IMPROVEMENTS IN BOTTLE STOPPERS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Isidor Lippmann of the firm of I. Lippmann of Berlin in
the Kingdom of Prussia German Empire for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BOTTLE STOPPERS
"
:
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Isidor Lippmann at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd August 1882.;
ISIDOR LIPPMANN, of the firm of I. Lippmann of Berlin, in the Kingdom of
Prussia, German Empire, "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOTTLE STOPPERS,"
This Invention relates to improvements in bottle stoppers for the purpose of
establishing a perfect air-tight stoppering, and at the same time to enable the
operations of stoppering and opening the bottle to be casily managed.
The Invention also relates to an improved arrangement of a valve or valves
within a bottle-stopper, whereby gaseous liquids or aerated waters may be filled
into the bottle without removing the stopper out of the neck.
The first part of this said Invention relates to such stoppers which have a coarse
nale screw-thread upon the under part, which enters into the neck of the bottle,
the latter being provided with a corresponding female screw-thread. Such screw
stoppers in general are known and used; the improvements which are the object of
this Invention, consist in forming the stoppers of such materials, and in such
shapes as to render them considerably cheaper than they hitherto could be
supplied, and equally or even more effective.
Screw-stoppers of the kind referred to, have heretofore been made of a yielding
material, such as rubber, cork, wood, or the like, or also of a composition of yielding
materials, such as. vulcanized and elastic rubber, the purpose of using such materials
being to secure a smooth turning of the male screw within the female thread
formed into the glass of the bottle-neck. Such yielding materials however, are.
either much liable to. wear and tear as cork or wood, or their use gives the liquid
contained within the bottle a bad taste. To avoid both inconveniences, I form
the body of the stopper of a hard unyielding material, such as glass or porcelain or.
the like, and I surround the under part of the stopper with a comparatively thin,

page_text: This mantle
of soft yielding metal is provided with an outward male thread to correspond with
the female thread of the bottle neck.
mantle or cover of tin or similar metal which ought to be free of lead.
By this means friction is avoided between the hard glass or porcelain of the
stopper, and the glass of the bottle the metal turns smoothly within the female
thread of the glass. The mantle of said metal may be secured upon the body of
the stopper either by casting or pressing the metal, or metal sheet, around the body
of the stopper, which, in order to hold the mantle, may be formed with a male
thread, or with slots or recesses, grooves, or like holes, into which the metal enters
and catches hold. The metal male-thread of the stopper does not effect an air-
tight stoppering by its being screwed into the female screw of the bottle-neck;
such air-tight closure is established by an elastic ring or washer of cork or rubber
or similar material, such ring surrounding the stopper below its head and pressing
itself tightly into the bottle-neck when the stopper is screwed down.
In some cases I prefer to omit the mantle of yielding metal, and to use instead,
the stopper of solid porcelain, glass, or similar material, provided only with an
elastic ring or washer. If both the male screw of the stopper, and the female
screw of the bottle neck be properly and carefully done, very little friction will be
experienced between stopper and bottle neck, and thus a very cheap, clean, and
The head of the
good looking stopper of porcelain or glass may be obtained.
stopper may be conveniently shaped, but I prefer to make it either polygonal or
with two excavations opposite to each other, or circular with a fluted rim, in order
to enable it to be firmly grasped in screwing and unscrewing it.
The second part of this Invention consists in providing bottle-stoppers of the
afore described kind, as also any others, with an improved valve or valves, disposed
inside the stopper, in order that the gaseous liquid may be filled into the bottle
through the stopper, without removing the latter from its seat. The arrangement
of a valve in a bottle-stopper in general, is known and used The improved
devices which form this part of the Invention, essentially tend to simplify the
valve mechanism. The most convenient and effective valve is the spherical valve,
arranged in a vertical bore which either centrally or eccentrically leads through
the stopper and extends in width or diameter towards the lower end, forming,
about midway of the bore, a seat for the valve ball. The Baid ball is thrown into
the bore by the lower wider end, and in order that it may be prevented from
falling out, a pin or pins are secured in the lower part of the stopper, closing part
of the area of the bore. The valve ball is pressed upwards and against its seat by
the gaseous contents of the bottle, when filled. When the bottle is empty, the ball
rests upon the pin or pins, which prevent its falling from the bore, and the liquid
may be readily poured in through the bore, while the stopper remains fastened in
the bottle neck. As soon as the pressure from above is released, the inside pressure
exercised by the gas, will instantly and automatically close the valve by pressing
the valve against its seat. The ball may be of rubber or yielding material, or of
glass or metal, in such case the valve seat must be lined with an elastic packing.
In some cases I prefer to secure to the valve ball a thin rod, which serves to guide
the ball in the central direction of the bore. And I also propose to form a stem to
a rubber-valve ball, and to secure said elastic stem to a pin at the upper or at the
lower end of the bore. This stem exerts an elastic pressure against the ball, and
either by tension or by pressure helps to bear the ball against the seat, which is of
great value in all cases where but little pressure is left within the bottle. In
filling the bottle, said stem either extends or is bent down by the pressure
exercised from above to allow the fluid to pass through the bore. Instead of the
elastic stem formed to the elastic ball, I prefer, in some cases, to use a wire spring
attached to the valve, which may have any convenient shape to fit the seat.
At
In some cases, I also propose the use of a valve secured to a metal stem, around
which a spring is coiled. Said valve is placed within the bore of the stopper.
the top of the metal stem a cap is secured with indentations in its rim. This cap
serves to press the valve-rod down when the bottle is to be filled, the fluid passing.

page_text: through the said indentations.
When the bottle is filled, the valve will be closed
by the pressure exercised upon the same by the gas contained within the bottle.
In this case the fluid, when passing through the bore of the stopper, will be in
contact with the metallic valve-rod, and with the metallic spiral spring. To avoid
the bad taste, which might be occasioned by the metal, I have further arranged a
stopper provided with two vertical holes, both of which are, at the lower end,
simultaneously closed by a convenient valve. This valve is secured to a rod which
extends upwards through one of the holes, and at the upper end of said rod a cap
and packing are arranged in such a manner that the upper aperture of the valve
hole will be closed whenever the bottle is going to be filled, while the other hole
allows the passage of the fluid. By this means the contents of the bottle are kept
entirely out of contact with the valve stem and spring and cannot take a bad
taste therefrom.
The said valves may be arranged in bottle stoppers of various kinds, independant
of the mode of fastening' such stoppers in or upon the bottle neck. And the
improved stoppers may be used for stoppering any other vessel, jar or jug.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, and of
an Order of the Lord Chancellor, filed by the said Isidor Lippmann in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th March 1883.
ISIDOR LIPPMANN, of the firm of I Lippmann, of Berlin, in the Kingdom of
Prussia, German Empire "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOTTLE-STOPPERS
">
This invention relates to improvements in bottle-stoppers for the purpose of
establishing a perfect, air-tight stoppering and at the same time to enable the
operations of stoppering and opening the bottle to be easily managed.
The invention also relates to an improved arrangement of a valve or valves
within a bottle-stopper, whereby gaseous liquids or aërated water may be filled into
the bottle without removing the stopper out of the neck.
The first part of this invention relates to such stoppers, which have a coarse,
male screw-thread upon the under-part, which enters into the neck of the bottle,
the latter being provided with a corresponding female screw-thread.
Such screw-stoppers, in general, are known and used; the improvements, which
are the object of this invention, consist in forming the stoppers of such materials
and in such shapes, as to render them considerably cheaper, than they, hitherto,
could be supplied, and equally or even more effective. Screw-stoppers of the kind
referred-to, have, heretofore, been made of a yielding material, such as rubber, cork,
wood or the like, or also of a composition of yielding materials, such as vulcanized
and elastic rubber; the purpose of using such materials being to secure a smooth
turning of the male screw within the female thread formed into the glass of the
bottle-neck. Such yielding materials, however, are cither much liable to wear and
tear, as cork or wood, or their use gives the liquid contained within the bottle a
bad taste.
To avoid both inconveniences,. I form the body or skeleton a of the stopper, as
shown in side-elevation in Figs 1, 2, 3, 4, and in vertical section in Figs 1, 2, 3ª,
of a hard, unyielding material, such as glass or porcelain or the like, and I surround
the under-part of the stopper with a comparatively thin mantle or cover b, Figs 5
to 12, 14 and 15, of tin or similar metal, which ought to be free of lead.
mantle of soft, yielding metal or composition of metals, is provided with an outward
male thread to correspond with the female thread of the bottle-neck.
This
By this means, friction is avoided between the hard glass or porcelain of the
stopper and the glass of the bottle; the metal turns smoothly within the female
thread of the glass.
The mantle b of metal or a suitable composition of metals may be secured upon
the body or skeleton a of the stopper either by casting or pressing the metal, or
metal-sheet around the body of the stopper, which, in order to hold the mantle b,
may be formed with a male thread, as shown in Figs 4, 5, or with slots c, Fig 6, or
recesses or grooves c, Figs 7, 8, 9, or a little hole or holes d, Fig 5, into which the
metal enters and catches hold.
The metal male-thread of the stopper does not effect an airtight stoppering by
its being screwed into the female screw of the bottle-neck; such airtight closure
is established by an elastic ring or washer f, of cork or rubber or similar material,
such ring surrounding the stopper below its head and pressing itself tightly into the
bottle neck, when the stopper is screwed down.
In some cases I prefer to omit the mantle of yielding metal and to use, instead,
the stopper of solid porcelain, glass or similar material, provided only with an
clastic ring or washer f, as shown in Figs 1, 2, 3, 4. If both the male screw of the
stopper and the female screw of the bottle-neck be properly and carefully done,
very little friction will be experienced between stopper and bottle-neck and thus
a very cheap, clean and good-looking stopper of porcelain or glass may be
obtained.
The head of the stopper may be conveniently shaped, but I prefer to make it

page_text: either polygonal, as in Fig 3, or with two excavations, opposite to each other, as in
Figs 1 and 6, or circular, with a fluted rim, as in Fig 2, in order to enable it to be
firmly grasped in screwing and unscrewing it
The second part of this invention consists in providing bottle-stoppers of the
afore-described kind, as also any others, with an improved valve, or valves, disposed
inside the stopper, in order that the gaseous liquid may be filled into the bottle
through the stopper, without removing the latter from its seat.
The arrangement of a valve in a bottle-stopper, in general, is known and used.
The improved devices, which form this part of my invention, essentially tend to
simplify the valve-mechanism.
The most convenient and effective valve is the spherical valve i, Fig 7, arranged
in a vertical bore which either centrally or excentrically leads through the stopper
and extends in width or diameter towards the lower end, forming about midway
of the bore a seat 8 for the valve-ball i. The said ball i is thrown into the bore
by the lower, wider end, and in order that it may be prevented from falling out, a
pin, or pins, g are secured in the lower part of the stopper, closing part of the area
of the bore. The valve-ball i is pressed upwards and against the seat 8 by the
gaseous contents of the bottle, when filled. When the bottle is empty, the ball
rests upon the pin or pins g, Figs 7, 8, 10, which prevent its falling from the bore,
and the liquid may be readily poured in through the bore, while the stopper
remains fastened in the bottle-neck. As soon as the pressure from above is
released, the inside pressure, exercised by the gas, will instantly and automatically
close the valve by pressing the ball i against the seat s. The ball may be of
rubber or yielding material, or of glass, metal or any other suitable, hard material;
in such case the valve-seat 8 must be lined with an elastic packing h, as shown in
Fig 10.
In some cases I prefer to secure to the valve-ball ia thin rod k, Fig 8, which
serves to guide the ball in the central direction of the bore.
And I also propose to form a stem 1, Figs 9, 12, to a rubber valve-ball i and to
secure said elastic stem to a pin m at the upper or at the lower end of the bore.
This stem exerts an elastic pressure against the ball i, and either by tension, or
by pressure, helps to bear the ball against the seat s. This arrangement is of
great value in all cases, where but little pressure is left within the bottle. In filling
the bottle, said stem either extends or is bent down by the pressure exercised
from above, to allow the fluid to pass through the bore.
Instead of the elastic stem / formed to the elastic ball i, I prefer in some cases to
use a wire-spring n, Fig 11, attached to the valve i, which may have any conve-
nient shape to fit the seat s.
In some cases I also propose the use of a valve i secured to a metal-stem o,
Fig 14, around which a spring p is coiled. Said valve i is placed within the bore
of the stopper At the top of the metal-stem o, a cap r is secured, having inden-
tations in its rim. This cap r serves to press the valve-rod o down, when the
bottle is to be filled, the fluid passing through the said indentations. When the
bottle is filled, the valve i will be closed by the pressure exercised upon the same
by the gas contained within the bottle.
In this construction, however, the fluid, when passing through the bore of the
stopper, will be in contact with the metallic valve-rod o and with the metallic
spiral-spring p.
To avoid the bad taste, which might be occasioned by the metal, I have further
arranged a stopper, as shown in Fig 15, provided with two vertical bores u, v, both
of which are at the lower end simultaneously closed by a convenient valve i. This
valve is secured to a rod o, which extends upwards through the one of the bores,
and at the upper end of said rod o a cap r and a packing is arranged in such a
manner, that the upper apperture of the valve-bore u will be closed whenever the
bottle is going to be filled, while the other bore u is free and allows the passage of
the fluid. By this means the contents of the bottle are kept entirely out of contact
with the valve-stem o and spring p and cannot take a bad taste therefrom.
บ

page_text: The said valves may be arranged in bottle-stoppers of various kind, independent
of the mode of fastening such stoppers in or upon the bottle-neck. And the
stoppers of my invention may as well be used for stoppering any other vessel, jar
or jug.
Having thus fully described my invention and how it may be carried into
practice, what I claim is :
First: A bottle-stopper, consisting of a body, core or skeleton made of glass,
porcelain or similar ceramic material, coated on its lower part with a mantle or
cover of tin or other yielding metal, or a composition of metals such as Britannia-
metal or the like, the said mantle or cover forming a male screw to fit into the
female screw-thread of the bottle-neck, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
Second. A bottle-stopper consisting of a body, core or skeleton made of glass,
porcelain or similar ceramic material, forming on its lower part a male-screw for
the purpose of securing upon the same a mantle or cover b of a suitable metal or
composition of metals substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Third. A bottle-stopper consisting of a body, or core, or skeleton made of glass,
porcelain or other ceramic material, having upon its lower part a recess, or recesses,
a groove, or grooves, or a hole, or holes, for securing upon the same the mantle or
cover b of a suitable metal or composition of metals, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
Fourth. A bottle-stopper consisting of solid glass, porcelain or similar ceramic
material, having its lower part formed into a male screw fitting into the female
screw-thread of the bottle-neck, in combination with a washer or elastic ring f
arranged at the upper end of the screw, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
Fifth. A bottle-stopper provided with a central or excentrical vertical bore
widening towards the lower end and forming a valve-seat 8 inside the stopper for a
spherical or other suitable valve, as and for the purpose set forth.
Sixth. The combination with a stopper with a bore and an inside valve: of a
pin, or pins g arranged at the lower end of the bore to prevent the loose valve from
falling out, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Seventb. The combination with a spherical valve arranged in a bore of a bottle-
stopper of a rod k, serving as a guide to the said valve-ball, substantially as and
for the purpose set forth
Eighth. The combination with a valve arranged in a bore of a bottle-stopper: of
a stem or a spring n and a pin m at the upper or lower end of the bore, to secure
the said stem, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Ninth. The combination with a bottle-stopper provided with a vertical bore: of
à valve i, a valve-rod o, a spiral spring p and a top-cap r with indentations,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Tenth The combination with a bottle-stopper provided with two bores u, v, : of a
valve i, a valve-rod o, a spiral-spring p, and a tightly-fitting top-cap r arranged in
one of the bores, leaving the other bore free for the passage of the fluid, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof I, the said Isidor Lippmann have hereunto set my
hand and seal this thirteenth day of February.in the year of our Lord
ISIDOR LIPPMANN (L.S.)