Abstract: A plastic beer keg includes an outer container and a liner having a neck portion and a body portion. A removable lid is secured over an opening of the container to enclose the liner. A locking ring secures the neck portion to the lid. The neck optionally includes a neck ring which interlocks with the opening through the lid to prevent relative rotation therebetween. The locking ring optionally includes ratcheting teeth engaging ratchet teeth on the lid to prevent inadvertent loosening of the locking ring. The liner may be suspended from the lid by the neck when empty.

Abstract: A plastic keg includes a liner including a neck portion and a body portion. A lid having an opening is disposed at least partially over the liner. The liner is disposed in an outer container having a wall with at least one locking rib projecting therefrom. The locking rib angles downward and the lid secured to the outer container by the at least one locking rib. Optionally, a locking ring securing the neck portion of the liner to the lid may be configured to release the liner when the filled keg is dropped.

Abstract: A pallet includes an upper deck including an upper support surface having a plurality of elongated recesses formed therein. A plurality of feet are below the upper deck. A plurality of runners connect lower portions of the plurality of feet. The plurality of runners are configured to be receivable in the plurality of elongated recesses formed in the upper surface of the upper deck of an identical pallet.

Abstract: A plastic keg includes a liner including a neck portion and a body portion. A lid having an opening is disposed at least partially over the liner. A retainer is secured to the neck portion of the liner and aligned with the opening in the lid, the retainer including external threads. A locking ring having internal threads is secured to the external threads of the retainer. The internal threads of the locking ring and the external threads of the retainer include a ratcheting mechanism permitting attachment of the locking ring to the retainer and inhibiting removal of the locking ring from the retainer, the locking ring contacting the lid. A beer keg valve assembly includes a port having a head portion having a convex upper surface and at least one leg extending downwardly from a lower surface. The leg includes a stop surface projecting radially outward further than the head portion. A piston defines an opening.

Abstract: A fork tine assembly includes a tine having a support surface and an inner surface. A lift rail is movable between a retracted position and a deployed position. The lift rail provides a lift rail support surface higher than the upper surface of the tine when the lift rail is in the deployed position. The lift rail is not an innermost surface of the tine assembly when the lift rail is in the retracted position and when the lift rail is in the deployed position.

Abstract: A pallet lift includes a pair of outer tines movable between an expanded position spaced outward away from inner tines and a retracted position adjacent the inner tines. The inner and outer tines are supported by wheels at locations spaced away from the lift mechanism. A pallet includes a plurality of nestable feet that open outwardly of the pallet to reduce the footprint. A second pallet includes a side wall extending downward from side edges of the pallet to define an opening adjacent outer feet.

Abstract: A collapsible crate includes a base and a plurality of walls pivotably connected to the base. Each of the walls is a single piece of molded plastic defining a plurality of planks having the appearance of wooden planks, such as with molded-in grain texture, knots and irregular edges. The irregular edges may provide gaps between adjacent planks to provide ventilation to the crate. The knots may include knot holes to provide additional ventilation. The planks may include horizontal planks extending between vertical planks. The vertical planks and horizontal planks may include an interior wall from the edges of which extend ribs toward the exterior of the crate.

Abstract: A tray for storing and transporting bottles includes a plurality of spaced apart base walls each for supporting a bottle thereon. A pair of opposed side walls and a plurality of interior columns are connected by a plurality of dividers. The dividers also connect the columns and the side walls to the base wall. Each divider includes a lower end having spaced apart pocket walls each connected to a different one of the base walls.

Abstract: A pallet includes an upper portion having an upper surface for supporting containers thereon. A first plurality of recesses in the upper surface have a first lower support surface spaced from the upper surface. A plurality of legs extend downwardly from the upper portion. The upper portion includes an overhang extending outward from one of the plurality of legs extending along each side of the pallet. In a disclosed method, containers are nested in a predetermined location on an upper surface of the pallet.

Abstract: A low depth tray for bottles is provided which includes a first pair of opposed walls, a second pair of opposed walls attached to the first pair of opposed walls to form a wall structure, and a base attached to the wall structure. At least one interior column projects upwardly within the wall structure, where the interior column has a height less than the height of bottles loaded in the tray. A plurality of interior divider walls of double-walled construction project upwardly from the base and extend between the one or more interior columns and the wall structure. Together, the divider walls, interior columns, base, and outer wall structure define a plurality of bottle retaining pockets, where each pocket includes at least one divider wall and is sized to receive a single bottle therein.

Abstract: A beer keg assembly includes a liner or bottle having a body portion and a neck portion. A valve assembly is in the neck portion of the liner. The valve assembly includes an inner retainer portion having an inner annular surface formed on a portion of reduced diameter. A cap is secured to the inner retainer portion. At least one spring imparting force between the cap and the inner annular surface. The at least one spring may include an inner spring biasing a piston and a port against one another. The at least one spring may further include an outer spring, wherein the inner spring and the outer spring are both captured between the inner annular surface and the cap. A pressure relief valve may be disposed in a fluid path leading through a wall of the inner retainer portion.

Abstract: A plastic beer keg includes an outer container and a liner having a neck portion and a body portion. A removable lid is secured over an opening of the container to enclose the liner. A locking ring secures the neck portion to the lid. The neck optionally includes a neck ring which interlocks with the opening through the lid to prevent relative rotation therebetween. The locking ring optionally includes ratcheting teeth engaging ratchet teeth on the lid to prevent inadvertent loosening of the locking ring. The liner may be suspended from the lid by the neck when empty.

Abstract: A crate includes a base and a plurality of walls including a front wall. The front wall is movable between a retracted, open position and a closed position. In some embodiments, the front wall includes a frame, a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is hingeably connected to the frame and the second portion is hingeably connected to the first portion.

Abstract: A low depth tray for bottles is provided which includes a first pair of opposed walls, a second pair of opposed walls attached to the first pair of opposed walls to form a wall structure, and a base attached to the wall structure. At least one interior column projects upwardly within the wall structure, where the interior column has a height less than the height of bottles loaded in the tray. A plurality of interior divider walls of double-walled construction project upwardly from the base and extend between the one or more interior columns and the wall structure. Together, the divider walls, interior columns, base, and outer wall structure define a plurality of bottle retaining pockets, where each pocket includes at least one divider wall and is sized to receive a single bottle therein.

Abstract: A tray for storing and transporting bottles includes a plurality of base walls each for supporting a bottle thereon. A plurality of interior columns extend upwardly between the base walls. Longitudinal dividers connect the interior columns. Lateral dividers connect the interior columns to side columns along side edges of the tray. At least one band extends along the side edges of the tray connecting the side columns.

Abstract: A pallet includes fire retardant coatings to improve the overall fire performance of the pallet. First, the coatings may be used in combination with fire retardant additives in the plastic material of the pallet in order to reduce the amount of additives, thereby reducing cost and improving the structural performance of the pallet. Alternatively or additionally, the fire retardant coatings may be placed inside the pallet. This eliminates the chance that the fire retardant coating will get worn off during use. For example, the coating could be placed between the reinforcement sheet and the deck or runners, within the columns, etc.

Abstract: A keg delivery system includes a rack having a plurality of bays for receiving kegs horizontally. The keg delivery system also includes means for controllably lowering a keg from one of the bays to a floor.

Abstract: A tray for storing and transporting bottles includes a plurality of base walls each for supporting a bottle thereon. A plurality of interior columns extend upwardly between the base walls. Longitudinal dividers connect the interior columns. Lateral dividers connect the interior columns to side columns along side edges of the tray. At least one band extends along the side edges of the tray connecting the side columns.

Abstract: A plastic beer keg includes an outer container and an inner liner. A removable lid is secured over an opening to the container to enclose the liner. In use, the lid can be removed and ice placed in the container directly on the liner, ice flows into gaps between the liner and the container to provide rapid cooling of the content of the liner.

Abstract: A crate includes a base and a plurality of walls including a front wall. The front wall is movable between a retracted, open position and a closed position. In some embodiments, the front wall includes a frame, a first portion and a second portion. The first portion is hingeably connected to the frame and the second portion is hingeably connected to the first portion.