GB2055758A - Metered dispenser system - Google Patents

Abstract

A metered system for dispensing carbonated alcoholic beverages comprises a container for storing, under pressure, the liquid to be dispensed and a dispensing unit (20) remote from the container. In order to obtain an adequate flow rate from the dispenser unit and to prevent excessive fobbing of the liquid a plurality of passageways (18) are provided which define parallel flow lines and whose cross-section is such that whilst the flow of liquid in each passage is restricted to prevent excessive fobbing, the provision of several passageways maintains the desired flow rate. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Metered dispenser system The present invention relates to a metered system for dispensing liquids generally but the invention particularly applies to highly carbonated beverages such as highly carbonated beers and lagers.

Conventionally there are two systems in widespread use for dispensing beers and lagers. Firstly there is the continuous or free flow dispensing system, in which beer is arbitrariiy dispensible until the required amount is in the glass or other recepta cle. At one time the glasses in pubs and clubs for use as receptacles for beer and the like had a capacity of a half or a whole pint. The beverage was then filled to the brim of the glass in order that the customer received the quantity for which he was paying.

However this lead to wastage through spillage, particularly in the case of beverages which had a higher carbon dioxide content, which is increasingly becoming the case in modern beers and lagers.

Since so much wastage was being caused and also because the "head" on a glass of beer was being lost when the glasses were being filled, oversize glasses were introduced which had lines indicating the half or whole pint levels.

These glasses were also introduced because the second of the above-mentioned two systems was being introduced simultaneously, that is, the metered dispensing system. In this system a meter device is disposed along the pipe between the source in the celler and the unit on the bar, normally near the source. The meter measures an exact quantity of beverage which is pumped at such a rate that for example a half pint glass is filled in approximately ten seconds. The over-size glasses ensure that none of the head is lost during the dispensing operation.

The advantage with a metered system is an exact quantity is dispensed so that even if the level of beer is apparently somewhat below the line in the glass, the customer knowns that once the head of the beverage has settled the level will have risen to the line on the glass. This assumes of course that there has been no spillage of the contents. Thus if the system is operating satisfactorily considerable savings can be achieved in respect of wastage and particularly in overfilling of glasses.

Unfortunately however, the above-mentioned problem of spilling some of a metered quantity of a beverage is extremely serious in the case of highly carbonated drinks such as lager. It is almostinevit- able that the head of the drink reaches the top of the glass before the full quantity is dispensed and a customer, on the spillage, can then quite rightly demand that the glass be topped up. This operation cannot, of course, be done without pouring a new glass. This practice should be avoided both from the view of the extra cost in filling a second glass and from the view that goodwill between the customer and proprietor is in jeopardy should the former note that his glass of lager is being topped up from a glass filled at some perhaps unknown time in the past.

Because lager and the like is highly carbonated (that is, in the region of about 2% by volume, as opposed to 1% in the case of normal beers) its tendency to fob or foam excessively is naturally increased. When the lager is kept under pressure and when it is kept cool this tendency is reduced.

Once the lager is in the glass it is exposed to ambient temperature and pressure so that is foams and produces the head which is a desirable feature of the drink. If, however, the passage of liquid during its travel along the system is not controlled, then excessive fobbing may ensue. Thus fobbing i.e. gas emission may arise as the lager hits the warm glass at ambient pressure, and also as it progresses along the length of the pipe, in which case the above mentioned problems of spillage can manifest themselves.

Since lager is normally the drink which causes these problems and since this beverage is not so popular as other beers it is sometimes the case that while the other systems are being changed to more economical metered systems, the lager is left on the free flow system. In the free flow system a throttle is normally disposed on the dispensing unit whereby the pressure drop over the majority of the pipe is reduced and the rate of flow restricted. Thus both the reduction in pressure is delayed so that fobbing is substantially prevented. This has the effect however of increasing the time it takes to dispense a given quantity of beverage. Besides, even if fobbing is excessive the glass can always be topped up as required.

If a metered dispensing system is employed with lager or other highly carbonated beverages it is necessary to interpose in the pipe line a length of narrow bored pipe. The pipes normally used have an internal diameter of between seven and nine millimetres (approximately 5/16" diameter) whereas the narrow bored pipes are between three and six millimetres (approximately 1/8" internal diameter).

The narrow bored pipe spreads out the pressure gradient (drop) along the pipe caused by opening the valve on the dispenser unit and so serves as the throttle does in the free flow system. The length of this section is increased to reduce fobbing but decreased to improve the rate of delivery. A balance is thus sought between a desirable amount of fobbing on the one hand and a reasonable flow rate on the other. Hitherto the flow rate obtainable in order to restrain fobbing is such that it almost invariably takes longer to dispense lagerthan other, less carbonated, beverages.

It is an object of this invention therefore to provide a system for dispensing any liquid but particularly highly carbonated beverages whereby a flow rate comparable to presently obtainable rates for ordinary beers is achieved while fobbing is restrained to an acceptable degree.

In accordance with this invention there is provided a metered system for dispensing from a dispensing unit a liquid stored in a container which is located remote from the dispensing unit, the system comprising a flow path for the liquid extending from the container to the dispensing unit, means for applying a pressure gradient along the flow path, and a plurality of passageways forming part of the flow path and defining parallel flow lines the crosssection of each passageway being such that the flow of liquid in each passageway is restricted and hence slowed down.

The net result of this system is that while the liquid is restricted and slowed down in one passageway the combined flow rates of the liquid in both or all the passageways is comparable to the flow rate normally achievable in a system in which these passageways are replaced by a single non-flow restricting pipe. The tendence to fob is nevertheless restricted in each pipe so that by employing this system highly carbonated beverages can be dispensed without excessive fobbing and at a reasonable rate. The invention is thus particularly applicable to metered dispensing systems for highly carbonated beverages such as lager.Nevertheless it has been determined that since the flow rate achievable with this system is comparable to the flow rates obtained with existing systems for dispensing ordinary beers or ales, the present invention can be applied with advantage to ordinary dispensing systems. Under normal operation this system confers no advantage but, should a barrel of beer be commenced which is found to have an unusually high carbonate content a system according to the invention can cope. With existing systems it is normally necessary to have the barrel returned to the brewer.

The invention is further described hereinafter, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic representation of one embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic representation of a second embodiment of the invention, and Figure 3 is a cross-section through a pipe forming a part of a second embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings like reference symbols are used to identify corresponding parts. Highly carbonated lager is fed into a cooler 10 from a source, not illustrated, by way of a wide bored pipe 12. This pipe would have an internal diameter of the order of 8 to 10 mm (approx. 5 16" internal diameter). The cooler 10 would cool the lager as it flowed therethrough and consequently decrease the lager's tendency to fob. The lager is fed from the cooler to the common branch of a Y-shaped junction 16 fitted to the outlet from the cooler. Alternatively a short length of wide bored pipe (5 16" diameter) may befitted between the cooler outlet and the Y-shaped junction 26. A narrow bored pipe 18 is connected to each branch of the junction 16 and each pipe has an internal diameter of between 3 and 6 mm (approx. " diameter).Because of the narrowness of these pipes 18 the lager is slowed considerably and is prevented thereby from excessively fobbing. The pipes 18 lead to a dispensing tap 20, where the pipes 18 converge at a second Y-junction 22 which is connected to the dispenser 20. Alternatively a short piece of wide bored pipe 24 may connect the Y-junction 22 to the dispenser 20.

In a typical situation the cooler 10, in the form of a flash cooler, would be situated in close proximity with the dispense tap at the bar, fed from a metered dispense system in the cellar by the pipe 12. From the flash cooler the lager is led along the pipes 18 to the dispenser which may be so positioned that anything in the order of two metres of pipe may be required to cover the distance between dispenser and cooler.

Since most of this pipe is in the form of narrow bored pipe the lager is unlikely to fob excessively and a metering system can successfully be employed on the pumps, the latter being operated by a remote switch on the dispenser. However since two pipes 18 are employed, a respectable rate of flow can be achieved so that the lager does not take an inordinate length of time to be dispensed. More than two pipes 18 can, of course, be used but it has been found that up to 7 seconds can be saved on the time to pour one pint of lager by using two pipes in a system according to this invention as opposed to conventional systems.

Figures 2 and 3 illustrate an alternative preferred embodiment, in which a single wide bored pipe 26, is used in place of the pipes 18 of the embodiment of Figure 1. This pipe 26 as illustrated is divided into two channels 28 which each have a narrow bore of diameter of the order to 3 to 6 mm (approx. 1/8" diameter). The external diameter being of the order of 8 to 10 mm (approx.3 8" diameter). It is envisaged that a plurality of channels 28 may be contained within the single wide bored pipe 26.

Thus the advantages of a plurality of narrow bored channels extending between the cooler 10 and the dispenser 20 still apply, with additional advantages in that Yjunctions 16, 22 can be omitted and the pipe 26 can be directly connected to the dispenser 20 and cooler 10.

The ratio of the length of the narrow bored channels with respect to the length of wide bored pipe is critical in arriving at a desirable compromise between a high rate of flow of lager and a low degree of fobbing. The parameters which have to be determined before this compromise can be achieved are as follows: The most basic factor in arriving at a desirable arrangement is, of course, the quantity of gas absorbed in the beverage. Thus the invention need only be applied to highly carbonated beverages such as, for example, lager.

The temperature of the liquid is another important factor, since quantity of absorbed gas in the liquid is effected by temperature it is desirable to insulate the pipe work from the source (cellar) to the cooler and from the cooler to the dispenser to prevent absorbed gas from escaping.

Claims (6)

1. A metered system for dispensing from a dispensing unit a liquid stored in a container which is located remote from the dispensing unit, the system comprising a flow path for the liquid extending from the container to the dispensing unit, means for applying a pressure gradient along the flow path, and a plurality of passageways forming part of the flow path and defining parallel flow lines the cross section of each passageway being such that the flow of liquid in each passageway is restricted and hence slowed down.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, in which a pipe forming part of the flow path leads from the container to a junction piece where the flow path branches into a plurality of passageways, which passageways converge at a second junction piece the cross-section of each passageway being less than the bore cross-section of the pipe connecting with the junction piece.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2, in whch the junction piece and the further junction piece are Y-shaped connectors and two passageways extend between the respective connectors, the crosssection of each passageway being less than the bore cross-section of the pipe connecting with the junction pieces.

4. A system as claimed in claim 2, in which the plurality of passageways extending between the respective connectors are formed in a single pipe.

5. A system as claimed in claim 4, in which the single pipe contains two passageways which are disposed in side by side relation with one another.

6. A system constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.