Patent Publication Number: US-6668578-B2

Title: Glass chilling method and apparatus

Description:
This application claims the benefit of provisional application 60/361,568 filed on Mar. 4, 2002. 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates to apparatus for chilling glasses and more in particularly to a last in, last out method for chilling glasses. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In a busy bar, the number of beer glasses to be chilled during a shift can be considerable, especially during times of increased beer consumption. During heavy periods, the bartender is usually in constant motion and requires that the glasses, the liquor and the beer all be readily accessible so that he can quickly serve his customers. 
     Oftentimes, the bartender will run out of glasses and will have to reach into the glass washing machine and pull out glasses that are not chilled. In point of fact, if the washing has been recent, the glasses are relatively warm. If he attempts to cool these glasses by putting them into a top-loading chill chest or refrigerator, it takes a good 20 to 30 minutes for the glasses to reach the proper serving temperature. Most chill cabinets or refrigerators basically serve as batch-processing units in which the glasses are top-loaded into the chill cabinet one batch at a time usually on trays stacked one on top of the other. Thus there are various layers of glasses which are to be chilled. 
     If during a busy shift the bartender sees that he is going to need more glasses than are contained in the chill cabinet, his tendency is to grab glasses out of the glass washer and put them on top of the glasses that are already in the chill cabinet. The result is that the glasses which come out of the hot dishwasher are insufficiently chilled because the glasses which are last put into the chill cabinet are the first to be withdrawn. This is a last in, first out system and is prevalent in most bars. The trouble with such a system is that the glasses are not properly chilled which is an annoyance to the customers. 
     Moreover, as is usual, the chill cabinets are beneath the bar such that as the chill cabinet is emptied of glasses, the bartender must reach deep to the chill cabinet in order to pull out the glasses. On a busy evening, the amount of back strain this can cause is considerable, along with the inconvenience of not having the chilled glasses at a point reasonably close to the beer taps. 
     In short, in the past the chilling of glasses for beer or other spirits has been one involving batch cooling, without consideration of the requirements of the bartender. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Rather than utilizing a batch process for the chilling of the glasses, in the subject invention a chill cabinet is provided which has a number of trays mounted therein. The trays are driven by a conveyor from the bottom of the chill cabinet to the top of the chill cabinet, with the trays being loadable into the bottom of the chill cabinet and withdrawn from an aperture at the top of the chill cabinet. What is accomplished by such an arrangement is a last in, last out flow in which the glasses are chilled as the trays on which they sit move upwardly in the chill cabinet. This means that the residence time of a glass in the chill cabinet is maximized since it must travel from the bottom-loading slot to the top exit slot or orifice before it is extracted. The exit orifice of the chill cabinet is at the top such that the chilled glasses are available at about waist high for the bartender. The time for the chilling processes is the time that the glasses are resident in the chill cabinet starting from the time when they are inserted at the base of the chill cabinet until the time they move to the top position. 
     The result is that relatively warm or hot washed glasses may be placed on a tray and inserted into the chill cabinet at the bottom. Over a period, for instance, 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the glass withdrawal rate, the hot glasses are suitably chilled by the time they make it to the top position. 
     In one embodiment, the drive for the endless loop conveyor chain drive is controlled by a foot petal which is actuatable by the bartender to present another tray at the top of the chill cabinet after the previously presented and now empty tray has been removed. The appropriately chilled glasses are presented to the bartender at approximate waist level, where he can grab a glass, place it under the tap and serve the beer, all in an efficient manner minimizing time and motion. 
     The result is that in a busy bar, the bartender now has the ability to quickly serve beer in chilled glasses without having to move significantly from his position at the taps. 
     In order for the glasses to be accessible at the exit aperture of the chill cabinet, in one embodiment the trays carrying the glasses are tilted forwardly such that the glasses slide down by gravity towards the exit orifice. A stop or lip at the exit orifice edge of the tray prevents the glasses from coming out, other than by extraction by the bartender. In one embodiment, the glasses may be arranged in rows left to right, with each of the glasses in a row starting at the back of the cabinet and moving forwardly and downwardly to the exit aperture. 
     In order to assist in the gravity-induced movement of the glasses, the trays themselves may carry a rack of internal rollers so that the glasses, rather than sliding down a ramp, move towards the exit aperture by virtue of freely rotating rollers which support the glasses. 
     In a further embodiment, a braking mechanism is provided to lock the rollers such that the glasses cannot move towards the exit aperture, thus to prevent the crashing of the glasses into each other. When a glass is removed at the exit aperture, this removal is sensed electro-optically and the brake on the rollers is released for predetermined period of time to allow the glasses to move downwardly towards the exit aperture, at which point the rollers are again locked. 
     As a result, chilled glasses are made accessible to the bartender at a point reasonably close to the tap used to fill the glasses. They are appropriately chilled because they have had at least a minimum amount of time in the chill cabinet, with the time being associated with the length of time it takes for a tray of glasses at the bottom of the chill cabinet to be moved to the top most position. Since the hot, recently washed glasses are inserted at the base of the chill cabinet they will not be withdrawn immediately. Rather the glasses which are on the top most tray has had a relatively long resident time in the chill cabinet are first removed or extracted. 
     In so doing, the usual frenetic activity of the bartender is reduced due to this convenient method of providing an ample supply of properly chilled glasses. While any type of chilled containers are within the scope of this invention, the subject invention will be descried in terms of beer glasses for convenience. 
     In summary, for bartending, in order to avoid batch chilling of beer glasses and the like in which the last glasses put into a refrigerator are the first pulled out and are thus not properly chilled, a last in, last out glass chilling system provides a supply of properly chilled beer glasses, even when newly washed warm glasses are to be chilled. In one embodiment, the last in, last out glass chilling system includes a series of trays on a conveyor in the cabinet with each tray loaded with glasses. The conveyor moves the trays upwardly in the chill cabinet, with the chilling occurring during the time that the tray of glasses moves from a bottom position to a top position. This assures that, unlike batch chilling, properly chilled glasses are always available. 
     In one embodiment, a tray of glasses is in inserted at the base of the chill cabinet, with the conveyor being motorized to move the trays within the chill cabinet in an upward direction. Topmost tray is presented at an upper aperture in the chill cabinet, with the chilled glasses being extractable from this upper aperture. In a preferred embodiment, the trays are slanted downwardly such that glasses on the trays move by gravity towards this upper aperture. As glasses are removed from the tray, other glasses slide into place. 
     In order to prevent the glasses from crashing into each other, the glasses are supported by rollers carried by the tray, with the rollers being braked after a glass has been removed by the bartender. The braking may be effectuated by electro-optical means which brakes the rollers, in one embodiment, by an electrometric material moved into engagement with the rollers. In a further embodiment, the glasses are arranged in rows across the rollers, with the glasses in adjacent rows being separated by a barrier, and with each set of rollers associated with a row being independently rotatable. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other features of the subject invention will be better understood in connection with the Detailed Description in conjunction with the Drawings, of which: 
     FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of the use of the subject chill cabinet showing a bartender extracting a chilled glass from the top of the chill cabinet, with the glass being provided on a tray which has initially been inserted at the base of the chill cabinet and has been moved upwardly under the control of the bartender&#39;s foot and a foot pedal or actuator switch; 
     FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of a prior art chill chest in which layers of glasses on trays are stacked within the chill chest, with a last in warm glass deposited on top of the glasses in the chill chest, where it is immediately removable in an unchilled condition; 
     FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of a tray for use in chill cabinet of FIG. 1 in which the tray is provided with a number of rollers supporting glasses thereupon, with the tray being slanted in a downward direction so as to permit removal of the glasses as they slide down the tray by virtue of gravity; 
     FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of the conveyor system used to support the trays of glasses in the chill cabinet of FIG. 1, illustrating a chain drive conveyor system for the supporting of trays as they move upwardly in the cabinet; 
     FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic illustration of the chill cabinet of FIG. 1, illustrating the insertion of a tray of glasses through a bottom aperture and the removal of glasses from a tray which has been transported upwardly through the cabinet so that the glasses are appropriately chilled; 
     FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic illustration of the chill cabinet of FIG. 5, illustrating the doors utilized to seal the lower and upper apertures; 
     FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic illustration of the movement of the trays in an upward direction in the chill cabinet, also showing the downward slant of the trays to permit movement of the glasses in a direction towards the top exit aperture of the cabinet; 
     FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic illustration of a tray for use in the chill cabinet of FIG. 1, in which the tray is provided with a series of laterally running rollers to support glasses thereon, with the rollers being independently rotatable, and also showing dividing barriers running the length of the tray so as to permit the stacking of glasses three across; 
     FIG. 9 is an exploded view of a tray retaining a member attached to a link in the conveyor chain for the conveyor of FIG. 7; and, 
     FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic illustration of the braking system for the rollers for the tray of FIG. 8, illustrating movement of a electromechanical braking member into contact with the lower surfaces of the rollers to stop the motion of the rollers upon detection of a vacancy in a row of glasses to be positioned on tray of FIG. 8, also showing release of the brake to permit the downward movement of glasses toward the end of tray. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, a chill cabinet  10  is provided under a bar  12  adjacent to a bartender  14 . Chill cabinet  10  has a lower entrance aperture or orifice  16  into which trays of washed glasses may be inserted, whereas cabinet  10  has a top exit aperture  18  at which a glass  20  may be removed in a chilled condition and moved to a beer tap  22 . 
     Cabinet  10  has a lower door  24  for sealing the cabinet once the trays have been inserted into the lower aperture and a door  26  for sealing the cabinet to maintain the temperature of the chill cabinet prior to the time a glass is extracted therefrom. 
     As will be described hereinafter, trays of glasses are moved upwardly in cabinet  10  via a conveyor, the motion of which is actuated by a foot switch  28  in one embodiment. 
     In operation, the bartender inserts a tray of recently washed glasses by opening door  24  and inserting the glasses into the cabinet through lower aperture  16 . The last in tray of glasses moves upwardly in the cabinet and therefore has a dwell time in the cabinet sufficient to provide appropriate chilling for the glasses on the tray. When the glasses reach the top most position as illustrated by the glasses in aperture  18 , they are properly chilled and may be placed under a tap for filling. 
     It will be appreciated that the chilling apparatus is conveniently located adjacent to the tap and within easy reach of the bartender. Thus the bartender does not have to move from the tap to provide his customers with chilled glasses containing beer or other beverages. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, a prior art chill cabinet or chest  30  is shown having a number of trays  32 ,  34 ,  36  and  38 , with each tray carrying a set of glasses. It will be appreciated that the glasses are chilled once the top  40  of cabinet  30  is lowered. However, it will be appreciated that this is a batch process. During a busy shift, a new washed glass  42  is placed in the top of the chill cabinet where it is quickly removed as seen at  42 ′ without having been properly chilled. This is because the properly chilled glasses are stacked underneath in layers in the chill cabinet. Thus, this batch chilling process is ineffectual especially when being used at a time of day when there are many customers requiring chilled glasses. Moreover, as the glasses are removed from chill cabinet  30  the bartender must reach deeper and deeper into the cabinet in order to extract a glass. 
     Rather than batch processing, and referring now to FIG. 3, a tray  50  is provided with rollers  52  that support glasses  54  at a slight incline such that as glass  54 ′ is removed as illustrated by arrow  56 , the glass is moved downwardly as illustrated by arrow  58  until it is stopped by a lip  60  of tray  50 . 
     In one embodiment, these are the trays which are inserted into the chill cabinet of FIG.  1  and are driven upwardly by a conveyor system shown in FIG.  4 . 
     As illustrated in FIG. 4, each tray  50  is supported by angled supports  62  on respective conveyor chains  64  and  66 . In one embodiment, there are four conveyor chains, two supporting the tray at its rear most portion and two supporting the tray at its front-most portion. As the tray moves upwardly as illustrated by arrow  66 , the respective chains are driven as illustrated by arrow  68  such that the tray supported by the angled supports moves upwardly, with the chains which in one embodiment ganged together. The chains go over respective sprockets  70  and then move downwardly as illustrated by arrow  72  such that angled supports  62 , once out of operative engagement with a tray, are moved to the bottom of the cabinet where they are adapted to receive the next tray. 
     Referring now to FIG. 5, cabinet  10  of FIG. 1 is shown with a tray  50  of newly washed and presumably warm glasses being inserted as illustrated by arrow  76  into lower aperture  16  of cabinet  10 . With the upward motion of conveyor of FIG. 4, the trays move as illustrated by arrow  78 , with a glass being removable as illustrated by arrow  80 . 
     Thus when a new tray is inserted through aperture  16  having opened door  24 , it moves upwardly within the chill cabinet, with glasses on the tray being removable sometime thereafter by opening door  26 . 
     Referring to FIG. 6, the closed position of doors  24  and  26  is illustrated thus to illustrate that the chill cabinet may be sealed so as to permit glasses to be chilled as quickly as possible. The doors also prevent the glasses from warming should no doors be provided. 
     Referring to FIG. 7, a series of downwardly tilted trays  50  supported on angle support  62  provide for the storage of the trays of glasses within chill cabinet  10 . Here it can be seen that conveyors  64  are ganged together and driven in one embodiment by a motor  82  with drive chains  64  through the use of a shaft  84  that is coupled to sprockets  86  which drive the respective chains. Alternatively, the chains can be manually driven by a lever actuated ratcheting system  87 . Here it can be seen that the trays are inserted as illustrated by arrow  76 , with glasses being extracted as illustrated by arrow  80 . Door  26  is shown in its open position as illustrated by dotted outline  26 ′. Again, the motion of trays upwardly in the cabinet is illustrated by arrow  66 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 8, tray  50  may be provided with a number of independently rotatable rollers  52  with the rollers supported on pins or axles  90  which run transverse to the tray. 
     In one embodiment, the tray is provided with longitudinally dividing members  92  that separate each tray into three rows. It is noted that these dividers are for the purpose of organizing the glasses on the trays so that they may be extracted one at a time from a row. 
     With respect to the angled support  62  and referring now to FIG. 9, a portion  94  of chain  64  is illustrated. Here a pinion  96  that joins the individual links of the chain is provided with a bracket  98  having an aperture  100  therethrough. Angle support device  62  is provided with an aperture  102  through which a bolt is inserted so as to mount angled support  62  to the chain. Here the angled support is a unitary member having a horizontally running portion  104  and an upstanding portion  106 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 10, a braking system for rollers  52  is illustrated. As mentioned hereinbefore, it may become desirable to be able to brake the downward motion of the glasses and in order to do so, an electromagnetic break  110  is shown pivoted at  112  so that its upward motion as shown at  114  brakes the rollers against rotation. Here it can be seen that an actuator  116  drives the brake  110  in the upward direction upon actuation, with actuator being under the control of the control unit  118 . Note that brake  110  may include an elastomeric member. 
     Control unit  118  is coupled to a photocell  120  which is illuminated by a source  122 . Control unit  118  senses when there is the absence of a glass at the lowest position of tray  50 . Control unit  118  then causes actuator  116  to actuate brake  110  so as to prevent any further glasses from sliding down. A release  124  is coupled to control unit  118  to provide a controlled release of the glasses so glasses can slide down the inclined tray in a controlled fashion. Release  124  may be footswitch actuated or on a timer. 
     In this manner, collision of the glasses is controlled so that the glasses may be dispensed one at a time without the glasses crashing into each other. 
     What is therefore been provided is a convenient method and apparatus for chilling glasses such that glasses that are last into the chill cabinet are last out, thereby permitting the glasses to dwell within the chill cabinet a sufficient time to reach an optimum chill temperature. 
     Having now described a few embodiments of the invention, and some modifications and variations thereto, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the foregoing is merely illustrative and not limiting, having been presented by the way of example only. Numerous modifications and other embodiments are within the scope of one of ordinary skill in the art and are contemplated as falling within the scope of the invention as limited only by the appended claims and equivalents thereto.