GB2155893A

GB2155893A - Beer Barrels

Info

Publication number: GB2155893A
Application number: GB08406615A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Frederick John Johnson
Original assignee: Keg Services Ltd
Current assignee: Keg Services Ltd
Priority date: 1984-03-14
Filing date: 1984-03-14
Publication date: 1985-10-02
Also published as: GB8406615D0

Abstract

A beer barrel is manufactured from a new container portion 13, which may be a stainless steel or aluminium fabrication, and end portions 10 and 11 fitted over the container portion 13 and each provided by a cut-off end section of an old aluminium barrel. Each end portion 10 or 11 includes a rolling ring 3 and an end chime ring 5 or 6 of the old aluminium barrel. The end wall of each end portion is cut out prior to fitment on the container portion. The end portions 10 and 11 are interconnected by a plurality of circumferentially spaced aluminium straps 18 welded to the portions 10 and 11 and extending across the gap between them. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Beer barrels The invention relates to kegs and casks as used to contain beer and the like. It is particularly concerned with such containers, referred to herein generally as "beer barrels", of fabricated metal construction. A metal beer barrel conventionally has a side wall provided with spaced rolling rings, and end 'chime' rings which protect the end walls of the central container portion of the barrel, on which the barrel can be stacked and which facilitate handling.

Metal beer barrels are either of aluminium alloy or stainless steel construction, there being at present a tendency towards scrapping of the former and replacement by the latter. Aluminium barrels often suffer from problems of internal corrosion, which results in barrels becoming unserviceabie even though they are still in generally sound structural condition. Due to various other factors the general repair of aluminium barrels has recently tended to become an uneconomic proposition, it frequently being expedient to sell them as scrap and replace them with new stainless steel barrels.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a manufacturing method, and the resultant product, which enables what is effectively a new barrel to be made utilising parts obtained from an old aluminium barrel. A further object is to provide a new stainless steel container reinforced with parts from an old aluminium barrel to provide the equivalent of a new stainless steel barrel at less cost than a normal stainless steel barrel. Further objects are to provide such a barrel which can be cheaply produced, and which can be of considerably lighter weight than a typical stainless steel barrel of equivalent size.

A method of manufacturing a beer barrel, according to the invention, comprises taking an old aluminium barrel and cutting out a central peripheral slice therefrom to leave two end portions each of which includes a rolling ring and an end chime ring, fabricating a new container portion which fits within said end portions, fitting the latter over the respective ends of the container portion, and interconnecting the spaced facing ends of the end portions across the gap between them whereby to retain them in position on the container portion.

The container portion may be of any suitable material, but for general beer barrel use it is preferably of stainless steel. It may be a very simple shell and may be fabricated from two end pressings welded to a central section rolled from a length of stainless steel strip. Such a shell is cheaply produced as compared with the container portion of a normal stainless steel barrel which requires to be formed with the rolling rings which are now provided by said end portions of the old aluminium barrel. Furthermore the usual end chime rings, which are commonly of galvanized mild steel or stainless steel, or urethane plastics material, do not have to be made and swaged or welded on, or moulded or bonded on, and the re sult is a complete barrel which can be of considerably lighter weight than some stainless steel barrels.

Thus the invention provides a new stainless steel container which can be fully compatible with existing barrels, in terms of length and diameter for handling and stacking purposes, and it moreover provides a barrel which can cheaply be repaired when necessary. The rough handling to which beer barrels are subjected frequently results in extensive repair being necessary, which is at present a costly procedure and as already mentioned the general repair of aluminium barrels has recently tended to become an uneconomic proposition.

Damage to a beer barrel in accordance with the invention is most likely to apply to the aluminium end portions which are easily removed for repair or replacement. In general a replacement will be effected, as the replacement parts can easily and cheaply be obtained by cutting up an old aluminium barrel which would otherwise be scrapped. In the event that a stainless steel container portion is damaged this is easily removed for repair or replacement by a similar new fabrication.

The aluminium end portions are most conveniently connected together by a number of aluminium straps welded in position, three or four narrow straps spaced around the circumference of the barrel being sufficient. If desired the space between the end portions can be filled by an aluminium strap rolled into a complete ring, but then the welding involved may necessitate annealing of the outer aluminium shell which is not necessary when the preferred interconnecting straps are used.

Preferably the ends of the used portions of the old aluminium barrel are cut out, thereby reducing weight and permitting reinforcing configurations to be embossed into the ends of the container portion.

A ring of sealant is preferable introduced between the container portion and the two aluminium portions at the ends of the latter. This prevents the ingress of water which would promote electrolytic corrosion between a stainless steel container portion and the aluminium end portions. To facilitate the introduction of such sealant the adjacent ends of the aluminium end portions may be slightly flared outwardly.

The invention is also of application in the field of disposable containers, as used for shipping purposes for example. In this case the inner container fitted within the aluminium end portions may be of mild steel with an internal epoxy resin coating, or may be of plastics material. After use of such a container the aluminium portions are readily saleable locally as scrap.

A beer barrel in accordance with the invention may be a keg or a cask, with the end pressure neck of a keg projecting through the cut-out end of the corresponding aluminium end portion and the central shive opening of a cask being positioned in the space between these end portions.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, manufacture of a beer keg with a stainless steel container portion and from a scrap aluminium barrel in accordance with the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side view of a typical aluminium beer keg, end portions of which are utilised in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a side view of the manufactured keg, in half axial section; and Figure 2 is an end view thereof; The scrap aluminium barrel 1 shown in Fig. 1 has a central container section 2 the wall of which is formed with external rolling rings 3, on which the barrel can be rolled along the ground. The section 2 is formed in two parts joined together by a peripheral weld 4, and end rings 5 and 6 are respectively welded to the upper and lower ends of the section 2. The end rings 5 and 6 have drainage holes 7 to prevent rain-water collecting when the barrel is left out of doors, and the upper end ring 6 has diametrically-opposite cut-outs 8 providing hand-holds for handling of the barrel.

The old aluminium barrel 1 provides two portions which are utilised in the manufacture of the 'new' barrel 10 of Figs. 2 and 3. To produce these re-usable portions the end walls of the container section 2 are cut out on the lines X, and a central 'slice' containing the weld 4 is cut out along the lines Y, providing end portions 10 and 11 shown in Fig. 2. It will be appreciated that these portions 10 and 11 are identical apart from the provision of the hand-holds 8 in the portion 10 which is used at the upper end of the new barrel of Figs. 2 and 3.

A new container portion 13 is fabricated from stainless steel, this being a simple shell with a cylindrical side wall 14 and domed ends 15 and 16, the upper end wall 15 having a conventional screw-threaded pressure neck 17. The container portion 13 is a good but "free" fit within the aluminium portions 10 and 11, in the sense that the latter can be fitted over the portion 13 without any undue force being required. Thus they can readily be removed at any time should subsequent repair be necessary.

Thus the end portions 10 and 11 obtained from a scrap aluminium barrel 1 provide external reinforcement, rolling rings 3 and end rings 5,6 for a simple and cheaply made stainless steel container portion 13. The result is a new stainless steel container which is easily and cheaply fabricated, of considerably lower cost and lighter weight than the equivalent conventional stainless steel barrel. It is fully compatible with existing barrels, in terms of handling and stackability, as the overall length of the barrel is maintained.

The old aluminium end portions 10 and 11 are retained on the new stainless steel container portion 13 by interconnecting straps 18 welded between them. These straps 18 are peripherally spaced, three or four being sufficient, and the localised welding required does not necessitate prior annealing with subsequent precipitation hardening.

The straps 18 are easily cut through in order to take the barrel apart for repair which might become necessary.

A ring of an elastomeric sealant 19 is introduced between each aluminium end portion 10 or 11 and the corresponding end wall, 15 or 16, of the container portion 13. Sealant is similarly introduced between the adjacent inner ends of the portions 10 and 11 and the side wall 14 at 20. To facilitate introduction of the sealant 20 the ends of the portions 10,11 are slightly flared outwardly at 21, this flaring being somewhat exaggerated in Fig. 2 for clarity.

The end walls 15 and 16 of the container portion 13 are outwardly embossed at 22 with a generally star shaped pattern as shown in Fig. 3. This is done for strengthening purposes, enabling a strong container to be produced with minimum thickness of the stainless steel, and thus minimum cost and weight. The container portion 13 is externally reinforced at the side by the aluminium end portions 10,11 and at the ends by the embossing 22.

The container portion 13 although in preferred embodiments is of stainless steel can be of any desired material. It could, for example, be of aluminium thus providing a 'new' barrel entirely of aluminium which would have the advantage of cheaper subsequent repair than a conventional aluminium barrel. It may be of a higher grade aluminium alloy than the original barrel 1, or even of substantially pure aluminium, thereby providing a new aluminium container less subject to corrosion problems.

It will be appreciated that although the invention has been generally described herein and illustrated with reference to barrels of cylindrical form, as is nowadays most commonly employed for beer kegs, it is equally applicable to those of the older 'barrel' shape. In this case the new central container portion is appropriately shaped to fit within the aluminium end portions obtained from cutting up the old barrel-shaped aluminium barrel.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing a beer barrel, which comprises taking an old aluminium barrel and cutting out a central peripheral slice therefrom to leave two end portions each of which includes a rolling ring and an end chime ring, fabricating a new container portion which fits within said end portions, fitting the latter over the respective ends of the container portion, and interconnecting the spaced facing ends of the end portions across the gap between them whereby to retain them in position on the container portion.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said container portion is fabricated from stainless steel.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said container portion is fabricated from aluminium alloy of a higher grade than that of said aluminium barrel, or from substantially pure aluminium.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said container portion is fabricated from mild steel and internally coated with an epoxy resin.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said container portion is fabricated from plastics material.

6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said container portion is a fabrication comprising two end pressings.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein said fabrication comprises the two end pressings welded to a central section rolled from a length of metal strip.

8. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said aluminium end portions are interconnected by a number of aluminium straps welded in position.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein said aluminium straps interconnecting the aluminium end portions are three or four in number spaced around the circumference of the barrel.

10. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein said aluminium end portions are interconnected by an aluminium strap rolled into a complete ring and which spans the space between the end portions.

11. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ends of the re-used portions of the old aluminium barrel are cut out before the end portions are fitted over the container portion.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein reinforcing configurations are embossed into the ends of the container portion.

13. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a ring of sealant is introduced between the container portion and the two aluminium portions at the ends of the latter.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the adjacent ends of the aluminium end portions are flared outwardly to facilitate the introduction of said sealant.

15. A beer barrel manufactured by a method according to any one of the preceding claims.

16. A beer barrel according to claim 15, wherein the barrel is usable as a keg and the container portion is fabricated with an end pressure neck projecting through the corresponding aluminium end portion.

17. A beer barrel according to claim 15 or claim 16, wherein the barrel is usable as a cask and the container portion is fabricated with a central shive opening which is positioned in the space between said aluminium end portions.

18. A beer barrel comprising a central fabricated metal container portion, two outer end portions respectively provided by cut-off end sections of an old aluminium barrel and each including a rolling ring and an end chime ring, said end portions being fitted over the container portion and interconnected across the gap between them.

19. A beer barrel according to claim 18, wherein the ends of said end portions are cut out within the chime rings thereof.

20. A beer barrel according claim 19, wherein reinforcing configurations are embossed into the ends of the container portion.

21. A beer barrel according to any one of claims 18 to 20, wherein the outer end portions are interconnected by a plurality of circumferentially spaced straps which extend across said gap and are welded to the end portions.