Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Patent No. 2102208A: Process Of Packaging Beer In Open Top Metal Containers

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Today in 1937, US Patent 2102208 A was issued, an invention of Alfred L. Kronquest, assigned to the Continental Can Co., for his “Process of Packaging Beer in Open Top Metal Containers.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention relates to new and useful processes for the pasteurizing of the beer.

The present invention has to do with a method of making and treating a container so as to provide a suitable coating covering the entire inner surface of the metal container so as to prevent the beer from contacting with the metal at any time. It is well known that when metal sheets are coated with an enamel that has no clouding effect upon the beer, the bending or drawing of the sheet to form the ends and to form the body seams, is likely to fracture the enamel coating temperature necessary to heat the sealed container so as to expose the metal there beneath. Even if the can body and the bottom end thereof is coated with enamel, the shaping of the parts is likely to fracture the enamel coating and render the container thus formed unsuitable for 5 the packaging of beer.

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Patent No. 2620961A: Carton Flap Opener

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Today in 1952, US Patent 2620961 A was issued, another invention of Eugene A. Wahl and Ralph J. Winters, assigned to Ballantine & Sons, for their “Carton Flap Opener.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

The present invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for inspecting the interior and/or contents of cartons, or for filling and emptying cartons, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for unfolding the carton fiaps from folded closed position to unfolded open position to automatically have access to the interior of the carton for any desired purpose.

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Patent No. 6321927B2: Beverage Can Seal

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Today in 2001, US Patent 6321927 B2 was issued, an invention of Michael Cavella, for his “Beverage Can Seal.” Here’s the Abstract:

A seal for use on a container such as a beverage or food storage container and more specifically such as a soft drink, beer, or soup can where the seal prevents contamination of the rim or lip, trough and area adjacent to and surrounding the drinking aperture as well as between the drinking aperture and the nearest rim. The seal covers the inner surface of the rim but does not restrict use of 6-pack rings or the like, nor does the seal interfere with stacking of the cans. The seal further includes a peel tab.

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Patent No. 3480175A: Single Pull Ring Tab

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Today in 1969, US Patent 3480175 A was issued, an invention of Nick S. Khoury, assigned to the Continental Can Co., for his “Single Pull Ring Tab.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This subject has to do with easy opening can ends having a tear portion defined by a weakening line and wherein a pull tab is attached to the tear portion to effect the removal thereof. The pull tab overlies the tear portion so as to protect the tear portion against accidental removal. By having the pull tab coextensive with the tear portion, more space is made available for a larger tear portion.

This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in easy opening containers, and more particularly to a novel easy opening panel construction of the type having a tear portion defined by a peripheral weakening line and a pull tab secured to the tear portion and adjacent a starting end thereof to facilitate both the initial rupture of the container panel and the tearing out of the tear portion.

When a tear portion of an easy opening container is placed in the end panel of a container end, in the past the extent of the tear portion has been restricted by the size of the end panel. This has been because the pull tab has normally provided an extension of the tear strip. In accordance with this invention, it is proposed to have the pull tab disposed coextensive with the tear strip whereby the starting end of the tear strip is not restricted to a position immediately adjacent the center of the end panel as has been customary.

Another feature of this invention is to position the pull tab in overlying relation to the tear portion whereby the pull tab protects the tear portion and prevents accidental rupture of the container panel along the weakening line defining the tear portion.

Still another feature of this invention is to provide adjacent the tear portion upstanding ribs which support the pull tab in an elevated position above the tear portion to further prevent the accidental rupture of the container panel along the weakening line defining the tear portion.

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The Coolest Cans

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This is hands-down one of the coolest designs for a beer can I’ve ever seen. Designed by a Romanian company, Remark Studio SRL, it even won a Gold Pentaward last year for concept design in the worldwide packaging design awards competition. The only sad news is that while it’s an award-winning concept, no brewery has yet stepped up to actually put their beer in the cans, and Volksbier is just a made-up prototype name.
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The cans are actually moulded so the dimples are really in the cans, which would make them both stand out and be easier to grip. While I don’t generally like the idea of drinking directly from a beer can — I still firmly believe it should be poured into a proper glass — it’s hard not to imagine drinking straight from this can. And I love the idea that the color of each can could be the exact color of the beer inside. How cool would a brewery’s range of beers look in these cans?

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Patent No. 2813638A: Palletizer

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Today in 1957, US Patent 2813638 A was issued, an invention of Frank H. Miller Jr., assigned to Miller Engineering Corp., for his “Palletizer.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention relates to a palletizing device and to the method of operation thereof, and in particular to a palletizing device which is completely automatic in operation.

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Patent No. 2333088A: Bottle Opener

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Today in 1943, US Patent 2333088 A was issued, an invention of Raymond M. Brown, for his “Bottle Opener.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a bottle opener of the type described, having one or more back stops adjacent the prying lip and slightly spaced therefrom which permit the prying lip to exercise its function of detaching the cap, but which may contact with the flange of the cap as to spread andthereby limit the extent to which it can be flared, thus preventing the bending of the disk of the cap under any circumstances and particularly under the conditions of sudden operation above referred to.

Another object of the invention is to provide a pair of spaced back stops preferably symmetrically arranged with respect to the apex of the prying lip, permitting the latter, if necessary, to bulge the flange between the back stops by drawing upon the fullness of the flutes of the flange beyond said back stops, the metal moving.

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Patent No. 834491A: Hinge For Beer-Cases

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Today in 1906, US Patent 834491 A was issued, an invention of John P. Reily, for his “Hinge For Beer-Cases.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

This invention consists of certain new and useful Improvements in Hinges for Beer-Cases, of which the following is a specification containing a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive hinge which is particularly adapted for all manner of boxes, trunks, and chests wherein the lids swing entirely over against and into a plane parallel with the wall of the box to which the hinge is fixed.

By my improved construction of hinges the lids to which they are fixed can be swung all the way back without pulling out the retaining-screws of the hinges or breaking the lids.

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Beer In Ads #1704: Changing Beer Bottle Behavior

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Saturday’s ad is for Duraglas, from 1940. It’s Duraglas, a brand of glass bottles owned by the Owens-Illinois Glass Company, that’s “Changing Beer Bottle Behavior.” If you peek behind the action of the woman handing a green bottle to one of the two tuxedoed gentlemen into the refrigerator, you can see a green, brown and clear glass bottles sitting on the shelf inside. But in the foreground, it’s a brown bottle of beer being poured into the glass next to the salad. If you look closely at the bluish wallpaper around the ad, there are bottles of beer with brands on them, like Carnegie Pilsener Beer, Kato Pilsner Beer, Felsenbrau, Old Ox Head Ale, Mule Head Stock Ale, Topaz, Stegmeier Porter, Monarch Beer, Ruppert Ale, Hillcrest Lager Beer, Lucky Lager, Cincinnati Burger Brau, Top Hat Beer, Lucky Ale, Edelbrau Porter, and that’s just some from the left side. They all appear to be different, which is pretty amazing. I recognize enough of the brands to assume they must all be real brands from the time period.

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