IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS."
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Nathan Thompson, of Abbey. Gardens, St. John's
I Wood, in the County of, Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Nathan Thompson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
28th September 1864..
I, NATHAN THOMPSON, of Abbey Gardens, St. John's Wood, in the County
of Middlesex, 'do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS," to be as follows:-
In the Specifications of Patents granted to me, and dated respectively the
9th day of September, 1863 (No. 2228), the 14th day of January, 1864
(No. 106), and the 9th day of March 1864 (No. 594), there are described
stoppers for bottles and other vessels, and these stoppers are so constructed.
that when they are in use the joint is made by the compression of a ring of
vulcanized india-rubber, the india-rubber being by pressure caused to bulge
out sideways and fit closely to the interior of the bottle or vessel.

page_text: In the Specifications of the said former Patents the compression of the
india-rubber ring is described as being produced by a screw and nut. Now
according to my present Invention I render the construction of the apparatus
simpler and cheaper by substituting for the screw and nut a turn button
acting with inclines to draw together the parts between which the compression
of the india-rubber takes place. I prefer to arrange the apparatus in the
following manner :-The part of the apparatus which supports the upper end
of the india-rubber is a ring stamped in sheet metal. A portion of the ring is
cylindrical, and fits loosely into the- mouth of the-bottle or vessel-; at-the
upper edge of this cylindrical portion is a flange projecting outwards, and
resting on the top of the neck of the bottle or vessel. The lower edge of the
cylindrical portion of the ring has a flange or rim projecting inwards, and it.
is against this flange that the upper edge of the india-rubber ring rests; the
edge of the flange or rim is again turned downwards for a short distance, so
as the better to retain the india-rubber in its place, and also to guide the part
which supports the lower edge of the india-rubber. This second part of the
apparatus, which is also stamped in sheet metal, consists of a short cylinder
fitting and sliding within the lower end of the first part. The cylinder has a
flange at its lower edge projecting outwards from it, and serving to support
the lower end of the india-rubber ring. Within the cylinder, and near its
upper end, the inclines are formed conveniently by bending the metal inwards;
there are two corresponding.inclines, one for each end of the turn button before
mentioned, and there are stops at the ends of the inclines to prevent the ends
of the turn buttons travelling off. If desired, a turn button with three or
other number of arms or ends may be employed, the number of inclines being
similarly increased. The turn button is fixed to a disc, such as that to which
the screw was formerly attached; the disc lies in a shallow recess formed for
it in the top flange of the first or upper ring, and for the purpose of turning
it the disc has a flap hinged to it, which when out of use. folds down flat, so
that the upper flange of the ring, the disc, and the flap make one flat or
nearly flat surface. In some cases, when a very inexpensive stopper is
required, I do not employ a compressible india-rubber ring, but simply cement
or attach a bung or cork to a disc or cap with a flap hinged or jointed. to it
to serve as a handle for withdrawing the stopper, and folding down flat into a
recess in the disc when' out of use.
"

page_text: :
SPECIFICATION. in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
..by the said Nathan Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th March 1865...
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, NATHAN
THOMPSON, of Abbey Gardens, St. John's Wood, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS. Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of September, in the
14
1.
year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Nathan Thomson, Her special licence that I, the said
Nathan Thompson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Nathan Thompson, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at
5. all times thereafter 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 STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Nathan Thompson, my exécutors
or administrators, 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.
( 10
12
1.1.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Nathan Thompson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
In the Specifications of Patents granted to me, and dated respectively the
9th day of September, 1863 (No. 2223), the 14th day of January, 1864
(No. 106), and the 9th day of March 1864 (No. 594), there are described
stoppers for bottles and other vessels, and these stoppers are so constructed
that when they are in use the joint is made by the compression of a ring of
vulcanized india-rubber, the india-rubber being by pressure caused to bulge
out sideways and fit closely to the interior of the bottle or vessel.

page_text: In the Specifications of the said former Patents, the compression of the
india-rubber ring is described as being produced by a screw and nut. Now
according to my present Invention I render the construction of the apparatus
simpler and cheaper, by substituting for the screw and nut a turn button
acting with inclines to draw together the parts between which the compression
of the, india-rubber takes place. I prefer to arrange the apparatus in the
manner represented in the annexed Drawings on Sheet I.
The part a of the apparatus which supports the upper end of the india-
rubber is a ring stamped in sheet metal. A portion 1 of the ring is cylin-
drical, and fits loosely into the mouth of the bottle or vessel; at the upper
edge of this cylindrical portion is a flange 2 projecting outwards, and resting
on the top of the neck of the bottle or vessel. The lower edge of the cylìn-
'drical portion 1 of the ring has a flange or rim 3 projecting inwards; and it is
against this flange that the upper edge of the india-rubber ring, 6 rests. Tho
edge of the flange or rim is again turned downwards for a short distance at 4,
so as the better to retain the india-rubber in its place, and also to guide the
part which supports the lower edge of the india-rubber. This second part of
the apparatus, which is marked c, is also stamped in sheet metal; it consists
of a short cylinder 5 fitting and sliding within the lower end 4 of the first
part; the cylinder has a flange 6 at its lower edge projecting outwards from
it, and serving to support the lower end of the india-rubber ring b. Within
the cylinder 5, and near its upper end, the inclines 7, 7, áre formed conveniently
by bending the metal inwards. There are two corresponding inclines, one
for each end of the turn button, before-mentioned, and there are stops 7*; **,
at the ends of the inclines to prevent the ends of the turn buttons travelling
off. If desired, a turn button with three or other number of arms or ends
similarly increased. The
may be employed, the number of inclines to which the screw was formerly
turn button is fixed to a disc d, such as that 'to"
1.
attached; the disc lies in a shallow recess formed for it in the top flange 2
of the first or upper ring a, and for the purpose of turning it, the disc has a
flap e hinged to it, which when out of use folds down flat, so that the upper
flange 2 of the ring, the disc d, and the flap e make one flat or nearly flat
surface. In some cases when a very inexpensive stopper is required I do
not employ a compressible-india-rubber ring, but simply cement or attach a
bung or cork to a disc or cap with a flap hinged or jointed to it 'to serve as
a handle for withdrawing the stopper and folding down flat into a recess in
the disc when out of use. This arrangement is shewn on Sheet 2 of the
Drawings. a is the dise or cap into which the cork b is cemented or fixed;

page_text: c is a flap hinged or jointed to the disc or cap a to serve as a handle, and a'
is the recess in the disc or cap a for the flap c to lie in when folded down.
In witness whereof, I, the said Nathan Thompson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
NATHAN THOMPSON. (L.s.)