Alcoholic Beverage Dispensing Appliance With Gas Connection

Abstract

An alcohol beverage dispensing appliance has a container housed in the appliance and a tap adapter mounted to the container for dispensing beverage from the container. The tap adapter has a first gas connector and a gas line adapted for connection with the container for charging the container with pressurized gas to facilitate beverage dispensing. The tap adapter has at least one gas connecting locating member. The appliance has a gas supply line housed in the container that has a second gas connector adapted for sealing engagement with the first gas connector. The appliance has a guideway for locating the second gas connector that is adapted for receiving the gas connecting locating member of the tap adapter in sliding and guiding relation to permit movement of the first gas connector into sealing relation with the second gas connector. The appliance has a locking member moveable in the guideway between an unlocked position permitting movement of the locating member along the guideway and a locked position engaging the locating member to prevent reversing movement of the gas connecting locating member out of the guideway.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An alcohol beverage dispensing appliance comprising:
 a beverage container housed in the appliance;   a tap adapter for mounting to the container for dispensing the beverage from the container, the tap adapter having a first gas connector and a gas line adapted for connection with the container for charging the container with pressurized gas to facilitate beverage dispensing, and the tap adapter having at least one gas connecting locating member;   a gas supply line housed in the container having a second gas connector adapted for sealing engagement with the first gas connector;   a guideway for locating the second gas connector therein and adapted for receiving the gas connecting locating member of the tap adapter in sliding and guiding relation to permit movement of the first gas connector into sealing relation with the second gas connector; and,   a locking member moveable in the guideway between an unlocked position permitting movement of the gas connecting locating member along the guideway and a locked position engaging the gas connecting locating member preventing reversing movement of the gas connecting locating member out of the guideway.   
     
     
         2 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein the first gas connector is a male connector and the second gas connector is a female connector and the first and second gas connectors matingly sealingly engage. 
     
     
         3 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein the locking member includes a lever arm pivotally attached to the appliance adjacent the guideway, the lever arm supporting a first locking finger extending into the guideway and moveable between the unlocked position and the locked position to engage the gas connecting locating member. 
     
     
         4 . The appliance of  claim 3  wherein the lever arm further includes a second finger rotatable in the guideway, the second finger being spaced from the first locking finger whereby the gas connecting locating member passes between the first and second fingers and is locked therebetween as the first and second fingers are rotated in the guideway. 
     
     
         5 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein the guideway includes a stop limiting rotation of the first locking finger as the first locating finger is moved into the locked position and limiting rotation of the second finger as the second finger is moved into the unlocked position. 
     
     
         6 . The appliance of  claim 3  further including appliance doors that are closeable once the lever arm is moved into the locked position. 
     
     
         7 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein the guideway comprises a pair of spaced apart tracks and the gas connecting locating member comprises a bar having opposing end portions moveable along the spaced apart tracks. 
     
     
         8 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein the second gas connector is pivotally mounted in the guideway. 
     
     
         9 . The appliance of  claim 4  wherein the lever arm is depressed towards the tap adapter to move the first locking finger into the locked position and the lever arm is raised to move the second finger against the gas connecting locating member to disconnect the first gas connector from the second gas connector.