Abstract:
The beverage cooler includes a vessel for a coolant such as ice water or a conventional refrigerant such as glycol or Freon. A coil is mounted in the interior of the vessel and has an inlet through which a beverage from an external source, separate and apart from the cooler enters the coil. A drain located above the coil carries off excess coolant. A tap at the outlet of the coil controls the flow of the beverage from the coil.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates to coolers for beverages and more particularly to a cooler which requires no external source of power to operate, is portable and is relatively simple of construction. The cooler is particularly suitable for refrigerating beer but is also useful for refrigerating other carbonated beverages such as ginger ale, cola and the like.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Beverage coolers are widely used in such places as bars, restaurants and offices. Such coolers commonly consist of a receptacle for a beverage and refrigerating means which is operated by electricity or natural gas. The coolers are generally quite heavy because of the weight of the refrigerating means and the beverage receptacle and for that reason are not portable. They are also, of course, not suitable for use where there is not a source of power such as on a patio, beside a swimming pool or in the out-of-doors.  
           [0003]    We have invented a cooler which is self-sufficient so that it can be used where there is no source of power. The cooler is portable because it is compact and is relatively light of weight. Lightness is achieved by the elimination of the conventional refrigerating machinery and by the elimination of a receptacle for a beverage.  
           [0004]    According to one embodiment of the invention cooling is carried out by ice which is added as needed but is removed when the cooler is being transported. The beverage which the cooler refrigerates remains in its original container and is only within the cooler when it is actually being refrigerated. Only a relatively small quantity of beverage is refrigerated at a time and such quantity adds relatively little to the overall weight of the cooler If, for example, the beverage is beer, the beer remains in its keg until it is ready for consumption. At that time, the keg is connected to the cooler and the beer flows through the cooler to a tap. As the beer flows through the cooler it is refrigerated but should the flow be interrupted, relatively little beer remains in the cooler and such beer adds relatively little to the overall weight of the cooler.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    Briefly the beverage cooler of our invention comprises: a vessel for a coolant; a cooling tube disposed within the vessel and through which a beverage to be cooled is adapted to flow, a drain for carrying off excess coolant above the cooling tube; and a tap in liquid-flow communication with the tube from which beverage discharges from the cooler. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]    The beverage cooler of our invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is an elevation of the cooler, partly cut away to show the interior of the various components;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is a plan view of a second embodiment of the cooler;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is an elevation of the second embodiment, illustrated schematically; and  
         [0010]    [0010]FIGS. 4 and 5 are elevations of third and fourth embodiments, respectively, of the cooler illustrated schematically. 
     
    
       [0011]    Like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the description of the drawings.  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0012]    With reference to FIG. 1, the beverage cooler of the invention, generally  10 , includes a vessel  12  and a hose  14 . The hose extends vertically upwardly from the vessel and terminates at a tap  16 . Handle  17  opens and closes the tap in the usual manner.  
         [0013]    The vessel has a cylindrical inner wall  18  disposed about a vertical longitudinal axis  20 - 20 . The vessel contains a coolant or refrigerant which preferably is ice cubes floating in water.  
         [0014]    A cooling tube  32  wound into a coil is mounted within the vessel. The coil is disposed concentrically about axis  20 - 20 . A beverage to be cooled by the ice flows through an inlet (not illustrated) at the lower end  34  of the coil, through the coil where it is cooled primarily by the ice-cooled water and exits from an outlet  36  at the upper end of the coil. The outlet is connected to the lower end of hose  14  while the upper end of the hose is connected to tap  16 .  
         [0015]    Beverage which discharges from the tap flows downward into a tumbler or other receptacle (not illustrated) on a drip tray  40 . The drip tray is seated on top of the vessel and is, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, removable so that fresh ice and water can be added to the vessel from the top.  
         [0016]    Overflow from the beer glass or other receptacle flows onto the drip tray and from there flows into a discharge conduit  42  disposed centrally of the tray. The conduit extends into a drain  44  which is disposed concentrically about axis  20 - 20 . The drain extends downwardly through the vessel and through an opening  46  in the bottom wall  48  of the vessel where the overflow is disposed of.  
         [0017]    In operation, the drip tray is removed to gain access to the interior of the vessel. Ice cubes are then added until their level reaches line  50 . Water is then added to raise the level of ice to line  54 . Excess water flows into aperture  52  in drain  44  should the vessel be over-filled.  
         [0018]    A beverage, under pressure, is then introduced into the inlet of the coil. Since the vessel is substantially full of ice, cooling of the beverage will begin as soon as it enters the coil at the bottom of the vessel. The coil is composed of conducting material such as stainless steel, copper or a heat-conducting polymer and the wall of the vessel is insulated to minimize the inward transfer of heat from outside the vessel. The cooled beverage then flows upwardly through hose  14  and discharges from the tap when it is opened by handle  17 . The beverage flows into a tumbler or other like receptacle container which is seated on the drip tray.  
         [0019]    Should the tumbler be overfilled, the excess beverage will spill onto the drip tray and exit downwardly through discharge conduit  42  and into drain  44  where it exits from the vessel.  
         [0020]    With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, cooler, generally  60 , is mounted on a keg  62  of beer. When handle  63  is opened, beer flows through the tube to coil  66  where it is cooled by ice in the interior of the vessel. The coils are spaced concentrically inward of the interior wall  70  of the vessel so that the coils are surrounded by the coolant. A drain  72  serves to remove excess water from the vessel.  
         [0021]    Beer flows from the coil to a tap  74  which is at the side of the vessel. In the embodiment illustrated, there is no drip tray. Excess beer from the tap discharges outside the cooler; there is no provision for directing it to a drain within the cooler.  
         [0022]    With reference to FIG. 4, cooling of the refrigerant occurs outside the vessel. The coolant can be a conventional coolant such as glycol, Freon or even water and can be gaseous or liquid depending on its temperature of condensation. The refrigerant is cooled by conventional means which is not part of this invention. The refrigerant is introduced under pressure through a nozzle  80  at the bottom wall of vessel  82 .  
         [0023]    The contents of the vessel of FIG. 4 are sealed from the atmosphere. The refrigerant fills the space within the vessel and a conduit  84  is provided for draining off excess refrigerant. Since the conduit carries only refrigerant, the excess can be recycled to the apparatus for further cooling of the refrigerant.  
         [0024]    The top of drip tray  86  is sealed so that no refrigerant can escape from the top of the vessel. A coil  88  is provided for the beverage. The beverage flows from the coil to a tap (not illustrated). Excess beverage on the drip tray flows to a drain  92  at the side of the tray.  
         [0025]    The cooler of FIG. 5 is the same as that illustrated in FIG. 4 except that the contents of the vessel are not sealed from the atmosphere. Drip tray  88  can be removed to gain access to the contents of the vessel and the drip tray can be provided with a discharge conduit at its side such as at  92  to remove excess beverage on the drip tray.  
         [0026]    It will be understood of course that modifications can be made in the beverage cooler described and illustrated herein without departing from the scope and purview of the invention as defined in the appended claims.