GB2124184A

GB2124184A - Dispensing of draught beverages

Info

Publication number: GB2124184A
Application number: GB08312893A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Maurice Anthony Jones
Original assignee: * A G
Current assignee: * A G
Priority date: 1982-05-11
Filing date: 1983-05-11
Publication date: 1984-02-15
Also published as: GB8312893D0

Abstract

A dispensing head for beverages, comprising a housing (1) having an inlet (2) for connection to a supply, an outlet (6), and flow guide means (4, 9, 10) within said housing defining a plurality of restricted orifices (7, 13, 14) through which at least a substantial part of the beverage flow is constrained to pass between the inlet and the outlet, so that the beverage is agitated within the housing before reaching the outlet. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Dispensing of draught beverages This invention relates to the dispensing of draught beverages, particularly but not exclusively beer and the like.

It is a particular requirement of consumers in some localities that a glass of draught beer should have a head of a tight, creamy appearance which remains on the beer as it is drunk.

This has been achieved by dispensing the beer into the glass in the form of one or more narrow jets, by forcing it through one or more restricted orifices in a dispensing head, thus bringing about a large amount of agitation which creates the foam to make the desired form of head as the glass is filled. Howver this manner of dispensing has the disadvantage that a substantial quantity of beer overflows from the glass during filling, because a large amount of uncontrolled foam is created externally of the dispensing head. The quantity of such overflow makes it unacceptable that it should be wasted and a mechanism is therefore provided for recycling the overflow back into the delivery line.Such a procedure is clearly undesirable from the point of view of hygiene, but it poses the problem of how to create the desired head on the beer whilst avoiding the amount of overflow which makes the recycling procedure necessary.

According to the present invention there is provided a dispensing head for beverages, comprising a housing having an inlet for connection to a supply, an outlet, and flow guide means within said housing defining a plurality of restricted orifices through which at least a substantial part of the beverage flow is constrained to pass between the inlet and the outlet, so that the beverage is agitated within the housing before reaching the outlet.

With such an arrangement at least a major part of the desired agitation is effected within the dispensing head housing, rather than externally as in the past, and thus the relatively uncontrolled foaming which previously caused overflow is greatly reduced, certainly to an extent which makes the resulting wastage commercially acceptable and a recycling procedure therefore no longer necessary.

Preferably at least one of the said restricted orifices is of adjustable size, to enable the operation of the dispensing head to be adjusted in use. Such an adjustable orifice may be an annular orifice defined internally between the outlet end of a tubular body of the said housing and an outlet cap screw-threadedly mounted thereon, thereby being adjustable by screwing the said outlet cap in or out.

Preferably the said outlet cap is substantially cup-shaped having a cylindrical internally screw-threaded side wall, and an end wall formed with an internal central boss which cooperates with the said outlet end of the tubular body to define said annular orifice.

In one form of the invention the said flow guide means includes a tubular element loosely received in the said housing substan tially coaxially thereof, with an open end facing the housing inlet and a closed end facing the outlet, said restricted orifices being formed in the wall of said tubular element.

In another form of the invention a plurality of circumferentially spaced outlet orifices are formed in the said side wall of the outlet cap, and the said flow guide means includes the outlet end region of the said tubular body of the housing and the said restricted orifices are radial slots cut into the outlet end face thereof at substantially the same level as said outlet orifices, whereby flow paths are defined be tween said restricted orifices and said outlet orifices along the interengaged screw threads of the said body and outlet cap.

Two embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first embodiment of a dispensing head ac cording to the invention; Figure 2 is an axial cross-sectional view of the assembled head; and Figures 3 and 4 are similar views of a second embodiment.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, a dispens ing head particular for dispensing draught beer comprises a tubular housing body 1 'internally screw-threaded at its inlet end 2 for connection to a source of supply, e.g. an outlet 3 from a hand-operated beer engine, and externally screw-threaded at its outlet end 4 to receive a cup-like outlet cap 5 formed with two arcuate outlet orifices 6 in its end wall.

An annular restricted orifice 7 of adjustable size is defined between the outlet end 4 of the housing body 1 and a central internal boss 8 of the outlet cap 5, being adjustable for optimum operation of the dispenser by screw ing the outlet cap in or out and securing it by means of a locking ring 9.

Flow guide means within the housing body 1 comprises a tubular element 10 closed at one end 11 and loosely received in the hous ing body so that an annular flow passage 1 2 is defined therebetween. Rings of restricted orifices are formed in the side and end walls of the element, the orifices 1 3 in and adjacent the end wall 11 being approximately 1.0 mm in diameter and the other orifices 14 approxi mately 0.5 mm in diameter. It will be under stood that the flow guide element 10 rests on and is supported by the boss 8 of the outlet cap, in operation.

In use of the dispenser of Figs. 1 and 2, beverage supplied thereto under pressure passes through and around the orifices 1 3 and 14 and then through the annular orifice 7 before exiting through outlet orifices 6. The agitation of the beverage that is thereby effected internally of the dispenser is sufficient to create the desired head in the glass.

In the embodiment of Figs. 3 and 4, in which like parts are given the same reference numerals as in Figs. 1 and 2, the flow guide element 10 is omitted. Instead, the outlet end region 4 of the housing body 1 acts as flow guide means and is formed with a ring of six equally circumferentially spaced radial slots 15 approximately 0.5 mm in width, while the outlet cap 1 6 is formed with a ring of six outlet orifices 1 7 approximately 1.0 mm in diameter which when the outlet cap is in its intended position are at substantially the same level as, but preferably not radially aligned with, the slots 1 5. Beverage is thus forced first through the adjustable annular restricted orifice 7, then through the slots 15, and then along the threads between the outlet cap and the body to the outlet orifices 17, thereby being sufficiently agitated internally of the dispenser to form the desired head in the glass.

As may be seen from Fig. 4, the outlet end face 1 8 of the body 1 is concave, while the slots 1 5 are angled outwardly away from the said face. The outlet orifices 1 7 are angled downwardly and laterally.

Claims

1. A dispensing head for beverages, comprising a housing having an inlet for connection to a supply, an outlet, and flow guide means within said housing defining a plurality of restricted orifices through which at least a substantial part of the beverage flow is constrained to pass between the inlet and the outlet, so that the beverage is agitated within the housing before reaching the outlet.

2. A dispensing head as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of said restricted orifices is of adjustable size.

3. A dispensing head as claimed in claim 2, wherein said adjustable orifice is an annular orifice defined internally between the outlet end of a tubular body of the said housing and an outlet cap screw-threadedly mounted thereon.

4. A dispensing head as claimed in claim 3, wherein the said outlet cap is substantially cup-shaped having a cylindrical internally screw-threaded side wall, and an end wall formed with an internal central boss which cooperates with the said outlet end of the tubular body to define said annular orifice.

5. A dispensing head as claimed in claim 4, wherein at least one outlet orifice is formed in the said end wall of the outlet cap.

6. A dispensing head as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least two said outlet orifices of arcuate shape and equal radius are formed in said outlet cap end wall, radially outwardly of said internal central boss.

7. A dispensing head as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein said flow guide means includes a tubular element loosely received in the said housing substantially coaxially thereof, with an open end facing the housing inlet and a closed end facing the outlet, said restricted orifices being formed in the wall of said tubular element.

8. A dispensing head as claimed in claim 7, wherein said restricted orifices are formed in both the side wall and the end wall of said tubular element.

9. A dispensing head as claimed in claim 8, wherein said restricted orifices formed in and adjacent the said end wall are larger than ones formed in the side wall remote from the end wall.

10. A dispensing head as claimed in claim 4, wherein a plurality of circumferentially spaced outlet orifices are formed in the said side wall of the outlet cap.

11. A dispensing head as claimed in claim 10, wherein said flow guide means includes the outlet end region of the said tubular body of the housing and the said restricted orifices are radial slots cut into the outlet end face thereof at substantially the same level as said outlet orifices, whereby flow paths are defined between said restricted orifices and said outlet orifices along the interengaged screw threads of the said body and outlet cap.

1 2. A dispensing head as claimed in claim 11, wherein the said slots are angled outwardly away from the said outlet end face.

1 3. A dispensing head as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein the said outlet end face is concave.

14. A dispensing head as claimed in any of claims 10 to 13, wherein the said outlet orifices are inclined downwardly and laterally in the outward direction.

1 5. A dispensing head substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs.

1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

16. A dispensing head substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs.

3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.