Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Patent No. 954397A: Keg-Rinser

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Today in 1910, US Patent 954397 A was issued, an invention of Adolph C. La Budde, for his “Keg-Rinser.” There’s no Abstract, but here’s how it’s described:

The invention is an improvement in of all sizes, such as barrels, half barrel, quarter barrels and eighth barrels, and is designed to economize in labor and time; both in working the nozzle and the controlling valve or the water supply, and properly positioning the keg to receive the nozzle, as well as to make the rinsing more effectively

The invention in general consists of a water supply conduit having a nozzle and a controlling valve, a foot lever operable to simultaneously project the nozzle valve into the keg and open the valve, and rollers to support the keg over the nozzle, each roller tapering toward the center to conform to the keg and facilitate its movement to rinsing position.

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Patent No. D503550S1: Combined Beer Dispensing Cooler And Lawn Chair

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Today in 2005, US Patent D503550 S1 was issued, an invention of Brian Miesieski, Devin Kelly, and Geoff Blanck, assigned to Labatt Brewing Company Ltd, for their “Combined Beer Dispensing Cooler and Lawn Chair.” There’s no Abstract, which is unusual for such a recent patent. The patent application merely lists the seven submitted drawings of the design and the only other text at all is this short claim. “The ornamental design for a combined beer dispensing cooler and lawn chair, as shown.”

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My first thought was this had to be a promotional item that Labatt used for some sales campaign. And, in fact, that’s what it was used for. I found a picture of the finished product, which also included this caption:

This unit was designed to promote Labatt’s “Blueprint” advertising campaign which was centered around a series of beer dispensers. This chair was featured on ABC’s“Good Morning America”, a nationally broadcast television show, as one of the “Best Gadgets For Your Life”. The cooler keeps 12 cans of beer ice cold while storing one can in a chilled holding pen. When the handle is pushed it releases the can in the holding pen and reloads itself.

And the Global Marketing Group of Fair Lawn, New Jersey, a marketing display company, currently lists the chair in their catalog under Unique Solutions. So you could still get your own beer can chair, if you really, really wanted one.

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Beer In Ads #1515: Mama Mia

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Saturday’s ad is still another one for Budweiser, this one from 1958. It’s another ad from their “Where there’s life” series, this one is called “Mama Mia.” A man eating spaghetti in what appears to be a cliched Italian restaurant, wearing what has to be one of the goofiest expressions to ever grace a beer ad, is looking up as a beer can suspended in the air is pouring itself into his glass. I guess he’s just really happy to have another beer.

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Patent No. 20130081661A1: Keg Washers

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Today in 2013, US Patent 20130081661 A1 was issued, an invention of Stephen L. Hambly, assigned to Global Stainless Systems, Inc., for his “Keg Washers.” Here’s the Abstract:

Keg washers and locking mechanisms for keg washers are disclosed. The keg washers may include a base assembly, a cleaning head, a head mechanism, and a locking mechanism configured to secure the keg to the base assembly. The locking mechanism may include a holder mechanism and a neck holder fixedly mounted to the holder mechanism. The neck holder may include a first opening and a second opening. The holder mechanism may be configured, when the cleaning head is moved from a retracted position toward an extended position, to move the neck holder from a first position in which a first neck portion of a keg is received in the first opening but a second neck portion is not received in the second opening, to a second position in which the first neck portion is received in the first opening and the second neck portion is received in the second opening.

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Patent No. 3653557A: Keg Sealing & Tapping Apparatus

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Today in 1972, US Patent 3653557 A was issued, an invention of Kay R. Lamb, for his or her “Keg Sealing and Tapping Apparatus.” Here’s the Abstract:

An apparatus for sealing and tapping containers for pressurized liquids such as beer kegs and the like including a resilient valve plug mounted in the tap hole of a keg and tap head removably mounted on the keg having an inner liquid delivery tube and an outer fluid supply tube extending downwardly through the valve plug into the keg to allow pressurized fluid to be supplied to the keg through the fluid supply tube and liquid to be withdrawn from the keg through the liquid delivery tube. The plug has integral valve means arranged to seal against the outer fluid supply tube when the head is mounted on the container, and which is adapted to close and seal the container when the head is removed.

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Beer In Ads #1514: Next Time

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Friday’s ad is yet another one for Budweiser, this one from 1957. It’s another ad from their “Where there’s life” series, this one is called “Next Time.” A couple out at a bar, standing close together, while a waitress pours the man a can of Budweiser, which is (warning: broken record coming) already exactly full even though there’s still beer pouring out of the can. If if that’s all of the liquid left in the can, it’s still going to spill over. Also, isn’t the waitress a little close to the couple? Either this is a very crowded bar and she has no choice, but the real question is where is the woman’s beer. Does she not get one, too, or are they planning on sharing the one?

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Patent No. 2372854A: Yeast

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Today in 1945, US Patent 2372854 A was issued, an invention of Gustave T. Reich, for his “Yeast.” There’s no Abstract, but the descriptions states that the “invention relates to yeast and its production and it is particularly directed to a method of improving the quality of yeast obtained in the alcoholic fermentation of saccharine materials, particularly sugar rellnery materials such as black-strap molasses. It also claims to improve yeast production in twelve different ways, and then lists each way, if you’re curious.

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Patent No. 4913680A: Low-Trellis Mobile Hop Picker

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Today in 1990, US Patent 4913680 A was issued, an invention of Donald A. Desmarais, for his “Low-Trellis Mobile Hop Picker.” Here’s the Abstract:

A mobile hop picking machine is provided with independently elevatable wheels. The picker straddles a trellis to position opposing picking cats on either side of the vines. Front and rear banks of picking hooks move upwardly to pick the hops. A bank of resilient raking tines comb the vines upwardly between the picking banks. The picking cats are pivoted about their front edges and are supported for transverse movement on their rear edges. Cylinders urge the rear of the cats toward the vines. A contact member connected to the cat moves the cat transversely, to avoid cat contact with poles, against a biased mounting provided for the hydraulic cylinder. Longitudinal conveyors transport the hops rearwardly and upwardly. A squeeze conveyor floats on a top support over the elevating end of the longitudinal conveyors. An alternate arrangement intersperses the raking tines and picking hooks.

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Patent No. 53692A: Improvement In Beer-Faucets

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Today in 1866, US Patent 53692 A was issued, an invention of Emile Sirret, for his “Improvement in Beer-Faucets” There’s no Abstract, but he describes his invention as “A device for foaming beer and other liquids artificially previous to their being drawn, so as to be able to cause the foaming of the liquid to any degree desired within a common faucet, and that immediately after, when the pin of the faucet is turned so as to open, the liquid will flow from it in a creamy and gaseous state sufficient to fill two or three glasses without renewing the operation.” More specifically:

The nature of my invention consists in having a hollow room or chamber inside a common faucet, between the cross-pin and the end which taps into the barrel. The hole in the faucet running through this chamber will constantly keep it filled with liquid, so that when it is required the foaming operation can be performed, which is done by placing down in the chamber a kind of syringe with a ring of line holes around the lowest end of the tube, this end being fastened to the bottom of the chamber by means of a screw. Ihe upper end of the tube with the piston-rod extending outside is tightly fastened on the top of the chamber, so as to prevent any escape of liquid. The head of the piston-rod extending out of the tube, and running parallel with the head of the cross-pin, enables the same hand to handle both of them with facility. The up-and-down movement of the piston will naturally force in and out of the tube through the small holes all the liquid contained in the chamber, and convert it into a foaming substance.

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Beer In Ads #1513: There’s More

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Thursday’s ad is still another one for Budweiser, this one from 1958. It’s another ad from their “Where there’s life” series, this one is called “There’s More.” A couple lying on the beach, with the woman eating a sandwich while the man is pouring a can of beer into her glass, which is already full. She’s trying to keep it from overflowing by sipping on it, but with the smile on his face, it looks like he may be doing it on purpose.

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Here’s a slightly larger version of the ad, but without the text.

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