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EP0461139A1 - Robinet distributeur de boissons - Google Patents

Robinet distributeur de boissons

Info

Publication number
EP0461139A1
EP0461139A1 EP19900903605 EP90903605A EP0461139A1 EP 0461139 A1 EP0461139 A1 EP 0461139A1 EP 19900903605 EP19900903605 EP 19900903605 EP 90903605 A EP90903605 A EP 90903605A EP 0461139 A1 EP0461139 A1 EP 0461139A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
tap
nozzle
beer
wall
outer nozzle
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Ceased
Application number
EP19900903605
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
David Everitt
David Viner
Eric Dryden
Sammy James Engineer
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Whitbread PLC
Whitbread and Co Ltd
Marmon Foodservice Technologies UK Ltd
Original Assignee
Whitbread PLC
IMI Cornelius UK Ltd
Whitbread and Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from GB898904631A external-priority patent/GB8904631D0/en
Priority claimed from GB898926047A external-priority patent/GB8926047D0/en
Application filed by Whitbread PLC, IMI Cornelius UK Ltd, Whitbread and Co Ltd filed Critical Whitbread PLC
Publication of EP0461139A1 publication Critical patent/EP0461139A1/fr
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B67D1/00—Apparatus or devices for dispensing beverages on draught
    • B67D1/08—Details
    • B67D1/12—Flow or pressure control devices or systems, e.g. valves, gas pressure control, level control in storage containers
    • B67D1/14—Reducing valves or control taps
    • B67D1/1405—Control taps
    • B67D1/1411—Means for controlling the build-up of foam in the container to be filled

Definitions

  • This invention relates to beverage taps and has particular reference to beverage taps for dispensing beer. It is well known to dispense draft beer through a tap which incorporates means to agitate the beer as it leaves the tap. The agitation is conventionally provided by a so-called sparkler cap.
  • a sparkler cap comprises a cap screwed into the end of the outlet nozzle of the tap and providing a restriction to the flow of beer.
  • the restrictive effect of the sparkler cap is normally adjustable and the operator frequently adjusts the restrictive effect during the dispensing of the beer. This can be unhygienic in that the operator's fingers may come into connect with the beer as the beer streams may flow over the operator's fingers during manual adjustment of the sparkler cap at the end of the tap nozzle.
  • Agitation of the beer is often necessary to provide an attractive head on the beer and the amount of agitation required can vary with the temperature of the beer, the liveliness of the beer (normally an indication of the amount of dissolved carbon dioxide) or the type of beer dispensed.
  • a beer tap including a tap body having a bore therethrough for the passage of beer, a valve to control the flow of beer through the bore, an outer nozzle, the outer nozzle being in the form of a tube, agitation means for agitating the beer after it has passed through the valve but before leaving the outer nozzle, the agitating means being adapted and arranged so as to be able to provide a variable degree of agitation of the beer, and adjustment means spaced from the downstream end of the outer nozzle for manually adjusting the extent of said agitation, said adjustment means being operable independently of the operation of said valve.
  • the outer end of the outer nozzle is an open end.
  • the nozzle may have a convergent zone in a downstream direction and the agitation means may include an insert which is located within the nozzle and serves to direct beer passing from the valve onto the inside wall of the nozzle in said convergent zone.
  • the insert may be a conical plug of tapered cross-sectional area movable within said zone and co-operating with the zone to produce a passageway of variable cross-sectional area of flow for the beer.
  • the plug may have an opening on its end adjacent the valve which communicates with one or more orifices passing through the plug walls to divert beer onto the inside wall of the nozzle.
  • the outer nozzle may be screw threaded onto the tap so as to be rotatable and axially movable. There may be provided means on the external surface of the nozzle to permit it to be gripped and rotated by hand.
  • the conical shaped plug may be frusto-conical and may have a circumferential groove downstream of the passageway.
  • the frusto-conical end of the conically shaped member may be re-entrant.
  • a flow straightener may be provided at the end of the frusto-conical portion at its most downstream end.
  • the flow straightener may comprise walls extending downstream on the end of the frusto-conical member. The walls may be parallel to the direction of flow of beverage. There may be an additional convergent zone within the nozzle adjacent or immediately upstream of the flow straightener.
  • the plug or conically shaped member may be formed with an upstanding tubular wall adapted to be secured to or be part of the tap body.
  • the outer nozzle may be screw threaded onto the outside of the wall for axial adjustment to increase or decrease the size of the passageway.
  • a ring member co-axial with the outer nozzle and having a cylindrical outer wall, said ring member being locked between the tap body and the upstanding tubular wall.
  • the inner surface of said cylindrical outer wall may be fluted to cooperate with a resilient projection on the outer nozzle to provide a click stop mechanism upon rotation of the outer nozzle.
  • the outer surface of said cylindrical wall and the outer surface of the outer nozzle may be marked with suitable indicia to enable visual inspection to determine the relative rotational positions of the ring and the outer nozzle.
  • the nozzle may be provided with recesses adapted to be engaged by a key (which may be annular) to restrict adjustment of the nozzle to the key holder.
  • Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of part of a prior art tap.
  • Figure 2 is a part cross-sectional view of a beer tap in accordance with the invention.
  • Figure 3 is an elevation of part of the beer tap shown in Figure 2;
  • Figure 4 is a partial cross-section of an alternative form of frusto-conical;
  • Figure 5 is a view of Figure 4 along the line of arrow V
  • Figure 6 is a perspective view of one form of tap adapted for key adjustment.
  • FIG 7 is a perspective view of a key for adjusting the tap of Figure 6.
  • Figure 1 shows part of a prior art beer tap incorporating a sparkler cap.
  • the beer tap comprises a body 1 having a cylindrical plug 2 movable within the body and carrying an "0" ring seal 3 which seals onto a tapered surface 4 within the body of the tap. Beer enters the tap through tubular portion 5 in the direction of arrow 6, and when the cylindrical plug 2 is in the position shown in the drawing the tap is sealed. To open the tap, the cylindrical plug 2 is moved upwards in the direction of arrow 7 by a conventinal tap operating mechanism (not shown) to lift the "0" ring 3 from the sealing surface 4. Beer then flows through the bore 8 and out through nozzle 9 which is screwed at 10 to the body 1.
  • the "0" ring 11 seals the nozzle to the body 1.
  • a conventional sparkler cap 12 incorporating small apertures 13 and a distribution gun 14. It can be seen that the beer passing down through the nozzle 9 has to pass along the lines of arrows 15, 16 through the restriction formed by the gun 14 and the end of the nozzle 9 and through the small apertures 13.
  • the restrictive effect of the agitator nozzle is reduced and therefore less sparkle is produced on the beer. Conversely, screwing the sparkler cap 12 upwards increases the restriction, increases the agitation, and increases the sparkler effect of the beer.
  • a tap body 1 has central plunger 2 movable to raise and lower the "0" ring seal 3 which engages on a tapered seat 4. Beer is fed to the tap body 1 through an inlet 5 along the line of arrow 6. As can be seen in Figure 2, movement of a handle 38 in the direction of arrow 39 causes handle 38 to rock on surface 40 lifting the plunger 2 via linkage 41 acting against a spring 42.
  • An "0" ring 43 and cup seal 44 prevent the ingress of dirt or the egress of beer.
  • Screwed to the outside of the tubular wall 45 is a wall 49 of nozzle 50.
  • An "0" ring seal 51 seals the end 43a of the tap body 1 to the inside of the tubular wall 45 and a further “0" ring 52 seals the outside of the tubular wall 45 to the inside of the wall 49 of the nozzle 50.
  • the frusto-conical portion 46 of the tubular walled insert 44a incorporates a circumferential groove 53 near the end of the frusto-conical portion 46. Beer passing through holes 47, 48 passes through the narrow annular passageway 55 between the inner wall of the nozzle 50 and the frusto-conical portion 46.
  • the cross- sectional area of the passageway may be varied by screwing the nozzle 50 up and down on the threads 56 between the inside of wall 49 and the outside of wall 45.
  • a clip stop mechanism permits nozzle 50 to be set in a position from which it cannot accidentally be disturbed.
  • the click stop mechanism comprises a resilient plastics protrusion on the diametrically outer surface of wall 49 of nozzle 50 at its uppermost end. The protrusion interacts with splines on the inside of a separate plastics ring 91 around the outside of the upper end of wall 49.
  • Ring 91 has a radially inwardly extending portion axially spaced from nozzle 50 by the splines. This radially inwardly extending portion has the same inner diameter as the inside diameter of the wall 45 of the tubular walled member 44a. Ring 91 is held onto the lower end 43a of tap body 1 ahead of the tubular walled member 44a.
  • Ring 91 has visible on its external surface a mark or index 92.
  • Nozzle 50 also carries marks 93 at its upper end which enables the operator to set indicated relative rotational positions of ring 91 and outer nozzle 59, which are perhaps suitable for a particular level of sparkle to the beer.
  • frusto-conical portion 46 At the lower end of the frusto-conical portion 46 there may be provided flow straightening walls 46A which act to prevent jetting of beer when the tap is adjusted for maxinum sparkling and which help to centre the frusto-conical in the bore of the nozzle.
  • the walls 46A which extend at 120° are shown more clearly in Figure 5.
  • the cross-sectional area increases which reduces pressure in that zone which results in carbon dioxide coming out of solution and producing an agitated pour.
  • the cross-sectional area can readily be varied by rotating the nozzle 50. As the agitated beer leaves the narrow passageway 55, it does not pour straight into a glass as would be the case with a conventional sparkler, but passes down the outer surface of the frusto-conical portion 46 and comes off as a result of the abrupt finish of the cone and the groove 53.
  • the beer in the agitated condition then passes down through nozzle 50 with minimal air pick up which produces an agitated product which on final presentation to the customer gives a tight creamy head of the desired height on top of the black (unagitated) beer which turns out to be much superior to that produced by a conventional sparkler.
  • the tap may be key operated and a mechanism for carrying out such a key operation is shown in Figures 6 and 7.
  • the tap 100 has an adjustable nozzle 101 containing inclined recesses 102 and 103 which are engaged by internally directed fingers such as finger 104 the annular key 105 seen in Figure 7.
  • the position of the sparkler nozzle is adjustable only by use of the key 105.

Landscapes

  • Devices For Dispensing Beverages (AREA)

Abstract

Robinet pour bière comprenant un mécanisme intégral qui fait mousser la bière coulant à travers le robinet, ledit mécanisme moussant comportant un tampon mobile situé de manière axiale dans le conduit du robinet, de façon à obtenir une région à section transversale variable que traverse la bière. Le mouvement axial s'opère par le biais d'un membre externe réglable que l'on peut régler manuellement depuis l'extérieur sans toucher la bière.
EP19900903605 1989-03-01 1990-02-28 Robinet distributeur de boissons Ceased EP0461139A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB8904631 1989-03-01
GB898904631A GB8904631D0 (en) 1989-03-01 1989-03-01 Beverage dispensing tap
GB8926047 1989-11-17
GB898926047A GB8926047D0 (en) 1989-11-17 1989-11-17 Beer tap

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0461139A1 true EP0461139A1 (fr) 1991-12-18

Family

ID=26295033

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19900903605 Ceased EP0461139A1 (fr) 1989-03-01 1990-02-28 Robinet distributeur de boissons

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0461139A1 (fr)
AU (1) AU5150390A (fr)
GB (1) GB2232228B (fr)
WO (1) WO1990009953A1 (fr)

Families Citing this family (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2264935B (en) * 1992-03-11 1996-01-03 Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweri Improvements in or relating to beer dispensing
GB2266702B (en) * 1992-05-09 1995-06-14 Imi Cornelius Beverage dispense point
GB2284406A (en) * 1993-12-04 1995-06-07 Porter Lancastrian Ltd Drink dispensing
GB2311739A (en) * 1996-04-03 1997-10-08 Hi Gene Beer Pumps Limited Sparkler for dispensing beverages
GB2313824B (en) * 1996-06-08 2000-04-19 Bass Plc Improvements in and relating to dispensing beverages
GB9927061D0 (en) * 1999-11-16 2000-01-12 Imi Cornelius Uk Ltd Beverage dispense device
GB2373198B (en) * 2001-03-14 2004-09-08 Brandbrew Sa Liquid dispenser with restriction and flow straightener
CN101401048B (zh) 2005-12-15 2010-12-01 尼亚加拉分装技术股份有限公司 饮料分配
WO2007070884A2 (fr) 2005-12-15 2007-06-21 Niagara Dispensing Technologies, Inc. Regulation numerique de debit
US7823411B2 (en) 2006-12-15 2010-11-02 Niagara Dispensing Technologies, Inc. Beverage cooling system
GB2447920B (en) * 2007-03-27 2012-06-20 Greene King Brewing And Retailing Ltd Head control system
AU2018219853B2 (en) * 2017-02-08 2021-03-04 Welbil't Inc. Beverage dispenser for post mix beverages
GB2594086B (en) * 2020-04-17 2023-04-19 Angus Wood Charles A beer dispensing device

Family Cites Families (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
BE629460A (fr) * 1962-03-12 1963-07-01
GB1091444A (en) * 1965-01-08 1967-11-15 Chadburns Liverpool Ltd Improvements in or relating to fluid and more particularly liquid dispensing valves
GB1224745A (en) * 1968-02-29 1971-03-10 Gaskell & Chambers Non Drip Me Improvements in or relating to dispensing carbonated liquids
GB1339976A (en) * 1971-04-08 1973-12-05 Chadburns Research Dev Ltd Fluid flow control valves or taps
GB1515212A (en) * 1976-01-30 1978-06-21 Teknequip Ltd Flow control valve
GB2027171B (en) * 1978-08-01 1982-10-27 Porter Chadburn Ltd Dispensing tap
GB8403949D0 (en) * 1984-02-15 1984-03-21 Southern Ind Croydon Ltd Liquid dispensing valve
GB2162619B (en) * 1984-07-06 1988-08-10 Southern Ind Liquid dispensing tap
GB8420102D0 (en) * 1984-08-07 1984-09-12 Bass Plc Dispensing beverages
US4742942A (en) * 1985-05-17 1988-05-10 Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. Foam producing malt beverage faucet
DE3637116A1 (de) * 1986-10-31 1988-05-19 H L Fuge Kohlensaeure Automate Zapfhahn
GB8712016D0 (en) * 1987-05-21 1987-06-24 Scottish & Newcastle Breweries Dispense tap

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO9009953A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9004595D0 (en) 1990-04-25
GB2232228B (en) 1993-11-03
AU5150390A (en) 1990-09-26
WO1990009953A1 (fr) 1990-09-07
GB2232228A (en) 1990-12-05

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Legal Events

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PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 19910909

AK Designated contracting states

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Designated state(s): BE DE DK ES FR IT NL

RBV Designated contracting states (corrected)

Designated state(s): BE DE ES FR IT NL

17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 19930519

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

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18R Application refused

Effective date: 19951120