IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES CONTAINING AERATED LIQUIDS OR LIQUIDS UNDER GASEOUS PRESSURE
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by John Hollis Vanes at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th May 1883. Communicated to him
from abroad by Arthur Bayley Vanes of Witenhage Cape Colony.
JOHN HOLLIS VANES of Aston near Birmingham in the County of Warwick
Commercial Traveller "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES CONTAINING
AERATED LIQUIDS OR LIQUIDS UNDER GASEOUS PRESSURE [communicated to him
from abroad by Arthur Bayley Vanes of Witenhage Cape Colony.]
"
The said invention consists of the improvements herein after described in
stoppers for bottles containing äerated liquids or liquids under gaseous pressure.
The bottles with which stoppers constructed according to the said invention are
used have a contraction in the neck which contraction constitutes a valve seat and
the stopper constitutes when in action a valve pressed and supported against the
said valve seat by the compressed gas occupying the neck of the bottle.
By constructing stoppers in the ways hereinafter described the opening of the
bottle for the pouring out of its contents is effected with great ease while there is
no risk of the accidental displacement of, the stopper as frequently happens in
other stoppers used for like purposes.
In constructing a stopper according to one of the said improvements a tube
preferably of tinned sheet iron or other metal or alloy not injuriously acting on or
acted upon by the liquid with which the bottle to be stoppered is charged is closed
at one end by a small metallic disc or dome. Immediately under the said disc or
dome the tube is perforated with a small perforation. Over this perforation is a
small but thick india rubber washer covering the said perforation the said washer
being held in position between the terminal disc or dome and a collar on the tube.
The other end of the tube is open and is surrounded by a thimble or cup on the
edge of which is a strong india rubber washer held in position by a second collar
on the tube. This last described washer hereinafter called the large washer is of a
diameter somewhat larger than the valve seat in the neck of the bottle and
constitutes the valve proper.
The said large washer bearing upon the mouth of the thimble or cup closes
and makes an air tight chamber of the said thimble or cup so that when the
stopper is immersed in a liquid the thimble or cup by its buoyancy maintains that
end of the stopper uppermost.

page_text: This position of the stopper may be still further secured by weighting the small
disc or dome closing the other end of the tube. In the said small disc or dome
and near its edge is a hole or cut away portion immediately over the small
perforation in the tube which perforation as has already been remarked is covered
and closed by the small india rubber washer.
The stopper is introduced into the bottle and the bottle filled with liquid under
gaseous pressure in ways well understood which it is unnecessary to describe and
the charged bottle its contents. being still under pressure is inverted when the
stopper falls with the thimble end uppermost the large india rubber washer seating
itself on the contracted part or valve seat in the neck of the bottle.
The bottle being removed from the charging apparatus the pressure in the
interior of the bottle forces the valve to its seat so closely as to effectually secure
its contents. When the bottle is thus closed by its stopper the small disc or dome
is situated a short distance below the level of the mouth of the bottle.
In order to open the bottle it is only necessary to pass a pin or match or small
rod through the hole or cutaway portion of the small disc or dome and press upon
the small india rubber washer. The said washer is thereby removed from over
the small perforation in the tube when the gas from the upper part of the bottle
escapes through the said perforation and the stopper dropping from its seat in the
neck of the bottle the bottle is thereby opened.
According to another of the said improvements the stopper is modified in the
following manner.
The tube large india rubber washer and collar holding the said washer differ
only from the like parts hereinbefore described in the respect that the tube is of
somewhat larger diameter and instead of having a perforation in its side it has a
small central perforation in the closing disc. Within the said tube and in contact
with the closing disc is an india rubber washer and a sphere of metal or other
hard substance is enclosed in the said tube. When this stopper takes its proper
position in the inverted charged bottle the perforated end of the tube is downwards
and the sphere in the tube is pressed upon the india rubber washer and the small
perforation is closed. In order to open the bottle a pin or wire is passed through
the perforation and the sphere is depressed gas rushing out at the said perforation
pressure on the stopper is removed and the said stopper falls.
The last described improvement may be modified by substituting an india
rubber disc for the sphere and india rubber washer described. This disc is
supported at the closed end of the tube and when the stopper is in use is pressed
against the said end and closes the perforation in it. The said disc of india rubber
has a small perforation in it situated eccentrically that is it does not coincide with
tlie perforation in the end of the tube. When a pin or wire is passed through the
perforation in the end of the tube and pressed upon the india rubber disc the said
disc is depressed and gas escapes through its perforation and that in the end of the
tube and the stopper fulls
Various materials may be employed in making the said stoppers.