This invention relates to a bush for insertion into the neck of a beverage container, typically a metal beer keg, of the type wherein the bush provides seating and retention means for a valved beverage filling and dispensing mechanism extending into the container.

The conventional neck of a metal beer container is provided with a standardised screw thread or bayonet attachment means for receiving a bush and associated valve mechanism, such mechanism typically comprising a down tube extending into the container and associated spring loaded valve means within the bush for controlling the filling or dispensing of beer respectively into or out of the container.

Hitherto such a bush has been manufactured by various methods and of various materials. For example, such a bush has been manufactured as a one piece casting of stainless steel or aluminium or as a hot brass stamping and subsequently machined where necessary to provide valve seating for the valve means of the filling/dispensing mechanism and to provide an external formation on the bush for engagement with the neck of the beer container. Where the bush has been formed of brass it has usually been chrome plated and where the bush has been formed of aluminium it has frequently been anodised and epoxy coated. Such bushes of stainless steel are satisfactory but they are expensive to produce and tend to jam when repeatedly threadedly engaged in stainless steel neck fittings; however such bushes do have good corrosion resistance. Chromed brass bushes do not tend

to have the problem of thread jamming but the plating can deteriorate and can be damaged in use. Anodised and epoxy coated aluminium bushes also are not susceptible to thread jamming but are more susceptible to. damage than chromed brass bushes.

We have proposed an improved bush in our British patent 1 577 116 which would overcome at least some of the disadvantages referred to above wherein such improved bush is manufactured in two parts comprising a first part formed as a casting or hot stamping and a second part comprising a stainless steel member permanently secured and sealed to the first part of the bush.

It has also been proposed to manufacture a bush in two parts from thick walled stainless steel tube wherein a main tubular part of the bush is internally machined to provide a valve seating and wherein a cap member of the bush is welded to the main part.

However, all of the bushes of the proposals referred to above are expensive to produce and, in particular, all require at least internal machining to provide valve seating for a valved filling/dispensing mechanism; such machining comprising a substantial production cost element.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved bush for a valved filling/dispensing mechanism in a beverage container which offers production cost benefits when compared with existing bushes.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a bush for insertion into the neck of a beverage container for receiving a valve mechanism wherein the bush is

formed as a two part metal pressing comprising a generally cylindrical pressed metal tubular body having at one end thereof an annular radially outwardly extending lip and at the other end thereof a formation adapted to cooperate with means for retaining a said valve mechanism within the body; an annular radially inwardly extending valve seat formation intermediate said ends of the body for engagement by a valve element of a said valve mechanism; and an annular pressed metal cap member secured to said body by relative deformation between the metal of said cap and the metal of said lip of the body, said cap including an annular cylindrical portion having neck engaging means formed externally thereon whereby the bush may be engaged within a said neck of a container.

The body preferably further includes an annular radially outwardly extending flange intermediate said ends of the body for location of the bush in a said neck of a container.

The said cap member preferably comprises the said annular cylindrical portion thereof and an annular portion depending from said cylindrical portion which portion is of lesser wall thickness than that of said cylindrical portion; said annular portion being deformed radially inwardly around said lip of the body.

The said valve seat formation on the body conveniently comprises a frusto conical surface extending axially towards said one end of the body. Coveniently one or more apertures are formed in the wall of the body at a position or positions intermediate said valve seat portion and said other end of the body.

Other features of the invention will become apparent from the following description given herein solely by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:-

Figure 1 is a side cross-sectional view of the body of the bush according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the body shown in Figure 1;

^* Figure 3 is a side cross-sectional view of the cap of the bush according to the invention;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the cap of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a side cross-sectional view of the assembled bush showing the cap secured to the body; the bush being shown located in engagement within a neck of a container.

A bush constructed in accordance with the invention comprises a two-part metal pressing, preferably of stainless steel, comprising a generally cylindrical pressed metal tubular body 10 shown in Figures 1 and 2 and an annular pressed metal cap 12 shown in Figures 3 and 4; the bush being assembled by securing the cap to the body as will be further described with reference to Figure 5.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the body 10 is pressed from circular cross-sectional tube to define at one end thereof Cthe outer end) an annular radially outwardly extending lip 14 projecting from a cylindrical portion 16

of relatively short axial length which itself merges through a radius into an annular radially inwardly directed flange portion 18. The body extends from this flange portion 18 to provide an annular radially inwardly extending valve seat 20 comprising a frusto conical surface, that end thereof remote from the outer end of the bush extending into an annular radially outwardly directed flange 22 of the body. From said flange 22 there extends a skirt portion 24 of cylindrical form having one or more circular apertures 26 formed therein intermediate said radially outwardly directed flange 22 and that end of the body (the inner end) remote from the outer end.

The periphery of the skirt portion 24 at the free end thereof is formed with a plurality of radially inwardly directed depressions 28 comprising formations adapted to co-operate with means (not shown) for retaining a valved filling/dispensing mechanism within the body with the valve thereof seated on the seat 20.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the cap 12 is also pressed from circular cross-sectional tube and comprises an annular cylindrical portion 30 and a further annular portion 32 depending therefrom which further portion 32 is of lesser wall thickness than that of said cylindrical portion 30. The cap is also provided with at least two diametrically opposed radially inwardly extending lugs 34 having axially directed surfaces 36 slightly inclined to a plane normal to the longitudinal axis of the cap, said lugs 34 providing bayonet fitting means for the releasable attachment of a beverage dispensing mechanism thereto.

The external surface of the cylindrical portion 30

of the cap 12 is provided with neck engaging means 38 which may be either a bayonet fitting or a screw thread (as illustrated) whereby the bush may be secured in engagement within an internally threaded neck- 40 of a container 42 as shown in Figure 5.

The assembled bush of the invention is shown in Figure 5 wherein the free end of the thinner section annular portion 32 of the cap 12 has been deformed radially inwardly, such as by swaging, around the radially outwardly extending lip 14 at the outer end of the body 10 to secure the cap to the body.

In Figure 5 the assembled bush is shown secured within the neck 40 of a container 42 with the screw threaded means 38 of the cap 12 engaged within the neck and with the radially outwardly directed flange 22 of the body 10 in sealing engagement with an elastomeric O-ring 44 located upon a radially inwardly extending annular seating 46 provided on the neck 40.