US2501404A - Cooled keg holder - Google Patents

Description

March 21, 1950 o. MULLER COOLED KEG HOLDER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Novf. 8, 1947 Oscar Muller srzverzfoor' Clbbor'rzeg March 21, 1950 o. MULLER 2,501,404

COOLED KEG HOLDER 5i 3 Ml Oscak Yfiuller' snverzbcr WQMM March 21, 1950 Filed Nov. 8, {Q47 0. MULLER COOLED KEG HOLDER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Oscar mullet Savarztor b 41.; CLbborrzeg Patented Mar. 21 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE (900L131) KEG HOLDER Oscar Muller, Newark, N. .J.

ApplicationNoyember 8, 1947, Serial No. 784,888 a Claims. (01. 312-135.)

This invention relates to =a cooled drink dispenser, and particularly to a dispensing unit by means of which barrels and similar drink containers may be readily handled and in whiohthey may be stored and used in the dispensing operation.

In'the conventional method for dispensing cold drinks, such as beer and other carbonated :beverages'the barrels are stored and cooled in the cellar and elaborate means are employed for keeping the beer cool untilit *reaches the consum'er upstairs atthe bar. The barrels are usually lifted into a cooler located *in the -cellar and "a "duct of circulating mid water is maintained around the beertrans'feriine uptothebar.

A purpose of the "present invention is to provide a simple means "for handling beer barrels at the bar, and for cooling them 'at the location where the beer is dispensed. "Other purposes will 1-beoome apparent -from the drawings and -the desor'iption which is to follow.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows an isometric front-view, *partly "in exposed form, of 'adrink dispenser made according to the present invention which may be placed "under the bar or'made'a-partthereof. Figure 2 is an isometric partial view thereof, .in open position, showing details of the "telescopic drawout used for handling the barrels going into OIIOLIt Of the dispensing unit. Figure 3 shows the ssamer'inapartially closed position. .A detailed isometric side view of a locking device employed for locking the draw-out in a fixed position'is shown in Figure l. A 'cross sectional view showing 'separate lunging of the telescopic members is shown in Figure 5.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts in the various figures.

In the drawings, numeral l represents a cabinet of sheet metal, wood, or the like having a framework of angle irons 2, 3, 6, 1, 8, etc. or similar structural units. The unit shown in Figure 1 consists of three sections, two barrel storage sections and a center section for dispensing the drink and also for providing ice cubes, and the like. The left barrel storage section or compartment shows an exposed view of the barrel lifting mechanism.

As stated previously, angle iron members I, 2, 3, and 34 form the frame for the left side of the compartment, 2, 6, I, and 8 the top, 3, d, and I5 the three sides of the bottom, and 5 and I are members forming the frame for the other side of the compartment. The front side is outlined by angle irons 4, 5, 6, and 34. About 4" to 8" from the floor, in the front side, is member 9 on which is hinged door 33 by hinges 21 and 22 which are attached to angle iron frame member iii of the door. To the back side of door 33 are securely fastened tubular members 23, 34, -25, etc., .which are vertically disposed and are able to swing outwardly with door 33. These-tubular members are provided with open upper ends into which fit, in telescopic relation therewith, smaller tubes or-rods 725, 2:1, :28 :and 29. In .a modification of the invention, the larger tubular members 2-3 may be'hinged by hinges 21F =to the inside1bottom :ed-ge -.'0f :the door opening, thereby allowing door ",33to-beopened without movin tubular members 233, after which platform I3 may be til-ted by loweringldrawa out tubularmembers 26, as shown in Figure15. In such.case, -door.f33 may be-hinged to the "outside edge of. the :door opening in the cabinet. A stop 3:! is provided to prevent the smaller tubes from being drawn out completely from the larger tubes. The smaller tubes are connected on thetop :with crossbar 32 which also serves as .a handle :for withdrawing the smaller tubes Ifrom the larger ones.

"1 0 the inside bottom section of :door '33 are attached angle iron mem'bers M and '32 which exttend down into :the compartment near floor 4. Il: e bottom ends-of these members H and 3 2 are joined by cross-piece l8 which isparallehtomemher Extending-from this, and atright-angles thereto, parallel to side member 1 3, are members :13, l9,28,and il which aredoined by cross-piece d4, these latter -members forming -a platform moving'with door 33 andidropping below*th-e lev e l of member -das-the doorjis closed. Thisplatform is reinforced 'by'members 12, '55, I! and lt t-he latter two members being attached (welded) to the upper ends of members H and i2.

It is apparent, therefore, that as door 33 is swung open (outwardly), an extensible platform is provided, and bar 32 may be pulled outwardly as in Figure 2 and allowed to rest on the floor. :A barrel may then be rolled on to this platform and turned so that the bottom will rest on the platform formed by members l3, l9, 2!], and i! when the draw-out platform is raised and the door closed.

A look may be provided to keep the door in a set position. This may consist of a circular quadrant 36 (shown in Figure 4), one side of which may be attached to the door 33 or outer tube 23. The circular edge of quadrant 3B is provided with a number of holes 52 the positions of which are determined by the desired fixed positions to be set for door 33 or the extensible platform. On frame member 34 is attached block 35 under which rides quadrant 36. Pin 53 fits into a vertical hole in block 35 and also in any of the holes 52 in the quadrant. By means of this locking device, it is possible to lock the door in the position shown in Figure 3 and thus facilitate tapping of keg 31 standing on platform I 3.

It is preferred to line the inner bottom portion of cabinet I with corrosion resistant sheet metal 39 for a height up to the level of member 9 below door 33. This section may then act as a tank for cooling water 58 which may be circulated around in the tank by pump 49 which may be installed anywhere inside the cabinet.

The cooling inside the cabinet is accomplished by coils mounted on the walls and bottom, through which refrigerant is expanded. The water 58, thus cooled, is circulated by pump 49, the intake 50 of which rests on the bottom of tank 39. The pump outlet line may be led to coil 4! surrounding faucet tank 40, and thence act as discharge 43 at the other end of the tank.

The keg 31, containing the beer or other beverage, is indicated by dotted lines, and is held fast to platform 13 by cables 69, one on each side of the keg (only one of which is shown) extending from point E8 of member 16 and from member I I. This cable may be provided with a spring and a hook on the upper extremity for ready attachment and detachment to chime of the keg. Since platform l3 rests below the surfac of the water, the latter will have a buoyant effect on the keg as it is emptied, and this is the reason for the anchoring cables.

After the keg 3'! is tapped and connected, beer flows through tap connection 51 and pipe 56, into faucet cooler and out through faucet connection 42. The outside of the cabinet is preferably insulated with a layer of cork 38 or other suitable insulating material.

The operation of the unit is eifected in the following manner: After the unit has been connected to the electrical outlets for the pump and refrigerator compressor, and water is run into tank 39, door 33 is opened and extensible platform 26 is extended by pulling on handle 32, whereupon handle 32 is rested on the floor, as in Figure 2. Thereafter, the full keg 31 is rolled up incline 26 and turned with bottom facing platform l9. Handle 32 is lifted, causing keg 31 to slide so that its bottom lies on platform l9. Thereafter, the door is locked in tapping position as in Figure 3 (by means of the quadrant locking device), and the keg is tapped. Cables 59 are hooked on to chime 70 of the keg and the latter is allowed to drop into the water by closing the door after telescoping members 26, 28, etc. into 23, etc. After a short cooling period, the beer is ready to be dispensed.

In Figure 1, the right compartment may be equipped in a manner similar to the left compartment, thus making provision for two kinds of beer to be dispensed. In such case, pump 49 may be located in th center compartment, although the pump inlet may still be situated in the section shown. As pointed out previously, the center compartment may be equipped to dispense ice cubes and provided with a door accessible thereto.

The door 33 may also be made separate from extensible platform 23, 28, etc., in which case both the door and platform would be separately hinged on cross-member 9.

In the event the kegs must be kept in the cellar or other location remote from the dispenser, the cabinet may be placed in such remote location and the lines insulated to the dispensing location.

I claim:

1. In a beverage dispenser comprising a cooled cabinet for holding at least one beverage container, at least one raised door frame, a door in said frame through which the container is introduced, the improvement comprising tubular members vertically disposed in the doorway and hinged at the bottom behind said door, smaller rod members telescoping into the upper ends of the tubular members and capable of extending out and to the floor to form an inclined plane for rolling containers thereon, and a cross member connecting the upper ends of said smaller rod members and serving as a handle.

2. A beverage dispenser according to claim 1 in which extensions are attached to the lower ends of at least some of the tubular members, said extensions reaching to near the inside bottom of REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Matot Aug. 13, 1940 Number

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