Counterpressured liquid transfer apparatus and variable control therefor

Claim 1

BEVERAGE HANDLING APPARATUS COMPRISING: A SUPPLY VESSEL FOR CONTAINING BEVERAGE LIQUID AT A PRESELECTED PRESSURE; A FILLER FOR CONTAINING SAID LIQUID GENERALLY AT A PRESELECTED HIGHER PRESSURE, SAID FILLER HAVING A LIQUID SPACE AND A GAS SPACE OVER SAID LIQUID SPACE; AND A DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE CONTROL DEVICE FOR MODIFYING THE PRESSURE ON BEVERAGE LIQUID FLOWING FROM SAID VESSEL TO SAID FILLER, SAID CONTROL DEVICE INCLUDING A CLOSED TANK POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID VESSEL AND SAID FILLER, FIRST CONDUIT MEANS CONNECTING SAID VESSEL TO SAID TANK TO PERMIT TO FLOW OF LIQUID INTO SAID TANK, PUMP MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST CONDUIT MEANS TO BOOST THE PRESSURE OF FLUID FLOWING INTO SAID TANK, SECOND CONDUIT MEANS CONNECTING SAID TANK TO SAID FILLER TO PERMIT A FLOW OF LIQUID FROM SAID TANK TO SAID FILLER, GAS SUPPLY MEANS CONNECTED TOP SAID TANK TO MAINTAIN THE LIQUID THEREIN AT A PREDETERMINED OPERATING PRESSURE AT LEAST AS GREAT AS SAID PRESELECTED HIGHER PRESSURE, AND LIQUID SUPPLY CONTROL MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID TANK TO MAINTAIN THE LEVEL OF LIQUID THEREIN AT A PREDETERMINED LEVEL, INCLUDING VALVE MEANS BETWEEN SAID PUMP MEANS AND SAID TANK SPACED APART FROM SAID TANK TO AVOID TURBULENCE IN SAID TANK AND VALVE OPERATING MEANS RESPONSIVE TO THE LIQUID LEVEL IN SAID TANK OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID VALVE MEANS, WHEREBY LIQUID FLOWS FROM SAID TANK INTO SAID FILLER WHEN THE ACTUAL PRESSURE IN SAID FILLER IS BELOW SAID OPERATING PRESSURE.