Improvements in Bottling or Corking Machines for Mineral or Aërated Water or the like.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Sept., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 8th May, 1893-Accepted, 12th Aug., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bottling or Corking Machines for Mineral or
Aërated Water or the like.
I, JAMES HUGHES MINTO of 32 Robarts Road Anfield, in the County of
Lancaster, Brass Founder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object a bottling or corking machine for mineral and
aerated water or the like.
Such bottling machines for stoppering bottles with glass ball stoppers or Codds'
bottles, as they are generally known, have hitherto been constructed with a rotating
filling head which places the bottle alternately in an upright position for ejecting
the air, and in an inverted position for the purpose of stoppering the bottle by
A machine thus constructed
enabling the stopper to fall by gravity into the neck.
is suitable for stoppered bottles only and cannot be altered for corking bottles
without entailing considerable expense.
Now my invention is designed to provide a bottling machine at small first cost in
which the rotating filling head is entirely dispensed with and in which bottles can
be corked as well as stoppered by making a very slight and inexpensive alteration
to the machine.
In carrying my invention into effect, the bottle is grasped, preferably in an
upright position, between a frame plate, or its equivalent, and a stationary filling
head. This filling head is provided with a cup with rubber or other suitable lining
adapted to fit and press on the mouth of the bottle. Passages are provided in the
filling head for delivering the aërated water and syrup to the bottle and any
suitable means may be provided for forcing the syrup into the bottle such, for
example, as an injector or a pump operated by a crank on the driving shaft and
slotted to regulate the feed.
The syrup pump may consist of a kind of bellows adapted at each inspiration to
draw the air out of the syrup measure or vessel, thereby forming a partial vacuum,"
and drawing the requisite quantity of syrup into the measure, after which the
bellows descend, restoring the air into the measure and forcing the syrup into
the bottle.
On the filling head is a packing gland or glands through which a plunger passes.
This plunger is hollow and is provided at its bottom end with a rubber tongue or
finger cupped at the extremity and having a small hole passing completely through
the same which communicates with the bole in the plunger aforesaid and is in
communication with the outside air. The plunger is reciprocated vertically by a
driving shaft, a lever or in any other suitable manner and a coupling is preferably
provided at the top to permit a little play.
The mode of action is as follows-
The machine being put into gear, the bottle is placed in position and grasped as
before described. The plunger is forced downwards until the cup at the extremity
of the rubber finger presses against the stopper. The necessary quantity of syrup
and aërated water in requisite proportions is fed into the bottle. The finger being
in communication with the outside atmosphere, the stopper is subjected on one side
to the pressure of the liquid and on the other to atmospheric pressure only and the
consequence is that as the internal pressure exceeds the atmospheric pressure, the
stopper is forced into and held in the cup at the end of the plunger. The snifting
arrangement is operated, the bottle filled up and the plunger caused to ascend until
the stopper has been raised to the mouth of the bottle where it can by the exertion.

page_text: of a little force be disengaged from the plunger and left in place in the mouth of
the bottle.
For the purpose of corking bottles, the upper part of the filling head is provided
with an opening or cavity for the cork. A stronger plunger is substituted. The
usual process of filling the bottle is gone through and when completed the plunger
descends, forcibly pressing the cork into the bottle and stoppering the same, after
which the bottle can be removed from the machine and wired. An ordinary
corking machine can, when altered in accordance with this invention, be easily
employed when desired for stoppering bottles with glass ball stoppers.
Dated his 9th day of September 1892.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bottling or Corking Machines for Mineral or
Aërated Water or the like.
I, JAMES HUGHES MINTO, of 32, Robarts Road, Anfield, in the County of
Lancaster, Brass Founder, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has for its object a bottling or corking machine for mineral and
aërated water or the like
Such bottling machines for filling internally stoppered bottles (or Codds' bottles,
as they are generally termed) with aërated liquids, have hitherto been constructed
with a rotating filling head which places the bottles alternately in an upright
position for ejecting the air, and in an inverted position for the purpose of stoppering
the bottle by enabling the stopper to fall by gravity into the neck. A machine
thus constructed is suitable for stoppering bottles only, and cannot be altered for
corking bottles without entailing considerable expense.
Now my invention is designed to provide a bottling machine at small first cost,
in which the rotating filling head is entirely dispensed with, and in which bottles
can he either corked or internally-stoppered by making a very slight and inexpensive
alteration in the machine.
The manner in which I prefer to carry out my invention will be best understood
from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,
in which
Figure 1 is an elevation of my machine;
Figure 2 a side elevation thereof;
Figure 3 a vertical section of the syrup measure, and its various appurtenances;
Figure 4 a horizontal section thereof on line a b;
Fig
igure
5 a cross section of a filling head;
Figure 6 a front and side view of the tappet slide ;
Figure 7 a view on an enlarged scale of the said slide, the snift valve and snift
chamber, and the means of controlling the syrup valve;
Figure 8 a view of the device for stoppering the bottle;
Figure 9 a front elevation of the device for working the bellows; and
Figure 10 a plan view of cage showing same opened to receive the bottle.
In these figures, A is the main frame or support; B a stationary filling head
between which and the plate C the bottle is placed in an upright position; can
upright spindle to which the plate C is attached; and D a foot treadle, by pressing
down which the bottle is grasped between B and C. D' is a cage surrounding the
bottle, which, in the possible contingency of the bottle bursting, prevents the
broken glass flying about and doing injury; E a reciprocating rod or slide coupled
at e to the plunger r, and adapted to work synchronously with the latter. It is

page_text: provided with certain projections or tappets for operating various parts of the
machine as hereinafter described. The filling head B is lined with rubber bor
other suitable material adapted to fit and press on the mouth of the bottle.
Passages F and G are provided in the filling head B, for delivering the aërated
water and syrup to the bottle, and any suitable arrangement may be provided for
forcing the syrup into the bottle, such, for example, as the injector shown in
Figure 2, and in detail, on a larger scale, in Figures 3 and 4. The injector consists
of a syrup measure H; the passage through which the syrup Hows into the
measure from a supply tank placed at a suitable height, so that the syrup can flow
by gravity into it; the gas supply pipe I; the gas exit pipe J; the syrup stop
valve K; the regulating valve L for the syrup; the syrup eduction pipe 7, through
which the syrup from the chamber H is injected into the bottle. The amount of
syrup forced into the bottle by the injector is regulated so as to suit bottles of any
require size (e.g. 2 ounces, 1 ounces, ounces), by means of vessel M, with supply
valve m, exit valve m', and stand pipe N leading to the measure H. It will be
seen that, in the position depicted in the drawings, the syrup is flowing from the
passage into the measure H, compressing the contained air, not only in the
measure H, but also in the vessel M. When, therefore, the contained air is com-
pressed to such a degree as to equal the pressure of the inflowing syrup, the
admission of the latter will be automatically stopped. To regulate the quantity of
syrup supplied to the measure H for injection into the bottle it is only necessary
to adjust the height of water in vessel M, by pouring in a further quantity
through m or emptying some out through m The lower the water is in vessel M,
the higher the syrup is capable of rising in the measure H, and, conversely, the
higher the water is in that vessel, the lower the syrup will rise in the measure.
The crank O holds the valve L in the position indicated in Figure 3. If now the
handle S, which also works the rod E, is pulled down, the tappet W releases the
crank O. The result is that the spindle O' is enabled to fly upwards by the pressure
of the spring o', thus closing the passage by valve L but simultaneously opening
the injection passage 1.
Further movement of the rod E brings the tappet X into
contact with the spindle of the gas valve Z, whereby the gas stored in the snift
chamber V is released through pipe I, or if there be no snift chamber provided,
then the gas supply is turned on through said pipe and the pressure of said gas
injects the syrup contained in the measure H through the passages 1, Figures 3
and 4, and F, Figure 5, into the bottle, its return being prevented by the valve F¹.
Next the tappet Y on the rod E opens the relief valve Q, and allows the gas to
escape from the measure H, through the eduction pipe J, thus restoring the
measure to its normal condition and enabling syrup to flow in for the next filling of
the bottle. On the filling head B a packing gland R (Figures 1, 2 and 8) is
screwed, through which the plunger passes. This plunger is tubular and is
provided at its bottom end with a rubber tongue or finger (Figure 8) cupped at
the extremity and having a small hole passing completely through the same, which
communicates with the tubular plunger aforesaid, and is in communication with the
outside air through the opening in the plunger. U is the snift valve which is
relieved at each filling of the bottle, u the spring keeping the valve normally
closed, and V the snift chamber for receiving the snift which is discharged through
the valve U.
The mode of action of the apparatus is as follows:-
2
The machine being put into gear, the bottle is placed in position and grasped
between B and C by pressing down the treadle with the foot. The handle $ is
pulled down, injecting the syrup into the bottle in the manner already described,
and forcing down the plunger r into the bottle, until the cup at the extremnity
of the rubber finger ₁ presses against the glass stopper and the tapered extremity
of the tappet slide E enters the hiatus e¹ between the hinged cages D' and
forces them together so that they close and completely surround the bottle. The
water valve T is opened by hand, allowing the aërated water to flow into the
bottle through passage G and mix with the syrup therein. The snift valve U

page_text: ?'
is relieved at each filling and enables any excess or overflow of gas or aërated
liquid from the bottle to escape through passage w into the snift chamber V,
where it is stored ready for next working the syrup injector, thus obviating any
unnecessary waste of gas. The snift valve is forced open by the pressure of
the gas at the termination of each filling, and closes automatically by pressure of
the spring . (This valve, however, and also the valve Q can be relieved by hand,
if preferred, by connecting the same with the filling valve T.) The finger being
in communication with the outside atmosphere, the stopper is subjected on one side
to the pressure of the aërated liquid in the bottle, and on the other, to atmospheric
pressure only, and the consequence is that, as the internal pressure exceeds the
atmospheric pressure, the stopper is forced into and held in the cup at the end of
the plunger r.
The bottle being filled, the plunger is caused to ascend by lifting
the handle S, until the stopper has been raised to the mouth of the bottle, where it
can, by the exertion of a little force, be disengaged from the plunger and left in
place in the mouth of the bottle. The raising of the handle S draws the tapered
end of tappet slide away from the cages D' enabling the latter to spring apart by
the tension of the springs (Figure 10); it also releases the tappet Y from the
relief valve Q, enabling the latter to close the exhaust pipe J, and it lifts the
crank by tappet W, whereby the valve L again opens passage f for the syrup
and closes passage 1. It will be noticed that, as the spindle of the gas valve Z is
jointed, the downward movement only of the rod E will operate said valve, the
upward movement having the effect of bending the knuckle joint. The object of
supplying the springs (Figures 1 and 2) is to apply a certain resistance to the
handle after it has been pulled down part way, thus aiding the operator in
determining the position. The snift valve U and snift chamber V may in some
cases be dispensed with, in which case the gas valve Z admits gas to syrup
injector direct from gas supply or aërating machine.
For the purpose of corking bottles, the upper part of the filling head is provided
with tapered opening for receiving a cork, as shown in Figure 5. The packing
gland R is unscrewed from the threads at the top of the filled head, and a stronger
plunger (Figure 9) is substituted. The process of filling the bottle is gone
through, and, when completed, the plunger descends, forcibly pressing the cork
into the bottle and stoppering the same, after which the bottle can be removed from
the machine and wired. It will be noticed that during the process of filling, the
cork closes the opening and so prevents any waste in that direction.
When the machine is not used for syrupping but for filling with aërated water
only, the crank O is moved out of engagement with tappet W, a slot being provided
to enable this to be effected, also the springs of the valves may be slacked so that
the latter will not be operated.
An ordinary corking machine can, when altered in accordance with this inven-
tion, be easily employed, when desired, for internally stoppering or corking
bottles.
Instead of employing the pressure of gas for forcing the syrup into the vessel H,
a bellows pump may be employed. This pump may consist of a kind of bellows
adapted at each inspiration to draw the air out of the syrup measure or vessel H
(Figure 3) thereby forming a partial vacuum, and drawing the requisite quantity
of syrup into the measure through the passages f, after which the bellows descend,
restoring the gas or air into the measure H and forcing the syrup into the bottle.
This bellows pump is worked by a slotted bell crank z which is operated by means
of a projecting pin on spindler and imparts the required intermittent motion to the
bellows pump.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-
1. The improvement in bottling and corking machines substantially as described,
whereby the use of a rotating filling head is entirely dispensed with, and bottles

page_text: can be corked or internally stoppered in an upright position instead of inverting
them as was necessary hitherto with internally stoppered bottles.
2. The apparatus for internally stoppering aërated water bottles, in which a
vertically sliding tubular plunger having a rubber cup or its equivalent secured
to the bottom end thereof, and an air hole provided at the top communicating
with said cup, is mounted concentrically in the stationary filling head, and is
adapted to be pushed down into the bottle, and its cup pressed onto the internal
stopper lying in the bottom thereof, whereby the stopper is locked in or made to
adhere to the cup by being subjected on one side to the abnormal pressure of the
aerated liquid or gas, and on the other to the normal pressure of the atmosphere
only, thus enabling it to be lifted by the plunger into place in the bottle's neck,
substantially as described.
3. In a bottling machine, of the kind herein before described the arrangement
or construction of injector or pump for supplying the bottle with a regulated
quantity of syrup at each filling of the same, substantially as described.
4. The special arrangements of parts, consisting of chamber H, valve L and
passages together with means for operatiog the valve L at determined intervals,
whereby, in a bottling machine of the kind herein before described the said valve in
turn admits the syrup to chamber H and enables same to be injected into the
bottle, substantially as described.
5. The use, in combination with a bottling machine, of the kind hereinbefore
described of means whereby the amount of syrup injected into the bottle at each
filling can be regulated according to the size of the bottle to be filled, substantially
as described.
6. In a bottling machine, the arrangement of stationary filling head substantially
as shown and described, whereby the same can be used for corking as well as for
internally stoppering bottles.
7. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts forming ny
improved bottling and corking machine substantially as described.
Dated this 6th Ja
1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, and London, Patent Agents.