Wednesday’s ad is for Budweiser, from 1964. A surprisingly simple, if busy, ad showing a large turkey that fills the page, laid out on a holiday decorated table, with a bottle of Bud and a full glass of beer next to it. It’s actually making me hungry, and thirsty, for Thanksgiving dinner tomorrow.
Archives for November 25, 2015
Patent No. 3480175A: Single Pull Ring Tab
Today in 1969, US Patent 3480175 A was issued, an invention of Nick S. Khoury, assigned to the Continental Can Co., for his “Single Pull Ring Tab.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
This subject has to do with easy opening can ends having a tear portion defined by a weakening line and wherein a pull tab is attached to the tear portion to effect the removal thereof. The pull tab overlies the tear portion so as to protect the tear portion against accidental removal. By having the pull tab coextensive with the tear portion, more space is made available for a larger tear portion.
This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in easy opening containers, and more particularly to a novel easy opening panel construction of the type having a tear portion defined by a peripheral weakening line and a pull tab secured to the tear portion and adjacent a starting end thereof to facilitate both the initial rupture of the container panel and the tearing out of the tear portion.
When a tear portion of an easy opening container is placed in the end panel of a container end, in the past the extent of the tear portion has been restricted by the size of the end panel. This has been because the pull tab has normally provided an extension of the tear strip. In accordance with this invention, it is proposed to have the pull tab disposed coextensive with the tear strip whereby the starting end of the tear strip is not restricted to a position immediately adjacent the center of the end panel as has been customary.
Another feature of this invention is to position the pull tab in overlying relation to the tear portion whereby the pull tab protects the tear portion and prevents accidental rupture of the container panel along the weakening line defining the tear portion.
Still another feature of this invention is to provide adjacent the tear portion upstanding ribs which support the pull tab in an elevated position above the tear portion to further prevent the accidental rupture of the container panel along the weakening line defining the tear portion.
Patent No. 2861603A: Coin Operated Beer Dispensing Machine
Today in 1958, US Patent 2861603 A was issued, an invention of Harry R. Terlecki, for his “Coin Operated Beer Dispensing Machine.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
My invention relates to a coin operated multi-barrel beer dispensing machine which delivers cold palatable beer in individual cups to the purchaser without an undesirable amount of foam, which indicates exhaustion of the cups and beverage without the need of a liquid indicator device for the beverage, and which draws the beer equally from a plurality of barrels.
In the present invention a machine is provided which will dispense cold beer without an undue amount of foam. The machine will dispense beer from a plurality of barrels received in the refrigerated base portion of the machine. The quantity of beer remaining in the barrels is accurately measured by the cup counting device itself. In brief, a cabinet, having an insulated refrigerated space, is provided to hold the beer dispensing mechanism. The refrigerated space of the cabinet contairis a plurality of beer barrels and the cooling coils of a refrigerating unit. An insulated jacket extends upward from the refrigerated space into the uncooled upper portion of the cabinet to the beer dispensing device. This jacket,-which opens into the refrigerated portion immediately in front of the cooling coils, houses the conduit leading from the barrels to the beer dispensing device. A motor driven fan mounted behind the cooling coils assures the circulation of a steady stream of cold air in this jacket. Thus the beer is kept cold until dispensed. With the use of a cup chute designed to deposit the cup at a minimum distance from the beer dispensing device, the formation of an undesirable amount of foam is prevented when the beer is dispensed in the cup. The beer in all barrels is kept under constant equal pressures. This is achieved by means of an air pump and a pressure regulator valve. These are connected to the barrels and provide an equal and constant pressure inside the barrels. Consequently, when the faucet is opened beer is drawn equally from all the barrels. Thus, since all barrels initially contain equal quantities of beer they become empty simultaneously. There is no need to provide a complex automatic switching mechanism which would be required if the barrels emptied consecutively. The cup dispenser is initially filled with a number of cups to correspond with the initial quantity of beer contained in the barrels. Therefore the barrels and the cup dispenser become exhausted at the same time. Therefore, at any time the quantity of beer remaining in the barrels is quickly determined by the number of cups remaining in the cup dispenser The empty signal light is controlled by the cup dispenser and there is no need for a fluid indicator device operated by the fluid in the barrels.
We actually had a beer dispenser in the day room of our barracks when I was in the Army, but it was more like a soda vending machine, and just dispensed cans of beer. But the beer vending machine below, for Wilsons Draught Bitter, looks closer to the one patented, and the photo’s from around 1960, so the timing works. It would be great if you could just walk up to a machine, plunk in a few coins — and voila — you’d have a glass of beer.
The Coolest Cans
This is hands-down one of the coolest designs for a beer can I’ve ever seen. Designed by a Romanian company, Remark Studio SRL, it even won a Gold Pentaward last year for concept design in the worldwide packaging design awards competition. The only sad news is that while it’s an award-winning concept, no brewery has yet stepped up to actually put their beer in the cans, and Volksbier is just a made-up prototype name.
The cans are actually moulded so the dimples are really in the cans, which would make them both stand out and be easier to grip. While I don’t generally like the idea of drinking directly from a beer can — I still firmly believe it should be poured into a proper glass — it’s hard not to imagine drinking straight from this can. And I love the idea that the color of each can could be the exact color of the beer inside. How cool would a brewery’s range of beers look in these cans?
Patent No. 441477A: Bottling-Machine
Today in 1890, US Patent 441477 A was issued, an invention of William H. Foye, Jr., and William H. Foye, Sr., for their “Bottling-Machine.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
Our invention relates to improvements in bottling-machines used in bottling fermented liquors and other fluids which contain carbonic acid gas or are to be charged with the same.
Our objects are, first, to provide a machine capable of adjustment to any size or shape of bottle; second, to force out the atmospheric air contained in the bottle and fill the same with carbonic-acid gas; third, to fill the bottle with fluid and prevent the same from coming in contact with atmospheric air, if desired, thereby preventing the escape of carbonic-acid gas and preserving the life and aroma of the fluid; fourth, to saturate the fluid with carbonic-acid gas, when required, by pressure and agitation, and, fifth, to cork and secure the same by wiring before removing the bottle from the machine, if desired.
And here’s the original drawing filed with the application: