GB2230840A - Dispense tap - Google Patents

Abstract

To induce a head in a dispensed beverage (e.g. beer), a dispense tap is provided with an auxiliary outlet 43 from which a high velocity jet may be expelled. Expulsion is by movement of a piston valve body 19 within a valve chamber 7, the volume of beverage to be expelled being isolated within a portion of the valve chamber when a plug 39 at one end of the valve body 19 seals the main dispense nozzle 13 and a seal 37 closes a transfer port 5 communicating with the valve chamber 7. The isolated volume is variable, e.g. by making nozzle 13 axially adjustable within the tap body 1 or by making the plug 39 axially adjustable relative to the seal 37 (figures 3 and 4). <IMAGE>

Description

DISPENSE TAP This invention relates to taps for pressure dispensed beverages such as beers and it particularly relates to dispense taps having an auxiliary outlet from which to expel a high velocity jet or squib of beverage to induce a head in dispensed beverages.

One such tap is a counter mounted tap arranged to dispense a full range of beers and is disclosed in GBPS 2108638A (WHITBREAD) wherein the described tap has a small reservoir chamber created below a free piston and necessary variation of the beer jet is obtained by adjusting the volume of the reservoir chamber by screw-adjustment of the open position of the valve member to vary the lift given by the valve member to the free piston (see page 2, lines 82 to 99).

Another such tap but for dispensing beers from a container is disclosed in our GBPS 2177185A wherein the described tap traps a fixed volume of beer between upper 10 and lower 19 seals on the valve body 8 and the valve chamber 4 in the tap body 1.

It is an object of the present invention to modify the dispense tap of GBPS 2177185A to permit easy adjustment of the volume of beer jetted from the auxiliary outlet.

According to the present invention, a tap for pressuredispensed beverages comprises the parts of: a body having a transfer port, to receive beverage from a supply line, and opening to a valve chamber that tapers to the bore of a dispensing nozzle; a piston valve body, which is an axially slideable sealed fit in the valve chamber and tapers to a plug which is an axially slideable sealed fit in the nozzle bore, the valve being spring-loaded for its body to close the transfer port and its plug to close the nozzle bore; opening means for lifting the valve against its springloading; and, an auxiliary jet outlet communicating with the valve chamber and directed alongside the nozzle; wherein one of the tap parts defining that portion of the valve chamber limited by the seal between the piston valve body and the valve chamber and the seal between the valve plug and the nozzle bore is moveably attached to the tap, whereby the position of said tap part with respect to the tap can be adjusted to change the volume of said valve chamber portion.

In a first embodiment of the present invention, the nozzle is a sleeve screw-threaded into the tap body so that the position of the nozzle sleeve with respect to the tap body may be adjusted to change the point of sealing between the valve plug and the nozzle bore upon closing the tap.

According to a second embodiment of the present invention, the valve plug is screw-threaded into the valve body so that the position of the plug with respect to the valve body may be adjusted to change the point of sealing between the plug and the nozzle bore upon closing the tap.

In both embodiments, the adjustable tap part is shaped to co-operate with an adjusting tool introduced into or through the nozzle bore.

The above and other features of the present invention are illustrated, by way of example, in the drawings wherein Fig. 1 is an axial section of a first embodiment of a dispense tap in accordance with the present invention, shown in the open position; Fig. 2 is a similar section to that of Fig. 1, but shown in the closed position; Fig. 3 is an axial section of a second embodiment of a dispense tap in accordance with the present invention, shown in the open position; and Fig. 4 is a similar section to that of Fig. 3, but shown in the closed position.

As shown by Figs. 1 and 2, a tap body 1 has a tubular spigot 3, for connection to a beverage supply line in known manner, and has a transfer port 5 into a valve chamber 7 which tapers at 9 to a large diameter bore 11 at the upper end of a dispensing nozzle 13. The dispensing nozzle is a screw fit within a bottom extension part 15 of the valve body 1. 0 rings 17 are provided to seal between the dispensing nozzle 13 and the valve body bottom extension 15.

A piston valve body 19 is an axially slideable fit within the valve chamber 7 and has a central square section stem 21. The valve body 19 is located in the upper part of the valve chamber 7 with an annular sleeve 20 between the piston valve body 19 and the valve body 1 and a screw cap closing the top of the valve body 1. A valve operating spring 25 is located about the valve stem 21 and is trapped between the screw cap 23 and a washer 27 acting against a radial shoulder on the valve stem 21. The valve is operated by a conventional lever 29 that is pivoted in a slot 31 at the top of the valve stem 21 and cams against the top of the screw cap 23.

An 0 ring 33 seals the annular sleeve 20 to the valve body 1 and the piston valve body 19 carries upper and lower O ring seals 35 and 37 to respectively seal with the annular sleeve 20 and the lower portion of the valve chamber 7.

The piston valve body 19 tapers to a plug 39 that is an axially slideable fit in the large diameter bore 11 of the dispense nozzle 13. The plug 39 has two peripheral grooves defining between them a flexible vane 41 which is of sufficient diameter to ensure contact with the bore 11 and to seal the nozzle 13.

From the valve chamber taper 9, a small auxiliary jet outlet 43 is directed downwardly alongside the nozzle 13.

All the tap parts may be conveniently injection moulded from plastics material, with the exception of the spring 25 and the possible exceptions of dispense nozzle 13 and auxiliary jet outlet 43.

In use, as the lever 29 is turned to the vertical, closing position, the spring loading forces the valve body 19 downwards and lower 0 ring seal 37 on the valve body will make sealing contact with the lower portion of the valve chamber 7 and acts with upper sealing ring 35 to close the transfer port 5. As the piston valve body 19 further descends within the tap the flexible vane 41 on plug 39 will make sealing contact with bore 11 in dispense nozzle 13, thus trapping a volume of beer in that portion of valve chamber 7 that is defined and limited by the seal between valve body 19 lower seal 37 and the tap body 1 and the seal between flexible vane 41 on plug 39 and the nozzle bore 11.

The spring loading on the piston valve body 19 will continue to force the valve body downwards within the tap body and thus express a high velocity jet or squib of beer through auxiliary outlet 43, plug 39 sealing the main dispense nozzle 13.

This volume of beer may be adjusted by screwing dispense nozzle 13 into or out of the bottom extension 15 of the valve body 1. A special tool (not shown) can be introduced up into the dispense nozzle 13 and engage a suitable feature (not shown) of the internal surface of the dispense nozzle 13. From its maximum jet volume position, as shown in Fig. 1, the dispense nozzle 13 may be screwed outwardly from the tap body 1, ensuring that the sealing vane 41 on plug 39 will create a seal with the dispense nozzle bore 11 at a later point in the descent of the valve body 19 and thus reduce the volume of trapped beer.

The embodiment shown by Figs. 3 and 4 is essentially similar to the embodiment shown by Figs. 1 and 2 and like parts have been given the same reference. The difference is that the valve body 1 has an integral dispense nozzle and the piston valve body 19 has a separate tapered plug 47 that is a screw fit within the valve stem 21; an '0' ring 49 seals the plug 47 with the piston valve body 19.

In use, as the lever 29 is turned to the vertical, closing position, the spring-loading forces the valve body 19 downwards and lower '0' ring seal 37 on the valve body will make sealing contact with the lower portion of the valve chamber 7 and acts with upper sealing ring 35 to close the transfer port 5. As the piston valve body 19 further descends within the tap the flexible vane 41 on plug 47 will make sealing contact with bore 11 in dispense nozzle 45, thus trapping a volume of beer in that portion of valve chamber 7 that is defined and limited by the seal between valve body 19 at lower seal 27 and the valve body 1 and the seal between flexible vane 41 on plug 47 and the nozzle bore 11. The spring loading on the piston valve body 19 will continue to force the valve body downwards within the tap body and thus express a high velocity jet or squib of beer through auxiliary outlet 43, plug 47 sealing the main dispense nozzle 45.

This volume of beer may be adjusted by screwing plug 47 into or out of the valve body 19. A special tool (not shown) can be introduced through the dispense nozzle 45 and engage a suitable feature (not shown) of the end of the plug. From its maximum jet volume position, as shown in Fig. 3, the plug 47 may be screwed into the valve body 19 ensuring that the sealing vane 41 on the plug 47 will create a seal within the nozzle bore 11 at a later point in the descent of the valve body 19 and thus reduce the volume of trapped beer.

Claims (7)

1. A tap for pressure-dispensed beverages comprising the parts of: a body having a transfer port, to receive beverage from a supply line, and opening to a valve chamber that tapers to the bore of a dispensing nozzle; a piston valve body, which is an axially slideable sealed fit in the valve chamber and tapers to a plug which is an axially slideable sealed fit in the nozzle bore, the valve being spring-loaded for its body to close the transfer port and its plug to close the nozzle bore; opening means for lifting the valve against its springloading; and an auxiliary jet outlet communicating with the valve chamber and directed alongside the nozzle; wherein one of the tap parts defined in that portion of the valve chamber limited by the seal between the piston valve body and the valve chamber and the seal between the valve plug and the nozzle bore is moveably attached to the tap, whereby the position of said tap part with respect to the tap can be adjusted to change the volume of said valve chamber portion.

2. A tap as claimed in claim 1 wherein the nozzle is a sleeve screw-threaded into the tap body so that the position of the nozzle sleeve with respect to the tap body may be adjusted to change the point of sealing between the plug and the nozzle bore upon closing the tap.

3. A tap as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plug valve is screw-threaded into the valve body so that the position of the plug with respect to the valve body may be adjusted to change the point of sealing between the plug and the nozzle bore upon closing the tap.

4. A tap as claimed in any of claims 1-3 wherein the adjustable tap part is shaped to co-operate with an adjusting tool introduced into or through the nozzle bore.

5. A tap as claimed in any of claims 1-4 wherein the opening means comprise an axial stem of the valve body projecting through a closed end of the valve chamber into engagement with a cam lever which, in lifting the valve, bears against a cap closing the end of the valve chamber.

6. A tap as claimed in any of claims 1-5 wherein the plug is sealed in the nozzle by a resiliently flexible peripheral vane integral with the plug, being defined by peripheral grooves in the plug, and the vane is of a sufficiently large diameter for it to contact and seal against the nozzle bore.

7. A tap for pressure-dispensed beverages substantially as described with reference to or as shown by Figs. 1 and 2 or Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings.