GB2129061A

GB2129061A - Apparatus for and method of dispensing a beverage

Info

Publication number: GB2129061A
Application number: GB08328762A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Henry Mcgregor
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1982-10-30
Filing date: 1983-10-27
Publication date: 1984-05-10
Also published as: GB2129061B; GB8328762D0

Abstract

An apparatus 10 for dispensing a beverage at a bar counter comprises a delivery hose 18 which is connected to a reservoir for containing the beverage (for example, wine or cider). The hose has at least one part 20 which is flexible and resilient. The part 20 is successively deformable by e.g. manually-operable means such as lugs, rollers, or cams 34 on a disc 32 that can be rotated with the aid of a handle 40 and toothed-gears 38, 42; whereby, in use, the beverage is drawn up from the reservoir for dispensing. The invention also resides in a method of dispensing a beverage at a bar counter involving use of the aforesaid hose. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for and method of dispensing a beverage This invention relates to an apparatus for and method of dispensing a beverage, particularly but not exclusively at a bar counter.

Traditionally, beverages, and in particular beer, have been dispensed at bar counters by means of hand worked pumps. These have been of the lifting-type, whereby upward movement of the piston causes beer to be drawn up from casks stored beneath the bar and to be discharged via a delivery nozzle.

More recently, diaphragm pumps and reciprocating pumps have been used. In a diaphragm pump, a flexible diaphragm, say of neoprene, takes the place of the piston and is moved reciprocatively by means of an actuating rod or compressed air. A reciprocating pump has a piston arranged to move reciprocatively within a chamber (often transparent).

It will be appreciated that each of the lifting pump and the reciprocating pump require careful sealing between the piston and its associated chamber.

Nowadays, other types of beverage, for example wine or cider, are dispensed from handworked pumps. A disadvantage of using known lifting or reciprocating pumps for dispensing wine is that sugary deposits can be built up within the chamber and around the piston seal, with the accompanying danger of contamination to the dispensed beverage and/or an increase in bacteria etc. Furthermore, since the seal between the piston and its chamber is affected, there is a danger of the mechanism, for example the tracking rod connecting the piston to the handle, breaking as the mechanism does not operate in a true fashion. Also, the seal between the tracking rod and the chamber can be affected by the buildup of sugary deposits.

A disadvantage of using a diaphragm pump for dispensing cider is that the diaphragm can be attacked by the cider, which of course affects the operation of the pump. Cider can also have an affect on any metal fittings, for example made of brass.

The present invention therefore sets out to provide an apparatus for and a method of dispensing a beverage, for example wine or cider, in which the beverage does not come into contact with a moving part or parts of the dispensing mechanism, thereby substantially eliminating the risk of contamination to the dispensed beverage.

Furthermore, the present invention sets out to provide an apparatus for and a method of dispensing beverages in measured quantities.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for dispensing a beverage at a bar counter which comprises a delivery hose connectable to a reservoir for containing the beverage, the hose having at least one part which is flexible and resilient, the at least one part being successively deformable by manually-operable flow-inducing means, whereby, in use, the beverage is drawn up from the reservoir for dispensing at the bar counter.

The flow-inducing means may rely on cyclical deformation of the delivery hose for drawing up the beverage from the reservoir. The flow-inducing means may then comprise a rotary expulsion mechanism which cooperates with and, in use, cyclically deforms the at least one part of the hose.

The rotary expulsion mechanism may comprise a rotatable member having a series of lugs, rollers or cams projecting therefrom; the lugs, rollers or cams serving to deform the at least one part of the hose on rotation of the rotatable member.

Means for achieving mechanical advantage may be provided for manually operating the rotatable member, for example by a rack-andpinion mechanism which transforms linear motion of a handle to rotary motion of the rotatable member.

The at least one part of the hose may be made from a synthetic polymeric or elastomeric material (say, a silicone-based material) or a natural, treated material (say, natural rubber).

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of dispensing a beverage from a bar counter which comprises connecting a delivery hose to a reservoir for containing the beverage, successively deforming at least one part of the hose which is flexible and resilient by manually-operable flowinducing means, so as to draw up the beverage from the reservoir for dispensing at the bar counter.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic section through a beverage-dispensing apparatus according to the invention; and Figure 2 is a schematic perspective view of part of the mechanical advantage means of the apparatus of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, a beverage dispenser 10 has a housing 12 which is securable to a bar counter (not shown) in the normal manner. The housing carries a support tray 14 for supporting glasses during use of the dispenser.

The housing contains a peristaltic pump 1 6 which comprises a delivery hose 1 8 having at least one part 20 which is flexible and resilient.

The part 20 of the hose is laid in a circular or semicircular bed 22. The delivery hose 1 8 which extends through the housing defines at one end an inlet 24 for a beverage and at its other end a delivery nozzle 26. The inlet 24 is connected via further hose 25 to a reservoir for containing the beverage (not shown). The part 20 of the hose 1 8, which is flexible and resilient, is preferably made from a synthetic polymeric or elastomeric material, such as a silicone-based material, or a natural, treated material, such as natural rubber.

The peristaltic pump 1 6 further comprises a rotary expulsion mechanism 30 which has a rotatable member 32 (such as a disc) having a series of lugs, rollers or cams 34 projecting therefrom. The rotatable member 32 is disposed in such a position relative to the bed 22 that the lugs, rollers or cams 34 cooperate with and press against the part 20 of the hose 18. The lugs, rollers or cams 34 serve to deform the part 20 of the hose 18 on rotation of the rotatable member 32.

The rotatable member is rotated by means 36 for achieving mechanical advantage. Such means 36 comprises a rack-and-pinion mechanism 38 which is connected via a pivotal linkage system 39 to a handle 40 disposed on the exterior of the housing 12. Linear motion of the handle from the position shown in solid outline to that shown in dashed/dotted outline in Figure 1 is transformed into rotary motion of the rotatable member 32 by means of the rack-and-pinion mechanism 38 and additional gearing 42. The rack-and-pinion mechanism has a guide wheel 44 for the rack 46.

A schematic perspective view of the rack-andpinion mechanism/additional gearing is shown in Figure 2.

In use, the beverage dispenser 10 is connected via the inlet 24 to a reservoir for containing a beverage. The reservoir can take the form of a cask or barrel of wine or cider, and, more recently, of a wine-box of the type now generally sold.

Where a wine-box is used as a reservoir, a flash cooler (not shown) is used to cool down the wine, which is drawn by the peristaltic pump 16 through the flash cooler to the delivery nozzle 26.

On moving the handle 40, the rack-and-pinion mechanism 38 is moved in one direction via the pivotal link system 34, thereby causing the rotatable member 32 to rotate in one direction only. The lugs, rollers or cams 34 press the part 1 8 of the hose 20 against the bed 22. Volume of beverage is thus defined between the points where the part of the hose is pinched shut. It is possible to incorporate an electronic counter (not shown) which could be arranged to count the number of revoiutions of the lugs, rollers or cams 34, so that the pump could be calibrated (i.e 'n' turns could equal a given volume of beverage).

Advantages of the apparatus of the present invention include its relatively small and compact size for securement to a bar counter, its reduced number of interface seals between mechanical controls and operational mechanisms (compared to lifting, reciprocating and diaphragm pumps where the 'process' liquid, i.e. beverage, is in substantial contact with the mechanical controls and operationalmechanisms) and its relatively small volumetric size of pump/hose which means that a relatively small amount of beverage has to be wasted during cleaning etc. of the dispenser.

Furthermore, there is no source of contamination of the beverage within the dispenser, and no seals within the beverage flow which can serve to trap sugary deposits from breakdown products of the wine or cider within the dispenser.

Claims

1. An apparatus for dispensing a beverage at a bar counter comprising a delivery hose connectable to a reservoir for containing the beverage, the hose having at least one part which is flexible and resilient, the at least one part being successively deformable by manually-operable flow-inducing means, whereby, in use, the beverage is drawn up from the reservoir for dispensing at the bar counter.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the flow-inducing means relies on cyclical deformation of the delivery hose for drawing up the beverage from the reservoir.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the flow-inducing means comprises a rotary expulsion mechanism which cooperates with and, in use, cyclically deforms the at least one part of the hose.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the rotary expulsion mechanism comprises a rotatable member having a series of lugs, rollers or cams projecting therefrom; the lugs, rollers or cams serving to deform the at least one part of the hose on rotation of the rotatable member.

5. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, having means for achieving mechanical advantage, which means comprises a manually-operable rack-and-pinion mechanism for transforming linear motion of a handle to rotary motion of the rotatable member.

6. An apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hose is made from a synthetic polymeric or elastomeric material, or a natural, treated material.

7. An apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

8. A method of dispensing a beverage from a bar counter comprising connecting a delivery hose to a reservoir for containing the beverage, successively deforming at least Jne part of the hose which is flexible and resilient by manuallyoperable flow-inducing means, so as to draw up the beverage from the reservoir for dispensing at the bar counter.

9. A method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as iliustrated in the accompanying drawings.