AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR STOPPERING BOTTLES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jules Becker, of No. 91, Quai des Chartrons,
Bordeaux, in the Empire of France, Merchant, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR STOPPERING BOTTLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jules Becker at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 1st
November 1866.
I, JULES BECKER, of No. 91, Quai des Chartrons, Bordeaux, in the Empire
of France, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR STOPPERING BOTTLES," to be as follows, that is
to say :-
My Invention consists in improved arrangements or apparatus for stoppering
bottles, chiefly applicable to bottles for containing gaseous liquids at a pressure
greater than that of the atmosphere.
The improved arrangements consist, first, of an ordinary cork cut off at a
short distance above the neck of the bottle; secondly, above this cork is a
small india-rubber plate or washer; thirdly, above this plate or washer is a
second plate or washer of cork, leather, felt, or other substance forming an
elastic cushion; and, fourthly, above this washer a small stamped metal plate.

page_text: The parts being thus placed I then by means of hooks or wire, string, or
other means commonly employed, fix the last-named plate and tighten it by
taking a bearing or support on the ring of the neck of the bottle. By these
means the cushion compresses the india-rubber, which thus stops any
interstices in the cork, or between the cork and the bottle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Jules Becker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th
April 1867.
1
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JULES
BECKER, of No. 91, Quai des Chartrons, Bordeaux, in the Empire of France,
Merchant, send greeting..
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the First day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Jules Becker, Her special licence that I, the said Jules Becker, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Jules
Becker, my executors, administrators, and 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 "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
STOPPERING BOTTLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Jules Becker, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Jules Becker, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereto annexed,
and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
.
My Invention consists in improved arrangements or apparatus for stoppering
bottles, chiefly applicable to bottles for containing gaseous liquids at a pressure
greater than that of the atmosphere.

page_text: The improved arangements consist, first, of an ordinary. cork cut off to a
short distance above the neck of the bottle; secondly, above this cork is a
small india-rubber plate or washer; thirdly, above this plate or washer is
a second plate or washer of cork, leather, felt, or other substance forming
an elastic cushion, but which may be dispensed with; and, fourthly, above
this washer a small stamped metal plate or capsule. The parts being thus
placed I then, by means of hooks or wire, string, or other means commonly
employed, fix the last-named plate and tighten it by taking a bearing or
support on the ring of the neck of the bottle. By these means the cushion
compresses the india-rubber, which thus stops any interstices in the cork or
between the cork and the bottle.
I will now proceed to describe the best way I am acquainted with for
carrying out my Invention by reference to the accompanying Drawing, in
which Figure 1 represents an elevation, and Figure 4 a section of a bottle
closed by means of two half ferrules, and Figure 3, an elevation, and
Figure 2, a section of a bottle closed by means of a capsule with flexible lugs
or arms.
The two arrangements are similar, with the exception of some modifications.
The first arrangement shewn in Figures 1 and 4 consists in placing in the
neck of the bottle a very short common cork C, which I cut off to about one-
third of an inch above the mouth of the bottle; I place above it an india-
rubber plate or washer F, then the capsule E, and by means of a corking
machine the whole is pressed down, the cork takes the form of the capsule,"
and the india-rubber bending over it forms the joint between the metal of the.
capsule the surface of the cork and the glass neck of the bottle. The two
half ferrules A, A, are then brought together, and the ring B is passed over
from above so as to unite them; the whole has then the appearance shewn at
Figure 1. In replacing the india-rubber plate or washer F by a ring F,
Figures 2 and 3, and making one piece of the capsule E and two portions of
the two half ferrules, as shewn at A (Figures 2 and 3,) I obtain the arrange-
ment shewn in Figures 2 and 3; in this case, however, instead of securing the
closing by the ring B (Figures 1 and 4,) a wire B is passed round the
lower part of the two arms A under the projecting part of the neck of the
bottle D.
And having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself
to the precise details of construction, as the same may be varied; but what I
claim is, the arrangements above described for stoppering bottles by means of
a capsule held against the neck and pressing a plate or washer, or a band

page_text: or ring of india-rubber on the cork and on the glass, so
perfect joint, as herein-before described and shewn in the accompanying
Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jules Becker, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-second. day of April, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-seven.