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US 5,511,694 AGranted
Apparatus and article for determining and indicating liquid content of kegs or barrels
OwnerEdward J. Rohminventor
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OwnerEdward J. Rohminventor
Estimating the term…
Equipment is provided to solve the problem of affording information, in connection with dispensing of beverage from a pressurized keg via a tap controlled with a tap handle, about the level of beverage remaining in the keg. Preferably, the tap handle is caused to contain a power source, a position-sensitive switch, a microprocessor containing a timer, a reset associated with the microprocessor to be activated when a new keg is started, a device for causing the microprocessor to accumulate an aggregate amount of time since the reset was most recently activated, and a display or output responsive to the microprocessor to give signals (clock-face-style display, digital and/or alphanumeric display, or in some aspects of the invention, a flashing light or even simply an audible signal) to let the user know what the level of liquid in the keg is or that it has reached a point near to the end of the quarter-barrel or half-barrel keg now in use.
An article of manufacture in the nature of a handle for the valve of a tap for delivering and dispensing into a container a liquid under pressure which is derived from a source container, said handle containing a display means for indicating the quantity of said liquid currently present in said source container and said handle contains also and in operative relationship to one another a microprocessor means having timing capability, a power source, a position-sensitive electrical switch responsive to operative movement of said valve by said handle, and a reset means for starting a new calculation of aggregate time and liquid remaining in said container, such that said display means exhibits indica dependent upon the aggregate length of time that the said handle has been in its open position.
Apparatus for indicating the level of liquid in a keg which is delivered therefrom via a tap having an operative handle member, which apparatus comprises, in combination,
An article of manufacture comprising a handle for a valve of a tap for delivering and dispensing into a container a liquid under pressure which is derived from a source container, said handle containing a display means for indicating the quantity of said liquid currently present in said source container and the display means exhibits indicia dependent upon both the aggregate length of time that the handle has been in its open position and a volume of liquid that is delivered per unit of time, and a reset means in said handle for starting a new calculation or aggregate time and fluid remaining in said container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.