Pressurised liquid dispenser with three way valve for venting a container

A method for loading and unloading a container onto a dispensing appliance comprising:

• (a) Providing a dispensing tube for dispensing the liquid from the container through a dispensing valve, said dispensing tube comprising an upstream end and a downstream end;
• (b) Providing a gas tube for feeding a pressurized gas into the container for driving the dispensing of liquid out of the container through the dispensing tube, said gas tube comprising a downstream end and an upstream end, the upstream end being connectable to a source of pressurized gas;
• (c) Providing a three way valve is coupled to the downstream end of the gas tube, said three way valve comprising:
• A keg duct suitable for being brought into fluid communication with the interior of the container;
• A gas duct connected to the downstream end of the gas tube;
• and
• A vent duct;
• Such that the three way valve can switch from a dispensing position wherein the keg duct is in fluid communication with the gas duct, and out of fluid communication with the vent duct, to a venting position, wherein the keg duct is in fluid communication with the vent duct, and out of fluid communication with the gas duct,
• wherein the three way valve is provided with blocking means, such that when the three way valve is in the dispensing position, said blocking means interact with a coupling element such that the clamping means of the keg connector cannot be brought from their coupling position to their release position before switching the three way valve from the dispensing position to the venting position to thus release the blocking means from the coupling element;
• said method further comprising the following steps:
• (d) Providing a container containing a liquid to be dispensed and a mouth sealed by a closure comprising at least one opening;
• (e) Bringing the upstream end of the dispensing tube in fluid communication with an interior of the container through said at least one opening of the closure, with the dispensing valve being in a closed position preventing any flow of liquid therethrough;
• (f) Bringing the gas duct of the three way valve in fluid communication with an interior of the container, and connecting the upstream end of the gas tube to a source of pressurized gas;
• (g) Switching the three way valve to the dispensing position to allow pressurized gas to flow into an interior of the container;
• and
• (h) Opening the dispensing valve to dispense the liquid out of the container through the dispensing tube.