GB2265357A

GB2265357A - Control of liquid dispensing

Info

Publication number: GB2265357A
Application number: GB9224284A
Authority: GB
Inventors: George Morgan
Original assignee: PEKTRON Ltd
Current assignee: PEKTRON Ltd
Priority date: 1992-03-28
Filing date: 1992-11-19
Publication date: 1993-09-29
Anticipated expiration: 2012-11-19
Also published as: GB9206852D0; GB2265357B; GB9224284D0

Abstract

In a liquid dispensing apparatus for a free-flow dispense system having a dispense head 10, a flow sensing apparatus 22 provides a pulse counting flow meter 30 and a solenoid valve 34 both incorporated in an electronic control circuit 32. The latter interrupts flow of liquid, e.g. beer, to the dispense head 10 after the dispensing of a predetermined quantity of beer, the meter 30 being re-set for a further dispense. Opening of a tap 20 of the dispense head 10 following the dispense of the predetermined quantity enables top-up of the beer but ensure that top-up is in addition to an accurately dispensed measure, and subsequent closing of the tap 20 will again re-set the meter 30. The flow sensing apparatus 22 can be installed in an existing dispense line and can also be provided with the facility for closing the tap 20 during dispense without re-setting the meter 30, for dispensing of traditional ales using a pumping type of beer engine. <IMAGE>

Description

Controlling the Dispensing of a Liquid This invention is concerned with improvements in or relating to the control of the dispensing of a liquid, and in particular is concerned with a method of, and apparatus for, controlling the dispensing of beer in a free-flow system.

In the present system of dispense in the licensed trade known as the "free-flow system", a tap mounted on a bar is connected by a delivery pipe to a cask or barrel of beer in a cellar. The delivery line is pressurised either by an electric pump operated by a line pressure switch or gas top pressure, such that when a tap is opened, beer flows from the barrel through the tap into a brim measure glass or lined glass. It can be difficult to manually control the dispense of, say, one half pint of beer accurately, particularly when it is desirable to have a head on the beer, and such problems for the trade will increase as a result of leglislation which is intended to ensure that a full amount of beer is dispensed before a head is applied (Section 43 of the Weights and Measures Act 1985).

According to the present invention there is provided a method of controlling the dispensing of a liquid, the method providing for manual control of a dispense head, to enable or interrupt the flow of the liquid in a dispense line, monitoring the flow through the dispense head when the latter is in an open condition, automatically interrupting the flow of the liquid to the dispense head for a period of time after the dispense of a predetermined quantity of the liquid has been monitored, and automatically providing for the monitoring of the dispense of a further predetermined quantity of the liquid each time after the flow in the dispense line has ceased.

Preferably, after manual interruption of the flow, the monitoring of the further predetermined quantity is provided for after the flow has ceased for more than a predetermined period of time. Alternatively, provision for monitoring of the further predetermined quantity of the liquid after manual interruption may occur immediately flow ceases.

The present invention also provides apparatus for controlling the dispensing of a liquid, the apparatus comprising a manually controllable dispense head, means for monitoring the flow of the liquid in a dispense line through a manually controllable dispense head when the latter is in an open condition, means for automatically interrupting the flow of the liquid to the dispense head for a period of time after the flow of a predetermined quantity of the liquid has been monitored, and means for automatically re-setting the monitoring means each time after the flow in the dispense line has ceased.

The period of time may be pre-set to be in the order of two seconds.

The re-setting means is preferably arranged to be activated after the flow has ceased, as a result of closure of the dispense head, for more than a predetermined period of time. The predetermined period of time may be in the order of two seconds.

Alternatively, the re-setting means may be arranged to be activated immediately the flow ceases as a result of closure of the dispense head.

Preferably also the apparatus is adapted to be locatable in an existing dispense line, and is preferably located therein close to the dispense head.

The monitoring means may comprise a turbine flow meter connected to an electronic circuit which incorporates the interrupting means in the form of a solenoid valve.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawing, the single figure of which is a diagrammatic representation of part of a beer dispensing apparatus.

Referring to the drawing, a beer dispensing apparatus for a free-flow dispense system comprises a dispense head 10 adapted to be mounted on a bar 12 and locating a beer delivery pipe 14 which is connected through a pump to a barrel (not shown) at a remote location, i.e. in a cellar. The delivery pipe 14 is in communication with a dispense outlet 16 through a valve 18 controlled by a manually operated dispense tap 20.

Inserted in the pipe 14 close to the dispense head 10 is a flow sensing apparatus 22. The latter has a through passage 24 with an inlet 26 and an outlet 28 communicating with respective sections of the pipe 14, whereby the beer flows through the apparatus 22.

Positioned in the beer line within the apparatus 22 is a pulse counting turbine flow meter 30 incorporated in an electronic control circuit 32 within which is also incorporated a solenoid valve 34. The latter when closed, interrupts flow of beer to the dispense head 10.

The control circuit 32 is connected to a suitable low voltage power supply.

In use, when a bar person manually opens the valve 18 by means of the tap 20, beer can flow through the pipe 14, with the valve 34 normally open, to the dispense head 10 and be dispensed from the outlet 16.

The flow meter 30 monitors the flow of the beer and generates signals for the control circuit 32. When a predetermined volume of beer has passed the turbine 30, the control circuit 32 activates the solenoid valve 34 to close the latter and thus interrupt the flow of beer to the dispense head 10, and the flow meter 30 is re-set to zero. The predetermined volume of beer can equate exactly to the amount required to be dispensed, for example one half pint. Consequently, once the bar person has opened the valve 18, the apparatus can be left to dispense the required quantity of beer. The valve 34 is closed for a period of time, which may be selected to be for example two seconds, after the predetermined volume of beer has been dispensed. This enables the bar person to manually close the dispense tap 20.

If before the predetermined volume has been dispensed, i.e. the valve 34 is still open, the tap 20 is closed for more than a predetermined period of time, for example two seconds, the flow meter 30 is automatically re-set to zero, and is thereby ready to monitor the dispense of a further half pint. By virtue of the two second delay in re-setting the meter 30, the dispensing of the beer can be interrupted by the bar person closing the tap 20 on one or more occasions during dispense of the predetermined quantity, without affecting the volume of beer being dispensed, provided that the duration of each tap closure does not exceed two seconds. This facility is particularly useful in the dispensing of traditional ales using a pumping type of beer engine.

Where the tap 20 is closed on any occasion for more than two seconds, the meter 30 will automatically re-set.

Once the valve 34 is opened after the pre-set period after closure, the tap 20 having been closed, the bar person can open the dispense tap 20 to form a head on, i.e. top-up, the beer already dispensed, whereby ensuring that the head is in addition to the accurately dispensed half pint. Closure of the tap 20 after top-up for more than two seconds will then re-set the meter 30.

Once the flow meter 30 has been re-set by closure of the tap 20, it will be appreciated that the dispensing of a further half pint can occur on opening of the dispense tap 20. Alternatively, if the tap 20 is not closed by the bar person after dispensing is interrupted by the valve 34, dispensing of a further half pint will automatically occur when the valve 34 is opened after the pre-set delay of two seconds, thereby allowing the bar person to remove the filled glass from beneath the outlet 16 and provide an empty glass for filling.

In an alternative arrangement, the turbine meter 30 may automatically re-set immediately after flow of beer in the pipe 14 ceases, for example due to the closure of the tap 20.

The apparatus therefore provides a simple arrangement for automatic portion control in a free-flow beer dispense system. The apparatus ensures dispensing accurately of the required portion independently of the bar person, but still enables the latter to top-up, and also can enable the bar person to dispense traditional ales by way of a pumping type of beer engine. The automatic interruption of flow after a predetermined portion has been dispensed is an aid to the bar person who is responsible for dispensing in accordance with the legislation, without the requirement of new volumetric metering equipment to be installed at the dispense heads. The apparatus of the invention can be incorporated into any existing dispense line and can provide the required control relatively simply and inexpensively.

Various modifications made be made without departing from the invention. For example, the monitoring of the flow of beer may be by other than a turbine flow meter and the interrupting valve may be other than a solenoid valve.

Claims

Claims:

1. A method of controlling the dispensing of a liquid, the method providing for manual control of a dispense head to enable or interrupt the flow of the liquid in a dispense line, monitoring the flow through the dispense head when the latter is in an open condition, automatically interrupting the flow of the liquid to the dispense head for a period of time after the dispense of a predetermined quantity of the liquid has been monitored, and automatically providing for the monitoring of the dispense of a further predetermined quantity of the liquid each time after the flow in the dispense line has ceased.

2. A method according to Claim 1, wherein, after manual interruption of the flow, the monitoring of the further predetermined quantity is provided for after the flow has ceased for more than a predetermined period of time.

3. A method according to Claim 1, wherein, after manual interruption of the flow the monitoring of a further predetermined quantity is provided for immediately flow ceases.

4. Apparatus for controlling the dispensing of a liquid, the apparatus comprising means for monitoring the flow of the liquid in a dispense line through a manually controllable dispense head when the latter is in an open condition, means for automatically interrupting the flow of the liquid to the dispense head for a period of time after the flow of a predetermined quantity of the liquid has been monitored, and means for automatically re-setting the monitoring means each time after the flow in the dispense line has ceased.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein the period of time is pre-set to be in the order of two seconds.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 4 or 5, wherein the re-setting means is arranged to be activated after the flow has ceased, as a result of closure of the dispense head, for more than a predetermined period of time.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein the predetermined period of time is in the order of two seconds.

8. Apparatus according to Claim 4 or 5, wherein the re-setting means is arranged to be activated immediately the flow ceases as a result of closure of the dispense head.

9. Apparatus according to any of Claims 4 to 8, the apparatus being adapted to be locatable in an existing dispense line.

10. Apparatus according to any of Claims 4 to 9, wherein the monitoring means comprises a turbine flow meter connected to an electronic circuit which incorporates the interrupting means in the form of a solenoid valve.

11. Apparatus for dispensing a liquid from a supply, the apparatus comprising a manually controllable dispense head, a dispense line connected at one end to the dispense head and connectable at the other end to the supply, and apparatus according to any of Claims 4 to 10 in the dispense line for controlling the dispensing of the liquid.

12. Apparatus according to Claim 11, wherein the dispensing control apparatus is located in the dispense line close to the dispense head.

13. A method of controlling the dispensing of a liquid substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

14. Apparatus for controlling the dispensing of a liquid, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

15. Apparatus for the dispensing of a liquid from a supply, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

16. Any novel subject matter or combination including novel subject matter disclosed, whether or not within the scope of or relating to the same invention as any of the preceding Claims.