EP0117656B1 - Tamperproof keg seal - Google Patents

Tamperproof keg seal Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0117656B1
EP0117656B1 EP19840300618 EP84300618A EP0117656B1 EP 0117656 B1 EP0117656 B1 EP 0117656B1 EP 19840300618 EP19840300618 EP 19840300618 EP 84300618 A EP84300618 A EP 84300618A EP 0117656 B1 EP0117656 B1 EP 0117656B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
keg
applying
seal
cover member
neck portion
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP19840300618
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0117656A1 (en
Inventor
Finlay Miller
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Heineken UK Ltd
Original Assignee
Scottish and Newcastle Breweries PLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from GB838302900A external-priority patent/GB8302900D0/en
Priority claimed from GB838304133A external-priority patent/GB8304133D0/en
Priority claimed from GB838306637A external-priority patent/GB8306637D0/en
Application filed by Scottish and Newcastle Breweries PLC filed Critical Scottish and Newcastle Breweries PLC
Priority to AT84300618T priority Critical patent/ATE26559T1/en
Publication of EP0117656A1 publication Critical patent/EP0117656A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0117656B1 publication Critical patent/EP0117656B1/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B7/00—Closing containers or receptacles after filling
    • B65B7/16—Closing semi-rigid or rigid containers or receptacles not deformed by, or not taking-up shape of, contents, e.g. boxes or cartons
    • B65B7/28—Closing semi-rigid or rigid containers or receptacles not deformed by, or not taking-up shape of, contents, e.g. boxes or cartons by applying separate preformed closures, e.g. lids, covers
    • B65B7/2842—Securing closures on containers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
    • B67B—APPLYING CLOSURE MEMBERS TO BOTTLES JARS, OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; OPENING CLOSED CONTAINERS
    • B67B5/00—Applying protective or decorative covers to closures; Devices for securing bottle closures with wire
    • B67B5/03—Applying protective or decorative covers to closures, e.g. by forming in situ
    • B67B5/05—Applying protective or decorative covers to closures, e.g. by forming in situ by applying liquids, e.g. by dipping

Definitions

  • This invention relates to an apparatus for applying a tamperproof seal to containers such as for example beer kegs.
  • French Patent No. 1283258 describes one proposal for apparatus suitable for applying a seal to a container by spraying a film of removable sealing material to the closure member of the container. Such apparatus however is not suitable for the specialised requirements of the on line sealing of beer kegs.
  • said closure member is a plastics material disc.
  • the sealing material applied by said sprayhead may be a low melting point thermoplastic material or a water based PVC material.
  • means for applying a security mark to the sealing material after application of the sealing material to the closure member are included.
  • a beer keg has a neck 1 which is sealed in accordance with the invention.
  • An adhesive plastics material disc 2 covers the valve assembly 20 and a peelable plastics material seal 3 extends around the neck 1.
  • the plastics material 3 may be for example a low melting point thermoplastics material or a water based PVC material.
  • the disc 2 serves to prevent the plastics material 3 entering the valve assembly 20.
  • the plastics material 3 may optionally have an embossed security mark applied.
  • a tag 4 on the disc 2 is sealed against the side of the neck 1, by the plastics material 3, and protrudes down below the plastics material 3.
  • the tag 4 on the disc 2 provides a tear strip for the legitimate opening of the seal.
  • the seal cannot be removed, and the keg opened, without destroying the seal.
  • FIG. 3 shows apparatus for applying the seal of Fig. 1.
  • a line of kegs 5 enter the machine in the direction of arrow 6 and are halted by a keg escapement gear 7.
  • the kegs 5 are then released by the gear 7 at timed intervals and pass through a disc applicator 8 which applies one of the discs 2 to the top of the neck 1 of the keg 5 to cover the valve assembly 20.
  • the keg 5 then enters the main part of the machine and is pushed by a keg lift 9 upwards so that the neck 1 protrudes through a hole in a masking device 10 positioned below a rotating sprayhead 11 driven by motor 12.
  • the sprayhead 11 is supplied with the liquid plastics material 3 via pipelines 13 from supply tanks 14 which are pressurised by an air supply 15.
  • the rotatable sprayhead 11 applies the plastics material 3 in liquid form around the neck 1 of the keg 5 so as to seal the disc 2 in position.
  • the keg 5 is lowered by the keg lift 9 and then passes beneath a heater 16 which dries the plastics material 3 so that it solidifies to form a peelable seal around the neck 1 of the keg 5.
  • the sealed keg 5 then leaves the machine in the direction of arrow 17 and is then ready for distribution.
  • a cleaning device 18 is also provided to clean the masking device 10 and prevent a buildup of the plastics material 3.
  • the basic machine can be easily modified so as to be able to apply seals to a wide range of different containers as well as beer kegs. For example similar types of seals can be applied to small containers such as bottles.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Closures For Containers (AREA)

Description

  • This invention relates to an apparatus for applying a tamperproof seal to containers such as for example beer kegs.
  • There is a requirement to provide a tamperproof seal for beer kegs. This is important as the seal should prevent any unauthorised person from removing beer from the keg and replacing beer with another liquid without damaging the seal. In many other industries there is also a need for a similar type of container seal. Hitherto there have been great difficulties in providing such a tamperproof seal.
  • French Patent No. 1283258 describes one proposal for apparatus suitable for applying a seal to a container by spraying a film of removable sealing material to the closure member of the container. Such apparatus however is not suitable for the specialised requirements of the on line sealing of beer kegs.
  • According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for applying a tamper resistant seal to a closure member fitted in a neck portion of a beer keg characterised in that the apparatus comprises:
    • an input conveyor for kegs to be sealed;
    • a sealing station;
    • means at said sealing station for applying a cover member over said keg closure member;
    • a sprayhead at said sealing station for applying sealing material to said cover member and neck portion of the keg to seal the cover member to the neck portion of the keg;
    • means for positioning a masking device around said neck portion of the keg so as to prevent sealing material from covering any part of the keg other than the cover member and neck portion; and
    • an output conveyor for sealed kegs.
  • Preferably said closure member is a plastics material disc.
  • The sealing material applied by said sprayhead may be a low melting point thermoplastic material or a water based PVC material.
  • Preferably also there is included means for applying a security mark to the sealing material after application of the sealing material to the closure member.
  • An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
    • Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the neck of a beer keg with a seal applied to it in accordance with the invention;
    • Fig. 2 is a sectional side view of the beer keg neck of Fig. 1; and
    • Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a machine for applying a seal to a keg in accordance with the present invention.
  • Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a beer keg has a neck 1 which is sealed in accordance with the invention. An adhesive plastics material disc 2 covers the valve assembly 20 and a peelable plastics material seal 3 extends around the neck 1. The plastics material 3 may be for example a low melting point thermoplastics material or a water based PVC material. The disc 2 serves to prevent the plastics material 3 entering the valve assembly 20. The plastics material 3 may optionally have an embossed security mark applied. A tag 4 on the disc 2 is sealed against the side of the neck 1, by the plastics material 3, and protrudes down below the plastics material 3.
  • The tag 4 on the disc 2 provides a tear strip for the legitimate opening of the seal. The seal cannot be removed, and the keg opened, without destroying the seal.
  • Referring now to Fig. 3, this shows apparatus for applying the seal of Fig. 1. A line of kegs 5 enter the machine in the direction of arrow 6 and are halted by a keg escapement gear 7. The kegs 5 are then released by the gear 7 at timed intervals and pass through a disc applicator 8 which applies one of the discs 2 to the top of the neck 1 of the keg 5 to cover the valve assembly 20. The keg 5 then enters the main part of the machine and is pushed by a keg lift 9 upwards so that the neck 1 protrudes through a hole in a masking device 10 positioned below a rotating sprayhead 11 driven by motor 12. The sprayhead 11 is supplied with the liquid plastics material 3 via pipelines 13 from supply tanks 14 which are pressurised by an air supply 15. The rotatable sprayhead 11 applies the plastics material 3 in liquid form around the neck 1 of the keg 5 so as to seal the disc 2 in position. After application of the plastics material 3 the keg 5 is lowered by the keg lift 9 and then passes beneath a heater 16 which dries the plastics material 3 so that it solidifies to form a peelable seal around the neck 1 of the keg 5. The sealed keg 5 then leaves the machine in the direction of arrow 17 and is then ready for distribution. A cleaning device 18 is also provided to clean the masking device 10 and prevent a buildup of the plastics material 3. The basic machine can be easily modified so as to be able to apply seals to a wide range of different containers as well as beer kegs. For example similar types of seals can be applied to small containers such as bottles.

Claims (5)

1. Apparatus for applying a tamper resistant seal to a closure member fitted in a neck portion (1) of a beer keg (5) characterised in that the apparatus comprises:
an input conveyor for kegs (5) to be sealed;
a sealing station;
means (8) at said sealing station for applying a cover member (2) over said keg closure member;
a sprayhead (11) at said sealing station for applying sealing material (3) to said cover member (2) and neck portion (1) of the keg (5) to seal the cover member (2) to the neck portion (1) of the keg (5);
means (9) for positioning a masking device (10) around said neck portion (1) of the keg (5) so as to prevent sealing material (3) from covering any part of the keg (5) other than the cover member (2) and neck portion (1); and
an output conveyor for sealed kegs.
2. Apparatus for applying a tamper resistant seal as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said cover member is a plastics material disc (2).
3. Apparatus for applying a tamper resistant seal as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the sealing material (3) applied by said sprayhead (11) comprises a low melting point thermoplastic material.
4. Apparatus for applying a tamper resistant seal as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the sealing material (3) applied by said sprayhead (11) comprises a water based PVC material.
5. Apparatus for applying a tamper resistant seal as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims, wherein there is included means for applying a security mark to the sealing material (3) after the application of the sealing material to the cover member (2).
EP19840300618 1983-02-03 1984-02-01 Tamperproof keg seal Expired EP0117656B1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AT84300618T ATE26559T1 (en) 1983-02-03 1984-02-01 SAFETY CLOSURE FOR A KEG.

Applications Claiming Priority (6)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB838302900A GB8302900D0 (en) 1983-02-03 1983-02-03 Tamperproof keg seal
GB8302900 1983-02-03
GB8304133 1983-02-15
GB838304133A GB8304133D0 (en) 1983-02-15 1983-02-15 Tamperproof keg seal
GB8306637 1983-03-10
GB838306637A GB8306637D0 (en) 1983-03-10 1983-03-10 Tamperproof keg seal

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0117656A1 EP0117656A1 (en) 1984-09-05
EP0117656B1 true EP0117656B1 (en) 1987-04-15

Family

ID=27261950

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19840300618 Expired EP0117656B1 (en) 1983-02-03 1984-02-01 Tamperproof keg seal

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0117656B1 (en)
AU (1) AU2402284A (en)
DE (1) DE3463128D1 (en)
NZ (1) NZ207016A (en)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2649078B1 (en) * 1989-06-28 1991-09-20 Brossier Michel METHOD, DEVICE AND MEANS FOR IMPLEMENTING A PACKAGING OPENING INDICATOR
CA3156208A1 (en) * 2019-11-29 2021-06-03 Carine Godefrida Maria QUATAERT Beverage dispensing assembly preventing micro-organism reflux

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1664635A (en) * 1923-11-12 1928-04-03 American Can Co Milk-bottle closure and method of applying same
US2010109A (en) * 1933-08-17 1935-08-06 American Tap Bush Company Seal
FR1176874A (en) * 1956-07-27 1959-04-16 Titan Co As Method of fixing and sealing lids on metal cans or cans
FR1283258A (en) * 1960-12-20 1962-02-02 Utilisation Ration Gaz Method of applying a guarantee means to objects and objects comprising this means

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NZ207016A (en) 1986-05-09
DE3463128D1 (en) 1987-05-21
EP0117656A1 (en) 1984-09-05
AU2402284A (en) 1984-08-09

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