APPARATUS FOR REMOVING A STOPPER FROM A BOTTLE

Abstract: An apparatus for removing a stopper from a bottle comprising a threaded shaft member (12), a bottle-gripping member (30) slidably and rotatably coupled to the shaft member, and a stopper-gripping member (50) threadedly engaged to the shaft member. The bottle-gripping and stopper-gripping members are preferably lightly constructed and relatively flexible, but are buttressed and made rigid and operative by their cooperation with a slidable collar (70) which encircles them and may selectively be positioned for stopper removal or for application of the apparatus to a bottle for stopper removal.

Description: The present invention relates to devices for removing generally mushroom-shaped stoppers from bottles, the devices having a stopper-gripping member which is mechanically drawn away from the mouth of a bottle to withdraw the stopper. Numerous devices have heretofore been proposed for removing stoppers from bottles. For example, U. S. Patent No. 474,480 issued to Mumford on May 10, 1892 discloses an apparatus in which a pair of prongs is inserted between the cork and the bottle. Turning the handle of the apparatus causes the prongs to move toward each other, thus gripping the cork so that it may be pulled out of the bottle. The movement of the prongs toward each other is effectuated by a rack associated with each prong and a pinion gear which is turned by the handle of the apparatus. In U. S. Patent No. 1,596,960, issued to Becchetti on August 24, 1926, a tubular member has internal and external screw threads matingly related to one another. The tubular member is attached to a handle and the outer threads threadably engage a bell-shaped member adapted to engage the upper rim of the bottle. The internal threads threadably engage a pair of arms, each of which terminates in a cork-gripping blade adapted to fit between the interior surface of the bottle neck and the cork. As the handle is rotated, the bell-shaped member moves away from the handle to engage the bottle rim while the arms are moved away from the bottle and are gradually brought closer to one another, thereby securing their grip on the cork. In apparatus disclosed in US-A-2, 761, 338, inner jaws engage a cork, and an outer stirrup engages the upper rim of the bottle. A handle with a screw-threaded bore threadably engages complementary screw threads on a shaft which extends through a bore in the outer stirrup and is secured to the inner jaws. The inner jaws are rotationally fixed but longitudinally slidable with respect to the outer stirrup, and the handle is adapted to rotatably grip the outer stirrup, so that as the handle is turned, the shaft is moved away from the bottle to extract the cork. US-A-4, 606, 245 discloses apparatus comprising jaws located within a sleeve abutting the bottle shoulder. When the jaws are withdrawn upwards by means of a threaded shaft, they encounter a second internal sleeve which causes the jaws to close around the cork. Further turning of the shaft causes extraction of the cork. A satisfactory device for extracting mushroom-shaped stoppers is still required, to avoid letting the cork become a high-speed projectile caused by the build-up of internal pressure. The present invention provides an apparatus for removing mushroom style stoppers from bottles, such as champagne bottles, which have a shoulder near the mouth, the device employing a hand rotatable threaded shaft member to draw a stopper-gripping member away from the bottle, thereby withdrawing the stopper. Thus, in a first aspect, the present invention provides a device for removing mushroom-shaped stoppers from bottles, comprising two sets of jaws located one within the other and on a central, longitudinal, threaded spindle having a stop at one end within the inner set of jaws and a handle at the other end of the spindle away from the jaws, the inner jaws being threaded to the spindle and rotationally fixed but longitudinally slidable in the outer jaws, the outer jaws being freely located on the spindle, a longitudinally slidable collar being located about the outer jaws to retain both sets of jaws in contact with one another, the outer set of jaws being adapted to abut the neck of the bottle and the inner set of jaws to grip the stopper such that actuation of the handle forces the inner jaws to move longitudinally with respect to the outer jaws. The stoppers with which the device according to the invention may be used are the bulbous corks found typically on champagne bottles, as well as plastic stoppers having suitable configurations. One advantage of the present invention is that it provides apparatus for the above purpose in which a bare minimum number of simple, inexpensive and readily manufactured and assembled parts interact to reliably perform the desired function. In a preferred embodiment, the bottle-gripping jaws comprise a member slidably and rotatably coupled to the spindle, or shaft member, intermediate the handle and the stop, or base-plate, and includes opposed bottle-gripping arms, preferably two, extending in the direction of the shaft member to a pointy beyond the base-plate. The distal ends of the bottle-gripping arms are adapted to abut the shoulder of the bottle. The stopper-gripping jaws, or member, rides on the shaft member, and threadedly engages it, so that rotation of the shaft member causes translation of the stopper-gripping member in the direction of the shaft member. The stopper-gripping member is provided with opposed stopper-gripping arms, preferably two, provided with surfaces which grip the stopper where the stopper meets the mouth of the bottle. Any suitable means may be employed at the end of either set of arms for gripping the stopper or bottle. For example, a rubber inlay may be used to prevent slipping and provide a firmer grip, or the gripping portions may be moulded directly from the arms for ease of manufacture. The arms of the bottle-gripping and stopper-gripping members slidably engage each other, and the arms of both members are surrounded by a supporting and reinforcing collar, slidable along the arms. The bottle-gripping and stopper-gripping members are preferably lightly constructed and relatively flexible, may be suitably buttressed and are made a rigid and operative assembly by cooperation with the collar. The collar may be selectively positioned for operation of the apparatus to remove a stopper or application of the apparatus to a bottle in preparation for stopper removal. The collar serves to rigidify the entire assembly and to resist lateral forces tending to spread the distal ends of the arms, or jaws. Such forces, if allowed to cause spreading, would result in unwanted disengagement of the device. The arms are fixed rotationally with respect to each other, but allowed to slide, preferably by a groove and tongue mechanism. It will be appreciated that other arrangements are equally possible and self-evident to those skilled in the art. However, it is currently preferred that the grooves be located in the outer, bottle-gripping member. A specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described in more detail with respect to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view, taken along the line 2-2 shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view, taken along the line 3-3 shown in Figure 2; and Figures 4, 5 and 6 are side-elevational views of the apparatus shown in Figure 1 at various stages in its operation. Figures 1 and 2 show an apparatus 10 for removing stoppers from bottles. The apparatus 10 comprises a threaded shaft member 12, having a handle 14 fixed at one end and a base plate 16 attached at the other end. The base-plate 16 can be attached to the threaded shaft member 12 by any suitable means, such as snap-fitting or ultrasonic welding, and provides a limit stop as explained below. Using this preferred technique, an upper rim 18 on the base-plate 16 is fitted into a complementary recess 20 in the end of the shaft member 12. A preferred material for making all parts of the present apparatus 10 is polypropylene, although other durable plastics can be used. In the preferred embodiment, a flange 22 substantially in the shape of a disc is positioned on the shaft member 12 just below the handle 14, and all three are integrally formed. A bottle-gripping member 24 comprises a first bridging member 26, preferably substantially disc-shaped, with an aperture 28 therein. The aperture 28 allows the first bridging member 26 to be slidably and rotatably coupled to shaft member 12 at a point between the flange 22 and the base-plate 16. Affixed to or integral with the bridging member 26 is a pair of opposed bottle-gripping arms 30, 30′. The arms 30, 30′ extend longitudinally with respect to the shaft member 12 to a point beyond the base-plate 16. The ends of the arms 30, 30′ terminate with an inwardly protruding member 32, 32′ respectively, shaped to provide a lower surface 34, 34′ which is complementary to a shoulder 36, (Fig's 4-7) typically found on champagne-type bottles. The arms 30, 30′ each have an inner surface 38. 38′ and an outer surface 40, 40′. As shown in Figure 3, the inner surface 38, 38′ are provided with longitudinal guide grooves 42, 42′, the purpose of which is explained below. Preferably, the terminations of the arms 30, 30′ are each provided with outwardly protruding bottom stop members 44, 44′. It is preferred that arms 30, 30′ be slightly flexible to allow surfaces 34, 34 ′ to abut the shoulders of different sized bottles. Once released, the arms 30, 30′ should fit snugly about the bottle. If, as preferred, polypropylene, or other durable plastic is used, the bottle-gripping member 24 may be fabricated from a single piece of plastic. The bridging member 26 can be disc-like, as indicated earilier, while positioning of the arms 30, 30′ can be facilitated by providing a notch and self-hinge 46, 46′ in each arm to allow the arms to be rotated into longitudinal alignment with respect to the shaft member 12. Inwardly projecting lands 48, 48′ may be provided to abut the underside of bridging member 26, assuring a minimum predetermined spacing between opposing arms 30, 30′ and relieving the self-hinges 46, 46′ of excessive loads. In a preferred embodiment, the bottle-gripping member 24 may be made integral, moulded or stamped in a generally flat configuration, and self-hinged at the self-hinges 46, 46′ to the configuration seen in the drawings. Making the bottle-gripping member 24 in this configuration and manner facilitates economies in manufacture, by permitting the use of less massive and less complex injection mould tooling. The above-mentioned flange 22 associated with the shaft member 12 serves to transmit load directly to the arms 30, 30′, so that the self-hinges 46, 46′ are not subjected to substantial loads. Some loads do pass through the self-hinges 46, 46′, but these loads are provided with an alternate path through the lands 48 and 48′. Stopper-gripping member 50 comprises a second bridging member 52 which is provided with a threaded aperture 54. Aperture 54 is arranged to allow the bridging member 52 to be threadedly engaged with shaft member 12 between the base-plate 16 and the first bridging member 26. Bridging member 52 is preferably substantially disc-shaped. Affixed to or integral with the second bridging member 52 is a pair of opposed stopper-gripping arms 56, 56′. Also located on bridging member 52 is an abutment collar 52′ which serves to prevent substantial contact, and hence the possibility of lock-up, between the two bridging members 26, 52. Abutment collar 52′ also protects lands 48, 48′ from contact with bridging member 52, and stops the inner jaws 50 from withdrawing too far into the outer jaws 24, thereby avioding undue stress on the various components. The stopper-gripping member, like the bottle-gripping member, is preferably made by moulding from a single piece of plastic. It will be seen that, when the stopper-gripping member is assembled with the shaft member 12, the arms 56, 56′ of the bridging member 52 extend longitudinally with respect to the shaft member 12 to a point which is intermediate with respect to the base-plate 16 and the point to which the arms 30, 30′ of the bottle-gripping member 2 extend. The distal ends of the arms 56, 56′ are provided with inwardly protruding members 58, 58′ which are adapted to fit under the stopper 60, 60′ (Fig's 6,7) and above the rim of the bottle 36. The members 58, 58′ may be complemented by a series of parallel, spaced inwardly-protruding or raised ridges or projections 62, 62′ which secure the grip on the stopper 60. The arms 56, 56′ have inner surfaces 64, 64′ and outer surfaces 66, 66′. In this regard, the outer surfaces 66, 66′ are preferably provided with guides 68, 68′ which are adapted to fit into the guide grooves 42, 42′. The engagement of guides 68, 68′ with grooves 42, 42′ prevents bottle and stopper gripping members 50 and 24 from rotating with respect to one another when shaft member 12 is rotated by turning handle 14. The arms 56, 56′ will normally be spaced apart such that their outer surface 66, 66′ are in slidable engagement with inner surface 38, 38′ of arms 30, 30′. While the guides 68, 68′ and grooves 42, 42′ can be used to prevent rotation of arms 30, 30′ and 56, 56′ with respect to one another, other equivalent means for preventing relative rotation will occur to those skilled in the art. Similarly, if guides and grooves of the kind illustrated are used, guides such as guides 68, 68′ may be positioned on the bottle-gripping arms 30, 30′, and grooves such as grooves 42, 42′ on the stopper-gripping arms 56, 56′. Referring again to Figures 1 and 2, a slidable reinforcing collar 70 surrounds and partly encloses the bottle-gripping arms 30, 30′ and stopper-gripping arms 56, 56′, to buttress and rigidify them. The collar 70 is preferably sized to provide a snug, but slidable fit over the outside surfaces 40, 40′ of arms 30, 30′. The first bridging member 26 is advantageously sized to provide a protruding section 72 whose diameter is such that it prevents collar 70 from sliding upwardly beyond the underside of the protruding section 72. Similarly, the bottom stop members 44, 44′ serve to normally limit travel of collar 70 downwardly beyond the distal ends of the bottle-engaging arms 30. 30′. Collar 70 can be removed, however, from the apparatus 10 if so desired by squeezing the arm members 30, 30′ together and sliding the collar 70 beyond protruding stop members 44, 44′ and ultimately off the apparatus 10. Use of the apparatus 10 is illustrated in Figures 4, 5, and 6. Apparatus 10 is initially adjusted as shown in Figure 4, so that shaft member 12 is screwed into second bridging member 52 until the bridging member 52 is at its most extended position at the end of the shaft member 12 and against the "stop" provided by the base-plate 16. The collar 70 is placed in its uppermost position. The lengths of arms 30, 30′ and 56, 56′ are such that, with the apparatus 10 thus configured, protruding members 58, 58′ are able to fit beneath the stopper 60 and above the lip 74 of the bottle 76, while protruding members 32 and 32′ are between the lip 74 and shoulder 36 of the bottle 76. Due to the position of the collar 70, the apparatus 10 may be moved laterally to the desired position over the stopper 60. The flexibility of the arms 30, 30′ and arms 56, 56′ also facilitates initial positioning. Next, as is seen in Figure 5, while maintaining the protruding members 32, 32′ and 58, 58′ in place, collar 70 is moved to its lowermost position. Turning of the handle 14 causes the surfaces 34, 34′ of the inwardly projecting members 32, 32′ to firmly impinge upon the shoulder 36 and the inwardly projecting members 58, 58′ to exert an extracting force on the stopper 60 and pull the stopper from the bottle. Figure 7 illustrates a variation of the mode of operation of the apparatus 10, when it is used in connection with bulbous plastic stoppers such as the cap 60′ in Figure 7, rather than natural corks. In such situations, the lip 74 seen in Figures 4-6 is typically covered by the stopper 60′, so that gripping surfaces of the members 58, 58′ are placed beneath a lower aspect of the stopper 60′ in engagement with the shoulder 36. The collar 70 may then be positioned, and the shaft member 12 actuated, as before.

Claims: A device (10) for removing mushroom-shaped stoppers from bottles, comprising two sets of jaws (30, 30', 56, 56') located one within the other and on a central, longitudinal, threaded spindle (12) having a stop (16) at one end within the inner set of jaws (56, 56') and a handle (14) at the other end of the spindle (12) away from the jaws (56, 56'), the inner jaws (56, 56') being threaded to the spindle (12) and rotationally fixed but longitudinally slidable in the outer jaws (30, 30'), the outer jaws (30, 30') being freely located on the spindle (12), a longitudinally slidable collar (70) being located about the outer jaws (30, 30') to retain both sets of jaws (30, 30', 56, 56') in contact with one another, the outer set of jaws (30, 30') being adapted to abut the neck of the bottle and the inner set of jaws (56, 56') to grip the stopper such that actuation of the handle (14) forces the inner jaws (56, 56') to move longitudinally with respect to the outer jaws (30, 30'). A device according to Claim 1 wherein the outer jaws comprise bottle engaging arms located on a bridging member which engages the spindle. A device according to Claim 2 wherein the bridging member and the arms are integrally formed. A device according to Claim 2 or 3 wherein the spindle has a flange affixed thereto below the handle to spread the force substantially onto the bottle engaging arms when the handle is activated. A device according to Claim 4 wherein the handle, the flange, and the spindle are formed integrally. A device according to any preceding Claim, wherein the stop comprises a base-plate. A device according to Claim 6, wherein the base-plate is rotatably coupled, ultrasonically welded, or snap-fitted to the spindle. A device according to any preceding Claim wherein the inner jaws comprise stopper engaging arms located on a bridging member which engages the spindle. A device according to Claim 8 wherein the bridging member and the arms are integrally formed. A device according to any preceding Claim wherein the outer jaws have protruding members adapted to maintain the collar in slidable engagement therewith. A device according to any preceding Claim wherein the stopper-gripping portions of the inner jaws are provided with a plurality of spaced, raised ridges. A device according to any preceding Claim wherein the separate sets of jaws are rotationally fixed but longitudinally slidable with respect to each other by means of cooperating guide means located on each set. A device according to any preceding Claim, wherein both sets of jaws are flexible, so as to facilitate assembly and use. A device according to any preceding Claim, wherein each set of jaws has two gripping members. A device according to any preceding Claim, wherein any or all components are constructed from polypropylene.

Inventors: MARHEFKA, MATTHEW D., VALTRI, FRANK J.
Applicants: LAVACO INDUSTRIES, INC.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: B67B7
IPC codes: B67B7