GB2253266A

GB2253266A - Apparatus for dispensing liquid, eg beer or cider

Info

Publication number: GB2253266A
Application number: GB9202617A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ian * Fraser Herbert; * Sherrington Ian
Original assignee: FOREST UK Ltd
Current assignee: FOREST UK Ltd
Priority date: 1991-02-09
Filing date: 1992-02-07
Publication date: 1992-09-02
Anticipated expiration: 2012-02-07
Also published as: GB9202617D0; GB2253265B; GB9202616D0; GB2253265A; GB2253266B

Abstract

The apparatus has a valve 15, between a supply pipe 13 and a delivery pipe 18. Movement of a handle 21 in one direction opens the valve 15 via links 21, 24 and rotary cam 20 which acts on the valve operating element 16. The cam 20 has a disc part 31 which is eccentrically pivoted at 32 in a slot 33 in the edge of the cam and is biassed outwardly by a leaf spring 34 so that during a first part of this movement the valve 15 can only be closed by returning the handle to the start position; during the remainder of the movement in the one direction the valve 15 can only be closed by a partial reverse movement. In modifications, reverse movement is necessary for all the opening movement, and the valve is closed at the end of the movement in one direction. Resistance to the movement in both directions is provided by a hydraulic circuit which is independent of the valve 15 and includes piston cylinder 40, 41 and an adjustable flow restrictor in a further valve 45. <IMAGE>

Description

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relates to apparatus 'or dispensing U v - U L - liquid for example beer or cider.

According to one aspect of the invention apparatus for dispensing liquid comprises a valve for interposing between a source of liquid and a dispensing outlet, manually operable means for operating the valve includ ing means oyje--at-.ve to open the valve on movement of the maniiall..r operable mear-s in one -'ihe operative means during at, least part of -.,he extent of movement in tz the one direction permitting closing of the valve aliter a martial movement in the reverse direction.

The operative means may during an initial extent C:) of movement in the one direction maintain the valve open on cessation of movement in the one direction, but - ent during a further ex-l', t- of movement in the one direction permitting closing Of -the valve after partial movement in the reverse direction. The ooera-IU---it7e means may comprise cam means.

m-he valve may have a control member biassed to a valve-closed position, the cam means being operable on the control member.

The cam means may comprise a can. member mounted on a support and biassed outwards of the support.

There may be means providing fluid resistance to movement of the manually operable means in the one direction; and in the reverse direction.

1 1 InLhe invention also 'Orovides auuaratus f or dispensing liquid comprising a valve for interposing between a source of liquid and a dispensing outlet,' manually operable means movable in one direction to open the valve. the manually operable means during at least part of the extent of movement in the one direction permitting closing of the valve only after a partial movement in the reverse direction. - 1 The invention may be performed in v-rlous ',,;ays.and one specific embodiment with possible modifications will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a beer dispensing device; Fig. 2 is a side view of part of the device in a first condition; -he Pigs-4A, 4B, 4C are views part in section of a cam device.

A beer dispensing device 10 comprises a frame 11 in which are engaged clamps 12 (only one shown) for releasably mounting the device 10 typically to a bar -3 on by '- counter for convenient operat- dar staff.

A flexible pipe 13 extends from a supply of beer, for example a cask or container under -pressure or a pump delivering from an un-pressurised cask, to a coup- ling 14 leading to a flow control valve 15 having an operating element 16. A flexible pipe 17 leads from the valve 15 to a dispense tap 18 through a coupling 19 mounted in the frame 11. The valve 15 and thus element 16 are biassed by a spring indicated schematically at 28 to the closed position.

Movement of element 16, and thus opening and closing of the valve 15, is through a cam device 20. An operating handle 21 is pivoted at 22 in the frame 11.

The cam device 20 is mounted on cross-member 23 Crame 11. k arm 24 ex-tends rotatably mounted in the f n from the cross-member 23 and link. 25 is Pivoted at its ends to the arm 24 and a pivot 26 on the handle 21. Thus when the handle 21 is moved from its datum position (Fig. 2) in which the valve 15 is closed, the crossmember 23 is rotated to open the valve 15.

_PJrst part 30 held on The cam device 20 comprises a the cross-member 2-5 by a sel. screw 30.'- so that the -oart 30 can be held in a selected angular posi-t-..on o.r. ithe cross-member 23.

4_ A circular disc Dart 31 is eccer.vrically pivoted al. 32 in a slot 33 in the periphery 35 of the part 30. A leaf spring 34 biases the part 31 outwards of the peri- phery 35. The datum position is shown at -Fig. 4A with element 16 engaging periphery 35. stop pin 36 Us the movement of part., 31 i-n one sense about pivot 32 on support part 30.

As the handle 21 is moved fron the datum position (Fig. 2) the cross-member 23 is rotated and the part 31 moves element 16 to open valve 15. and dispense beer (Fig. 4B). IfE movement of the handle 21 is stopped before the handle 21 has moved through a pre-determined angle, for example between 350 and 520, the valve 15 C) remains open and is closed by return of the handle 21 to the initial valve-closed position.

If movement of the handle 21 is s"-,oD-oed after it has moved through more than the predetermined angle, - 5 the valve 15 remains open but if the handle 21 is then moved back towards the initiall valve-closed position, then after a partial return angular movement,for example between 50 and 180, the part 31 is moved anti-clockwise as seen in Fig. 4C into the slot 33, under the action of the spring 28 in the valve 15 and against the action of the spring 34, and the valve element 16 moves to the closed position.

T-P the handle 21 is moved in the valve-open-Ing direction to its fullest extent, the spring 28 closes the valve 15 when the handle reaches the fullest extent.

To simulate the operation of a traditional beer the handle 21 in both dispenser in which movement oL directions is against a resistance, a hydraulic is Drovided.

A hydraulic piston/ey"-,.,,-nde-- device 40 Inas a pl-st-,on corriected to a rod 41 pivoted to the handle 21 at 42. The device 40 at its lower end is mounted for rotation on a cross-member 43. -A -flexible piue 44 connects opposite ends of the cylinder on opposite sides of the piston through a valve 45 including a flow restrictor adjustable by a knob 46.

The hydraulic resistance experienced by a user when moving the handle 21 in a direction away from the initial datum position is set by the restrictor, and the resistance experienced during return movement towards the datum position is set by the diameter of the pipe -he restrictor. 44, the reverse flow bypassing.U - a The hydraulic circuit could be omitted and -,,he device 10 would operate to dispense beer as above, the hydraulic circuit thus being independent of the beer dispense mechanism although both are operated by the 5 handle 21.

Instead of beer other liquid could be dispensed, for example cider.

In a preferred modification, when the handle 21 is -" -Pull '-st moved in the valve-ouening direction to iUs Jnues ' Ui extent, liquid cont Uo be dispensed and cont nues until the handle 21 has been moved back a short distance in the reverse direction towards the initial vertical position. This can be achieved by adjusting or setting the extent of movement of the piston in the hydrau-14-c device 40; the handle 21 cannot be moved beyond a 4 on at -:.vhich the p- Dosit iston is at a liMit- o142' movement. In the adjusted limit position the spring 28 does not close the valve 15 ifnich only closes after the predetermined reverse movement of for example between 5 0 20 and 180, In the various embodiments the extent of reverse movement of the handle 21 needed to close valve 11, may be substantially independent of the angular position of the handle 21 at which the reverse movement occurs.

The valve 15 is progressively opened by movement f - being fully open after for of handle 21, the valve 15 example 30 0 of movement of handle 21.

In a modification, the cam means 20 is such that at all Dos4.

Ltions in the movement of -he handle 21 from the initial position, dispensing of liquid only sto.ps after a predetermined extent of reverse movement, for 0 0 examDle between 5 and 18 In a modification the arm 24 comprises two telescoped 5 parts so as to be variable in length.

The spring 34 could be a compression spring.

The screw 30a could be replaced by a pin fixing the angular position of the cam 20 on the rod 23.

In another modification, the hydraulic circuit provides resistance only to movement of handle 21 in the valve-opening direction.

C LA. IIIIS 1. Apparatus for dispensi-r-g liquid comprising a valve for interposing between a source of liquid and a dispensing outlet, manually operable means for operating the valve including means operative to open the valve on movement of the manually operable means in one directiong the operative means during at least part of the extent of movement in the one direction -Permitting Closing Of the valve after a partial move- ment in the reverse direction. 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the operative means during an initiall exten-c of movement in the one direction maintain the valve oDen on - duri.ng cessation of movement in the one direcllli)n, but a further extent of movement in the one direction permitting closing of the valve after parzial movement in the reverse direction. 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the operative means comprises cam means.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3. in which the valve has a control member biased to a valve-closed position. the cam means being operable on the control member. 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, in which the cam means comDrises a cam member mounted on a support and biassed outwards of the support. 6. Apparatus as claimed in any precedin,r claim, including means providing fluid resistance to movement of the manually operable means in the one direction.

- 9 7. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, including means providing fluid resistance to movement of the manually operable means in the reverse direction. 8. Apparatus for dispensing liquid substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

Apparatus as claimed in c-.'-aim 6 or claim 7, in which the fluid resistance means is operably coXinected to the manually operable means independent of the valve.

10. Apparatus for dispensing liquid comprising a valve for interposing between a source of liquid and a dispensing outlet, manually operable means movable in one direction to open the valve, the manually operable means during at least part of the extent of movement in the one direction permitting closing of the valve only after a partial movement in the reverse direction.

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