Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

Socialize

Beer In Ads #1956: Vacationers’ Reunion

By


Tuesday’s ad is entitled Vacationers’ Reunion, and the illustration was done in 1953 by Douglass Crockwell. It’s #87 in a series entitled “Home Life in America,” also known as the Beer Belongs series of ads that the United States Brewers Foundation ran from 1945 to 1956. In this ad, apparently three couples who took a vacation together are watching a film of their trip. But the title of the ad is “Vacationers’ Reunion,” suggesting that they haven’t seen each other since their holiday. And that seems odd to me. If you’re close enough friends to go on vacation with another family, wouldn’t you think they’d continue to be in close contact after the trip, too? But maybe they needed time apart after spending so much time together. We never took any vacations when I was growing up with anyone else, though my real father and his new family did; they went caravaning with a number of the same families for two weeks every year and chose a new campground each time. Still, I tend to think of a vacation as a family affair.

087. Vacationers' Reunion by Douglass Crockwell, 1953

Patent No. 763606A: Combined Brewing Kettle, Hop-Jack Tank And Cooker

By

patent-logo
Today in 1904, US Patent 763606 A was issued, an invention of Carl F. Hettinger, for his “Combined Brewing Kettle, Hop-Jack Tank and Cooker.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My invention relates to brewing-kettles used in the preparation of malt liquors, and has for its object to provide a brewing kettle which may be converted alternately into a cooker or a hop-jack tank without interfering the preparation of malt liquors.

My improved apparatus or kettle being first used as a cooker, the ingredients are the mass is then conveyed into the usual mash is treated and supplemented in the mash-tub the brewing kettle is cleaned for the reception of the wort from the mash-tub. A hop strainer is then put into position in the kettle, so that after the wort has been boiled hops may be added to the wort in the kettle and the latter be used as a hop-jack tank, as will be hereinafter fully described.

The principal object of my invention is to provide one apparatus to serve the purposes and functions of three apparatus, with bet whereby not only a material saving in the cost of installation of a brewery is gained, but also the space occupied by such apparatus may be used for other purposes or the building may be made so much smaller.

My improved combined cooker, brewing kettle, and hop-jack tank consists of a vessel, an agitator therein, a removable telescoping hop-strainer, means for removing the same, a clean-out in the bottom of said vessel, and means for heating the latter; and my invention further consists of the improvements hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

US763606-0
US763606-1
US763606-2

Patent No. 3258288A: Can Carrier

By

patent-logo
Today in 1966, US Patent 3258288 A was issued, an invention of Lawrence L. Courter, for his “Can Carrier.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My invention relates to devices for carrying containers and more particularly .relates to devices for grasping a plurality of the ordinary beaded-top type of can by their tops and thus enabling them to be transported in a group.

The uses of the invention may be particularly considered with respect to beer cans, although of course cans containing other commodities may equally well be picked up and carried by my carrier. A feature of present day merchandising of beer is that not only are cans used in place of bottles, but the cans are frequently sold in units of six cans, called picnic-packs or party-packs. These units are customarily put up in paperboard containers of egg-crate construction, having a bottom and four side walls and compartment dividers, and having two opposed walls continued upward and bent inwardly to form handles. Unfortunately such unit carriers do not stack particularly well, and being made of cardboard they can not sustain exposure to dampness such as might result from refrigeration by ice or ice-water. Furthermore their bulk when empty is the same as when full, and when discarded on beaches and picnic grounds they make an unnecessary and unsightly clutter.

It is an object of my invention to provide a carrier of flat configuration which will permit the so-called picnic packs .to be stacked one on top of another.

Another object of my invention is to provide a carrier which, when stacked, is substantially flat on its upper surface except only for centering rings for positioning cans in a superimposed layer.

A further object of my invention is to provide a carrier having hooks for lifting cans and flanges cooperating with the hooks to maintain the hooks in contact with the beaded rims of the cans.

Still another object of my invent-ion is to provide a carrier of limited flexibility, capable of being snapped on with a single pressure motion to a suitably grouped number of cans, and capable of releasing one can at a time as it may be called for.

Another object of my invention is to provide a carrier which covers the minimum area of cans carried thereby and none at all below the upper ends of the cans, so that the cans are practically fully exposed for rapid refrigeration, or advertising.

A further object of my invention is to provide a plastic carrier which may be used with cold water to refrigerate cans, and which yet contains so little material that it is economically practical.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a flexible carrier having a handle so constructed and so secured to the body of the carrier that it will normally lie in the plane of the body and yet may be lifted to a carrying position, due to flexibility of the material.

US3258288-0

Beer In Ads #1955: World Series U.S.A.

By


Monday’s ad is entitled World Series U.S.A., and the illustration was done in 1953 by John Falter. It’s #86 in a series entitled “Home Life in America,” also known as the Beer Belongs series of ads that the United States Brewers Foundation ran from 1945 to 1956. In this ad, a group of people have brought their television set out on the front porch to drink beer and eat hot dogs and watch the World Series. Notice that the table it’s sitting on has wheels, suggesting moving it around was a common occurrence. I don’t think we ever moved our television. And was watching outside a thing people did? I remember in one of my favorite films, “Frequency” (a kind of time travelish thriller), they also watched the 1969 World Series on their front porch, and that would have been 16 years after the ad ran. Still, it looks like they’re having fun.

086. World Series U.S.A. by John Falter, 1953

Patent No. 3327902A: Chilled Beverage Dispensing System

By

patent-logo
Today in 1967, US Patent 3327902 A was issued, an invention of Melvin Alterwitz, for his “Chilled Beverage Dispensing System.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

The present invention relates generally to a beverage dispensing system. More particularly, it relates to the adaptation of a chilled beverage dispensing system either to a home bar or to a portable picnic ice chest.

In recent years it has become increasingly popular to serve chilled beverages dispensed from bulk containers or tanks in the home as well as out of doors. This has proven to be a more economical as well as practical way in which to serve a large number of chilled beverage drinks, as it obviates the need for purchasing, handling and chilling large numbers of small bottle or can containers. Moreover, there is a degree of added charm in dispensing chilled beverages in the same manner as do commercial establishments.

Some people have gone to the great expense to have a built-in bar put in their homes. Very few, however, have gone to the considerably additional expense to incorporate in their home bars a system for dispensing chilled beverages from bulk containers, such as beer kegs, etc. Typically, these home bar setups require a considerable amount of space and thus require a reasonably large room to accommodate it.

Quite obviously, those living in leased quarters would not undertake the construction of such a home .bar setup knowing that once they moved. out they would either have to dismantle it or leave it behind.

For outdoor gatherings, such as picnics, chilled beverages are customarily served. Typically, in order to chill the beverages to a suitable temperature for drinking, a plurality of small beverage containers are placed in a container, such as an ice chest, filled with ice. The problem of suitably chilling beverages dispensed from bulk containers can be a particularly difficult one when out of doors. Quite obviously, ice in some form has to be used either to cool the-bulk containers or to cool the beverage as it is drawn from the bulk container and dispensed through beverage taps. While it is generally much preferred to be able to dispense chilled beverages from bulk containers, dispensing apparatus which is sufficiently portable and convenient to use is not readily available.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a portable chilled beverage dispensing system.

An additional object is to provide a chilled beverage dispensing system of the above character which is readily implemented with means for chilling the beverage to be dispensed.

Another object is to provide a chilled beverage dispensing system of the above character for dispensing plural kinds of beverages from different bulk containers.

Still another object is to provide a chilled beverage dispensing system of the above character in which the beverage taps are mounted to swing into position for dispensing from a position of protective concealment.

Yet another object is to provide a chilled beverage dispensing system of the above character which is compact, inexpensive, and simplified in design.

US3327902-0
US3327902-1

Patent No. 2163817A: Draw Rod Adaptor

By

patent-logo
Today in 1939, US Patent 2163817 A was issued, an invention of Eugene H. Wagner, for his “Draw Rod Adaptor.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention relates to direct draw beer dispensing and cooling cabinets and more particularly to an adapter to accommodate a draw rod for either center or side tapping.

The principal purpose and object of my invention is to provide an adapter so constructed and arranged that by merely reversing the relative positions of its parts, the desired passageway out of the cabinet for a draw rod may be easily and quickly provided for either center or side tapping.

In accordance with my invention the adapter comprises a pair of separable block-like elements of the desired material and provided at their engaging surfaces, one with a pair of spaced grooves, and the other with a groove and a projection in the same spaced relation as the grooves in the other element so that the selected grooves may be made to register to provide a draw rod passageway through the adapter while the projection extends in to and closes the groove not being. used.

US2163817-0

Patent No. 793579A: Metal Barrel

By

patent-logo
Today in 1905, US Patent 793579 A was issued, an invention of Robert H. Hackney, assigned to the Pressed Steel Tank Company, for his “Metal Barrel.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

The object of this invention is to produce a light, strong, and durable metallic barrel or keg with a smooth interior that will not catch and hold sediment and that can be easily and thoroughly cleaned.

US793579-0

Beer In Ads #1954: After The Ride

By


Sunday’s ad is entitled After the Ride, and the illustration was done in 1953 by John Falter. It’s #85 in a series entitled “Home Life in America,” also known as the Beer Belongs series of ads that the United States Brewers Foundation ran from 1945 to 1956. In this ad, a family, or at least the young’uns, have come from riding their horses and are relaxing with beer. Unlike in our household, someone else is washing a horse, while the riders do nothing.

085. After the Ride by John Falter, 1953

Patent No. 1964235A: Beer Coil Cleaner

By

patent-logo
Today in 1934, US Patent 1964235 A was issued, an invention of George H. Watson, for his “Beer Coil Cleaner.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My invention relates to a beer coil cleaner and has for its principal object, the provision of a relatively simple, practical and inexpensive device that may be utilized for periodically cleaning and sterilizing the coils that are used for cooling beer as it is drawn from containers such as kegs or barrels.

Further objects of my invention are, to provide a beer coil cleaner that includes a container for a cleaning and sterilizing substance, said container having hot and cold water connections so that the cleaning and sterilizing substance may be forced through the beer cooling coils under pressure to thoroughly cleanse and sterilize the saine and the flow of hot and cold water into and through the container being controlled by a valve that is actuated by the conventional fitting that forms a part of the beer cooling apparatus and which is removably inserted in the beer kegs or containers.

A further object of my invention is to provide a beer coil cleaner that is adapted to receive the conventional form of tube that is inserted in the beer kegs or containers and which conveys the beer to the cooling coils.

US1964235-0.png

Patent No. 3741248A: Hoff Stevens Rotary Selector Valve Mechanism

By

patent-logo
Today in 1973, US Patent 3741248 A was issued, an invention of Frederick F. Stevens, assigned to Hoff Stevens, for his “Rotary Selector Valve Mechanism.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

A rotary selector valve mechanism having a housing defining a generally cylindrical fluid chamber and including a fluid outlet port communicating with the chamber. A circumaxial series of inlet valves mounted on the housing each include an inlet port and a valve element movable between opened and closed positions and biased to closed position to prevent passage of fluid from the inlet port to the chamber. A rotary crank mechanism journaled for coaxial rotation relative to the fluid chamber is adapted for selective angular positioning relative to the valve elements to retain a selected one of the valve elements in its open position whereby a fluid flow path is provided from the inlet port associated with the one inlet valve to and through the chamber to the outlet port. Positioning of the crank mechanism is remotely controlled by a servo mechanism which includes a rotary selector switch.

US3741248-1.png