US2462930A - Keg closure - Google Patents

Description

March 1, 1949. v. ALVEAR 2,462,930

KEG CLOSURE' Filed Oct. 17, 1945' 2 Shets-Sheet l "Mame ALI/54E INVENTOR.

March 1, 1949. v. ALVEAR 2,462,930

KEG CLOSURE Filed Oct. 17, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 We 7'02 AL VE/IE IN VEN TOR.

Patented Mar. 1, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE KEG CLOSURE;

Victor Alvear, Clifton. N. J.

Application October 17, 1945, Serial No. 622,795

Claims, (Cl. 217- 98) This invention relates particularly to bungs for beer kegs and the like,

In the ordinary keg when it is desired to empty the contents, the stopper, which is usually in the form of a cork, is knocked out of the bung hole and often becomes lost or damaged necessitating replacement, which is costly and inconvenient.

Sometimes also the cork remains in the keg after it has been washed and resort is had to spearing the cork in order to recover it with resultant damage to the keg. Leakage is also liable to develop around the ordinary cork and it is sometimes accidentally blown out.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a bung for a keg in which the stopper is a fixture on the keg and cannot become lost and the chance of its becoming damaged is reduced to a minimum.

Another object is to provide means for bringing the stopper or plug to alignment with the bung hole by gravity where it can easily be moved into closed position.

Another object is to provide a stopper with means for readily grasping it with a tool and with means for sealing the opening in the bung.

Another object is to eliminate hammering and pounding on the barrel head and to eliminate spearing of corks.

Another object is to facilitate tapping of the keg.

Another object is to provide a stopper that is sanitary, simple in construction and economical to manufacture.

Another object is to provide a stopper that cannot leak or blow out regardless of the pressure in the keg thereby providing an air-tight seal.

Another object is to provide a stopper that is self-sealing.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a sectional View of the improved ring with the plug in position in the ring and the pendulous member which carries the plug.

Fig. 1a is a side view of a tool for drawing the plug into closing position.

Fig. 2 is a view of the tool of Fig. 1a showing how it is connected to the plug.

Fig. 3 is an inside end view of the plug.

Fig. 4 is an end view of the tool.

Fig. 5 is another sectional View of the ring with the pendulous member and plug tilted out of position,

Fig. 6 is a side view of the pendulous member.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the ring.

The keg 6 has a screw threaded opening 1 into which the metallic ring 8 is screwed. The latter may have bayonet slots 9 for the insertion of a tool for inserting and removing the ring. The ring has a central passage I0 preferably circular in cross-section.

The plug l l formed of a resilient material such as nylon plastic which is durable and not affected by the liquid in the keg and adapted to fit the passage in the ring. This plug is mounted on a rod I2 which is carried by a pendulous carrier memher is pivoted at M on the inner surface of the ring 8. The projecting side arms [5, l5 serve to slidably support the rod l2. Themass of the carrier member is so disposed as to hang with the plug and its rod vertically and in line with the passage in the ring when the ring is horizontal. The carrier member may be provided with an enlarged portion on its lower end as shown, The rod i2 has a projection IE on the end to serve as a stop to prevent the rod and plug from being detached. The plug has a flange l! which abuts against the inner edge of the passage l 0 when the plug is in place. The plug may have a chamber it so that the pressure in the keg acting against the wall of the chamber assists in holding the plug in position.

When the carrier member is swung to vertical position and the upper end of the plug ll enters the lower end of passage Ill in the ring member, the pressure of gas within the keg Will force the plug upwardly until the flange l'l engages the lower edge of the passage in the ring.

The plug is pushed inwardly by a draw rod used for drawing liquid from the keg. To replace the plug, a tool 20 such as shown in Figs. 1, 2 :and 4 can be used. Here the jaws 2| are shaped to grip the knob :9 of the plug. It is merely necessary to insert the tool into the passage H] in the ring 8, then hook the jaws sidewise into engagement beneath the knob and then pull the plug II outwardly into the passage I I].

I claim:

1. A metallic ring having a pendulous member hinged to said ring, a plug for fitting the hole in said ring and having a rod connected to said plug, said pendulous member having a lateral projection slidably supporting said rod and plug.

2. A metallic ring having a rigid pendulous member hinged to the inner surface, a plug for fitting the hole in said ring and spaced arms carried by said pendulous member and swingable therewith for slidably supporting said plug in all positions, said plug having a flange for seating against the inner rim of the hole in said ring, when moved to hole-fitting position.

3. A metallic ring having a rigid, pendulous member hinged to the inner surface, a plug for fitting the hole in said ring and spaced supports inte ral with said pendulous member for slidably sup orting said plug in aligned position with said hol for movement into or out of said hole and for upporting said plug when moved away from sai hole. v

4. A keg closure comprising a ringfor insertion into an opening in the wall of a keg and having a matically forced by the pressure of gas within the keg into said passage for sealing the same.

5. A keg closure as defined in claim 4 in which the pendulous member is provided with an enlargement at its free end for urging and holding the slidable rod and plug in normal aligned position with the passage in the ring.

VICTOR ALVEAR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 222,094 Stewart Nov. 25, 1879 306,527 Rueter Oct, 14, 1884 629,304 Rawlins July 18, 1899 2,081,131 Barnes May 25, 1937 "Schlabaugh et a1. Dec. 15, 1942

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