Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided a
weighing and supporting device for liquid container kegs, and more
particularly a device which permits periodic measurements to be taken
of the weight of the keg and its contents, while at the same time
supporting the keg in a proper position for dispensing of its
contents.
Beer for sale in nightclubs, restaurants, taverns and the
like is often stored in and dispensed from metal kegs having flat,
circular ends. Beer is stored under pressure and passed through
appropriate tubing from such kegs to taps at a counter or bar. It is
important for the owners of such places to ensure that a check is
kept on the reported receipts from the sale of beer from such kegs as
compared to the actual reduction in the contents of such kegs over a
particular sales period, so that there is a check against pilfering
or undercharging. Most establishments monitor the amount of beer
drawn from the kegs by liquid metering devices, placed in the tubing
feeding beer from the keg to the tap at the bar or counter. Such
meters usually have vanes which are turned as beer flows from the keg
to the tap, the rotating of the vanes turning a numerical dial
associated with the meter. Such devices however are relatively
expensive and have tended to be prone to breakdown or tampering. As
well, as the keg nears the end of its contents, gas or foam may pass
through the tubing and cause the meter to give erroneous readings.
These kegs are generally stored on one of their flat,
circular ends, with the spout (connected to the tubing leading to the
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tap) for the keg being positioned near the bottom of the keg on its
side. So that the maximum amount of beer can be obtained from such
kegs, the kegs are often inclined towards the spout, for example by
placing a board underneath the keg at the rear of the end on which it
is resting. Generally an extra glass or two of beer may be obtained
from the keg in this manner.
Of background interest is Canadian Patent No. 478,636 of
Jelinas issued November 20, l95l which describes and illustrates a
dispensing and measuring device for barrels in which the barrels are
inclined, on their sides, towards a spigot or spout, and the contents
leaving the barrel are weighed in a pail. When a particular, pre-
determined pail weight is reached, then the spigot is automatically
shut off.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an
alternative, economical method of monitoring the contents of beer, or
indeed any other liquid, held in such a keg or container. It is a
further object of the invention to provide a device which will
additionally enable the keg to be normally inclined, during use, at
an optimum angle for emptying of most of its contents.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided a
weighing and supporting device for liquid container kegs. The device
comprises a flat base and a flat platform upon which the keg
is to stand spaced from and superimposing the base. Pivot means are
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provided, securing one end of the platform to a corresponding end of
the base so that the platform may be pivoted between weighing
position parallel to the base and dispensing position in which the
plane of the platform is at an angle to that of the base. A manually
operable lever linkage extends between and is secured to the platform
base to enable the pivoting of the platform between weighing and
dispensing positions and the maintaining of the platform, as
required, in either of these positions. The device further provides
a scale means having a weighing surface. The scale means is
positioned between the base and the platForm so that a central
portion of the platform rests on the weighing surface in weighing
position and the platform is clear of the weighing surface when in
dispensing position. The pivot means and the lever linkage are
constructed so that, when the platform is in weighing position
resting on the weighing surface, it is movable in upward and downward
directions for weighing of the platform.
In a preferred form of the invention, the plane of the
platform, when in dispensing position, is at angle of about 20 to
the plane of the base.
The device according to the present invention, by providing
a simple means of periodically weighing a keg and its contents,
provides an effective means of monitoring the amount of liquid, such
as beer, contained in such keg. It avoids many of the problems
previously found with liquid metering devices. When not being used
as a scale, the platform may be tilted to its optimum, dispensing
angle to ensure maximum emptying of the contents of the keg. The
device itself is small and readily fits into confined quarters9 for
example in a refrigerated cabinet in which the keg may be normally
situated. An electronic scale may be used, providing a digital
readout in a easy to read location. The device can be relatively
inexpensively constructed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF T~IE DRAWINGS
These and other objects and advantages of the invention
will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description
and upon referring to the drawings in which:
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a measuring and
supporting device for kegs according to the present invention, the
device being in inclined, dispensing position;
FIGURE 2 is a side view of the device according to Figure
1; and
FIGURE 3 is a similar side view of the device of Figure 1,
the device being in weighing position.
While the invention will be described in conjunction with
an example embodiment, it will be understood that it is not intended
to limit the invention to such embodiment. On the contrary, it is
intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as
may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as
defined by the appended claims.
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In the following description, similar features in the
drawings have been given similar reference numerals.
Turning to Figure 1, there is shown a perspective view of a
weighing and supporting device 2 for a liquid containing keg 3
according to the present invention. The device comprises a planar
platform 4, upon which the base of keg 3 sits. To the underneath
surface of platform 4, near its edges, are secured brace bars 6
extending front-to-back. Lugs 8 secured to the upper side of plat-
form 4 project upwardly and support keg 3 when platform 4 is in tilt-
ed position as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. As well, when keg 3
is positioned as illustrated, abutting lugs 8, these lugs ensure that
it is properly centered with respect to platform 4 for weighing. The
front end 10 of platform 4 is bent slightly upwardly out of the plane
of the platform and provides a lip to catch spillage or moisture and
prevent it from falling into the device beneath platform 4.
Base 14 is positioned beneath platform 4. Base 14 is
essentially flat. Extending front-to-back, and secured to base 14
near its sides to sit inside of and adjacent bars 6, are brace bars
16. Aligned holes 18 are provided in the forward part of each bar 6,
and aligned pivot rods 20 are secured to each bar 16 and project
through each hole 18, the holes having a diameter significantly
greater than that of pivot rods 20 for reasons which will become
apparent hereinafter.
At the rear end of bars 16, extending from side to side of
device 2 is rod 22. It is pivotably secured to bars 16 to rotate
about its longitudinal axis. At each side of device 2, one end of a
first lever link 24 is secured to rod 22, to pivot with rod 22 and a
second lever link 26 is pivotably secured at pivot 28 to the first
link. These second links 26 are also pivotably secured to the rear
ends of bars 6. As can be seen in Figure 2, the bottom, lefthand
corner of link 24 is rounded, and its end 32 is flattened and
positioned to rest upon base l4 when in the position illustrated.
This provides a stop, to prevent rod 22 from being pivoted further in
the clockwise direction, beyond the position illustrated in Figure l
or 2. In the position illus~rated, with pivot 28 lying beyond, in
the clockwise direction, the line joining the axis of rod 22 and
pivot 30, the forces exerted by the platform on links 24 and 26 will
tend to keep the links in that position, supporting the platform in
its inclined, dispensing positioned illustrated. This stop is
important, since, because of the play allowed in the rotation of bars
6 about corresponding bars l6, resulting from the enlarged diameter
of holes l8 in bars 6 circumscribing pivot rods 20, movement of pivot
28 in a clockwise direction too far to the right as rod 22 is pivoted
in a clockwise direction may result in a sudden collapse of the
platform and rod 6 as link 26 approaches a horizontal position.
It is desired that the keg, and hence platform 4, be
maintained in dispensing position at about a 20 angle to base l4,
assuming base l4 to be horizontal. While links 24 and 26 of any
appropriate sizes may be used to achieve this tilted, dispensing
position of the platform 4, they preferably are of a size to achieve
the orientation illustrated in Figure 2 when in dispensing position.
A handle 34 is also secured to rod 22 to enable that rod to
be rotated and manoeuver links 24 and 26 and platform 4 between
weighing and dispensing positions. When platform 4 is in horizontal
position as illustrated in Figure 3, and rod 22 is rotated clockwise
by means of handle 34, link 24 is moved from its position as
illustrated in Figure 3, clockwise, towards its position as
illustrated in Figure 2.
It will be understood that, in moving from weighing
position illustrated in Figure 3, to dispensing position illustrated
in Figure 2, and vice versa, the movement of these links 24 and 26 is
dictated by the fact that pivot 28 swings about the longitudinal axis
of rod 22, and pivot 30 at the upper end of link 26 swings about an
axis which is more or less the center of rod 20. When the platform is
in weighing position as illustrated in Figure 3, links 24 and 26,
which have an exaggerated, opening scissors-like action about pivot
28 when moved, are in closed, generally horizontal position. In this
position, the combination of enlarged holes l8 circumscribing rods
20, and the positioning of these links so that pivot 30 is free to
move a limited amount upwardly and downwardly in a vertical
direction, permits the platform to have relatively free vertical
movement as it rests on scale platform 38 of scale 36 in this
position, for accurate weighing of the platform. As rod 22 is
initially pivoted clockwise from the position illustrated in Figure
3, the left extremity of link 24 and pivot 28 move upwardly. An
offset bearing surface 35 is provided, on the inside of link 26, to
contact the underside of bar 6 in notch 35a, as the upward movement
of pivot 28 starts the pivoting of link 26 about pivot 30. This
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action of bearing surface 35 on bar 6, as well as the offset
positioning of pivots 28 and 30 to opposite sides of the main body
portions of links 24 and 26, assist in the lifting of the back of
platform 4, at this early stage. At this stage, the angle between
links 24 and 26 is too acute to permit link 26 to apply much upward
lifting force to its corresponding bar 6 and platform 4. As this
angle increases however the movement of pivot 28 to the right
commences to generate, through link 26, an upward moment or force on
platform 4 through pivot 30, resulting in continued, steady upwardy
pivoting of platfrom 4 about pivot 20.
This linkage system thereby provides a sturdy and steady,
highly leveraged upward and downward pivoting action to the back of
platform 4, such qualities being required because of the relatively
large weight carried by platform 4 when keg 3 is positioned on it,
and the delicate nature of scale 36 which is situated between plat-
form 4 and base 14 and centered with respect to the former~ More-
over, as handle 34 is rotated counter-clockwise to move the platform
from dispensing position to weighing position, and platform 4
approaches horizontal, weighing position, it will be understood that
its rate of pivoting descent is sl owed by offset bearing surface 35
of link 26 coming into contact with notch 35a of bar 6.
Scale platform 38 is positioned to receive a central
portion of the underside of platform 4 when the platform is lowered
to weighing position as illustrated in Figure 3.
In this position, platform 4 will be able to move freely in
an upward and downward direction, supported for purposes of weighing
on scale platform 38. In this way a relatively accurate reading of
the weight of platform 4 and keg 3 and its contents supported thereon
can be obtained. In addition, in this position, the links resist
lateral movement of the platform to further facilitate accurate
weighing. Scale 36 may be provided with an electronic, digital
readout to facilitate use of the device. As well, since it is not
good for a scale to bear a continuous weighing load, when a reading
of the weight of the keg 3 and its contents is not required, then the
platform 4 is moved to tilted, dispensing position (Figure 2) by
appropriate manipulation of handle 34.
It should also be noted that the device according to the
present invention may be constructed of extremely narrow in width, so
that it is relatively easy to roll a heavy barrel or keg onto it,
even in a small space.
Thus it is apparenk that there has been provided in
accordance with the invention a weighing and supporting device for
liquid container kegs that fully satisfies the objects, aims and
advantages set forth above. While the invention has been described
in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that
many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to
those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description.
Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives,
modifications and variations as fall within the spirit and broad
scope of the appended claims.
