Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Patent No. EP 2450290 B1: Plastic Beer Keg

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Today in 2014, just one year ago, US Patent EP 2450290 B1 was issued, an invention of William P. Apps, assigned to Rehrig Pacific Company, for his “Plastic Beer Keg.” There’s no Abstract, but there’s a lengthy summary after the introduction which appears to serve the same function:

According to the present invention there is provided a plastic beer keg as claimed in claim I and a method as claimed in claim 6. The locking ring secures the liner to the lid, and the locking ring is configured to release the liner from the lid upon impact of the keg in a drop. This can be accomplished by molding the locking ring from a softer material, which flexes to release the liner on impact, or a more brittle locking ring or a locking ring with design-in stress concentrators, which breaks to release the liner on impact.

In the method of the present invention, the liner of the beer keg is filled with beer while the locking ring is securing the neck portion of the liner to the lid, but the locking ring is removed after filling and prior to shipping of the beer keg. The filled keg is shipped, sold and used without the locking ring. The locking ring may be reused in the filling of many kegs.

Also disclosed is a plastic keg that includes a liner including a neck portion and a body portion. A lid having an opening is disposed at least partially over the liner. The liner is disposed in an outer container having a wall with at least one locking rib projecting therefrom. The locking rib angles downward and the lid secured to the outer container by the at least one locking rib. Optionally, the lid can be snapped onto the locking rib or rotated to lock onto the locking rib. This can be accomplished by an angled surface on at least one of the locking rib and the shoulder of the lid that snaps under the locking rib.

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Patent No. 1020877A: Combination Beer-Cock

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Today in 1912, US Patent 1020877 A was issued, an invention of Herbert Bell, for his “Combination Beer-Cock.” There’s no Abstract, but the description makes a valiant attempt, although the OCR did a pretty lousy job on this one, but the “invention relates to ‘liquid dispensing devices’ and has special reference to a form of beer cock designed to dispense beer to improve the general construction of cocks of this improved construction to provide it with a novel gormoffplu(?) valve. “The invention consists of certain novel details of construction as hereinafter fully described.”
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Patent No. 4505941A: Lauter Tun For The Filtration Of Wort During Brewing

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Today in 1985, US Patent 4505941 A was issued, an invention of David W. Raines, for his “Lauter Tun For The Filtration Of Wort During Brewing.” Here’s the Abstract:

Lauter tuns are used for the filtration of wort during brewing. In use the wort runs off through a filter bed and has to be collected. Hitherto the bottom of such tuns have been flat having a number of holes through which the wort runs. If the bottom is ostensibly flat, problems can arise in that puddles accumulate in any undulations leading to possible spoilation of the wort. The bottom of a tun in accordance with the invention is formed with a series of straight parallel valleys extending across the tun and having spaced wort collection points for connection to straight wort mains or manifolds located beneath the tun.

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Patent No. D6506S: Design For A Beer-Mug

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Today in 1873, US Patent D6506 S was issued, an invention of J. Ernest Miller, for his “Design For a Beer-Mug.” There’s no Abstract, and even less information aprt from the following, that the “nature of my design is fully represented in the accompanying drawing, to which reference is made,” which is the same as saying just look at the damn drawing, will you?
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Patent No. PP18602P3: Hop Plant Named ‘Bravo’

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Today in 2008, US Patent PP18602 P3 was issued, an invention of Roger D. Jeske and Joe Brulotte, assigned to S.S. Steiner, Inc., for their “Hop Plant Named ‘Bravo.'” Here’s the Abstract:

A new and distinct variety of hop, Humulus lupulus L., named “01046” is characterized by its exceptional cone yield, high percentage of alpha acids, and resistance to hop powdery mildew strains found in Washington. The new variety was cultivated as a result of a cross in 2000 at Golden Gate Roza Hop Ranches in Prosser, Wash., United States and has been asexually reproduced in Prosser, Wash., United States.

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Patent No. 423833A: Metallic Keg

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Today in 1890, US Patent 423833 A was issued, an invention of Anthony and Michael A. Stiveson, for their “Metallic Keg.” There’s no Abstract, but in the description it states that their “invention has for its object to provide a metallic keg, barrel, or similar article which can be expeditiously and economically manufactured, which shall be extremely light.”

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Patent No. 2631393A: Illuminated Tap

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Today in 1953, US Patent 2631393 A was issued, an invention of Lionel S Hetherington, for his “Illuminated Tap.” There’s no Abstract, but in the description it states that the “invention relates to illuminated taps and more particularly to an electrically illuminated tap adapted to be used as an advertising device..” In addition, “one object of this invention is to advertise the beverage available on draught at the tap” and “Another object is to visibly indicate the specific beverage to be drawn from a specific tap.”

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Patent No. 2631777A: Process For Centrifugal Separation Of Yeast Cells From Beer

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Today in 1953, US Patent 2631777 A was issued, an invention of Verner Hanno Tore, for his “Process For Centrifugal Separation Of Yeast Cells From Beer.” There’s no Abstract,
but the description claims that the “invention relates to the centrifugal separation of impurities from liquids, such as the separation of yeast cells from beer. More particularly, it relates to an improved process for this purpose, whereby contamination of the centrifugally purified liquid by the impurities, incident to interruption of the centrifugal separation, is avoided.”
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Patent No. 3173586A: Beer Barrel Faucet Attachment

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Today in 1965, US Patent 3173586 A was issued, an invention of Edward A. Pawson, for his “Beer Barrel Faucet Attachment.” There’s no Abstract, but the description states that the “invention relates to a novel beer barrel faucet attachment whereby beer barrels may be tapped and in particular relates to a barrel unit and a tap unit which is used in connection with barrels or kegs of the type in common use. These barrels to which my attachment is fastened have an opening of standard size and shape in one wall thereof. More specifically:

My invention relates to an attachment of the character stated which is attached to a single opening in the wall of a barrel or keg and which is so constructed that the same attachment provides a means of admitting a gas under pressure into the barrel and also to draw beer from the keg through this same attachment.

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Patent No. 1132218A: Bottle-Filling Machine

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Today in 1977, US Patent 1132218 A was issued, an invention of Adolph Schneider, for his “Bottle-Filling Machine.” There’s no Abstract, but the description states that the “present invention relates to that type of mechanism used for the purpose of packaging carbonated liquids, or analogous substances, under pressure:”

The objects of the present invention are, to provide a stationary support upon which the to-be filled packages rest during the filling operation; to provide a series of pistons, one of which will actuate the filling tube of the bottle filling mechanism, and the other or. which will actuate the sealing head; to provide a series of cylinders for said pistons, one piston being contained in each cylinder; to arrange system of pressure supply ducts for conveying pressure to said cylinders for the purpose of actuating the pistons; to arrange a series of ducts for exhausting the pressure from the said cylinder so arrange these ducts, if desired, as to enable them to perform double functions, namely, that of an inlet and an exhaust duct; to provide an automatically operated valve for controlling the flow of liquid from the source of liquid supply to the filling tube, and in arranging this valve so that it is automatically operated at a time approximately when the filling tube has reached its lowermost position; to provide a method of establishing communication between a source of air pressure less than the sure of the liquid in the tank and the liquid of the bottle; to provide a valve for controlling the flow of said air whereby said valve will be automatically operated to establish said air communication at practically the same time that the communication is established to permit the flow of liquid from the filling tube into the bottle; to provide an arrangement whereby one of the set of pistons may be power driven in both sections, and the other of said pistons can be power driven in one direction only, with the last mentioned piston being moved in the opposite direction by contact with the first mentioned piston; and to provide a telescopic connection between the source of liquid supply and the filling tube, and a telescopic connection between the source of air supply and the sealing head.

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