IMPROVEMENTS IN LIQUOR FRAMES AND OTHER FRAMES FOR HOLDING BOTTLES AND VESSELS
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Toft at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th July
1867.
I, CHARLES TOFT, of Handsworth, in the County of Stafford, Modeller, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
LIQUOR FRAMES AND OTHER FRAMES FOR HOLDING BOTTLES AND VESSELS," to be as
follows:-
My Invention consists of the improvements, herein-after described, in liquor
frames, frames for holding wine bottles, and other frames for holding bottles
and vessels; my said improvements having for their object the securing of
the bottles or vessels in the frame when not in use, and preventing access to.
the contents of the said bottles or vessels.
In making a liquor frame according to my Invention I construct and
arrange the parts in the following manner :-I make in the base or foot of the
frame a series of rings or circular depressions, in which the bottoms of the
liquor bottles fit, and instead of using a fixed handle at the top of the vertical
central stem of the frame I use a moveable handle, and so construct it that it
serves both to lift the frame by and to secure the liquor bottles in the frame.
I make the said moveable bandle of three or more radial arms having
expanded terminations, the said arms springing from the central rod of the
handle; the said arms are of such a diameter that their expanded free ends
are capable of being brought over and pressed upon the stoppers of the liquor
bottles in the frame, or being removed therefrom by giving the said handle
motion in a horizontal plane. The bottom of the rod of the handle works in

page_text: a socket or bearing at the upper part of the central stem of the frame; in
the said upper part of the stem a small lock is inserted, the bolt of which may
at pleasure be made to enter a staple or recess in the bottom of the handle,
and thereby fasten the said handle to the said stem of the frame and prevent
its rotation. When it is required to remove the bottles from the frame for
use the handle is unlocked and rotated through a portion of a circle, by which
means the expanded ends of its arms are removed from the tops of the stoppers
of the bottles, and the latter may be removed by raising them vertically from
the rings or depressions in the foot of the frame. In order to secure the
bottles in the frame the handle is rotated so as to cause the ends of its arms
to press upon the stoppers of the bottles and hold them in the frame; by then
locking the handle in the manner described it cannot be rotated from off the
stoppers of the bottles, and the removal of the bottles from the frame and
access to the contents of the said bottles is thus prevented; the moveable
handle may have a slight vertical motion in addition to the horizontal motion
described. In this case the handle is so constructed that when first turned to
remove its arms from over the buttles it slightly rises, and when the arms
are brought over the bottles it slightly descends; by this means the said arms
are readily removed from the bottles and pressed firmly upon the bottles for
securing them in the frame.
Pickle frames and other similar frames, such as frames for holding bottles
containing oil and vinegar, are constructed in the manner described with respect
to liquor frames.
In constructing frames for holding wine bottles I modify the parts in the
following manner :-I make the handle of a series of arms, as before described,
the said handle having a vertical motion only; but in place of the expanded
ends described I make the ends of the arms of a hollow, conical, or trumpet-
mouth shape, that is, of such a shape that when the handle is permitted to
descend its arms are made to embrace the corks and necks of the bottles. On
locking the handle in its place the bottles are prevented from being removed
from the frame. In this arrangement the access to the bottles is obtained by
raising the bandle vertically instead of turning it aside, or horizontally, as
as described with respect to liquor frames.
By the shape which is given to the handle of the liquor and other frames
it is capable of being made highly ornamental.