Improvements in and relating to Bottles to Prevent them being. Refilled.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 23rd Apr., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Bottles to Prevent them being.
Refilled.
We, LYMAN WHEELER MERRIAM (Manufacturer), of 148, Pearl Street, in the
Town of Fitchburg, County of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, United States
of America, JOHN SHERMAN BORDNER (Manufacturer), of 119, N. Fayette Street, in
the City and County of Alexandria, and State of Virginia, United States of America,
and GEORGE OLIVER ALLEN (Merchant), of 131, Main Street, in the Town of
Fitchburgh, above referred to, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in bottles or liquid-containing receptacles
of the general class denominated anti-refillable bottles, the object of the invention
being to prevent the refilling of the bottle with spurious contents by fraudulent
dealers after the original genuine contents of the bottle have been disposed of, and
the invention therefore consists essentially in the construction, arrangement and
combination of parts substantially as will be hereinafter described and claimed.
In the accompanying drawing illustrating our invention-
Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of our improved anti-refillable bottle, the
mouth end only of the same being shown.
Figure 2 is a detail side elevation of the locking stopper.
Figure 3 is a detail plan view of the bent ring employed in connection with the
aforesaid stopper for locking it in the mouth end of the bottle.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of a channelled block which forms an element of our
anti-refillable combination.
Figure 5 is a top plan view of the channelled block shown in Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the weight or device situated between the valve
and the channelled block, and resting on the former.
Figure 7 is a sectional view of a modification of the valve.
Figure 8 is a side elevation of a modification of the valve.
Similar letters of reference represent corresponding parts throughout the different
figures.
A designates an example of bottle presented herein simply by way of illustration,
the same having the interior neck bore a which may be of any suitable dimensions,
it being at one point of a suitable diameter to provide a seat for the valve F. The
diameter of the mouth between the seat of the valve F and the periphery of the
mouth is suitably shaped and varied to admit the locking stopper, the channelled
block, and the weight, which co-operate, as I shall presently explain.
At the periphery of the mouth is inserted the locking stopper B having a
B¹
flange B2 which fits over the periphery, and having also a circumferential groove
that receives the waved or bent wire ring C which engages the rebate A' on the
inner periphery of the mouth of the bottle, as shown in Figure 1, and in this way
the stopper B is securely locked non-removably in the mouth of the bottle. This

page_text: stopper B is provided with a central opening b designed to receive a cork or other
stopper. The innermost diameter of the opening b is preferably one-half inch in
diameter, or about one-fifth of a square inch in circular area.
The seat for the valve F is preferably five-eighths of an inch in diameter at the
point of smallest diameter, or about three-tenths of a square inch in circular area.
The valve F may be made of cork, glass, metal, or any other suitable material,
and its shape may vary considerably. One form is represented in Figure 1, another
form is delineated in Figures 7 and 8. It may, if preferred, be made of a combina-
tion of glass and cork or other materials. When it is of the form shown in
Figure 7, it is preferably provided with an inset packing ring of cork, as shown at f.
It preferably has depending guides of the form F1, shown in Figure 1, or the
forin F2 shown in Figures 7 and 8. The valve F preferably has a weight of about
fifty grains, although it can be made to successfully operate if its weight varies
from forty grains to sixty grains, and we therefore fix these limits for the proper
weight of the valve for the given dimensions of bottle neck.
The channelled block D is situated below the locking stopper B within the mouth
of the bottle A and resting in a stationary position on the ledge A² formed within
the mouth A, the said channelled block resting between the shoulder A² and the
stopper B, the latter having on its underside a conical seat or recess to receive the
upper similarly-shaped part of the block D. The periphery of the block D is
provided with several notches or openings cut in the edge of block D, as is most
clearly shown in Figure 5, said notches being represented by the reference letter D¹.
Also the upper part of the block D is provided with several vertical notches or grooves
cut therein at D². It will be evident upon inspection of Figures 4 and 5, that the
peripheral openings DI are not in line with the vertical openings D2, and that the
passage of a wire or other instrument downwardly through the vertical openings D²
would not be effective in reaching the peripheral openings D¹ for the purpose of
passing therethrough and tampering with the valve beneath. These vertical
openings D² are situated beneath the stopper opening b.
It will be evident that in pouring liquid out of the bottle it will first pass
through the peripheral openings D', then around the periphery of the block D
until it reaches the several vertical openings D2 through which it will pass, reaching the
stopper opening b and emerging thence from the bottle. The sum total of the several
vertical openings D², which openings we term the outlet openings of the channelled
block, constitutes an area of about one-seventh of a square inch, but this area may
vary from one-twelfth of a square inch to one-fifth of a square inch. In practice
we have found that one-twelfth of a square inch is as small as is practicable for
the area of the outlet opening, and that good results may be achieved if the opening
be no smaller than one-twelfth of a square inch, and no larger than one-fifth of a
square inch, .e., for the given diameter of the bore of the bottle neck.
The sum total of the several peripheral openings D¹ may vary considerably with-
out any material or marked effect upon the operation of the combination. We
commonly employ in practice four of the vertical outlet openings D², and likewise
four of the peripheral openings D¹, but the required area of outlet openings, which
as we have said, is in the present example one-seventh of a square inch (with a
permissible variation of from one-twelfth to one fifth) may be subdivided into less
than four outlets or more than four, as preferred.
On the under side of the channelled block D is a central cone D³ surrounded by
a V-shaped groove D, which groove is cut in the underside of the block D so as to
leave said conical projection D³.
E denotes a weight situated between the valve and the channelled block, said
weight being movable and having a hollow conical extension e on its upper side,
which is designed to loosely fit into the groove D, and embrace the cone D³, and
which likewise enables the weight E when below the block D to maintain the
proper relative position to the other parts, said weight resting upon the valve, as
shown in Figure 1. The weight of this weight E is preferably 132 grains,
although it may be as light as 130 grains, but it should not be less than the latter

page_text: On
veight, although it may be considerably heavier than 132 grains, if desired.
he upper edge of weight E are several small projections or lifts el e¹ which come
n contact with the lower face of the block D when the conical extension e engages
he cone D³, said lifts being for the purpose of preventing a too close contact
between the weight and the block D.
Thus it will be seen that for a given area of valve seat or outlet opening in the
bottle neck, which area we have designated as three-tenths of a square inch, and
for a given area of nozzle opening at the mouth end of the bottle neck, the area of
which opening we have specified as one-fifth of a square inch, the area of the
outlet ports in the channelled block should be about one-seventh of a square inch
with a permissible variation of from one-twelfth to one-fifth. The weight of the
valve should be about fifty grains and the weight of the weight proper about 130
grains or more. Practical tests have demonstrated the correctness of these several
dimensions and weights, and it has been found that any material departure there-
from is attended with bad results, while with these specified proportions excellent
results have been attained and it has been found impossible to refill a bottle of the
kind referred to after once its contents have been emptied. The specified
proportions not only permit facility in emptying the original contents from the
bottle, but they effectually preclude the re-admission of anything more than a slight
amount of liquid into the interior of the bottle again.
The conical extension e of the weight E should be so proportioned as to have
sufficient movement when drops into groove D to allow the valve F to move
from its seat the distance of about one-eighth of an inch. We find that this gives
the best results.
The operation of our improved combination will be evident from the foregoing
description without the necessity of additional detail. In emptying the bottle of
its contents it will be perceived that when it is reversed in position- the weight E
will drop into the groove D', thus allowing the valve to be removed from its seat
and the bottle's contents to pass through the valve and then through the other
parts, finding exit at the outlet opening b.
Within the bottle mouth A and around the lower periphery of the locking
stopper B is a packing ring H of cork or some similar suitable material which is
situated tightly between a shoulder on the inner face of the bottle mouth A and the
lower portion of the locking stopper B for the purpose of making a tight joint at
that point, and preventing any possibility of leakage of the contents of the bottle
around the locking stopper at the point where the latter comes in contact with the
periphery of the mouth of the bottle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim, is:-
1. In a non-refillable bottle, the combination with the bottle neck having a bore of
given diameter, the locking stopper inserted in the mouth end of the bottle neck
and provided with an opening of a given size, the circular area of said opening in
the locking stopper being to the valve seat in the bore of the neck substantially as
two to three, a channelled block situated within the bottle mouth below the locking
stopper and having an outlet whose area is substantially equal to that of the outlet
in the locking stopper but variable within certain narrow limits, a valve operative
in connection with the valve seat, and a movable weight between the valve and the
channelled block, said weight being from two to three times as heavy as the valve,
substantially as described.
2. In a non-refillable bottle, the combination with the bottle neck having in the
bore thereof a valve seat, a locking stopper inserted non-removably in the mouth end
of the bottle and provided with a central outlet opening having a ratio to the valve
seat as two to three or thereabouts, a channelled block in the bottle mouth below
the bottle stopper and having an outlet which is subdivided into several openings,
the sum total of which presents an area substantially equal to that of the opening

page_text: in the locking stopper but adapted to be varied if desired within certain narrow
limits, a valve on the valve seat, and a weight between the valve and the channelled
block, said weight being from two to three times as heavy as the valve, substantially.
as described.