IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOSING OR STOPPERING BOTTLES, JARS, AND OTHER RECEPTACLES
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Scott, of Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Glass Manufacturer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOSING OR STOPPERING BOTTLES, JARS, AND
OTHER RECEPTACLES."
Sealed the 1st July 1853, and dated the 28th January 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Scott, at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 28th January 1853.
We do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOSING OR STOPPERING BOTTLES, JARS, AND OTHER
RECEPTACLES" to be as follows :-
This Invention relates to a simple and effective means of closing
the necks or apertures of bottles, jars and other containing vessels
without the aid of corks as at present. By this plan a screw thread
is cut or moulded on the inner surface of the bottle neck or opening
at the time of moulding or shaping the bottle and into this screwed
neck or aperture, a correspondingly screwed stopper of glass, earth-
enware, wood, gutta percha, or other material is entered.
stopper is formed with a suitable head to facilitate adjustment and
This
15474-1.

page_text: its entering portion is screwed externally to correspond with the
internal screw in the neck whilst beneath the expanded head is a
groove containing an annular jointing piece of some soft or elastic
material as gutta percha, india rubber canvass or other substance.
In this way when the stopper is screwed into the bottle, this elastic
surface bears down on the end surface of the neck and preserves a
tight junction. Such stoppers are easily screwed in and out whilst
they are always present for usc and will last as long as the bottle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters
Patent, filed by the said Joseph Scott in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 27th July 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME I
JOSEPH SCOTT of Glasgow in the County of Lanark North
Britain Glass Manufacturer send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria by Her
Letters Patent bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of January
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three
in the sixteenth year of Her reign did for Herself Her heirs and
successors give and grant unto me the said Joseph Scott Her special
license that I the said Joseph Scott my executors administrators
and assigns or such others as I the said Joseph Scott my executors
administrators or assigns should at any time agree with and no
others from time to time and at all times thoreafter during the
term therein expressed should and lawfully might make use
exercise and vend within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland the Channel Islands and Isle of Man an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOSING OR STOPPERING BOTTLES JARS AND
OTHER RECEPTACLES upon the condition (amongst others) that I
the said Joseph Scott by an instrument in writing under my hand
and seal should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention and in what manner the same was to be per-
formed and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
"

page_text: Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE that I the said Joseph Scott do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement reference being had to
the accompanying Drawings and to the letters and figures marked
thereon that is to say.
By this
My said Invention relates to a simple and effective means of
closing the necks or apertures of bottles, jars and other containing
vessels without the aid of corks as at present employed.
plan a screw thread is cut or moulded on the inner surface of the
bottle neck or opening at the time of moulding or shaping the
bottle and into this screwed neck or aperture, a correspondingly
screwed stopper of glass, earthenware, wood gutta percha or other
material is entered. This stopper is formed with a suitable head
to facilitate adjustment and its entering portion is screwed exter-
nally to correspond with the internal screw in the neck whilst
beneath the expanded head is a groove containing an annular
jointing piece of some soft or elastic material as gutta percha, india
rubber, canvass or other substance. In this way when the stopper
is screwed into the bottle, this elastic surface bears down on the
end surface of the neck and preserves a tight junction. Such
stoppers are easily screwed in and out whilst they are always pre-
sent for use and will last as long as the bottle.
Figure 1, on my Sheet of Drawings represents a complete external
elevation of a wine bottle as in the act of being finished with the
shaping instrument or shears as being just drawn out; Figure 2,
is a similar elevation partly in section with the shears in the act
of forming the mouth or bottle neck internally and externally;
Figure 3, is an end view of a portion of the instrument shewing
the engaging and disengaging catch for the screw spindle Figure
4 is a longitudinal section of the neck of the bottle, with the stopper
in its place; and Figure 5, is an elevation of of the bottle and
stopper complete. The shears only differ from those in use and

page_text: well known to the bottle manufacturer as far as regards the central
spindle for forming the interior of the mouth of the bottle. The
two outside shaping pieces A, are jointed to a socket piece B, loose
on the central rod C, which shapes the interior of the mouth and
has a screw thread cut upon it, for that purpose, at D, where it is
slightly tapered. The shear arms are kept extended by springs E,
fixed to the piece B, whilst they are prolonged beyond the joint B,
and bent inwards to embrace a small ratchet wheel F fixed on the
end of the screw spindle c. The shears are further kept in position
by a cross piece G, the ends of which work in slots in the shears
and these are prevented from being brought too close together by
shoulders on the cross piece. The bottle H, having been blown in
the usual way and being separated from the punty a small quantity
of semi-fluid glass is taken upon the neck to form the mouth, the
bottle being held by its bottom end. The workman then introduces
the screw D into the neck and when entered up to the shoulder I
he closes the shears A, and turns the bottle round rapidly on his
knee the rotation forming the smooth outside of the mouth whilst
the pressure forces the glass into the thread of the screw D, as
represented in Figure 2, on my Drawings. The closing of the shears
A, upon the bottle releases the small ratchet wheel F upon the end
of the rod or spindle c, so that this spindle revolves with the bottle
and the rotation consequently does not affect the formation of the
screw upon the interior of the bottle's neck. When the shears are
allowed to open their opposite shorter ends close upon the ratchet
wheel F and the rod c, with its screwed end D may then be un-
crewed from the bottle's mouth leaving a perfect screw thread therein.
One form of the stopper employed is represented in Figures 4 and
5 on my Sheet of Drawings. The stopper A in these views is
formed with an external screw thread corresponding to the internal
one in the mouth of the bottle B, and beneath the expanded head is
a ring C, of india rubber, gutta percha or other elastic substance
let into an annular groove in the head and forming a tight joint.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of
my said Invention and the manner in which the same is or may be

page_text: used or carried into effect I may observe in conclusion that I do
not confine or restrict myself to the precise details or arrangement
which I have had occasion to describe or refer to, as many variations
may be made therefrom without deviating from the principles or
main features of my Invention, but what I consider to be novel
and original and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,
First the general construction of bottles and stoppers as herein-
before described.
Second the application and use in bottles with internally screwed
necks, of stoppers with an external screw to correspond, and with
a ring of soft or elastic material let into a groove in the overhang-
ing part of the head of the stopper thereby securing an air-tight
junction as herein-before described.
Third the system or mode of constructing the shears or shaping
apparatus for bottles with an engaging and disengaging screw
spindle for the purposes herein-before described.
Fourth the application and use in bottle shears of a central or
intermediate screw spindle for screwing the interior of the neck at
the time of moulding the exterior thereof and the system or mode
of engaging or disengaging the same by the action of opening or
closing the shears as herein-before described.
In witness whereof I the said Joseph Scott have hereunto set
my hand and seal the Twenty-fifth day of July in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three.
JOSEPH SCOTT. (L.S.)