IMPROVE- MENTS IN FORMING THE FASTENINGS OF CAPS OR STOPPERS FOR JARS AND BOTTLES, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in
the County of Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of
Glasgow, North Britain, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FORMING THE FASTENINGS OF CAPS OR STOPPERS FOR JARS AND
BOTTLES, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN." -A
communication from abroad by Thomas Rollason Hartell, of the City of
Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, and Andrew K. Hay, of
Winslow, in the State of New Jersey, United States of America.
Sealed the 20th April 1860, and dated the 24th February 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 24th February. 1860.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow, North
Britain, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FORMING THE FASTENINGS OF CAPS OR STOPPERS FOR JARS AND
BOTTLES, AND IN THE MACHINERY OF APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," a com-
munication from abroad by Thomas Rollason Hartell, of the City of Phila-
delphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, and Andrew K. Hay, of Winslow, in
the State of New Jersey, United States of America, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to that class of vessels and caps or stoppers, wherein

page_text: the latter are secured to the former by inclined planes on the one, and
projections on the other, fitting beneath such inclines, and consists in impart-
ing the desired shape to the cap or to the mouth of the vessel, by first forming
vertical ribs on the same, and indenting such ribs so as to leave the desired
projections by one instrument and at one and the same operation, whilst the
material is in a plastic or soft state.
In carrying out this Invention it is proposed to use a mould divided
centrally, and having the two halves held together by tongs or other suitable
contrivance. Into this mould the glass or plastic material for forming the cap
is introduced, and is formed into shape by the introduction of a die provided
with sliding radial punches actuated by a cam groove, on a disc on the lower
end of a vertical spindle, or by connecting rods attached to each punch and to
a boss on the spindle, so that by partially turning the latter the punches will
slide outwards in a grooved disc, and form indentations in a series of vertical
ribs made in the interior of the cap by the insertion of the die, the die being
recessed or slotted vertically at its sides for that purpose. The same arrange-
ment of die and radial punches is applicable to the formation of these indented
ribs upon the interior surface of the neck of a bottle or jar, the exterior of the
stopper in that case being provided with inclined planes instead of the neck,
the mould surrounding the neck during the operation. When an air-tight
cap is required a groove may be formed therein for the insertion of a ring of
india-rubber or other good packing. In order that the inner surface of the
top of the cap and the surfaces of the projections may fit accurately against
the lip of the bottle or jar, and against the inclined surfaces on the side of the
neck; it is proposed to grind such portions of the cap by placing it on a
lathe chuck, and connecting the die with its punches to a rotatory spindle.
Grinding material is then introduced into the cap, and the die inserted and
made to rotate therein so as to grind the end of the cap. The projections are
ground by the radial punches, which are forced outwards for that purpose.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed s
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 24th August 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
and of 166, Buchanan Street, in the City of Glasgow,, North Britain, Gentle- 3
man, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said John 'Henry
Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at 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 "In-
PROVEMENTS IN FORMING THE FASTENINGS OF CAPS OR STOPPERS FOR JARS AND
BOTTLES, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN," a com-
munication from abroad by Thomas Rollason Hartell, of the City of Philadelphia,
in the State of Pennsylvania, and Andrew K. Hay, of Winslow, in the State
of New Jersey, United State of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, 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 fol-
lowing statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
The said Invention relates to that class of vessels, and caps or stoppers for
the same, wherein the latter are secured to the former by inclined planes on
the one, and projections on the other, fitting beneath such inclines, and consists
in imparting the desired shape to the cap or to the mouth of the vessel, by
first forming vertical ribs on the same, and then removing a part of each rib,
whilst the material operated upon is still plastic to leave the desired pro-
jections. All this is done by one instrument, and as parts of one and the same
operation.
In carrying out this Invention it is proposed to use a mould divided
centrally, and having the two halves held together by tongs, or other suitable
contrivance. Into this mould the glass or plastic material for forming the cap
is introduced, and is shaped by the introduction of a die provided with sliding
radial punches, These punches are actuated by means of a cam groove

page_text: formed on a disc carried on the lower end of a vertical spindle; or in lieu of
a cam groove connecting rods may be used, attached severally to each punch,
and to a boss on the spindle, so that by partially turning the latter the punches
will slide outwards in a grooved disc, and thereby remove a portion from cach
of a series of vertical ribs made in the interior of the cap by the insertion of
the die, which is recessed or slotted vertically at its sides for that purpose..
The same arrangement of die and radial punches is applicable to the formation
of this peculiar form of rib upon the interior surface of the neck of a bottle or
jar, the exterior of the stopper in that case being provided with incline planes
instead of the neck of the vessel. When an air-tight cap is required, a groove
may be formed therein for the insertion of a ring of india-rubber or other
suitable packing. In order that the inner surface of the top of the cap
and the surfaces of the projections may fit accurately against the lip of the
bottle or jar, and against the inclined surfaces on the side of the neck, it is
proposed to grind such portions of the cap by placing it on a lathe chuck, and
connecting the die with its punches to a rotatory spindle. Grinding powder
is then introduced into the cap, and the die inserted and made to rotate,
therein, so as to grind the end of the cap. The projections are ground by the
radial punches, which are forced outwards for that purpose.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall
refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts throughout all
the Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings is a sectional elevation of the apparatus for
carrying out the improved method or process of forming the caps or covers
of jars and other vessels; Figure 2 is a sectional plan of Figure 1 on the
line 1, 2; Figure 8, the same, with the moving parts in a different position;
Figuro 4, a detached perspective view of the radial punches; Figure 5, a view
of the apparatus as applied to a lathe for grinding the caps; Figure 6, a
perspective view, illustrating a cap partially formed; Figure 7, the same,
illustrating the cap complete; and Figure 8, the complete cap as applied to
jar.
Figure 9 is a modification of part of the apparatus illustrated in Figures
1, 2, and 3; and Figures 10 and 11 illustrate the apparatus as applied to the
formation of projections in the mouth of the vessel.
A is the mould or box for receiving the molten glass or other plastic
materials of which the cap B is formed; and C is a die, the lower end of
which forms the inside of the cap. The mould is made in two halves, held

page_text: together during the process of forming the cap by tongs, or other appliances
of such construction as will allow the two halves of the mould to be separated
when the cap has been formed, so that the latter, with any mouldings or
devices which may be embossed on its outer surface, may be easily withdrawn.
The block or die C has a circular recess or chamber concentric with the
exterior, and in the bottom of the chamber fits a disc d, attached to or forming
a part of the spindle D, which is retained in its proper position, both laterally
and vertically, by the transverse bar E secured to the top of the die. An
arm F projects from the upper end of the spindle D, serving as a handle, by
which the said spindle may be turned partially round to an extent limited by
pins H, H, which project from the transverse bar E. On the under side of
the disc d is a recess or cam groove of the form of an equilateral triangle,
with rounded corners, and into this groove fits the round projection F on one
end of each of the radial punches a, a, a, which are arranged to slide in
grooves or slots formed in the bottom of the recess of the block C, and to fit
into and slide freely in orifices passing through the sides of the block or die,
each punch being provided at the outer end with a lip g, the lower end of
which lip is flush with the bottom of the die. On the sides of the die, and at
the parts where each of the orifices for the reception of the punches is situated,
there is formed a perpendicular recess, shown in Figures 1 and 2, for a
purpose which will be explained hereafter. When the above described
apparatus is used, the mould is held in suitable tongs, so as to keep the two
halves together, and the molten glass or other plastic material is deposited in
the mould A, when the die C (with its shaft D turned, so that its punches a
are drawn inwards to the position shewn in Figure 2,) is pressed to the
desired depth into the mould. A plain circular recess, with three vertical ribs
corresponding to the three vertical recesses of the die, is thus formed in the
plastic substance, which, if removed from the mould at this stage of the
process, would present the appearance represented in Figure 6. Prior to
withdrawing the die, however, and while the material in the mould retains its
soft or plastic state, the operator turns the spindle D by means of the
handle F, until the latter is moved from one projection H to the other, when
the disc d will have assumed the position shown in Figure 3. By this move-
ment of the spindle the three radial punches a, a, a, are projected outwards
simultaneously, their ends being thereby forced against the ribs previously
alluded to as having been formed in the plastic material by the vertical
recesses on the side of the die. Indentations will thus be made in the whole
of the ribs simultaneously, leaving the portion of each rib projecting near tho

page_text: edge of the cap, which has now assumed the form represented in Figure 7.
The spindle D is then turned to its former position, the punches being thereby
simultaneously withdrawn from the indentations which they had formed in the
ribs made by the vertical recesses of the die when the latter is raised from the
mould which is opened, so that the completed cap may now be removed. The
vessel to which the cap is to be applied is represented at X, Figure 8; it has
formed upon it near the edge of its mouth the inclined planes y, so that on
applying the cap it is slipped over the mouth of the vessel in such a position
that each of its projections shall coincide with the space between two of the
inclined planes y, after which the cap is turned round, so that each of its
projections shall catch the under edge of the inclined planes, and on con-
tinuing to turn the cap it will be brought to bear tight upon the edge of the
mouth. When a perfectly air-tight joint is required, the die which forms the
interior of the cap has an annular projection, by which an annular recess is
formed in the cap for the reception of a ring of gun elastic, or other suitable
material, which, fitting on the edge of the mouth of the vessel when the cap is
applied to the latter, forms the desired air-tight joint. In some classes of
vessels it may be necessary to grind the ends of the projections x, which bear
against the inclined planes y, so that they may be perfectly smooth and true
with each other, as well as with the said planes. This grinding operation is
performed by an instrument similar to that above described. The spindle D;
however, of the block or die c is secured to the spindle of the back head-
stock M of an ordinary lathe, the.cap B being "chucked" to the face plate n
of the front headstock N. Suitable grinding material being applied to the
inside of the cap, and the latter caused to revolve, the end of the die (which,
when applied to this purpose is slightly smaller in diameter than that by which
the interior of the cap was formed,) is gradually brought to bear on the bottom
of the cap, which, through the action of the grinding material, is soon reduced
to an uniform level surface. The die C is then gradually turned partially
round, which (as the spindle remains stationary) serves to project the punches
outwards, and the grinding material adhering to their projecting ends soon
reduces the ends of the projections a to an uniform surface, which must, of
necessity, be parallel to the previously ground surface on the bottom of the cap.
It will be evident that a cap with more than three projections may be formed by
the above-described process, all that is necessary being to increase the number
of punches a, and to alter the form of the recess or cam groove in the disc d, to
suit the number of punches and projections. For the larger class of caps the
grooved dise may be dispensed with, and a simple plate or boss g (Figure 9)

page_text: may be attached to the end of the spindle D, the plate being so connected by
rods to the punches a, that on turning the spindle partially round the whole
of the said punches will be projected outwards, or withdrawn simultaneously
Figure 10 illustrates the mode of forming projections on the inside of the
5 mouth of a vessel, the inclined planes being on the cap, as shewn in
Figure 11.
A, A, are the two halves of a mould, formed so as to inclose the mouth of
the vessel. While the latter is in a soft or plastic state, the die C, which is
similar in construction to that above described, is inserted into the mouth,
thereby forming vertical ribs, which, by the turning of the spindle D and the
projection of the punches, aro indented as described above, leaving projections
adapted to the inclined planes on the cap.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe, in conclusion, that what I consider to be novel and
original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hercin-
before in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
Firstly, the system or mode of imparting the desired shape either to the cap
or to the mouth of a vessel by forming vertical ribs in the same, and as part
of the same operation removing portions thereof, so as to leave the pro-
jections a, as before described.
Secondly, the general constructions and arrangements of apparatus for
forming the fastenings of caps or stoppers for jars and bottles, as herein-before
described.
.
Thirdly, the combination of the block or die C with the spindle D, the
grooved disc d, or its equivalent, and the radial punches a, a, the whole being
arranged and operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
J. HENKI JOHNSON. (L.S.)