Valve apparatus for selectively dispensing liquid from a plurality of sources

1. A valve apparatus for selectively dispensing beer, the apparatus comprising:

a valve body having a first inlet for communication with a first source of beer, a second inlet for communication with a second source of beer, an outlet for dispensing the beer, a passageway communicating with the first inlet, the second inlet and the outlet, a valve member disposed within the passageway and inhibiting communication between the first inlet and the second inlet and, in a first position, between the second inlet and the outlet, and a float chamber communicating with the first inlet and the outlet; and

a float member disposed within the float chamber, the float member being operatively engageable with the valve member, the float member being buoyant and being displaceable upwards to enable communication between the first inlet and the outlet when the first source of beer at least partially fills the float chamber, and when the first source of beer is depleted, the float member lowering to seal the first inlet from the outlet and the valve member moving to a second position thereby to enable the second inlet to be in communication with the outlet for dispensing beer from the second source.

2. The valve apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the float member and the valve member are integral.

3. The valve apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the valve member is interposed between the second inlet and the outlet.

4. The valve apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first source of beer is pressurized, and when the first source of beer is depleted and the float member lowers to seal the first inlet from the outlet, a pressure differential is created between the float chamber and the outlet which moves the valve member to the second position thereby and enables the second inlet to be in communication with the outlet for dispensing beer from the second source.

5. The valve apparatus as claimed in claim 4 , the valve member further including a piston member having a piston aperture, the piston aperture allowing communication between the first inlet and the outlet and being shaped to receive the float member, whereby when the first source of beer is depleted, the piston member receives the float member which thereby seals the first inlet from the outlet, and pressure builds within the float chamber and hence against the piston member, actuating the piston member and thus moving the valve member to the second position thereby.

6. The valve apparatus as claimed in claim 5 , the piston member further including a top facing the float chamber, said pressure builds within the float chamber and selectively against the top of the piston member to actuate the piston member and thus move the valve member to the second position thereby.

7. The valve apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , the float member further including an end portion that is tapered with a plug extending outwards therefrom for stopping communication between the first inlet and the outlet when the first source of beer is depleted.

8. The valve apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the plug is resilient and wherein the passageway has a first aperture through which the first inlet communicates with the outlet, the plug being shaped to seal the first aperture of the passageway when the first source of beer is depleted.

9. The valve apparatus as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the first source of beer is pressurized, the float member includes a piston slidably disposed within the float member near the end portion, a piston rod extending from the piston to at least the end portion, the piston rod being operatively engageable with the valve member, and a resilient member operatively interposed between the piston and the plug for biasing the piston so that the piston rod is disposed in a retracted position near the end portion, whereby when the first source of beer is depleted, the plug seals the first inlet from the outlet, pressure builds within the float chamber thereby and acts against the piston, causing the piston rod to move and displace the valve member to the second position to enable the second inlet to be in communication with the outlet for dispensing beer from the second source.

10. The valve apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the valve member has a first blocking portion which stops communication between the first inlet and the second inlet, a second blocking portion opposite the first blocking portion of the valve member which stops communication between the second inlet and the outlet, and a recess interposed between the first blocking portion and the second blocking portion which enables the second inlet to be in communication with the outlet for dispensing beer from the second source when valve member is moved to the second position.

11. The valve apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further including a latch connectable with the valve member for locking the position of the valve member, the latch being spring-loaded and operatively latching the valve body and the valve member together when the valve member is moved to the second position for locking the position of the valve member thereby.

12. The valve apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first source of beer is a first keg, the first keg being pressurized, and when the first keg has beer, the first keg at least partially filling the float chamber with beer and causing the float member to displace upwards thereby, and wherein the second source of beer is a second keg, the second keg being pressurized, and the second keg being in communication with the outlet only after the first keg is empty.

13. A system for selectively dispensing beer, the system comprising:

a first source of beer, a second source of beer, and a third source of beer;

a first valve apparatus including a valve body having a first inlet in communication with the first source of beer, a second inlet in communication with the second source of beer, an outlet for dispensing beer out of the first valve apparatus, a passageway communicating with the first inlet, the second inlet and the outlet, a valve member disposed within the passageway and inhibiting communication between the first inlet and the second inlet and, in a first position, between the second inlet and the outlet, a float chamber communicating with the first inlet and the outlet, and a float member disposed within the float chamber, the float member being operatively engageable with the valve member, being buoyant and being displaceable upwards to enable communication between the first inlet and the outlet when the first source of beer at least partially fills the float chamber, and when the first source of beer is depleted, the float member falling to seal the first inlet from the outlet and the valve member moving to a second position thereby to enable the second inlet to be in communication with the outlet for dispensing beer out of the first valve apparatus from the second source; and

a second valve apparatus including a valve body having a first inlet in communication with the outlet of the first valve apparatus, a second inlet in communication with the third source of beer, an outlet for dispensing beer out of the second valve apparatus, a passageway communicating with the first inlet of the second valve apparatus, the second inlet of the second valve apparatus and the outlet of the second valve apparatus, a valve member disposed within the passageway of the second valve apparatus and inhibiting communication between the first inlet of the second valve apparatus and the second inlet of the second valve apparatus and, in a first position, between the second inlet of the second valve apparatus and the outlet of the second valve apparatus, a float chamber communicating with the first inlet of the second valve apparatus and the outlet of the second valve apparatus, and a float member disposed within the float chamber of the second valve apparatus, the float member of the second valve apparatus being operatively engageable with the valve member of the second valve apparatus, being buoyant and being displaceable upwards to enable communication between the first inlet of the second valve apparatus and the outlet of the second valve apparatus when one from the group consisting of the first source of beer and the second source of beer at least partially fills the float chamber, and when both the first source of beer and the second source of beer are depleted, the float member of the second valve apparatus falling to seal the first inlet of the second valve apparatus from the outlet of the second valve apparatus and the valve member of the second valve apparatus moving to a second position thereby to enable the second inlet of the second valve apparatus to be in communication with the outlet of the second valve apparatus for dispensing beer from the third source.

14. The system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the first source of beer is a first keg, the second source of beer is a second keg and the third source of beer is a third keg.

15. The system as claimed claim 13 wherein the first source of beer, the second source of beer, and the third source of beer are pressurized.

16. The system as claimed in claim 13 further including a pressurized carbon dioxide tank in communication with the first source of beer, the second source of beer, and the third source of beer.

17. The system as claimed in claim 16 further including a pressure regulator manifold interposed between the carbon dioxide tank and the first source of beer, the second source of beer and the third source of beer, respectively, for controlling pressurization of the first source of beer, the second source of beer and the third source of beer.

18. The system as claimed in claim 17 wherein the pressure regulator manifold supplies a target pressure of carbon dioxide to the first source of beer, the second source of beer and the third source of beer.

19. The system as claimed in claim 16 wherein the carbon dioxide tank separately, operatively connects to the first source of beer, the second source of beer and the third source of beer, respectively.

20. The system as claimed in claim 16 further including a beer tap operatively connecting to the outlet of the second valve apparatus for dispensing beer outwards therefrom.

21. A valve apparatus for selectively dispensing liquid, the apparatus comprising:

a valve body having a first inlet for communication with a first source of liquid, a second inlet for communication with a second source of liquid, an outlet for dispensing liquid and a float chamber, the float chamber communicating with the first inlet and the outlet;

a valve member in the valve body operatively interposed between the first inlet and the second inlet for inhibiting communication thereby and, in a first position, being operatively interposed between the second inlet and the outlet for inhibiting communication thereby; and

a float member disposed within the float chamber, the float member being operatively engageable with the valve member, being buoyant and being raised within the float chamber when the float chamber is at least partially filed with liquid to allow liquid from the first source to pass from the first inlet and through to the outlet, and when the first source of liquid is depleted, the float chamber having a reduced amount of liquid and the float member lowering to seal the first inlet from the outlet and the valve member moving to a second position thereby to enable the second inlet to be in communication with the outlet for dispensing liquid from the second source.