Today in 1987, US Patent 4665940 A was issued, an invention of Charles S. Jacobson, for his “Container Fitting.” Here’s the Abstract:

A fitting for a container of draft beer or the like includes a first valve for permitting pressurized gas to be injected into the container and a second valve for permitting beer to be dispensed from the container. Both valves are urged to their closed positions by inexpensive elastomeric springs which also serve to hold certain components of the fitting in assembled relation. A coupler attaches the fitting to the container and enables the container to be used with Sankey-type taps.

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.