Patent ID: 6182863
Filing Date: 2001-02-06
Classification: B67D

Abstract:
A beverage dispensing apparatus comprisinga housing having a chamber formed with an opening through which a beverage container is placed into the chamber, a beverage container having at least one deformable wall portion and an outlet, a tapping device, a beverage delivery line-connected to said outlet and to said tapping device,a cover for closing the opening of the chamber,locking and sealing means for closing the chamber in an airtight manner so as to form a pressure space situated between the deformable wall portion of the beverage container and an inner wall of the chamber, andpressurizing means for pressurizing the pressure space to force beverage out of the container via the outlet, wherein the locking and sealing means are arranged between the beverage container and the chamber so as to form the pressure space between an inner wall of the chamber and at least the deformable wall portion of the container, the outlet of the container being situated outside the pressure space, andwherein the tapping device comprises two parts, of which a lower part is fixedly connected to the housing and of which an upper part is hingeable relative to the lower part, the beverage delivery line being partly formed by a flexible hose which in a first condition is clamped between the upper and the lower part and which in a second condition is open, which upper part has an actuating handle and which lower part has a shut-off mechanism which in conjunction with the actuating handle can open or can clamp the beverage delivery line.