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US 6,230,769 B1Granted
Tap-handle-assembly extension to facilitate one-handed operation of beverage taps
OwnerDenis Richard O'Brieninventor
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Abstract
In a beverage tap of the kind used in ale houses, pubs and restaurants, a tap-handle-assembly extension is provided that facilitates the operation of the tap with one hand so that the server can easily fill two receptacles from two taps simultaneously without wasting beverage. Disclosed embodiments include an extension that may be reversibly retrofitted to an existing tap, an extension that is incorporated into the structure of a tap handle, and an extension that is connected to and contiguous with an upper retaining nut.
Claims11
An improved tap of the type having:
- (a) a faucet casing that encloses a bore though which beverage passes to a spout;
- (b) an annulus in the faucet casing;
- (c) a valve housed within the bore such that the opening and closing of the valve controls the flow of beverage through the bore to the spout;
- (d) a tap-handle assembly having
- (i) a handle-stud with an upper end and a lower end, the lower end passing through the annulus and operably connecting to the valve such that the valve is opened and closed when the handle-stud is moved to-and-fro;
- (ii) a lower retaining nut that fits over the upper end of the handle-stud and fastens to the annulus such that the handle-stud is secured to the faucet casing in a manner that permits the handle-stud to be moved freely to-and-fro;
- (iii) an upper retaining nut secured to the handle-stud such that the upper most part of the handle-stud protrudes through the upper retaining nut;
- (iv) a handle attached to the upper most part of the handle-stud;
- the improvement comprising a tap-handle-assembly extension attached to the tap-handle assembly for facilitating to to-and-fro movement of the handle-stud, whereby one-handed operation of the tap is made easier.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.