IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES FOR AERATED OR GASEOUS LIQUIDS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS CONSIST IN AN IMPROVED COMPOUND TO BE USED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SUCH STOPPERS, ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER STOPPERS AND VARIOUS USEFUL PURPOSES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Leon Vallet, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES
FOR AERATED OR GASEOUS LIQUIDS, PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS CONSIST
IN AN IMPROVED COMPOUND TO BE USED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SUCH
STOPPERS, ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER STOPPERS AND VARIOUS USEFUL
PURPOSES."
Sealed the 12th September 1879, and dated the 26th March 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Leon Vallet at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th March 1879.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
LEON VALLET, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster.
AND RELATING TO STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES FOR AËRATED OR GASEOUS LIQUIDS, PART
OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS CONSIST IN AN IMPROVED COMPOUND TO BE USED FOR
THE MANUFACTURE OF SUCH STOPPERS, ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER STOPPERS
AND VARIOUS USEFUL PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to improvements in stoppers for bottles for aerated or
gaseous liquids, to a formation of the necks of bottles to receive such stoppers, and
to a compound of which such stoppers are manufactured, which compound is also
suitable to the manufacture of other stoppers and to the manufacture of many other
articles such as door handles, buttons, studs, castor rollers, and other like articles.
First. My improvements consist in constructing or forming stoppers (known as
internal stoppers for stoppering bottles containing aerated or gaseous liquids) with
an acute angle groove to receive the india rubber or elastic washer, such stoppers
having been heretofore made with a right angled or semi circular groove. I form
the groove according to my Invention thus L. By this formation I am enabled
to reduce the size of the elastic washer, and thereby the cost of the stopper. By so
forming the groove, the upper part of the washer projects beyond the stem of the
stopper, and the lower part of the washer is held firmly by the base of the groove.
The bottle neck or mouth is formed with a ledge or projection to receive the stopper
and form a seat for the washer.
Second. I form the groove and base of the stopper thus < so that the washer
can be made to fit over the base of the stopper in petticoat form, and thus serve to

page_text: prevent the stopper from cracking the bottle during the process of opening or
refilling. This arrangement of washer is especially suitable to porcelain, glass, or
other hard and heavy stoppers.
Third. I construct the stoppers of a compound of ground or pulverized glass and
shellac in the proportion of about two parts of ground glass to one part of shellac,
but the proportion may be varied so as to produce hard, or less hard stoppers as
desired. The stoppers are manufactured by moulding the compound when heated
into the required forms or shapes; and when cool, trimming and polishing.
Stoppers manufactured of this compound of ground glass and shellac for stoppering
bottles internally may be constructed of such specific gravity so as to sink fast or
quickly into position for stoppering without breaking or starring the bottles while
filling, also so as not to star the bottles while opening. Further, where it is desired
to make stoppers where the head thereof is of greater specific gravity than the base
thereof, or superweighted over the base, this can be accomplished by increasing the
proportion of glass in the head of the stopper. Or a shot of lead or a pin with a
heavy head may be moulded in the stopper to produce the same effect. A wire of
metal, or a short length of string or fibrous material may be moulded in the stopper
longitudinally to give increased tenacity and strength to the stopper if desired.
It will be evident that the compound of ground or finely pulverized glass and
shellac can be used for the manufacture of bottle stoppers generally, can also be
applied to various other useful purposes, such as the manufacture of door handles,
buttons, studs, castor rollers, and other like articles.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Leon Vallet in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th
September 1879.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
LEON VALLET, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster.
AND RELATING TO STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES FOR AERATED OR GASEOUS LIQUIDS,
PART OF WHICH IMPROVEMENTS CONSIST IN AN IMPROVED COMPOUND TO BE USED
FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SUCH STOPPERS, ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER STOPPERS
AND VARIOUS USEFUL PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to improvements in stoppers for bottles for aërated or
gaseous liquids, to a formation of the necks of bottles to receive such stoppers, and
to a compound of which such stoppers are manufactured, which compound is also
suitable to the manufacture of other stoppers, and to the manufacture of many other
articles, such as door handles, buttons, studs, castor rollers, and other like articles.
First. My improvements consist in constructing or forming stoppers (known as
internal stoppers for stoppering bottles containing aerated or gaseous liquids) with an
acute angle groove to receive the india rubber or elastic washer, such stoppers having
been heretofore made with a right angled or semi circular groove. I form the groove
according to my Invention thus L. By this formation I am enabled to reduce the size
of the elastic washer, and thereby the cost of the stopper. By so forming the
groove, the upper part of the washer projects beyond. the stem of the stopper and
the lower part of the washer is held firmly by the base of the groove. The bottle
mouth or neck is formed with a ledge or projection to receive the stopper and form
a seat for the washer.
Second. I form the groove and base of the stopper thus, so that the washer
can be made to fit over the base of the stopper in petticoat form, and thus serve to
prevent the stopper from cracking the bottle during the process of opening or re-
filling. This arrangement of washer is especially suitable to porcelain, glass, or
other hard and heavy stoppers.
Third. I contruct the stoppers of a compound of ground or pulverized glass and
shellac, in the proportion of about two parts of ground glass to one part of shellac,
but the proportion may be varied so as to produce hard or less hard stoppers as
desired. The stoppers are manufactured by moulding the compound when heated
into the required forms or shapes; and when cool, trimming and polishing.
Stoppers manufactured of this compound of ground glass and shellac for stoppering
bottles internally may be constructed of such specific gravity so as to sink fast or
quickly into position for stoppering without breaking or starring the bottles while
filling, also so as not to star the bottles while opening. Further, where it is desired
to make stoppers where the head thereof is of greater specific gravity than the base
thereof, or superweighted over the base, this can be accomplished by increasing the
proportion of glass in the head of the stopper. Or a shot of lead or a pin with a
A wire of
heavy head may be moulded in the stopper to produce the same effect.
metal, or a short length of string or fibrous material may be moulded in the stopper
longitudinally to give increased tenacity and strength to the stopper if desired.
It will be evident that the compound of ground or finely pulverized glass and
shellac can be used for the manufacture of bottle stoppers generally, can also be
applied to various other useful purposes, such as the manufacture of door handles,
buttons, studs, castor rollers, and other like articles.
The beforegoing being the nature, object, and purposes of my Invention, I will
now proceed to more particularly describe those portions of my Invention which
relate to the formation of the stopper and the elastic washer; therefore, and to show
how my Invention is practically applied, I have attached a Sheet of Drawings
illustrative thereof, marked with letters and figures of reference corresponding with
those in the following explanation, like letters and figures being used to denote
the same or corresponding parts throughout the various views and Figures.

page_text: Invention.
Figure 5 is an outside view; and
Figure 6, a plan of Figure 4.
Figure 7 is a sectional elevation further illustrative of a stopper constructed
according to my present Invention.
Figure 8, an outside view; and
Figure 9, a plan of Figure 7.
Reference to the Drawings,-
A is the stopper which is superweighted by the inlet weight B; C is the elastic
washer or ring that makes joint with the bottle when the stopper is in position.
In Figure 1 it will be seen that the washer C is let into a right angle groove D in
the stopper A.
Upon reference to Figure 4 it will be seen that I form the groove D at an acute
angle, thus By this formation I am enabled to reduce the size of the elastic washer
C, and thereby the cost of the stopper. By so forming the groove D, the upper part
of the washer C at a projects beyond the stem of the stopper A and the lower part
of the washer at b is held firmly by the base of the groove D. The bottle neck is
formed with a ledge to form a seat for the washer C.
Referring to Figure 7 it will be seen that I form the groove D and base of the
stopper A thus C. so that the washer C, which consists of a tube, as shown at
Figure 7%, can be made to fit over the base of the stopper A in petticoat form, and
thus serve to protect the stopper from cracking the bottle during the process of
opening or refilling. This arrangement of washer also greatly facilitates the descent
of the stopper in the right position for entering the bottle neck when the bottle is
being filled, and is particularly suitable to porcelain, glass, and other heavy
stoppers.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of my Invention, and
explained how the same may be carried into practical effect, what I claim as my
Invention is,-
Firstly. Forming the groove which retains the elastic washer of internal stoppers
in the form of an acute angle, as herein described, and such as shown at Figure 4 of
the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. Forming the groove which retains the elastic washer of internal
stoppers in the form as shown at D, Figure 7, of the accompanying Drawings.
Thirdly. Constructing stoppers for bottles such as those before described, and
like internal stoppers, of a compound of ground or pulverized glass and shellac, in
or about the proportions herein before set forth, and the use of such compound for
the manufacture of other articles, such as door handles, buttons, studs, castor rollers,
and like articles.
In witness whereof, I, the said Léon Vallet, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Sixteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord One thousand
aight hundred and seventy nina