Barrel construction
AssigneeDb Global LLC
InventorsDavid Kenealy, John R. Cannon, James E. Rubino
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A barrel includes a number of wood slats that have an inner face, an outer face and side edges, grooves formed in the edges of the slats and keys that join the slats by engaging grooves in the side edges of adjacent slats, and end caps which are affixed to close the ends of the barrel.
Claims16
A barrel comprising a plurality of staves having an inner face, an outer face, side faces, and end faces, each stave defining an outer crosswise female dovetail groove oriented such that when the staves are assembled into a barrel, the outer crosswise grooves are circumferentially aligned around the barrel;
- a binding band encircling the barrel with a male dovetail portion of the binding band residing in the outer crosswise grooves;
- and end caps contacting the end faces of the staves forming closed ends of the barrel.
A barrel for flavoring beverages comprising a plurality of staves having an inner face, an outer face, side faces, and end faces and grouped into barrel quarters, each stave defining grooves formed in the side faces of the staves that extend the length of the stave and an outer crosswise groove oriented such that when the quarters are assembled into the barrel, the outer crosswise grooves are circumferentially aligned around the barrel;
- keys that engage the grooves in the side faces of adjacent staves along substantially the entire length of the grooves;
- a binding band formed from upper and lower plates with a spacer positioned therebetween and encircles the barrel with a portion of the binding band residing in the outer crosswise grooves;
- end caps contacting the end faces of the staves forming closed ends of the barrel;
- and a strap connected to the binding band that encircles the barrel and terminates at a ratchet that can be actuated to exert tension on the strap, squeezing the binding band radially inward.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.