US2860492A - Beverage cooling device - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 18, 1958 T. L. KUEBLER ET AL 2,860,492

BEVERAGE COOLING DEVICE Filed Feb. 8, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Hllll FIG 3 FIG I \J] hug/20 2| i: 2 H 1s I I: 5 H :1

IN V EN TOR.

Adm f/wu United States Patent Q BEVERAGE coouNo DEVICE Thomas L. Kuebler and Carl J. Schmock, Erie, Fa, as-

signors to Uniflow Manufacturing Company, Erie, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 8, 1954, Serial No. 408,809

7 Claims. (Cl. 62185) This invention relates to refrigeration apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for cooling beverages to maintain the beverage flowing from a container to a dis-v charge spigot at as nearly an optimum temperature as practicable.

Numerous types of devices have been developed and used to cool beverages and maintain them at proper serving temperatures; however, they have had various disadvantages and faults in their operation. One method of direct expansion of refrigerant in close proximity to the beverage pipes has, among other faults, the undesirable effect of shock cooling of the beverage and of occasional freezing of the beverage. Another method of cooling the beverage pipes with refrigerated air has the disadvantage of limited capacity under heavy heat load conditions and poor temperature control under varying heat loads. Another method of cooling the beverage with refrigerated liquid coolant has also had problems of temperature control under varying loads and, in some types, limited capacity under peak loads. One type using continuously circulating liquid coolant has pronounced problems of temperature control and limited capacity. Another type with intermittent circulation of liquid coolant overcomes these problems to some eXtent; however, it loses the advantages of continuous circulation; namely, more uniform temperature of the liquid coolant throughout all parts of the system.

As can be seen from the above brief resume, a major problem in cooling and maintaining a beverage at the proper temperature is in the necessity for close control of the temperature of the cooling medium throughout the system, particularly during times of varying loads. This invention solves this problem and lends other advantages as will be apparent.

It is, accordingly, an object of this invention to overcome the above and other disadvantages in prior cooling equipment and more particularly it is an object to provide a beverage cooling device which is simple in construction, economical in manufacture, and efficient in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a beverage cooling device wherein a valve causes the circulating liquid to bypass a refrigeration coil when the system reaches equilibrium and the valve directs the flow of circulating liquid over the refrigeration coil when the system is operated under load.

A further object of the invention is to provide a beverage cooling device wherein the beverage cooling liquid can be circulated through a storage room to keep the storage room in cooled condition.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cooling device for a beverage which will hold the beverage at a substantially constant temperature.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and

minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a cross sectional view of a cooling unit for use in connection with our invention;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the cooler shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detailed cross sectional view of a modulating valve;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of a beverage storage room;

Fig. 5 is a side view of the cooling equipment;

Fig. 6 is a broken away view of another embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 7 is a cross sectional view of still another embodiment of the invention viewed from the top thereof.

Now with more specific reference to the drawings, we show a cooling unit 1 having a lower liquid bath compartment 2 and an upper liquid bath compartment 3 separated from each other by a baffle 4. The baffle 4 does not necessarily form a liquid tight partition between the upper and lower liquid baths 3 and 2. The baffle 4 has an aperture 5 therethrough through which the cold liquid outlet pipe 6 extends. The upper and lower liquid baths 3 and 2 are contained in a tank 7 surrounded by insulating material 8 and preferably supported above the floor by the stand 9.

If it were desired to operate the cooler as a unit, beverage containers could be stored in the space 10 below the liquid tank; however, in the present disclosure, we show the cooling unit shown in Fig. 1 adapted to be connected to a separate beverage storage compartment such as that shown in Fig. 4.

Preferably located in the upper liquid bath 3, we provide the circulating pump 12 having the return pipe 13 connected thereto at 14 and discharging through pipe 15 into the modulating valve 16 and from the modulating valve 16 to the warm liquid outlet pipe 17 which extends through the baffle 4 at 18 and discharges in the lower liquid bath 2 at 19. A refrigeration coil 20 connected to a suitable refrigeration unit, for example, a compressor operating on a conventional refrigeration cycle, is disposed in the lower liquid bath 2.

The cooling unit is connected to the storage compartment shown in Fig. 4 by the conduit or heat transfer device 21 having insulating material 22 extending therearound and having a hollow portion 23 extending therethrough. conduit 21 preferably has a liquid proof liner 24 through which the liquid from the coling unit flows and preferably through which the liquid return pipe 13 extends and, likewise, the beverage pipe or pipes 26 extend therethrough connected to faucet 67.

The storage compartment shown in Fig. 4 is made up of the insulated wall 28 which encloses the storage room and is adapted to store containers of beverage such as container 29. A cooling device 30 is supported on a platform 31 in the storage chamber and a fan 32 circulates air through the device 30 to keep the storage room at a temperature below the spoiling temperature of the beverage.

The preferred type of valve 16 is made up of the body 34 having the bellows 35 therein and having the valve member 36 connected to the bellows 35 by means of shaft 37. As warm liquid entering the inlet 38 engages the bellows 35, the bellows 35 expands, urging the valve member 36 toward the direct circulation outlet 40 and allowing more liquid to flow over the bellows 35 through the fluid outlet 5% which is connected to the pipe 1'7 to circulate more liquid over the cooling coils Zil. As the temperature of the liquid circulating in the system decreases, the bellows 35 will be cooled, drawing the valve member 36 toward the partition 41, thereby The conduit 21 terminates in header 66. The

. .restricting.the.flow of liquid through the opening 39 and allowing more liquid to flow out of the direct circulation outlet 40 and into the area above the baflle 4. In some :"applications, itrnay be desirable to substitute a thermofrom the invention which is to be understood is..broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclu' sive property or privilege is claimed are defined as folstatically; controlled solenoid valve or a snap actiontem- 5 lows:

perature control valve between the pipes 15 and 17 in- 1. A beverage cooling device comprising a cooling stead of the valve shown in Fig. 3. unit containing a refrigerated compartment, a conduit, When the system has been operating at equilibrium, a beverage pipe, a pump, a temperature responsive valve, that, isywhenthe beverage has been cooled and the sysa liquid, said beverage pipe passing through said conduit, tern has reached the uniform temperature, the liquid means connecting said pump in flow relationship to said over the bellows 35 will be cool and will cause the conduit, said pump circulating said liquid through said valve m ember. 36 to move toward the end 39 and most connecting means and said conduit, means connecting of the liquid will be discharged from the outlet 49 into said valve in the path of flow of said liquid, flow line the upper liquid bath 3 and circulates from the upper means connecting said valve to said refrigerated compart- '=::liquid bath 3-.through hollow 23 of the conduit 21 and ment, and means connecting said refrigerated compartalong the beverage pipe 26 through the inlet pipe 44 to merit in flow relationship to said conduit, said valve --:the cooler through the cooling device 30 which may be having n eans directing said liquid through said refrig' of a fin'tube or other suitable design to the return tube erated compartment when the temperature of said liquid :45 and through the return pipe 13 to the pump 12. passing through said valve rises above a predetermined 1" hus-, whenthe device is operated at practically no load value, said valve means allowing said liquid to circulate 4. or when no beverage is being drawn, practically no through said conduit without passing through said reliquid will circulate over the refrigeration coil 23% but frigerated compartment when the temperature of said i willcirculate from the pump 12 back to the conduit 3. liquid drops to the predetermined value. When beverage is being drawn or when the system has 2. The beverage cooling device recited in claim I not reached equilibrium, the liquid in the hollow 23 of wherein said valve is a modulating valve, said valve means -the conduit 21 will be somewhat warmed by the flow of directs a small portion of liquid through said refrig- .warm beverage therethrough or otherwise. Therefore, erated compartment when the temperature of liquid the liquid returning through the return pipe 13 wiil cause flowing through said valve increases slightly, said valve the bellows 35 to expand, Causing the Valve mfimbfir 36 means directs a large portion of said liquid through said 10mm?! to restrict the Opening 4%) and allow more flow refrigerated compartment when the temperature of said 5 through outlet 19 over the refrigeration coils 29 through liquid flowing through said valve changes a large amount. -the inlet 45 through the cold liquid pipe 6 and then 3. In combination, a beverage cooling and dispensing --through the conduit 21. Since the valve 16 operates unit comprising a cooling unit containing a refrigerated -gradually, some liquid may flow over the coils and some compartment, a liquid bath compartment, a conduit, a bypassed as the temperature changes. As the system average ipe, a pump, a temperature responsive valve, drops in temperature approaching equilibrium, the action and a liquid; said conduit being connected in flow relaof the cooler liquid on the bellows 35 will cause the tionship to said liquid bath compartment, said beverage \J modulating valve 16 to cause the flow of liquid to bypipe passing through said conduit and said liquid bath pass the cooling coil and to directly circulate through the compartment to a tap disposed through the wall of said i system. We have discovered that a number of liquids, 40 liquid bath compartment, means connecting said pump --for example, water, brine, or any anti-freeze liquid or in flow relationship to said conduit and said liquid bath combination Will work satisfactorily in this system. The compartment, means connecting said valve in the path pipes-44- and 45 could be deleted if it were not desir d of How of said liquid, means connecting said valve in to cool the storage chamber. flow relationship to said refrigerated compartment, and TO carry this u We show another form of the con- 45 means connecting said refrigerated compartment in flow duit end in Fig. 6 wherein We provide a conduit for use relationship to said liquid bath compartment, said valve -without the cooling device 39. Instead of bringing the directing said liquid through sad refrigerated compart- P p 13 thl'ollgh the header We allow the P pe 213 to ment when the temperature of said liquid passing through s terminate in the header 266 so that liquid is drawn said valve rises above a predetermined value, said valve =-throughthe conduit 224 into th header 26 and i allowing said liquid to circulate through said conduit L the end 270 of the pipe 213. Beverage is drawn through without passing through said refrigerated compartment the pipe 226 in the same manner that it is drawn through when the temperature of said liquid drops to the prethe pipe 26 in Fig. l. determined value.

In 7, We ShGW anolhfif @mbOdimeHt 0f the iHVeIi- 4. The combinationrecited in claim 3 wherein .said tion wherein the upper liquid bath is eliminated. When valve is a modulating valve having means to direct a beverage is being drawn, the liquid in the pipe 113 will small portion of liquid through said refrigerated combe warmed and will cause the valve 116 to direct the partment when the temperature of liquid flowing through warm liquid through outlet 139 and pipe 117 through said valve increases slightly and having means to direct the e i 119 i t th f i r t d bath 132, Cold 2. large portion of said liquid through said refrigerated liquid will be picked up through the cold liquid outlet compartment when the temperature of said liquid flow- I pipe 106 and will flow through T 180 and pipe 131 into g thmugh Said Valve Changes a lar amountthe conduit 121. Beverage will be drawn through pipe 5 Th8 bevefags Cooling device recited in l im 1 126 and faucet 167. When the system is in equilibrium, wh r in a Storage compartment for beverage is provi d,

valve 116 will direct liquid through outlet res directly said conduit communicating from said cooling unit to into T 180 and pipe 181 into th d it said beverage storage compartment, said beverage pipe If it is desired to provide more thermal inertia in the passing from said storage compartment through said 1 system and increase peak load capacity, ice or solidified conduit to a tap. liquid could be formed around the cooling coils by run- 6. The beverage cooling device recited in claim 5 ning the refrigeration for a period of time after the syswherein a cooling. device is disposed in said storage tem reached equilibrium. compartment with liquid conducting means connecting Inthe foregoing specification, we have set forth the said cooling device to said conduit, said liquid being invention in its preferred practical forms but we are circulated through said cooling device whereby said aware that the structure shown is capable of modificastorage compartment is cooled,

' tion" within a range of equivalents without departing 7."The beverage cooling device recited in claim 6 5 6 wherein said cooling device comprises a heat exchanger 2,153,335 Martin Apr. 14, 1939 and a fan for circulating air therethrough. 2,485,610 Kromer Oct. 25, 1949 2,511,582 Grindrod June 13, 1950 References Cited in the file of this patent 2,598,751 Berkowitz June 3, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,150,233 Martin Mar. 14, 1939 447,052 Great Britain May 6, 1936

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