US2199503A - Beer cooling system and apparatus - Google Patents

Description

May 7, 1940. v M. A. MARTIN 2,199,5

BEER COOLING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS I I Fild Dc. 11, 1937 2 Sheets-Sh'et 1 Z- r INVENTOR j M/CHAEL AMART/N BY y I HISATTORNEY.

May 7, 1940. M. MARTIN 9503 BEER COOLING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS Filed Dec. 11, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENT OR.

I MICHAEL A. MART/N BY i w Patented May 7, 1940 UNITED STATES 2,199,503 BEER COOLING -SYSTEM AND APPARATUS Michael A, Martin, Erie, Pa.

' Application December 11, 1937, Serial No. 179,247-

9 Claims. (01, 225-40) This invention relates to beverage cooling systems and apparatus, and more particularly to means for jointly cooling a beverage dispenser and a beverage container stored at a point remote from the dispenser by a single unit.

Prior beverage cooling systems with whichl'. am familiar have commonly cooled the beverage dispenser by an evaporator mounted therein and have maintained the beverage containers cool 10 by disposing them in a cold room whichis independently cooled. The cold room or storage room is usually relatively large to accommodate the person handling the containers, resulting in considerable space to be maintained cool and which is relatively expensive. Also, the provision of two independent systems results not only in considerable operating expense but in high original cost of equipment and of installation.

The storage or cold room, although cool, is of a higher temperature than the proper consumption temperature of the beer since the cost of maintaining such a room at a desired temperature, such as 40", would be excessive, the beer is thus required to be rapidly lowered in temperature upon reaching the dispenser, and before withdrawal and under peak conditionswarm beer is frequently drawn. In transmitting the beer from the storage room to the dispenser, the /beensupply line usually passesthrough a relatively warm zone, such as the tap room, and although the line is usually heat insulated, the beer is usually raised somewhat in temperature. I have devised a system for cooling beverages wherein a relatively small, storage compartment may be provided and the evaporator unit is eliminated in the dispenser permitting a larger amount of cooling. liquid to be used in a given size dispenser. Both the dispenser and the storage unit are cooled by a single means and the pipes supplying beer or the like to the dispenser are immersed in cooling liquid from the storage cabinet to the dispenser. A reservoirof cooling liquid is maintained at a temperature normally substantially lower than the cooling liquid in the dispenser and this arrangement together with the low temperature of the beverage containers in the storage compartment and the additional pre cooling of the beer prior to reaching the dispenser, permits the capacity of a given size dispenser under peak conditions to be considerably increased while maintaining the beer within desired temperature limits.

It is an object of my invention therefore to provide an improved system and apparatus for .55 cooling beverages such as beer.

Another object of my invention is to provide a cooling system for stored beverage containers.

- and for the beverage dispenser which is relatively compact and economical in operation.

Another object of my invention is to provide 5 an improved cooling system for beer containers in a storage room, a dispenser, and supply line from the container to the dispenser, wherein. the

capacity of a given." size dispenser to cool beer under peak conditions is materially increased. 10

Other 'objects of my invention and the inventionitself will be increasingly apparent from a consideration of the following description of drawings wherein: v

Fig. '1 is a diagrammatic view of a beer cool- 15 ingsystemr andfapparatus embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section along the line 2- 2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a view similarjto Fig. 2 showing a 20 modified form of cooling unit, and

Fig 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section showing a connection I may employ. I Referring now to: the drawings, and particularly to Fig. 1, I have indicated generally at 10 25 a beer or similar beverage dispenser which comprises a box having heat insulated walls and pro-' vided with connections H for the usual taps or faucets. The dispenser is adapted to be filled to a level such as l2, with a cooling liquid, preier- 30 ably water, although-any suitable brine or similar solution be used. The dispenser is disposed in a tap room or-the like and may be supported in any desired manner as by standards 13 resting on the floor M of the tap room. 35

A storage room for beverage containers or beer barrels is usually provided adjacent the tap room and in this instance is illustrated as being heneath the tap room, although the particular location of the storage room relative to the tap, 40 room is immaterial other than permitting beer supply lines and cooling liquid supply lines to be run. therebetween. Disposed in the storage room is a cabinet generally indicated at I5, preferably provided with heat insulated Walls, the cabinet 45 being generally of box form and having a superposed relatively small inverted box-form compartment I6 associated'therewith. The cabinet is provided with hinged side walls l1 permitting beer barrels l8 to be inserted in and removed 60 from the cabinet, although the particular manner of placing the beer containers within the cabinet constitutes no essential part of my invention.

The barrels 18 are provided with the usual 56 tap rods |9 detachably connected to preferably flexible supply lines 26 which in turn connect with copper or the like lines 2| extended upwardly through a conduit 22 to connect with the tap or faucet connections II. It will be understood that upon manipulation of the faucets that beer under pressure will be forced upwardly and drawn in the usual manner. The conduit 22 preferably has heat insulated walls and is projected through the tap room floor |4 to open upwardly into the base of the dispenser Ill. The lower end of the conduit 22 is closedand preferably extends below compartment l6. Cooling unit 23 as best illustrated in Fig. 2, comprises a closed, preferably cylindrical tank 24, having an evaporator. 25 therein, which may comprise a plurality of coils through which refrigerant fluid may be transmitted from a conventional compressor condensor unit (not shown). The particular shape of tank 24 or arrangement of evaporator 25 constitutes no essential part of my invention and I contemplate that cold water or brine maintained at a predetermined low temperature may be forced through the coils as the refrigerant-medium rather than ammonia or like compressible fluid. The lower end of conduit 22 comprises an enlarged head 26 through which the supply lines 2| for the beverage are projected and a suitable sealing arrangement is provided preventing leakage of cooling liquid, preferably comprising a coupling element 21 threadingly engaging head 26 and aboupling element 28 threadinglyconnected to element 2'! with a rubber or the like washer 29 clamped therebetween and-compressingly engaging the supply line 2|.

A connection 30 extends from the head 25 to the base of tank 24 whereby cooling liquid may be drawn into the tank from conduit 22 and withdrawn by a connection 3| preferably to a chamber 32 having an impeller 33 therein operable by an electric motor 34. A line 35 from chamber 32 is projected through head 26 and extends upwardly to terminate in the dispenser in an open end 36.

The connection 30 preferably terminates adjacent one end of tank 24 and connection 3| adjacent the opposite tank end to'insure that warm liquid entering the tank will traverse the entire length of the evaporator 25 prior to leaving the tank.

It will be noted by reference to Fig.'2 that tank 24 is spaced from each end of compartment l6 and baflle plates 40 are secured adjacent the lower portion of compartment l6 and convergedownwardly to extend beneath tank 24. The baflle plates are preferably bent to form troughs 4| to receive any moisture dropped from'the surface of tank 24. The bafiie plates are preferably substantially co-extensive with tank 24 longitudinally. A second set of baffle plates 42 are secured to the base of tank 24 and diverge downwardly to deflect any condensation from tank 24 into troughs 4| which are inclined to drain to a convenient point.

Referring now to Fig. 3, I have shown a modified form of cooling unit similar to that illustrated in Fig. 2 but wherein the coils of the evaporator 25 are disposed externally of tank 24 and the cooling liquid internally of the tank is cooled by conduction through the tank walls. Inasmuch as the tank walls are formed of high heat conduction material the cooling liquid and air in cabinet may be properly cooled by employing either type cooling unit.

The operation of the system will now be described. The dispenser l0. together with the tank 24 and the interconnecting conduits will be filled with cooling liquid which will be cooled by the evaporator 25 and the compressor unit of the refrigerant system may be made operably responsive to the temperature of any desired part of the cooling system, although for convenience I have shown the compressor as being responsive to the temperature of cooling liquid in tank 24 through the provision of a thermostatically operable switch 50'. Also, the compressor may be operably responsive to the pressure'of refrigerant fluid in the line by the use of a conventional pressure responsive switch. The motor 34 maybe oper- 1'. ably responsive to actuate impeller 33 either to the temperature within the cabinet l5 or the beverage temperature or the temperature of the cooling liquid in the dispenser. A similar switch 53 may be employed for this purpose. At a pre-determined high temperature motor 34 will be actuated and cooling liquid will be pumped from tank 24 "through connection 3| and chamber 32 to line 35 and through opening 36 into the dispenser. The relatively warm cooling liquid in the disnenser will be withdrawn downwardly through conduit 22 to head 26 and then through connection 3llinto the tank. 4 It will be noted that tank 24 has the ends thereof substantially spaced from the end walls of compartment l6 whereby relatively warm air may flow upwardly to contact in troughs 4|, the troughs may be provided with,

any suitable drainage means.

Thus, the beer is initially maintained cool in the barrels or containers l8 and the lines 20 are maintained at the temperature of the cabinet l5 and the lines 2| at the temperature of the cooling liquid transversing conduit 22, so that a considerable length of the beer supply line is pre-cooled substantially to the dispenser temperature prior to entering the dispenser. Due to its considerable travel, the beer may be properly cooled despite rapid withdrawal under peak conditions and which result could not be effected in a conventional dispenser wherein a relatively short travel from the base of the dispenser to the connection I is effected through the cooling liquid. The cooling unit not only cools the beer supply line and the dispenser, but maintains the storage cabinet cool. Due. to the relatively small size of the cabinet, a heatexchange energy is required and considerable saving of space is effected as compared to the conventional large storage room. Also, only conduit 22 need be heat insulated since the beer supply lines and the cooling liquid line 2| are disposed within conduit 22.

For purpose of illustration I have shown the cabinet disposed in a separate room from the tap room but it is understood that my invention is equally applicable when the cabinet is disposed in the same room as the dispenser and in that instance I may prefer that the conduit 22 project a point remote from the dispenser, a beverage container in the storage cabinet having a beverage supply line associated therewith for supplying beverage to the dispenser, a cooling apparatus for the dispenser and storage cabinet comprising a tank disposed within the storage cabinet adapted to contain cooling liquid, heat exchange means associated with the tank to maintain the cooling liquid below a pre-determined temperature, the tank being formed of heat conducting material whereby air in the storage room may be cooled by contact therewith, a relatively large heat insulated conduit inter-connecting the tank and dispenser and having the beverage supply line projected therethrough, a small conduit inter-connecting the tank and dispenser and.

projected through the large conduit, pump means associated with the conduits whereby cooling liquid from the tank may be forced through the small conduit to the dispenser and returned to the tank through the large conduit, the tank being disposed adjacent the cabinet top and spaced from the walls thereof whereby warm air may pass upwardly to contact the tank, and baflle means spaced from opposite walls of the cabinet whereby warm air may flow upwardly intermediate said walls and bafiie means over the tank and downwardly. between said baflle means retarding the downward passage of air and directing the air into contact'with the tank.

2. In combination a beverage'dispenser adapted to contain a substantial amount of cooling liquid, a storage cabinet at a point remote from the dispenser, a beverage container in the storage cabinet having a beverage supply line associated therewith for supplying beverage to the dispenser, a cooling apparatus for the dispenser and storage cabinet comprising a tank disposed within the storage cabinet adapted to contain cooling liquid,

heat exchange means associated with the tank to maintain the cooling liquid below a pre-determined temperature,-the tank being formed of heat conducting material whereby air in the storage room may be cooled by contact therewith,

conduit means interconnecting the tank and dispenser for transmitting cooling liquid therebetween, the tank being disposed adjacent the cabinet top and spaced from the cabinet side walls whereby warm air may pass upwardly to contact the tank, and ballle means spaced from opposite walls of the cabinet whereby warm air may pass between said walls and the bafiie means over the tank, and the bailie means retarding downward passage of air causing the air to follow a tortuous path prior to being returned to tion of thercabinet.

3. The combination as L cribed in claim 2 and wherein the baille means are formed to receive condensed liquid from the tank surface and direct said liquid to a drainage outlet.

4. The combination as described in claim 2 and wherein the bafile' means comprises a pair of plates diverging downwardly from the tank, and

the lower pora. second pair of plates secured to opposite side walls of the cabinet and converging downwardly in spaced relation beneath the first said pair of plates.

- 5. The combination of a heat insulated cabinet, a tank adapted to contain cooling liquid supported adjacent the cabinet top and in spaced relation to the cabinet side walls, heat exchange means associated with the tank for maintaining the cooling liquid therein below a predetermined temperature, longitudinally extending plate means beneath the tank spaced from'the cabinet end walls permitting upwardly flowing warm air to pass between the ends of the cabinet and the plate means over the tank, a relatively large heat insulated cooling liquid conduit extended from the tank through a wall of the cabinet, at second cooling liquid conduit disposed within the-large conduit and connected with the tank whereby both conduits may be connected with cooling ap-- paratus disposed externally of the cabinet to form a closed cooling liquid circuit, and a beverage supply line extending from within the cabinet through the large conduit adapted to be connected to the cooling apparatus.

6. The combination of a beverage dispenser adapted to contain a substantial amount of cooling liquid, a storage cabinet at a point remote from the dispenser, a beverage container in the storage cabinet having a beverage supply line associated therewith for supplying beverage to the dispenser, a cooling apparatus for the dispenser and storage cabinet comprising a tank disposed within the storage cabinet and adapted to contain cooling liquid, heat exchange means associated with the tank to maintain the cooling liquid below a predetermined temperature, the tank being formed of heat-conducting material whereby air in ti e storage cabinet may be cooled by contact ,therewith, a relatively large heat-insulated conduit interconnecting the tank and dispenser having the beverage supply line projected there- .through,- a small conduit interconnecting the tank and dispenser projected through the large conduit, pump means for circulating cooling liquid from the tank through said conduits and the dispenser responsive to the heat exchange between beverage and the cooling liquid, and the beverage supply line being immersed in cooling liquid from the cabinet to thedispenser to effect a heat exchange therebetween during travel of beverage from the cabinet to the dispenser.

7. The combination of a beverage storage cabinet, a dispenser, a beverage container within the cabinet, a relatively large conduit projected through a wall of the cabinet having a closed end within the cabinet, a tank within the cabinet adapted to contain cooling liqu'id, heat exchange means associated with tank to maintain the cooling liquid below a predetermined temperature, a beverage supply line extending from the beverage container and projected through the large conduit, a connection extending from the conduit to the tank, a second conduit enclosed by the large conduit, and pump means for circulating cooling liquid from the tank through said conduits and the dispenser responsive to the, heat exchange between beverage and cooling liquid, and each of said connections terminating within the tank adjacent opposite ends of the tank whereby cooling liquid drawn from one connection will traverse the major portion of the tank length prior to entering the other connection,

8. The combination of a beverage dispenser adapted to contain a substantial amount of cooling liquid, a heat-insulated storage cabinet adapted to receive a beverage container, a tank within the cabinet adapted to contain cooling liquid, heat exchange means associated with the tank to maintain the cooling liquid below a predetermined temperature, the tank being formed of a heat-conducting material whereby air in the storage room may be cooled by contact therewith, guide means forming with portions of the cabinet a passage through which air may be directed to contact the tank, cooling liquid supply and return conduits interconnecting the: tank and the dispenser and forming therewith a closed cooling liquid circuit, a beverage supply line extending from the container to the dispenser and extended through one of said conduits for a substantial distance whereby the beverage supply line may be immersed in cooling liquid prior to entering the dispenser, and an intermittently operable pump means for effecting circulation through the cooling liquid circuit.

9. The combination of a beverage dispenser adapted to contain a substantial amount of cooling liquid, a storage cabinet remote from the dispenser adapted to receive a beverage container, a cooling apparatus for the dispenser and storage cabinet comprising a tank disposed within the storage cabinet adapted to'contain cooling liquid, heat exchange means associated with the tank to maintain the cooling liquid below a pre-determined temperature, the tank being formed of heat-conducting material whereby air in the storage room may be cooled by contact therewith, a relatively large heat-insulated conduit inter-connecting the tank and the dispenser adapted to have a beverage supply line projected therethrough, a small conduit connecting the tank and the dispenser and projected through the large conduit, pump means for circulating cooling liquid through said conduits and the dispenser responsive to the heat exchange between the beverage and the cooling liquid, and the beverage supply line being adapted to be immersed in cooling liquid from the cabinet to the dispenser to efiect a heat exchange therebetween during travel of beverage from the cabinet to the dispenser. MICHAEL A. MARTIN.

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