Tapping device for beer kegs

Claim 1

A keg pressurizing and liquid dispensing device comprising a hollow tubular conduit extending through a keg wall and having an exterior end communicating with the exterior of said keg and an internal end communicating with the interior of said keg, a hollow hose connector member including a hollow barrel member having an axially extending main internal chamber, a liquid passageway to which a liquid discharge line is connected and a gas passageway to which a gas pressure line is connected, connector means adjacent the exterior end of said hollow tubular conduit for permitting said hollow hose connector member to be removably connected to said external end of said hollow tubular conduit, a liquid drain pipe mounted in said hollow tubular conduit and having an inlet end extending beneath liquid in said keg and an outlet end adjacent the external end of said hollow tubular conduit, liquid valving means including a first conical valve member coaxially mounted adjacent the discharge end of said drain pipe and a connecter liquid valve member comprising a second conical valve member mounted in said liquiD passageway of said hollow hose connector member, a first valve seat associated with said first conical valve member, first spring means biassing said first conical valve member against said first valve seat, second spring means biassing said second conical valve member against a second valve seat and a protrusion lug extending from the end of one of said conical valve members to position both of said conical valve members away from their respective valve seats upon connection of said hollow hose connector member to said tubular conduit to provide communication between said outlet end of said liquid drain pipe and said liquid passageway so that liquid from said keg can flow through said liquid drain pipe into said liquid passageway for discharge via said liquid discharge line and gas valving means operable in response to connection of said hollow hose connector to said hollow tubular conduit for permitting pressurized gas from said gas passageway to flow through said hollow tubular conduit into the interior of said keg to pressurize said keg, said gas valving means including a first gas valve seat on the interior of said tubular conduit, a first movable gas seal element connected to the exterior of said drain pipe and drain pipe biassing spring means for normally urging said movable gas seal element against said first gas valve seat to prevent pressurized gas on the interior of said keg from escaping through said tubular conduit and a second gas valve seat in said hollow hose connector communicating with said gas passageway, a second movable seal means in said gas passageway mounted upon a movable support member in said main internal chamber, support member biassing spring means normally biassing said movable support member to move said second gas seal means against said second gas valve seat upon removal of said hollow hose connector from said tubular conduit so that gas pressure in said gas passageway cannot escape therefrom and abutment means on said support member engageable with facing abutment means on the end of said drain pipe for moving said first gas seal means in said hollow hose connector to an open position in response to connection of said hollow hose connector to said tubular conduit.