Today in 1983, US Patent 4368831 A was issued, an invention of Victor S. Bailey, for his “Beer Keg Tapping Assembly.” Here’s the Abstract:
A cask or container for liquid under pressure having a housing welded to the cask wall around the bung hole, this housing serving as the sole support for a spring loaded ring seal and an extractor tube and its head the latter concentric within the seal.
Today in 1966, US Patent 3229852 A was issued, an invention of Aram Y. Lawson, for his “Draft Beer Dispensing Unit for Use in a Household Refrigerator.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
This invention is a draft beer dispenser made of aluminum specially designed for simple installation in household refrigerators.
The purpose of this invention is to provide a dispensing unit for a pressurized beverage, which unit is to be installed on the shelf of a household refrigerator. In use, the door of the refrigerator may be opened, and the spigot of the dispenser actuated so that the beverage may flow directly into a glass (or other receiver) manually held adjacent the said spigot. After removing the glass full of beverage, the door may then be closed. During the inactive period, the refrigerating effect of the refrigerator will maintain the beverage at the desired temperature, ready for the next use.
Further objects are to provide a dispensing unit which may be readily re-filled, and, when the beverage is carbonated, (i.e. beer), the pressurization means for the dispensing will also be utilized to maintain the said carbonation.
Today in 1967, US Patent 3298575 A was issued, an invention of Norman Bernard Larsen, for his “Disposable Dispensing Container.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
This invention relates to a lightweight disposable or expendable container. Preferably, the container is a square or rectangular one-gallon container for draught type beer.
Today in 1988, US Patent EP 0142966 B1 was issued, an invention of Roger John Hyde, for his “Valved Closure for Kegs or Casks.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
This invention relates to valved closures for pressure vessels, such as kegs or casks for beverages dispensed through the valved closure by pressure gas admitted to the keg or cask through the closure.
Today in 1904, US Patent 749583 A was issued, an invention of Frederich Schmidt, for his “Beer Keg Washing Apparatus.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for washing or flushing beer-kegs internally with hot or cold water.
The object of the invention is to provide an` apparatus by the employment of which beer kegs may be conveniently and expeditiously cleansed.
The invention consists in arrangements or combinations and constructions of parts, all substantially as hereinafter fully described, and set forth in the claims.
Today in 1876, US Patent 172085 A was issued, an invention of Thomas J. Byrne, for his “Improvement in Devices for Drawing Beer.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
My invention relates to improvements in that class of devices employed for forcing air into barrels, kegs,vand other similar vessels in order to produce sufficient pressure within the same to cause liquid contained therein to flow readily therefrom when the spigot or tap is open, the nature of which will be hereinafter fully explained by reference to the drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a horizontal section of an ice-box, with a barrel or keg contained therein, with my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 represents a sectional view of the air pump. Fig. 3 shows a vertical section of the plug, and parts connected therewith. shows a detached view of parts.
Today in 2013, US Patent 8348086 B2 was issued, an invention of William P. Apps, assigned to the Rehrig Pacific Company, for his “Plastic Beer Keg.” Here’s the Abstract:
A beer keg includes a container having a base and a wall extending upward from a periphery of the base. A liner within the container includes a base, sidewalls and a mouth. The base of the liner interlocks with the base of the container to prevent relative rotation therebetween. A valve is disposed over the mouth of the liner.
Today in 1987, US Patent 4633678 A was issued, an invention of Richard P. Lea and Randy J. Lea, for their “Keg Cooler.” Here’s the Abstract:
A beer keg cooler has a container and a removable lid of relatively thick wall insulated construction larger than a keg to be accommodated by the cooler so that ice may be packed around the keg. A flexible, web shaped harness is secured to the inner wall of the container and straps of the harness are secured by buckles so that the harness can be adjusted to bridge across the container in tight engagement against the keg to secure the keg in position and to prevent the keg from floating as the ice melts. The container has a notch formed in its upper rim to accommodate beverage dispensing equipment and the lid has a central opening for the same purpose. A flexible flap over the lid opening seals any portion of the opening not required for this purpose.
Today in 1970, US Patent 3488213 A was issued, an invention of Frank A. Bellato, assigned to Schlitz Brewing Co., for his “Method and Apparatus For Applying a Coating to the Interior Surface of a Hollow Article.” Here’s the Abstract:
A method and nozzle assembly for coating the interior surface of a barrel with wax or other coating material The nozzle assembly is adapted to be inserted within the bunghole of the barrel and includes a central reservoir which contains melted wax. The Wax is continuously pumped to the reservoir and overflows from the reservoir so that a continual flow of melted wax is achieved. The melted wax is atomized by a pressurized stream of air which is ejected through an orifice into a discharge nozzle located above the level of the wax. In addition to the primary air stream, a pair of auxiliary air jets are employed which are directed laterally towards the ends of the barrel and the auxiliary jets aid in atomizing the wax and directing the atomized wax towards the ends of the barrel.
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for applying a coating to the interior surface of a hollow article and more particularly to a method and apparatus for applying wax or similar coatings to the interior of beer barrels.
Today in 1970, US Patent 3550818 A was issued, an invention of Mack S. Johnston, for his “Keg Tapping Device.” Here’s the Abstract:
Disclosed is a keg adapter having a siphon body receivable through the opening of a keg and a retainer nut within the keg. The siphon body has liquid and gas passages extending longitudinally of the keg adapter terminating at their upper ends in a pair of bores disposed eccentrically of the axis of the opening. The gas passage terminates intermediate the ends of the siphon body in a lateral opening. The retainer nut has a central opening for receiving the lower portion of the siphon body and an annular recess for communication with the lateral siphon body opening, the recess communicating through a bore in the nut into the keg. A coupler unit having a pair of depending probes is engageable with the keg adapter with the probes being receivable in the bore holes in the siphon body. A liquid valve is disposed in the liquid passage and the lower end of the liquid probe engages an axially moveable member engageable with the valve to open the latter, permitting egress of liquid from the keg through the keg adapter and coupler unit. A flexible envelope having a slit is provided on the lower end of the retainer nut in communication with the bore therethrough to permit ingress of gas through the coupler unit and keg adapter into the keg. The body of the keg adapter is hexagonal as to be receivable within the head of a wrench.
