IMPROVEMENTS IN INKSTANDS, APPLICABLE TO THE STOPPERS OF BOTTLES
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Ridsdale, of No. 41, Stoke Newington Green,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
INKSTANDS, APPLICABLE TO THE STOPPERS OF BOTTLES."
Sealed the 3rd January 1862, and dated the 6th July 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Ridsdale at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th July 1861.
I, JAMES RIDSDALE, of No. 41, Stoke Newington Green, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN INKSTANDS, APPLICABLE TO THE STOPPERS OF BOTTLES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to those kinds of inkstands in which a portion of the
ink or writing fluid is raised into a dipping cup for use, and lowered therefrom,
when not required, by means of a stopper having a small hole formed through
it, said stopper operating as a piston which, when depressed, forces the ink
up the hole therein. Inkstands of this description are well known and in
common use.
Now this Invention consists in an improved method of packing the afore-
said sliding stopper or dipping cup, by forming a groove or recess in the neck
of the inkstand or by forming two internal flanges therein, into or between
which is placed a loose ring of vulcanized india-rubber or other suitable elastic
material. The sliding stopper aforesaid fits into said ring tightly, and by these

page_text: means is kept air-tight. The aforesaid elastic ring may, if desirable, be placed
in a recess formed outside of the neck of the inkstand, and the dipping cup be
formed as a cap, the inner surface of which fits tightly over the aforesaid
elastic ring. When this is the case I form the aforesaid cap with a tube at
the centre thereof, extending from the dipping cup at top to within a short
distance of the bottom of the inkstand, so as to operate in a similar manner to
the first-mentioned stopper for raising and lowering the ink as above
stated.
I propose to adapt the foregoing arrangements either to the inside or to the
outside of the necks of bottles, and form the stoppers thereof either as a solid
plug or as a cap fitting into or around the elastic ring for rendering said
stoppers air-tight.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Ridsdale in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th January 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
RIDSDALE, of No. 41, Stoke Newington Green, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Ridsdale, Her special licence that I, the said James Ridsdale,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
James Ridsdale, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN INKSTANDS, APPLICABLE TO THE STOPPERS OF BOTTLES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said James Ridsdale, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause
the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Ridsdale, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to those kinds of inkstands in which a portion of the
ink or writing fluid is raised into a dipping cup for use and lowered therefrom
when not required, by means of a stopper, having a small hole formed;
through it, said stopper operating as a piston which, when depressed, forces.
the ink up the hole therein. Inkstands of this description are well known and
in common use.
Now this Invention consists in an improved method of packing the aforesaid
sliding stopper or dipping cup, by forming a groove or recess in the neck of the.
inkstand, or by forming two internal flanges therein, into or between which is
placed a loose ring of vulcanized india-rubber or other suitable elastic material::
The sliding stopper aforesaid fits into said ring tightly, and by these means is;
kept air-tight. The aforesaid elastic ring may, if disirable, be placed in a
recess formed outside of the neck of the inkstand, and the dipping cup be
formed as a cap, the inner surface of which fits tightly over the aforesaid;
elastic ring. When this is the case I form the aforesaid cap with a tube at
the centre thereof, extending from the dipping cup at top to within a short
distance of the bottom of the inkstand, so as to operate in a similar manner
to the first-mentioned stopper for raising and lowering the ink as above
stated.
I propose to adapt the foregoing arrangements either to the inside or to the.
outside of the necks of bottles, and form the stoppers thereof either as a solid
plug or as a cap fitting into or around the elastic ring for rendering said stoppers,
air-tight.
In order to explain my said Invention as completely as possible, I now
proceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the
same into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Sheet of
Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the numeral figures and letters of reference
marked' thereon respectively as follows:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 is a transverse and vertical section of an inkstand constructed
according to my said Invention; Figure 2 is a top plan of Figure 1; Figure 3
a modification of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a transverse and vertical section of
a bottle, shewing the mode of adapting my improvements thereto; Figure 5
is a modification of Figure 4. At each of the foregoing Figures I employ
1

page_text: similar letters of reference to denote corresponding parts, in so far as such
parts appear or can be seen at each of such said Figures respectively.
At Figures 1, 2, 3, A, is the body of the inkstand or reservoir for ink or
other writing fluid; B, the neck formed with a groove or recess, in which is
placed a ring of vulcanized india-rubber or other suitable elastic material;
C, D, a glass stopper fitting tightly within the ring C (as at Figure 1). This
stopper is formed slightly taper, and with a small hole E through same, the
upper end whereof terminates in a recess G formed in the top of the stopper
and intended to serve as a cup into which the ink or other writing fluid in the
reservoir A is raised by depressing the stopper D, this operation being facili-
tated by turning the stopper partly round at same time. A reverse movement
or raising of the said stopper will allow the ink or other writing fluid to return
into the reservoir when not required for use. At Figure 3 it will be seen that
the elastic ring C is placed on the outside of the neck of the inkstand, and
the stopper made to fit over as a cap, in other respects it is similar to the ink-
stand before described with reference to Figure 1.
At Figures 4 and 5, H, H, mark solid stoppers adapted to bottles, shewing
the applicability of my improvements to the stoppering of bottles as before
stated.
Having now fully described and set forth the nature and object of my
said Invention of "Improvements in Inkstands, applicable to the Stoppers
of Bottles," together with the best means I am acquainted with for carrying
the same into practical effect, I would remark in conclusion that I hereby
declare my Invention to consist in and 1 claim the modes herein described
with reference to the several Figures of the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
of adapting elastic material to inkstands and bottles for the purposes above
stated.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Ridsdale, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
JAMES RIDSDALE. (L.s.)