Today in 1931, US Patent 1802638 A was issued, an invention of Erik J. Eriksson, for his “Pressed Metal Keg.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My invention relates to pressed metal kegs, and more particularly to the type of keg composed of a plurality of pressed metal staves assembled with metal end pieces and hoops in the manner of the customary wooden keg.

Today in 2013, US Patent EP 2583934 A1 was issued, an invention of Thomas W. Bates, Dan Morgan, and Leslie W. Ross, for their “Reusable Beer Keg.” Here’s the Abstract:

A reusable beer keg (1) is disclosed comprising a hollow beer keg body (2) with a dispenser tube assembly (10) having a dispenser valve (11), dispenser tube (12), and a disposable bladder (13). The dispenser valve (11) is releasably attached to a top portion of the keg body (2) and the dispenser tube (12) and bladder (13) extend into the interior of the keg body (2). When beer flows through the open dispenser valve (11) and into the bladder (13), the beer causes the bladder (13) to expand until it contacts the inside surface of the keg body (2). When the beer keg (1) has been emptied it can be returned to the brewery for reuse by cleaning the dispenser valve (11), dispenser tube (12) and disposing of the used bladder (13). The beer keg body (2) does not need to be cleaned, however, because the beer only comes in contact with the disposable bladder (13) and not the keg body (2). The beer keg parts can then be reassembled, using a new bladder in place of the used bladder.

Today in 1993, US Patent 5009082 A was issued, an invention of Martin J. Abraham III, for his “System For Cooling Beer For Remote Dispensing.” Although it’s not strictly speaking, a beer patent, it is somewhat related, and it was too interesting not to include. Here’s the Abstract:

A system for cooling beer to be dispensed from a container housed in a preliminary air cooled environment that is cooled with a primary heat exchanger includes a first flowline for dispensing beer from the container and an auxiliary heat exchanger having a glycol reservoir for receiving the first flowline, the first flowline traversing the reservoir in heat exchange relation therewith. The second flowline includes at least a pair of side-by-side internal bores having a first bore in fluid communication with the first flowline downstream of the glycol reservoir and a second bore carrying glycol from the reservoir in close proximity and in heat exchange relation with beer in the first bore, the second flowline being extended in length so that beer and glycol can travel to remote positions away from the container. A spigot is provided for dispensing the beer at the remote position after transmitted thereto via the second flowline. The first flowline includes one or more fittings forming connections between the container and the reservoir that produce substantially laminar flow between the container and the reservoir.

Today in 1964, US Patent 3129730 A was issued, an invention of John F. Simon, for his “Tapping System For Liquid Container or the Like.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention relates to a tapping system for liquid containers or the like such as, for example, casks having a gas-charged beverage or other liquid therein. In particular, this invention relates to a quick coupling and uncoupling tapping system for new beer kegs or the like or for the conversion of conventional beer kegs or the like to provide prompt placement of liquid containers in service, the removal thereof from service when substantially empty and the maintenance of prompt and sound delivery of the liquid during service in optimal condition.

Today in 1892, US Patent 473248 A was issued, an invention of Moses Bensinger, for his “Valve For Beer-Coolers.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My invention relates to valves for closing the opening provided in beer-coolers for the reception of the cock of a beer-keg after it has been introduced into the cooler. In beer coolers provided with an opening of the above description, when the keg has been removed from the cooler, the opening is uncovered and warm air may readily pass to the inside of the refrigerator, causing a great Waste of ice.

The object of my invention is to provide a valve for use upon refrigerators which will automatically operate to close the opening above referred to whenever the keg is removed. I accomplish this object as hereinafter specified and as illustrated in the drawings.

Today in 1882, US Patent 256717 A was issued, an invention of Clement Albert Maus, for his “Apparatus For Drawing Beer.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

The object of my said invention is to draw beer, ale, &c., from the keg or other vessel in which it is held without liberating the gases therein contained; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

Today in 1906, US Patent 818056 A was issued, an invention of Fredrick H. Strobel, for his “Beer-Cooler.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My invention relates to an improvement in beer-coolers and the principal object is to provide means for thinning out the volume of beer and spreading it over a correspondingly large surface as it is drawn from the tanks.

Today in 1969, US Patent 3438531 A was issued, an invention of Raymond L. Millard and Arthur W. Tschannen, assigned to the Adolph Coors Co., for their “Plastic Bung For A Beer Barrel.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention relates to plastic bungs for beer barrels.

The invention comprises, in essence, a bung plug having a circular wall section sized and tapered to fit a standard bung orifice, and an oversized, tapered, conical skirt at the leading rim of this wall adapted to guide and subsequently lock the hung in the orifice. A seal ring circumscribes and outstands from the wall adjacent to the skirt and is in functional juxtaposition therewith, for the skirt protects the seal from scraping against the sides of the bung orifice until the bung is finally positioned.

It follows that the primary object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved plastic bung which may be fitted into an ordinary bung orifice in a beer barrel and will not thereafter leak.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved bung formed of a selected type of synthetic resin plastic material which combines the desirable properties of rigidity, resilience and the ability to cold flow at moderately high stresses, and which is formed and proportioned to stress the sealing portion of the bung against the walls of an orifice, by a resilient pressure in the body of the bung, with pressure sufficient to deform and to cold flow the sealing portion to produce a tight, leakproof fit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved leakproof bung of such synthetic resin which will reliably seal a hung opening in a beer barrel that is scratched, pitted, marred or otherwise made irregular by use and abuse.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved bung for a beer barrel which is adapted to be securely fitted into the bung orifice of the barrel with out contacting, sliding or otherwise damaging the sealing portion of the bung against the wall of the bung orifice while the bung is being driven into place in the bung orifice.

Today in 1914, US Patent 1092999 A was issued, an invention of William R. Kinnear, for his “Metallic Keg.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

The object of my invention is to provide a beer keg with an inner and an outer shell, each shell being made in two pieces and joined together at the center with a liquid proof joint, the inner shell being enameled on the inside and the outside; the connection joining the two sections of each shell being such that the shells may readily be taken apart and examined, and if the enamel should in any way become defective, the inner shell can be removed from the outer and re-enameled.

A further object of my invention is to provide a liquid shock absorber and a nonconductor in the space between the inner and outer shells, which distributes any shock which may be given to the keg throughout the entire area of the absorber and thus protects the inner shell from said shocks and preserves the enamel intact, the non-conductor preventing the passage of heat.

A further object of my invention is to construct the joint between the sections of each shell in such manner that the securing means is in the space between the two shells, so that the inner face of the inner shell presents an unbroken enameled surface; and with these and other objects in view, my invention consists of the parts and. combination of parts as will be hereinafter more fully pointed out.