GB2354995A

GB2354995A - Stillage

Info

Publication number: GB2354995A
Application number: GB0019420A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kenneth Skelton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-08-20
Filing date: 2000-08-09
Publication date: 2001-04-11
Anticipated expiration: 2020-08-09
Also published as: GB2354995B; GB0019420D0; GB9919630D0

Abstract

A support apparatus for a container of fluid comprises a support base 2 having an elongate bar 4 extending between front and back transverse legs 6, 8. In use, the legs 6, 8 rest on the ground or other surface. A leaf spring 10 is secured adjacent to the front end of the elongate bar 4 by suitable means. In use, a full cask of beer for instance is located on the support apparatus and contacts the leaf spring 10. As beer is removed from the cask, the weight of the cask is reduced and the spring causes the cask to pivot upwardly. A retaining spring arrangement 14 restrains the tilting of the cask to ensure a smooth tilting movement.

Description

2354995 STILLAGE The present invention relates to a stillage and, in

particular, to support apparatus for a container of fluid such as beer, ale or the like.

Support apparatus for containers or casks of beer are known in which the cask is supported on a support frame pivotally mounted on a base frame. Such stillages use compression springs acting between the support frame and the base frame, such that when the cask is full the springs are compressed. As the contents of cask are gradually lo discharged, the weight of the cask decreases and the compression springs tilt the support frame upwards.

However, in general, such support apparatus employing pivoting frames tend to be relatively complex and consequently can be relatively expensive to manufacture. In addition, such apparatus tend to be heavy and tend to require a reasonably spacious location in use.

The present invention has been made from a consideration of the disadvantages with known stillages and in order to provide an improved support apparatus for a container of fluid which avoids the need for pivoting frames. Preferred advantages of the present invention include support apparatus which is relatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture and which is convenient and effective in use. One preferred embodiment of the invention provides a universal support apparatus which can accommodate various sizes and weights of containers or casks.

According to the present invention there is provided support apparatus for a container of fluid comprising a base support member arranged in use to rest on a support surface and a leaf spring secured adjacent one end thereof to said base support member, said 2 leaf spring being arranged, in use, to urge said container of fluid to move pivotally with respect to said base support member.

Preferably, the support member comprises an elongate bar. Preferably, the support 5 member comprises leg members which support the elongate bar above such support surface. Preferably, the leaf spring is secured adjacent a front end of said elongate bar.

Preferably, the leaf spring is arcuate. Preferably, the leaf spring extends upwardly and backwards from the region where it is secured to the support member.

Preferably, the leaf spnng is elongate and in the form of strip. One end of the leaf spring may be secured to a restraining means such as a restraining spring arrangement. Preferably, the leaf spring has a substantially S-shaped profile.

Preferably, the base support member comprises a chime support means. Preferably, such chime support means is adjustable longitudinally relative to said elongate bar. Preferably, the distance between the chime support means and the leaf spring is adjustable.

The leaf spring may be substantially rectangular or rectangular with a tapered free end. The leaf spring may have a single leaf or two leafs. The leaf spring may comprise metal, a plastics material, a carbon fibre material, aramid or glass fibre reinforced with aramid. The leaf spring may comprise an outer leaf and an inner leaf.

According to another aspect of the present invention support apparatus for a container of fluid comprises a base support member, arranged in use to rest on a support surface, and a resilient member secured to the base support member, said resilient member being arranged in use to urge a container of fluid supported thereby to move pivotally with respect to said base support member.

3 All of the features disclosed herein may be combined with any of the above aspects, in any combination.

The invention will now be described further by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. I is a side view of apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention; lo Fig. 2 is a plan view of apparatus according to a ftu-ther embodiment of the invention; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the front end of the apparatus of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the leaf spring of the apparatus of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of an alternative leaf spring for use in apparatus of the invention; Fig. 6 is a side view of the leaf spring of Fig. 5; and Fig. 7 is a side view of a restraining spring arrangement of the apparatus of Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1, support apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention comprises a support base 2 having an elongate bar 4 extending between front and back transverse legs 6, 8. In use, the legs 6, 8 rest on the ground or other surface and the bar 4 is supported above such surface. A leaf spring 10 is secured adjacent the front end of the elongate bar 4 by suitable fixing means, such as screws 12. Optionally a plate (not shown) may be located between the spring 10 and the screw heads. The leaf 4 spring is arcuate and extends upwardly and backwards from the front end of bar 4 in a somewhat flattened or elongated S shape.

The leaf spring is elongate and in the form of a relatively narrow and thin strip. One end of the leaf spring is secured to the bar 4 and to the other end is pivotally secured by suitable means 15 one end of a restraining spring arrangement 14, the latter being pivotally mounted at one end to the elongate bar 4 such that the restraining spring arrangement 14 can pivot in use relative to the elongate bar 4 about a pivot axis 16.

lo The restraining spring arrangement may be as described in GB 2 300 175 A and as shown in more detail in Fig. 7. The arrangement generally comprises a hollow tube 18 within which is located an optional tension spring 20 attached at one end to an anchor member 22 and at the other end to a plunger 24. The restraining spring arrangement acts to restrain the tilting of the cask to ensure a smooth tilt and to avoid jerking movement since the restraining force exerted by the restraining spring arrangement 14 increases as the cask is tilted from the horizontal.

An end cap 26 is threadably mounted on the tube 18 and is abutted in use by a stop member 28 provided on the plunger 24 to determine the maximum travel of the plunger in the tube. Since the position of the end cap 26 on the tube is adjustable by turning the cap 26 on the threaded portion of the tube 18, the maximum travel of the plunger in the tube may be adjusted.

In an alternative embodiment of support apparatus of the invention, the restraining spring arrangement 14 is omitted. The leaf spring 10 provides very smooth action and does not oscillate when located in a cellar so that the restraining spring arrangement is an optional feature, when in a bar with more movement of people being present, some oscillation may occur.

Referring to Fig. 2, the apparatus shown has similar features to that shown in Fig. 1 except that the support base 2 has a different construction having a front end 26 which rests on the ground, a shortened support bar 28 which forks into two prongs 30, the back end of which are supported on the ground by legs 32. The apparatus has a leaf s spring 10 secured by screws 12 to the support bar 28, and restraining spring arrangement 14 as described above.

The restraining spring arrangement 14 is pivotally mounted 34 at one end between the prongs 30 and at the other end 36 to the undersurface of leaf spring 10.

Referring to Fig. 3, the front end of the stillage typically comprises suitable upstanding support members 38 having suitable ledges 40 on which the chime may rest in use. In a preferred embodiment, the front end of the stillage is adjustable longitudinally relative to the support bar 4 such that the front end can be moved towards and away from the leaf spring in order to accommodate different length casks such as a 500 nun lengdi 9 gallon cask and 600-625 mm length 18-22 gallon casks. Thus the distance between the pivot axis where the chimes are mounted on the support and the remote end of the leaf spring may be adjustable in order to facilitate universality.

Referring to Figs. 4 to 6, the leaf spring 10 may be a simple elongate single leaf spring of substantially rectangular dimension with mounting apertures 42 provided at one end. The leaf spring may comprise plastics material. Such a spring has been found to work well. Alternatively the spring may comprise a carbon fibre spring. Such a spring works well but can be relatively expensive. The spring may comprise a composite material such as an aramid spring or glass fibre reinforced with aramid. Alternatively a metal spring or a spring of other suitable material may be used. However, a plastics spring has the advantages of being rust-free which can be important for use with beers and ales. The spring or the free end thereof may be coated with a suitable friction reducing material such as PTFE. The free end of the spring may have wings or side 6 extensions to extend the contact area if desired and to provide support for that end of the cask. Typically the free end of the spring curves off to reduce friction at that end.

In use, a full cask is located on the support apparatus by resting the chimes on the support members 38. The other end of the cask contacts the leaf spring 10 and the weight of the cask causes the spring to bend towards the base 2. The support apparatus may act as a universal stillage which can accommodate various size and weight casks.

Typically for example the back of a 9 gallon cask may rest somewhat forwardly of the free end of the leaf spring and the back of an 18 gallon cask may rest further back on lo tile leaf spring. The strength of the spring is chosen such that a M cask of a given size will he substantially horizontally on the apparatus. As the cask is discharged, the cask becomes lighter and tilts relative to the horizontal due to the upward Ming action of the leaf spring. Typically an angle of tilt of about 200 is desirable.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6, an alternative leaf spring 44 comprises a similar anchor stem to that shown in Fig 4. but the thickness of the spring is tapered towards the free end of the spring. The spring comprises first and second leafs 46, 48, the first leaf 46 comprising the tapered main body of the spring and the second or inner leaf 48 being formed by cutting a slot in the main body to form an elongate tongue shaped leaf.

In use, the outer leaf 46 may be used to support a heavy cask of a given weight as described with reference to figure 1. Thus, for example both inner and outer leafs are used for say an 18 gallon cask. When a lighter cask is to be used, such as a 9 gallon cask, the outer leaf may be anchored down at its free end to the support base as shown by the broken lines 46a in figure 6 and the inner leaf may then be used in the manner described above with reference to the single leaf embodiment. This double leaf spring embodiment may be particularly suitable for use as a universal stillage which can accommodate different size casks.

7 A plurality of leaf springs may be made by splitting a sheet of material as appropriate. Similarly a plurality of double leaf springs may be split from a sheet having an appropriate profile, the inner leafs of each spring being formed by cutting appropriate slots. Typically the leaf spring has a substantially double curved or S-shaped profile 5 with for example 750 nun radius.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

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Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A support apparatus for a container of fluid comprises a base support member arranged in use to rest on a support surface and a leaf spring secured adjacent one end thereof to said base support member, said leaf spring being arranged, in use, to urge said container of fluid to move pivotally with respect to said base support member.

2. A support apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the support member comprises an elongate bar.

3. A support apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which the support member comprises leg members which support the elongate bar above said support surface.

4. A support apparatus as claimed in either claim 2 or claim 3, in which the leaf spring is secured adjacent to a front end of said elongate bar.

5. A support apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the leaf spring is arcuate.

6. A support apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the leaf spring extends upwardly and backwards from the region where it is secured to the support member.

7. A support apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which one end of the leaf spring is secured to a restraining means, such as a restraining spring arrangement.

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8. A support apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the leaf spring has a substantially S-shaped profile.

9. A support apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the base support member comprises a chime support means, which is adjustable longitudinally relative to the elongate bar.

10. A support apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the leaf spring is substantially rectangular or rectangular with a tapered free end.

11. A support apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the leaf spring has a single leaf or two leaves.

12. A support apparatus as claimed in claim 11, in which the leaf spring comprises an outer leaf and an inner leaf.

13. A support apparatus for a container of fluid comprises a base support member, arranged in use to rest on a support surface, and a resilient member secured to the base support member, said resilient member being arranged, in use, to urge a container of fluid supported thereby to move pivotally with respect to said base support member.

14. A support apparatus for a container of fluid substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.