Today in 1988, US Patent 0283797 A1 was issued, an invention of Digby Hubbard, for his “Keg Tap.” Here’s the Abstract:
It is described for household use a Keg tap, in which through a pressure chamber (2) surrounds, essentially cylindrical housing (1) an axially movable valve-opening rod (3) with valve-opening element (4) and is plugged by a piston (8) is disposed in the lower region of the housing (1) and the located here pressure chamber (2) limited. The valve opening rod (3) is at the same riser, and has a continuous liquid passage (7) leading at one end from the valve-opening element (4) to the outside and at the opposite end in a fluid channel (17) merges, in a substantially right angle arranged to the fluid flow (7), with shut-off valve (19) and thus closable spout (18) provided with brackets (15) is recessed. Of the pressure chamber (2) closing piston (8) is connected via piston rods (14) with a handle (5), with which the piston (8) is actuated independently of the valve-opening rod (3).
