Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Patent No. 2017365A: Device For Tapping Kegs

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Today in 1935, US Patent 2017365 A was issued, an invention of August L. Klein, assigned to the Blatz Brewing Company, for his “Device For Tapping Kegs.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention relates to apparatus for increasing the pressure in beer kegs; and more particularly, a utility device which may be used where expensive tapping apparatus is not available.

Although my invention is not limited to the dispensing of beer, beer is often stored in kegs and at picnics and other functions, difficulty is experienced in dispensing the same. It is common practice to place in the side of the keg a wooden spigot, but due to lack of internal pressure, the beer or liquid flows very slowly. My invention increases the internal pressure so that the contents of the keg are under pressure and will be forced out through the spigot.

The prime object of the invention is to provide quickly attachable means whereby the internal or head pressure may be increased, thus facilitating the dispensing of the contents of a drum or keg.

Another object is to provide means for indicating the internal pressure so that the operator will be guided in this respect.

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Patent No. 5564602A: Beer-Dispensing System And Apparatus

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Today in 1996, US Patent 5564602 A was issued, an invention of James Cleland and Melvin Kyees, for their “Beer-Dispensing System and Apparatus.” Here’s the Abstract:

A beer-dispensing apparatus including a source of cooled pressurized gas-ladened beer, an elongate beer delivery line extending from the source of beer to a remote beer-dispensing station, a normally closed beer-dispensing valve at the beer-dispensing station, a liquid glycol chilling and recirculating unit, a heat exchanger beer delivery structure including an elongate beer-conducting balance line smaller in inside diameter than the beer delivery line and connected with and extending between the beer delivery line and the valve, an elongate glycol-conducting tube extending longitudinally of and in heat transfer relationship with the balance tube and connected with the glycol chilling and recirculating unit to cause chilled glycol to continuously circulate through it; a thermally insulated heat-storing aluminum body about the balance and glycol tubes; glycol flowing through the glycol tube progressively lowers the temperature of beer flowing downstream through the balance tube to the valve.

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Patent No. 711162A: Beer-Barrel-Tapping Device

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Today in 1902, US Patent 711162 A was issued, an invention of Joseph Holbach, for his “Beer-Barrel-Tapping Device.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

The object of this invention is to provide an efficient and convenient device for tapping a beer-barrel and drawing off the beer without injury to or loss or escape of the beer; and with this and other objects in view the invention consists in a device of the class specified constructed as hereinafter described an claimed.

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Patent No. 2057231A: Beer Faucet

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Today in 1936, US Patent 2057231 A was issued, an invention of Lester J. Dawson, for his “Faucet.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in faucets, and more particularly to faucets especially designed for dispensing gaseous liquids such as beer. An object of the present invention is to provide a beer faucet of simple and inexpensive construction comprising a valve mounted for reciprocal movement which, when opened, is i entirely out of the beer stream so that the beer may flow unobstructedly through the valve substantially without agitation. A further object is to provide a beer-faucet provided with a suitable dispensing nozzle and having a passage therein adapted to be connected to aL beer supply under pressure and a valve being interposed between the beer nozzle and said passage for controlling flow through the nozzle, said valve being so constructed and arranged that the pressure of the carbon dioxide and other gas content of the beer will tend to hold the valve on its seat when closed.

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Patent No. 6953256B2: Illuminated Tap Handle

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Today in 2005, US Patent 6953256 B2 was issued, an invention of Brent Turner, for his “Illuminated Tap Handle.” Here’s the Abstract:

One object of the invention is to provide an illuminated tap handle including a handle with one end capable of being secured to a tap and a threadable and detachable end allowing the placement of a removable energy source into the handle completing a circuit and illuminating a light source connected to a conducting strip inside the handle when the threadable end is substantially threaded onto the handle and a conducting portion on the threadable end touches the conducting strip and energy source. Another object is where the conducting strip is situated within the tap handle such that when the threadable end is partially or completely unthreaded the tension of the conduction strip is released and situated just above and not touching the energy source, but when the threadable end is substantially threaded onto the tap handle, the conducting strip is again pressed onto the energy source completing the circuit.

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Patent No. 1976173A: Barrel Stave

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Today in 1934, US Patent 1976173 A was issued, an invention of Edward W. Hutchings, for his “Barrel Stave.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention relates to the manufacture of staves for barrels and other containers and the object is to utilize thoroughly seasoned and dried lumber which is now available and which will render unnecessary steaming of the stave in order to bring it into the desired shape. Staves for barrels and kegs, especially for beer kegs, have heretofore been cut from white oak and then subjected to steaming in order to be bent into the required curvature. White oak, however, at the present time, is very scarce and the steaming process is expensive and time-consuming, while there is available a plentiful supply of thoroughly dried and seasoned lumber which may be utilized for the production of staves. It is an object of the present invention to utilize available lumber, and especially lumber which would otherwise be treated as waste, for the production of staves by a method which is expeditious and inexpensive. The invention will be herein fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings and resides in certain novel features which will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

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Patent No. 2808806A: Keg Striping Device

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Today in 1957, US Patent 2808806 A was issued, an invention of Joseph L. Tysinger, assigned to Schaefer Brewing Co., for his “Keg Striping Device.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention relates to a device for painting stripes around the periphery of beer kegs and the like.

Heretofore it has been necessary to paint stripes on beer kegs and the like by hand, or by placing the keg on a device which rotates the keg and holding a paint applying element against the rotating keg. It has been proposed to apply paint or a like coating by means of a roller which is rotated by frictional contact with the rotating keg. Similar methods have been used to apply paint or other lluid coatings to other cylindrical bodies.

These methods of applying paint and similar` coatings to cylindrical bodies are not only expensive but are time-consuming, and they require the provision, operation and maintenance of oftentimes complex machinery, depending upon the size and nature of the cylindrical body being coated. l c

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple yet reliable means for. applying a coating around the periphery of a substantially cylindrical body.

It is another object of this invention to provide a simple yet effective device by which a stripe can be painted around a substantially cylindrical body.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a device for striping a keg or other cylindrical body, which device does not include complex machinery to rotate the cylindrical body, and requires no complex means to apply the paint or other coating.

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Patent No. 2016926A: Apparatus For Emptying And Cleaning Beer Pipes

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Today in 1935, US Patent 2016926 A was issued, an invention of Rees Damon, assigned to Rahr Malting Co., for his “Apparatus For Emptying and Cleaning Beer and Other Pipes.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My invention relates to methods of and apparatus for cleaning pipes, and other liquid containers and connections.

It is particularly applicable to the pipes, tanks, containers, and connections between the beer kegs and drawing faucets of beer dispensing apparatus, which are usually cleaned at the present time by discharging through the pipes and connections a cleaning fluid, such as water containing a cleaning material, and sometimes also air under pressure.

Before cleaning such pipes and connections, it has been necessary heretofore to draw 01f a considerable amount of beer in the pipes, which ‘was thus wasted. Furthermore, after the dispensing apparatus has been out of use overnight or during holidays, it has been necessary when dispensing was resumed, first to draw off all the beer in the pipes, etc., down to the supply kegs, because the beer becomes stale and otherwise deteriorates when it has been left standing in the pipes for a considerable period of time. All this beer was thus wasted causing considerable loss every day.

My invention comprises first a simple, convenient and effective method of and apparatus for forcing and restraining the beer in the pipes and. connections back into the supply kegs and thus saving all the beer, before cleaning the pipes and also before closing the bar for the night or holidays.

My invention also comprises a simple, convenient and effective method of and apparatus for cleaning the pipes and connections.

My invention also comprises various novel features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

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Patent No. 710631A: Bung And Bung Attachment

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Today in 1902, US Patent 710631 A was issued, an invention of Paul A. Johnson, for his “Bung and Bung Attachment.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My invention relates to an improved bung and faucet for kegs or barrels for beer, ale, and other liquids; and the object thereof is to provide a tight bung easily put in place and a faucet so constructed that said bung may be readily opened and the contents of the keg or barrel removed therefrom at will.

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Patent No. 2056524A: Combination Bushing For Beer Barrels

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Today in 1936, US Patent 2056524 A was issued, an invention of Paul A. Johnson, for his “Combination Bushing For Beer Barrels.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention relates to a universal bushing for beer barrels.

Barrels which are to contain beer have bung holes through which the barrel is filled. The beer is pumped or otherwise tapped from the barrel. It is common to provide at the bung hole of the barrel a bushing, of metal. Many and different types of bushings are used with which are associated plugs and/or valves for sealing the barrel against escape of the beer and with which a tapping mechanism may be used to withdraw the beer from the barrel.

There are several systems of tapping the beer from the barrel with each of which special plugs or valves for the different systems are used and heretofore it has been necessary, with a particular type of bushing used, to use with it a particular valve or plug designed to fit the bushing or be used therewith or integrally connected thereto. With my invention I provide a universal bushing capable of being sealed against escape of the beer and with which any of the different regular makes of plugs or valves may be used.

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