Claims
- 1. An apparatus for filling a wine barrel through a bung hole in the top of the barrel comprising: a nozzle; a means for locating the nozzle at a predetermined vertical position relative to the inner surface of the barrel adjacent the bung hole; an electronic wine level sensor means adapted to send a signal to an upstream wine flow control valve to regulate the wine flow into the barrel when the wine level reaches a predetermined level in the barrel; a valve located at the upstream end of the nozzle to prevent wine flowing into the nozzle from upstream of the valve when the upstream wine flow control valve is closed.
- 2. An apparatus for filling a wine barrel as defined in claim 1 wherein the electronic sensor means is a elongate probe that, in use, is positioned to be in contact with the wine in the barrel when the wine is at the predetermined level.
- 3. An apparatus for filling a wine barrel as defined in claim 2 wherein the electronic means is a conductivity probe.
- 4. An apparatus for filling a wine barrel as define in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the apparatus further includes a nozzle extension adapted to reversibly engage onto the downstream end of the nozzle.
- 5. An apparatus for filling a wine barrel as defined in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the apparatus further includes a hollow handle member connected to the upstream end of the nozzle.
- 6. An apparatus for filling a wine barrel as defined in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the electronic sensor means is adapted to control at least two upstream wine flow control valves.
- 7. An apparatus for filling a wine barrel as defined in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the means for locating the nozzle at the predetermined vertical position relative to the inner surface of the barrel adjacent the bung hole is a lug located on the nozzle and an arm on the opposite side of the lug.
- 8. An apparatus for filling a wine barrel as defined in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the electronic wine level sensor means is recessed into the nozzle.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
PR 3903 |
Mar 2001 |
AU |
|
CROSS REFERENCE
[0001] This application is a national phase application and claims priority to international patent application number PCT/AU02/00340, filed Mar. 20, 2002, which claims priority to Australia application number PR 3903, filed Mar. 22, 2001.
PCT Information
Filing Document |
Filing Date |
Country |
Kind |
PCT/AU02/00340 |
3/20/2002 |
WO |
|