Abstract: A one-piece metal can body having a cylindrical side wall and an integral bottom wall. The bottom wall is disposed in a plane normal to the axis of the cylindrical side wall and is formed with one or more outwardly extending depressions which are arranged in circular configuration and are spaced radially inwardly from the peripheral edge of the bottom wall. Under unpressurized conditions the can body rests on the depressions, and when the can body is subjected to internal pressure, the bottom wall will deform outwardly in a uniform and predictable manner and the can body will remain supported by the depressions.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming an inward dome in the bottom wall of a metal can body having a beveled peripheral edge bordering the bottom wall. The apparatus includes a housing which supports a convex die member adapted to engage the bottom wall of the can body to form the dome. A pressure ring is disposed radially outward of the die member and is mounted for sliding movement with respect to the die member. The pressure ring is provided with a beveled surface which is adapted to be engaged by the beveled edge of the can body to prevent deformation of the bevelled edge as the dome is formed in the bottom wall. The pressure ring is connected to an air spring which provides uniform resistance to movement of the ring relative to the die member. In addition, the housing and die member are connected through a second air spring to a fixed support and after the dome has been formed, continued axial movement of the can body will result in compression of the second air spring to insure full formation of the dome.

Abstract: A valve assembly for a container filling machine. The filling machine includes a rotating turret or carrier having a series of platforms that support individual containers, such as cans, to be filled. Mounted above each platform is a valve assembly which controls the fluid flow to the can. Each valve assembly includes a valve body and a rotatable disc, and the body and the disc have mating surfaces, each containing ports that can be moved into registry as the disc is rotated with respect to the body to effect fluid flow. To rotate the disc during the cycle of operation, a single arm is attached to the disc and carries a follower which is adapted to engage a series of fixed cam tracks as the carrier rotates to move the arm and rotate the disc to obtain the desired registry of the ports.

Abstract: An improved method of mashing and lautering. A mash is formed having a high malt to water ratio in the range of about 0.30 to 0.45 to 1. After mashing, and prior to lautering, the mash is diluted with water to produce an equivalent malt-to-water ratio below 0.25 to 1 and generally in the range of about 0.19 to 0.22 to 1. The diluted mash is then lautered by standard procedures to separate the wort from the spent grains. Due to the high concentration of malt in the mash, the conversion yield, or the amount of dissolved solids extracted from the malt, is increased and the dilution prior to lautering not only reduces the time for lautering but also upsets the concentration equilibrium between the liquids and grains, causing a further improvement in the extract yield.

Abstract: Malt beverages such as beer containing small quantities of proteinaceous and tannin materials which react to form a precipitate that renders the beverage hazy or cloudy when chilled are stabilized by passing the beverage through a fluidized bed of adsorbent particles such as polyvinylpyrrolidone or silica gel to adsorb the proteinaceous and/or tannin materials. A portion of the adsorbent bed containing adsorbed material is continuously removed and regenerated by separating the adsorbed material from the adsorbant particles, and the regenerated adsorbant particles are returned to the bed. The use of the fluidized bed provides a high concentration of adsorbant to promote increased efficiency, while enabling the adsorbant to be continuously regenerated and reused.

Abstract: A conveying system incorporating an apparatus for detecting and rejecting downed and damaged containers, such as open ended cans. The conveying system includes a pair of endless belt conveyors which are spaced apart longitudinally and are adapted to convey cans in an upright condition. The upright cans are adapted to be transferred between the conveyors by a vacuum transfer mechanism which is located above the adjacent ends of the conveyors, the transfer mechanism includes an endless perforated belt that travels across the open bottom of a housing which is divided into a series of chambers. The chambers are subjected to a vacuum which acts to hold the upright cans against the perforated belt so that the cans can be transferred by movement of the belt from one conveyor to the other, while downed cans are ejected from the conveyor system.

Abstract: Brewer's wort, having a high concentration of fermentable carbohydrates and solids such as 18.degree. to 36.degree. Plato which would normally ferment very slowly or incompletely, is fermented by utilizing water dilution at a point during fermentation to reduce the content of fermentable carbohydrates and solids to below 18.degree. Plato so that fermentation proceeds to completion without inhibition. Water dilution is carried out when the fermentable carbohydrate content of the fermenting wort is 30% to 70% of its original value and after initial foam collapse within about 24-48 hours after the start of fermentation. This process makes it possible to use the headspace of the fermenting vessel which is normally set aside for initial foam generation and results in a substantial increase in productivity.

Abstract: A can lid forming apparatus includes means for attaching a can opening key. A proximity field sensor is mounted in a doming die of the apparatus and generates a pulse logic signal as a can lid with a staked key is formed by the doming tool. A timing disc rotates in synchronism with each cycle of the tool and generates a pair of logic signals. A key monitor circuit is connected to respond to the signals to establish a latch, check latch and reset latch sequence for each cycle of the tooling. If the latch is not set, an appropriate output signal is generated indicating a key is missing from the lid. If the latch is not reset after being set, indicating a build-up of aluminum fines or the like on the probe, an appropriate signal is generated by a preconditioned probe monitoring curcuit.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing bungs from kegs. A walking beam moves the keg sequentially from a receiving station on a feed conveyor to an orienting station, a debunging station, a probe station, a reject station to a discharge conveyor. At the orienting station the keg is rotated to position the bung downwardly, and an auger removes the downwardly facing bung at the debunging station. At the probe station, a probe senses the presence of improperly removed bungs, and kegs with improperly removed bungs are rejected from the line at the reject station. Kegs with properly removed bungs are delivered to the discharge conveyor.

Abstract: A foam monitor senses the dissipation of foam within a transparent tube and employs a series of vertically spaced light emitting diodes which are cyclically pulsed to provide repetitive sequential scanning of the tube contents and a series of photo-responsive elements are axially spaced along the diametrically opposite side of the tube and positioned to monitor corresponding intermittent light paths that may be received from the corresponding light emitting diodes. The intermittent light paths are monitored during each scanning cycle to provide a pulse train which is indicative of the relationship between scanned levels containing foam and scanned levels void of foam. The pulses produced over a predetermined number of repetitive scans are totalized to provide an analytical measurement of the foam dissipation qualities for the liquid involved.

Abstract: A pivotally mounted starwheel is selectively positioned to sequentially engage a series of containers such as beer cans freely mounted on a moving conveyor bed. The starwheel rotates in response to a predetermined number of containers operatively applying pressure thereto and rotates an inter-connected supporting wheel providing a series of radially and circumferentially spaced printing units which sequentially engage an inking wheel and the containers for applying a mark thereto. The inking wheel is coupled through a transmission and drive wheel to the supporting wheel and rotates in synchronism with the starwheel. The ink source includes plural ink retainers inter-connected by a gravity feed and cooperates with a pair of ink transfer wheels. Each of the printing units is cam operated and includes a pair of oppositely biased pistons which compensate for variances in container height.

Abstract: A lid construction for a pressurized beverage container. The lid has a pouring opening which is normally closed by a generally pointed tab that is integrally connected to the lid by a hinge section. The peripheral edge of the tab underlies the edge of the lid bordering the opening, and a strip of sealing material is applied to the underside of the lid and seals the joint between the tab and the lid. The sealing strip can be provided with a weakened zone or line located in spaced relation to the joint. To open the container, the consumer presses downwardly on the tab and the pointed tip of the tab will rupture the sealing strip and continued downward force will move the tab to the open position to expose the contents of the container.

Abstract: A spin flanging machine for flanging the open end of container bodies, such as metal cans. The machine includes a drive shaft mounted for rotation on a supporting structure and a rotary turret is secured to the shaft and carries a series of flanging heads. Each head is provided with a plurality of flanging rollers which are adapted to engage the open end of the can. As the turret rotates, each head is rotated about its axis by the driving engagement of a pinion connected to the head shaft with a large fixed gear mounted on the supporting structure. The flanging heads are moved in a reciprocating manner towards and away from the can by a cam mechanism including a cam follower that is secured to the end of each head and engages a cam groove on the fixed supporting structure.

Abstract: The disclosed conveyor system provides for a more organized and orderly flow of articles between a pair of spaced stations. The system generally comprises spaced infeed and discharge portions with an intermediate travel portion. Signal means provide for the formation of a train or slug of the articles on the infeed portion and thereafter their delivery downstream. Generally the articles within a slug are spaced from each other as they move downstream so that the system provides for a minimum of contact and pressure between the articles. The system provides for maximum accumulation so that production at the infeed station may continue up to a given period of time even while the discharge station is experiencing down-time. The one or more belt conveyors of the intermediate portion of the conveyor system are driven and controlled by an hydraulic system that automatically senses the need to stop for purposes of accumulation and when operation is again to be resumed.

Abstract: A method of reducing foaming of a liquid containing dissolved carbon dioxide during filtering. The carbonated liquid to be filtered is adjusted in pH to a value of 6.5 to 8.0 by the addition of an alkaline material which reacts with the dissolved carbon dioxide to remove the carbon dioxide from solution. The elimination of the dissolved carbon dioxide results in decreasing foaming during filtering and substantially increases the rate of filtration.

Abstract: A lid construction for a liquid containing can or container. The lid is provided with a pouring opening which is normally enclosed by a tab that is integrally connected to the lid by a hinge section. The tab is adapted to be pushed inwardly to an open position by downward pressure. Located radially inward of the pouring opening is a smaller vent opening which is enclosed by a vent tab, and the vent tab is integrally connected to the lid by the same hinge section that connects the pouring tab to the lid. To open the container, the consumer presses downwardly on the vent tab to vent pressure from the container and thereafter pushes downwardly on the pouring tab to expose the pouring opening.

Abstract: A spin flanging machine for flanging the open end of container bodies, such as metal cans. The machine includes a drive shaft mounted for rotation on a supporting structure and a rotary turret is secured to the shaft and carries a series of flanging heads. Each head is provided with a plurality of flanging rollers which are adapted to engage the open end of the can. As the turret rotates, each head is rotated about its axis by the driving engagement of a pinion connected to the head shaft with a large fixed gear mounted on the supporting structure. The flanging heads are moved in a reciprocating manner towards and away from the can by a cam mechanism including a cam follower that is secured to the end of each head and engages a cam groove on the fixed supporting structure.