GB2358218A

GB2358218A - A clamping device for holding tubes within a container

Info

Publication number: GB2358218A
Application number: GB0100365A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Roy Mitchem
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-01-14
Filing date: 2001-01-08
Publication date: 2001-07-18
Anticipated expiration: 2021-01-08
Also published as: GB2358218B; GB0100365D0

Abstract

A clamping device suitable for holding the free ends of lines, tubes or the like 3 in a container 1 comprises a capture plate 5 and an arm 7 from which extends a downwardly facing leg 8. The capture plate 5 bears on an inner face of the container 1 at at least two points, and the leg bears on an outer face of the container 1. A segmental space between the capture plate 5 and the inner face of the container 1 allows the lines 3 to be firmly held therein. The clamping device may be made of metal or a plastics material, and is particularly suitable for holding the free ends of beer lines in a bucket of cleaning fluid.

Description

1 2358218 q CLAMP The present invention relates to a clamp adapted to hold

free ends of lines, tubes or the like in a container.

The invention finds particular. use in maintenance of cleanliness of beer lines and other drinks dispense systems- However, other uses may be foreseen.

Drinks dispense systems hygiene requires that beer lines are disconnected at regular intervals ftom the casks or barrels of beer, which term is used herein to include not only beer but lager, stout, wine, water or soft drinks. The beer line free ends are then placed in a bucket or other container of cleaning fluid and the cellarman draws the cleaning fluid into the beer lines where it remains to cleanse the line. The terms clean or cleanse are used herein to refer to the entire cleaning process, which may include not only cleaning but disinfecting, sterilising as well as removing yeast deposits, dirt and biofilm. The cleaning fluid may also have a bactericidal activity, although not all cleaning fluids provide such a thorough cleansing 2 action. The cleaning fluid is then drawn through the beer lines until the cellarman (,an be sure that they have been thoroughly cleansed.

One problem with this procedure is that the ends of the beer lines and the bucket or cont 4.i. ner of cleaning fluid are usually in a cellar while the drawing off takes place in the bar alK ve. Hence it is difficult to ensure that the free ends of the lines remain in the bucket.

Hence, it is an object of the present invention to provide a simple, easy to use device mhich will ensure that the ends of the beer lines are clamped temporarily in place within the btck.et of cleaning fluid.

According to the present invention there is provided a clamping device for engaging line or tubes in a container comprising a capture plate adapted to contact an interior face of the container at two points and hook means attached to or integral with said plate dispNed between said two points and adapted to engage over an edge of the container to conta( E ki 'an exterior face thereof Preferably the capture plate is adapted to be placed along a chord of a circular containerj and said hook means is so dimensioned that the segmental gap between the plate andl the container is large enough to contain at least one said line.

End zones of the plate may be bent from the general plane thereof to conform generally to. the curvature of the container wall.

3 Alternatively, end zones of the plate may be so bent towards the container wall that the general plane of the plate is adapted to be held away from the interior wall of the container with at least one line clamped adjacent each end- The clamping device preferably comprises a rigid but resilient material, such as metal or a plastics material.

Advantageously, the clamping device comprises stainless steel.

The hook means may comprise an arm adapted in use to contact an upper surface of the edge of the container.

Advantageously, the hook means comprises a leg, extending generally downwardly in use from adjacent an end of said arm remote from the capture plate, adapted to bear on an exterior face of the container.

Optionally, said leg may be substantially straight, and may be adapted to bear on the exterior face of the container adjacent an end of the leg remote from the arm.

Alternatively, said leg may be so curved, optionally in the form of an ogee or S-shape, that an intermediate portion of the leg may bear on the exterior face of the container.

Preferably, the lines or tubes to be held engaged are beer lines.

Said container may be a bucket, optionally of plastics material such as polyethylene.

4 An embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described by wgy of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the clamping device in use; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the clamping device in use; Figure 3 is a front elevation of the clamping device, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view, taken along the line IV-IV, of the clamping d of Figure 3, fitted to a container; and Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of an alternative clamping device, fitted '16 a container.

Referring now to the drawings, particularly Figure 3, there is shown a preferred embodilnont of a clamping device which comprises a capture plate 5 extending between two end poitjoh 6 which are angled with respect to the general direction of the plate 5. The plate 5 m4Y be angled at its c,--ntral point 9 or may be flat. The term plate is intended to refer to any elotgate profile - not only plates, but bars, cylinders and the like.

Attached centrally on the plate 5, at its upper, in use, edge, is a rearwardly extending a ri 7 bent at its remote end to form a downwardly depending leg 8.

The plate 5, end portions 6, arm 7 and leg 8 are preferably formed as a unitary constru l ion and of a material such as stainless steel or plastics material which is inert to the che)ni(,,als likely to be used in the cleaning fluid.

To use the clamping device of the invention in a cleaning process, a bucket 1, usually of 25 litre capacity, but other sizes may be used, is filled with a cleaning fluid preparation 4. The beer lines are disconnected from their respective casks or barrels and the free ends are placed in the bucket 1 of cleaning fluid 4, preferably with their free ends near the bottom of the bucket 1. The clamping device is then placed so that the lines 3 contact the rear face of the plate 5, usually with some lines 3 on one side of the arm 7 and some on the other. The leg 8 is then located outside the rim 2 of the bucket 1 and the clamping device pushed downwardly, until the arm 7 contacts the rim I The clamping device is thus held in place by means of the leg 8 bearing on the outer face of the bucket 1, or its rim 2, and transition points 10, where the plate 5 bends to form the end portions 6, bearing against the inner face of the bucket 1. The bent ends 6 will also contact the inner face of the bucket 1.

Referring now to Figure 4 in particular, the arm 7 of the clamping device is in contact with an upper surface of the rim 2 of the bucket 1, and an end portion 6 of the clamping device bears on the inner face of the bucket 1. The leg 8 is straight and is disposed at such an angle to the arm 7 that its lower, in use, end 11 bears on the outer face of the bucket 1.

Referring now to Figure 5, which shows an alternative embodiment of the clamping device, the leg 8 is so curved, forming a shallow S-shape, that a median portion 1 of the leg 8, closest to the plane of the capture plate 5, bears on the outer face of the bucket 1.

While this embodiment may comprise a metallic material such as stainless steel, it is particularly suitable if the clamping device is formed from a plastics material.

6 As will be appreciated, the dimensions of the device will vary depending on the size of the bucket with which it is intended to be used and the size or number of the beer lines which Pe to be clamped. The plate 5 forms a chord of the circular cross section of the bucket I and ble length of the arm 7 is such as to space this chordal plate 5 from the inner wall of the bucet,. The lines 3 may be 1.27cm (1/2 inch) or 1. 5875cm. (5/8 inch) in diameter, and the depth of the segmental gap behind the plate 5 should just accommodate them. Hence the length of Eel plate 5 and the length of arm 7 are determined by the size of the bucket 1. Preferably e plate 5 is c.18cms long, the arm is 3cms long, and each end portion 6 is c.2cms long. Tte length of leg 8 is preferably c. I Ocms and the depth of the plate 5 is c. 5cms.

In another embodiment, not shown, the ends of the plate are incurvedly bent, i.e. towards he leg. In this case a point on each bent end will contact the interior of the container or buckq,'t so as to hold the lines between the clamping device and the bucket. Indeed, in soie embodiments, the ends may be so curved that a line is held out of contact with the bucket 41d solely within the curved end of the plate.

7

Claims

1 A clamping device for engaging lines or tubes in a container comprising a capture plate adapted to contact an interior face of the container at two points and hook means attached to or integral with said plate and disposed between said two points and adapted to engage over an edge of the container to contact an exterior face thereof

2. A clamping device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the capture plate is adapted to be placed along a chord of a circular container, and said hook means is so dimensioned that the segmental gap between the plate and the container is large enough to contain at least one said line.

3. A clamping device as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein end zones of the plate are bent from the general plane thereof to conform generally towards the curvature of the container wall-

4. A clamping device as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, wherein end zones of the plate are so bent towards the container wall that when the ends contact the wall, the general plane of the plate is adapted to be held away from the interior wall of the container with at least one line clamped adjacent each end.

5. A clamping device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hook means comprises an arm adapted to contact in use an upper surface of the edge of the container.

6. A clamping device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hp A means comprises a leg, extending generally downwardly in use from adjacent an en,O:of said arm remote from the capture plate, adapted to bear on the exterior face of' the container.

7. A clamping device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said leg is substantially straight '!and is adapted to bear on the exterior face of the container adjacent an end of the leg renhote from said arm.

8. A clamping device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said leg is so curved, optionall in the form of an ogee or an S-shape, that an intermediate portion of the leg may beat Dn the exterior face of the container.

9. A clamping device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the line8 or tubes to be held engaged are beer lines.

10. A clamping device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein $ id container is a bucket.

11. A clamping device substantially as described herein with reference to any one of. the Figures of the accompanying drawings.