Today in 1891, US Patent 452609 A was issued, an invention of James C. Magee, for his “Beer-Pump.” There’s no Abstract, though it’s described this way in the application:

My invention relates to an improvement in a tap or pump for beer, &e., the same having a plug which may be inserted in a keg, barrel, &c., and a tube adjustably fitted in such plug, an air-space existing between said tube and plug, so that the beer or fluid may be subjected to pressure, the tube being connected with a discharge-pipe.

Today in 1954, US Patent 2678549 A was issued, an invention of Alvin N. Bloom and Harold B. Campbell, for their “Beer Cooling and Dispensing Apparatus.” There’s no Abstract, though it’s described this way in the application:

This invention relates to beer cooling and dispensing apparatus, and has for its primary purpose the provision of an apparatus of greatly improved and simplified structure, which is compact, portable and rugged, which can be installed very readily and inexpensively, which requires a minimum amount of attention, maintenance and servicing, which operates in a positive, economical, highly efficient and sanitary manner, and which is very flexible in its operation so that greatly varying amounts of beer at the proper temperature may be drawn.

Today in 1966, US Patent 3251386 A was issued, an invention of Frank A. Bellato, for his “Filler Valve Assembly.” There’s no Abstract, but in the description it states that the “invention relates to container filling apparatus, and particularly to what is known as a racker assembly used to fill beer kegs and the like.” But it’s primarily this.

The major object of the invention is to provide a racker assembly by means of whicha beer keg may be quickly and easily filled with a free unobstructed flow, while at the same time a supply of a gas under pressure (such as CO is being introduced into the keg to minimize turbulence and foaming of the beer as delivered into the keg.

Today in 1978, US Patent 4089444 A was issued, an invention of Ronald E. Shea, for his “Tapping Apparatus For Golden Gate Type Beer Keg Openings.” Here’s the Abstract:

A beer keg tapping apparatus for golden gate type openings comprising a keg unit consisting of a stepped annular member in which valve controlled gas and liquid passages are disposed and which is adapted for insertion into the beer keg through the golden gate opening, and a stepped annular coupling member which is adapted for slidable disposal over the keg unit and includes first and second external threaded portions for engagement with the keg opening for securing the keg unit therein and with a tavern unit for tapping beer from the keg, respectively.

Today in 1935, US Patent 2001040 A was issued, an invention of David Sweeney, for his “Beer Dispensing Equipment.” There’s no Abstract, but it’s described as an “invention relat[ing] to beer dispensing equipment, and more particularly to equipment for handling, cooling, and dispensing, beer or other liquids.” And this appears to be the main feature.

One feature of my invention is that it is adapted for easy handling of quantities of liquid up to ten gallons or more. Another feature of my invention is the provision of means for expelling liquid, for example, beer, from a container without exposing the liquid remaining in the container to air. This is especially useful in dispensing beer where one container may be more or less infrequently used. In the ordinary case, for example, if a beer container is partially emptied, and air allowed to enter the container to fill up the space previously occupied by the liquid drawn off, the liquid remaining in the container is likely to become spoiled by contact with the air, especially if not used rather promptly. All these objections are overcome by my inventions I apply an inert gas, for example, carbon dioxide gas, (or some gas which will not spoil the beer or other liquid in the container) to the top of the container under suitable pressure. This gas then serves not only to expel the liquid from the container as it is used, but also fills up the space in the container occupied by the liquid drawn off, so that no spoilage results to the liquid remaining in the container. Still another feature of my invention is the elimination of cooling coils with their tendency to spoil beer standing in them.

Today in 1889, US Patent 403130 A was issued, an invention of Otto Neuman, for his “Beer Chest or Refrigerator.” There’s no Abstract, but it’s described as an “invention relat[ing] to what are commonly termed beer chests or refrigerators, and more especially to certain new and useful attachments connected and combined therewith for increasing the efficiency and utility thereof.

Today in 1969, US Patent 3443397 A was issued, an invention of Thomas A. Donovan and William E. Miltenberger, assigned to Anheuser Busch, for their “Barrel Cooler.” There’s no Abstract, but the invention is described as a “barrel cooler which is inexpensive, pleasing in appearance, leakproof, and collapsible so that it may be stored in a small space or transported in collapsed condition.” They continue with more:

The present invention is embodied in a collapsible barrel cooler made from water impervious material, said cooler having inner and outer walls adapted to be positioned in spaced relation for receiving a coolant there between such as ice and water, said inner wall being adapted to be secured over the top of a barrel positioned therein to retain said inner wall in an upright position, said inner and outer walls having an opening therein near the bottom thereof for receiving a faucet for drawing off the contents from the barrel, said opening being leakproof so that no ice or water leaks out of the space between said walls.

Today in 1880, US Patent 227450 A was issued, an invention of William Schwartz, for his “Beer-Cooler.” There’s no Abstract, and all it says in the description is that Schwartz “invented certain Improvements in Beer-Keg Receptacles.” I guess you have to read through the rest of it to figure it out.

Today in 2012, US Patent 20120111874 A1 was issued, an invention of William P. Apps, for his “Plastic Beer Keg.” Here’s the Abstract:

A plastic keg includes a liner including a neck portion and a body portion. A lid having an opening is disposed at least partially over the liner. The liner is disposed in an outer container having a wall with at least one locking rib projecting therefrom. The locking rib angles downward and the lid secured to the outer container by the at least one locking rib. Optionally, a locking ring securing the neck portion of the liner to the lid may be configured to release the liner when the filled keg is dropped.

Today in 1968, US Patent 3381841 A was issued, an invention of Howard F. Kusserow, for his “Bung For Barrel.” There’s no Abstract, but in the description it’s claimed that the “invention lies in the general field of container closures. It is directed to re-usable closures which may be readily applied and removed, and more particularly to bungs for beer barrels, although it is not limited to such use.” Apparently, the new bung was to replace wooden ones with a bung made from polyethylene, a “resiliently yieldabie material.”