US3866626A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Filling and tapping assembly for beer kegs and the like
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-07-13
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Granted: 1975-02-18
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Expires: 1993-07-13
Abstract
Abstract A valve assembly for mounting in an opening in the wall of a keg or the like, and containing a tubular housing which is open at the bottom end and which extends into said keg. A valve body is mounted in the tubular housing for movement between a closed position in which it is in closed, sealing engagement with the keg opening, and an open position in which it is spaced from the keg opening to permit liquid to flow past the valve body and into the keg for washing or filling purpose. The valve body is preferably yieldably biased toward the closed position. Liquid and gas passageways with associated valve means are provided in the valve body, whereby gas under pressure can be admitted into the keg and liquid can be withdrawn therefom when the valve body is in the aforesaid closed position, as by using a tapper attachment.
Inventors
- 👤 Mack S Johnston
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 19:14
CPC Classifications
B; B67; B67D; B67D1/00; B67D1/08; B67D1/0829; B67D1/0831; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/598; Y10T137/612; Y10T137/613; Y10T137/6137
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
266 words
A valve assembly for filling a keg or like container with a liquid and for dispensing a liquid therefrom, which container includes a wall having an opening therein, comprising: a main housing having one end thereof constructed and arranged to be received and supported in the wall opening, said housing including a neck portion with an inner wall surface adjacent to said one end and a body portion witH an inner surface adapted to extend into the interior of a keg in which the assembly may be mounted, said neck portion further including an annular inner sealing surface; a valve body with an outer surface mounted in said main housing for limited axial movement therein relative to said annular surface, between a closed position in which the valve body is in sealing engagement with said annular surface and an open position in which it is spaced therefrom; a liquid passageway extending through said valve body for the transfer of liquid from the inside to the outside of the keg when the valve body is in the closed position; normally closed liquid valve means in the liquid passageway; a gas passageway extending through said valve body for the transmission of gas from the outside of the inside of the keg when the valve body is in the closed position; normally closed gas valve means in the gas passageway; and a siphon tube having one end thereof in communication with the liquid passageway in the valve body, the other end of said siphon tube extending toward the interior of a keg in which the assembly may be mounted.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
266 words
A valve assembly for filling a keg or like container with a liquid and for dispensing a liquid therefrom, which container includes a wall having an opening therein, comprising: a main housing having one end thereof constructed and arranged to be received and supported in the wall opening, said housing including a neck portion with an inner wall surface adjacent to said one end and a body portion witH an inner surface adapted to extend into the interior of a keg in which the assembly may be mounted, said neck portion further including an annular inner sealing surface; a valve body with an outer surface mounted in said main housing for limited axial movement therein relative to said annular surface, between a closed position in which the valve body is in sealing engagement with said annular surface and an open position in which it is spaced therefrom; a liquid passageway extending through said valve body for the transfer of liquid from the inside to the outside of the keg when the valve body is in the closed position; normally closed liquid valve means in the liquid passageway; a gas passageway extending through said valve body for the transmission of gas from the outside of the inside of the keg when the valve body is in the closed position; normally closed gas valve means in the gas passageway; and a siphon tube having one end thereof in communication with the liquid passageway in the valve body, the other end of said siphon tube extending toward the interior of a keg in which the assembly may be mounted.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A valve assembly according to claim 1, which further includes means for moving the valve body from the open position to the closed position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
A valve assembly according to claim 2, in which the means for moving the valve body, yieldably biases the valve body toward the closed position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
50 words
A valve assembly according to claim 2, in which the main housing contains an internal shoulder, and means for moving the valve body to the closed position includes a coiled spring having one end thereof in engagement with said shoulder and the other end in engagement with the valve body.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
63 words
A valve assembly according to claim 1, which further includes at least one port in the neck portion of the main housing intermediate the annular sealing surface and the valve body when the valve body is in the open position, whereby the interior of the neck portion is in communication with the interior of a keg in which the assembly may be mounted.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
61 words
A valve assembly according to claim 5, in which the liquid valve means is yieldably biased toward the closed position, whereby when the valve body is in the open position, the liquid passageway is usable to admit liquid into the keg and the port is usable to exhaust gas from the keg during the filling of the keg with a liquid.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
114 words
A valve assembly according to claim 5, in which the liquid valve means is yieldably biased toward the closed position; the other end of the main housing is open and in communication with the interior of a keg in which the assembly may be mounted; and the outer surface of the valve body is spaced inwardly of the inner surface of the body portion of the housing when the valve body is in the open position, whereby during the filling of a keg with liquid, liquid will flow through the liquid passageway and around the valve body into the interior of the keg and gas will be exhausted from the keg through the port.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
89 words
A valve assembly according to claim 1, in which the other end of the main housing is open and in communication with the interior of a keg in which the assembly may be mounted, and the outer surface of the valve body is spaced inwardly of the inner surface of the body portion of the housing when the valve body is in the open position, whereby liquid can flow around the valve body and into the interior of a keg during the filling of the keg with a liquid.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
69 words
A valve assembly according to claim 1, in which the liquid passageway is separate from the gas passageway, and the liquid valve means and the gas valve means are yieldably biased toward the closed position, such that the liquid passageway is usable to admit liquid into the keg or to dispense it therefrom and the gas passageway is usable to admit liquid into the keg during the filling thereof.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
A valve assembly according to claim 1, in which the liquid valve means is yieldably biased toward the closed poSition by an actuator which includes a permanent magnet movably mounted in the liquid passageway.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
A valve assembly according to claim 1, in which the gas valve means is yieldably biased toward the closed position by an actuator which includes a permanent magnet movably mounted in a channel associated with the gas passageway.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
A valve assembly according to claim 1, in which the liquid valve means and the gas valve means are yieldably biased toward the closed position by actuators which include movably mounted, permanent magnets.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
54 words
A valve assembly according to claim 1, in which said gas passageway and the neck portion of the main housing contain ports which are in communication when the valve body is in the closed position, whereby the gas passageway is usable to admit gas into a keg in which the assembly may be mounted.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
87 words
A valve assembly according to claim 1, in which the outer surface of the valve body is in sliding engagement with the inner wall surface of the neck portion of the main housing when the valve body is in the closed position, and the valve body is in the body portion of the main housing when the valve body is in the open position with the outer surface of the valve body spaced from the inner surface of the body portion to provide for liquid flow therebetween.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
A valve assembly according to claim 1, in which said one end of the siphon tube is attached to and moves with the valve body.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
57 words
A valve assembly according to claim 15 in which the main housing includes another end opposite to siad one end which is to be received in the wall opening, which other end is interconnected with a siphon tube housing of reduced diameter and said other end of the siphon tube is received in the siphon tube housing.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
47 words
A valve assembly according to claim 15, in which said main housing is interconnected with an elongated outer siphon tube, and the other end of the siphone tube, which has its one end attached to the valve body, is in telescoping engagement with said outer siphon tube.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
33 words
A valve assembly according to claim 17, which further includes an O-ring positioned between said other end of the siphon tube and the outer siphon tube to provide a sliding, sealing engagement therebetween.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3277929A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-02-17 | 1978-08-19 | 1979-02-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-02-17 | 1982-08-19 | 1983-02-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-02-17 | 1986-08-19 | 1987-02-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |