GB1348654A - Beer keg tapping devices - Google Patents

Abstract

1348654 Tapping beer kegs PERLICK CO Inc 4 March 1971 6031/71 Heading F2G A beer keg tapping device comprises a keg unit 8 mountable in the tapping hole of a beer keg 6 and a coupler unit 9 engageable with the keg unit to open a sprung valve member 36 and permit flow through concentric beer and gas passages. In the coupler unit a central sleeve 51 defines the beer passage which is closed by a check valve 57, opened by contact of a rod 58 with a keg unit portion 39, and in the keg unit beer flows through a sleeve 31 having radial apertures 41. Gas is supplied to a nozzle 63 on the coupler unit 9 and a further nozzle 53 delivers beer to a supply pipe and a bar delivery unit. In one embodiment of the keg unit 8, as shown, the tapping hole has a flange 22 with opposed gateway portions (23) (Figs. 6, 7, not shown). The remaining portions of the flange are engaged by lugs 25 on the keg unit in a bayonet type coupling by rotation of the keg unit as far as abutments (24) (Fig. 6, not shown) on the flange will allow. The coupling is locked against accidental removal by a wire clip 26 which has ends 27 engaged through holes in the keg unit and which project past the abutments (24) on the opposite side from the lugs 25. In an alternative arrangement, the beer keg has an internally screwthreaded boss (14) (Fig. 5, not shown) which is engaged by a screwthreaded portion of the keg unit. The tapping device may be used to connect several kegs in series so that beer from one keg flows to an adjacent keg through the passage normally connected to the gas supply (Fig. 2, not shown).