Improvements in the Construction of Stands for Bottles and other Receptacles, with Devices for Locking or Securing the same.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in the Construction of Stands for Bottles and other
Receptacles, with Devices for Locking or Securing the same.
I, WILLIAM STANIFORTII, of 221, Upperthorpe, Sheffield, in the County of York,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the construction of a novel device for locking or securing
the stoppers or lids of bottles and similar vessels, when fitted into convenient
stands, the purpose of which is to guard or protect the contents thereof and at the
same time to hold the bottles securely in the stands.
It may be made of any suitable metal or material but I prefer to use silver
or electro plate.
It may be applied to stands of any kind into which bottles or similar vessels, or
receptacles of any kind, are fitted the contents of which it is desired to guard or
protect, such for example as inkstands, liquor stands, toilet stands, and similar.
In the case of an inkstand, having two bottles, the bottles may be fitted into the
stand in any convenient manner which will admit of the application thereto of my
invention.
This consists of a handle which is fixed between the two bottles. Combined
with, and hinged to, the handle is an ornamental bar, the ends of which are made
to fit, and rest upon the lids of the bottles, and which is pulled down upon them by
means of a spring, or springs. The bar is fitted to the handle in such fashion that
on its being pulled upwards the springs are compressed and the bar raised from
contact with the lids to a position which allows it to be turned on the hinge back-
wards, and away from the bottles, so that the contents thereof are accessible. A
reverse action brings the bar back to a position vertically over the bottles when
the springs automatically pull it down again upon the lids. When in this position
the contents of the bottles are practically sealed, and the bottles firmly held in the
stands. The handle does not move with the bar but remains stationary.
In the case of a liquor-stand I employ a locking device of any suitable character
in combination with the handle and bar, which allows the bar to be locked in the
closed position, thus rendering the bottles immovable, and their contents inac-
cessible without the aid of a key.
In giving effect to this alternate device I make the springs above referred to,
to act in a reverse direction, that is to force the bar upwards and away from the
stoppers when unlocked. And I so arrange the locking device that on the bar being
turned on the hinge to the position vertically over the stoppers, and pressed down-
wards, the springs are compressed and the bar forced into the desired position on
the stoppers, and automatically locked there. On the key being applied the springs

page_text: are released and force the bar back again to the position which allows it to be
turned backwards and away from the stoppers. The bottles may then be taken
out at will.
The locking device as above described may be applied to any or all of the stands
to which my invention relates but in the case of an inkstand, or any stand where it
is simply desired to protect the bottles, vessels, or other receptacles, or their contents,
from being accidentally overturned, or upset, I do not consider it necessary as the
simpler device satisfactorily accomplishes this purpose.
Improvements in the Construction of Stands for Bottles and other
Receptacles, with Devices for Locking or Securing the same.
I, WILLIAM STANIFORTH, of 221, Upperthorpe, Sheffield, in the County of York,
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 the construction of a novel device for locking or securing
the stoppers or lids of bottles and similar vessels, when fitted into convenient
stands, the purpose of which is to guard or protect the contents thereof and at the
same time to hold the bottles securely in the stands.
It may be made of any suitable metal or material, but I prefer to use silver or
electro plate.
It may be applied to stands of any kind into which bottles or similar vessels (or
receptacles of any kind), are fitted, the contents of which it is desired to guard or
protect, such for example as inkstands, liquor-stands, toilet-stands, and similar.
In the case of an inkstand, having two bottles, the bottles may be fitted into the
stand in any convenient manner which will admit of the application thereto of my
invention.
Combined
This consists of a handle which is fixed between the two bottles.
with, and hinged to, the handle is an ornamental bar the ends of which are made
to fit and rest upon the lids of the bottles, and which is pulled down upon them by
means of a spring, or springs. The bar is fitted to the handle in such fashion that
on its being pulled upwards the springs are compressed and the bar raised from
contact with the lids to a position which allows it to be turned on the hinge back-
wards and away from the bottles, so that the contents thereof are accessible. A
reverse action brings the bar back to a position vertically over the bottles when
the springs automatically pull it down again upon the lids. When in this position
the contents of the bottles are practically sealed and the bottles firmly held in the
stands. The handle does not move with the bar but remains stationary.
In the case of a liquor-stand I employ a locking device of any suitable character
in combination with the handle and bar which allows the bar to be locked in the
closed position thus rendering the bottles immovable and their contents inac-
cessible without the aid of a key.
In giving effect to this alternate device I make the springs above referred to to
act in a reverse direction, that is; to force the bar upwards and away from the stoppers
of the bottles when unlocked. And I so arrange the locking device that on the bar
being turned on the hinge to the position, vertically over the stoppers, and pressed
downwards; the springs are compressed and the bar forced into the desired position

page_text: on the stoppers, and automatically locked there. On the key being applied tho
springs are released and force the bar back again to the position which allows it to
be turned backwards, and away from the stoppers. The bottles may then be taken
out of the stand at will.
The locking device, as above described, may be applied to any or all of the stands
to which my invention relates but in the case of an inkstand, or any stand, where it
is simply desired to protect the bottles, vessels, or other receptacles, or their contents,
from being accidentally overturned or upset I do not consider it necessary as the
simpler device saticfactorily accomplishes this purpose.
Reference to the accompanying sheets (3) of drawings, in which like letters
represent like parts, will more fully show the nature of my invention.
Fig. 1, Sheet 1, shows an inkstand to which my invention is applied. It is shown
with the bar pulled down on the lids of the bottles by the spring C. Fig. 2 on tho
same sheet is an end view of the handle and bar in the same position, Fig. 3 being
the same end view with the bar turned aside. It will be seen that the bar is hinged
at A to a sleeve B which slides over the central rod of the handle and may be pulled
upwards as far as the fillet D. When pulled to this position the lower ends of the
bar at E E are lifted out of the slots in the stops FF and the bar may then be turned
aside to the position shown in Fig. 3. When the bar is turned in the reverse
direction to bring it back again to the position shown in Fig. 2 the lower ends E E
are brought in contact with the arms G G on the stops F F which action compresses
the spring and causes the sleeve B to move upwards on the central rod of the
handle till the ends E E are vertically over the slots in the stops F F, the spring
then pulls the bar down on the lids again the lower ends of the bar E E being at
the same time pulled into the slots in which position the bar cannot be turned
on the hinges.
Fig. 4, Sheet 2, shows a two-bottle liquor-stand to which my invention is applied.
It is shown with the bar in the locked position. The bar in this case being pro-
vided with caps which fit over the stoppers of the bottles. Fig. 5 on the same
sheet is a front view of the handle and bar on an enlarged scale. Fig. 6 being
an end view of the same with the bar unlocked and turned aside. These figures
are partly shown in section. It will be seen that the bar is hinged or pivoted at H
to a tube or sleeve I which slides over the central rod of the handle and when
unlocked is forced up the rod by the spring J as far as the fillet K (this is clearly
seen in Fig. 6). When forced by the spring to this position the lower ends of the
bar L L are raised above the stops M M and the bar may then be turned aside.
When the bar is brought back again to the perpendicular position and forced down-
wards the spring J is compressed the lower ends of the bar L L slide behind the
stops M M and the guide pin N, which passes through the lock, is brought into
such position that the bolt of the lock is shot automatically into a slot cut in the
pin for that purpose. Any ordinary spring lock may be adapted to the purpose.
Fig. 7, Sheet 3, shows a three-bottle liquor-stand to which my invention is
applied. Figs. 8 and 9 on the same sheet show the essential parts on an enlarged
scale and partly in section. From the full description given of Sheets 1, and 2 all
the essential parts of my invention, though slightly modified, will readily be
recognised and their construction and application to this class of stand clearly
comprehended. It may however be necessary to point out that the handle in this
case moves with the bar and that the locking device is fixed in the base of the
stand, the bolts of the lock being automatically shot into the slots cut in the ends
of the bar at S when the bar is pressed down till the caps are brought to bear on
the stoppers. When in this position it will be seen that the bar cannot be turned
on the hinges.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
(1) A combined bar and handle constructed and applied to stands for bottles and

page_text: other receptacles in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth and described.
The essential feature of which consists in the bar being so constructed and applied
that it cannot be turned aside on the hinges till after it has been raised vertically
away from the lids or stoppers of the bottles.
Doted this Second day of February 1808