Brookston Beer Bulletin

Jay R. Brooks on Beer

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Patent No. 1065233A: Keg-Tapping Device

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Today in 1913, US Patent 1065233 A was issued, an invention of Friedrick Gittinger, for his “Keg-Tapping Device.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

My invention relates to devices for tapping kegs and barrels, and has especial reference to devices for tapping kegs of beer, and has for its object’ the provision of an improved construction of tapping devices comprising a bung having an integral web provided with an opening and segment-al slots, rotatable valve members mounted on the two sides of said web and secured together for simultaneous rotation over said segmental slots, and a nozzle member adapted to enter and be locked in engagement with said bung and provided with means for rotating the valve members when moving into locking position.

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Patent No. 3450600A: Malting Apparatus In Series

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Today in 1969, US Patent 3450600 A was issued, an invention of James Richard Allan Pollack, Alan Aldred Pool, and Graham John Ellis, assigned to Arthur Guinness Sons & Co. Dublin, The Irish Mallsters Association, and Rimer Mfg. Co. Ltd., for their “Malting Apparatus In Series.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

[This invention is an] Apparatus for malting steeped cereal grain comprising two vessels one of which is a malting vessel and the other a storage vessel. The internal surface of the malting vessel converges downwardly toward the outlet. Sweeper means within the malting vessel is gyrationally mounted adjacent the outlet, grain engaging means provided on the sweeper, and the sweeper is adapted to sweep over substantially the whole area of the convergent surface for loosening the grain to be discharged. Means associated with the malting vessel for adjusting temperature, humidity, and rate of air flow therein to condition the cereal grain. First transfer means for conveying grain discharged from the malting vessel to the storage vessel. Second transfer means associated with the storage vessel for returning to the inlet means of the malting vessel grain discharged from the storage vessel.

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Patent No. 1099910A: Beer-Cooler

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Today in 1914, US Patent 1099910 A was issued, an invention of William J. Bocker and Hermenia A. Bocker, for their “Beer-Cooler.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

Our invention relates to improvements in beer coolers, and more particularly to that type of cooler used in connection with dispensing apparatus.

In beer coolers now in use, the beer is caused to run through a coil or coils of pipe with which ice is in direct contact for cooling the beer while it is passing through the coil or coils, but coolers of this kind are objectionable for the reason that they cannot be readily cleaned without resorting to the use of steam forcibly passed through the coil or coils thereof and also for the reason that the beer cannot be maintained at an even temperature.

It is the object of our invention to overcome the above mentioned objections, and to do so in a simple, efficacious and inexpensive manner. To this end the invention consists in the provision of a cooling chamber for the re! caption of a keg or kegs of beer which extends up into the dispensing bar and which is equipped with an ice receptacle which is adapted to contain ice and maintain the temperature evenly at every point within said cooling chamber and in directing the dispensing pipe or pipes from the beer keg or kegs directly to the dispensing faucet or faucets Without leading them out of said cooling chamber.

Our invention further consists in so arranging the dispensing pipe or pipes that they are easily accessible and readily cleaned internally by passing a brush or any other suitable tool through the same, said pipe or pipes being in a straight line to permit of such action.

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Patent No. 20110138521A1: Party Goggles

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Today in 2011, US Patent 20110138521 A1 was issued, an invention of Bruce Riggs, for his “Party Goggles.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

The present invention provides novelty eye goggles comprising an adjustable elastic rubber strap attached to the clear plastic frames of standard, vented safety goggles, with two hollowed-out 12 ounce aluminum beer cans affixed to the eye-sockets, protruding outward from the frames, suspended horizontally and running parallel to the ground. The cans themselves feature a number of brand logos and advertisements,

Who knew you could actually patent beer goggles? But in what sounds more like ad copy than a patent application, their use, and who might want to wear them, is explored, and some pretty bold claims of being able to bust guts.

A cleverly-conceived new novelty item made to let “party people” freely express their sense of individuality and help crank up the festivities, the Party Goggles proudly display, in a very literal way, the figurative eyewear we all have put on at one point or another. A gut-busting sight-gag aimed at those who might find themselves in a raucous roadhouse, hectic house party or fun family get-together, the Party Goggles should find a wide and receptive market among both the swarming barflies and regular, fun-loving folks.


Patent No. 1810630A: Combination Container And Bottle Opener

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Today in 1931, US Patent 1810630 A was issued, an invention of Conrad Lenz, for his “Combination Container And Bottle Opener.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

The present invention relates to a combination container and bottle opener and has for its primary object the provision of a container having attached to the bottom thereof a bottle opening device designed to permit convenient removal of a bottle cap.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a container, preferably in the form of a tumbler having the bottom formed to intimately engage a bottle opening device designed particularly to engage the well known form of bottle cap to remove the cap in cooperation with the tumbler.

If anyone can explain the difference between the “primary object” and the second or “further object” I’ll be mightily impressed. But I especially love how they describe that the bottle cap and the beer glass as “cooperating” to open the bottle. That’s genius.
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Patent No. 7735413B2: Method And Device For Brewing Beer

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Today in 2010, US Patent 7735413 B2 was issued, an invention of Klaus-Karl Wasmuht and Kurt Stippler, assigned to Krones AG, for their “Method And Device For Brewing Beer.” Here’s the Abstract:

A device for brewing beer, particularly a wort pan (1), with a container body (2) to receive a wort reservoir (3), the device containing an internal boiler (4) arranged in the container body (2), which is provided with a heat exchanger (5) and a guiding screen (8). A wort forced flow (10) provided with a pump is also provided, which runs through the boiler (4). In order to increase the efficiency of the device, the wort forced flow (10) has a thin-layer distributor (17) for the wort, which contains a pipe subsection (11 b) connected with the pump, which subsection leads above the guiding screen (8) via an outlet opening (13) with reduced outlet cross-section into the container body (2). Above the outlet opening (13), a flow-guiding baffle surface (15) is provided, at which the flow arrives from below, to deflect the liquid towards the wort reservoir (3).

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Patent No. 3962851A: Self-Propelled Hop Harvesting Machine

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Today in 1976, US Patent 3962851 A was issued, an invention of Adolf Liepold, Hermann Daum, and Helmut Lindner, assigned to Fella-Werke G.M.B.H., for their “Self-Propelled Hop Harvesting Machine.” Here’s the Abstract:

This invention provides a self-propelled hop picking machine including a hop bine draw-through device which, as the machine moves forward, pulls bines in the path of movement of the machine rearwardly, preferably at a speed greater than the forward speed of travel of the machine, so as to pull such bines from their supporting wires and to convey the bines to picking elements for removal of the hop cones from the bines.

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Patent No. 6748849B2: Bittering Of Beer

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Today in 2004, US Patent 6748849 B2 was issued, an invention of Richard J. H. Wilson and Robert J. Smith, assigned to S.S. Steiner, Inc., for their “Bittering Of Beer.” Here’s the Abstract:

Iso-α-acids and reduced iso-α-acids in their free acids states are converted into mobile resins by the addition of concentrated solutions of alkali metal hydroxides. The products may be used in brewing for the bittering of beer and are most effectively used in an apparatus that automatically blends the product with water and injects the resultant, aqueous solution into beer.

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Patent No. 3585045A: Method For Preparing Beer Wort

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Today in 1971, US Patent 3585045 A was issued, an invention of Conrad Lenz, for his “Method For Preparing Beer Wort.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:

According to the method of this invention, a first portion of the continuously prepared mash is transferred from a mash-making zone to a first vessel. A subsequent portion of the mash is transferred from the mash-making zone to a second vessel while the first portion is being heated in the first vessel, and the two portions are then combined, whereupon further heating may follow conventional practice of separating a portion of the mixture from the bulk of the same, heating the separated portion, returning the heated portion to the bulk of the mixture, and repeating such separating, heating, and returning until the mixture reaches the desired temperature. The plant employed in performing the method is provided with a two-way valve in the mash transfer conduit which connects the mash-making apparatus with the mash heating or brewing apparatus. Two branch conduits lead from the valve to two vessels of the mash-heating apparatus, at least one vessel being provided with heating means. The valve may be moved in the usual manner between two positions in which it connects the mash transfer conduit with the branch conduits respectively while blocking the other branch conduit.

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Patent No. PP10956P: Hop Variety Named “Columbus”

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Today in 1999, US Patent PP10956 P was issued, an invention of Gregory K. Lewis, Charles E. Zimmermann, and Henry Hazenberg, assigned to Hopunion USA, for their “Hop Variety Named ‘Columbus.'” Doesn’t it seem like Columbus has been around a lot longer than sixteen years? Maybe it was marketed under the name before it was patented, and in fact the application date was March 22, 1995, with a priority date of November 30, 1993, which as I understand it means the date that the applicant asserts was the “invention date,” which in this case is more likely when it was first sold or used by that trade name. Here’s the Abstract:

A new and distinct variety of hop, Humulus lupulus L., named Columbus, has a superior yield of cones and a superior content of alpha acids in its resin. The new variety was cultivated as a result of a cross at a nursery near Prosser, Wash., United States, and has been asexually reproduced in and about Yakima, Wash., United States.

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