GB2174059A

GB2174059A - Beer barrels with rolling rings

Info

Publication number: GB2174059A
Application number: GB08509621A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Frederick John Johnson
Original assignee: Keg Services Ltd
Current assignee: Keg Services Ltd
Priority date: 1985-04-15
Filing date: 1985-04-15
Publication date: 1986-10-29
Also published as: GB8509621D0

Abstract

A beer barrel 1, fabricated without welded-on or integral rolling rings, is provided with an inflatable rolling ring 16. When deflated the ring 16 can be slipped on to the cylindrical centre section of a container portion 4 of the barrel and then, on inflation, securely grips the container portion 4 to be self-retaining. The ring preferably has an axial width greater than the axial length of the central section 4 of the barrel and the ring includes a side aperture for a tapping opening and a conventional valve for inflation purposes. The ring has an outer skin of material providing a good frictional grip, eg rubber, the outer skin being reinforced with textile plies. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Beer barrels The invention relates to fabricated metal beer barrels, which term includes both kegs and casks as well as dual-purpose containers. At present such a barrel has a central container portion, normally consisting of two end pressings welded to a centre section, which is provided with spaced rolling rings. The rolling rings are either separately formed and welded to the container portion by peripheral welds, or they are formed integrally by annular 'bulging' of the side wall of the container portion.

Thus the separate formation and welding on of the end rings, or their integral formation during fabrication of the container portion, represents a considerable portion of the manufacturing cost of a barrel, Furthermore, the rolling rings are particularly susceptible to damage as a result of the rough handling to which barrels are invariably subjected and the repair of such damage is a costly procedure. It can only be effected by a specialised repairer having the necessary skill and equipment, and a brewer is faced not only with the repair charges but also with the substantial costs of withdrawing the damaged barrel from service and of transport to and from the repairer.

Not only is a barrel with rolling ring damage difficult and expensive to repair, but even before the damage is sufficient to necessitate such repair on purely structural grounds the flattening of the rolling rings can result in a material increase in the internal volume of the barrel. Such an increase is clearly a serious disadvantage of the conventional barrel construction from the point of view of the brewer.

The object of the invention is to provide a barrel which is cheaper to produce than conventional metal barrels, and which is not subject to the usual repair costs or volume increase resulting from rolling ring damage.

According to the invention a metal barrel is fabricated without welded-on or integral rolling rings, the function of the latter being provided by one or more inflatable rings which when deflated can be slipped on to the container portion of the barrel and which then, on inflation, securely grip(s) the container portion so as to be self-retaining thereon.

Preferably the inflatable ring is of substantial axial width so that a single ring replaces the function of the two spaced rolling rings normally provided.

It desirably has an outer skin of rubber or like material which provides a substantial frictional grip on the container portion when inflated.

The ring may be preformed so that on inflation it naturally takes the desired shape, preferably an outer peripheral shape which is generally cylindrical and an inner shape matching the spanned contour of the container portion. Alternatively it may be manufactured with a relatively flexible inner wall and a more rigid outer wall, so that on inflation the inner wall conforms to the barrel contour and the outer wall has a natural outer contour which again is preferably generally cylindrcial. In the former case the ring will be designed to suit a particular design of barrel, whereas in the latter case the ring will be of more general application and usable with different barrel designs.

The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, a fabricated metal beer barrel representing a preferred embodiment of the invention. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a top end view of the barrel; and Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line II-II in Figure 1.

The barrel illustrated in the drawings has a central stainless steel container portion 1 fabricated from two generally frusto-conical end pressings 2 and 3 and a cylindrical centre section 4. The container portion has similar domed end walls 5 with a flattened crown, and at each end four equispaced support legs 6 are welded to the container portion. These are also of stainless steel and of rectangular-section hollow stub-like form fabricated from sheet material.

End structures 7 and 8 are detachably secured to the ends of the container portion 1. These are pressed from sheet metal material, for example being of galvanized steel. The end structure 8 comprises a central portion 9 which conforms closely to the shape of the adjacent end wall 5, for which it provides effective reinforcement, and an annular peripheral portion of rectangular channel-like form which provides and end or 'chime' ring for the barrel. This ring portion 10 fits closely over the corresponding end legs 6 to which it is attached by inner and outer rivets, which can easily be drilled out to remove the pressing 10, for re-shaping and re-fixing, or replacement, in the event of damage to the end ring portion 10. Thus repair in the event of such damage can easily be carried out by the brewer on an in-house basis.

The upper end structure 7 has similar central and outer portions 11 and 12 and is similarly detachably secured to the corresponding end legs 6. However, in this case the end ring portion is cut away to clear an end fitting 13 disposed within the end ring portion 12 and providing a tapping opening 14 corresponding to the keystone hole of a conventional cask which receives a tapping bung. A central side fitting 15 on the container portion 1 provides an opening corresponding to the side shive opening of a conventional cask which receives a racking bung. Thus the fittings 13 and 15 allow the illustrated barrel to be used as a cask for conventionally dispensed beer.

An external rolling ring 16 surrounds the container portion 1, fitting closely and spanning slightly more than the axial length of the centre section 4 thereof. In accordance with the invention the rolling ring is not rigidly attached to or integrally formed with the container portion 1 but is a separate inflatable ring. When deflated it can easily be slipped on to the centre section 4, and then inflated through a valve (not shown) such as is fitted to pneumatic tyres. When inflated it presents a generally cylindrical outer periphery 17 and an in ner periphery 18 which conforms closely to the container portion 1. The inflated ring 16 grips the container portion 1 and it has an outer skin of rubber or like material which provides a good frictional grip so that the ring is self-retaining on the barrel when inflated.The ring 16 has a side aperture 19 which provides clearance for the side fitting 15, and it has a strong puncture-resistant outer wall. At least the latter is reinforced with textile fabric plies, for example, as in vehicle tyre construction techniques.

The inflatable rolling ring of the invention performs the functions of the conventional attached or integral metal rolling rings and provides many advantages in addition to cheapening the manufacture of the barrel. It is not itself damaged by the usual rough handling to which barrels are subject, and it acts as a pneumatic shock absorber so that the impact and shock loads which seriously damage conventional barrels are absorbed and are not transmitted to the container portion. Thus the normal and considerable repair costs associated with rolling ring damage are avoided.

Whereas the inflated ring can be left on the barrel, it is conveniently only fitted thereon when required and then removed. Thus a single detachable pneumatic rolling ring can be used to deliver the complete load on a brewer's lorry, for example, and to collect empty barrels en route. Inflation can be by means of a small air compressor mounted on the lorry, a compressed-air bottie, or a small hand- or foot-operated pump. Without the ring fitted the barrels are considerably smaller in overali diameter than conventional barrels with permanently attached or integral rolling rings; thus they take up less space at the brewery, on the delivery lorry and in the beer cellars to which they are delivered.

Claims

1. A beer barrel fabricated without welded-on or integral rolling rings, and provided with one or more inflatable rolling rings which when deflated can be slipped on to a container portion of the barrel and which then, on inflation, securely grip the container portion to be self-retaining thereon.

2. A beer barrel according to claim 1, comprising a single inflatable rolling ring of substantial axial width.

3. A beer barrel according to claim 2, wherein the single inflatable rolling ring has an axial width comparable to the axial length of a cylindrical centre section of the container portion.

4. A beer barrel according to claim 3, wherein the rolling ring has an axial width somewhat greater than the axial length of said centre section.

5. A beer barrel according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein said inflatable ring has a substantially cylindrical outer periphery when inflated.

6. A beer barrel according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein said ring has a side aperture providing clearance for a tapping opening of the container portion.

7. A beer barrel according to any of one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each ring has an outer skin of material providing a good frictional grip, such as rubber or the like.

8. A beer barrel according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the or each rolling ring has an outer skin which is reinforced with textile plies.

9. A beer barrel according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said ring is provided with a conventional valve for inflation thereof.

10. A method for delivering a barrel comprising the steps of fitting around the barrel and subsequently inflating one or more inflatable rolling rings, rolling the barrel to its destination, and deflating and removing said ring or rings from the barrel.