Improvements in Stoppers for Bottles and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 23rd Mar.. 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stoppers for Bottles and the like.
I, LEOPOLD LANDAU, of 4 Rue Fromentin, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Engineer, 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:-
In the accompanying drawings similar letters of reference indicate similar parts.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a form of my invention as applied to a
bottle.
Figure 2 is a horizontal section of the Hoat piece J shown in Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the tube A shown in Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the cork-piece.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the rose-piece B.
Figure 6 is a vertical section of a form of my stopper in which a ball D takes
the place of the piece J shown in Figure 1.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the top of a bottle in which my invention is
employed. In this figure the cover I shown in Figure 1 has been removed.
My stopper as illustrated in the accompanying drawings consists of a tube A
stamped from a single piece of metal and presenting the form shown in section in
Figures 1 and 6 and in elevation in Figure 3. On this tube is placed a rose-piece B
carrying several branches, in this case four, c, slightly curved as shown in Figure 5.
Before placing the rose-piece B in position I introduce the float piece J into the
tube A. This float piece is as shown of cylindrical form with a hemispherical end
as will be seen in Figure 1 and for the sake of lightness is made hollow and of
aluminium or of other very light material so as easily to float. Above this I place
the ball E of metal or other heavy material. I then set over the tube A a cap G
which may carry one or more appendices H to fix it in position as will be herein-
after explained. When desired a piece K of parchment or other suitable material
may be employed as indicated in Figure 7. When this is done the appendices H
may be suppressed or they may be employed if desired the piece of parchment or
other material K sufficing to fix the stopper in position.
Finally the tube A is inserted in the cork-piece F which latter may if desired
be of any other suitable flexible material answering the same purpose as cork.
When the bottle is filled with liquid it is closed by means of my stopper inserted
as an ordinary stopper would be. For the purpose of preventing removal of the
stopper a ligature of wire or the like secured by a leaden or other seal may be
employed as shown in Figure 7 in which figure both the piece of parchment K and
the appendices H are represented. These appendices may be integral with the
cap G or they may be separate attachments and of metal or other suitable material.
As I have herein before stated the piece of parchment or the like K may be
dispensed with and the appendices H fixed by means of the ligature or the
appendices may be dispensed with and the piece K retained in position by the
ligature. The ligature surrounds the neck just below the swelling under the mouth
so that although the bottle may be broken it is impossible to slide the ligature off
the bottle without breaking the latter or destroying the seal. When the bottle is
filled with the liquid and closed up as shown in Figure 1 it is impossible to
fraudulently extract the liquid contents.
When it is desired to extract the liquid from the bottle it suffices to remove the
cover I from the cap G which is easily done as this is furnished with a small cut

page_text: or channel at a surrounding it. If now the bottle is inclined the float-piece J and
the ball E are brought towards the rose-piece B and the liquid passes through
the tube A and flows between the appendices of the rose-piece B outwards
through the opening a a. If now the bottle is returned to its vertical position the
weight of the ball E suffices to force the float-piece J downwards so as to
completely obstruct the opening of the tube A.
It is to be noted that the constituent parts of my safety stopper are such that
it is impossible to maintain it open in order to refill the bottle. In the first place
the float-piece J is immediately pressed up against the opening of the tube A so
as to obstruct it when the bottle is immersed in a liquid. Further, it is impossible
to introduce a fine tube or the like into the interior of the throat of the bottle:
and as the stopper is sealed upon the bottle it is impossible to remove it altogether.
Consequently the bottle cannot be refilled without breaking the seal.
My invention is not only applicable for the stoppering of bottles but to the
stoppering of any other receptacles to which it can be securely adapted in the
manner specified. I have shown my invention as applicable to bottles simply
because these are the receptacles most frequently employed to hold liquids.
I find that aluminium is a suitable metal to employ for the tube A but I do
not limit myself to the employment of this metal. The float J which as I have
said must be very light and which I generally make of aluminium is fluted as
shown in Figure 2. In the flutings or grooves C the appendices c of the rose-piece
fit and as will be seen these appendices extend to the bottom of the tube A and
thus prevent oscillation of the float piece. When the liquid is one which does not
attack rubber I find it convenient to replace the float-piece J by a hollow rubber
ball D, see Figure 6. This ball has the advantage of being very light and very
efficient for closing up the opening of the tube A. Tinned or aluminium-coated
lead is a suitable material for the ball E but I do not limit myself to such material.
In some cases instead of fixing the cover G as shown in Figures 1 and 7 1 may
suppress the sheet of parchment or other like material and fit the said cap G
directly to the tube A as shown in Figure 6.
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 :-
1. The new or improved stopper substantially as set forth.
2. The arrangement and combination of parts substantially as set forth with
reference to Figure 1.
3. The arrangement and combination of parts substantially as set forth with
reference to Figure 6.