DISPENSING CONTAINER

• US 3,561,649 A
• Filed: 06/10/1968
• Issued: 02/09/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Calvin L. Wilson
• Original Assignee: Calvin L. Wilson
• Inventors: Wilson, Calvin L.
• Application Number:
  US04/735,657
• Time in Patent Office: 974 Days
• US Class Current: 222/399
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 83/42 Filling or charging means
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/04 Apparatus utilising compressed air or other gas acting directly or indirectly on beverages in storage containers
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0406 with means for carbonating the beverage, or for maintaining its carbonation B67D1/0418 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/0412 the whole dispensing unit being fixed to the container
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 1/1252 Gas pressure control means, e.g. for maintaining proper carbonation for beer engines B67D1/025

Abstract

This disclosure relates to an inexpensive and easily cleaned reusable dispensing container for storing and dispensing a liquid contained therein under gaseous pressure.

Claims

1. A container for storing and dispensing a liquid under fluid pressure comprising, a substantially rigid enclosing wall having an outwardly tapered frustoconical end section terminating in an annular wall portion defining an opening in said enclosing wall, said enclosing wall defining a first chamber for said liquid, an outer substantially rigid tubular wall having one end portion fastened around the periphery of said enclosing wall adjacent the larger end of said tapered end section, said outer tubular wall having a forward portion provided with a radially inwardly directed integral flange which has a contoured configuration and has said annular wall portion provided as an integral part thereof with said frustoconical section having its small diameter end edge sealed to said annular wall portion so that said frustoconical section terminates in said annular wall portion so as to define a second chamber between said frustoconical end section and Said outer tubular wall for containing a pressurizing fluid, said opening defined by said annular wall portion providing easy access to the interior of said first chamber and facilitating cleaning thereof, an aperture in said tapered end section for placing said first chamber in flow communication with said pressurizing fluid carried in said second chamber, a pressure regulator fastened in flow communication with said aperture and with said pressurizing fluid and allowing pressurizing fluid to be introduced into said first chamber when the pressure level within said first chamber is below a predetermined level, and a spigot assembly fastened in sealed relation over said opening and in flow communication with said first chamber and for dispensing said liquid from within said chamber.

2. A container as set forth in claim 1 in which said enclosing wall and said outer tubular wall with said annular wall portion defined as an integral flange thereof have a substantially equal thickness throughout.

3. A container as set forth in claim 2 in which said opening is adapted to receive a portion of said spigot assembly therethrough and said spigot assembly is detachably fastened against said annular wall portion and in sealed relation over said opening.

4. A container as set forth in claim 1 in which said pressure regulator is arranged entirely within said first chamber for said liquid and supported solely by said tapered section, said regulator controlling the flow of pressurizing fluid through said aperture and from said second chamber into said first chamber in an optimum manner due to the isolation provided by maintaining said regulator within said first chamber to thereby provide optimum control of the fluid pressure in said first chamber.

5. A container as set forth in claim 4 in which said pressure regulator is smaller in size than said opening to enable easy movement thereof through said opening and enable said pressure regulator to be easily installed on and removed from the inside surface of said tapered end section.

6. A container as set forth in claim 5 in which said pressure regulator comprises a sealed capsule which undergoes a change in volume as the function of the pressure exerted by the fluid in said first chamber to control the pressurizing fluid introduced within said first chamber.

7. A container as set forth in claim 1 in which said spigot assembly comprises a one-piece housing having an integral connector at its inner end for fastening said housing against said annular portion, an integral liquid dispensing passage extending therethrough and terminating in a dispensing opening, and a normally closed valve detachably fastened to said housing and provided to enable dispensing liquid from within said container.

8. A container for storing and dispensing a liquid under gaseous pressure comprising, a substantially rigid enclosing wall having an outwardly tapered end section which terminates in a smaller end, said enclosing wall defining a first chamber for said liquid, an outer substantially rigid tubular wall having a rear portion which is fastened in sealed relation around the periphery of said enclosing wall adjacent the larger end of said tapered section, said outer wall having a forward portion provided with a radially inwardly directed integral flange which has a contoured configuration and terminates in an annular wall portion having an inner edge and said tapered section has the edge of its smaller end sealed to said annular wall portion so as to define a second chamber between said tapered section and said outer tubular wall for containing a pressurizing gas with said inner edge of said annular wall portion defining an opening in said enclosing wall, an aperture in said tapered section for placing said chambers in flow communication, a pressure regulator arranged entirely within said first chamber for said liquid and supported solely by said tapered end section, said regulator controlling the flow of pressurizing gas through said aperture aNd from said second chamber into said first chamber in an optimum manner due to the isolation provided by maintaining said regulator within said first chamber to thereby provide optimum control of the fluid pressure in said first chamber, and a spigot assembly fastened in sealed relation over said opening and in flow communication with said first chamber and for dispensing said liquid from within said first chamber.

9. A container as set forth in claim 8 particularly adapted for containing a carbonated beverage in its first chamber and further comprising a charging plug carried by said outer tubular wall to enable charging said second chamber with carbon dioxide gas under pressure.

10. A container as set forth in claim 8 in which said pressure regulator comprises a sealed capsule which undergoes a change in volume as the function of the pressure of said fluid in said first chamber to thereby control said flow of pressurizing fluid through said aperture and from said second chamber into said first chamber.

11. A container as set forth in claim 10 in which, said aperture in said tapered section comprises a threaded aperture, said pressure regulator has a support provided with a threaded outer portion which is threaded through said threaded aperture and enables said pressure regulator to be supported within said first chamber solely by said tapered section, and said opening in said enclosing wall is of sufficient size to provide easy access to the interior of said first chamber and facilitate cleaning thereof, said pressure regulator being smaller in size than said opening to enable easy movement thereof through said opening and enable said pressure regulator to be easily installed and removed from the inside surface of said tapered wall.

12. A container as set forth in claim 11 and further comprising a compressible seal clamped between an annular surface of said spigot assembly and a cooperating annular surface on the outside surface of said enclosing wall arranged outwardly of said opening to assure said spigot assembly is sealed in a fluid-tight manner over said opening.