GB2161450A

GB2161450A - Barrel end rings

Info

Publication number: GB2161450A
Application number: GB08514878A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Frederick John Johnson
Original assignee: Keg Services Ltd
Current assignee: Keg Services Ltd
Priority date: 1984-07-04
Filing date: 1985-06-12
Publication date: 1986-01-15
Also published as: GB8417061D0; GB2161450B; GB8514878D0

Abstract

A beer barrel comprises a container portion 1 to which are fitted upper and lower end rings 6 and 7 of annular form. The end ring 6 has hand hold cut-outs such as 34 the cut edges of which, over an upper portion, are shielded by hand-grip members 35. The members 35 conform to the shape of the cut-outs 34 and the curvature of the side wall 8 of the end ring 6, and may comprise two plain plate members 35 fixed on opposite sides of each cut-out 34 by a number of through rivets such as 36. Alternatively the hand grip members may be L-shaped with a flange portion 13 riveted to the end ring and a shielding portion 15 projecting through the cut out. The end ring may be longitudinally split as at 31, a cut out extending across the split and a riveted-on hand grip member for the cut out serving also to hold the edges of the split together. The hand holes may act as drainage apertures, and the barrel is preferably of steel. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION.

Barrel end rings Beer barrels of fabricated metal construction, whether of keg or cask form, normally comprise a central container portion on to which end or socalled 'chime' rings are fitted. The invention relates to the end rings of such barrels, and to the resultant barrels in which the end rings are incorporated.

In a barrel the end rings protect the ends of the container portion, and facilitate stacking and handling. Each end ring, particularly for a stainless steel barrel, is normally formed from sheet metal material which is typically either stainless steel or galvanized mild steel. The upper end ring is provided with apertured hand holds for ease of handling, and the normal procedure is to form an annular ring and then partially to pierce the hand holds with the displaced metal being folded back inwardly to provide a smooth hand-grip edge.

As a result of the rough handling to which the barrels are invariably subjected they commonly suffer accidental damage such that repair of a damaged barrel is frequently necessary. The end rings are the parts of a barrel most usually damaged, and thus repair of a barrel normally involves cutting off the end rings which are either reshaped and refitted, or replaced by new end rings. The hand hold arrangement, with the folded-back displaced metal, is a factor which often precludes reshaping and necessitates replacement by a new end ring.

The object of the invention is to provide an end ring construction, and a barrel embodying such an end ring, which is better suited to repair involving removal and/or reshaping of the end ring.

According to the invention a barrel end ring is of annular form with hand hold cut-outs the cut edges of which, over at least upper portions of the cut-outs, are shielded by riveted-on hand-grip members.

When an end ring in accordance with the invention has been damaged it is a simple matter to remove the hand-grip members by drilling out the fixing rivets. Thus, with the end ring detached from the container portion of its barrel and the handgrip members removed, it can'easily be reshaped to bring it back to its basic annular form, for example by use of an expanding mandrel. Thus an end ring can be reshaped in many cases where, with similar damage, this would not be possible with the prior end rings due to the folded-back metal hand grip formations used.

Each hand-grip member may be a pressing with an L-shaped cross-section which provides a flange portion, which is riveted to and shaped to conform to the curvature of the corresponding end ring and the shape of the cut-out, and a portion forming the hand-grip and which projects through the corresponding cut-out to shield the cut edge of the latter. Alternatively, the hand-grip members may be of plain plate form, preferably riveted in pairs one on each side of the cut-out to shield the edge of the latter. The cut-outs preferably also serve as drainage apertures to prevent rainwater collecting when the barrel is left standing on end out of doors.

For ease of removal of the end rings of the barrel for reshaping and refitting in the event of damage, or for replacement, they may be of longitudinally split form and suitably held on the container portion of the barrel with the splits therein substantially closed up. The edges of the longitudinal splits may be held together with riveted-on joint plate members and, so far as at least one upper end ring is concerned, such joint plate members may be provided by the hand-grip member or members of one hand hold the cut-out of which extends across the split.

End rings in accordance with the invention may be manufactured as replacement parts for existing barrels, or as original parts for use in the construction of new barrels. The invention also includes a beer barrel embodying such an end ring in its construction.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, two beer kegs embodying end rings in accordance with the invention.ln the drawings: Figure 1 is an axial sectional view of one of the embodiments: Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectional view on the line ll-ll in Fig. 1, to a larger scale, and Figure 3 is a side view, in axial quarter section, of the other embodiment.

The beer kegs illustrated are of stainless steel construction and conventional general shape, having a central container portion 1 with a cylindrical side wall 2 and domed end parts 3 and 4. The upper end part 3 has the usual welded-in pressure neck 5. End rings 6 and 7 are fitted to the respective ends of the container portion 1, the upper end ring 6 being in accordance with the invention. This end ring 6 is formed from sheet metal with a basically annular shape, comprising a cylindrical wall 8 and an outer end strengthening rim 9 which is folded over and inwardly in the form of a bead.

The first embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2 will now be more particularly described. At its inner end the end ring 6 has an enlarged skirt portion 10 which fits over the upper end of the container portion 1 and is secured thereto in a readily removable manner which forms no part of the invention.

Two diametrically opposite cut-outs 11 in the end ring 6 provide hand holds to facilitate handling of the keg. Each cut-out 11 is of semi-circular shape continued as two parallel edges to the inner edge of the ring 6. Over the semi-circular portion of each cut-out 11 and cut edge thereof is shielded by a hand-grip member 12. This conforms to the shape of the cut-out 11 and the curvature of the wall 8, and is of L-shaped right-angle section as shown in Fig. 2. A limb 13 of this section forms a fixing flange portion which is secured to the inner surface of the wall 8 by a row of five rivets such as 14, and a limb 15 forms a portion which projects outwardly through the corresponding cut-out 11.

The portions 13 and 15 merge smoothly through a radius 16 to provide a safe and comfortable hand grip.

When the end ring 6 is damaged and the barrel requires repair, it is detached from the container portion 1 and the member 12 removed by drilling out the rivets 14. The end ring can then be restored to its basic annular shape without difficulty, for example on an expanding mandrel, after which the members 12 are re-fixed with fresh rivets before the complete repaired end ring is welded back on to the container portion 1.1f a hand-grip member 12 is damaged, it can easily be reshaped before re-riveting or else replaced by a fresh component.

The second embodiment of Fig. 3 will now be more particularly described. The wall 8 of the end ring 6 is formed with an internal annular projection 30 which seats on the end part 3 to locate the end ring 6 on the container portion 1. For ease of manufacture, removal, repair and replacement the end ring 6 is of longitudinally split form with a split 31 extending throughout its full length. An annular rolling ring 32 is forced over a skirt portion 33 of the end ring 6, fitting tightly thereon so as to secure the end ring 6 firmly clamped to the container portion 1.

The split passes centrally through one of the hand hold cut-outs 34, which in this embodiment are of rectangular shape with radiused upper cor ners as shown in Fig. 3. In the fitted condition the longitudinal split 31 is substantially closed, and over the outer chime portion of the side wall 8 the split 31 is held closed by a pair of identical joint plate members 35, which are secured by shared through rivets such as 36. The members 35 are of inverted-U shape to conform to the shape of the cut-out 34, and they shield the cut edge of the lattes to provide a hand-grip arrangement in accord ance with the invention. A diametrically opposite hand hold is of identical form, except that the split 31 is no longer present.

Repair of the end ring 6 when damaged is as described for the first embodiment, with drilling out and replacement of the rivets 36, except that the members 35 are removed and replaced with the end ring 6 fitted and the removal and re-attach ment of the end ring 6 merely involves pulling off and refitting of the rolling ring 32.

The semi-circular and rectangular shapes of the cut-outs 11 and 34 utilised in the embodiments described are matters of choice.Other shapes can be employed, as may be considered desirable. In each embodiment the cut-outs 11 or 34 extend up to the container portion 1, so that they also provide drainage apertures.

Claims

1. A beer barrel end ring of annular form with hand hold cut-outs the cut edges of which, over at least upper portions of the cut-outs, are shielded by riveted-on hand grip members.

2. A beer barrel end ring according to claim 1, wherein each hand-grip member is a pressing with an L-shaped cross-section which provides a flange portion, which is riveted to and shaped to conform to the curvature of the corresponding end ring and the shape of the cut-out, and a hand-grip portion which projects through the corresponding cut-out to shield the cut edge of the latter.

3. A beer barrel end ring according to claim 1, wherein the hand-grip members are of plain plate form.

4. A beer barrel end ring according to claim 3, wherein the hand-grip members are riveted one on each side of each cut-out.

5. A beer barrel end ring according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cut-outs also serve as drainage apertures.

6. A beer barrel end ring according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the end ring is of longitudinally split form, and adapted to be suitable fixed on the container portion of a barrel with the longitudinal split substantially closed up.

7. A beer barrel end ring according to claim 6, wherein the edges of the longitudinal split are held together by at least one riveted-on joint member which also provides one of said hand-grip members at one hand hold, the cut-out of which extends across the split.

8. A beer barrel end- ring according to any one of the preceding claims, manufactured as a replacement or original part for fitting to the container portion of a barrel.

9. A beer barrel embodying as a component part an end ring in accordance with any one of the preceding claims.

10. A beer barrel end ring substantially as hereinbefore particularly described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, or Fig. 3, of the accompanying drawings.

11. A beer barrel substantially as hereinbefore particularly described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2, or Fig. 3, of the accompanying drawings.