Manufacturing process of columns in plastic material, particularly for liquid tapping devices

Abstract

 The invention concerns a column for liquid tapping systems and a process for its execution. The column comprises a hollow body, at least one conduit inserted longitudinally in the column body for the transit of at least a liquid to be delivered, and eventual forward and return pipes for a cooling fluid in said column body around said conduit. The column body (11) is made of a plastic material, in particular a polyester resin, and incorporates a metal or plastic tubular core (32), which defines a longitudinal cavity (12) in the column body and that is joined to a first insert (33) configured to form the base union in the base portion of the column body and a second insert (34) configured to form the union or head fitting of the column body.

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] This invention concerns in general the tapping systems and delivery of liquids, in particular drinks, and refers in particular to a process for the construction of a column using a plastic material of the type used with said tapping systems.

[0002] The invention also regards a column achieved by this process.

State of the Technique

[0003] Usually these types of column and their use for the abovementioned purpose have a hollow body in which is inserted at least a conduit for the delivery of a least one liquid starting from its base, where the fixing means on a plane are provided, towards at least one of its branches or upper end, that is its head, where a coupling or connection member is provided for at least a tap or valve to control the flowing of the liquid from or through each conduit. The or each conduit can be covered by an insulating sheath or inside the column body a liquid can be made to circulate to cool the liquid gradually delivered through a conductive cooling system or a so-called "inundation" system.

[0004] Up to now these columns have been made starting either from a tubular element or by metal stamping and then finishing the surfaces of then item by nickel-plating, chromium plating, gilding or the like. Columns using plastic materials have also been proposed and made by moulding and then finishing their surfaces by painting or possibly by metalizing process, which, however, result with a limited resistance to abrasion.

Objects and Summary of the Invention

[0005] Starting from the above preliminary remarks, one of the objects of this invention is to provide a procedure for the construction of a column for tapping liquid systems, effected by using a given plastic material and which, thanks to the material used, it can undergo galvanic treatments of the surfaces and turn out to be comparable by configuration, looks, physical characteristics and resistance to abrasion to the more traditional metal column.

[0006] A further object of the invention is to be able to dispose of a column for the abovementioned use which, even though it is made out of a plastic material incorporates, already during the moulding, some metal components to link up reliably to the members for its placing into position and its effective use, plus the additional advantages of a safe heat insulation of the column towards to outside, especially when it is equipped with a cooling system either inundation or conductive, and to be able to make columns even with complex, provide by variably thick and undercut shapes, without requiring earthing.

[0007] These objects are reached, according to the invention, with a column for tapping liquid systems having a plastic material body, in particular a polyester resin material, incorporating a metal or plastic tubular core with at least a base union and a union or head coupling, said column being made using a process according to claim 7, and having a finished surface with a metal coating, in particular by means of copper plating or by either a nickel-plating, a chromium plating, a gilt-plating or the like or by the deposit of a metal under a vacuum (mdv) process.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0008] The invention will however be illustrated in greater detail in the following description made with reference to the attached indicative and not limiting drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a partial section of, an example of a finished column complete of a conduit to deliver the liquid and an inundation cooling system;

Fig. 2 shows the view of a model or start matrix;

Fig. 3 shows a view of the tubular core to be incorporated in the column body to be achieved;

Fig. 4 shows the model enclosed in a shell;

Fig. 5 shows the mould for the moulding of the column body;

Fig. 6 shows the mould when open to receive the shell and core;

Fig. 7 shows the step of repositioning of the shell in the mould and enclosed on the core;

Fig. 8 shows the extraction step of the resin body from the shell following hardening;

Fig. 9 shows the body obtained with separate terminal appendixes;

Fig. 10 shows the finished column body; and

Figs. 11 and 12 show respectively a blow-up and a cross section views of a coupling to be associated with the column to be mounted to function.

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0009] In said drawings, 10 globally indicates a column that comprises a column body 11 with a longitudinal cavity 12 and with a portion of the base 14 incorporating a first union 15 and a head portion 16 incorporating a second union or attachment 17, said unions being able al least to be threaded internally.

[0010] Longitudinally, inside the column body 11, that is in its cavity 12, at least a conduit 18 is inserted for the flow of a liquid to be delivered. The first base union 15 is associated with an anchoring coupling 19 provided to fix the column10 on a plane in which possibly a delivery tube 20 and a return tube of a cooling fluid coming from a cooling system pass. The union or head attachment 17 is however directly or indirectly connected, by means of inserted means 21, a tap or valve 22 to control the flow of the liquid to each conduit 18.

[0011] The column body 11 can have any shape and in accordance with the invention it is stamped in a plastic material, such as polyester resin, using a process as follows.

[0012] Initially a model or matrix 31-Fig.2- and a tubular core 32 -Fig. 3- are prepared separately.

[0013] Model 31 can be prepared with any material and externally it will be perfectly similar in shape and superficial characteristics to the column body 11 to be made.

[0014] The tubular core 32 can be made of a rigid or flexible metal or plastic, with shapes and dimensions corresponding to those of the longitudinal cavity 12 of the column body 11 and therefore dependent on the size and number of conduits 18, 20, 21 to be inserted in the column body. The tubular core 32 is provided, at one of its ends, with a first insert 33 corresponding to the base union 15 of the column body 11 and at the other end with a second insert 34 corresponding to the union or head attachment 17 of said column body. Furthermore, both at the first insert 33 and at the second insert 34 have appendixes 35, 36 which can be fixed respectively in a removable form to facilitate the manipulation of the core and also the carrying out of the moulding process.

[0015] Once prepared, the starting model 31 is enclosed in a shell 37 -Fig. 4- for example made of silicone, and having any required thickness. The model 31, covered by the shell 37 is used to construct a form or mould 38 around it in two halves -Fig.5- which can be made of plaster, aluminium, plastic or some other material.

[0016] Following, after opening the mould 38, the shell 37 is opened by cutting it longitudinally on one side, the model 31 is removed, after which the shell 37 is repositioned in one half of the mould 38 subject to the distribution of a detacher product, the tubular core 32 it is inserted concentrically in the shell 37 -Fig.6-, the shell is reassembled along a closing line -Fig. 7- and the mould 38 is closed, blocking the two superimposed halves. The terminal inserts 33, 34 of the tubular core 32 and the respective appendixes 35, 36 will facilitate the correct positioning of the core in the shell and the hermetic seal on the outside by the following casting.

[0017] A this point in fact, the vacuum casting of the resin in the mould 38 can be carried out within the space between the shell and the tubular core 32 until the latter is incorporated with the respective terminal inserts 33, 34. Then the resin is left to cool off, the mould is reopened and the resulting body is extracted from the shell -Fig. 8. Then the terminal appendixes 35, 36 of the tubular core 32 -Fig. 9- are removed, achieving in this way a solidified resin article, corresponding exteriorly to the starting model, but having a longitudinal cavity defined by the internal tubular core with the end inserts in a way corresponding exactly to the column 10 required..

[0018] Now the resin article produced in this way can be degreased, washed and prepared for the finishing of the surface carried out by depositing in sequence layers of metal using a galvanic nickel-plating, chromium plating or gilding process resulting in a column, as said above, as if it were made completely of metal -Fig. 10. Furthermore, in at least a part of the column body 10, indicative and/or luminous decorative elements can be inserted or applied.

[0019] In Figs. 11 and 12, a blow-up is shown and a cross-section of the abovementioned coupling 19 together with respective components such as; a block 19a with guide holes for the conduit 18 for the flow of the liquid to be delivered and for the pipes 21, 22 of the inundation cooling system, where envisaged: a ring nut 19b to fix the column 10 to the base union 15; seals 19c between said ring nut and said base union, and other specific sealing 19d and stop 19e means around the conduit 18 and said pipes 21, 22.

[0020] Furthermore, it should be underlined that the ring nut 19b could be integral or used instead of the base insert 33 of the column and that where possible, for example, in the absence of an induction cooling circuit, the coupling19 could be made as an extension of the tubular core 32, without requiring either the base insert 33 or the ring nut 19b.

[0021] The column may however be subject to other variations in details without moving outside the sphere and objectives of the invention.

Claims

1. A column for liquid tapping systems, comprising a hollow column body, at least one conduit inserted longitudinally in the column body for the transit of at least a liquid to be delivered, eventual forward and return tubes for a cooling fluid in said column body around said conduit, and where said body has a base portion with a base union to fix it onto a plane and a head portion with a union or fitting for a connection of a tap or valve to control the delivery of the liquid from said conduit, characterized in that the column body (11) is made of a plastic material, in particular a polyester resin material, and incorporates a metal or plastic tubular core (32), which defines a longitudinal cavity (12) in the column body and that is joined to a first insert (33) configured to form the base union in the base portion of the column body and a second insert (34) configured to form the union or head fitting of the column body.

2. A column for liquid tapping systems according to la claim 1, wherein the column body has a metal surface finishing.

3. A column for liquid tapping systems according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the column body has a surface covered by either a galvanic copper plating, a nickel-plating, a chromium plating, a gilt-plating process or the like or by the deposit of a metal under a vacuum.

4. A column for liquid tapping systems according to claim 1, wherein an anchoring coupling holding the or each transit conduit for the delivery of the liquid and possible forward and return pipes of a fluid circulating in a cooling circuit is connected to the base union defined by said first insert

5. A column for liquid tapping systems according to la claim 1, wherein the tubular core extends from the base portion of the column forming an anchoring coupling.

6. A column for liquid tapping systems according to la claim 1, wherein the first insert defining the base union of the column also forms a means for fixing an anchoring coupling.

7. A process for manufacturing column for liquid tapping systems according to the previous claims, comprising the steps of:

- separately preparing a model or matrix (31) of the column body and a tubular core (32), the latter joined to a first insert (33) and a second insert (34) to its opposite ends,

- creating a shell (37) around the column body,

- constructing a mould (38) based on the model (31) of the column body,

- opening the mould and cutting longitudinally along one side of the shell (37) to remove the model (31) of the column body,

- replacing the shell (37) in the mould with the tubular core (32) complete with end inserts inside it,

- enclosing longitudinally the shell (37) around the tubular core with relative inserts and close the mould,

- pouring a plastic material, in particular a polyester resin material, into the mould in the space between the shell and the tubular core with relative end inserts, the pouring being carried out with the mould under vacuum conditions, and

- re-opening the mould to extract the body formed enclosing the tubular core and relative end inserts from the shell, after the resin has solidified.

8. A process according to claim 7, also including a step of sheathing the external surface of the column body of resin using either a galvanic copper plating, a nickel-plating, a chromium plating, a gilt-plating process or the like

9. A process according to claim 7, wherein the terminal inserts connected to the tubular core are threaded internally and provided with gripper and centring appendixes removable following the extraction of the resin column body from the shell.

10. A process according to claim 7, wherein the tubular core and relative inserts are made of metal and the shell enclosing the model first preferably is of silicone.

Drawing