GB816876A - Improvements relating to the flushing of beer dispensing systems - Google Patents

Abstract

816,876. Cleaning beer-dispensing systems. AUDIA, B. Sept. 8, 1955, No. 25797/55. Class 99(2). Apparatus for flushing a coil 5 and pipes 26 of a beer dispensing system including a beer supply source 1 and a dispensing spigot 7, comprises a mixing tank 8 for storing a cleaning solution and having inlet and outlet connections, a 3-way, electromagnetically-operated valve 4 provided with inlet ports 23, 24 respectively connectible to the beer supply and the outlet connection of the tank, and an outlet port connectible to the coil and spigot, electrical control means including a switch 38 for operation of the valve to selectively connect either the tank or the beer supply to the coil and spigot, and signal means 33 associated with the spigot. As shown, a beer keg 1 is connected by a hose 3 to a compressed air tank and a pipe 2 to the port 23 of the valve 4, the port of the valve communicating by the pipe 29 with the tank 8. The latter connects via a vacuum break valve 18 and an electro-magnetically-operated valve 17 with the warm water outlet pipe 15 of an adjustable mixing valve 16 to which hot and cold water passes from pipes 12, 13. Energisation of the magnetic coil 20 of the valve 4 by operation of the switch 38 causes lifting of the plunger 21 of the coil and rocking of an arm 22 to effect closing of the port 23 and opening of the port 24 to provide flow between the pipes 29, 26. Opening of the switch causes closing of the valve 17 and the spring-assisted plunger 21 to fall to close the port 24 and open the port 23 thereby providing flow of beer between the pipes 2, 26. The cleaning solution passes through a pipe 30, an electro-magnetically-operated valve 27 and to a pipe 31 issuing into the bottom of the tank 6 which is provided with a drainage outlet 32; the valve 27 may be omitted in which case the solution flows from the coil to the spigot 7 upon opening of the latter. For automatic operation of the apparatus an electric or spring-operated timer unit may be employed and preset to operate at any particular time. A number of dispensing units may be served by a single mixing tank 8 or by separate tanks.