GB2317871A

GB2317871A - Portable fluid containers

Info

Publication number: GB2317871A
Application number: GB9721086A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Henry Edward Gotch; John Vickery
Original assignee: Alumasc Grundy Ltd
Current assignee: Alumasc Grundy Ltd
Priority date: 1996-10-04
Filing date: 1997-10-03
Publication date: 1998-04-08
Anticipated expiration: 2017-10-03
Also published as: GB9620700D0; GB9721086D0; GB2317871B

Abstract

A beer keg or like portable container comprises a fluid-tight vessel (12) having a side wall (14) and ends (16,18) and an outer protective jacket (22) formed of two or more moulded plastics components (24,26) shaped as an interference press fit onto the side wall (14), to be joined to one another and provide a chime for each end of the container. The components (24,26) may be snap-fitted together. A renovated container may be formed by removing the end chimes from a keg and attaching the components (24,26) to the resulting vessel.

Description

AN IMPROVED FLUID CONTAINER This invention relates to beer containers and like portable fluid containers.

Such containers are either kegs, formed of stainless steel or aluminium with a generally straight side-wall and curved ends; one of which is provided with a neck into which an extractor valve may be fitted, or casks with curved or bellied sides and curved or flat ends; one of which may either be provided with an extractor valve or with a tapping hole and a shive hole in the cask belly. The keg or cask ends are protected by strong rings, called end chimes, which strengthen the keg/cask ends, protect the keg/cask ends and extractor valve during handling and transport of the empty and filled kegs/casks, enable kegs/casks to be stacked vertically one upon the other and provide pick-up points for brewery handling, washing and filling equipment.

The problem with such metal end chimes is that they are expensive, generally have to be welded to the keg ends, are noisy, prone to damage and readily transmit shocks to the keg; all such that damaged kegs often have to be returned to the keg manufacturer for repair.

One, common type of keg comprises a fluid-tight vessel of stainless steel onto which galvanised, mild steel end jackets are press-fitted as an interference fit. The end jackets each have an inturned rim, to form a strengthened end chime, and have one or more rolling bands formed therein; the end jackets do not meet, leaving a central, belly, portion of the fluid vessel unprotected. Such galvanised metal end jackets are prone to damage and movement with respect to the fluid vessel.

It has previously been proposed to form end chimes from plastics material with the known advantages of quietness of handling and reduced liability to damage. However, none have been commercially successful; primarily because of difficulties in attaching the plastic chimes to the keg ends in such manner as to be retained thereon and to absorb shocks without damaging the keg end.

Documents GB 1105523, 1188685, 1358699, 2001032 and 2156773 all disclose kegs with plastic end chimes of one form or another.

Beer kegs and casks are also usually provided with bands about the side-walls and bellies that enable the keg or cask to be rolled on its side. It would be beneficial to form any such rolling bands of plastics material; again for the advantages of quietness of handling and reduced liability to damage.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a beer or the like fluid container at least with plastics end chimes and optionally with plastics rolling bands in such manner that the end chimes and rolling bands are retained on the container and that the container is protected against damage.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide plastics end chimes and optionally plastics rolling bands on existing and purpose-designed beer and the like fluid containers.

According to the present invention, a beer or the like portable fluid container comprises a fluid-tight vessel, having a side-wall and ends, and an outer protective jacket, wherein the jacket is formed of two or more moulded plastics components shaped as an interference press fit onto the side-wall of a given vessel, to join one to the other and to provide a chime for each end of the vessel.

GB 1510628, GB 1225625, GB 1076035 and EP 0707174 Al all disclose fluid vessels with protective plastics jackets; but none disclose containers wherein the plastics jacket is moulded to be an interference fit on the vessel; the advantage of which is that the jacket components are retained on and about the vessel by the interference fit thereon and the joints therebetween without any direct mechanical connection to the vessel so that any shocks to the container will tend to be restricted to the outer protective jacket, bypassing the inner vessel, whilst the jacket supports and protects the vessel. The external shape of the protective jacket can replicate the external shape of conventional beer containers to enable beer containers in accordance with the present invention to be handled, cleaned, filled etc. by standard brewery equipment.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, meeting surfaces of the jacket components are shaped to snap fit one with the other.

Preferably the jacket comprises two components each moulded to cover the vessel sidewall when joined one to the other. The jacket components may each be moulded with one or more rolling bands and the snap-fit meeting surfaces may also be configured to form a rolling band.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of making a beer keg, or the like portable fluid container, having a side-wall and ends, comprises the steps of:i) forming a fluid-tight vessel; ii) moulding outer protective plastics jacket components shaped to be an interference fit on the vessel side-wall; iii) press fitting the jacket components on to the vessel; and, iv) joining meeting surfaces ofthejacket components one to the other.

The method of this aspect of the present invention relates to purpose-made fluid-tight vessels which could, typically, be new, conventional kegs or casks absent end chimes, rolling bands or other protective features.

Further according to the present invention, a method of renovating a beer keg, or the like portable fluid container, having a side-wall and ends with end chimes fitted thereon, comprises the steps of:i) removing the end chimes from the keg to form a fluid-tight vessel; ii) moulding outer protective plastics jacket components shaped to be an interference fit on the vessel side-wall; iii) press fitting the jacket components on to the vessel; and, iv) joining meeting surfaces of the jacket components one to the other.

This further method according to the present invention relates to conventional kegs or casks wherein end chimes, rolling bands or other protective features are removed prior to fitting the protective jacket.

In either method, wherein meeting surfaces of the jacket components are shaped to snap-fit one with the other, there is an additional step of forcing jacket components towards one another until the meeting surfaces snap-fit.

The above and other features of the present invention are illustrated, by way of example in the Drawings, wherein: Fig.l is a part-sectioned elevation of a beer keg in accordance with the present invention: Fig.2 is a detailed section of a bottom part of the keg of Fig.1; and, Fig. is a detailed section of a top part of the keg of Fig. 1.

As shown by the figures, a beer keg 10 comprises a fluid-tight vessel 12, of stainless steel or aluminium, having a generally plain cylindrical side 14, a domed top end 16 and bottom end 18 and a conventional neck 20 in the top end 16. The vessel is otherwise featureless.

A two-piece jacket 22 is fitted about the vessel. The jacket comprises separate top 24 and bottom 26 parts; each being a high density polyethylene injection moulding. In an example the parts are moulded from reprocessed high density plastics mouldings, such as old "wheelie bins". Each part 24, 26 is of a general, opened-ended cylindrical shape, with an internal diameter designed to be an interference press-fit over the vessel side 14. Top jacket part 24 is axially longer than bottom jacket part 26 in a ratio of approximately 2:1. The outer end portion of each part is radially thickened to form an end chime 28, 30. The external diameter of each chime end portion 28, 30 extends radially outwardly to form an end rolling band 32, 34. The internal diameter of each end chime portion extends radially inwardly to form a shoulder 36, 38 that axially abuts against the vessel top end 16 or bottom end 18 respectively when the two jacket parts 24, 26 have been press-fitted onto the vessel 12.

The inner end 40 ofjacket top part 24 has a male lip form 42 to mate in a female groove 44 in the inner end 46 ofjacket bottom part 26, see Fig. 2. The meeting surfaces of male lip 42 and female groove 44 are relieved so that, as one jacket part is forced towards the other jacket part, male lip 42 forces the rim 48 of female groove 44 radially outwardly to enable the lip to enter the groove and be retained therein as a snap-fit by a radially outwardly extending shoulder 50 on male lip 42 axially engaging under a radially inwardly extending shoulder 52 in the rim 48 of female groove 44.

Inner end 46 of the jacket bottom part 26 is also radially thickened to form a lower belly rolling band 54. Jacket top part 24 has a complimentary belly rolling band 56.

The jacket parts 24 and 26 are also formed with conventionally shaped and positioned cask features such as handle holes 60 and radially offset, stacking chime rims 62,64.

There is no direct, mechanical connection between the jacket 22 and the vessel 12; the connection being indirect and comprising the interference fit between the jacket parts 24 26 and the vessel side-wall 14 and the abutment between chime inner shoulders 36, 38 and the vessel top end 16 and bottom end 18. Thus any shock to the end chimes 28, 30 will tend to be transmitted through and absorbed by the jacket parts 24, 26: bypassing and/or limiting damage to the vessel 12. This is clearly different to conventional beer kegs where either the end chimes are directly, mechanically connected to the keg and therefore the end chimes, which mechanical connection has to be constructed to absorb the considerable shock loads experienced by beer kegs in normal usage. Or, in the aforesaid common type of beer keg having press-fitted, galvanised metal end jackets, the end jackets are readily damaged and may move with respect to the fluid-tight vessel.

The resulting beer keg has all the external features and shape of a conventional keg so that it can be handled by the usual brewery equipment.

Vessel 12 may either be specially produced or could be formed by refurbishing a conventional, all-metal beer keg by removing the existing end chimes and belly rolling bands and making such repairs to the vessel itself prior to fitting the jacket.

Refurbishment may be done "on-site" using mobile plant including suitable presses to force new two-piece protective jacket components onto repaired vessels.

Whilst the jacket parts have been described as being high density polyethylene mouldings; it is clear that other mouldable materials and methods of moulding would also be suitable, depending on the requirements and/or use to which the portable fluid container is to be put.

A beer or the like portable fluid container in accordance with the present invention has advantages over conventional portable fluid containers, including quieter and safer handling, greater resistance to damage, ease of repair, and economy in original manufacture and in repair.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A beer or the like portable fluid container comprising a fluid-tight vessel, having a side-wall and ends, and an outer protective jacket.

wherein the jacket is formed of two or more moulded plastics components of plastics material shaped as an interference press fit onto the side-wall of a given vessel, to join one to the other and to provide a chime for each end of the vessel.

2. A fluid container as claimed in claim 1, wherein meeting surfaces of the jacket components are shaped to snap-fit one with the other.

3. A fluid container as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the plastics mouldings are of high density polyethylene.

4. A fluid container as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the jacket comprises two components configured to cover the vessel side-wall when joined one to the other.

5. A fluid container as claimed in claim 4 as dependent upon claim 24, wherein the jacket components are each formed with one or more rolling bands and the snap-fit meeting surfaces are configured to form a rolling band.

6. A method of making a beer keg, or the like portable fluid container, having a side-wall and ends, comprising the steps of: i) forming a fluid-tight vessel; ii) moulding outer protective plastics jacket components shaped to be an interference fit on the vessel side-wall; iii) press fitting the jacket components on to the vessel; and, iv) joining meeting surfaces of the jacket components one to the other.

7. A method of renovating a beer keg, or the like portable fluid container, having a side-wall and ends with end chimes fitted thereon, comprising the steps of: i) removing the end chimes from the keg to form a fluid tight vessel; ii) moulding outer protective plastics jacket components shaped to be an interference fit on the vessel side-wall: iii) press fitting the jacket components on to the vessel; and, iv) joining meeting surfaces of the jacket components one to the other.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8, wherein meeting surfaces of the jacket components are shaped to snap-fit one with the other, and comprising the additional step of forcing jacket components towards one another until the meeting surfaces snap fit.

9. A beer or the like portable fluid container substantially as described with reference to or as shown by the Drawings.

10. A method of making a beer keg, or the like portable fluid container substantially as described.

11. A method of making a beer keg, or the like portable fluid-tight container substantially as described.

11. A method of renovating a beer keg, or the like portable fluid container substantially as described.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. A beer or the like portable fluid-tight container comprising a fluid tight metal vessel, having a side-wall and ends, and an outer protective jacket, wherein the jacket is formed of two or more components of plastics material shaped as an interference press fit onto the side-wall of the vessel, to join one to the other and provide a chime for each end of the vessel.

2. A fluid-tight container as claimed in claim 1, wherein meeting surfaces of the jacket components are shaped to snap-fit one with the other.

3. A fluid-tight container as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, the plastics mouldings are of high density polyethylene.

4. A fluid-tight container as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the jacket comprises two components configured to cover the vessel side wall when joined one to the other.

5. A fluid-tight container as claimed in claim 4 as dependent upon claim 2, wherein the jacket components are each formed with one or more rolling bands and the snap-fit meeting surfaces are configured to form a rolling band.

6. A method of making a beer keg, or the like portable fluid-tight metal container, having a side-wall and ends, comprising the steps of: i) forming a fluid-tight metal vessel; ii) moulding outer protective jacket components shaped to be an interference fit on the vessel side-wall; iii) press fitting the jacket components on to the vessel; and, iv) joining meeting surfaces of the jacket components one to the other.

7. A method of renovating a beer keg, or the like portable fluid-tight metal container, having a side-wall and ends with end chimes fitted thereon, comprising the steps of: i) removing the end chimes from the keg to form a fluid tight metal vessel; ii) moulding outer protective jacket components shaped to be an interference fit on the vessel side-wall; iii) press fitting the jacket components on to the vessel; and, iv) joining meeting surfaces of the jacket components one to the other.

8. A method as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7, wherein meeting surfaces of the jacket components are shaped to snap-fit one with the other, and comprising the additional step of forcing jacket components towards one another until the meeting surfaces snap-fit.

9. A beer or the like portable fluid-tight container substantially as described with reference to or as shown by the Drawings.

10. A method of making a beer keg, or the like portable fluid-tight container substantially as described.