Improvements in or connected with Bottles to Prevent them being Re-filled without Detection.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 5th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 11th Nov,, 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Bottles to Prevent them being
Re-filled without Detection.
I, JEAN PIERRE ARSENE CHAUMONT, of 246, Cours Lafayette, Lyons, in the
Republic of France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention for improvements in or connected with bottles to prevent
them being re-filled without detection has for its object to prevent fraud in the
retailing of certain beverages and liquers having special brands, and comprises
an indicator fitted in the interior of the bottle, which shows the quantity of liquid
that has been taken out, even though the bottle may have been subsequently
re-filled.
According to this invention a retaining wire made of platinum, silver, or other
suitable metal is bent at intervals throughout its length to form horizontal rings
which project at right angles from the straight portions of the wire in such a
manner that when the wire is held vertically, an object dropped through the
uppermost ring would pass through all the rings in succession. The retaining
wire is made slightly shorter than the body of the bottle, and is forced into a
glass tube of suitable length in which it is held by a slight contraction of the
open lower end of the tube. A neck having extensible projecting arms is formed
on the upper end of the tube, and air holes are formed in the tube at the com-
mencement of the contraction which forms the neck.
A float or indicator, of spherical, oval or similar shape made from ordinary
glass, crystal glass, or metal, and small enough to pass freely through the rings
of the retaining wire, is furnished with a number of stiff fibres or feelers which
project upwardly and outwardly, one of the feelers which is longer than the
others resting against a cross piece at the top of the neck of the tube, when the
float is in its highest position in the tube.
The apparatus is inserted in the bottle and secured therein by the extensible
arms that project at right angles and are forced under the action of helical
springs, to enter a circular groove or similar depression in the interior of the
bottle neck, or the apparatus may be secured by a wire passing through the neck
of the bottle.
When the bottle is legitimately filled the indicator float is in its highest
position in the tube, and the neck of the bottle closed with an ordinary cork or
stopper. On removing the stopper and pouring some of the liquid from the
bottle, the float in the tube sinks to the level of the liquid in the bottle and the
feelers spread out against one of the rings of the retaining wire, thus preventing
the float from returning to its original position; thus, if with fraudulent intent,
liquid is introduced into the bottle, the level will rise in the bottle and in the
tube, but the float will remain in the position into which it had previously fallen.
Dated this 5th day of January 1899.

page_text: Improvements in or connected with Bottles to Prevent them being
Re-filled without Detection.
I, JEAN PIERRE ARSENE CHAUMONT, of 246, Cours Lafayette, Lyons, in the
Republic of France, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :—
This invention for improvements in or connected with bottles to prevent
them being re-filled without detection has for its object to prevent fraud in the
retailing of certain beverages and liquors having special brands and comprises
an indicator fitted in the interior of the bottle, which shows the quantity of liquid
that has been taken out even though the bottle may have been subsequently
refilled.
According to this invention a retaining wire made of platinum, silver, or other
suitable metal is bent at intervals throughout its length to form horizontal rings
which project at right angles from the straight portions of the wire in such a
manner that when the wire is held vertically an object dropped through the
uppermost ring would pass through all the rings in succession. The retaining
wire is made slightly shorter than the body of the bottle, and is forced into a
glass tube of suitable length in which it is held by a slight contraction of the
open lower end of the tube. A neck having extensible projecting arms is formed
on the upper end of the tube, and air holes are formed in the tube at the com-
mencement of the contraction which forms the neck. A float or indicator, of
spherical oval or similar shape, made from ordinary glass, crystal glass, or metal
and small enough to pass freely through the rings of the retaining wire, is
furnished with a number of stiff fibres or feelers which project upwardly and
outwardly, one of the feelers which is longer than the others resting against a
cross piece at the top of the neck of the tube, when the float is in its highest
position in the tube.
The apparatus is inserted in the bottle and secured therein by the extensible
arms that project at right angles and are forced under the action of helical
springs, to enter a circular groove or similar depression in the interior of the
bottle neck, or the apparatus may be secured by a wire passing through the neck
of the bottle.
When the bottle is legitimately filled the indicator float is in its highest
position in the tube, and the neck of the bottle closed with an ordinary cork or
stopper. On removing the stopper and pouring some of the liquid from the
bottle the float in the tube sinks to the level of the liquid in the bottle, and the
feelers spread out against one of the rings of the retaining wire thus preventing
the float from returning to its original position, thus if, with fraudulent intent,
liquid is introduced into the bottle, the level will rise in the bottle and in the
tube, but the float will remain in the position into which it had previously fallen.
The apparatus can only be employed once, as when applied to a bottle, any
attempt to detach it therefrom results in the breaking of the whole arrangement.
In the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings Fig. 1 is an elevation of
an indicator tube constructed according to this invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional
elevation of the float or indicator proper. Fig. 3 is a view of the retaining wire.
Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of the indicator tube showing the retaining wire

page_text: and float in position. Fig. 5 is a detail view of a suspending device. Fig. 6 is
a view of a float or indicator provided with a pendent. Fig. 7 is a vertical section
of a bottle fitted with the improved indicating device. Figs. 8 and 9 show
modified forms of floats. Figs. 10 and 11 are a section and elevation respectively
of the neck of a bottle showing another form of suspending device for the indicator
and Figs. 12 and 13 are similar views.
The indicator tube A is made of ordinary or crystal glass. In its upper part
is a neck c carrying two or more arms b for fixing the tube in the bottle. At
the point where the neck and the lower part of the tube meet, holes a are formed
for the admission of air. The open base of the tube is slightly narrowed. The
retaining wire E is bent at intervals of its length to form an indefinite number
of loops or horizontal rings e and is inserted in the tube by a slight pressure and
retained therein by means of the narrower part of the tube A.
The float or indicator F is furnished with feelers f, the object of which is to
oppose any retrograde or ascending motion of the float in the tube. When the
bottle is inverted, these feelers lodge against the rings of the scale E. One of
the feelers is longer than the others and rests against a catch or cross-piece fl
at the end of the neck c of the tube, when the bottle is being handled or is in
course of transit.
The apparatus thus described is made to form a part with the bottle by means
of the arms & which extend through tubes which enter a circular groove r, or
simple depressions formed in the neck of the bottle, under the constant action of
helical springs s seated in the tubes t.
This arrangement for suspending the tube A shown by way of example in
Figs. 4 and 7, may be replaced by a metallic wire m, Figs. 10 and 12, running
right through the base of the neck of the bottle after having been looped round
the contracted part of the neck c of the tube A. In this case, the float or
indicator might be furnished, at the base, with a small pendent p intended to
lodge against the rings of the scale and thus to prevent the float from rising
towards the bottom of the bottle when the bottle is inverted.
In this method of fixing the tube into the bottle the lower end of the wire m
would be covered by a band or cord, Figs. 10, 11, or again, the ends of the wire
may be tied and covered with a tin ring set and soldered, Figs. 12, 13.
46
As shown in Fig. 5, the neck c of the tube A may be soldered to the fixing
organ," and this latter may consist only of a tube and a spring bolt but, in this
case the float is furnished with a lower feeler f", to keep it in its place when the
bottle is being handled or in course of transit.
Finally, in these special cases, the feelers may be arranged below the float as
shown in Fig. 9.
The above apparatus being assumed to be in position as in Fig. 7, if the bottle
be un-stoppered and the cross-piece fl which holds the float suspended, be
detached, the latter will float freely at the level I of the liquid; if a sufficient
quantity of liquid be poured away to reach the level 2 the float will fall and its
feelers will take hold in one of the rings of the scale and be incapable of return-
ing to the original position in spite of the alterations in the position of the bottle.
It is the same with the level 3.
If, with fraudulent intent, liquid be introduced into the bottle, the level will
rise in the bottle and in the tube, but the float or indicator, remaining at the
original level, will remain immersed in the liquid and duly indicate that fraud
has been practised.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
Apparatus for indicating fraudulent refilling of bottles distinguished by a
transparent tube A, immersed in the liquid and fixed to the neck of the bottle,
this fube having in the interior a looped wire E forming a series of lodgments

page_text: or abutments against which the feelers of a float F project when the bottle is
inverted, the float keeping to the level of the liquid as when the bottle was in
its normal position.
Dated this 5th day of October 1899.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.