Today in 1939, US Patent 2180828 A was issued, an invention of Charles Horansky and Frank J. Suchanek, for their “Beer Return Device.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

This form of device is intended for use with kegs or barrels containing dry contents and to accommodate barrels or kegs containing liquids. The turn-rod 28 is supplied with an inner disk, as shown by Fig. 7, which is secured to the head of said barrel or keg. In Fig. 8 a further modification is shown, and consists of a series of arms 32 on the turn-rod 28 and having outer angular ends in which set-screws 327 are mounted and adapted to take over the end of a barrel or keg and the set-screws caused to engage the body of said barrel or keg ahead of an end hoop, and there by provide a means of securement. The last device set forth can be used alone or in combination with the other devices. Of course the barrel or keg is permitted by all the devices to have a free rotatable movement, which is Very desirable. When the said holding arm 26 is arranged against the end of a barrel or keg, the flat links 24 are positioned as shown in Fig.2, the joints of said links being so constructed as to prevent them from being thrown forward beyond a predetermined point and the rearmost link from being depressed below the horizontal plane of the next link to which it is attached.

Today in 1899, US Patent 635514 A was issued, an invention of Theodor Schnutz, for his “Apparatus For Drawing and Preserving Beer.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

I have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Drawing and Preserving Beer, and what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is …

1. The combination with the storage-chamber containing the ice-box having water chamber H, of the box 7 above the said chamber and having the superimposed box It, the pipe Z connecting the box 70 with the said water-chamber, the coil Win the ice-box having pipe connection Z with the box it and also connected with the chamber H, and the overflow-pipe Z for the box 7r, substantially as described.

2. In a beer drawing and refrigerating apparatus, the combination with the storagechamber containing a refrigerating vessel, of the box 7.; having the superimposed ice-box k, a pipe leading from said ice-box 7a to the said refrigerating vessel, the gas vessel B located in the box 7; and connected with a pipe containing mercury, said last-mentioned pipe intersecting the ice-water pipe, and a valve a adapted to regulate the flow of said ice-water, substantially as described.

Today in 1878, US Patent 209163 A was issued, an invention of William H. Ewing, for his “Improvement in Barrels or Kegs.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

My invention relates to certain improvements in barrels and other like packages, the heads of the same being of wood, arranged and secured in a novel manner, while the sides, or that part usually made of wooden staves, are made of sheet metal, which is manipulated in the following way: A sheet or plate of metal of suitable thickness and size is passed through a train of rolls or under a hammer in such way as to draw out or lengthen the middle of the plate in one direction. The object of this is to secure the requisite bulge or swell to the barrel or keg, both for convenience in handling and to give additional strength. The sides of the plate which correspond to the ends of the barrel or keg: are stamped or out in any convenient way, so as to form a series of three or more clips, a, thereon. These clips are used for securing the heads, and also chine-hoops, as presently described.

Today in 1879, US Patent 220595 A was issued, an invention of Edward Fitch, for his “Improvement in Tapping and Venting Barrels.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

This invention relates to an improved method or process of tapping and venting barrels, casks, or other vessels containing liquids, and consists- First. Of a faucet provided with an air-duct passing partly through the same lengthwise, preferably near the upper side thereof, and terminating near the inner end of the faucet in an opening upon the side of the faucet.

Second. This air-duct is controlled by the spigot of the faucet, and is opened or shut by turning the spigot. The spigot is provided with two openings, one above the other-the upper one for the admission of air to the airduct, and the lower one for the emission of the liquid contents of the barrel. The lower opening is made larger than the upper one, and in such position in the spigot that by partially turning the spigot the liquid will flow while the air-duct remains closed, and by further turning the spigot the air-duct will also be opened. The spigot can thus be made to open both passages at the same time, or to close both passages at the same time, or to open the lower passage for the flow of the liquid while the upper or air passage or duct remains closed.

Third. The head of the barrel,’cask, or other vessel to be tapped and vented is provided with an air duct or passage passing in a straight line through the substance of the head at right angles with the axis of the barrel, and opening at the lower end of the said air duct or passage in the upper side of the orifice in the said head through which the liquid is to be drawn, and at the other end thereof into the barrel at or near the junction of the head with the staves of the barrel, thus opening a duct or passage from the orifice in said head to the air-chamber in the upper side of the barrel when the same is placed upon its side in position for drawing the liquid.

Today in 1936, US Patent 2057347 A was issued, an invention of Daniel J. Reed, for his “Beer Barrel.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

This invention relates to a metal beer barrel.

The principal object of the invention is to provide means for absorbing blows and sudden shocks delivered longitudinally of the barrel on 5 the end edge, thereby preventing injury to the body of the barrel and to the lining material therein.

Today in 1904, US Patent 771495 A was issued, an invention of Florian M. Pfluger, for his “Bushing for Beer or Ale Kegs or Barrels.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes these claims:

This invention relates to an improvement in bushings for bung-holes of beer and ale kegs, barrels, or similar receptacles; and the object of the invention is to provide abushing which can be readily secured in a bung-hole and which will form a liquid-tight joint between its outer surface and the surrounding wall of said hole. With the forms of bushing commonly employed for this purpose it is found that before the barrel or other receptacle is otherwise unfit for use the metal lining of the bunghole will become loosened and permit leakage of the contents of the receptacle. By the present invention means are provided where the grip or hold of the bushing on the wooden wall of the bung-hole may be maintained even after years of use, so that the life or usefulness of the receptacle will be greater than if bung-hole linings of the form heretofore employed are used.