Transporting device for beer kegs and propane tanks

A shipping device used for transporting, handling and storing both large and small beer kegs, the shipping device comprising:

• a top surface;
• a bottom surface;
• an intermediate surface positioned between the top surface and the bottom surface, each of the top surface, the bottom surface and intermediate surface lying in parallel planes;
• four sides connecting the top and bottom surfaces, the sides lying in planes substantially at right angles to the planes that include top and bottom surfaces, the sides forming an outer perimeter and being of substantially equal length;
• an arcuate surface connecting the top surface and the intermediate surface, the arcuate surface forming an inner perimeter which is a concavity between the top surface and the intermediate surface, the inner perimeter having a first diameter at the intermediate surface and a second diameter at the top surface larger than the first diameter, the inner perimeter and the first diameter forming boundaries of a cavity in the device for receiving the beer keg;
• an aperture extending between the intermediate surface and the bottom surface;
• at least two hand grips in the form of indentations formed in on opposed sides for gripping the device;
• the bottom surface of the device further including at least two selectable cylindrical indentations, the first indentation having a diameter and a preselected depth sufficient to permit the device to be placed over the top of a large beer keg in a stable manner, and a second indentation having a diameter and a preselected depth sufficient to permit the device to be placed over the top of a small beer keg in a stable manner;
• the bottom surface further including a plurality of small cavities of a size sufficient to hold a cup when the device is placed over the beer keg so that the cavity for receiving the beer keg is placed over the top of the beer keg, and the aperture extending between the intermediate surface and the bottom surface positioned over the keg to permit insertion of a tap into the keg through the aperture.

A shipping device used for transporting, handling and storing both large and small beer kegs, comprising:

• a top surface;
• a bottom surface;
• four sides connecting the top and bottom surfaces, the sides lying in planes substantially at right angles to the planes that include top and bottom surfaces, the sides forming an outer perimeter and being of substantially equal length and having a preselected height;
• an upper intermediate surface positioned between the top surface and the bottom surface, each of the top surface, the bottom surface and the upper intermediate surface lying in parallel planes, the upper intermediate surface including a first aperture for receiving a small beer keg and a ledge lying in the plane of the upper intermediate surface;
• a lower intermediate surface positioned between the upper intermediate surface and the bottom surface, each of the upper intermediate surface, the lower intermediate surface and the bottom surface lying in parallel planes;
• a first arcuate surface connecting the top surface and the upper intermediate surface, the first arcuate surface forming a first inner perimeter, the first inner perimeter having a first diameter at the upper intermediate surface, the ledge extending inward from the first diameter to the first aperture, and a second diameter at the top surface larger than the first diameter, the first inner perimeter, the ledge terminating at the first aperture and the first diameter forming boundaries of an upper cavity in the device for receiving a large beer keg;
• a second arcuate surface connecting the ledge in the upper intermediate surface and the lower intermediate surface, the second arcuate surface forming a second inner perimeter, the second inner perimeter having a diameter at the first aperture of the upper intermediate surface and a third diameter at the lower intermediate surface smaller than the diameter at the first aperture, the second inner perimeter, and the third diameter forming boundaries of lower cavity in the device for receiving a small beer keg, the lower cavity and the upper cavity being coaxial;
• an aperture extending between the lower intermediate surface and the bottom surface;
• at least two hand grips in the form of indentations formed in each of two opposed sides for gripping the device.

An apparatus for transporting, handling and storing one substantially cylindrical container, said apparatus comprising a molded shipping device and a substantially cylindrical container to be inserted in said molded shipping device, said molded shipping device comprising:

• a base surface;
• a substantially cylindrical projection extending from said base surface and having an axis;
• said substantially cylindrical projection comprising a top surface positioned opposite said base surface, an inner wall and an outer wall, said inner wall and said outer wall each connecting said top surface of said substantially cylindrical projection and said base surface;
• said inner wall comprising a first surface, a second surface and a third surface, each surface being coaxial with the axis of said substantially cylindrical projection;
• said first surface of said inner wall being an arcuate surface and extending between said top surface of said substantially cylindrical projection and said second surface of said inner wall, said first surface of said inner wall having a first diameter at said top surface and a second diameter at said second surface, said first diameter corresponding to a first diameter of the substantially cylindrical container to be inserted in the molded shipping device and said second diameter corresponding to a second diameter of the substantially cylindrical container to be inserted in the molded shipping device, and said first diameter being larger than said second diameter;
• said second surface of said inner wall being substantially parallel to said base surface and extending between said first surface and said third surface of said inner wall, said second surface of inner wall being positioned to support a portion of the substantially cylindrical container to be inserted into said molded shipping device;
• said third surface of said inner wall being positioned between said base surface and said second surface of said inner wall, said third surface being substantially perpendicular to said base surface and having an elliptical cross-section;
• a plurality of projections extending from said base surface and being positioned radially about the axis of the substantially cylindrical projection, each of said plurality of projections comprising a first end adjacent said third surface of said inner wall and a second end positioned opposite said first end adjacent the axis of cylindrical projection;
• and
• each first end of said plurality of projections being positioned a distance from said third surface to form a space between each of said plurality of projections and said third surface of said inner wall.

A shipping device used for transporting, handling and storing one of a beer keg and propane tank, the shipping device comprising:

• a base surface;
• a substantially cylindrical projection extending from said base surface and having an axis;
• said substantially cylindrical projection comprising a top surface disposed opposite said base surface, an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter, each of said inner perimeter and said outer perimeter connecting said top surface of said substantially cylindrical projection and said base surface;
• said inner perimeter comprising a first surface, a second surface and a third surface, each surface being coaxial with the axis of said substantially cylindrical projection;
• said first surface of said inner perimeter being an arcuate surface and extending between said top surface of said substantially cylindrical projection and said second surface of said inner perimeter, said first surface of said inner perimeter having a first diameter at said top surface and a second diameter at said second surface of said inner perimeter, and said first diameter of said first surface being larger than said second diameter of said first surface;
• said second surface of said inner perimeter being substantially parallel to said base surface and extending between said first surface and said third surface of said inner perimeter;
• said first surface and said second surface of inner perimeter being positioned to receive one of a propane tank and a beer keg;
• said third surface of said inner perimeter being positioned between said base surface and said second surface of said inner perimeter, said third surface being substantially perpendicular to said base surface and having an elliptical cross-section;
• a plurality of wedge-shaped projections extending from said base surface and being positioned radially about the axis of the substantially cylindrical projection, each of said plurality of wedge-shaped projections comprising a first end adjacent said third surface of said inner perimeter and a second end positioned opposite said first end adjacent the axis of cylindrical projection;
• each of said plurality of wedge-shaped projection being disposed a distance from said third surface to form a gap between each said plurality of wedge-shaped projections and said third surface of said inner perimeter;
• and
• said gap between each of said wedge-shaped projections and said third surface of said inner wall being positioned to receive a base ring of a propane tank.