Improvements in the Apparatus for and Method of Closing Bottles, Jars, and other like Vessels.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 28th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 2nd Feb., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Apparatus for and Method of Closing Bottles,
Jars, and other like Vessels.
I, STAFFORD HILL, of the Firm of G. V. De Luca, Hill & Co. of 6 and 7 Long
Lane, Aldersgate Street, in the City of London, Glass Bottle Manufacturers do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has reference to the stoppering of vessels from which the air is
expelled or exhausted so that the atmospheric pressure becomes available for
closing and retaining the stopper.
According to my invention I employ a stopper rather too small to fill the nozzle
to be stoppered, and I place round the stopper between it and the internal surface
of the nozzle, a rubber ring which in consequence of the shape of the nozzle and
stopper becomes compressed when the stopper is pressed into its place and the thus
compressed rubber ring makes a thoroughly sound and airtight joint.
I make the internal surface of each nozzle intended to be stoppered according
to my invention taper slightly from the top downwards so as to be largest at top
and tapering to a slightly smaller size within.
I make the stopper of corresponding tapered shape that is to say an inverted
truncated cone but of more rapid taper than the nozzle and at the upper end or
base of the cone I make a flange which when the stopper is in its place closes
down over the top of the nozzle. I also form on the opposite or inner end of the
stopper a small rim or ridge which serves to prevent the rubber ring next mentioned
slipping off the end of the stopper while it is being manipulated.
The rubber ring I prefer should be of circular cross section and of size to fit
round the stopper when slightly stretched.
In order to close a vessel say for instance a wide nosed bottle, the latter having
been filled as may be required a ring is placed round the stopper and rests against
the rim at the lower end thereof. The stopper is then placed in the nozzle but
not driven home, the thickness of the rubber ring being such as to admit of its
entering easily the top of the nozzle, and a weight or any other convenient
arrangement may be applied to keep the stopper steady in its place while the air is
being exhausted.
The air is then expelled or exhausted from the bottle either by boiling its
contents or by placing it under the receiver of an air pump, after which, when
condensation of the steam within the bottle takes place, in the one case, or
air is readmitted to the receiver in the other case, the atmospheric pressure
on the stopper forces it into the nozzle until the flange rests on the top of the
bottle.
The rubber ring during the descent of the stopper rolls between the two conical
or tapered surfaces and becomes more compressed as the stopper descends thus
making a very thoroughly air tight joint.
The stopper is thus held in by the force of the atmospheric pressure and if
the nozzle is of considerable size, say for instance 2 inches in diameter, it
would require great force to withdraw the stopper so long as this state of things
continued.
For the purpose of facilitating the opening of such vessels as well as for other
reasons I generally prefer to make my stoppers of sheet metal formed into the
required shape by dies or otherwise and such stoppers are very light, cheap, and

page_text: efficient, and to open bottles, jars or other vessels so stoppered it is only necessary
to pierce the stopper, a prick from the point of a knife is sufficient, when the air
rushes in and the stopper may be lifted off without difficulty or trouble.
When stoppers other than of sheet metal are used provision may be made for
piercing the rubber ring instead of the stopper.
Dated the 6th day of April 1894.
NEWNHAM BROWNE,
Agent for the Applicant.
improvements in the Apparatus for and Method of Closing Bottles,
Jars, and other like Vessels.
C
I, STAFFORD HILL, of the Firm of G. V. De Luca Hill & Co., of 6 and 7, Long
Lane, Aldersgate Street, in the City of London, Glass Bottle Manufacturers, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
My invention has reference to the stoppering of vessels from which the air is
expelled or exhausted so that the atmospheric pressure becomes available for
closing and retaining the stopper.
According to my invention I employ a stopper rather too small to fill the nozzle
to be stoppered, and I place round the stopper between it and the internal surface
of the nozzle, a rubber ring which in consequence of the shape of the nozzle and
stopper becomes compressed when the stopper is pressed into its place and the thus
compressed rubber ring makes a thoroughly sound and air tight joint.
In order that my invention may be fully understood I have annexed a sheet of
drawings in which
Fig. 1, is an elevation of the stopper and ring. Fig. 2, is a section of the
same.
Fig. 3, is the section of a bottle with the stopper and ring in the position it
assumes when closed by atmospheric pressure.
I make the internal surface a of each nozzle A intended to be stoppered
according to my invention, taper slightly from the top downwards so as to be
largest at top and tapering, or curving, to a slightly smaller size within.
I make the stopper B of corresponding tapered shape, that is to say an inverted
truncated cone 6 but of more rapid taper than is the nozzle, and at the upper end
or base of the cone I make a flange C which, when the stopper is in its place,
closes down over the top D of the nozzle A. I also form on the opposite, or
inner, end of the stopper a small rim, or ridge, E, which serves to prevent the
rubber ring next mentioned slipping off the end of the stopper while it is being
manipulated.
The rubber ring G I prefer should be of circular cross section and of size to fit
round the stopper B when slightly stretched.
In order to close a vessel, say for instance a wide nosed bottle, the latter having
been filled as may be required, a ring G is placed round the stopper and allowed
to rest against the rim E at the lower end thereof. The stopper B is then placed
in the nozzle, but not driven home, the thickness of the rubber ring G being such
as to admit of its entering easily the top of the nozzle and a weight, or any other
convenient arrangement, may be applied to keep the stopper steady in its place
while the air is being exhausted.
The air is then expelled, or exhausted from the bottle either by boiling its
contents or by placing it under the receiver of an air pump, after which, when

page_text: condensation of the steam within the bottle takes place in the one case, or air is
readmitted to the receiver in the other case, the atmospheric pressure on the
stopper B forces it into the nozzle A until the flange rests on the top of the
bottle at D.
The rubber ring during the descent of the stopper rolls between the two conical
or tapered surfaces a and b and becomes more compressed as the stopper descends
thus making a very thoroughly air tight joint.
The stopper B is thus held in the nozzle A by the force of the atmospheric
pressure and if the nozzle is of considerable size it requires great force to withdraw
the stopper so long as this state of things continues.
For the purpose of facilitating the opening of such vessels as well as for other
reasons I generally prefer to make my stoppers of sheet metal formed into the
required shape by dies or otherwise and such stoppers are very light, cheap and
efficient. To open bottles, jars, or other vessels so stoppered it is only necessary
to pierce the stopper, a prick from the point of a knife is sufficient, when the air
rushes in and the stopper may be lifted off without difficulty or trouble.
When stoppers other than of sheet metal are used provision may be made for
piercing the rubber ring instead of the stopper.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The improvements in apparatus for, and method of, closing bottles, jars and
other like vessels hereinbefore described and set forth.
2. Stoppering bottles and keeping them stoppered by means of atmospheric
pressure acting on a stopper of conical or tapered figure within a nozzle of corre-
sponding but less rapid taper, between which is a rubber ring which rolls as the
stopper descends and thus becomes compressed between the two surfaces thereby
making an air tight joint substantially as described and set forth.
Dated the 28th day of December 1894.
STAFFORD HILL.