GB2324900A

GB2324900A - Beer pull assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2324900A
Application number: GB9809167A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Paul Taylor; Paul Stebbens
Original assignee: Marston Thompson & Evershed Pl
Current assignee: Marston Thompson & Evershed Pl
Priority date: 1997-04-29
Filing date: 1998-04-29
Publication date: 1998-11-04
Anticipated expiration: 2018-04-29
Also published as: GB9708722D0; GB9809167D0; GB2324900B

Abstract

A beer pull assembly for a beer engine which assembly comprises a handle 11 operatively connected with a beer engine whereby on pulling the handle the engine is caused or allowed to dispense beer into a container, connecting means 13 acting between the handle and the beer engine, indication means 14 on the connecting means provided an indication of the character or quality of the beer being dispensed by said engine, and a cowl 12 surrounding at least part of the base of the handle whereby said cowl incorporates a viewing means or aperture, the arrangement being such that when the handle is pulled to dispense the beer the indication means carried by the connecting means is exposed to customer view through the viewing means to confirm to the customer the character or quality of the beer being dispensed.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO BEER ENGINES This invention relates to beer engines and has particular reference to beer pulled assemblies for such engines.

Beer engines have been used for dispensing or "pulling" draft beer in public houses for a significxnt period of time. These engines generally work on the principle of a forced lift pump which lifts beer from a cask in a cellar below the bar at which the dispensing of the beer takes place. Current practice is that the beer handle is pulled towards the publican dispensing the beer and in doing so causes or allows beer to be pumped from the cast to an outlet and in to a container such as a glass or mug for passing to the customer. The current practice is that beer is labelled by labels attached to each handle, so that in public houses where a number of "guest beers" are dispensed along side the beers from a main brewery different beers may be served from the same beer engine over a protracted period of time.

At the same time problems in individual public houses with conditioning of beers dispensed in this way can result in considerable variation of quality.

Brewers have, for some considerable period of time, been attempting to establish means for dispensing a consistent quality of beer from beer engines. In order to maintain consistent quality, it is clearly preferable that the same quality and standard of beer is continuously dispensed by the same beer engine. Furthermore, customers require some degree of confirmation that beer has not been adulterated by the addition of, for example, a proportion of water.

There is, therefore, a demand for a beer engine with a handle pull assembly which gives a clear indication of the character and quality of the beer being dispensed and provides a confirmation of that information to the customer while the beer is dispensed, that confirmation being independent of any marking by the publican.

According to the present invention, therefore, there is provided a beer pull assembly for a beer engine which assembly comprises a handle operatively connected with a beer engine whereby on pulling the handle the engine is caused or allowed to dispense beer into a container, connecting means acting between the handle and the beer engine, indication means on the connecting means provided an indication of the character or quality of the beer being dispensed by said engine, and a cowl surrounding at least part of the base of the handle whereby said cowl incorporates a viewing means or aperture, the arrangement being such that when the handle is pulled to dispense the beer the indication means carried by the connecting means is exposed to customer view through the viewing means to confirm to the customer the character or quality of the beer being dispensed.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, the indication means may comprise either the name of the beer or a mark of the quality or standard of the been which is physically engraved on the connecting means. With the beer handle in the rest position, the connecting means and its associated indication means will be hidden from view; when the handle is pulled, the connecting means will be exposed during the dispensing operation to provide an indication to the customer of the nature or quality of the beer being dispensed. The purpose of the cowl is to shield the workings or mechanics of the beer handle generally from customer view, but yet to provide a viewing means or aperture to expose and/or highlight the indication means to customer view. In one aspect of the invention, light means may be provided to provide illumination of the indication means during the course of dispensing of the beer.

In a particular aspect of the invention the cowl is fixedly secured to a counter accommodating the beer engine and in position around the handle thereby further preventing interference by the publican with the beer pull assembly and the marking of the indication means. To this end, the base of the cowl may be adapted to fit the various types of beer engine employed. The cowl may be a generally semi-circular arrangement with an upstand in the area towards the customer, said upstand having a central recess or aperture. The upper part of the cowl towards the customer may be provided with display means for displaying details of the beer and the brewer. The indication provided on the connection means as to the quality of the beer may be th .iame of the brewer and the brew, or may be technical information concerning the specific gravity of the beer and its alcohol content.

The arrangement in accordance with this invention provides a positive indication to customers of the quality of the beer being dispensed independently of any marking by the publican.

Following is a description by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying informal drawings of methods of carrying the invention in to effect.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a beer pull assembly in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the cowl of the pull assembly of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the cowl of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a rear view of Figure 2.

In the drawing the pull assembly is illustrated generally (10) and comprises a handle portion (11) and a cowl (12). The handle (11) is connected to a beer engine (not shown) by a connecting piece (13). The outer surface (14) of connecting piece (13) carries on it an inscription as to the nature or quality of the beer such, for example, as the name of the beer and the name of the brewer, and/or an indication of the quality by means of specific gravity and alcohol content.

The cowl assembly is as indicated generally at (12) comprises a generally part circular base portion (20) generally made of brass or like material, having an amount of decorative fluting (21) and terminating in an upwardly extending portion (22) of generally part circular cross section. The portion (22) is flared slightly in an upward directly. The upper part (23) is provided with a curved shoulder and upper surface (24). The face is provided with an aperture defined by edge (25) which is generally U-shaped when viewed from the front or the back. The upper part of the cowl (12) is provided with a badge carrier (30) fixedly attached thereto and carrying a fixed label and information relating to the beer adapted to be dispensed from the engine.

The base (20) is provided with rearwardly extending feet (26), which of which accommodates a fixing hole (27). Hole (27) is adapted to receive fixing means (not shown) for fixedly securing the cowl to the counter surface surrounding handle (11).

In operation the beer handle (11) is normally at rest when it is in the vertical or upright position. In this position the connection means (13) is accommodated within the engine assembly itself and details of the indication (14) are hidden from view. When beer is dispensed by pulling of the handle in the manner shown in Figure 1 the outer surface of the connecting means (13) is exposed to customer view via aperture (25) and the customer has a positive view of the indication (14) carried on the connecting means. The customer is thus in a position to compare the information on the connecting means with that on the label to ensure that there has been no adulteration of the label or changing of the label vis a vis the indication on the connection means. Thus the customer can be assured that the beer engine concerned has not been mis-used for the dispensing of other (lesser) brands of beer with any danger of adulteration. The customer thus receives an assurance of consistent quality from the beer being dispensed by that engine.

Claims

1. A beer pull assembly for a beer engine which assembly comprises a handle operatively connected with a beer engine whereby on pulling the handle the engine is caused or allowed to dispense beer into a container, connecting means acting between the handle and the beer engine, indication means on the connecting means provided an indication of the character or quality of the beer being dispensed by said engine, and a cowl surrounding at least part of the base of the handle whereby said cowl incorporates a viewing means or aperture, the arrangement being such that when the handle is pulled to dispense the beer the indication means carried by the connecting means is exposed to customer view through the viewing means to confirm to the customer the character or quality of the beer being dispensed.

2. An assembly as claimed in claim one wherein with beer handle in the rest position the connecting means and its associated indicating means is hidden from view.

3. An assembly as claimed in either of the preceding claims wherein the cowl serves to shield the workings or mechanics of the beer handle and beer engine from customer view.

4. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim characterised in that light means is provided to illuminate indications means during the course of dispensing of the beer.

5. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the cowl is fixedly secured to counter or other means accommodating the beer engine and in a position such as to prevent interference by the public and with the beer pull assembly and the consequential marking of the indicator means.

6. An assembly as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the cowl has a generally semi-circular body with an upstand in the area towards the customer; said upstand having a central recess or aperture.

7. An assembly as claimed in claim 6 wherein the upper part of the cowl towards the customer is provided with display means for displaying details of the beer and the brewer.

8. An assembly as claimed in claim one and substantiates herein described with reference to and is illustrated in figures one to four of the accompanying drawing.