GB2201662A - Tap attachment for liquid dispensing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus (10) for dispensing beer, lager or the like comprises a tubular body (11) which is attached to a dispense tap (14) by means of a screw thread (12) at its attachment end (13). Extending outwardly from the outlet end (19) of the body (11) is a contact means (16) to contact a glass (22) and prevent the body (11) or tap (14) from entering or contacting the glass or liquid dispensed therein so as to reduce the risk of contamination of the body (11) or tap (14) by such contact. <IMAGE>

Description

LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS This invention relates to liquid dispensing apparatus, and in particular to apparatus for the dispensing of beer, lager and the like.

The apparatus which customarily dispenses beer, lager and the like into a glass comprises a tap device having a spout at the end of which there may be a sparkler outlet. Such sparkler outlet is screwed onto the lower end of the tap body. However, when a used glass is being refilled, it is common practice for the glass to be held so that the sparkler and/or the lower end of the tap body is located within the glass, and in consequence the used glass and/or the liquid therein can come into contact with the sparkler and/or the tap body. Such a practice is unhygienic, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus the use of which avoids or minimises the possibility of such contact.

The invention provides a liquid dispensing apparatus comprising a tubular body through which liquid may be dispensed, said body having an outlet end and an attachment end, said attachment end being adapted to attach said body to a dispense tap, and having a contact member extending laterally auard1y of saie boRv adjacent said outlet end whereby said body is prevented from being inserted in a glass into which said liquid is being dispensed from said apparatus.

Said attachment end may have a screw thread thereon whereby it may be screwed onto a dispense tap.

Said contact member may comprise a disc, and said disc may be an annular disc attached to said body by means of a plurality of spoke members. Said disc may be pivotal relative to said body about an axis extending transversely of the axis of said body and substantially in alignment with said outlet end thereof. Alternatively said contact member may comprise a plurality of radially outwardly extending rods, and may comprise two coaxial rods.

Said body may have a central internal spigot, which may be attached to said tubular part by an annular flange in which a plurality of apertures are provided.

Embodiments of liquid dispensing apparatus in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a first embodiment, Fig. 2 is a section on A-A of Fig. 1, Figs. 3 and 4 are side and plan views respectively of a second embodiment, and Figs. 5 and 6 are side and plan views respectively of a third embodiment.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2 there is shown a dispensing apparatus 10 for dispensing beer, lager or the like into a glass. The dispensing apparatus 10 is in the form df a sparkler and comprises a tubular body 11 having a screw thread 12 at an attachment end 13 thereof, whereby the apparatus 10 may be attached to the lower end of a dispense tap 14 (see Fig. 2). The apparatus 10 has an internal central spigot 15 which is attached to the tubular part 11 by-means of an annular flange 16 in which à plurality of apertures 17 are provided. The beer, lager or the like is dispensed through the top 14, through the annular space 18 between the central spigot 15 and the tubular body 11 of the sparkler 10 and through the apertures 17, six such apertures 17 being shown although a number other than six may be provided if desired.The annular flange 16 is located at the outlet end 19 of the sparkler 10. Also located at the outlet end 19 is an annular disc 20 which is connected to the tubular body 11 by means of spoke members 21, three being shown in this embodiment but a number other than three may be provided if desired.

A glass (not shown) may be placed under the sparkler 10 and may be raised so as to contact the disc 20.

However, the tubular body 11 or dispense tap 14 cannot enter the glass so that they cannot contact either the glass or any liquid therein.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, there is shown a dispensing apparatus 30 which is generally similar to the apparatus 10 and like parts are identified by like reference numerals. In this case however the disc 20 and spoke members 21 of sparkler 10 are replaced by two radially extending rods 31. The rods 31 are co-axial and extend in opposite directions from the tubular body 11. More than two such rods 31 may be provided if desired. However with two rods 31 a glass may be held in contact therewith and tilted so that the beer, lager or the like can first contact and then run down the side of the glass to prevent over frothing.

This tilting facility is also available with the embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 6. In this embodiment the annular disc 20 is pivotally mounted on two diametrically opposed spoke members 21. Although with the embodiments of Figs. 3 to 6 a small portion of the tubular body 11 may be within the glass when the glass is tilted, as the glass becomes filled, its angle of tilt is reduced to prevent spillage, and in consequence there will be no contact between the tubular body 11 and the glass or the liquid therein as with the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2.

By means of the invention, contamination of the sparkler or dispense tap by a dirty glass as the liquid therein is avoided or substantially reduced.

Claims (13)

1. Liquid dispensing apparatus- comprising a tubular body through which liquid may be dispensed, said body having an outlet end and an attachment end, said attachment end being adapted to attach said body to a dispense tap, and having a contact member extending laterally outwardly of said body adjacent said outlet end whereby said body is prevented from being inserted into a glass into which said liquid is being dispensed from said apparatus.

2. Liquid dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said attachment end has a screw thread thereon whereby it may be screwed onto a dispense tap.

3. Liquid dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said contact member comprises a disc.

4. Liquid dispensing apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said disc in an annular disc attached to said body by means of a plurality of spoke members.

5. Liquid dispensing'apparatus according to claim 4 comprising three spoke members.

6. Liquid dispensing apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said disc is pivotal relative to said body about an axis extending transversely of the axis of said body and substantially in alignment with said outlet end thereof.

7. Liquid dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said contact member comprises a plurality of radially outwardly extending rods.

8. Liquid dispensing apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said contact member comprises two coaxial, diametrically opposed, rods.

9. Liquid dispensing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8 comprising a spigot disposed internally of said body.

10. Liquid dispensing apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said spigot is attached to said body by an annular flange in which a plurality of apertures is provided.

11. Liquid dispensing apparatus according to claim 10 wherein six apertures are provided in said annular flange equi-angularly spaced therearound.

12. Liquid dispensing apparatus according to claim 10 or claim 11 wherein said annular flange is located at said outlet end.

13. Liquid dispensing apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. l,and 2 or Figs. 3 and 4 or Figs. 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.