US2279629A - Liquid cooling and display device - Google Patents

Description

April 14, 1942. T, MCCLANAHAN 2,279,629-

LIQUID COOLING AND DISPLAY DEVICE Filed Oct. 16, 1939 a Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 7740/1/15 GJVKCLAHAHHH April 14, 1942.

Filed Oct. 16, 1959 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 77/0M/15 6. MCmmqm4w ATTORNEY April 14, 1942. I; MCCLANAHAN 2,279,629

LIQUID COOLING AND DISPLAY EVICE Filed Oct. 16, 1939 3 Sl'ieets-Sheet 3 I INVENTOR 77/0MAs G. McCm vA/m/u ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 14, 1942 uni'reo stars eras-r caries LIQUKD COOLING AND DKSPLAY DEVICE Thomas G. McClanahan, Seattle, Wash. Application October 16, 1939, Serial No. 299,691

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in beverage cooling and dispensing means, and it has reference more particularly to a counter fixture of an ornamental and display type, designed for the cooling, displaying and dispensing of beer and which, in use, is interposed in the pipe connection between the source of supply of ,uncooled beer and the dispensing tap, and comprises a cooling compartment of such volume as to contain, at all times, a sufficient quantity that all beer dispensed therefrom will be cooled to the desired extent before reaching the dispensing tap.

More specifically stated, the present invention resides in the provision of a cylindrical, glass vessel, closed at its upper and lower ends in a manner whereby to withstand the usual liquid and gas pressure under which beer is kept, and in which vessel refrigerating coils are located for cooling the beer by direct contact therewith; there also being a tap for the dispensing of cooled beer, and an open pipe connection leading into the vessel from a source of supply for the automatic admission of beer into the vessel in accordance with any outflow incident to the opening of the tap.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a device of the kind above stated wherein beer or the like may be quickly cooled and from which it may be dispensed in its original solid state as delivered from the source of supply; that is, with the gas as originally occluded with the liquid.

It is also an object of this invention to provide for the admittance of beer into the upper is:

end of the vessel, from the supply pipes through a plurality of downwardly directed jets whereby to form a head on the beer displayed in the glass vessel, and to so direct some of these jets that the inside surface of the glass vessel through which contents of the vessel is viewed will be kept clean of bubbles or foam that would obstruct the view of the vessels contents, thus to enhance the display.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a beer displaying and cooling vessel so contails of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is an elevation of a beer cooling and dispensing device embodied by the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the device as seen on the line 2-2 in Figs. 1 and 3.

Fig. 3 is a central, vertical section of the device.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section, taken on the line 4-4 in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail of a part of the device.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic illustration of the system of connection between a source of sup ply of liquid and the present cooling device.

It will here be mentioned that while I havedescribed and illustrated the present device as being for the display and cooling of beer, it is not intended that it be limited to this particular beverage, since it is just as applicable for the display and cooling of many other beverages. Referring more in detail to the drawings-- In its preferred form of construction, the present device is made as a counter fixture for effective display of the beverage being served and cooled, and tl'lerefor e, it preferably would be.

made of an ornamental character. As shown best in Fig. 3, the cooling device comprises an annular, upper end plate ll] and a circular, lower end plate ll between which plates there is disposed a cylindric'al,.metallic housing or tube 12. This tube is located coaxially within a cylindrical glass housing is of greater diameter, thereby providing an annular space M between them, in which the beer to be cooled is'rece'ived. Outside the glass housing I3 are concentrically arranged glass cylinders 15 and it of such diameter as to provide successive insulating air spaces H and it outside of the beer containing cylinder l3, and all of these cylinders [2, I3, 15 and i6 are of the same length and at their upper and lower ends have liquid and gas-tight connection with the upper and lower end closure plates Hi and l I.

It will also be noted by reference to Fig. 3, that the upper and lower ends of the several cylindrical members l2, l3, l5 and it, rest, respectively, againstrubber gaskets l9 and 20, of rubber or other suitable material, which are disposed against the closure plates, and that a clamping rod 2!, located coaxially of the assembly, retains the parts in assembled relationship. The rod 21, in this instance, is threaded at its lower end into a boss 22 formed centrally on the lower end plate II, and extends at its upper end through the central hub portion 24 of a spider frame 24a that bears against the top plate H1. The upper end of this clamp rod is equipped with a nut l that may be tightened thereon to draw the plates l0 and I I tightly against the ends of the cylinders, thus to prevent any possible leakage of beer therefrom,

Closely encircling the metallic, cylindrical housing [2 is a cooling pipe coil 30 of close helically formed coils, which extend substantially the full length of the cylinder. Opposite ends of this pipe coil extend in a non-leaking manner through the tube wall and then downwardly through the lower end plate II, and connect, through horizontal passages in a boss 3| that is cast on the under side of plate H, with circulation pipes 32 and 33, as noted in. Fig. 2. These pipes connect with any suitable type of refrigeration system using a circulating liquid refrigerant and thus provide for the flow of cooling liquid through the pipe coils 30 for cooling the contents of the cylinder l3 by direct contact.

In order that the coils 30 will not detract from the ornamental appearance of the device, or leave the impression that they are coils in which beer is cooled, I prefer to enclose them in a thin stainless steel cylinder 35 which is formed with longitudinal slits, as at 36, to permit ready contact of the beer with the coils. The coils in this case are chromium plated for insuring protection.

The close contact of the cooling coils 30 with the metallic housing l2 and with the metallic cylinder or shell 35 insures an effective dissipation of heat from the'beverage to the cooling coils, resulting in a quicker and more efiicient cooling effect, and the longitudinal slotting of the cylinder which encloses the coils permits ready circulation of beverage about the coils.

Beer is dispensed from the vessel through a tap 40, which may be of the usual kind generally used and which is threaded into the boss 3| where it connects with a passage 4| Opening upwardly at its inner end through the plate ll into the cooling compartment l4.

Beer is supplied to the cooler through a pipe connection 45 leading from a source of supply under pressure, to a passage 46 in the boss 3|, with which passage a pipe 41 leads upwardly inside the cylinder or tube I2 and at its end is connected with a passage 48 in a boss 50 formed on the upper end of the cylinder 12, and extending to the inside of compartment l4." As seen in Fig. 4, two arcuate pieces of tubing 52 and 53, connect with this boss 50 and communicate with the passage therein to receive beer from the supply pipe 41, and they extend horizontally partially about the cylinder, as noted in Fig. 4. In these pipes are a plurality of outwardly and downwardly directed jet openings 55 through which the beer is discharged into the container, as observed best in Fig. 5.

There is also a gas vent valve 56 of suitable kind, applied to the upper end plate It), as observed in Fig. 3, to vent the beer receiving space when such is desired for any reason and also, there is a drain provided as is designated at 51 for the space enclosed by the center cylinder l2 permitting it to be used as an ice receptacle if such should be desired.

In using the device, assuming that the cooling coils are properly connected, with a refrigerant circulating system and that the beer supply pipes are connected as described. Beer will be admitted to the space l4 from its source of supply incident to opening the tap 40. The beer, as admitted, will mix with that already in the vessel and will be quickly cooled by reason of its mixing with cooled beer and its direct contact with the cooling coils 30. It is then ready at all times to be dispensed.

On opening the tap 40, the pressure exerted from the source of supply through pipe 41 causes the beer to be discharged, and as it discharges through the tap, the supply in the cooler will be replenished by a like amount of beer delivered through the pipe jets 55. This jet delivery of beer causes the formation of a head on the displayed beer and also, by reason of some of the jets being directed toward the glass walls of the vessel, will keep the glass clear of bubbles or foam that otherwise would obstruct the view of the inflowing beer and be detrimental to the display.

The insulating air spaces about the beer containing cylinder prevent outside temperatures from affecting the cooled beer, and the end walls of the container may be additionally insulated, if such is desired, such as by use of cork blocks as noted at 60 in Fig. 3 overlaying the end plates.

In Fig. 6, I have diagrammatically illustrated a preferred manner in which the present cooler may be connected with kegs of beer for continuous supply of fresh product. For this purpose the supply pipe 45 is attached to a Y valve 15 having the two connections 16 and 11 thereof connected in the usual way respectively to supply kegs l8 and I9 of beer by hose connections and 8|; Pressure of air or gas is supplied to the kegs in the usual manner as from the pressure tank 85. Assuming the valve 16 to be closed and the valve 11 open, then the supply is drawn from keg 19. As soon as this is empty, valve 11 is closed and valve '6 opened. Thus the stale beer in the cooler, which is the last from the depleted keg, will be charged and rejuvenated by the inflow from the fresh keg, and it is not necessary that all be used from the cooler, as supplied from one keg, before the fresh supply is connected.

It will be explained that the last gallon or half gallon of beer drawn from a keg is usually flat and in most cases is thrown away. In the use of this cooler, there is always a supply of cooled beer on hand in the vessel and when a keg is empty, there will be approximately a gallon of beer in the cooler, this is not drawn on until after the connection to the empty keg has been closed and the connection to the fresh keg opened, allowing the beer from the fresh keg to mix with that in the cooler to rejuvenate it and overcome the flat effect. Thus it is always possible to serve a fresh glass of beer.

To finish off the ornamental features of the device, a spun, or formed skirt 65 and top 66 of ornamental nature are applied about lower and upper ends of the device, as noted in Fig. 3 and legs 61 of an ornamental and suitable kind are attached to the base plate II. Also, a plate or apron 68 is applied to the base, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, to overlie'the pipe connectionsand add ornamentation to the device.

The device, as above described and as illustrated, is not only a very effective cooler for beer, but also is of 'an ornamental character and very attractively displays the'cooled beer. In use, the beer will be dispensed in its solid form from the tap, and with the same occlusion of gas as in the usual manner of dispensing beer.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new therein and Letters Patent is- 1. A liquid cooling and dispensing device comprising a central cylindrical housing and a series of spaced, cylindrical glass vessels of different diameters concentrically arranged about the said central housing and forming an annular, cylindrical liquid-tight compartment adjacent the inner hOuSing, and a succession of insulating air compartments surrounding the said liquid compartment, a series of cooling coils for a circulated refrigerant formed about the inner housing for cooling its contents by direct contact, an open supply pipe leading from a source of supply of liquid under pressure into the upper end of the liquid compartment to maintain the vessel substantially full and a dispensing tap connected with the lower end of the liquid compartment; said supply pipe connecting in the compartment with horizontally disposed delivery tables each desire to secure by equipped with a plurality of downwardly directed jets through which the entering liquid will be discharged into that liquid contained in the vessel incident to any being withdrawn through the tap to form a head thereon.

2. A beverage cooling and dispensing means comprising a liquid-tight outer vessel with transparent display walls and a sealed tubular metallic housing disposed in the vessel setting off a space thereabout for the confining of the beverage, an open pipe leading into the annular space from a source of supply of beverage under pressure, a dispensing tap for the vessel and a cooling coil for a circulated refrigerant closely surrounding the metallic housing, and a metallic shell closely enclosing the coil and formed with slots for the circulation of the beverage therethroughand about the coils.

THOMAS G. MCCLANAHAN.

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