Patent ID: 8714383

Claim:
A compound bung assembly configured for bunghole closures for wine, beer, cider and spirits barrels, consisting essentially of: a) a generally cylindrical, elongated, non-resilient body member having: i) an upper head portion larger in diameter than the diameter of a barrel bunghole so that said head portion cannot be pushed into said barrel, said head portion having a top surface, a central vertical axis and an axial length permitting grasping by hand for insertion and removal from said barrel bunghole; ii) a reduced neck portion extending below said upper head portion, said neck portion is smaller in diameter than the diameter of said bung-hole; iii) said head portion terminating in an annular shoulder portion at the junction with said neck portion, said annular shoulder portion being generally planar and oriented horizontally orthogonal to said vertical axis of said head portion so that said shoulder is inset into said body at said junction and forms generally a right angle to said head and neck portions; iv) said neck portion having an axis oriented as a coaxial continuation of the axis of said head portion and an axial length substantially longer than the thickness of said barrel wall surrounding said bunghole; v) said neck portion having an outward taper angle commencing at a lower terminus end of said neck portion and extending to said shoulder portion junction with said head portion, the widest diameter of said neck portion being at said shoulder junction, and said widest neck diameter is less than the diameter of said head portion at said shoulder junction; b) said body consists essentially of monolithic material selected from glass, rigid plastic, metal and ceramic; and c) a replaceable and disposable elastomeric cup member matingly tapered to snugly fit said neck portion of said body, said elastomeric cup having a sidewall thickness in the range of from about 3 to about 10 mm, said elastomeric material having a resilience sufficient to permit it to directly grippingly engage a wood wall of a bunghole to seal irregularities, said elastomeric cup member outer surface being configured so that its outer tapered surface is co-planar with the tapered outer surface of said head portion and said elastomeric cup material not including hard rubber.