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(11) | EP 0 294 095 B1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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| (54) |
A dispenser head Zapfkopf Tête de soutirage |
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| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). |
[0001] The invention concerns a dispenser head for dispensing liquids under pressure from a container, such as a keg of beer, and comprising a housing which may be detachably connected with the container valve, a spindle vertically slidable in the housing to active said valve, and an operating handle pivotally journalled on the housing to move the spindle, said operating handle being pivotable between a first position in which the valve is closed and a second position in which the valve is open and comprising a locking pin preferably slidable in the longitudinal direction of the handle and a spring or a similar means serving to press the locking pin toward the housing and to cause said pin to engage a locking groove in said housing when the handle is in its second position.
[0003] In dispensing arrangements of this type the operating handle is in its second position subjected to the force from a strong spring, which is arranged in the valve and serves to close it when dispensing from the container is discontinued. This force is absorbed in the engagement between the locking pin and the locking groove, so that the handle remains in its second position and keeps the valve open. When the valve is to be closed again, the locking pin must first be withdrawn from the locking groove, and for this purpose the heretofore known dispenser heads have an operating handle with an outer axially slidable handle grip which is connected with the end of the locking pin. However, the hand hereby follows a path which is directly at right angles to the path which the handle describes during closing, and this may cause an unexpected and unpleasant stroke in the hand when the engagement is released and the handle therefore suddenly snaps into its first position under the action of the strong spring. Further, when the handle grip is pulled outwardly, a slot will be formed between its innermost end and the handle in which the fingers may get caught when the hand grip is released. An additional drawback is that it is not readily apparent to an operator that he is to pull outwardly in a direction perpendicular to the closing direction to close the valve, and therefore it happens that it is attempted to close the valve by pulling the handle in its closing direction proper, but then the locking mechanism may be deformed so much that the engagement can no longer be released, and the dispenser head cannot be removed since the valve is still open. The dispenser head of FR-A-2386474 appears to be susceptible to the above identified problems.
[0004] It is therefore required to provide a dispenser head of the type mentioned in the opening paragraph, which has an operating handle which is safer, simpler and more convenient to operate than before, and which cannot unintentionally be damaged during the closing movement.
[0005] This is achieved in that the dispenser head of the invention is characterized in that the handle further comprises a hand grip which, in said second handle position, can move with respect to the handle in the same or approximately the same direction as the handle pivots when moving from its first to its second position, and that the hand grip is connected with the locking pin by connecting means arranged such that said relative pivoting movement between the hand grip and the handle is converted into such a great axial displacement of the locking pin away from the locking groove that the engagement of said locking pin with the locking groove is released. The hand will thus logically follow the same path upon release of the locking engagement as the handle describes during closing from its second to its first position, or in other words, release of the locking engagement and closing of the handle takes place in one and the same continuous movement of the hand.
[0006] Preferably, the hand grip may be pivotally journalled on the handle about a preferably horizontal axis. This provides for a particularly expedient mutual relative movement between the hand grip and the handle.
[0007] The connecting means between the hand grip and the locking pin may be a toggle mechanism preferably comprising a pivotable arm, and this pivotable arm may have its one end pivotally journalled in the hand grip about a preferably horizontal axis, which is disposed more closely to the housing than the outer end of the locking pin and suitable spaced from its axis at the locking pin side facing away from the first handle position, and the pivotable arm may have its other end connected with the locking pin by means of a pivotable link which is spaced more from the housing than the pivot axis of the pivotable arm. The pivot link may conveniently consist of a cross member which is formed on the pivotable arm and which is supported by a breast member arranged at the end of the locking pin, said locking pin extending with clearance through an opening in the cross member. This results in a particularly simple and inexpensive structure and entails that much less force is to be used for releasing the locking engagement than known before.
[0008] Finally, it is preferable that the hand grip may be formed as a hollow jacket of plastics or metal disposed substantially around the movable parts of the release mechanism. This protects not only the movable parts of the release mechanism against damage because of outer influences, but also the operator's hand against getting injured or jammed by the mechanism.
[0009] The invention will be explained more fully below with reference to the drawings, in which
fig. 1 shows an axial section through a dispenser head according to the invention, mounted on a container, where only the top and the bottom are visible,
fig. 2 shows a section on a larger scale through an operating handle associated with the dispenser head of fig. 1, and
fig. 3 is a partially sectional top view of the same.
[0010] Fig. 1 shows a dispenser head which is generally designated by 1 and which is detachably coupled with a valve 2 which is secured in a flange 3 on a container 4 having a top 5 and a bottom 6. The central portion of the container is not shown. The dispenser head 1 comprises a housing 7, a spindle 8 which is slidable up and down in the housing 7, and an operating handle which is generally designated by 9 and which serves to move the spindle 8. The handle 9 is pivotally journalled about pivots 10 on the housing 1 and can pivot between a first position which is the upper one in the shown embodiment, the handle being shown in broken lines, and a second position which is the lower one where the handle is shown in solid lines.
[0011] In the shown exemplary embodiment, the container 4 is a keg of beer, and the dispenser head serves to dispense the beer from it. The beer, which is not shown, is under pressure from gaseous carbon dioxide which is fed through an inlet pipe stub 11 on the housing 1 from a cartridge or bottle (not shown). When the valve is open, as shown in fig. 1, the carbon dioxide flows, as indicated by the arrows, down into the container and urges the beer, as also indicated by the arrows, up through a down pipe 12 associated with the valve 2, through the hollow spindle 8 and further through a hose (not shown) to the position of use.
[0012] The valve 2 has a strong compression spring 13 to close the valve when no beer is to be dispensed. The force from the compression spring 13 is transferred via a valve gasket 14 associated with the valve and the spindle 8 to the handle 9, which will therefore try to pivot to its first position. To prevent this and to keep the valve open, the handle has a locking pin 15 which is pressed into a locking groove 16 in the housing 7 by a spring 17 when the handle is present in its second position.
[0013] When dispensing has been completed, the valve is closed again by moving the handle back to its first position, the locking engagement between the locking pin 15 and the locking groove 16 being released first. This release takes place by means of a hand grip 18 which, in the embodiment shown, is pivotally journalled on the handle 9 about pivots 19, as shown best in figs. 2 and 3. When, in order to close the valve, the operating handle is pulled up to pivot it to its original first position, the engagement between the locking pin 15 and the locking groove 16 is automatically released as the hand grip first pivots about the pivots 19 and thereby pulls the locking pin out of the locking groove by connecting means, which connect the hand grip with the locking pin and which are adapted such that the relative movement between the hand grip 18 and the handle 19 is converted to an axial outwardly directed displacement of the locking pin 15.
[0014] Figs. 2 and 3 show a preferred embodiment of the operating handle 9 where the connecting means consist of a specially arranged toggle mechanism. This has a pivotable arm 20 which is pivotally journalled in the hand grip 18 about pivots 21, which are suitably spaced below the locking pin 15 and suitably spaced in a direction toward the housing 7 from the outermost end of the locking pin 15. The pivotable arm 20 is fork-shaped with two flaps 22 which are pivotably journalled about their respective ones of the pivots 21 arranged on the inner side of the hand grip 18. The two flaps 22 are interconnected at the other end by a cross member 23 which is supported by a breast member 24 provided on the end of the locking pin 15, which is passed through an opening 25 in the cross member 23 with a suitable clearance.
[0015] When the operating handle 9 is in its second position and the handle is pulled upwardly to close the valve 2, the hand grip 18 first pivots about the pivots 21 with respect to the handle 9 proper since this is kept locked in its second position by the engagement of the locking pin 15 with the locking groove 16. This locking movement causes the pivots 21 of the pivotable arm 20 to be moved closer to the axis of the locking pin 15 and the cross member 23 of the pivotable arm to be pressed outwardly in the axial direction of the locking pin as it is kept in position around the locking pin by means of the opening 25. Since the cross member 23 engages the breast member 24, it simultaneously carries the locking pin 15 along so that the pin 15 will be disengaged from the locking groove 16. The force required for this is much smaller than the spring force of the spring 17 and depends upon the angle formed by the flaps 22 of the pivotable arm with the locking pin. The operating handle can therefore readily and conveniently be released from its locked second position and be moved into its first position by one and the same natural movement of the hand in the closing direction of the handle, and during this movement there is no risk of unintentionally damaging the release mechanism.
[0016] The first position of the handle is shown in broken lines in fig. 1. On the housing itself, an inclined face is provided over the locking groove 16, said face 26 extending inwardly toward the axis of the housing so that the locking pin extends up this inclined face 26 with its outermost end and thereby tensions the spring 17 when the handle is pressed down to its second position. The valve can therefore be opened readily merely by pressing the handle downwards until the locking pin snaps into engagement with the locking groove.
[0017] In the embodiment shown in figs. 2 and 3, the hand grip is formed as a hollow jacket 18 moulded from e.g. plastics or metal in two halves which are assembled around the handle e.g. by screws (not shown) so that the release mechanism of the handle is well protected against external damage. The jacket 18 also protects the operator's hand against getting injured or jammed by the release mechanism.
1. A dispenser head (1) for dispensing liquids under pressure from a container (4),
such as a keg of beer, and comprising a housing (7) which may be detachably connected
with the container valve (2), a spindle (8) vertically slidable in the housing (7)
to activate said valve (2), and an operating handle (9) pivotally journalled on the
housing (7) to move the spindle (8), said operating handle (9) being pivotable between
a first position in which the valve (2) is closed and a second position in which the
valve (2) is open and comprising a locking pin (15) preferably slidable in the longitudinal
direction of the handle (9) and a spring (17) or a similar means serving to press
the locking pin (15) toward the housing (7) and to cause said pin (15) to engage a
locking groove (16) in said housing (7) when the handle (9) is in its second position,
characterized in that the handle (9) includes a hand grip (18) which, in said second
handle position, can move with respect to the handle (9) in the same or approximately
the same direction as the handle (9) pivots when moving between its first and second
positions, the hand grip (18) being connected with the locking pin (15) by connecting
means arranged such that said relative pivoting movement between the hand grip (18)
and the handle (9) is converted into sufficient axial displacement of the locking
pin (15) away from the locking groove (16) to release the engagement of said locking
pin (15) with the locking groove (16).
2. A dispenser head according to Claim 1, characterized in that the hand grip (18)
is pivotally journalled on the handle (9) about a preferably horizontal axis.
3. A dispenser head according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the connecting
means between the hand grip and the locking pin are a toggle mechanism (20, 21).
4. A dispenser head according to Claim 3, characterized in that the toggle mechanism
comprises a pivotable arm (20), and that the pivotable arm (20) has one end pivotally
journalled in the hand grip (18) about a preferably horizontal axis disposed more
closely to the housing (7) than the outer end of the locking pin (15) and suitably
spaced from the axis of said pin (15) on the locking pin side facing away from the
first handle position, and that the pivotable arm (20) has its other end connected
with the locking pin (15) by means of a pivot link which is spaced more from the housing
(7) than the pivot axis of the pivotable arm (20).
5. A dispenser head according to Claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the pivot link
consists of a cross member (23) formed on the pivotable arm and supported by a breast
member (24) provided on the end of the locking pin (15), and that the locking pin
(15) extends through an opening in the cross member (23) with clearance.
6. A dispenser head according to one or more of Claims 1-5, characterized in that
the handle (9) is formed as a hollow jacket of plastics or metal arranged substantially
around the movable parts of the release mechanism.
1. Tête de soutirage (1) pour distribuer des liquides sous pression à partir d'un
récipient (4), par exemple un tonnelet de bière, et comprenant un boîtier (7) qui
peut être relié de manière amovible à la valve (2) du récipient, un axe (8) coulissant
verticalement dans le boîtier (7) pour actionner ladite valve (2), et une manette
d'actionnement (9) supportée de manière à pivoter sur le boîtier (7) pour déplacer
l'axe (8), ladite manette d'actionnement (9) pouvant être pivotée entre une première
position dans laquelle la valve (2) est fermée et une seconde position dans laquelle
la valve (2) est ouverte et comprenant une tige de verrouillage (15) coulissant de
préférence dans le sens longitudinal de la manette (9) et un ressort (17) ou un moyen
similaire servant à appuyer la tige de verrouillage (15) vers le boîtier (7) et à
amener ladite tige (15) à engager une gorge de verrouillage (16) dans ledit boîtier
(7) lorsque la manette (9) se trouve dans sa seconde position, caractérisée en ce
que la manette (9) comprend un dispositif de préhension (8) qui, dans ladite seconde
position de la manette, peut se déplacer relativement à la manette (9) dans la même
direction ou à peu près la même direction que celle du pivotement de la manette (9)
lorsque celle-ci se déplace entre sa première et seconde position, le dispositif de
préhension (8) étant relié à la tige de verrouillage (15) par un moyen de connexion
agencé de telle manière que ledit pivotement relatif entre le dispositif de préhension
(8) et la manette (9) soit converti en un déplacement axial suffisant de la tige de
verrouillage (15) loin de la gorge de verrouillage (16) afin de dégager ladite tige
de verrouillage (15) de la gorge de verrouillage (16).
2. Tête de soutirage selon la revendication 1, caractérisée en ce que le dispositif
de préhension (8) est supporté de manière à pivoter sur la manette (9) selon un axe
de préférence horizontal.
3. Tête de soutirage selon la revendication 1 ou 2, caracterisée en ce que le moyen
de connexion entre le dispositif de préhension et la tige de verrouillage est un mécanisme
à genouillère (20, 21).
4. Tête de soutirage selon la revendication 3, caractérisée en ce que le mécanisme
à genouillère comprend un bras pivotant (20), et en ce que le bras pivotant (20) comporte
une extrémité supportée de manière à pivoter dans le dispositif de préhension (8)
selon un axe de préférence horizontal disposé plus près du boîtier (7) que l'extrémité
externe de la tige de verrouillage (15) et espacé de manière appropriée de l'axe de
ladite tige (15) sur le côté de la tige de verrouillage éloigné de la première position
de la manette, et en ce que le bras pivotant (20) a son autre extrémité reliée à la
tige de verrouillage (15) au moyen d'une liaison à pivot qui est davantage espacée
du boîtier (7) que l'axe de pivotement du bras pivotant (20).
5. Tête de soutirage selon la revendication 3 ou 4, caractérisee en ce que la liaison
à pivot consiste en un élément transversal (23) formé sur le bras pivotant et supporté
par un élément d'appui (24) disposé sur l'extrémité de la tige de verrouillage (15),
et en ce que la tige de verrouillage (15) s'étend dans une ouverture dans l'élément
transversal (23) avec du jeu.
6. Tête de soutirage selon l'une ou plusiseurs des revendications 1 à 5, caractérisée
en ce que la manette (9) est formée en une enveloppe creuse de plastique ou de métal
disposée substantiellement autour des pièces mobiles du mécanisme de libération.
1. Zapfkopf (1) zum Ausschenken von unter Druck stehenden Flüssigkeiten aus einem
Behälter (4), wie z.B. einem Bierfaß, mit einem Gehäuse (7), welches lösbar mit dem
Behälterventil (2) verbindbar ist, mit einer in dem Gehäuse (7) vertikal gleitverschieblichen
Spindel (8) zum Betätigen des Ventils (2) und mit einem Betätigungsgriff (9), der
schwenkbar an dem Gehäuse (7) gelagert ist, um die Spindel (8) zu bewegen, wobei dieser
Griff (9) zwischen einer ersten Position, in der das Ventil (2) geschlossen ist, und
einer zweiten Position schwenkbar ist, in der das Ventil (2) offen ist, und einen
Verriegelungszapfen (15) umfaßt, der vorzugsweise in Längsrichtung des Griffes (9)
gleitverschieblich ist, sowie eine Feder (17) oder eine ähnliche Einrichtung, die
dazu dient, den Verriegelungszapfen (15) in Richtung auf das Gehäuse (7) zu drücken
und den Zapfen (15) zu veranlassen, eine Verrieglungsnut (16) in dem Gehäuse (7) zu
erfassen, wenn sich der Griff (9) in seiner zweiten Position befindet, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Griff (9) einen Griffteil (18) umfaßt, welcher sich in der zweiten Griffposition
bezüglich des Griffes (9) in derselben oder annähernd in derselben Richtung bewegen
kann, in der der Griff schwenkt, wenn er (der Griff) sich zwischen seiner ersten und
seiner zweiten Position bewegt, wobei der Griffteil (18) mit dem Verriegelungszapfens
(15) über Verbindungseinrichtungen verbunden ist, die derart angeordnet sind, daß
die relative Schwenbewegung zwischen dem Griffteil (18) und dem Betätigungsgriff (9)
in eine ausreichende, von der Verriegelungsnut (16) weg gerichtete, axiale Bewegung
des Verriegelungszapfens (15) umgewandelt wird, um den Eingriff des Verriegelungszapfens
(15) in die Verriegelungsnut (16) zu lösen.
2. Zapfkopf nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Griffteil (18) um eine
vorzugsweise horizontale Achse schwenkbar an dem Griff gelagert ist.
3. Zapfkopf nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Verbindungseinrichtungen
zwischen dem Griffteil und dem Verriegelungszapfen aus einem Hebelmechanismus (20,
21) bestehen.
4. Zapfkopf nach Anspruch 3, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Hebelmechanismus einen
schwenkbaren Arm (20) umfaßt und daß der schwenkbare Arm (20) mit seinem einen Ende
um eine vorzugsweise horizontale Achse schwenkbar in dem Griffteil gelagert ist, die
dichter an dem Gehäuse (7) angeordnet ist als das äußere Ende des Verriegelungszapfens
(15), und die auf der von der ersten Griffposition abgewandten Seite des Verriegelungszapfens
einen geeigneten Abstand von der Achse des Zapfens hat und daß der schwenkbare Arm
(20) an seinem anderen Ende mit dem Verriegelungszapfen (15) mittels einer Gelenkverbindung
verbunden ist, welche einen größeren Abstand von dem Gehäuse (7) hat als die Schwenkachse
des schwenkbaren Arms (20).
5. Zapfkopf nach Anspruch 3 oder 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die Gelenkverbindung
aus einem Querelement (23) besteht das an dem schwenkbaren Arm ausgebildet ist und
durch ein Schulterelement (24) abgestüzt ist, welches an dem Ende des Verriegelungszapfens
(15) vorgesehen ist, und daß sich der Verriegelungszapfens (15) mit Spiel durch eine
Öffnung in dem Querelement (23) erstreckt.
6. Zapfkopf nach einem oder mehreren der Ansprüche 1 bis 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet,
daß der Griff (9) als hohler Mantel aus Kunststoff oder Metall ausgebildet ist und
im wesentlichen um die beweglichen Teile des Freigabemechanismus herum angeordnet
ist.