Today in 1902, US Patent 710631 A was issued, an invention of Paul A. Johnson, for his “Bung and Bung Attachment.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
My invention relates to an improved bung and faucet for kegs or barrels for beer, ale, and other liquids; and the object thereof is to provide a tight bung easily put in place and a faucet so constructed that said bung may be readily opened and the contents of the keg or barrel removed therefrom at will.
SABMiller released a statement this morning rejecting the latest takeover offer from Anheuser-Busch InBev. You may, or may not, be able to read the statements released by SABMiller on their website, and there are some fairly scary disclaimers including language that, depending on your jurisdiction, claims that the publicly available information may not be legal to read, and in such case advise you to “exit this web page.” Which while I’m sure is required by some law, probably UK law, also feels fairly ridiculous. At any rate, quite a few news outlets, such as the Wall Street Journal, Reuters and the New York Times are all reporting on it, so it must be okay for the likes of me.
The gist of it is the SABMiller board unanimously rejected ABI’s latest takeover offer, for the primary reason that they believe ABI’s offer “substantially” undervalues their company (currently the offer values SABMiller at $104 billion), among a few other technical reasons having to do with the timing, regulatory issues and others. The current offer is for roughly £65.14 billion, which is $99.76 billion dollars.
The Wall Street Journal helpfully created a graphic showing the recent history of the potential deal as it’s been unfolding.
There’s little doubt this is not the end of it, but there will continue to be a back and forth as this high-stakes game unfolds. And it really is a game, sad to say. Apparently negotiations have been tense, which really should not come as a shock to anybody, yet you see statements like this. “AB InBev is disappointed that the board of SABMiller has rejected both of these prior approaches without any meaningful engagement.” The absurdity of that reveals the gamesmanship involved, as it plays out in the media. It’s going to be an interesting few weeks.
Today in 1936, US Patent 2056524 A was issued, an invention of Paul A. Johnson, for his “Combination Bushing For Beer Barrels.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
This invention relates to a universal bushing for beer barrels.
Barrels which are to contain beer have bung holes through which the barrel is filled. The beer is pumped or otherwise tapped from the barrel. It is common to provide at the bung hole of the barrel a bushing, of metal. Many and different types of bushings are used with which are associated plugs and/or valves for sealing the barrel against escape of the beer and with which a tapping mechanism may be used to withdraw the beer from the barrel.
There are several systems of tapping the beer from the barrel with each of which special plugs or valves for the different systems are used and heretofore it has been necessary, with a particular type of bushing used, to use with it a particular valve or plug designed to fit the bushing or be used therewith or integrally connected thereto. With my invention I provide a universal bushing capable of being sealed against escape of the beer and with which any of the different regular makes of plugs or valves may be used.
Today in 1908, US Patent 900076 A was issued, an invention of Sylvester J. Asbell, for his “Beer-Dispensing Apparatus.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes only this summary:
My invention relates to apparatus for dispensing beer and similar beverages stored under pressure; and particularly to apparatus of this nature in which the beverage is of either different kinds or qualities and therefore requires separate storing vessels and separate discharge means therefor in order to avoid intermingling. The principal object of my invention is to so construct an apparatus of this character that it may be thoroughly flushed with a place where the vessels are situated in order to shut off the several vessels fromthe system of piping t: be cleansed.
Today in 1971, US Patent 3610478 A was issued, an invention of Mack S. Johnston, for his “Tapping Device For Beer Kegs and the Like.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes only this summary:
Disclosed is a novel tapping device for beer kegs and the like including a keg adapter mounted in the opening of a keg at the brewery and a probe-type coupler secured to the keg adapter at the dispensing establishment to dispense beer.
Today in 1937, US Patent 2094869 A was issued, an invention of Earcy Ballard, for his “Drinking and Tapping Attachment For Beer Cans.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes only this summary:
My invention relates to a drinking and tapping attachment for beer cans, and the objects of my invention are:
First, to provide an attachment to be used 5 in connection with the conventional beer cans which provides a combination means for tapping the can for permitting the flow of the beer and also providing an extended rim: to facilitate drinking from the can;
Second, to provide an attachment of this class which may be readily and quickly attached to and detached from the can;
Third, to provide an attachment of this class which may be sterilized and used over and over again on different cans;
Fourth, to provide an attachment of this class which provides a sufficiently large opening in the can so that the beer will flow readily therefrom;
Fifth, to provide an attachment of this class with a handle in connection therewith to facilitate the handling of the can while drinking therefrom;
Sixth, to provide an attachment of. this class with clip means for clamping it tightly on the can and also provided with extended portions for guiding the attachment while puncturing the can;
Seventh, to provide an attachment of this class with a gasket around the pouring and puncturing means to prevent leakage between the can and the attachment when drinking;
Today in 2011, US Patent D646166 S1 was issued, an invention of Thomas Chupak, for his “Long Neck Bottle.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes only this summary:
The ornamental design for a long neck bottle, as shown and described.
Today in 1944, US Patent PP644 P was issued, an invention of Frank J. Miller, for his “Hop Plant.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
The present invention relates to definite and extensive improvements in hops of the Bohemian type. There is no known hop which is at is fluffy in comparison. Develops from a small all similar. The variety resulted from definite burr rather than from the usual type of breeding efforts made by Frank J. Miller and 5 blossoms. Grows in closely bunched clusters originated by crossing a wild English Cluster hop from the ground to the ends of the branches. with the Bohemian type hop. The cross took Lupulin content.-The lupulin content is place a number of years ago and has since been much higher than average.
developed and asexually reproduced from the Resin content. Very high in total resin root. The characteristics of the variety have tent, as compared With proved to be firmly fixed Bohemian hop as well as other types.
The original illustrations which make a part Flavor and aroma.Has an excellent aroma, of this application show typical fruits and leaves and no sulphur being required in the drying approximately their true colors and slightly ing process makes it possible to keep out reduced in size. certain foreign flavors often present in This new variety has a great number of out other hops. standing characteristics among which are its Dry-out. Being a firm, compact berry with healthy growth, small moisture loss, high lupulin low moisture content in the green stage, content, early ripening and resistance to downy the loss from dry-out is 60% to 65%, where mildew and red spider. A chemical analysis made as in any other variety it is 75% to 80%. by the Agricultural Experiment Station at Ge- Maturity. Fruit ripens between the last of neva, N. Y., shows total resins one-half greater July and about August 10th, which is from in my new variety than in the regular European 15 to 20 days earlier than the regular Bohemian type hops grown in their experimental Bohemian type. This factor removes the variety from competition at harvest time.
Today in 1933, US Patent 1928987 A was issued, an invention of Albin H. Warth, assigned to the Crown Cork & Seal Co., for his “Bottle Cap.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
My invention relates to bottle caps, and more particularly to improvements in bottle caps of the edge gasket type.
Today in 1962, US Patent 3056436 A was issued, an invention of Paul R. Fechheimer and Warren H. Harlan, assigned to the Cherry Burrell Corp., for their “Filling Head for Filling Machines.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
A principal object of the invention is the provision of a filling spout structure having a retractable filling stem adapted, upon the presentation of a container to be filled to the filling spout structure, to enter the container and assume a lowermost position in which the bottom or free end of the stem lies in close proximity to the bottom of the container being filled, whereupon as the liquid product is introduced into the container the filling stem will automatically retract.
A further object of the invention is the provision of a retractable filling stem of the character described which coacts with a vacuum tube forming a part of the filling spout structure, the vacuum tube serving to establish a predetermined height of fill for the container.
A further object of the invention is the provision of a filling spout structure having a retractable filling stem adapted to be locked in retracted position, the filling spout structure incorporating means responsive to the presentation of a container thereto for releasing the locking means so as to permit the filling stem to enter the container there beneath.
