GB2218357A

GB2218357A - Draught beer dispensing head

Info

Publication number: GB2218357A
Application number: GB8810486A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Frederick Delicata
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-05-04
Filing date: 1988-05-04
Publication date: 1989-11-15
Also published as: GB8810486D0

Abstract

A draught beer dispensing head comprises a hollow body 11 for attachment at one end 12 to a beer dispensing pipe and has a perforate plate defining an outlet orifice 14 at the other end, a freely-movable, preferably spherical element 16 being contained within the hollow body, past which beer passes in being dispensed. The dispensed beer has a dense and stable head of froth. <IMAGE>

Description

DISPENSING OF BEER This invention relates to the dispensing of beer and in particular provides means whereby draught beer may be dispensed to provide thereon a stable head.

It is generally preferred that draught beer in a glass or tankard is formed with a head of froth thereon which remains as the beer is consumed and adheres to the inside of the glass or tankard above the liquid level.

The head is formed at the dispensing orifice, the outflowing beer being passed through a device commonly referred to as a *sparkler" or "rose" by which the beer is in general subjected to an increase in velocity and a variation in pressure as it is drawn through a choke or other restriction, either by the action of a traditional hand pump or "beer engines, under applied carbon dioxide pressure, or via an electric pump.

However, the production of a suitable head is generally accompanied by loss of beer as overspill and furthermore the head may not have the required properties of density and stability Or persistence in remaining throughout the duration of consumption of the beer in the glass or tankard, It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved dispensing head for draught beer.

According to the invention, a dispensing head for attachment to a draught beer dispensing pipe comprises a cylinder having an opening at one end for attachment to the pipe and a perforate plate at the other end defining a restricted orifice through which beer is in use urged into a glass or tankard to form a head, in which the cylinder contains a freely-movable element around which the beer passes, the element being held above and in non-sealing engagement with the orifice and the clearance between the element and the inner wall of the cylinder being such as to provide in combination with the orifice a desirable dense and stable head to the beer.

Preferably the inner surface of the perforate end-plate is constituted by a cone the peak of which points towards the attachment end of the cylinder, the perforations surrounding the base of the cone and the freely-movable element being in engagement with the peak of the cone to hold the element spaced from the orifice. It is preferred that the perforations comprise arcuate slots.

The freely-movable element is preferably substantially spherical in shape and sized to fit with marginal clearance inside the cylinder at the lower region thereof, that is, adjacent the perforate end-plate. If the diameter is too large compared with the cylinder, insufficient beer will be permitted to flow whereas, if the diameter is too small, the desired effect will fail to be realized. Experience has suggested that the diameter of the sphere should be in the range 85-98t of the inner diameter of the cylinder at the orifice end.

It is preferred to provide the cylinder with a removable end-cap incorporating the orifice and cone, the end-cap being engageable on the body of the cylinder via screw-threads, whereby the end-cap may be tightened until the surface of the cone engages the end of the body of the cylinder, to close the orifice completely, or released to an extent to permit beer to flow when pressure or suction is applied, the extent of release being variable according to the requirements of the user.

A dispensing head according to the invention may be made from any suitable material although stainless steel is preferred for reasons of strength, durability and cleanliness.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a sectional view of a dispensing head according to the invention, and Figure 2 is an end elevation when viewed from below in Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 1, a dispensing head is indicated at 10 and consists of a stainless steel cylinder 11 having a screw-threaded upper end 12 for attachment to a beer dispensing pipe and a stainless steep end cap 13 attached by means of a further screw thread to the lower end. The end face of the cap defines arcuate slots 14 (see also Figure 2). The inner surface of the end face is formed as a cone 15 and contained within the cylinder and resting on the peak of the cone is a spherical stainless steel ball element 16.

The inner wall of the cylinder is divided into sections of progressively narrower diameter by shoulders 17, 18.

The ball 16 is of marginal clearance within the narrowest section, but is freely movable therein. As shown in Figure 1, the end cap is slightly released from the fully-closed position, whereby an annular clearance exists between the side of the cone and the lower end of the wall of the cylinder 11. As beer is drawn or forced under pressure through the pipe, it follows the pathway indicated by the arrows and the turbulence set up within the cylinder forces the ball 16 to gyrate within the lower end of the cylinder. The effect of this gyrating movement on the beer is to establish a firm, dense and stable head with a resulting minimum of wastage.

Throughout this specification, the term Sbeernis to be taken as including ale, porter, stout, lager and the like.

Claims

1. A draught beer dispensing head comprising a cylinder attachable at one end to a beer dispensing pipe and having a perforate plate at the other end defining a restricted orifice, in which the cylinder contains a freely-movable element around which, in use, beer is constrained to flow in being dispensed, there being a clearance between the element and the inner wall of the cylinder whereby in combination with the orifice a dense and stable head to the beer is provided.

2. A dispensing head according to Claim 1, in which the freely-movable element is held spaced apart from the orifice and in non-sealing engagement with the perforate plate.

3. A dispensing head according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the inner surface of the perforate end-plate comprises a cone, perforations being formed around the base of the cone and the element being maintained in spaced-apart relationship from the orifice by the cone.

4. A dispensing head according to any preceding claim, in which the perforations comprise arcuate slots.

5. A dispensing head according to any preceding claim, in which the element is substantially spherical.

6. A dispensing head according to Claim 5, in which the sphere has a diameter in the range 85-98% of the inner diameter of the cylinder at the orifice end.

7. A dispensing head according to any of Claims 3 to 7, in which the orifice and cone are incorporated in a removable cylinder end-cap which may be tightened to close the orifice or released to permit flow of beer.

8. A dispensing head according to Claim 7, in which the extent of release is variable.

9. A dispensing head according to Claim 8 includingmeans to lock the end-cap at a desired release position.

10. A draught beer dispensing head constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.