Patent GB-816489-A (GB)
Title: Beer or other liquid dispensing apparatus
Inventor: GRETTON-LOWE REGINALD
IPC: B67D1/00
Filed: 1957-03-22
Abstract: 816,489. Delivering measured quantities of liquid. GASKELL & CHAMBERS Ltd. March 11, 1958 [March 22, 1957; July 16, 1957], Nos. 9409/57 and 22469/57. Class 106(5) Apparatus for dispensing measured quantities of beer or other liquids comprises a hollow base with valve-controlled inlet and discharge passages, a measuring chamber having a vent at its upper end and a cover enclosing and forming a space round the chamber, the lower end of the cover being provided with a pipe connection for returning excess liquid discharged from the vent to a sump or to a position for recirculation. As shown in Fig. 1, the base 12 has an inlet passage 14 connected to a pump 15 and an outlet passage 16 leading to a nozzle 17. The valve members 19, 20 are held on their seatings by a spring 21 and are operated by a stem 22 extending through a flexible diaphragm 23 and operable by a lever 25 which is preferably actuated by placing a receptacle in position. A transparent measuring chamber 28 is secured by a socket 26 and ring 27 and a transparent cover 29 is screwed to the socket. On operating the pump 15, the chamber is filled and excess is returned through the vent 28a and a pipe 31 leading to the inlet of the pump, the pipe 31 having a tap 32 for regulating the rate of return flow and preferably also having an adjustable non-return valve 33 for ensuring that a pressure is created in the chamber 28, annular space 30 and pipe 31. In the form shown in Fig. 2, a rotary valve 46 has an oval recess 47 which either connects the inlet 42 to a port 48 below a baffle 62 or connects the port 48 to an outlet. The valve carries a spring- loaded detent 53 which cooperates with a fixed ratchet disc 55 and an arcuate key-hole slot 57 in a fixed cover 58. As the valve is moved from the crarging position to the discharge position, the detent is wholly within the cover 58 and engages the ratchet teeth to prevent return of the valve. until, when it reaches the discharge position, a large end tooth on the ratchet disc projects the plunger through the key-hole slot. The cross-section of the slot is tapered so that is compresses a resilient split ring 56 and the split ring expands on the outside of the slot to hold the detent inoperative until the valve is returned fully to the charging position, when the split ring can pass freely through the enlarged end of the key-hole slot. Over the transparent measuring chamber 59 and cover 63 is a detachable cover 65 and an annular baffle 66 communicating with the lower part of the annular space 64 by tubes 67 that minimize the formation of froth and with the upper part of the space by a tube 68 that equalizes the pressure on both sides of the baffle. A spring- loaded relief valve 69 and a vent tube 70 which is opened to atmosphere through a passage 71 when the valve 46 is .in the discharge position are provided on the cover 63. A return pipe 72 from the annular space 64 is connected to a sump or to the inlet side of a pump 43 or, where are pressurized supply is used, through a mixing valve as described in Specification 802,691 [Group XXVIII], to the supply pipe. The inlet connection 74 of the pump 43 is provided with a sleeve 78 which can be pulled out to cut off the source of supply at port 75 and allow cleansing liquid, after removal of a plug 79, to be pumped round the apparatus. For priming the apparatus and creating an initial pressure in the space 64, the plug 79 is refitted and the sleeve pushed fully in to hold a non-return valve 77 on its seating. A clamp ring 82 comprises a rubber ring 83 to hold the sleeve in adjusted psition, which is indicated by markings on the sleeve.