GB2138779A - Method and apparatus for dispensing beer - Google Patents

Abstract

Barrel bottoms beer in a container 20 can be dispensed by hand pump 13 with fresh beer from barrel 10. A filter 21 and sealed lid 27 are provided for container 20 and preferably a pressure control unit. A flow control valve 25 can be closed or opened to vary the relative proportions of fresh and bottoms beer and a level sensor 40 may close valve 30 in line 24 when container 20 is empty. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to methods and apparatus for handling beer This invention relates to methods and apparatus for handling beer.

In handling so-called real ale or beer, the beer is stored in a barrel and is drawn off from the barrel using a pump, which may be hand operated or electrically operated. Beer being a living product, as soon as some beer is drawn from the barrel, the remaining beer begins to decline in quality because of contact with air. When the barrel has largely been drawn off, so that for example 3 gallons remain (the so-called barrel bottoms), the pump is connected to a fresh second barrel.

The barrel bottoms from the first barrel may be filtered and are added to the contents of the second barrel when some beer has been drawn from the second barrel. This may cause problems because the beer from the barrel bottoms of the first barrel may be approaching the end of its useful life and adding this beer to the second barrel may seriously accelerate the decline of the beer in the second barrel, Furthermore, filtered beer from the barrel bottoms of the second barrel (which may include some beer from the barrel bottoms of the first barrel) may be added to the beer in a third, fresh, barrel, and so on, so that the quality of the beer being drawn from the successive barrels may suffer a steady decline in quality which may lead to a large waste of otherwise good beer.

Also, the practice of transferring barrel bottom beer as described involves the landlord or cellar-man in considerable work.

According to one aspect of the invention, a method of dispensing beer comprises drawing a first quantity of beer from a container, adding to the drawn beer a second quantity of filtered barrel bottoms beer, and dispensing the mixed beer.

The drawing and adding may be effected together.

The filtered barrel bottoms beer may be drawn from another container.

According to another aspect of the invention apparatus for dispensing beer comprises a pump for drawing beer from a first container, a second container for filtered barrel bottoms beer, and a flow connection between the second container and the pump so that operation of the pump also draws barrel bottoms beer from the second container to mix with the beer from the first container, and an outlet from the pump for dispensing the mixed beer.

The apparatus may include a flow control valve in the flow connection.

The flow control valve may be adjustable.

There may be a flow conduit for connection between the pump and the first container, and said flow connection may connect with the flow conduit.

The second container may be sealed and provided with an air filter and pressure control unit. There may be a quick release coupling between the second container and the flow conduit.

There may be means for closing the flow connection with the second container is empty, for example a float valve.

From another aspect the invention comprises a filtration system for connection to a beer dispensing device comprising a container for barrel bottoms beer, a filter for the beer, a flow pipe for connection to the device, and means for controlling the flow.

The invention may be performed in various ways and three specific embodiments with possible modifications will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic showing of one embodiment; Figure 2 is a schematic showing of a pump arrangement; Figure 3 is a schematic showing of another embodiment; Figures 4 and 5 are front and side views of one arrangement; and Figure 6 is a section through a control valve structure.

Referring to Fig. 1, a barrel 10 of fresh or as-delivered beer or so-called real ale including tap 11 is connected via a line 1 2 to a pump 1 3 which may be hand operated using a handle 14 to discharge beer at an outlet 1 5.

Alternatively, the pump device 1 3 may comprise a diaphragm 16 movable in a chamber 1 7 by an electric pump 1 8 controlled by a switch 1 9 (Fig. 2). This is conventional.

In the present case arrangements including a filtration system are provided for use with barrel-bottoms beer, and can be added to existing systems.

A container 20 includes a filter 21 and connects through a line 22, a non-return valve 23, and a line 24 to a manually operable flow-control valve 25 connected to the line 1 2 by a line 26. The valve 23 permits flow only from the container 20 to the valve 25.

The container 20 has a removable lid 27, which can be held in place by angularly spaced pivotal clamps 28, to provide a sealable unit using rubber seals. A suspension handie 29 may be provided for the container 20.

In use, barrel bottoms beer from an expiring barrel are poured into the container 20 through the filter 21. Operation of the delivery pump 13 will then, in addition to drawing off fresh beer from new barrel 10 through the line 12, will at the same time draw off filtered barrel bottoms beer from the container 20 so that the beer being delivered from the outlet 1 5 is a mixture of beer from the barrel 10 and barrel bottoms beer from the container 20. Adjustment of the valve 25 enables the relative proportion of the beer from the barrel 10 and from the container 20 to be varied; for example there may be seven parts of beer from the barrel 10 to one part of beer from the container 20, but this can be varied by a user to suit particular requirements.If desired, the valve 25 can be closed so that operation of pump 1 3 delivers only beer from the barrel 10.

By adjustment of the valve 25, it can be arranged that the barrel bottoms beer (filtered) from one barrel is substantially entirely mixed with fresh beer from the next barrel, so that barrel bottoms beer from a first barrel is not being mixed with fresh beer from a third or fourth barrel. Thus the container 20 is completely empty or substantially completely empty before the barrel 10 has been emptied to the levei of barrel bottoms.

Also, the beer from the container 20 is only added to fresh beer from the barrel 10 immediately before discharge through the outlet 1 5 and consumption, thus limiting or reducing the time that the barrel bottoms beer is mixed with fresh beer before consumption compared with the conventional practice as described above.

Also, use of the container 20 reduces the work load of the cellar-man because there is no need to open up successive barrels for addition of barrel bottom beer.

Modifications are possible. Thus the filter 21 may be omitted and the barrel bottoms beer be filtered before being put into the container 20. A sensor device in the form of a float switch 40 may sense when the beer in the container 20 falls to a predetermined level and be arranged to close a solenoid-operated spring-return shut-off valve 30 in line 24 through electrical connector 41 when this occurs.

A non-return valve and filter are preferably mounted in the lid 27, together with a pressure release valve, so that beer deposited into the container 20 is kept in a sterile condition thus extending its useful life.

In normal use, the beer in the container 20 will be arranged to be used up during a single opening time of, for example, a public house, or other period of use so that the lines 22, 24, 26 will then be empty. Beer remaining in the pipe 1 2 after closing time or the period of use (the so-called first drawings) is drawn off before the next opening time or period of use, using the pump 1 3 and may be put into the container 20 or otherwise disposed of, so that the first customer during the next period of use is served with beer from the barrel 10 possibly with some beer from the container 20.

A control panel 50 near the pump 1 3 may indicate when the valve 25 is closed (for example a red light) or open (for example a green light) through connections 51 so that a user will known when additional beer can be placed into the container 20. This is particularly useful with float 40 and valve 30.

Preferably the point A at which line 26 connects with line 1 2 is located in the cellar, for example close to the barrel 10 at point B; in this arrangement the controls 25, 30 are near the container 20, reducing the length of pipe or liquid flow line 24 required. The electrical indicator panel 50 would remain readily visible near the pump 1 3.

In the embodiment of Fig. 3, the peripheral rubber seal for lid 27 is shown at 28a. In this case an automatic float ball valve 60 is associated with the container 20 (filter 21 not shown) and is arranged to seal or close lines 1 2 and 26 from any input of air from container 20 should the container 20 be empty of beer, whilst retaining sufficient beer to prevent drying out of the float ball and its seal, thus alleviating any sticking which might occur in the event of the system drying out.

The valve 60 incorporates a push-button operated ball release mechanism which enables an operator or user to float the ball when the container 20 is refilled.

Line 26 is in the form of a T-piece, incorporating a non-return valve 23, which is connected to line 1 2 by quick-release couplings 61 and to valve 60 by quick release coupling 62. Use of these quick release couplings 61 enables the beer conserver unit 63 to be moved from one barrel position to another barrel position to give a versatile system. Also, couplings 61 can be connected directly together to allow a first barrel 10 to be drawn off without using the unit 63 or disturbing the barrel. Line 26 incorporates a stainless steel or kanigen plated brass ball valve 64 with a strip giving a visible indication of the rate of beer flow to enable an operator to pre-determine the volume of beer being drawn from the container 20.

An air filter and pressure retention unit 65 is fitted to lid 27 to enable air to be drawn into the container 20 through the filter 65 and to enable any pressure build-up to be released. For example in warm weather, a pressure build-up could occur in container 20.

Use of unit 65 keeps the beer in container 20 in a sterile condition when the lid 27 is properly sealed.

Quick-release couplings 61, 62 could be in the form of screw release couplings.

Components 40, 41, 30 could also be used in Fig. 3.

Figs. 4 and 5 show one arrangement of unit 63 having a support frame 70. Valve 60 includes ball float 71 which, when bottoms beer is put into container 20 floats off its seal 72 to allow beer to be drawn off. When the container 20 is empty, the ball 71 rests on the seal 72 to prevent entry of air into line 26. A clamp is shown at 73. An induction coil 74 is part of a liquid sensor 40 connected to socket 75 for connection to lights 50; valve 30 is omitted. Valve 25 carries markings indicating the extent of opening.

Fig. 6 shows a valve structure 80 comprising a hollow housing 81 having an inlet connector 82 for connection to the container 20 and communicating with a chamber 83, an inlet connector 84 for connection to line 12 leading to barrel 10 and communicating with a chamber 85, and an outlet 86 for connection to line 1 2 leading to the pump 13.

A passage 87 connects chambers 83i 85 and this passage can be opened or closed by turning tap 25. The tap 25 includes a portion 90 which in one rotary position closes the passage 87 and in other positions opens the passage by different amounts to vary the proportion of beer from container 20 in the dispensed beer. Communication between chamber 83 and passage 87 is controlled by ball 71 and sealing seat 72 to prevent communication when container 20 is empty. Nonreturn valve 23 is formed by ball 88 and sealing seat 89 which is normally closed but on operation of the pump 1 3 produces reduced pressure in outlet 86 and the ball 88 rises off seat 89 to permit flow from inlet 84 to outlet 86.

The unit 65 maintains a predetermined pressure in the container 20 or limits the pressure and forms a pressure control unit.

Claims (14)

1. A method of dispensing beer comprising drawing a first quantity of beer from a container, adding to the drawn beer a second quantity of filtered barrel bottoms beer, and dispensing the mixed beer.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, in which the drawing and adding are effected together.

3. A method as claimed in claim 2, in which the filtered barrel bottoms beer is drawn from another container.

4. Apparatus for dispensing beer comprising a pump for drawing beer from a first container, a second container for filtered barrel bottoms beer, and a flow connection between the second container and the pump so that operation of the pump also draws barrel bottoms beer from the second container to mix with the beer from the first container, and an outlet from the pump for dispensing the mixed beer.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, including a flow control valve in the flow connection.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, in which the flow control valve is adjustable.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 4 to 6, comprising a flow conduit for connection between the pump and the first container, and said flow connection may connect with the flow conduit.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 4 to 7, in which the second container is sealed or sealable and provided with an air filter and a pressure control unit.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 4 to 8, including a quick-release coupling between the second container and the flow conduit.

10. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 4 to 9, including means for closing the flow connection when the second container is empty.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 10, in which said closing means comprises a float valve.

1 2. A method of dispensing beer as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as herein before described.

1 3. Apparatus for dispensing beer substantially as herein before described with reference to and as shown in Fig. 1, or Fig. 2, or Fig. 3, or Figs. 4 and 5, or Fig. 6, of the accompanying drawings.

14. A filtration system for connection to a beer dispensing device comprising a container for barrel bottoms beer, a filter for the beer, a flow pipe for connection to the device, and means for controlling the flow.