Improved Means of Preventing the Fraudulent Refilling of Bottles and other Containers.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Feb., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 1st Nov., 1890-Accepted, 6th Dec., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means of Preventing the Fraudulent Refilling of Bottles
and other Containers.
I, PIERRE BERNARD NOËL, of 30, Rue du Texel, Paris, France, Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improved means of closing bottles and other liquid con-
tainers with a view to prevent the fraudulent refilling of bottles bearing labels indicative
of the high class quality of the original contents of the bottle.
The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this
Specification, wherein Figure 1 shews a sectional elevation of the improved closure.
Figures 2 to 11 shew elevation and plan views of each detail separately.
The combination of parts constituting the invention is such as to enable the liquid
contained in a bottle or other vessel to be poured off, but to render impossible fraud
on the consumer by the refilling of the empty bottle or vessel.
The improved means comprise the following parts: a is a cylindrical valve
chamber, of glass or other material, and is a cylindrical plunger, also of
glass or other material, closed at its upper end by a plug c, of the same
material, having a bottom d having on its underside a stud d' serving to
retain an india-rubber disc e which constitutes the valve, both the head c and
bottom d of the valve being provided with radial studs serving to centre said valve
in the valve chamber a. The body portion of the valve bears on its interior a
mark or name, denominating the contents of the bottle, visible through the glass, and
it also contains a load ball serving to weight the valve sufficiently to keep the
india-rubber disc upon its seat 9 this action being further assisted by a coiled
spring bearing against the head and confined between it and the lower one of two
rings upon which
are supported one or more baffles i serving to prevent the
introduction of any instrument for the purpose of opening the valve. A strainer k,
preferably of convex form, is fitted within one of the baffles. The baffles are sup-
ported within the valve cylinder a by a stirrup piece ; is a glass or other month
piece fitting in the upper end of valve cylinder a and projecting through the mouth
of the bottle (in which it is held central by a packing ring n, of cork or other
material) and which is closed by a cork m. o is a capsule of metal, enamelled or
otherwise, or made of other suitable material, bearing any suitable indications, the
tubular notched portion 9 of which capsule fits around the tubular mouth piece
while its flanged part o covers the mouth of the bottle or other container into which
it is hermetically sealed by a luting p composed of a mixture of equal parts of Portland
cement and plaster of Paris in water.
In order to pour off the contents, the cork m is removed and the bottle tilted or
inverted whereupon the gravity of the liquid contained assists the weight of the body
part b to overcome the spring and so move the valve from its seat to allow the liquid to
escape past the valve and through and around the rings ; and baffles i and strainer k
to the mouth piece 1. If, now, after emptying the bottle, or nearly so, it be brought
to the upright position, any attempt to refill it with liquid will be rendered ineffectual
inasmuch as the passage of the liquid will be arrested by the valve e which is pressed
on its seat by the weight of the body portion b, the stress of spring h, and the gravity
of the liquid which it is sought to introduce. Even should the bottle or container be
placed in a horizontal position or be turned mouth downwards, the valve would still
close under the action of the liquid sought to be introduced and thus prevent any
liquid from entering the bottle. Moreover, the insertion of any kind of tool into

page_text: the bottle neck, for the purpose of opening the valve, will be prevented by the
baffles i.
Dated February 18th 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means of Preventing the Fraudulent Refilling of Bottles
and other Containers.
I, PIERRE BERNARD NOËL, of 30, Rue du Texel, Paris, France, Manufacturer, 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:-
My invention relates to improved means of closing bottles and other liquid con-
tainers with a view to prevent the fraudulent refilling of bottles bearing labels
indicative of the high class quality of the original contents of the bottle.
The invention is illustrated in the drawings accompanying my Provisional
Specification, wherein Figure 1 shews a sectional elevation of the improved closure.
Figures 2 to 11 shew elevation and plan views of each detail separately.
The combination of parts constituting the invention is such as to enable the liquid
contained in a bottle or other vessel to be poured off, but to render impossible fraud
on the consumer by the refilling of the empty bottle or vessel.
The improved means comprise the following parts-a is a cylindrical valve chamber
of glass or other material and b is a cylindrical plunger also of glass or other material
closed at its upper end by a plug c of the same material having a bottom d provided
on its underside with a stud d' serving to retain an india rubber disc e which constitutes
the valve, both the head e and bottom d of the valve being provided with radial studs
serving to centre said valve in the valve chamber, a. The body portion b of the
valve bears on its interior a mark or name, denominating the contents of the
bottle, visible through the glass, and it also contains a lead ball serving to weight
the valve sufficiently to keep the india rubber disc upon its seat g, this action
being further assisted by a coiled spring bearing against the head c and confined
between it and the lower one of two rings j upon which are supported one or
more baffles i serving to prevent the introduction of any instrument for the purpose
of opening the valve. A strainer k, preferably of convex form, is fitted within one
of the baffles. The baffles are supported within the valve cylinder a by a stirrup
piece is a glass or other mouth-piece fitting in the upper end of valve cylinder a
and projecting up through the mouth of the bottle (in which it is held central by
a packing ring n of cork or other material) and which is closed by a cork m.
o is a capsule of metal, enamelled or otherwise or made of other suitable material,
bearing any suitable indications, the tubular notched portion q of which capsule fits
around the tubular mouth-piece while its flanged part o covers the mouth of the
bottle or other container into which it is hermetically sealed by a luting composed
of a mixture of equal parts of Portland cement and plaster of Paris in water.
In order to pour off the contents, the cork m is removed and the bottle tilted
or inverted whereupon the gravity of the liquid contained assists the weight of the
body part b to overcome the spring and so remove the valve from its seat to
allow the liquid to escape past the valve and through and around the rings j and
baffles and strainer k to the mouth-piece l. If, now, after emptying the bottle, or
nearly so, it be brought to the upright position any attempt to refill it with liquid will
be rendered ineffectual inasmuch as the passage of the liquid will be arrested by the
valve e which is pressed on its seat by the weight of the hody portion b, the stress
of spring h, and the gravity of the liquid which it is sought to introduce. Even

page_text: should the bottle or container be placed in a horizontal position or be turned mouth
downwards, the valve would still close under the action of the liquid sought to be
introduced and thus prevent any liquid from entering the bottle. Moreover, the
insertion of any kind of tool into the bottle neck for the purpose of opening the
valve, will be prevented by the baffles i.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a means of preventing the fraudulent refilling of bottles and other containers,
the combination of a valve carried by a plunger and closing by gravity against a seat
in the inner end of a tubular casing and of a spring / tending to press it against its
seat, as described.
2. In a means of preventing the fraudulent refilling of bottles and other containers,
the combination of a valve carried by a plunger and closing by gravity against a seat
in the inner end of a tubular casing and of a spring tending to press it against its
seat and of one or more baffles i constructed as herein specified alternated with annular
distance pieces j, the parts i and j being held in position by a stirrup piece i¹ and
serving to prevent the introduction of an instrument for opening the valve whilst
permitting the pouring off of the contents, as described.
3. In a means of preventing the fraudulent refilling of bottles and other containers,
the combination of a valve carried by a plunger and closing by gravity against a seat
in the inner end of a tubular casing and of a spring / tending to press it against its
seat and of one or more baffles i constructed as herein specified alternated with annular
distance pieces j the parts i and j being held in position by a stirrup piece i¹ and
serving to prevent the introduction of an instrument for opening the valve whilst
permitting the pouring off of the contents, the whole being contained in a glass
cylinder a carrying the valve seat at its inner end and secured in the mouth of the
bottle by a glass mouth-piece l, cork packing n and a seal or luting p protected by a
capsule o substantially as described.
Dated November 1.
P. B. NOËL.
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agents.