US1963784A - Beverage dispensing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

lum@ 19, 2934. E. FREUND BEVERAGE DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed April 19, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l AT RNEY June 19, 1934.

E. FREUND BEVERAGE DIsPENs ING APPARf "zUs 1933i 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 19 for the water pipe lines Patented June 19, 1934 UNTED STATES PATENT ori-"ics 4 Claims.

My invention relates to beverage dispensing apparatus inwhich pipe connections extend from the beverage containers to the dispensing faucets, and air or carbonic gas pipes extend from a v pump or gas tank to the beverage containers for supplying the pressure for raising the beverage uid from the containers to the dispensing faucets. And my invention relates more especially to arrangements for cleaningthe beverage piping,

The pipe cleaning operation in such dispensing apparatus is generally performed with special portable apparatus at a time of day when the beverage dispensing apparatus is not in use, or if done during service hours, service must be temporarily discontinued because the cleaning and flushing operations necessarily involve disconnecting the pipe system from the beverage ccntainers for connection to the flushing apparatus. This method does not permit of cleaning operations being performed with proper frequency or thoroughness to insure at all times the best sanitaryrand palatable conditions, and involves loss of the beverage fluid contained in the pipe lines extending from the containers to the dispensing faucets, which if the cleaning operation were performed daily, would amount to a high percentage loss of beverage fluid plus cost of the cleaning service.

The object of my invention is to Vprovide a method and means for permitting the frequent flushing of the pipe connections, at any time or during service hours, without loss of beverage fluid contained in the pipe line, without the necessity for disconnecting the piping system from .the beverage containers, and without the application of special portable apparatus.

In carrying my invention into effect l'. provide water connections which are connected with the beverage and air or gas pressure piping, and remain connected therewith, suitable control cocks being provided; and return air pressure connections also being provided so that the beverage fluid in the pipe lines may be driven back into the containers before the cleaning operation is started, and for blowing out the water from the piping system. By this arrangement the flushing of the pipes, taps and service faucets may be carried on at any time between beverage service without disconnecting the piping, or immediately preceding the tapping of each fresh container, and without disconnecting any vother ycontainers from service.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which, Figure 1 is a perspective view of vva beverage dispensing counter with bev- (Cl. B25-12) erage containers, beverage piping, air or `gas pressure piping, and flushing pipes permanently interconnected; Figure 2 a sectional view of one form of beverage container tap provided with a flushing connection; part of another form of beverage container tap with a flushing connection; Figure 4 an elevation showing a modified arrangement of the piping system; and Figure 5 a partial sectional view of one of the air line taps showing a relief valve for reducing the air pressure in a container. Referring to the drawings, A represents any type of beverage serving counter or bar, B the f cooling box containing the usual iced coils (not flows k the beverage fluid stored in refrigerator shown) through which from containers C and C R located at any convenient place. D indicates any suitable type of air pump, E an air tank, and F (shown in dotted lines) represents a carbonic gas tank which may be employed instead of the 75, K

air pump and air tank. These elements of the beverage serving bar are all of the usual and Well known type and therefore require no further detailed description or illustration. Two types of beverage container taps T and T are shown Aand which also are of well known construction and therefore need not be shown and described in detail, except that each tap is provided with the usual beverage nozzle 1 and an additional flushing nozzle 2 as shown in detail in Figures 2 and 3. With the type of beverage tapT, the air or gas pressure connection to the container is usually made by a tap 3 inserted into a, tap-hole in the head of the container C as shown in Figure 1. With the type of tap T the air or gas connection is usually made to a nozzle 4 projecting from the head of tap T as shown in Figure 1. These parts are also of well known construction and need no detailed illustration or description. The air line in Figure 1 comprises a fixed pipe or manifold 5 having any desired number of nipples projecting therefrom according to the number of beverage containers and service faucets employed and each nipple having an air cock mounted thereon; flexible pipe connections 7 from cocks 6 to air taps 3 and 4; pipe line 8 and 9 extending from manifold 5 to counter A and back to tank E, and in which pipe line is an air pressure regulating cock 10, air gauge 11, and a nipple on which air cock 12 is mounted; and from pump D a pipe 13 extends to the opposite end of tank E. For pipes 9 and 13 the usual stop cocks 14 are provided at the air tank, and for the tank a relief cock 15 is provided. When a carbonio tank F is employed insteadr Figure 3 a similar view of 60 of the air pump D and tank E, a pipe 16 extending from tank F is connected to pipe 9 as shown in dotted lines in Figure l, and this connection will be provided with a valve 17. The air pump and tank and the carbonio tank may be connected together as a unit as shown in Figure 1, but employed separately by shutting off air cocks 14 and opening the gas valve 17, or vice versa, as occasion may require. The beverage' supply lines are shown at 18 and 19 and extend from tap nozzles 1 to the usual cooling coils (not shown) in box B and which coils in turn are connected to service faucets 20 and 21. When the apparatus is in service, and employing air pressure, cocks 14, 10 and 6 in the air line are open and the pump D is set to maintain 4thedesired pressure in tank E, and y.regulating cock 10 is adjusted to provide the desired pressure in containers C and C so that the beverage ,will flow upward from the containers through pipes 18 and 19 to service faucets 20 and 21, respectively.

When the supply from a beverage container is l ,exfhausted, for instance container C, the air line "connection-is closedat cock 6, and air tap 3 and beverage Vtap T are disconnected fro-m the container. Where a beverage tap of the type shown on container C is employed, before .disconnecting tap T', its air cock 6 is closed, and in remov- ""-"ing the tap, both beverage and air line connections are simultaneously disconnected. It will be understood, of course, that water cock 24 is normally closed, it being shown open in Figure 1Y ronly for the purpose vof explaining the flushing operation as herein described.A Inboth cases tap cock 2 9 on taps T and T vwill be .closed during the disconnecting and retapping operation, and when a container is tapped, cock 29 will be reropened, land the service faucet of that line will mfiibe momentarily opened and closed to start the flow into the service line. The beverage line may be flushed, as hereinafter described, either beforefor-after tapping afresh container. ,I V.Forfcleaning and flushing the beverage piping Mf'a Water supply line is employedas indicated at 22, `and this pipe is provided with a main control cock 221and nipples on which are mounted cocks 23 and 24, or more, according to the number of beverage lines employed. From thesefcocks nexible pipes 25 and 26 extend to nozzles 2 on beverage taps T and T. vCocks 23 and 24 are normally closed so that no vwater flows in'pipes 25 and 26. To the air cock 12 is attached a flexible ytube 27 provided with a rubbersocket 28- at its free lend, the tube being of sufficient length for attachment to either of the service faucets as shown in Figure 1. When it is desired to iush the beverage pipes, before a container is empty, ,e it'is desirable to rst empty the lbeverage pipe l 'Aline so as to avoid waste of beverage fluid. To accomplish Athis the air cock v6 controlling the air supplytocontainer C', for instance, is first closed to cut off air or gas supply to vthat container. Then tap T is loosened in its tap hole to permit 65' air to escape from container C in order to reduce the pressure vwithin the container, and then tap T lis tightened again in the tap hole. Air pipe 27 is then attached to faucet 21'as shown in Fig- Y ure 1 and air cock 12 is opened. The air pressure `vrfrom tank E being higher than the pressure inthe container, the air will operate through faucet 21 to drive the vbeverage fluid contained in the cooling'coi'l attached to that faucet and pipeline 19 ,down into ithe container C', whereupon tap cock 29 is closed. Air cock 6 is then opened again,

.as the beverage fluid begins the rubber socket causing the pressure in the container to rise again to normal, but no beverage uid will rise in pipe 19 since tap cock 29 is closed. Air cock 12 is then closed and pipe 27 disconnected from faucet 21 and water cock 24 is opened as shown in Figure 1. Water will then flow for the flushing operation through pipe 26, nozzles 2 and l on tap T', beverage pipe 19 and connected cooling coil, and out'through faucet 2l into the drain at box B. When the flushing operation has been continued the desired length of time, the service connections are restored by rst closing water cock 24 and opening tap cock 29, whereupon the beverage fluid from container C' will rise in pipe 19 and drive the water remaining in that pipe and attachedcoolingcoil out through faucet 21, and to flow from that faucet itis closed. 'Ihat beverage line will then Ybe in normal operating condition again after having been flushed without disconnecting any of the piping from the container, -pressure line-or service faucet, and without loss of `beverage-fluid. If desired, the flexible water'pipe 26, may,after the flushingl operation is completed, "be disconnected from water cock 24 to allow the "water in the pipe line todrain into an empty containeri'or other receptacle and reattaching pipe 26 to-cock 24 before opening the'beverage cock 29. -When it is desired to flush the beverage piping afterl a container is empty-and before tapping a fresh l container, the air cock 6 on the airline to -the empty container is closed and tap vcock 29 is left open; and while vthe beverageftap is still attached tothe container, water cock 24 is opened and the flushing water allowed into the empty container, thus flushing the tap, and `when suiiiciently flushed cock 29 is closed. The flushing water will now flow upwardithrough nozzle 1, beverage pipe and connected cooling coil and service faucet and out into the ydrain tray 11155 at the cooling box B, as above described, and when sufficiently fiushed, beverage cock 29'may be opened again to drain the waterfrom-thepiping into the empty container. To -ush the piping for container C when a type T beverage tapy12'0' and separate air tap 3 are employed, the procedure is'the same, except that vtap`3 :is loosened when it is desired to reduce the air Vpressure in the container. In Figure 4, which illustrates a' tmodified ar-'125" rangement of my flushing system, the flushing control cocks are all at the service bar and-only the beverage cocks 29 anda mea-ns for reducing the air pressure in the containers are Ylocated in the refrigerator. bar; B the cooling box containing the cooling coils connectedto service faucets 20'and 2l which are mounted on the'front of `the'bcx; Cand'C are the beverage containers located in refrigerator R; D the air pump; connecting the air pump and tankylfi land 15 theshut olf and yrelief cocks for tank -E;v Tand T thebeverage taps having beverage nozzles l and flushing nozzles 2. These parts 'of kthe-apparatus are all similar to those shown in Figure 1. From air tank E extends air pipe 9 which is connected to ,air manifold 30 to which is connected the air gauge v11 and stop-cock'12 for the flushing air .pipe 27. 'This pipe is `provided vwithV 28 for attachment to `beverage 145 faucets 20 and 21. From the air manifold 30a number of nipples project on which 'air cocks 3-1 are mounted, andfrom Ythese cocks extend 'air pipes 32 which lead into refrigerator R. VTo pipes '32, within the refrigerator, exibleair tubes 150 to flow through Athe tap 111.9.

vfn this arrangement, A is the 136:"

E the airtank; 13 theaiir pipe-135' or nipple extends to a T lets of which water pipes 41 and 42 are connected..

pipe.

' for the in ner end of 7 are coupled by any well known type of screw and shut off the air pressure to the containers.

The fluishing line may include both hot and cold water, and in this illustration pipes and 36 indicate the hot and cold water supply, respectively, and these pipes are connected though cocks 37 and 38, respectively, ting or mixer 39. From the mixer 39 a short pipe 40 to the opposite out- These pipes extend into the refrigerator where flexible extensions 25 and 26 connect with the flushing nozzles 2 on taps T and T. The flow of water in pipes 41 and 42 is controlled by cooks 43 and 44. To the fourth outlet of fitting 39 is screwed a valve 45 having a nozzle 46 which is provided for clearing the flushing system of water after each ushing operation by attaching the air pipe 27 to this nozzle, so that when the Water supply is shut off at cocks 37 and 38, the air pressure from tank E will drive the water remaining in pipes 41, 25 and 18, or pipes 42, 26 and 19, out through service faucets 20 and 21 into the drain at box B.

In the air piping of Figure 4 I have shown an air vent 34 applied to air taps 3 and 4, and one form of vent which may be employed is shown indetail in Figure 5. This figure illustrates in detail the air tap 3 applied to container C and is of Well known construction. In this tap, air nozzle 47 to which tube 7 is attached, is provided with a collapsible rubber tube check valve 48 which pre,- vents air or beverage fluid backing up into the air On the body part of this tap I provide an additional boss 49 which is bored out to form an air chamber 50, and a hole 51 is drilled through into the nozzle chamber. This boss is screw-threaded. to receive a screw-threaded cap 52 having a hole Y drilled through to receive and act as a guide for the vent pin 34. This hole is beveled on the inner side of the cap to form a valve seat 53. Pin 34 is angular in cross section and of a length` s erves as va guide the pin. This pin moves freely in the guide holes and the at sides from vent spaces for the air to escape. The pin carries a beveled Valve disk 54 which is held seated on valve seat 53 by the air pressure in chamber 50. When it is desired to reduce the air or gas pressure in the beverage container, vent pin 34 is pressed inward allowing air to escape through holes 51 and 52, and is held until the desired reduction is obtained, and when released its valve 54 will be reseated by the internal pressure and check the further escape of air or gas from the container.

A regulated or controlled reduction of the air or gas pressure in the containers C is essential to effect the return flow of beverage from pipes 18 and 19 to the containers without agitation of the beverage and stirring of sediment at the bottom of of the containers. If the pressure in a container is not reduced, equal pressure from to enter hole 51 which "within the container and from the air supply through auxiliary air pipe 27 and service faucet will hold the beverage stationary in the pipe line. On the other hand, if the pressure entering a faucet is considerably in excess of the pressure within a container C the beverage in the pipe line will be driven under a pressure which will stir up sediment at the bottom of the container and rile the beverage to such extent as to require considerable time to permit settlement to normal condition suitable for service, if not ac- -tually rendered unt. for; service.

that the most satisfactory way is pressure at the service faucet and then vslowly reduce the pressure in the container .by means of the vent at the container tap. In this way the beverage will descend slowly without .stirring or' agitating the contents of the container, and

is empty, the container pipe 27 is disconnected. The air vent for .the container.. may be closed when the beverage column begins when the beverage line tap-cock is closed and the auxiliary air to fall or it may be allowed to remain open until the beverage pipe is entirely empty, and when. closed the pressure in the container will build up again to the normal pressure without disturbing the contents, and no air willv enter the container through the tap-pipe. The air vent incidentally serves also to permit reduction of pressure within a container to normal .atmospheric pressure preparatory to disconnectinga tap from a container for any reason or when the container is empty. This will or residue being blown out through the tap-hole or scattering leakage which often gathers on the barrel-head. Usually when a tap is to be restill sufficiently above normal atmospheric pres-:-

iirst reduced slowly to normal atmospheric pres-- sure, and the vent which I provide atf the tap.

permits this without disturbing other connections.

In the arrangement of` Figure 4, when it is` desired to flush la beverage line before a container is empty, the air pressure to that container is shut i off atits valve 31, and then the pressure in the container is reduced by operating air vent 34 to#V allow air to escape therefrom. rIhe air pressure in the container will now be lower than the normal pressure from tank E and socket 28 is at.-'

tached to the service faucet for that container and the faucet opened, whereupon the air presl sure fromv tank E will drive the beverage fluid back into the container. Tap cock 29 is then closed and air tube 27 disconnected from the service faucet. Water may now be admitted vto the flushing pipes by opening either or both cocks 37 and 38, and either one of the cocks 43 or 44 according to which beverage line is to be flushed. If the beverage line 18 connected with container C is to be flushed, cock 43 and service faucet 20 will be opened, thus permitting either hot or cold water, or first hot and `then cold, according to the operation of cocks 37 and 38, to flow through piping 41, 25, nozzles 2 and 1, pipe 18 and connected cooling coil, and out through faucet 20. When sufficiently flushed, the water supply is shut off at cocks 43, 37 and 38, and cock 45 is opened. Air pipe 27 is then connected either to faucet 20 or nozzle 46, or successively to both, to drive the Water out of the piping. When the piping is cleared of water, cock 45 is closed and tap cock 29 and air valve 31 will be opened, and when the beverage fluid appears at faucet 20 it is closed and that line will be again ready for beverage service. The same procedure will be followed when container C is empty, except in that case the air tap 3 is disconnected and tap cock 29 will be allowed to remain open until the tap is ushed into the container, whereupon that cock is closed and the tap disconnected from the container, and then the flushing flow will be as just described.

In this instance, when the flushing operation is 150.

I have found to apply the.

avoid beverage 1001 moved from a container, air-cock 6 is first' closed, but the' pressure within .the container is,

completed'taps T and -3 Willbe attached-to a fresh container and then .tap-cock'29 .andair-cock 31' Willzbe'openedandas the beveragebegins .to flow at1faucet20, it is closed, andthe line Will be ready for service. The same operation maybe performed when ilushing thepiping'connected'with atap ofth'etype Tf, except that When a container is empty, the disconnecting and retapping is' done with a singlev device T instead of theseparaterbeverage and airtaps as shown inconnection with container C, and when flushing after ythe container is empty the .tapis loosened `in the vtap holeito allowtheair to escape before flushing the tap.. After thetap is flushed, cock 29 is closed, the tap removed from the .container and the flushing proceeds as=before.

From the foregoing-description it-Willbe seen that theflushing ofthe beverage line may bedone at anytime with practically 'no loss :of time-or Waste of beverage fluid, and'without breaking any of ithe pipe connections, other than making the usualfdisconnections ofthe air and beverage taps at thecontainer When'same isem'pty.

`What I claim is:

-1. Inbeveragezdispensing apparatus, the combnation' of a'container tap having tv'vo nozzles,

abeverage pipe connected between one `of said nozzles anda dispensing faucet, .a flushing A.pipe connectedbetween'the secondrnozzle-anda ushl-ing supply, `a pressure lsupply pipe connected with :the container, `means vfor regulating the* pressure supplied .to the container, a manually controlled air-vent for reducing the pressure `in the container independently of said regulating means, an .auxiliary pressure pipe adapted for connection to the outlet ofthe dispensing faucet, and means Vvfor regulating the pressure in said auxiliary pressure pipe, whereby the `beverage is returnedtothecontainer .under reduced pressure 'to clear .the beverage pipe preparatory to flushing said .pipe V.from dispensing faucet.

22, V.Infbeverage dispensing apparatus, the come bination of `Aa container tap having a stop-cock the tap out through the .and .two nozzles, `a .beverage pipe connected between one Vof .said nozzles .and a dispensing faucet, a .pressuresupply pipe connected with the container, vmeans for regulating the vpressure -supplied :to Athe container, a Amanually controlled air-'vent for reducing the pressure inithe container independently of said regulating means, an auxiliary pressure vpipe adapted for connection-to the outlet'of the dispensing faucet, means. for regulating the pressure in said auxiliaryv pressure pipe, Iwhereby the beverage is returned 1 to-'the'container under lreduced pressure to'clear the `beverage pipe preparatory to ilushing said pipe,.fand a flushing pipe connected between the second nozzlefonthe container tap and a flushing isupply, `whereby the beverage line may be ilushedfromthe tap out through the dispensing faucetand down through .the ytap-cock and pipe into the container.

bination "with beverage and pressure 'piping and container tap, of interconnected ilushingpiping andcontrol 'cocks-,a `vent located' at the tap for lpermitting reduction of the Vpressure inthe beverage .container Without `adjusting the pres-A sure .controller inthe pressure line,.and an auxiliaryl pressure .connection arranged for connection `to the dispensing faucet thereby providing back pressure for driving the beverage uid from the pipe linefback into thecontainer, and whereby the beverage piping may be `flushed without disconnecting :the piping system from'the beveragecontainer-.and without loss of beverage uid from the pipe line.y

-4. vInbeverage dispensing apparatus, the cornbination of a beverage container -tap .having a stop-cock and `two nozzles, a service faucet, ya beverage pipe connected between one ofsaid nozzles and said faucet, a flushing pipe connected between the other of said ynozzles and a Water supply pipe, a control cock for thel Water supply, an Yair or gas pressure supply and means 'for supplying said pressure .to ra beverage container, `a vent 'located at the -Itap for permitting reduction of the'pressure in the beverage "con- 90 Y3. In beverage .dispensing apparatus, the vcorn-

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