IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR CLOSING BOTTLES OR OTHER VESSELS CONTAINING AËRATED, GASEOUS, OR OTHER LIQUIDS."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Scope Davison, of Sunderland, in the County of
Durham, Glass Manufacturer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STOPPERS FOR CLOSING BOTTLES OR OTHER VESSELS CONTAINING AËRATED,
GASEOUS, OR OTHER LIQUIDS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Scope Davison at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th May 1881.
JAMES SCOPE DAVISON, of Sunderland, in the County of Durham, Glass
Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR CLOSING BOTTLES OR OTHER
VESSELS CONTAINING AERATED, GASEOUS, OR OTHER LIQUIDS."
My Invention relates to improvements in the stoppers for closing the mouths of
bottles or other vessels used for containing aerated, gaseous, or other liquids, and
consists of constructing thin cases, bags, or pouches of any suitable flexible or
elastic material which is waterproof (or waterproof when in contact with the
contained liquid), such as india-rubber, leather, gutta-percha, papier-maché, thin
metallic substances, cotton, linen, or other textile fabrics rendered waterproof by
preparation. These cases, bags, or pouches I construct by sewing, pressing, or
moulding of such dimensions as when expanded by being filled to adapt themselves
to fit the sizes and shapes of the mouths of the necks of the bottles or vessels to
be stoppered or closed. In some cases the cases, bags, or pouches may be coated
with a suitable glazing material to increase their durability, or for cleanliness and
neatness.
These cases, bags, or pouches may be perfectly spherical, oval, oblong, conical, or
of any shape of the required strength of material, and may have a smooth plain
surface (which 1 prefer), or may be ribbed or corrugated. They may be formed
with one opening only, or with an opening at each end, which may be self closing
or closed by drawing together by a wire or cord or closed by a spring, or they
may be sealed by any suitable solution. The case, bag, or pouch being formed of
suitable size is passed into the neck of the bottle or vessel to be closed, and is then
filled or partly filled by means of a suitable funnel-shaped instrument with solid
or liquid material till it is expanded to the form of (but slightly larger than) the
neck or outlet of the bottle or other vessel, when the filling instrument is withdrawn,
and the opening or mouth of the case, bag, or pouch either closes by its elasticity
or is closed by a spring, wire, cord, plug, or other means. The material used for

page_text: filling the case, bag, or pouch may be sand, gravel, small stones, shot, or a quantity
of small pellets of block tin or other suitable metals, plaster, glass, or other
material (preferably spherical), or water, or the liquid which the bottle is to
contain may in some cases be used. The case, bag, or pouch in its expanded state
and weighted by its contents forms the stopper and falls whichever way the bottle
or vessel is turned, and when turned mouth downward it will close the neck of the
bottle, the materials within it changing their positions to adapt the shape of the
stopper to suit the shape of the neck or outlet of the bottle, and the stopper is
forced into close watertight and air-tight contact with the inside of the neck of
the bottle and held there by the pressure of contained liquid when gaseous or.
aerated.
When used for closing bottles containing non-aerated or non-gaseous liquids as
wines, beer, or some mineral waters, the stopper has attached to it a string or wire
by which it is pulled up into the neck of the bottle, which string or wire may
then be cut off or wrapped around the neck of the bottle.
When I construct the case, bag, or pouch with two openings I pass through said
openings a small tube of suitable material which I close with a small ball, plug,
or cock, and when used with aerated or gaseous liquids I remove the plug, open
the cock, or press down the ball into the tube, and by these means the pressure of
the gas is relieved through the tube, and the main stopper falls gently to the
bottom of the bottle, the contents not being blown forcibly out, as is the case
frequently with other stoppers. I sometimes apply the stopper with two openings
to wines, ales, mineral waters, oils, or similar liquids, so that any required quantity
can be drawn at will, and the remainder securely retained by the main stopper.
In addition to the above mentioned forms of stoppers I propose sometimes to employ
a stopper having at its bottom end a round or flat button or washer of suitable
material with one or more holes in it and small enough to pass down the neck of
the bottle. On the top end of this stopper I fix a similar button or capsule larger
than that at bottom, and through this a pin of wire passes from the bottom button,
projecting sufficiently through the top capsule to allow it to be twisted tight,
thereby drawing together the bottom and top buttons and compressing the stopper
(already filled with solid material or liquid, as above described) between the two
buttons, causing it to expand and lock itself and to perfectly close the neck of
bottle. In some cases I use only the stopper with the lower button or washer,
without the upper button or capsule, with a pin of wire or a cord through it to
draw it up and expand it so as to close the neck of the bottle. In both these
latter applications the stopper takes the form of a cork inserted from the interior
of the bottle.
In some cases where the neck of the bottle tapers gradually larger to the
mouth, I apply my stoppers from the outside after the manner of a cork, in which
cases it forms an external stopper, the particles of material with which it is filled
changing their position within it, and causing it to take the form of the neck or
mouth of the bottle or vessel and to close it perfectly both air and watertight.
It will be understood that the construction of stoppers which I have herein
described enables them to be used without any special formation of the neck of the
bottle or vessel, as the particles of material with which they are filled or partly
filled are free to move round each other (changing their relative positions), and thus
to change the external form of the case, bag, or pouch, and cause it to adapt itself
to the form of the neck of the bottle or vessel and make a perfectly air and water-
tight joint between the stopper and the bottle neck without any special formation
or fitting in the bottle neck. This I consider is the chief and valuable feature in
my Invention, as a bottle or vessel of any shape in the neck or outlet can be closed
perfectly by such stoppers. The solid material being contained within a soft
yielding casing protects the bottle from being "starred or broken in washing out
by the stopper being shaken against its inside.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Scope Davison in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th November 1881.
JAMES SCOPE DAVISON, of Sunderland, in the County of Durham, Glass
Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR CLOSING BOTTLES OR OTHER
VESSELS CONTAINING AERATED, GASEOUS, OR OTHER LIQUIDS."
My Invention relates to improvements in the stoppers used for closing the
mouths of bottles or other vessels, and consists of constructing cases, bags, or
pouches of any suitable flexible or elastic material which is waterproof (or water-
proof where in contact with the contained liquid), such as india-rubber, leather,
gutta percha, papier-maché, thin metallic substances, cotton, linen, or other textile
fabrics rendered waterproof by preparation.
These cases, bags, or pouches I construct by sewing, pressing, or moulding of
such dimensions as when expanded by being filled to adapt themselves to fit the
sizes and shapes of the mouths of the necks of the bottles or vessels to be stopped
or closed.
In some cases the cases, bags, or pouches may be coated with a suitable glazing
material to increase their durability, or for cleanliness and neatness. These cases,
bags, or pouches may be perfectly spherical, oval, oblong, conical, or of any shape
of the required strength of material, and may have a smooth plain surface, which I
prefer, or may be ribbed or corrugated. They may be formed with one opening
only, or with one opening at each end, which may be self closing or closed by
drawing together by a wire or cord or closed by a spring. The case, bag, or pouch
being formed of suitable size is passed into the neck of the bottle or vessel to be
closed, and is then filled or partly filled by means of a suitable funnel shaped
instrument with solid or liquid material till it is expanded to the form of (but
slightly larger than) the neck or outlet of the bottle or other vessel, when the filling
instrument is withdrawn, and the opening or mouth of the case, bag, or pouch
either closes by its elasticity or is closed by a spring, wire, cord, or plug, or other
means. The material used for filling the case, bag, or pouch may be sand, gravel,
small stones, shot, or a quantity of small pellets of block tin (or other suitable
metals), plaster, glass, or other material (preferably spherical), or water, or the
liquid which the bottle is to contain may in some cases be used.
The case, bag, or pouch in its expanded state and weighted by its contents
forms the stopper and falls whichever way the bottle is turned, and when turned
mouth downwards it will close the neck of the bottle, the materials within it
changing their position to adapt the shape of the stopper to suit the shape of the
neck or outlet of the bottle, and the stopper is forced into close watertight and
airtight contact with the inside of the neck of the bottle, and held there by the
pressure of contained liquid when gaseous or aërated. When used for closing
bottles containing non-aerated or non-gaseous liquids, as wines, beer, or some
mineral waters, the stopper has attached to it a string or wire by which it is pulled
up into the neck of the bottle, which string or wire may then be cut off or wrapped
round the neck of the bottle, or the stopper may be made to fix and fasten itself in
the neck by its own weight when the bottle is inverted.
When I construct the case, bag, or pouch with two openings, I pass through said
openings a small tube of suitable material which I close with a small ball, plug, or
cork, and when used with aerated or gaseous liquids I remove the plug, open the
cork, or press down the ball into the tube, and by these means the pressure of the
gas is relieved through the tube, and the main stopper falls gently to the bottom of
the bottle, the contents not being blown forcibly out, as is the case frequently with
other stoppers.

page_text: I sometimes apply the stopper with two openings to wines, also mineral waters,
oils, or similar liquids, so that any required quantity can be drawn at will, and the
remainder securely retained by the main stopper. In addition to the above
mentioned forms of stoppers, I propose sometimes to employ a stopper having at its
bottom end a round or flat button or washer of suitable material, with one or more
holes in it for fixing it to the case, and small enough to pass down the neck of the
bottle.
On the top end of the stopper I fix a similar button or capsule larger than that
at bottom, and through this a pin of wire passes from the bottom button, projecting
sufficiently through the top capsule to allow it to be twisted tight, thereby drawing
together the bottom and top buttons and compressing the stopper (already filled
with solid material or liquid as above described) between the two buttons, causing
it to expand and lock itself and to perfectly close the neck of bottle.
In some cases I use only the stopper with the lower button or washer (without
the upper button or capsule) with a pin of wire or a cord through it to draw it up
and expand it so as to close the neck of the bottle. Or I use the lower button or
washer only, fixed to the case and held in the neck of the bottle by pressure.
In these latter applications the stopper takes the form of a cork inserted from
the interior of the bottle. In some cases when the neck of the bottle tapers
gradually larger to the mouth, I apply my stoppers from the outside after the
manner of a cork, in which cases it forms an external stopper, the particles of
inaterial, solid or liquid, with which it is filled changing their positions within it,
with or without the button or washer as above described, and causing it to take
the form of the neck or mouth of the bottle or vessel and to close it perfectly both
air and watertight. It will be understood that the construction of stoppers wbich
I have herein described enables them to be used without any special formation
of the neck of the bottle or vessel, as the particles of material, solid or liquid, with
which they are filled or partly filled are free to move round each other (changing
their relative positions), and thus to change the external form of the case, bag, or
pouch, and cause it to adapt itself to the form of the neck of the bottle or vessel,
and make a perfectly air and watertight joint between the stopper and the bottle
neck, without any special formation or fitting in the bottle neck. This I consider
is the chief and valuable feature in my Invention, as a bottle or vessel of any shape
in the neck or outlet can be closed perfectly by such stoppers. The solid material
being contained within a soft yielding casing protects the bottle from being
starred" or broken in washing out by the stopper being shaken against its
The accompanying Sheet of Drawings fully illustrates the various forms in which
I propose to construct the cases forming the stoppers and the buttons or capsules
appertaining to them.
Figures 1, 14, 1³, 1°, 10, and 1%, shew the cases in a spherical form (or nearly
spherical), with one opening or mouth piece, and filled or partly filled with particles
of solid material or with liquid. Figure 1º, having a plug inserted (round which
the mouth is closed) with a round knob on outer end. Figure 1 has a bottom
button attached with a wire or cord attached passing through a capsule on top of
bottle mouth, by which it is drawn up into the neck of the bottle in cases where
there is no internal pressure.
Figures 2, 24, 2B, shew the cases also in a spherical form with two openings or
mouths piece, and filled or partly filled with solid or liquid, and all having a tube
passing through both openings and closed with small plugs at ends.
Figures 3 and 34 shew the cases of an oval or oblong form. Figure 3 having
two openings closed with a button at each end, and Figure 34 having a button
at bottom end with a capsule on bottle mouth with a wire or cord to draw the
button against the capsule.

page_text: Figures 4, 4, 4B, 4°, 4D, and 4, shew the cases or stoppers in various modified
forms in which I propose to use them, Figure 4B having a tube through with plugs
in ends, and Figures 44, 4°, 4D, and 4, having buttons inserted or attached to one
end of various forms.
Figures 5 and 54 shew the stoppers in form of corks intended for external
insertion, but which may in some cases be applied internally. Figure 5 has a
tube passing through it as before described, and Figure 5A has a button inserted in
one end, and the sides of the case are corrugated as shewn.
Figures 6, 6A, 6B, 6º, 6º, 6º, 6ºF, and 60, shew various forms in which I propose
to make the buttons for insertion into or attaching to the cases or stoppers, and
which I propose to make of any suitable material, as wood, vulcanite, &c., &c.
The stoppers shewn by Figures 1, 14, 1B, and 1, Figure 2B, Figures 3 and 3ª,
Figures 4, 44, 48, 40, 40, and 4, are specially adapted for internal stoppering (but
may be applied externally), and Figures 1° and 1º, 2 and 2ª, and 54, are specially
adapted for external stoppering (but may be applied internally), in fact it will be
seen that the stoppers in nearly every case may be so adapted as to apply either
externally or internally.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and illustrated the manner in
which it may be carried into practical operation in the several cases to which
it applies, I claim as novel and secured to me by the hereinbefore partly recited
Letters Patent,-
-
Firstly. For closing the necks or mouths of bottles or other similar vessels from
the interior the use or application of stoppers formed of an elastic or yielding
case filled or partly filled with solid or liquid material, substantially as shewn and
described.
Secondly. For closing the necks or mouths of bottles or other similar vessels
from the exterior, the use or application of stoppers formed of an elastic or yielding
case filled or partly filled with solid or liquid material, substantially as shewn and
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Scope Davison, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty fourth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
Witness,
T. J. DANSON,
Consulting Engineer & Patent Agent,
3, St. Nicholas Buildings,
Newcastle on Tyne.
JAMES S. DAVISON. (L.S.)