes an upper frusto-conical surface 26A seating on the seat 25, and a similar lower surface 26B. A spring-urged bolt device 27 serves to locate the valve plug 26 and also to determine the seating load of the plug 26 on the seat 25.Thus the device 27 comprises a central bolt 28 passing through the plug 26 and into the passage 24, and a compression spring 29 surrounding the bolt 28 and located between a washer 30 and a shoulder 31 on the keg head 10, the washer 30 being located by a nut 32 on the outer end of the bolt 28. The spring 29 is compressed by tightening the nut 32 so increasing the seating load on the plug 26, and consequently increasing the force necessary to unseat the plug 26 from the float seat 25. The upper end 20A of the member 21 is of castellated or finned form whereby, even if the unit 15 abuts against an upper shoulder 33 of the keg head 10 when in the open position, beer can flow outwardly to the beer line 8.When the keg head 10 is removed, the float member 20 seats on the keg head seat 23 via primary surface 22 while spring force prevents plug 26 from opening (all as shown in Fig. 3A), so preventing beer from draining from the keg head 10; However when pressure greater than that of the hydrostatic pressure in the beer line 8 is exerted on the top of the plug 26 (i.e. above about 5 psi - 351.54 gm/cm2) the plug 26 unseats from the secondary valve seat 25 (as shown in Fig. 3B) to allow the beer to flow through bore 24 and back to the keg 3.

The T-piece member 18 comprises a body with a through passage 34, and the pipe line 8 is cut to enable the member 18 to be intercalated in the line 8, beer passing through the passage 34 via ports 35, 36. The member 18 includes a further lateral port 37 to which the CO2 line 16B is attached. A section of flexible tubing 38 is located in the member 18 at the port 37 and presses tightly against the wall of the passage 34 to preclude escape of beer via the port 37 during beer delivery (in direction of arrow D) to the font 5. Shoulder 39 maintains tubing 38 in position. However when CO2 gas is pumped into the port 37, the tubing 38 will deflect laterally (as indicated in dot-dashed line) allowing the gas to enter the beer line 8 and cause back flow of beer in the line.A significant characteristic of the arrangement is that when C02 flow to port 37 is stopped the tubing 38 reseals on the passage wall so preventing the formation of any dead space which could trap cleaning fluid and cause contamination of the beer.

An important aspect of the recovery apparatus shown in Fig. 1 is that this single apparatus is also used to recover drinks in liquid lines of other separate feed systems (i.e. each feed system does not require its own individual recovery apparatus) and this provides substantial economies in the overall installation. This aspect is achieved by means of the distribution and control unit 17 shown in detail in Fig. 6. Thus the unit 17 includes a body 40 having a through-bore 41 and two blind bores 42, 43, bore 41 being closed by end caps 44 while blind bores 42, 43 are closed by end caps 45, 46 respectively. A piston-and-rod assembly 47 moves in the upper bore 41, while a function select valve 48 is located in bore 42 and a needle-valve 49 is positioned at the outer end of bore 43.The assembly 47 carries outer piston heads 50, 51 and a central piston valve 52, conduits 53 and 54A, 54B within the assembly leading from the left side to peripheral openings on the piston valve 52. The outer end of the bore 41 defines a liquid (water) chamber 41A. A lower water chamber 55 is provided between wall 56 and a movable piston 57 in the bore 43, and water flows between the chambers 41A, 55 via ducts 58, 59 and the needle-valve 49. The central piston 52 can move so that conduit 54A aligns selectively with a series of outlet ports 61 each connected to a respective gas line 16B, 16B2 - 16B5 passing to individual Tpiece members 18 in the supply lines 8 of the various systems. 62 is an atmospheric discharge port from bore 41.The bore 42 is connected to atmosphere via an internal duct 63 and the discharge port 62, while the zone between pistons 51, 52 is connected to atmosphere via ducts 63, 64.

The side of piston 57 opposite to chamber 55 is connected to the function valve 48 through ducts 65, while a further conduit 66 connects the valve 48 to the outside of piston 50, line 16A being connected to unit 17 via port 48A. The pistons 50 - 52 and 57 carry appropriate sealing 0- rings 67.

The apparatus operates as follows: Immediately prior to cleaning the lines 8, the operator will close off the C02 line valve 20 in the cellar C, and open the C02 dunp valve 19 to release the gas pressure on all the kegs 3 of the various feed systems.

The function select valve 48 on the distribution unit 17 is then turned to the ON position (shown in Fig. 6 where conduit 66 is connected to line 16A).

CO2 then enters the CO2 inlet port (48A) on the body of the distribution unit 17. The gas pressure then acts on the piston 50 of the piston assembly 47 in the upper left hand chamber, causing this whole assembly 47 to move to the right. CO2 is also passed through the duct 53, allowing gas pressure to appear in the ducts 54A, 54B between the two O-ring seals 67 on the centre piston 52.

As the assembly moves to the right, C02 is delivered to each CO2 outlet port 61 in sequence, thereby displacing the beer in each beer line 8 in sequence. In particular, the C02 gas pressure increases the pressure in line 8 to such a degree that the valve plug 26 of valve unit 15 opens (Fig. 3B) to permit the backward flow of beer through the valve unit 15 and into the keg 3.

The speed of movement of the piston assembly 47, and hence the flushing time for each line 8, is controlled by the needle valve 49, by controlling the rate of water flow between the upper and lower water chambers 41A, 55, water being discharged by the movina piston 51. The period of supply of C02 to each line may be 20 sec. for example.

As the left hand O-ring 67 of the piston assembly 47 passes each CO2 outlet port 61, these ports 61 are opened to atmospheric pressure, thereby venting the lines 16B etc and closing the flexible tubing 38 in the T-piece members 18.

Once the piston assembly 47 has reached its limit of travel, the function select valve 48 will be turned to the reset position (shown separately) by turning it 90 degrees in an anti-clockwise direction.

This will connect the C02 inlet port 48A to the lower C02 chamber 43A.

The floating piston 57 in this chamber 43A will be forced to the right displacing the water back into the upper water chamber 41A, thereby resetting the piston assembly 47 to the starting point. As only atmospheric pressure is acting between the 2 0-rings 57 in the centre piston 52 during this operation, no C02 is fed to the C02 outlet ports 61 as the piston passes during the re-set cycle. Thus as can be seen, the unit 17 enables the fully automatic supply of C02 driving gas to each of the T-piece members 18 of the various systems in sequence, enabling all the drinks in the lines 8 to be returned to the kegs 3 in sequence. The only action required for the overall drinks recovery is setting of the valves 19, 20 and 48.

The operator can now continue to clean his lines as usual, having now recovered and saved all the beer from his lines 8.

Additionally, after washing down of the lines 8 CO2 can be delivered to the various lines 8 via unit 17 to effect drying of the lines 8.

Whereas the above system was described with particular reference to beer, the recovery apparatus is equally applicable to other drinks such as lager and cider. Modifications are of course possible. In particular, the distribution and control unit 17 could take other forms than that shown; for example some other arrangement for the timed supply of C02 gas to the lines 8 could be used than the water chambers 41A, 55 and needle valve 49.

Further, Fig. 7 shows an alternative form of flow-control valve to the valve 15 of Figs. 3A and 3B. As can be seen in Fig. 7 the valve now simply comprises a floatable sphere 70 which by way of example can be in the form of a hollow plastics sphere. The sphere 70 will be able to control fluid flow in the following ways: a. For normal draw-off of beer from the keg'3 to the tap 4, a fixed wire mesh 75 limits upward movement of the sphere 70 .o prevent sealing at shoulder 33 so permitting the flow of beer in line 8.

b. When the keg head 10 is removed from the keg 3 the sphere 70 acts as -a non-return valve as the sudden pressure differential resulting from the removal of head 10 causes the sphere 70 to seat and be held against the seat 23 in the keg head, thereby preventing beer from draining from the beer line 8 via the head 10.

c. When there is a relatively slow return flow of beer to the keg 3 created by the drawing CO2 gas passing into the line 8 via line 16B and T-piece 18, the sphere 70 will allow the beer to flow back into the keg 3 since the return flow rate of the beer during this operation will not overcome the buoyancy of the sphere 70 floating in the beer so that the sphere 70 floats clear off the seat 23 in the keg head.

d. When the beer is fully displaced back to the keg 3, the sphere 70 will automatically seat on the seat 23, as the sphere is of greater density than the CO2 gas so that the sphere will sink and seal after the beer has been displaced. Consequently C02 gas is prevented from entering the keg via the seat 23.

When the valve spheres 70 are used in the various "beer" lines, the distribution unit 17 of Fig. 6 can be replaced by the simple hollow manifold 71 shown in Figs 8 and 9. In the manifold 71, a suitable number of ports 72 communicate with an interior duct 73 which has an inlet 74, and the various lines 16B can be connected to respective ports 72 with the unused ports 72 plugged off. The CO2 delivery line 16 A is connected suitably to the manifold 71, say at inlet 74. The manifold 71 feeds all of the delivery T-pieces 18 with CO2 gas at the same time and the spheres 70 in the keg heads 10 of the various beer lines 8 automatically shut-off each beer line as the line becomes empty.

Claims (15)

1 A drinks supply system of the type aforesaid including drinks recovery apparatus comprising means for withdrawing driving fluid from the container, valve means for permitting a controlled return flow of drink to the container from the conduit means, and liquid drive means for creating a return flow of drinks in the conduit means for passage of the drinks to the container via said valve means.

2 A drinks supply system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said liquid drive means comprises control means settable to create a forcing flow of said driving fluid such as to cause a return flow of liquid in said conduit means.

3 A drinks supply system as claimed in claim 1 or 2, the control means has a plurality of outlet ports each for a connection to a respective conduit means extending between an associated container and tap

4 A drinks supply system as claimed in any one of the preceeding claims, wherein the valve means includes a movable member movable to Freclude a return flow of drinks to the container during normal operation but adapted to permit a return flow of drinks to the container created when said return flow is created by the liquid drive means.

5 A drinks supply system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the movable member comprises a head movable to abut against tWD opposed seating surfaces, one of said seating surfaces defining a valve seat with which the head co-operates to preclude a drinks return flow while the arrangement is such that drinks :ìow is permitted when the head seats on the other surface.

6 A drinks supply system, as claimed in claim 5, wherein the head includes a secondary valve operable under the action of said liquid drive means to allow a drinks - return flow.

7 A drinks supply system as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the movable member comprise a buoyant device, for example a sphere, floatable in drinks in the valve means.

8 A drinks supply system as claimed in claim 5 or 7, wherein said other surface comprises a perforated surface.

9 A drinks supply system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the control means comprises a manifold device.

10 A drinks supply system as claimed in claim 9, wherein a discharge control is provided to cause successive discharges of driving fluid through outlet ports in the manifold for delivery of said fluid successively to a series of individual drinks recovery apparatus.

11 A drinks supply system as claimed in claim 10, wherein means are provided to control the period in which driving fluid is discharged via each manifold outlet port.

12 A drinks supply system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the manifold is arranged such that driving fluid is discharged simultaneously to a series of individual drinks recovery apparatus via outlet ports in the manifold.

13 A drinks supply system as claimed in any one of the preceeding claims, wherein a line connecting member is intercalated in the conduit means by means of first and second ports on the member, said ports connecting with a through-passage in the member; the member further including a third port connected to said control means, and flow regulating means precluding a discharge flow of drinks via said third port but permitting an inward flow of driving fluid via said third port to the conduit means, the connecting member being arranged:to preclude the presence of any dead spaces causing undesired accumulation of liquid in the member.

14 A drinks supply system as claimed in claim 13, wherein the connecting member includes flexible diaphragm means positioned to preclude the existence of said dead spaces, said diaphragm means preventing drinks flow to the third port while being displ eby driving fluid entering said third port to permit entry of said driving fluid into the conduit means for return drinks flow to the container.

15 A drinks supply system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs 1 to 6 or Figs 1, 7 and 8 of the acccmpanying drawings.