Abstract: A conduit (200) is adapted to pass a fluid there-through and provides a flow restriction (201) across an operational pressure drop between a liquid inlet into and outlet from that restriction. The conduit comprises a cooperative plurality of mutually inter-fitting longitudinal sections (202) of an elongated tubular body (203) enclosing a longitudinally-extending passage (204) for the fluid to pass between respective mutually opposed surfaces (204a, 204b) thereof. The surfaces are conformed so that with the sections arranged in conjoined relation and the portions engaged in cooperative inter-fitting register, the flow restriction is defined between the respective conformed surfaces.

Abstract: A container (51) for storage and dispensing of fluids, comprising collapsible front (54) and rear walls (56) defining a chamber, having a gland (50) defining a fluid passage for allowing the passage of fluids into the chamber carried on the front wall (54) of the container (51). The gland (50) includes a sealing land (59) within the container for sealingly engaging a heat sealable membrane (61) along a continuous seal upon the application of heat through the rear wall (56) of the container. The sealing land (59) in a pre-sealed condition, includes at least one thermo-deformable projection (64) having a raised profile providing an initial melt zone of reduced area relative to the area of the sealing land.

Abstract: A bag (10) adapted for insertion into a container and a method of folding the bag is disclosed. The bag has two panels (14, 16) and a neck portion (30) passing between the panels. The neck portion has a spear portion (34) extending into the bag between the panels through which an alcohol beverage may pass into and out of the bag. The bag has a first plurality of folds (50) on each of the panels extending orthogonal to the spear. A first side of the bag is folded inwards over itself in a first spiral-like manner (70) in a plurality of folds sections along fold lines extending parallel to the spear. A second side of the bag is folded inwards over itself in a second spiral-like manner (78) in plurality of fold sections along fold lines extending parallel to the spear.

Abstract: A camera for connection to an authorised user via a network. The camera has a processor arranged to execute a communications client program and an image data decoding program. The camera further has means for capturing image data including encoded login data, the image data being supplied to the image data decoding program, the image data decoding program being arranged to decode the image data and to supply the login data decoded from the image data to the communication client program to set up the camera as an authorised device accessible by the user via the network.

Abstract: There is disclosed a cask and chime assembly wherein the cask has end surface side wall portions of reduced diameter relative to the central wall surface portion of the cask. The reduced diameter portions of the cask are separated from the central wall surface portion of the cask by an annular groove whereby a protruding shoulder is provided in the groove adjacent the central portion of the cask. Chimes the cask and have a flange adapted to be snapped fitted into the groove. The shoulders provide for support against vertical of forces that might otherwise displace the chimes from the grooves.

Abstract: A tap adapter (38) for use in dispensing an alcohol beverage from a container (22) has a shoulder (152), a support arm (150), a dispensing tube, a flow restricting actuator (200), and a switch (300). The dispensing tube is supported by the support arm and provides a beverage flow passageway for dispensing beverage from the container. The dispensing tube has at least a flexible wall portion (86). The flow restricting actuator is pivotally attached to the shoulder and moves between a first position remote of the dispensing tube and a second locked position to partially collapse the flexible wall portion and restrict flow of beverage through the passageway. The switch, when actuated by a user, releases the flow restricting actuator from the second locked position. The switch of the tap adapter facilitates disconnection of the dispensing tube from a spent container and the changing of the dispensing tube.

Abstract: A bag suitable for containing an alcohol beverage has two panels (14,16) having adjacently positioned edges forming at least one seam. The seam has a joined seam portion where the adjacently positioned edges (20,22,30,32) of the panels are joined together. The seam also has an open seam portion (24) where the adjacently positioned edges of the panels are not joined together. A bag neck molding (40) extends through the open seam portion of the panels. The bag neck molding is secured in sealing relation with the panels of the bag at the open seam portion. The bag neck molding has at least one valve (47,48) accessible for operation from outside the bag and supporting a spear (50) extending into the bag through which the beverage may pass.

Abstract: There is disclosed a tool (50) for extracting a valve assembly (16) from a container (10). The tool preferably had three gripper ring segments (52) adapted to move between a closed ring engaging position and a non-engaging position with the valve assembly (16). The tool has one lever assembly (60) for each gripper ring segment. Each lever assembly has a lever having a first end portion (64) connected with a corresponding one of the ring segments (52) to move the corresponding ring segment between the engaging and non-engaging positions with the valve assembly. The tool has an actuation mechanism (90) connected with the levers to move the levers in synchronism and thereby move the gripper ring segments into engagement with the valve assembly. The actuator pulls the valve assembly from the container via the levers and gripper ring segments with the gripper ring segments in the engaging position.

Abstract: There is disclosed a chime for an alcohol containing cask. The chime has an annular rim portion that is secured by snap fitting with a groove of the cask. The chime further includes a pair of opposing wing portions that extend outwardly from the rim portion beyond the cask. Each of the wing portions has a central portion and two side portions. Each of the side portions has an outer edge portion that slopes in a concave curvature of predetermined radius from the central portion to the rim portion.

Abstract: A beer keg for storing a beer under pressure has an outer wall and a pressure relief passageway extending through an outer wall of the beer keg. The beer keg has a bursting disk seated in the passageway normally closing the passageway. The disk is adapted to rupture permitting fluid to escape from the beer keg through the passageway when the pressure in the beer keg exceeds a predetermined pressure value. The keg has a releasable cap mounted thereto that covers the passageway. The releasable cap has vent openings that permit the escape of fluid from the passageway. The cap is releasable to permit access to the passageway for changing the bursting disk. Preferably, a pressure build up in the keg in excess of about 7 bar results in the bursting disk rupturing.

Abstract: An animal product sampling device comprises a well arranged, in use, to collect fluid flowing through a fluid tube connected to the well, a drain, one end of which is connected to the well, which is arranged such that, in use, fluid from the well may pass to the fluid tube connected to the well, and a sample tube arranged, in use, to draw fluid from a zone of fluid of minimal turbulence within the well. The device is arranged such that, in use, the zone of fluid of minimal turbulence, from which a sample of fluid can be drawn through the sample tube, is created in the device due to the dimensions of the well and the drain. There is further provided an animal product sample transportation device and an animal product sample collecting device.

Abstract: An automated detection apparatus for testing biological samples from a plurality of individual animals. The apparatus comprises a detecting unit having a sample inlet and a sample outlet, and a biosensitive sensor comprising a biosensitive medium for indicating the concentration of at least one biological compound within each biological sample. The biosensitive medium is provided with at least one active biosensor region. Means expose each region, when in use, to a biological sample thereby detecting the concentration of the biological compound.

Abstract: A tap adapter suitable for use in dispensing an alcohol beverage from a keg which tap adapter has a hollow arm adapted for mounting to a valve assembly in fluid flow communication with a beverage dispensing valve in the valve assembly. The arm may contain a dispensing tube. A first end portion of the arm is adapted to releasably connect to the beverage dispensing valve to open the valve and has a tap permitting beverage to flow through the hollow arm and out the tap. An air line passageway is adapted to be connected to a second valve in sealed fluid flow communication therewith passing through the valve assembly or keg. A source of air is connected to the air line passageway for supplying pressurized air to the second valve and into the keg. A relief valve is provided which can be opened to allow air to pass into the discharge tube upstream of the discharge end portion whereby the beverage in the discharge tube downstream of the relief valve freely flows out of the discharge end portion.

Abstract: An alcohol beverage dispensing apparatus has a keg having top and bottom portions and a bag contained within the keg for containing an alcohol beverage. The apparatus has a dispensing device that has a hollow elongated tube extending into the bag towards the bottom portion of the keg for inserting the beverage into the bag during a bag fill operation and for dispensing the beverage from the bag during a dispense operation. The hollow tube has an end portion having an opening which may comprise a plurality of laterally spaced apart notches positioned between interval side wall portions to provide crenellated openings in the end portion throughwhich the beverage passes into and out from the hollow elongated member. The interval side wall portions have rounded tip portions or carry an interface plate to reduce the risk of the end portion puncturing the bag during beverage filling and dispensing cycles.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a conduit for conducting gasified liquid, which has a flow restrictor arranged in in-line relation therewith. The restrictor itself comprises an at least one aperture (although two or more can be used in series), with each such being adapted to pass the gasified liquid flowing through the conduit and across a pressure drop from a higher-pressure upstream side of the aperture to a lower-pressure downstream side of the aperture. The aperture is operable to moderate the rate of change in pressure over a transitional pressure drop to mitigate the formation of localized pressures below a critical pressure at which off-gassing from the carbonated liquid results in substantial foam formation. The conduit may take the form of a dispensing tube for use in dispensing an alcoholic beverage from a keg, the tube having a flexible wall deformable under the influence of a restricting actuator to control the partial collapse of the wall and thereby form the restrictor.

Abstract: A cooling system for a home beer dispensing apparatus has a mediated thermal bridge providing a bank of latent cooling capacity. The bridge may have a cavity filled with a cooling solution with at least one series of spaced apart heat exchange fins extending substantially along and interstitially into the cavity from at least one wall of the cavity so as to enhance heat transfer across the cavity. The bridge is arranged in thermal conducting relation through a cooling plate between a keg containing the beer and a Peltier thermoelectric cooling device adapted to cool the cooling solution by extracting heat therefrom to an active heat sink. A fan directs air flow horizontally along the fins of the sink and out the two lateral open sides of the heat sink. This prevents heat from rising in the apparatus and thereby affecting other system component parts. The cooling solution may comprise 5% by volume glycol and freezes at a temperature below that of water providing an improved thermal bank.

Abstract: An interlocking collar (72) secures a bag neck (46) in a keg aperture (42) of an alcohol beverage keg container (22). The interlocking collar is mounted in press fit surrounding relation with a peripheral wall portion of the bag neck. The collar has an outer peripheral wall portion sized larger than that of a keg aperture. The collar (72) has a recessed groove (76) in the collar outer peripheral wall portion for receiving in press fitting and sealing relation a keg flange (40) that defines the keg aperture. The collar outer peripheral wall portion has a resilient edge portion (78) adjacent the recessed groove that deflects to permit the interlocking collar to pass through the keg aperture and receive the keg flange in the recessed groove. The interlocking collar has a plurality of locking passageways (80) placed around the interlocking collar and axially extending through the interlocking collar between the neck and recessed grove.

Abstract: A home beer dispensing apparatus has a keg having a self-contained bag filled with a beer and a pressure system. The pressure system creates a pressurized air space between the keg inner walls and the bag to assist in the dispensing of the beer. The pressure system has a keg one-way air valve mounted to a top wall of the keg to permit entry of pressurized air into the keg. The pressure system has a pressure reservoir mounted in the dispensing apparatus outside the keg and in fluid flow communication with the keg one-way valve. The reservoir stores a charge of pressurized air and supplies at least a portion of this charge to the keg through the keg air valve when the dispensing apparatus is operated to dispense the beer. The reservoir provides a reserved charge of pressurized gas that is on hand to reduce dampening pressure fluctuations during beer dispensing which can result in beer frothing, especially during the early stages of beer dispensing when the air head space in the keg is small.

Abstract: A beer or like alcohol beverage dispensing apparatus has a keg for containing the beverage. A keg dispensing device is connected through a top portion of the keg and extends to a bottom portion of the keg to draw the beverage from the keg adjacent the bottom portion. The apparatus has a cooling plate in heat transfer contacting relation with the bottom of the keg and also has a Peltier thermoelectric device connected to the cooling plate so as to extract heat from the cooling plate and thereby extract heat from the keg. The cooling apparatus has a first temperature sensor, mounted in heat sensing relation with a bottom portion of the keg and a second temperature sensor mounted in heat sensing relation with an upper portion of the keg.

Abstract: A method is provided for filling a bag with an alcohol beverage inflates the bag with an inert gas prior to filing the bag with the beverage. The inert gas is vented from the bag as the bag is filled with the beverage. By initially inflating the bag with the inert gas, the bag is not inflated during the step of filling the bag with the beverage and hence, the bag is less susceptible to rupture during beverage filling the inert gas acts to purge any air trapped in the bag. During the venting step the inert gas and air mixture is vented from the bag. There is less chance for air to be trapped in the bag and spoil the beverage in the bag. In a further aspect, the bag is contained in a container and the air between the container and the bag is also evacuated. The inert gas may be CO2 or nitrogen when the beverage is beer. Also provided is a valve and valve and spear assembly for alcohol dispensing apparatus.