Today in 1949, US Patent 2462930 A was issued, an invention of Victor Alvear, for his “Keg Closure.” There’s no Abstract, but the description claims that the “object of the present invention to provide a bung for a keg in which the stopper is a fixture on the keg and cannot become lost and the chance of its becoming damaged is reduced to a minimum.” Alvear also writes that in addition, additional reasons for his patent include the “means for bringing the stopper or plug to alignment with the bung hole by gravity where it can easily be moved into closed position, the “means for readily grasping it with a tool and with means for sealing the opening in the bung,” “eliminate hammering and pounding on the barrel head and to eliminate spearing of corks,” to “facilitate tapping of the keg,” “provide a stopper that is sanitary, simple in construction and economical to manufacture,” “provide a stopper that cannot leak or blow out regardless of the pressure in the keg thereby providing an air-tight seal,” and “to provide a stopper that is self-sealing.” That is one impressive keg stopper.
Patent No. 2109489A: Liquid Filling Machine
Today in 1938, US Patent 2109489 A was issued, an invention of John Daniel Le Frank, assigned to the American Can Co., for his “Liquid Filling Machine.” There’s no Abstract, but the description states that the “present invention relates to a machine for filling cans with liquids that have a tendency to foam and has particular reference to devices which minimize foaming of the liquid passing into a can, passages in the devices being automatically purged of any foam which may have accumulated during the filling of a preceding can.”
Beer In Ads #1480: No Corn Or Corn Preparations
Saturday’s ad is for Anheuser-Busch, from 1892. Apparently shortly after the competition of a new brewhouse in St. Louis, they celebrated by sponsoring “pen and sunlight sketches of Omaha and environs” with this ad. One curious feature of the otherwise simple image ad, is this line. “No Corn or Corn Preparations are used in the manufacture of Anheuser-Busch beer. It is, therefore, the highest-priced by the most wholesome and really the least expensive for its superior quality.” Funny they didn’t mention rice.
Patent No. 254120A: Beer-Cooler
Today in 1882, US Patent 254120 A was issued, an invention of Patrick J. Darcy, for his “Beer-Cooler.” There’s no Abstract, but the description states that his “improvement relates to a device for cooling beer as it is drawn from the cask, by which it is cooled as it is used, instead of being obliged to cool the cask, and thereby diminish the head or pressure, besides the waste of ice in cooling through the wood.”
Patent No. 1899203A: Combined Bottle Opener And Key Ring
Today in 1933, US Patent 1899203 A was issued, an invention of Joseph Charle Auguste Labreche, for his “Combined Bottle Opener and Key Ring.” There’s no Abstract, but the simple description states that the “invention pertains to a novel combined bottle opener and key ring designed a to be carried conveniently-in the pocket.” Weird to think that this had to be patented, they seem so ubiquitous now.
Patent No. 1899784A: Bottle Cap
Today in 1933, US Patent 1899784 A was issued, an invention of Albin H. Warth, assigned to the Crown Cork & Seal Co., for his “Bottle Cap.” This crown was patented shortly before the repeal of Prohibition, which took place several months later, in December, although by April some lower-strength beer became available. There’s no Abstract, but the description provides some insight in the why it was a more modern crown.
This invention relates to bottle caps and more particularly to a cap consisting of ametallic’shell containing a cushion disc having what is known as a protecting facing. In its preferred form, the invention relates to that type of cap having a protecting facing in the form of a center-disc or center-spot which is of smaller diameter than the cushion disc.
In closures of this character, the cushion or compressible disc is ordinarily formed of sheet cork or of a composition of granular cork, the particles of which are united by a binder which is resistant to gas and acids.
It is desirable to protect the cushion disc from the contents of the bottle, since the cork or other material of the disc becomes discolored and imparts an undesirable flavor or taint to the contents.
The facing discs have ordinarily been fornied either of metal foil, such as aluminum or tin, or of fibrous material, such as paper.
The present invention relates to the latter type in which the facing is of paper.
Beer In Ads #1479: Bavarian Brewery, E. Anheuser & Co.
Friday’s ad is for the Bavarian Brewery, a.k.a. E. Anheuser & Co., from 1860. This, of course, was the brewery that would later be called Anheuser-Busch, but sixteen years before they’d start making Budweiser. Even then, it was a fairly large enterprise, with “bottling for export a specialty.”
Patent No. 1018703A: Building For Cooling And Storing Beer
Today in 1912, US Patent 1018703 A was issued, an invention of Wilhelm Griesser, for his “Building for Cooling and Storing Beer.” This one seems crazy, an entire building being patented. There’s no Abstract, but the description states that the “present invention has reference to storage buildings, and it comprehends generally a structure which is adapted primarily for cooling and storing beer and is designed to be built up floor by floor as the tanks are arranged in position one above another, so as to produce, in effect, at its completion, a tower or the like wherein the tanks are inclosed and supported by a homogeneous monolithic casing of cementitious material, the tanks being built into the casing, during the actual construction of the latter, in such a manner that their metal walls and the walls of the casing mutually reinforce each other.”
Patent No. 3022617A: Conveyor Keg Palletizing Device
Today in 1962, US Patent 3022617 A was issued, an invention of John Miller and Vincent J. Russoman, assigned to Schaefer Brewing Co., for their “Attachment for Conveyor Keg Palletizing Device.” There’s no Abstract, and given that there are a record (for me at least) 45 drawings showing the patented device, there’s precious little by way of description, so I guess just look at the pretty pictures.
Next Session Coming Up For The Up And Coming
For the 97th Session, our host is Brett Domue, who is one-half of the duo writing Our Tasty Travels, along with Erin De Santiago. He’s asking us all to opine on “Up-and-Coming Beer Locations.” Essentially he wants to know. Where are tomorrow’s beer superstars?
We all have our favorite beer locations. Some have been around for centuries. Others have made such a name for themselves in the past 25 years, they have reached beer-legend status and are ranked up there with the “old-world” beer destinations.
Belgium, Germany, and the Czech Republic are pretty-much synonymous with beer, especially in line with the basic styles that originated in their breweries centuries ago.
Within the United States, you have “old-world” cities such as Milwaukee, WI, as well as “new-world” cities such as [San Francisco,] San Diego, Denver, Philadelphia, Boston, Portland, OR, and Asheville, NC more well-known for their experimental craft breweries.
But one thing that has become more apparent than ever in recent years, the craft beer scene is growing around the world, even faster than ever before!
What are the up-and-coming beer locations that you see as the next major players in the beer scene?
For this month’s session, I’m asking you all to share which locations you see as the beer destinations that everyone will be talking about in the next few years. Where are the beer scenes just emerging, or coming into their own? Some may be brand new locations. While others may be old-world destinations seeing a renaissance into the world of new craft beer styles. Some may even be locations where familiar names from around the world are planning on setting up shop to bring new styles to old palates.
So come up with your own list of up-and-comers. To participate in March’s Session, just wax on and/or off about your take on the humble beer fest. Then on March 6, post your choices in the comments section to Domue’s announcement. He even has a novel approach for non-bloggers. “If you don’t have a beer blog but still want to participate, use the hashtag #session97 and I’ll try to include microblog/social media inputs with that hashtag as well.” That’s a fun idea, and if it works, one we should continue with going forward.
