Abstract: A screw cap for sealing containers with threaded necks includes an outer body, having a cylindrical outer wall closed at one end by a circular lid and an interior neck seal adjacent to the circular lid. A female thread extends around an inner surface of the cylindrical outer wall. The female thread has a main portion having substantially uniform thickness, and an attachment portion having a thickness which is less than the thickness of the main portion. The female thread is attached to the inner surface of the cylindrical outer wall in the region of the attachment portion, and the attachment portion is configured to permit deflection of the female thread.

Abstract: A connector for a container, particularly a cask, comprises a bush (14), intended to be received in an opening (11) in the container through which liquid is discharged, in use. The bush has a closed end (17) with a weakened portion (18), an inner thread (20) and an inner deformable portion (21). Sealing means (23) are intended to be disposed between the exterior of the bush and the interior of the opening at the position of the deformable portion. An insert (15) is screw-threadedly engageable within the bush so as to deform the deformable portion, thereby effecting compression, and thus sealing, of the sealing means between the bush and the container.

Abstract: A method of fusing thermoplastics components (12, 14) together comprises positioning an electrically conductive member (20) between opposing surfaces (16, 18) of two thermoplastic components to be fused together. The electrically conductive member comprises one or more perforations or spaces between solid material of the member. An electric current is caused to flow in the member so as to heat the member and melt at least some plastics material adjacent the opposing surfaces. The melted plastics material penetrates the perforations or spaces in the electrically conductive member, whereby melted plastics material from each component mixes so as to fuse the components.

Abstract: A connector for a container, particularly a cask, comprises a bush (14), intended to be received in an opening (11) in the container through which liquid is discharged, in use. The bush has a closed end (17) with a weakened portion (18), an inner thread (20) and an inner deformable portion (21). Sealing means (23) are intended to be disposed between the exterior of the bush and the interior of the opening at the position of the deformable portion. An insert (15) is screw-threadedly engageable within the bush so as to deform the deformable portion, thereby effecting compression, and thus sealing, of the sealing means between the bush and the container.

Abstract: A dispensing valve assembly for a beer keg comprises a body (11) having a pair of flexible legs (24) which form non-pivotal projection means when splayed outwardly by locking means (14) fixed on a valve stem (12) which is biased sealingly to engage a valve seat (32) of the body (11). The valve stem (12) has an internal valve seat against which is biased a plug (33). In a first position of the locking means (24), when the valve stem is off its valve seat (32), the legs (24) are unsplayed and can pass through an opening of the beer keg, whilst once the valve assembly is thereafter engaged in the beer keg the locking means are allowed to move under spring means (45) to splay the legs outwardly and prevent removal of the assembly from the keg.

Abstract: A valve for use in a closed transfer system for agricultural chemicals and the like comprising a housing (26) for engagement with a neck of a container and a stem (15) with inlet ports (18) to allow flow of liquid therethrough into the container, there being a spring loaded seal (21) movable between respective open and closed positions where it allows or prevents flow through said inlet ports (18), the seal being movable to its open position by a coupler (100) affixed to the housing, in use, and there being a liquid flushing arrangement (27, 28, 29) for introducing flushing liquid into the container when the seal (21) is in its open position. In an alternative arrangement the coupler is engageable with a slidable part (35) of the housing (30) to compensate for restricted headroom above the container neck.

Abstract: A keg (10) for a pressurized fluid is formed of a main body part (11), to respective open ends of which are secured upper and lower ends parts (14, 12), each of the three parts being an injection moulding of thermoplastics material and connected together by welding. Around an internal surface of the main body part (11) is an integral continuous planar flange (21) which serves to resits outwards pressure on the body when the keg is pressurized, in use, the flange defining a large central opening (22) in the interior of the keg. Ribs (25) are formed integrally with the internal body surface and flange, and extend around the flange between respective pairs of first openings (23) through the flange, smaller second openings (24) being aligned with, and disposed at the inner end of the respective ribs.