US3861569A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Beer tap
Assignee: CONSOLIDATED GOLD ASSETS Inc
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Filing: 1972-11-03
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Granted: 1975-01-21
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Expires: 1992-11-03
Abstract
Abstract This invention relates to a beer tapping device and especially to an improved adapter for attachment in the beer outlet of a standard keg. It comprises a metallically enclosed, readily assembled unit, insertable from outside the keg with a laterally offset liquid passageway through the adapter. The offset passage takes optimum advantage of the limited space available while, at the same time, the unit is compatible with existing systems. Also disclosed is a novel metallic locking unit for separating the beer and gas passageways in the adapter as well as a novel flexible resilient check valve for the gas passage through the adapter.
Inventors
- 👤 Mack S Johnston
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 06:35
CPC Classifications
B; B67; B67D; B67D1/00; B67D1/08; B67D1/0829; B67D1/0831; B67D1/0832
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
373 words
A liquid dispensing apparatus for use with a keg or like container for liquid which has top, bottom and side walls with a cylindrical opening in one wall of said keg characterized in that it comprises: a keg adapter for normally sealing the keg opening and having a body including gas and liquid passageways therethrough for the respective transfer of gas from the outside to the inside of the keg and the transfer of liquid from the inside to the outside of the keg, said keg adapter body having a lateRal extent along its length less than the diameter of the cylindrical keg opening whereby said keg adapter body is receivable directly into the keg opening from outside of the keg, a normally closed liquid valve in said liquid passageway, a check valve in said gas passageway for permitting flow of gas into the keg and precluding flow of liquid and gas from the keg through said gas passageway, said gas valve including an elongated tube-like member having side wall portions and an end wall portion and formed of flexible material, the end portion of said tube-like member opposite said end wall portion being open for receiving gas flowing in said gas passageway thereby permitting gas flow within said tube-like member, means for securing said open end portion of said member to said keg adapter body in sealing relation about said gas passageway with said member projecting inwardly from said open end portion toward the keg, a slit in one of said wall portions, said gas valve being configured such that said slit opens to permit ingress of gas into the keg when the gas pressure in said gas passageway exceeds the gas pressure in the keg and closes to form a seal when the gas pressure in said gas passageway is lower than the gas pressure in the keg, said member being substantially D-shaped in cross section in a plane generally normal to the long axis of said tube-like member and lying in spaced side-by-side relation with portions of said keg adapter, said latter adapter portions and said member having a combined lateral extent at any location along the length of said member less than the diameter of the cylindrical keg opening.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
373 words
A liquid dispensing apparatus for use with a keg or like container for liquid which has top, bottom and side walls with a cylindrical opening in one wall of said keg characterized in that it comprises: a keg adapter for normally sealing the keg opening and having a body including gas and liquid passageways therethrough for the respective transfer of gas from the outside to the inside of the keg and the transfer of liquid from the inside to the outside of the keg, said keg adapter body having a lateRal extent along its length less than the diameter of the cylindrical keg opening whereby said keg adapter body is receivable directly into the keg opening from outside of the keg, a normally closed liquid valve in said liquid passageway, a check valve in said gas passageway for permitting flow of gas into the keg and precluding flow of liquid and gas from the keg through said gas passageway, said gas valve including an elongated tube-like member having side wall portions and an end wall portion and formed of flexible material, the end portion of said tube-like member opposite said end wall portion being open for receiving gas flowing in said gas passageway thereby permitting gas flow within said tube-like member, means for securing said open end portion of said member to said keg adapter body in sealing relation about said gas passageway with said member projecting inwardly from said open end portion toward the keg, a slit in one of said wall portions, said gas valve being configured such that said slit opens to permit ingress of gas into the keg when the gas pressure in said gas passageway exceeds the gas pressure in the keg and closes to form a seal when the gas pressure in said gas passageway is lower than the gas pressure in the keg, said member being substantially D-shaped in cross section in a plane generally normal to the long axis of said tube-like member and lying in spaced side-by-side relation with portions of said keg adapter, said latter adapter portions and said member having a combined lateral extent at any location along the length of said member less than the diameter of the cylindrical keg opening.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
A dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said tube-like member projects from the inner end of said adapter body, said keg adapter including a siphon tube projecting from the inner end of said adapter body, said member lying in spaced side-by-side relation with a portion of said siphon tube.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
A dispensing apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said adapter body is generally clyindrical, said member having its flat side facing said siphon tube with said member and said siphon tube portion lying substantially wholly within the cylindrical confines of said adapter body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
68 words
A dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said slit is formed through the arcuate side wall portion of said member, said arcuate side wall portion including an inwardly directed projection about said slit, said slit and said projection defining edges in opposition to and engageable against one another to form said gas valve seal when said arcuate side wall portion is spaced from said flat wall portion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
A dispensing apparatus according to claim 4 including an inwardly directed projection carried on the flat wall portion of said member opposite said slit and in opposition to the first mentioned projection.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
55 words
A dispensing apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the projection carried by said flat wall portion comprises a pair of laterally spaced ribs with the space therebetween in lateral registry with said slit thereby providing gas communication between said slit and said gas passageway notwithstanding collapse of said side wall portions one against the other.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
121 words
A dispensing apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the keg has an approximately three-fourths inch opening surrounded by a cylindrical keg neck having an outwardly interrupted keg flange, said keg adapter having a laterally outwardly directed flange for surmounting the cylindrical keg neck, retaining means for securing said adapter in the keg opening and including a generally annular portion substantially coaxially arranged with said adapter body and releasably engageable with the flange carried by said keg adapter, said annular portion being adapted to surround the keg neck flange when the adapter is installed in the keg and including a pair of laterally inwardly extending projections for underlying the keg flange to clamp the keg adapter flange to the keg neck flange.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
334 words
A liquiD dispensing apparatus for use with a keg or like container for liquid which has top, bottom and side walls with a cylindrical opening in one wall of said keg characterized in that it comprises: a keg adapter for normally sealing the keg opening and having a body including gas and liquid passageways therethrough for the respective transfer of gas from the outside to the inside of the keg and the transfer of liquid from the inside to the outside of the keg, a normally closed liquid valve in said liquid passageway, a check valve in said gas passageway for permitting flow of gas into the keg and precluding flow of liquid and gas from the keg through said gas passageway, said gas valve including an elongated tube-like member having side wall portions and an end wall portion and formed of flexible material, the end portion of said tube-like member opposite said end wall portion being open for receiving gas flowing in said gas passageway thereby permitting gas flow within said tube-like member, means for securing said open end portion of said member to said keg adapter body in sealing relation about said gas passageway with said member projecting inwardly from said open end portion toward the keg, a slit in one of said wall portions, said gas valve being configured such that said slit opens to permit ingress of gas into the keg when the gas pressure in said gas passageway exceeds the gas pressure in the keg and closes to form a seal when the gas pressure in said gas passageway is lower than the gas pressure in the keg, said slit being formed through a side wall portion of said member, the side wall portion carrying said slit including an inwardly directed projection about said slit, said slit and said projection defining edges in opposition to and engageable against one another to form said gas valve seal when said side portion carrying said slit is spaced from said other wall.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
334 words
A liquiD dispensing apparatus for use with a keg or like container for liquid which has top, bottom and side walls with a cylindrical opening in one wall of said keg characterized in that it comprises: a keg adapter for normally sealing the keg opening and having a body including gas and liquid passageways therethrough for the respective transfer of gas from the outside to the inside of the keg and the transfer of liquid from the inside to the outside of the keg, a normally closed liquid valve in said liquid passageway, a check valve in said gas passageway for permitting flow of gas into the keg and precluding flow of liquid and gas from the keg through said gas passageway, said gas valve including an elongated tube-like member having side wall portions and an end wall portion and formed of flexible material, the end portion of said tube-like member opposite said end wall portion being open for receiving gas flowing in said gas passageway thereby permitting gas flow within said tube-like member, means for securing said open end portion of said member to said keg adapter body in sealing relation about said gas passageway with said member projecting inwardly from said open end portion toward the keg, a slit in one of said wall portions, said gas valve being configured such that said slit opens to permit ingress of gas into the keg when the gas pressure in said gas passageway exceeds the gas pressure in the keg and closes to form a seal when the gas pressure in said gas passageway is lower than the gas pressure in the keg, said slit being formed through a side wall portion of said member, the side wall portion carrying said slit including an inwardly directed projection about said slit, said slit and said projection defining edges in opposition to and engageable against one another to form said gas valve seal when said side portion carrying said slit is spaced from said other wall.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
32 words
A dispensing apparatus according to claim 8 including an inwardly directed projection carried on the side wall portion of said member opposite said slit and in opposition to the first mentioned projection.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
59 words
A dispensing apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the projection carried by the side wall portion opposite said slit comprises a pair of laterally spaced ribs with the space therebetween in lateral registry with said slit whereby gas communication between said slit and said gas passageway is ensured notwithstanding collapse of said side wall portions one against the other.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
366 words
A liquid dispensing apparatus for use with a keg or like container for liquid which has top, bottom and side walls with a cylindrical opening in one wall of said keg characterized in that it comprises: a keg adapter for normally sealing the keg opening and having a body including gas and liquid passageways there-through for the respective transfer of gas from the outside to the inside of the keg and the transfer of liquid from the inside to the outside of the keg, a normally closed liquid valve in said liquid passageway, a check valve in said gas passageway for permitting flow of gas into the keg and precluding flow of liquid and gas from the keg through said gas passageway, said gas valve including an elongated tube-like member having side wall portions and an end wall portion and formed of flexible material, the end portion of said tube-like member opposite said end wall portion being open for receiving gas flowing in said gas passageway thereby permitting gas flow within said tube-like member, means for securing said open end portion of said member to said keg adapter body in sealing relation about said gas passageway with said member projecting inwardly from said open end portion toward the keg, a slit in one of said wall portions, said gas valve being configured such that said slit opens to permit ingress of gas into the keg when the gas pressure in said gas passageway exceeds the gas pressure in the keg and closes to form a seal when the gas pressure in said gas passageway is lower than the gas presSure in the keg and a dispensing apparatus wherein said keg adapter body is generally cylindrical, means carried by said adapter body for segregating said liquid and gas passageways and defining with said body a substantially annular gas passage forming a part of said gas passageway through said body, said segregating means further defining a portion of said liquid passageway extending centrally through said body, said wall portion being arcuate, said slit extending through said arcuate wall portion and being defined by edges in opposition to and engageable against one another to form said gas valve seal.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
366 words
A liquid dispensing apparatus for use with a keg or like container for liquid which has top, bottom and side walls with a cylindrical opening in one wall of said keg characterized in that it comprises: a keg adapter for normally sealing the keg opening and having a body including gas and liquid passageways there-through for the respective transfer of gas from the outside to the inside of the keg and the transfer of liquid from the inside to the outside of the keg, a normally closed liquid valve in said liquid passageway, a check valve in said gas passageway for permitting flow of gas into the keg and precluding flow of liquid and gas from the keg through said gas passageway, said gas valve including an elongated tube-like member having side wall portions and an end wall portion and formed of flexible material, the end portion of said tube-like member opposite said end wall portion being open for receiving gas flowing in said gas passageway thereby permitting gas flow within said tube-like member, means for securing said open end portion of said member to said keg adapter body in sealing relation about said gas passageway with said member projecting inwardly from said open end portion toward the keg, a slit in one of said wall portions, said gas valve being configured such that said slit opens to permit ingress of gas into the keg when the gas pressure in said gas passageway exceeds the gas pressure in the keg and closes to form a seal when the gas pressure in said gas passageway is lower than the gas presSure in the keg and a dispensing apparatus wherein said keg adapter body is generally cylindrical, means carried by said adapter body for segregating said liquid and gas passageways and defining with said body a substantially annular gas passage forming a part of said gas passageway through said body, said segregating means further defining a portion of said liquid passageway extending centrally through said body, said wall portion being arcuate, said slit extending through said arcuate wall portion and being defined by edges in opposition to and engageable against one another to form said gas valve seal.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
108 words
A dispensing apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said member is substantially D-shaped in cross section in a plane generally normal to the long axis of said tube-like member and projects from the inner end of said adapter body, said keg adapter including a siphon tube projecting from the inner end of said body, said member lying in spaced side-by-side relation with a portion of said siphon tube, said keg adapter body having a lateral extent at any location along its length less than the diameter of the cylindrical keg opening whereby said keg adapter body is receivable directly into the keg opening from outside of the keg.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-01-20 | 1978-07-22 | 1979-01-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-01-20 | 1982-07-22 | 1983-01-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-01-20 | 1986-07-22 | 1987-01-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |