Keg closure and coupler assembly

Claim 2

A keg closure and coupler assembly for connecting the interior of a keg with a liquid dispensing line and source of compressed gas, comprising, in combination: a. a keg connector body having first and second passages; b. a dispensing line connector body having first and second passages; and, c. lower and upper separable plates having registering bores disposed between said keg connector body and dispensing line body, relative movement between the plates and the bodies in one direction positioning one of said registering bores in communication with each of said first passages and also positioning the other of said registering bores in communication with each of said second passages, relative movement in an opposite direction positioning the registering bores respectively out of registration with each of the first and second passages to close off communication therebetween.

Claim 3

The subject matter of claim 1, in which said relative motion is in a back and forth rectilinear direction.

Claim 4

The subject matter of claim 1, in which said relative motion is in a clockwise and counterclockwise rotational direction.

Claim 5

A keg closure and coupler assembly for connecting the interior of a keg with a liquid dispensing line and a source of compressed gas, comprising, in combination: a. a keg connector body having means for securing it in a keg opening and including first and second passages terminating at their upper ends in a top flat surface and communicating at their lower ends with a liquid delivery tube extending to the bottom interior portion of the keg and with the upper interior portion of said keg, respectively; b. a dispensing line connector body including first and second passages terminating at their lower ends in a bottom flat surface and communicating at their upper ends with said dispensing line and with said source of compressed gas, respectively; and c. a plate assembly comprised of lower and upper separable plates having first and second registering bores, said plate assembly being disposed between said top and bottom flat surfaces, relative movement of said lower plate closing off said first and second passages in said keg connector body by moving the registering bores in the lower plate out of registration with said first and second passages, and relative movement of the upper plate closing off said first and second passages in said dispensing line connector body by moving the registering bores in the upper plate out of registration with said first and second passages, whereby said lower and upper plates can be sepaRated, the keg delivery tube and upper interior portion being closed and the dispensing line and source of compressed gas being closed.

Claim 6

A keg closure and coupler assembly for connecting the interior of a keg with a liquid dispensing line and a source of compressed gas, comprising, in combination: a. a keg connector body having means for securing it in a keg opening and including first and second passages terminating at their upper ends in a top flat surface and communicating at their lower ends with a liquid delivery tube extending to the bottom interior portion of the keg and with the upper interior portion of said keg, respectively; b. a dispensing line connector body including first and second passages terminating at their lower ends in a bottom flat surface and communicating at their upper ends with said dispensing line and with said source of compressed gas, respectively; and c. a plate assembly comprised of lower and upper separable plates having first and second registering bores, said plate assembly being disposed between said top and bottom flat surfaces, relative movement of said lower plate closing off said first and second passages in said keg connector body by moving the registering bores in the lower plate out of registration with said first and second passages, and relative movement of the upper plate closing off said first and second passages in said dispensing line connector body by moving the registering bores in the upper plate out of registration with said first and second passages, whereby said lower and upper plates can be sepaRated, the keg delivery tube and upper interior portion being closed and the dispensing line and source of compressed gas being closed.

Claim 7

The subject matter of claim 4, including lower and upper stop means limiting to given distances respectively the relative movement between said lower plate and said top flat surface and relative movement between said bottom flat surface and said upper plate in one direction such that when the stop means are engaged in said one direction, the first and second passages in the keg connector body and dispensing line connector body are in registration with said registering bores and when the stop means are disengaged by relative motion away from the stop means in an opposite direction, the first and second passages in the keg connector body and dispensing line connector body are out of registration with said registering bores.

Claim 8

The subject matter of claim 5, in which said lower and upper plates are keyed respectively to said keg connector body and dispensing line connector body and to each other to prevent separation when relative movement therebetween takes place over said given distances, the keying of the plates to each other being removable whereby the assembly is readily separated for easy cleaning.

Claim 9

The subject matter of claim 6, including O-ring biased plastic seals surrounding the openings of said passages at their registration points with the bores to provide sealing during relative movement between the plates and said top and bottom flat surfaces.

Claim 10

The subject matter of claim 7, in which said keg closure and coupler assembly includes an adjustable and manually operable relief valve, so that if the gas pressure exceeds a given value, it can escape through said relief valve.

Claim 11

The subject matter of claim 8, in which said first and second passages in said keg connector body and in said dispensing line connector body and said registering bores are all of the same internal diameter to thereby minimize pressure drops across the passages and bores when in registration with each other.

Claim 12

The subject matter of claim 9, in which relative movement between the plates and top and bottom flat surfaces is in a back and forth rectilinear direction.

Claim 13

The subject matter of claim 9, in which relative movement between the plates and top and bottom flat surfaces is in a clockwise and counterclockwise rotational direction.

Claim 14

The subject matter of claim 4, including pin means for locking said lower and upper plates together when the bodies are assembled, said pin means being responsive to separation of said lower and upper plates to effect a locking of the lower and upper plates respectively to the keg connector body and dispensing line connector body respectively to retain the closed condition of the keg delivery tube and upper interior portion and the dispensing line and source of compressed gas.

Claim 15

The subject matter of claim 12, wherein said pin means includes an elongated pin and cooperating upper and lower cups respectively partially extending into opposed bores in the plates and bodies respectively to effect said locking when the plates are separated, assembly of the plates together causing the opposite ends of the pin to urge the cups completely into the bores in the bodies so that the plates are locked together and yet relative sliding movement between the bodies and exterior surfaces of the plates can taken place.