Today in 2005, US Patent EP 1295845 B1 was issued, an invention of Chang Kung-Chien, for his “Safe Device For a Double Valve Arrangement For Beer Keg.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention relates to a double valve arrangement used for a pressurized beer keg, said arrangement comprises a safety device in order to prevent a valve body popped out of the keg under pressure causing unintended personal injury, or when the dismount is handled by somebody who is unauthorized to do so.

Today in 1938, US Patent 2113887 A was issued, an invention of Thomas A. Hutsell, for his “Beverage Dispensing Faucet.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My present invention relates to a method for the dispensing and measuring of effervescent or gas-charged liquids. A particular adaptation of my method lends itself particularly well to the dispensing of draft beer. Consequently for the sake of clearness of description I prefer to explain my method as employed in the dispensing of beer, it will be understood, it is believed, that any gas-containing or gas-producing liquid could be dispensed in a similar manner.

Today in 1870, US Patent 101966 A was issued, an invention of Felix Manz, for his “Improvement in Beer-Faucets.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

The nature of my invention consists in constructing a beer or ale-cock in such a manner that, as the beer or ale is drawn from the’ barrel, the faucet by means of a plunger contained init, will force the beer or ale through the valve, thereby causing the old, as well as new beer, to produce a rich creamy surface.

Today in 1967, US Patent 3313442 A was issued, an invention of Raymond J. Wurzelbacher, for his “Wooden Bung For Beer Barrel.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

The present invention embodies certain of the principles of the compression by rolling method just described. However, a materially improved bung is provided in that the tapered edges of the rollers have formed thereon a series of ridges and grooves which in turn impart a ridged and grooved construction to the bung blanks compressed by the rollers. It has been found that the provision of a series of closely adjacent ridges extending peripherally around the sides of the bung blank and compressed provide a materially improved bung insofar as concerns tight securance in the bushing and the prevention of leakage. This is partly due to the fact that each ridge, in effect, constitutes a separate gasket sealing the sides of the bung blank against the bushing or bung hole. Additionally, since all parts of the ridged surface are compressed the total area of compression is a great deal larger than on the ordinary smooth surface bung so that when liquid is applied to the grooves between the ridges, the expansion occurs much more rapidly and more completely than in the case of a smooth surface. There is also an increased and uniform denseness over the entire side surfaces because the depth of the grooves is uniform and more compression is required to from them than would be the case with smooth surfaces.

In order to manufacture a bung of the type to which the invention relates, it is necessary to use a rolling process and it is also necessary to insert the bung blank between the rollers in the same plane as the rollers and in a direction opposed to the rollers axes.

Accordingly, one of the objects of the invention has been to provide a hung for a beer barrel, the sides of which contain a plurality of closely adjacent parallel compressed ridges and corresponding grooves.

Another object has been to provide a wooden bung for a beer barrel in which the sides of the bung are compressed over an area substantially greater than the distance between the upper surface and lower surface of the bung.

Another object has been to provide a bung in which the sides are denser and the degree of denseness is more uniform than in the case of a smooth sided bung.

Today in 1940, US Patent 2196709 A was issued, an invention of Herman E. Schulse, for his “Brew Draft Equipment.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My present invention relates to draft equipment of the type used in brew dispensing and a desirable faucet construction.

Today in 1998, US Patent 5735425 A was issued, an invention of Leigh P. Beadle, for his “Reusable Beer Keg Plug.” Here’s the Abstract:

An improved reusable beer keg plug replaces the conventional wooden bung and is formed of an elastomeric material as a tapered, expandable plug suited to being snugly fitted within a conventional beer keg sidewall tapered hole and thereafter expanded by an adjustable tightening device forming part of the plug.

Today in 1988, US Patent EP 0262762 A1 was issued, an invention of James N. Dewes, James P. Hagan, and Jeffrey W. Gunn, for their “Valve For Beer Keg.” Here’s the Abstract:

A valve (10) for use with a beverage container is fully compatible with, and enhances the utility of, conventional automatic filling equipment. The valve is preferably of formed of plastic components and is therefore can form an economical throw-away unit in combination with a plastic keg. A cylindrical outer cage (18) includes a plurality of lengthwise apertures (20,22,24,26,). A transversely-oriented deflector plate is fixed to an inner cage (30) that is movable with respect to the outer cage. springs (38) urge the inner and outer chambers of the valve to closed positions. The valve is arranged so that both chambers are opened by the insertion of the filling head of a conventional automatic racking machine. The plate deflects a pressurized beverage input, lessening agitation and turbulence, whereby only minimal, if any, foam or head is generated during the filling process.

Today in 1966, US Patent 3244326 A was issued, an invention of Glen C. Bull Jr., for his “Apparatus For Dispensing Fluid Material.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

The present invention comprises, in brief, maintaining a substantially constant desired pressure on a body of beer within a spigotted container of draught beer by incrementally admitting gas under pressure from a reservoir into an expansible bag within the container, to preserve the effervescence of the beer and to discharge desired quantities of beer when the spigot is opened.

The primary object of this invention is, therefore, to effectively, economically, and safely store, transport, and incrementally dispense beer at a nearly constant pressure from a packaged unit.

Another object of this invention is to provide for the u safe, convenient, and economical handling, storing,l preserving, transporting, and/or dispensing of any liquid which requires a continuous surface pressure, or freedom from contamination by air or other similar infuences, or a covering membrane which will effectively follow the liquid surface as the liquid is dispensed, or any combination of these requirements, at a pressure which remains nearly constant as the liquid is dispensed.

Today in 1908, US Patent 882862 A was issued, an invention of Valentine F. Boehm, for his “Beer Cooling and Purifying Apparatus.” There’s no Abstract, and in the description it probably includes a summary, but the OCR did a pretty bad job and it’s all but unreadable. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.