US3679104A

US3679104A - Siphon-valve stopper comprising a body enclosing carbon dioxide capsule

Info

Publication number: US3679104A
Application number: US47542A
Authority: US
Inventors: Henri Philibert Giroud
Original assignee: EXPLOITATIONS ET DE REALISATIO
Current assignee: EXPLOITATIONS ET DE REALISATIO
Priority date: 1970-06-18
Filing date: 1970-06-18
Publication date: 1972-07-25
Anticipated expiration: 1989-07-25

Abstract

A siphon-valve stopper adapted for use on containers formed with a neck and utilizing a small CO2 cartridge of conventional type, said stopper being provided with a pressure reducing device and a gas stop valve, wherein said gas stop valve comprises a valve comprises a valve member and a valve seat incorporated in said pressure reducing device, with control members co-acting with an expansion piston so as to move said piston away from a rod rigid with said valve member when the control knob of the device is rotated in a given direction, whereby said valve member engages its seat, thus preventing the gas from said cartridge from flowing beyond the high-pressure chamber of the pressure reducing device. The siphon-valve stopper may also be utilized without any risk with ordinary glass bottles containing indifferently a gaseous, or a non-carbonated liquid or beverage, for example beer.

Description

United States Patent Giroud 51 July25, 1972 [54] SIPI-ION-VALVE STOPPER COMPRISING A BODY ENCLOSING CARBON DIOXIDE CAPSULE [72] Inventor: Henri Philibert Giroud, Epinay-sur-Seine,

France [73] Assignee: Societe dExploitations et de Realisations Industrielles et Commerciales Serico, Epinay-sur-Seine, France [22] Filed: June 18,1970

[2]] Appl. No.: 47,542

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,559,777 1/1968 France ..222/396 Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-James M. Slattery Attorney-Robert E. Burns and Emmanuel J. Lobato [57] ABSTRACT A siphon-valve stopper adapted for use on containers formed with a neck and utilizing a small CO, cartridge of conventional type, said stopper being provided with a pressure reducing device and a gas stop valve, wherein said gas stop valve comprises a valve comprises a valve member and a valve seat incorporated in said pressure reducing device, with control members co-acting with an expansion piston so as to move said piston away from a rod rigid with said valve member when the control knob of the device is rotated in a given direction, whereby said valve member engages its seat, thus preventing the gas from said cartridge from flowing beyond the high-pressure chamber of the pressure reducing device. The siphonvalve stopper may also be utilized without any risk with ordinary glass bottles containing indifferently a gaseous, or a noncarbonated liquid or beverage, for example beer.

2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEUJUL25 1912 3,679,104

SHEET 2 OF 2 SIPIION-VALVE STOPPER CORISING A BODY ENCLOSING CARBON DIOXIDE CAPSULE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a siphon-valve stopper adapted to be fitted an ordinary glass bottle containing a gaseous or non-gaseous liquid, notably beer, and equipped according to the first addition No PV 165,506 of Sept. 9, 1968 to the French Pat. No. 1,559,777 of Jan. 15, 1968 with means capable of generating a constant pressure above said liquid in the bottle, irrespective of its level in the bottle.

As already described in said first addition said means may comprise a small gas-filled cartridge or capsule, for example a C capsule, a pressure-reducing device and a stop valve for closing the duct and thus deliver the gas into the bottle.

It is also known through the French Pat. No. 1,380,581 to provide a siphon-valve stopper of which the body comprises at its lower portion a cavity adapted to receive the neck of a bottle and having fitted therein a ring of elastomer material which can undergo a radial distorsion for clamping the neck introduced into said cavity, by exerting an axial compression with the assistance of a clamping ring actuatable from the exterior of the body of the siphon-valve stopper and adapted to be screwed into said cavity for compressing said ring of elastomer material for the dual purpose of securing and sealing said siphon-valve stopper on the bottle neck. Moreover, there is provided within the siphon-valve stopper described in the above mentioned French Pat. No. 1,380,581 an axial duct adapted to communicate with a lateral liquid dispensing duct via a control valve comprising a movable. valve member adapted to be moved axially away from a valve seat provided at the bottom of said axial duct in said siphon-valve stopper by means of a control rod extending axially within said axial duct and connected to a push-button arranged at the upper portion of the body of said siphon-valve stopper, a spring being provided for seating said movable valve member when no pressure is exerted on said push-button. With this liquid output control valve the movable valve the movable valve member, when in its open position, creates substantial interferences in the fiow of liquid, thus producing a considerable amount of foam, notably if the liquid to be dispensed is beer.

As a result, when the movable valve member is closed or seated, some foam remains in the outlet duct of the siphonvalve stopper, so that after some time this foam build up droplets that eventually fall from the spout of the device, thus soiling the surface on which the bottle provided with said stopper is laid.

Moreover, since CO capsules available on the market deliver carbon dioxide gas under a pressure of about 870 psi, it appeared that great cares had to be exerted in the manufacture of the pressure reducing device, and that various safety measures had to be taken to permit the trouble-free fitting of the siphon-valve stopper on an ordinary glass bottle. In fact, conventional pressure reducing devices and so-called safety valves are objectionable in that they tend to become misadjusted after a certain time of operation so that they cannot be relied upon for meeting the operating and safety requirements for which they had been contemplated initially. Moreover, many tightness problems arise due to the natural tendency of carbon dioxide gas to siep very easily through joints, even if its pressure is relatively low.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the essential object of the present invention to provide an improved siphon-valve stopper adapted to be fitted to an ordinary glass bottle filled with liquid and equipped with a CO, capsule or cartridge having a capacity sufficient for discharging several bottles filled with liquid, with a pressure reducing device and a stop valve for the gas, so as to discontinue the delivery of gas into the bottle when the latter is empty and permit the fitting of the siphon-valve stopper to another full bottle for dispensing its content.

This invention is also concerned with the provision of a siphon-valve stopper of the type broadly set forth hereinabove, which is of compact design.

To this end, the siphon-valve stopper according to this invention, adapted to be fitted to an ordinary glass bottle filled with a liquid and comprising a body enclosing a CO, capsule of capacity sufficient for emptying a plurality of bottles filled with liquid, a pressure reducing device and a gas stop valve for discontinuing the delivery of gas into the bottle when the latter, equipped with said siphon-valve stopper, is empty and permit the fitting of the same siphon-valve stopper on another filled bottle to be emptied, said pressure reducing device comprising a high-pressure chamber and a low-pressure chamber communicating with each other, said low-pressure chamber also communicating during the operation of the siphon-valve stopper with the inner space of said bottle, a valve-member for adjusting the gas output through the communication provided between between said two chambers, said valve-member being arranged in said high-pressure chamber and provided with a rod extending co-axially through said communication into said low-pressure chamber, a first resilient member urging said valve member against a valve seat provided in the highpressure side of said communication so as to close said communication, an expansion piston slidably mounted in said lowpressure chamber and registering with said communication, and a second resilient member constantly urging said expansion piston for engagement with the free end of said rod with a predetermined force opposed to, and greater than, that of said first resilient member, in order to keep said valve member spaced from its companion seat, said force being such that said piston be in a state of equilibrium under the action of said force and of a desired low gas pressure in said low-pressure chamber, characterized in that said stop valve is associated with said pressure reducing device and consists of said valve member and said seat so as to constitute a valve unit, and of control members co-acting with said expansion piston in such a manner that when said control members are actuated in a first direction they move said expansion piston away from the end of said rod of said valve member, against the action of said second resilient member, in order to seat said valve member under the force of said first resilient member and close said valve unit, and thus prevent the subsequent delivery of gas into said low-pressure chamber and therefore into said bottle, and that when said control members are actuated in the other direction, they release said expansion piston so that said piston, by engaging the end of said rod under the action of said second resilient member, moves said rod backwards and unseats said valve so as to open said valve unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Other objects, features and advantages of this invention will appear as the following description proceeds with reference to the attached drawing given by way of example in the drawing FIG. 1 is a vertical axial section showing a first from of embodiment of the siphon-valve stopper according to this invention',

FIG. 2 is a vertical axial section section showing another form of embodiment of the siphon-valve stopper according to this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The siphon-valve stopper illustrated in FIG. 1 is adapted to be fitted to the neck 26 of an ordinary glass bottle containing a liquid, whether gaseous or non-gaseous or non-carbonated, for instance beer. This siphon-valve stopper is also adapted to be used in conjunction with a C0 cartridge or capsule 31 of a type currently used in the trade, for example a cartridge of the type having a perforable end and delivering, when perforated,

carbon dioxide gas under a pressure of, say, 870 psi. Since, it

would be rather dangerous to allow CO to penetrate under this pressure into an ordinary glass bottle, there is provided in a manner known per se a pressure reducing device designated in general by the reference numeral 30. Moreover, since a single CO cartridge of this type is sufficient for dispensing the contents of at least three bottles, a gas stop valve is provided so that the siphon valve stopper can safely and advantageously be withdrawn from a first, empty bottle, and fitted to other bottles in succession, until the cartridge content is axhausted, whereafter a fresh cartridge is substituted for the exhausted one.

According to this invention, this stop valve is operatively connected to the pressure reducing device, as will be described presently, the pressure reducing device being otherwise and in general of a type known per se, and comprising a valve member and an expansion piston.

The siphon valve stopper comprises a body 50, advantageously of suitable plastic material, having fitted in its base portion 50a, a stopper proper 51 of suitable elastomer, such as rubber, for adapting the siphon-valve stopper to the neck 26' of a bottle to which it can be locked in position by means of a spring 7 reacting against a shoulder 26a of the bottle neck. This stopper 51 comprises a lower portion 51a of smaller diameter adapted to be inserted into the neck 26 of the bottle. Of course, several interchangeable stoppers 51 having different diameters may be provided to permit the fitting of the siphon-valve stopper of this invention to bottles having different neck inner diameters. However, it would also be possible to provide a single stopper permitting of fitting the siphon-valve stopper of this invention to substantially any type of ordinary glass bottle available in the trade for beverages of all kinds.

Formed in the body 50 is a first blind cavity 52 open at the top and adapted to receive a cartridge or capsule 31 filled with CO under pressure so that its perforable end 31a is directed upwards. The upper open end of said cavity 52 is adapted to receive a screw-threaded sealing or fluid tight plug 53 forming with said cavity 52 a chamber 54. Axially mounted within said plug 53 is a perforator 55 adapted to perforate the upper perforable end of cartridge or capsule 31 when the plug 53 is screwed in by means of a screw-driver or a coin engaging the slot 530 formed in the upper or outer face of said plug.

Adjacent to, but separate from, said cavity 52 is another cavity 56 also opening upwards in relation to the body of the siphon-valve stopper and adapted to receive the assembly comprising the pressure reducing device and the gas stop valve. This cavity 56 has an internally screw-threaded lower portion adapted to receive a hollow cylindrical member 57 having an externally screw-threaded lower portion engageable in the lower-threaded portion of cavity 56, the upper portion of the outer peripheral surface of this member 57 being formed with a circular groove in which a sealing O-ring 58 is fitted and adapted to co-act with the plain wall of cavity 56. The inner cavity 57a of this hollow member 57 is cylindrical and constitutes with the bottom 56a of cavity 56 a high-pressure chamber 59. This high-pressure chamber 59 communicates with chamber 54 via a passage 61 opening into chamber 59 in the vicinity of the bottom 56a of cavity 56. The upper portion of member 57 constitutes a fluid-tight transverse partition in said cavity 56 and is formed in its central portion with an orifice 62 having its end adjacent the highpressure chamber 59 surrounded by a valve seat 57b formed integrally with said member 57. Slidably mounted in the highpressure chamber 59 is a check valve 63 engaging the walls 57a of cavity 56, somewhat like a piston. This check valve 63 is urged against the seat 57b by a coil compression spring 64 reacting against the bottom 56a of cavity 56, and is formed with axial passages 65 whereby the gas under pressure from 7 capsule 31 and circulating through chamber 54, via passage 61, can flow up to the orifice 62 when said check valve 63 is unseated. The check valve 63 further comprises an upstanding axial rod 630 extending coaxially through said orifice 62 beyond the upper face of member 57. Overlying this upper face is an expansion piston 66 adapted to slide along the intermediate, plain-walled portion of cavity 56. Formed in the outer peripheral surface of piston 66 is a circular groove receiving a sealing ring 66a co-acting with the lateral wall of capacity 56. This ring 66a is preferably of the quad-ring" type. The lower face of piston 66 and the upper face of member 57 form therebetween in conjunction with a corresponding portion of cavity 56, a low-pressure chamber 67 in which the gas under pressure flowing from the high-pressure chamber 59 through on'fice 62 is expanded while pushing the piston 66 against the resistance of a gauged coil compression spring 68. The force of this spring 68 may advantageously be adjusted by means of an adjustment screw 69 normally urged in the downward direction by the gauged spring 68. This screw 69 closing the top of cavity 56 permits of setting at the factory the force of the gauged spring 68 so that the gas has constantly the desired low-pressure value for delivering same to the bottle when the piston 66 is in a state of balance between the opposed forces exerted by the gas and said gauged spring 68, respectively. The low-pressure chamber 67 communicates with the interior of the bottle through the following path :'a port 71 disposed just above the upper face of member 57, and a small duct 72 connect said chamber 67 to another duct 73 (shown in dash lines) extending vertically through the body 50 but shifted to the rear with respect to the plane of the Figure which is also the plane of the section made through the body 50, and also in relation to the common vertical axis of the siphon-valve stopper and bottle. This duct 73 opens into an annular chamber 74 formed in the base 50a of body 50, above the stopper proper 51 this chamber 74 communicates in turn with the interior of the bottle via an orifice 75 formed in an eccentric position through the stopper 51, and also through a short pipe section 76 force fitted in said orifice 75 and extending somewhat into the bottle neck, This pipe 76 is not necessarily long, since its only function is to prevent the orifice 75 from being choked when the stopper section 510 is inserted into the neck and more or less compressed according to the inner diameter of said neck.

The liquid contained in the bottle may be withdrawn therefrom in a manner known per se by utilizing the force of the gas under pressure directed into the bottle through a diptube 77 extending to a distance short of the bottle bottom, this dip-tube 77 being fitted coaxially through an axial orifice 78 formed in the stopper 51, said orifice having a vertical coaxial extension in the form of a duct 79 formed in the body 50 and extending through the annular chamber 74. This duct 79 may be caused to communicate with the outlet duct 81 of the dispensing spout 82 via a control valve designated in general by the reference numeral 83. This control valve 83 comprises a valve member 84 urged by a coil compression spring against a corresponding seat 86 formed in a transverse chamber 87 adjacent the upper end of said duct 79. The valve member 84 has a cylindrical skirt portion 841) at its rear end which surrounds one portion of spring and is adapted to slide in said chamber 87. The function of this skirt 84b is to close in a fiuidtight manner that portion of chamber 87 which extends behind the valve member 84 and encloses the spring 85, thus preventing, during a liquid dispensing operation, any ingress and accumulation of liquid or foam derived from this liquid in this portion of chamber 87, since such accumulation, if this skirt 84b were not provided, would cause an objectionable dripping of liquid after completing said liquid dispensing operation and the closing of valve member 84. Moreover, this valve member 84 is provided with a control rod 84a extending coaxially through a screw 88 closing the outer end of chamber 87 and engaged by the spring 85. The end of the rod 840 which projects externally from the body of the siphon-valve stopper has pivotally mounted thereon, through the medium of a fulcrum or pivot pin 92, a control handle or lever 89 bearing at 91a, slightly above said fulcrum pin 92, against a projection 91 formed integrally with the body 50, on one side thereof,

According to this invention, the gas stop valve is operatively connected to the pressure reducing device 30. In fact, this valve unit utilizes the valve member 63 and its seat 57b as closing means, and suitable control means, designated in general by the reference numeral 93, are provided for acting through the medium of expansion piston 66 and controlling the opening and closing movement of the valve unit comprising said valve member 63 and saet 57b.

Said control means 93 comprise a control knob 94 rigid with a screw 95 having a left-hand screw pitch. The screw 95 extending coaxially through the adjustment screw 69 is formed to this end with a tapped hole 69a of which the threads and pitch correspond to those of said screw 95. This screw 95 has a lower or depending extension formed with a concentric flange 97. The expansion piston 66 is formed with a cavity surrounding coaxially the rod 96 and has force fitted in said cavity a return cup 98. This cup is disposed upside down in the cavity of piston 66 and its bottom has an aperture formed therein through which extends the rod 96 so that the flange 97 is trapped between the bottom of cup 98 and the bottom of cup 98 and the bottom of the cavity of piston 66. In the drawing (FIG. 1) the assembly comprising the pressure reducing device and the stop valve is in the closed position. In fact, the knob 94 has previously been rotated in the clockwise direction, thus causing the upward movement of rod 96 and flange 97, due to the left-hand pitch of screw 95. During the upward movement of rod 96 and flange 97, the latter engages the bottom of cup 98 so as to raise the piston 66 against the antagonistic force of spring 68. Piston 66 is raised to an extent sufficient to disengage it from any contact with the free end of rod 63a of valve 63 urged to its position of engagement of the relevant seat 57b by spring 64, thus closing the valve unit.

The above-described siphon-valve stopper operates as follows Assuming that a fresh cartridge of capsule 3l filled with carbon dioxide gas under pressure has been placed into the cavity 52 of body 50 which is subsequently reclosed by means of the plug 53, the latter being screwed home to cause its perforator 55 to pierce the perforable wall 310 of capsule 31. Thus, the gas contained in this capsule 31 under a pressure of, say, 870 psi, escapes therefrom into cavity 54 and flows via duct 61 into chamber 59 where it co-acts with spring 64 for urging the valve member 63 against its seat 57b (the control members 93 of the stop valve being in the position shown in FIG. 1). The gas under relatively high pressure can thus flow through the orifice 62. Then, the siphon-valve stopper can be adapted (and locked in position by means of its spring 7) on the neck 26 of a bottle filled with a beverage, such as beer. If the knob 54 is rotated in the clockwise direction until it engages the upper face 50b of the body of the siphon-valve stopper, the rod 96 and its flange 97 will be lowered, so that the piston 66 urged by spring 68 will contact the free end of rod 63a of valve member 63 and push this valve member 63 away from its seat 57b. The gas under high pressure in chamber 59, which flows through the orifices 65 of said valve member, can thus flow through the orifice 62. Then, the siphon-valve stopper can be adapted (and locked in position by means of its spring 7) on the neck 26 ofa bottle filled with a beverage, such as beer. If the knob 54 is rotated in the clockwise direction until it engages the upper face 50b of the body of the siphon-valve stopper, the rod 96 and its flange 97 will be lowered, so that the piston 66 urged by spring 68 will contact the free end of rod 63a of valve member 63 and push this valve member 63 away from its seat 57b. The gas under high pressure in chamber 59, which flows through the orifices 65 of said valve member, can thus flow through the orifice 62 into the low-pressure chamber 67 in which it is expanded while moving the piston 66 against the resistance of the gauged spring 68. As already explained hereinabove the force exerted by the gauged spring 68 on piston 66 is such that when this piston is in a state of balance between the opposed forces of spring 68 and of the gas pressure in the low-pressure chamber, this pressure in the low-pressure chamber has the desired value adjustable on the other hand by means of screw 69, and low enough to be safely applied to the interior of an ordinary glass bottle. The spring 68 and screw 69 may be selected and adjusted respectively in such a manner tat the value of this low-pressure approximates l l or 12 psi. Although this has not been shown in the Figure, when the piston 66 is in a state of balance, the flange 97 of rod 96 is somewhat spaced from the bottoms of cup 98 and piston 66, so that this piston 66 can oscillate freely about said position of equilibrium. The piston 66 and spring 68 (of which the force is greater than that of spring 64, also act as a pressure regulating device. In fact, if an excess amount of gas flows into chamber 67, this gas will accumulate therein and tend to move the piston 66 so that the valve member 63, by moving towards its seat 57b, will reduce the cross-sectional passage area available for the gas towards the orifice 62. Conversely, if the amount of gas flowing through this orifice is not sufficient, this piston 66 'will move downwards and thus unseat the valve member 64 to a greater extent, to increase the cross-sectional passage available towards the orifice 62. The gas present under a regulated lowpressure in chamber 67 escapes through the port 71 and

ducts

72, 73 towards the annular chamber 74 from which it flows through the orifice 75 and the short pipe 76 into the bottle. The gas pressure within the bottle is substantially equal to that prevailing in the low-pressure chamber 67. To draw liquid from the bottle the user has simply to depress the upper end of the handle or lever 89 which, by bearing against the portion 91a of projection 91, moves the valve member 84 away from its seat 86, against the resistance of spring 85, thus enabling the liquid under pressure to rise up the dip-tube 77 and duct 79 and escape through the outlet passage 81. When all the liquid contained in the bottle has thus been dispensed, the gas stop valve is closed by rotating the knob 94 in the clockwise direction, as described hereinabove. Then, the siphon-valve stopper can be removed from the bottle to which it has been fitted, without causing the gas contained in capsule 31 and

chambers

54 and 59 from escaping to the surrounding atmosphere, the same siphon-valve stopper being subsequently fitted to another bottle filled with liquid to be dispensed. Experience teaches that by using this procedure it was possible, by using a single CO cartridge, to dispense the contents of three bottles representing a total capacity of about three liters, with a gas residue still sufficient for discharging the content of a half-filled bottle in order to rinse the inner ducts and passages of the siphon-valve stopper. Other tests proved that by closing the gas stop valve each time when the bottle is half empty and utilizing the pressure of the residual gas left in the bottle, above the liquid level, it was possible to dispense the contents of at least four one-liter bottles by using a single carbon dioxide gas capsule.

It may be noted on the other hand that the above-described siphon-valve stopper is characterized by several safety features. In fact, if for any reason the pressure increased dansgerously in the bottle and therefore in the low-pressure chamber 67, the piston would be moved upwards in such a manner that the sealing ring 66a would move past an orifice 99 formed through the side wall of cavity 56 and causes the low-pressure chamber 67 to communicate with the atmosphere. Moreover, if with the run of time the spring 68 lost its gauged force or became abnormally weak, the position of equilibrium of piston 66 would be obtained at a higher level in cavity 56, so that valve member 63 would be nearer to its seat and allow a lesser quantity of gas to flow towards the low-pressure chamber 67. Therefore, after a relatively long service, as the spring 68 is weakened, the gas pressure in said low-pressure chamber 67 decreases gradually. Moreover, the spring 7 provided for locking the siphon-valve stopper on the neck 26 of the bottle may advantageously be so proportioned as to be released when the pressure in the bottle exceeds a predetermined limit, for example 60 psi, in case the valve unit comprising the piston 66 and orifice 99 failed to operate. However, the above-described siphon-valve stopper is objectionable in that its vertical dimension is relatively great, with the inconvenience that in certain types of refrigerators it is not possible or hardy possible to place in a vertical position a bottle equipped with this siphon-valve stopper at the place normally provided for bottles in a refrigerator. Moreover, it was also found that the check valve 84 interferes somewhat with the liquid flow when it is open, thus causing foam to develop and the fall of a few drops of liquid after each use of the siphonvalve stopper.

These inconveniences are avoided by using the siphon-valve stopper constituting the second form of embodiment of this invention which will now be described in detail with reference to FIG. 2 wherein the same reference numerals as used in FIG. 1

. designated identical or similar elements or parts.

In FIG. 2 the siphon-valve stopper illustrated is adapted to be fitted to an ordinary glass bottle filled with a liquid, for example a beverage such as beer, and comprising a body 100 enclosing a C capsule 31 as currently available on the market,

.of a capacity permitting of dispensing the contents of several bottled filled with liquid, a pressure reducing device designated by the reference numeral 30, and a gas stop valve already known per se through the French Pat. No 1,380,581 a liquid outlet control valve designated in general by the reference numeral 102 and normally closed in the inoperative condition of the device is arranged in the axial bore 101 and adapted to be actuated by means of a push button 103 disposed in theupper portion of body 100. According to this invention, the; valve 102 consists of a piston 104 slidably and tightly mounted in the axial bore 101 and formed at its lower portion with a blind axial bore 105 and with a radial bore 106 opening into said axial bore 105 near or at the bottom thereof. The upper end of piston 104 is connected to the lower portion of the. central rod 103a of the control push-button 103, for example by means of an axial stud 107. A coil compression spring 108 surrounding the central rod 103a of push-button 103 reacts with one end against the underface of the upper cap-shaped or dome-shaped portion of push-button 103 and with the other end against the bottom of a cavity 109 formed in the body 100 of the siphon-valve stopper and in which the upper cap-shaped portion of push-button 103 is adapted to penetrate, with a moderate radial clearance.

The axial bore 101 comprises at its upper portion a portion having a smaller diameter than the remaining portion thereof, in which the piston 104 is slidably engaged. The central rod 103a of push-button 103 has a smaller diameter than the piston 104 and can slide in the portion of reduced diameter of said axial bore 101. The annular shoulder formed between the two portions of minor diameter and major diameter of axial bore 101 acts as a top for limiting the permissible upward stroke of piston 104 and push-button 103 under the force of return spring 108. In the position shown in FIG. 2 the piston 104 engages said shoulder and this position corresponds to the inoperative position in which the valve 102 is closed since the radial passage 106 of the piston registers with the wall of axial bore 101.

A dip-tube 77 which, during the operation of the device, extends within the bottle down to a distance short of the bottom thereof, is force fitted into the axial duct 105 of piston 104. During the operation and to permit the delivery of liquid under the action of the gas pressure prevailing in the bottle, through the dip-tube 77, the axial duct 105, the radial duct 106 and the outlet duct 81 of spout 82, it is only necessary to depress the push-button 103 so as to bring the radial hole 106 of piston 104 in alignment with the orifice 110 through which the spout duct 81 opens into the axial bore 101. A stop (not shown) may advantageously be provided for example within the cavity 109 of body 100 in order to limit the permissible stroke of push-button 103 when the latter is depressed by the user, and therefore the axial downward stroke of piston 104, so that when valve 102 is open the radial hole 106 of piston 104 will register exactly with the orifice 110 of duct 81. Moreover, in order to keep the piston 104 in an annular posi- 102, registers exactly with the orifice 110, the rod 103a of pushbutton 103 is formed with a longitudinal rib 111 engaging a corresponding guilding groove formed in a portion of smaller diameter of axial bore 101 to prevent any relative rotary movement of said push-button 103 and of the piston 104 rigid therewith, while permitting an axial movement of these push-button and piston. Moreover, in order to avoid any interference in the flow of liquid when valve 102 is opened, as this might cause excessive foam to build up, the radial hole 106 and orifice 110 of duct 81 have preferably the same dimensions.

In order to permit the adaptation, fitting and fastening of the siphon-valve stopper on the neck 26 of a bottle, the body of the device is formed in the manner known per se, notably through the French Pat. No 1,380,581 with a lower capacity 112 adapted to receive the neck 26 of the bottle. As also described in said French Patent a sealing ring 113 of suitable elastomer is fitted in said cavity 112 and adapted to be compressed radially by means of a clamping collar 114 screwed in a suitably tapped portion of cavity 112. In the example illustrated in FIG. 2 the sealing ring 113 reacts against the bottom of said cavity 112. In the right hand portion of FIG. 2 there is shown the clamping collar 114 in a low position wherein it does not compress the sealing ring 113 to permit the introduction of the bottle neck 26 into the cavity 112, down to the bottom of this cavity, by slightly increasing the necessary effort as the neck 26 engages the central hole of ring 113. In the left hand portion of FIG. 2 the neck 26 is shown in the final position obtaining when it is engaged home or to the bottom of cavity 112, and after collar 1 14 has been screwed home for axially compressing the sealing ring 113 which, due to the clamping action, exerts a radial pressure against the neck 26 of the bottle for the dual purpose of sealing the joint and safely securing the device to the bottom neck 26, by engaging the circular groove or grooves usually provided on the outer walls of neck 26. The sealing ring 113,'consisting preferably of a suitable elastomer of cellular type having for example a Shore hardness of about 20, comprises an inner bead 113a which, in the example illustrated, is adapted to co-act with the single annular groove formed in the outer wall of neck 26 and which, in other cases, permits the fitting of the siphon-valve stopper to a bottle of which the neck has a smaller outer diameter. Of course, the number of inner beads of said sealing ring 113, such as bead 113a, and also the shape or contour of these beads, should not be construed as being strictly limited to those shown in the Figure. Moreover, although to bottle neck 26 illustrated comprises a single annular groove formed in its outer wall, the siphon-valve stopper may also be adapted to bottles having another type of neck, for example an externally screw-threaded neck. Besides, a washer 115 having good antifriction properties is interposed between the sealing ring 113 and the clamping collar 114 in order to facilitate the rotation of said collar 1 14 during the tightening or release movements. This arrangement is particularly advantageous in that is permits of fitting and securing the siphon-valve stopper to bottles having necks differing by their shapes and/or diameters, while preserving the possibility for the stopper to pop out so as to release the gas in case of accidental overpressure within the bottle, thus providing an additional safety feature. Howaver, this arrangement, as described hereinabove, is already known per se is attended by a major inconvenience. In fact, when the clamping collar is released, it can separate from the base of the body of the siphon-valve stopper, so that there is a constant risk of loosing this collar 114 during the handling of the device. In order to avoid this inconvenience, the clamping collar 114 is formed in a manner known per se an external annular bead 1 14a surrounding the lower portion of the body of the siphon-valve stopper this bead 114a is formed at its upper end with one or a plurality of radial or annular projections 116 extending towards the peripheral wall of the lower portion of the body of the siphon-valve stopper and adapted, when the clamping collar 114 is released, to coact with a circular retaining flange formed at the base of said body, as illustrated'in the right-hand portion of FIG. 2, to prevent the collar 114 from being released from the body of the siphon-valve stopper.

According to another feature characterizing the present. invention, the body 100 of the siphon-valve stopper comprises an elongated handle designated generally by the reference numeral 117 which extends obliquely downwards and outwards from one side of said body 100 and comprises two separable sections 117a and 1l7b. More particularly, the upper portion 117a is rigid with the body 100 of the siphon-valve stopper and the lower portion 117b is adapted to be secured by screwing to the lower end of said upper portion 117a. This upper portion 117a of handle 117 encloses a pressure reducing device 30, the gas stop valve and the means 93 for operating this valve, the lower portion 117!) of handle 117 constituting a housing for enclosing the CO capsule 31.

The pressure reducing device 30, the gas stop valve and its operating means 93 are in the whole similar to those of the first form of embodiment described hereinabove with reference to FIG. 1 therefore, a detailed description thereof is not deemed necessary. In FIG. 2, as already mentioned hereinabove, all parts or elements similar to or identical with those of FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals. In the modified form of embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 the following difference are clearly visible Thus, the pressure reducing device 30, the gas stop valve and the control means 93 thereof, except the control knob 94, are enclosed completely in a metal case 118, for example of the known alloy named Zamac, which is partly embedded in the body 100 of the siphon-valve stopper, for example during the moulding of this body 100 made preferably of plastic material. The purpose of this metal case 118 is mainly to avoid any risk of explosion in the body of the siphon-valve stopper as a consequences of the high pressure prevailing in the highpressure chamber 59 of the pressure reducing device. To the same end the lower portion 1l7b likewise consists preferably of metal, such as Zamac. Extending from one side of case 118 is a pipe 119 communicating at one end with the low-pressure chamber 67 of the pressure reducing device and at the other end with the vertical duct 120 formed through the body 100 and opening into an annular groove 121 formed in the bottom of cavity 112. Thus, during the operation of the device, the low-pressure chamber 67 of the pressure reducing device communicates with the inner space of the bottle.

On the other hand, the spring 64 constantly urging the valve member 63 to its seated position reacts against one face of a plug 123 having its opposite face provided with a perforator 55. The function of this perforator 55 consists of course in perforating the perforable and wall ofthe capsule 31 enclosed in the lower portion ll7b of handle 117 when this lower portion 117!) is screwed home to the upper portion 117a. The plug 123 is screwed in the lower end of said case 118 and formed with orifices 124 permitting the passage of gas from the capsule 31 towards the high-pressure chamber 59 of the pressure reducing device, through said holes 124 and also through longitudinal grooves formed in the outer periphery of valve 63.

Another difference with respect to the first form of embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is that the hole 99 forming in conjunction with the piston 66 of the pressure reducing device a safety valve is replaced in the case of FIG. 2 by holes 125 formed through the screw 69 provided for adjusting the compressive force of expansion spring 68 and by a longitudinal groove 126 formed in the inner wall of metal case 118 so that, when the piston 66 is moved upwards by an accidental overpressure, the gas can be vented to the atmosphere through said holes 125. Otherwise, the mode of operation of pressure reducingdevice and of the gas stop valve is exactly the same as in the case of the first form of embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

The siphon-valve stopper according to the present invention can be used to advantage not only by any private consumer of beer or other gaseous or non-gaseous beverages, but also in all small inns and cafes not equipped with a special installation for dispensing beer under pressure.

Of course, the preferred forms of embodiment of the invention which have been described hereinabove are given by way of illustration, not of limitation, and many modifications and variations may be brought thereto without departing from the basic principles of this invention, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. Thus, although the drawing shows a dispensing spout 82 formed integrally with the body 50 or of the siphon-valve stopper, it is clear that this spout could be secured to said

body

50 or 100 and/or have any other shape. Moreover, notably as far as the elastome ring 113 is concerned, this ring could be free of any internal bead and have a height adapted to enable it to accomodate the shape and contour of the external surface of the bottle neck when said ring is radially distorted as a consequence of the resultant axial compression exerted by. the clamping collar 114.

What I claim is:

l. A siphon-valve stopper, adapted to be fitted to the neck of an ordinary glass bottle filled with aliquid, which comprises a body enclosing a C0 capsule of a capacity sufficient for emptying a plurality of bottles filled with liquid, a pressure reducing device and a gas stop valve for discontinuing the delivery of gas into the bottle when the latter, equipped with the siphon-valve stopper, has been emptied, to permit the fitting of the siphon-valve stopper to another full bottle to be emptied, said pressure reducing device comprising a highpressure chamber andalow-pressure chamber communicating with each other through a passage, said low-pressure chamber also communicating, during the operation of the siphon-valve stopper, with the interior of said bottle, a valve member for adjusting the gas output through said passage between said two chambers, said valve member being arranged in said high-pressure chamber and provided with a rod extending axially through said passage into said low-pressure chamber, a first resilient member constantly urging said valve member towards a valve seat provided on the high-pressure side of said passage for closing same, an expansion piston slidably mounted in said low-pressure chamber and registering with said'passage, and a second resilient member constantly urging said expansion piston for engagement with the free end of said rod with a predetermined force opposed to and greater than that of said first resilient member in order to hold said valve member away from its seat, said force being such that said piston is in a state of balance under the action of said force and of a desired gas low-pressure in said low-pressure chamber, the improvement consisting in that said gas stop valve in operatively connected to said pressure reducing device, said gas stop valve consisting of said valve member and said valve seat constituting a valve unit, and of control members co-operating with said expansion piston in such a manner that when said control members are actuated in a first direction they move said expansion piston away from said end of said valve member rod, whereby said valve member engages its seat under the action of said first resilient member so as to close said valve unit and thus prevent the subsequent delivery of gas into said low-pressure chamber and therefore into said bottle, and whereby when said control members are actuated in another direction they release said expansion piston so that said expansion piston engages the and of said rod under the force of said second resilient member and pushes said rod and therefore said valve member away from its seat so as to open said valve unit, further comprising means for adjusting the force exerted by said second resilient member on said expansion piston said second resilient member consisting of a gaged coil spring reacting with one end against said expansion piston and with the other end against the end of adjustment screw constituting said adjustment means which is screwed in the body of said siphon-valve stopper and has its position adjustable in order to preset the compressive force of said coil spring, wherein said adjustment screw is formed with an axial tapped hole, and said gas stop valve control member comprises a control knob disposed externally of said siphonvalve stopper body and provided with a screw-threaded rod engaging said axial tapped hole of said adjustment screw, said screw-threaded rod of said control knob having a control rod extension provided at its free end with a stop flange, said expansion piston comprising on its side adjacent to said adjustment screw a retaining member surrounding said control screw and so arranged as to engage the stop flange of said control rod when said control knob is actuated in the direction corresponding to the closing of said gas stop valve in order to move said expansion piston away from the rod of said valve member.

2. A siphon-valve stopper, adapted to be fitted to the neck of an ordinary glass bottle filled with a liquid, which comprises a body enclosing a C capsule of a capacity sufi'icient for emptying a plurality of bottles filled with liquid, a pressure reducing device and a gas stop valve for discontinuing the delivery of gas into the bottle when the latter, equipped with the siphon-valve stopper, has been emptied, to permit the fitting of the siphon-valve stopper to another full bottle to be emptied, said pressure reducing device comprising a highpressure chamber and a lowpressure chamber communicating with each other through a passage, said low-pressure chamber also communicating, during the operation of the siphon-valve stopper, with the interior of said bottle, a valve member for adjusting the gas output through said passage between said two chambers, said valve member being arranged in said high-pressure chamber and provided with a rod extending axially through said passage into said low-pressure chamber, a first resilient member constantly urging said valve member towards a valve seat provided on the high-pressure side of said passage for closing same, an expansion piston slidably mounted in said low-pressure chamber and registering with said passage, and a second resilient member constantly urging said expansion piston for engagement with the free end of said rod with a predetermined force opposed to and greater than that of said first resilient member in order to hold said valve member away from its seat, said force being such that said piston is in a state of balance under the action of said force and of a desired gas low-pressure in said low-pressure chamber, the improvement consisting in that said gas stop valve is operatively connected to said pressure reducing device, said gas stop valve consisting of said valve member and said valve seat constituting a valve unit, and of control members co-operating with said expansion piston in such a manner that when said control members are actuated in a first direction they move said expansion piston away from said end of said valve member rod, whereby said valve member engages its seat under the action of said first resilient member so as to close said valve unit and thus'prevent the subsequent delivery of gas into said low-pressure chamber and therefore into said bottle, and whereby when said control members are actuated in another direction they release said expansion piston so that said expansion piston engages the end of said rod under the force of said second resilient member and pushes said rod and therefore said valve member away from its seat so as to open said valve unit, wherein said body comprises a vertical axial bore communicating with a dip-tube adapted, during the operation of the stopper, to extend within the bottle for drawing liquid therefrom, and a lateral spout formed with a liquid outlet duct ope-ning into said axial bore, and comprising in a manner known per se a liquid output control valve disposed in said axial bore and closed\in the inoperative condition of said siphon-valve stopper, and a push button operatively connected to said valve to permit the operation thereof, said push-button being disposed at the upper portion of said body, and wherein said output control valve consists of a piston adapted to slide in a fluid-tight manner in said axial bore and formed at its lower portion with a blind axial hole communicating with said dip-tube and with a radial hole opening in close proximity of the bottom of said blind axial hole, said radial hole being adapted to be brought to a position in which it registers with the inner orifice of said spout outlet duct when said push-button is depressed, to permit the delivery of liquid through said output orifice, the radial hole of said piston and said orifice of said outlet duct having substan-tially the same dimensions, and wherein said dip-tube is secured to the iston of said control valve so that its internal duct constitutes t e extension of the axial duct of said piston.

Claims

1. A siphon-valve stopper, adapted to be fitted to the neck of an ordinary glass bottle filled with a liquid, which comprises a body enclosing a CO2 capsule of a capacity sufficient for emptying a plurality of bottles filled with liquid, a pressure reducing device and a gas stop valve for discontinuing the delivery of gas into the bottle when the latter, equipped with the siphon-valve stopper, has been emptied, to permit the fitting of the siphon-valve stopper to another full bottle to be emptied, said pressure reducing device comprising a high-pressure chamber and a low-pressure chamber communicating with each other through a passage, said low-pressure chamber also communicating, during the operation of the siphon-valve stopper, with the interior of said bottle, a valve member for adjusting the gas output through said passage between said two chambers, said valve member being arranged in said high-pressure chamber and provided with a rod extending axially through said passage into said low-pressure chamber, a first resilient member constantly urging said valve member towards a valve seat provided on the high-pressure side of said passage for closing same, an expansion piston slidably mounted in said low-pressure chamber and registering with said passage, and a second resilient member constantly urging said expansion piston for engagement with the free end of said rod with a predetermined force opposed to and greater than that of said first resilient member in order to hold said valve member away from its seat, said force being such that said piston is in a state of balance under the action of said force and of a desired gas low-pressure in said low-pressure chamber, the improvement consisting in that said gas stop valve in operatively connected to said pressure reducing device, said gas stop valve consisting of said valve member and said valve seat constituting a valve unit, and of control members co-operating with said expansion piston in such a manner that when said control members are actuated in a first direction they move said expansion piston away from said end of said valve member rod, whereby said valve member engages its seat under the action of said first resilient member so as to close said valve unit and thus prevent the subsequent delivery of gas into said low-pressure chamber and therefore into said bottle, and whereby when said control members are actuated in another direction they release said expansion piston so that said expansion piston engages the and of said rod under the force of said second resilient member and pushes said rod and therefore said valve member away from its seat so as to open said valve unit, further comprising means for adjusting the force exerted by said second resilient member on said expansion piston said second resilient member consisting of a gaged coil spring reacting with one end against said expansion piston and with the other end against the end of adjustment screw constituting said adjustment means which is screwed in the body of said siphon-valve stopper and has its position adjustable in order to preset the compressive force of said coil spring, wherein said adjustment screw is formed with an axial tapped hole, and said gas stop valve control member comprises a control knob disposed externally of said siphon-valve stopper body and provided with a screw-threaded rod engaging said axial tapped hole of said adjustment screw, said screw-threaded rod of said control knob having a control rod extension provided at its free end with a stop flange, said expansion piston comprising on its side adjacent to said adjustment screw a retaining member surrounding said control screw and so arranged as to engage the stop flange of said control rod when said control knob is actuated in the direction corresponding to the closing of said gas stop valve in order to move said expansion piston away from the rod of said valve member.

2. A siphon-valve stopper, adapted to be fitted to the neck of an ordinary glass bottle filled with a liquid, which comprises a body enclosing a CO2 capsule of a capacity sufficient for emptying a plurality of bottles filled with liquid, a pressure reducing device and a gas stop valve for discontinuing the delivery of gas into the bottle when the latter, equipped with the siphon-valve stopper, has been emptied, to permit the fitting of the siphon-valve stopper to another full bottle to be emptied, said pressure reducing device comprising a high-pressure chamber and a low-pressure chamber communicating with each other through a passage, said low-pressure chamber also communicating, during the operation of the siphon-valve stopper, with the interior of said bottle, a valve member for adjusting the gas output through said passage between said two chambers, said valve member being arranged in said high-pressure chamber and provided with a rod extending axially through said passage into said low-pressure chamber, a first resilient member constantly urging said valve member towards a valve seat provided on the high-pressure side of said passage for closing same, an expansion piston slidably mounted in said low-pressure chamber and registering with said passage, and a second resilient member constantly urging said expansion piston for engagement with the free end of said rod with a predetermined force opposed to and greater than that of said first resilient member in order to hold said valve member away from its seat, said force being such that said piston is in a state of balance under the action of said force and of a desired gas low-pressure in said low-pressure chamber, the improvement consisting in that said gas stop valve is operatively connected to said pressure reducing device, said gas stop valve consisting of said valve member and said valve seat constituting a valve unit, and of control members co-operating with said expansion piston in such a manner that when said control members are actuated in a first direction they move said expansion piston away from said end of said valve member rod, whereby said valve member engages its seat under the action of said first resilient member so as to close said valve unit and thus prevent the subsequent delivery of gas into said low-pressure chamber and therefore into said bottle, and whereby when said control members are actuated in another direction they release said expansion piston so that said expansion piston engages the end of said rod under the force of said second resilient member and pushes Said rod and therefore said valve member away from its seat so as to open said valve unit, wherein said body comprises a vertical axial bore communicating with a dip-tube adapted, during the operation of the stopper, to extend within the bottle for drawing liquid therefrom, and a lateral spout formed with a liquid outlet duct ope-ning into said axial bore, and comprising in a manner known per se a liquid output control valve disposed in said axial bore and closed in the inoperative condition of said siphon-valve stopper, and a push button operatively connected to said valve to permit the operation thereof, said push-button being disposed at the upper portion of said body, and wherein said output control valve consists of a piston adapted to slide in a fluid-tight manner in said axial bore and formed at its lower portion with a blind axial hole communicating with said dip-tube and with a radial hole opening in close proximity of the bottom of said blind axial hole, said radial hole being adapted to be brought to a position in which it registers with the inner orifice of said spout outlet duct when said push-button is depressed, to permit the delivery of liquid through said output orifice, the radial hole of said piston and said orifice of said outlet duct having substan-tially the same dimensions, and wherein said dip-tube is secured to the piston of said control valve so that its internal duct constitutes the extension of the axial duct of said piston.