US2534570A

US2534570A - Beverage cooling and dispensing system

Info

Publication number: US2534570A
Application number: US736721A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harold M Braud
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-03-24
Filing date: 1947-03-24
Publication date: 1950-12-19
Anticipated expiration: 1967-12-19

Description

Dec. 19, 1950 H. M. BRAUD BEVERAGE COOLING AND DISPENSING SYSTEM med March 24, 1947 2 SheeS-Sheec l Dec. 19, 1950 H. M. BRAUD 2,534,570

BEVERAGE COOLING AND DISPENSING SYSTEM Filed March 24, 1947 2 sheets-sheet 2 w h i P O \l/ o \A ya 25 27 .INVENTOR.

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Patented Dec. 19, 1950 BEVERAGE COOLING AND DISPENSING SYSTEM Harold M. Brand, San Francisco, Calif.

Application March 24, 1947, Serial No. 736,721

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a beverage cooling and dispensing apparatus especially designed for operation with carbon dioxide as a refrigerant.

The object of the present invention is generally to improve and simplify the construction and operation of apparatus of the character described; to provide a beverage cooling and dispensing apparatus in which solid carbon dioxide is used not only as a refrigerant but also by a means for applying gas under suillcient pressure to elevate and dispense the beverages; to provide an eilicient cooling unit for the beverage to be dispensed; and further, to provide a cooling unit which may be readily removed from the apparatus and opened for cleaning and sterilization.

The beverage cooling and dispensing apparatus is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a central vertical section of the beverage cooling and dispensing apparatus showing it connected with a keg containing the beverage to be cooled;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the apparatus;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the cooling unit; and

Figure 4 is a perspective view partially in section and partially broken away showing portions of the upper and lower sections of the cooling unit.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and especially Fig. 1, A indicates a cylindrical shaped container which is intended for the reception of solid cakes of carbon dioxide or so called Dry Ice, such as indicated at B. Surrounding the cylinder A is a second cylinder C which is permanently closed by a cover section 2 while the cylinder A is provided with a removable cover 3 held by a clamp 4 and a cooperating screw 5. A base plate 6 forms a common bottom for the cylinders A and C and the base plate is also provided with a pair of guides l-l between which is slidably supported a cooling unit generally indicated at D which will hereinafter be more fully described.

The beverage to be cooled and dispensed, for instance beer, is often delivered in a keg such as shown at E. These kegs have a screw plug at one end which, when removed, permits insertion of a fitting such as shown at 8. This fitting has a gas inlet 9 which is connected through a pipe or ilexible hose III with a standard form of pressure-reducing valve, generally indicated at I I. The beer to be cooled and dispensed is discharged from the keg through a pipe I2 and a flexible hose I4 which is connected as at I with the rear side of the cooling unit D. The beverage flows through a series of passages formed within the cooling unit in a zig-zag manner and is finally dispensed through a tap or valve Il.

Beer and like beverages is usually sold glass by glass over the counter in eating places, bars and the like. The keg containing the beverage is either placed under the counter or in the basement and as such it is obvious that considerable pressure must be applied to the keg in the space above the beverage in order to force it under sufilcient pressure through pipe I2, hose I4 and the cooling unit D to the tap I'I from which it is finally dispensed.

In the apparatus here shown Dry Ice is not only employed as a refrigerant for the cooling unit D, but also for supplying the gas required for elevation and dispensing of the beverage. In the case of beer and the like which contains CO2 gas, it prevents the beer from loosing its gas and becoming at.

In actual practice as heat is absorbed by the Dry Ice in the cylinder A, sublimation takes place and CO2 in the form of gas is liberated. The gas builds up pressure and passes through a check valve 2a into the cylinder C. This cylinder carries a pressure reducing valve II and this, when properly regulated, delivers the gas through the hose I0 to the keg Where it applies the pressure required to elevate and dispense the beverage. The employment of the check valve 2a and the second cylinder C is important as it is necessary from time to time to replenish the Dry Ice in the cylinder A. This is accomplished by opening a pet cock 20 to relieve cylinder A of pressure thereby permitting the clamp and the screw 5 and the cover 3 to be removed. Cylinder A may thus be refilled and again closed without releasing the gas under pressure in the cylinder C and the apparatus as a whole may thus function without interruption, at least until such time as the keg E becomes empty.

Sanitation is an important feature of an apparatus of the character here described. That is, the fitting 8, the hose connections I4, and particularly the cooling unit D and the tap I'l must be thoroughly cleaned and sterilized at comparatively frequent intervals. By referring to Figs. 4 and 5 it will be noted that the cooling unit is made in two sections, to wit the bottom section indicated at 23 and the cover section indicated at 24. The bottom section 23 is provided with a shoulder and a gasket 25 to receive the cover section when it is applied and secured by screws 26 or the like. Each section of the cooling unit is provided with ribs such as indicated at 2l and 28,

respectively. These ribs are parallel but staggered with relation to each other, thus forming a series of passages through which the beverage must flow back and forth as indicated by the arrows before reaching the discharged tap or valve l1.

The cooling unit is, as previously stated, slidably mounted between the supports 1-1 in the manner of a slidably mounted drawer. Hence, when it is desired to clean the cooling unit, valve Ba is closed and the hose I4 is uncupped so that it may be cleaned and sterilized. I'he cooling unit D may then be pulled out and carried to a table or convenient bench where the cover 24 is removed by releasing the screws 2B. Removal of the cover opens the unit for cleaning and sterilization, and if the tap I1 is to be cleaned, it may also be removed. Thus, all parts requiring cleaning and sterilization may readily be removed and easily and quickly replaced after cleaning. Furthermore, the cooling unit is in direct contact with the bottom section 8 of the cylinders A and C, thus functioning eiliciently as the ribs 20 and cover 2l provide extensive surfaces through which heat to be removed from the beverage will readily be conducted. The cylinder B may be provided with a safety valve 30 of any suitable character to prevent building up of excessive gas pressure. A cleanout pipe 3l communicating with the cylinder A may also be provided. This carries a plug at its outer end which may be removed if it is desired to wash the interior of the cylinder and to sterilize and otherwise clean it, pipe Il merely functioning as a drain in that case, and while this and other features of the invention have been more or less specifically described and illustrated, it should be understood that changes may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims and that the materials and finish of the several parts employed may be such as the experience or judgment of the manufacturer may dictate or varying conditions or uses may demand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In an apparatus for cooling and dispensing liquids, a heat transmitting container for the reception of solid CO2, a second container surrounding and in heat transmitting relationship with the first container, a check valve between the containers to permit CO2 gas liberated by the 50 solid CO2 to flow into the second container, a liquid cooling unit in heat transmitting relationship with the containers and adapted to be cooled by the solid and gaseous carbon dioxide therein, said cooling unit having an inlet and a valved discharge, and means for making the pressure established by gas in the second container effective upon liquid in said cooling unit.

2. In an apparatus for cooling and dispensing liquids, a heat transmitting container for the reception of solid CO1. a second container surrounding and in heat transmitting relationship with the first named container, a check valve between the containers to permit C0: gas liberated by the solid CO: to flow into the second container, a liquid cooling unit in heat transmitting relationship with the containers and adapted to be cooled by the solid and gaseous carbon dioxide therein, said cooling unit having an inlet and a valved discharge, means for making the pressure established by gas in the second container effective upon liquid in said cooling unit, and means for regulating the gas pressure so transmitted.

3. A cooling unit comprising a base section, a cover section, an inlet and a discharge formed in the base section, a plurality of parallel spaced apart ribs formed in the base section, a plurality of parallel spaced apart ribs formed on the cover section and disposed between the base section ribs when the cover is applied to said base, said first and last named ribs forming a zig-zag flow passage between the inlet and the outlet, a refrigerant container, and means for slidably holding said base section and said cover section in heat transmitting relationship therewith.

4. A cooling unit comprising a base section, a cover section, an annular shoulder on the base section, a gasket on said shoulder to receive the cover section, means for securing the cover section tothe base section, an inlet and a discharge formed in the base section, a plurality of parallel spaced apart ribs formed in the base section, a plurality of parallel spaced apart rib's formed on the cover section and disposed between the base section ribs when the cover is applied thereto, said first and last named ribs forming a zig-zag flow passage between the inlet and the outlet, and means on said base section for supporting said base section and said cover section.

HAROLD M. BRAUD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 168,500 Jas Oct. 5, 1875 998,460 Boyer et al July 18, 1911 1,692,223 Pinkerton et al. Nov. 20, 1928 1,983,285 Gloor et al Dec. 4, 1934 2,003,532 G1001' June 4, 1935 2,026,335 Williamson Dec. 31, 1935 2,112,637 Swem Mar. 29, 1938