초록 ▼

A method and apparatus for dispensing beverages permit the use of water as a coolant and utilize parasitic cooling from a walk-in cooler. At least one supply tube for a beverage leads from a container for that beverage through a cooling manifold to a dispensing tap through a conduit assembly. The co

A method and apparatus for dispensing beverages permit the use of water as a coolant and utilize parasitic cooling from a walk-in cooler. At least one supply tube for a beverage leads from a container for that beverage through a cooling manifold to a dispensing tap through a conduit assembly. The conduit assembly includes a tube which enwraps one or more beverage lines and a second tube which enwraps the first tube. Coolant passes between the first tube and the beverage lines to keep the beverage lines at a desired temperature from the walk-in cooler to the remote dispensing tap. At the tap, the coolant enters a passage between the first or intermediate tube and the outer tube and returns to the walk-in cooler. In the cooler, there coolant passes through a cooling coil positioned at the discharge for the primary cooler refrigeration system. A pump in the cooler provides the necessary energy to circulate the coolant through the system.

대표청구항 ▼

Apparatus for dispensing a beverage stored in a walk-in cooler at a location remote from that cooler comprising: a conduit assembly including at least one beverage tube surrounded by an intermediate tube such that a first intermediate space is defined therebetween, and an outer tube surrounding the

Apparatus for dispensing a beverage stored in a walk-in cooler at a location remote from that cooler comprising: a conduit assembly including at least one beverage tube surrounded by an intermediate tube such that a first intermediate space is defined therebetween, and an outer tube surrounding the intermediate tube such that a second intermediate space is defined therebetween, the assembly having a pair of ends; manifold means for supplying coolant to the first intermediate space and for receiving coolant from the second intermediate space of the conduit assembly, connected to one end of the conduit assembly such that the at least one beverage tube of the conduit assembly passes therethrough; means attached to the at least one beverage tube of the conduit assembly for connecting the at least one beverage tube to a beverage source; a dispensing tap connected to the second end of the conduit assembly, including means for establishing fluid communication between the first and second intermediate spaces; and parasitic cooling means for providing a chilled liquid coolant to the manifold means, operable solely with an exisiting refrigeration means for cooling said walk-in cooler, the parasitic cooling means being a closed loop including pump means for circulating liquid coolant to the manifold means, and cooling coil means connectable between the pump means and the manifold means, for maintaining temperature of liquid coolant received from the manifold means at a predetermined level and operable to be cooled by the existng refrigeration means.