Improvements in, and in Machinery for, Stoppering Bottles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 8th May, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 8th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 9th Apr.,
1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in, and in Machinery for, Stoppering Bottles.
•
We, BENJAMIN CROCKER CROSS, Civil Engineer, and ALEXANDER WALKER BROOKE,
Mechanic, both of Haysleigh, Lady Pit Lane, Leeds, in the County of York,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
Our invention refers to stoppers for bottles, being an improvement on the stopper
or capsule described in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 14420 dated 12th of
September 1890, and in machinery for closing the same on the bottles.
In said specification is described a capsule, consisting of a sealing disc of cork
or other suitable material fitted within a metallic capsule; the latter being pro-
vided with two or more wings, which are bent inwards near the ends, said ends
fitting beneath a collar formed on the neck of the bottle. As the said wings were
formed of a definite uniform length, whilst the depth from the mouth edge to the
under side of said collar was liable to vary, not only in different bottles but also
on different sides of the same bottle, the bottles were not uniformly tight, and
generally would only remain tight under low pressures.
To avoid this defect, we now form the said wings in the first instance straight
up to the end without any inward bend; the inward bend being formed only
immediately after the straight wings have been pressed down into a vertical position,
and whilst they are so held pressed against the side of the bottle neck and are hold-
ing the cork disc tight down on the mouth of the bottle sealing the filled bottle;
such bending in securing the sealing. The bottle is now formed with two moulded
collars on the neck, so that the space between the two collars is always uniform in
size and position on bottles made from the same shaped tool. Now we make use
of the said recess, or rather of the upper edge or side of the lower collar, for guiding
the bending-in and closing tool; and as the capsule is in place on the bottle and
properly pressed on to the mouth of the bottle when the bending-in and closing up
of the wings takes place, the length of each wing to the bend formed upon it is
automatically adjusted to the height of the edge of the bottle mouth above the
under side of the top collar, notwithstanding any difference in such height on
different sides of the same bottle, or in different bottles.
A machine for fixing the capsuled cork on the filled bottles comprises; a slide
and fixed plate for pushing the capsule into place over the mouth of the bottle,―
a device for raising the bottle and pressing the mouth sufficiently tight up into a
hole in said fixed plate, and a device for pushing down vertically the horizontal
wings of the capsule and for forcing the bending-in and closing tool against the
lower part of the wings and into the recess between the two collars.
The slide for pushing the cork capsule into place consists of a bottom fixed plate
with a hole for the passage or insertion of the mouth of the bottle, and a sliding
plate; the front edge of which (for a capsule with two wings) is an incomplete
semi-circle, with two straight edges parallel to the diameter of said incomplete
semi-circle and back from the same by half the width of the wings. The capsule
is placed on the bottom plate, and the sliding piece is then pushed forward, pushing
and holding the capsule centrally in position over the mouth of the bottle; and

page_text: the said straight edges placing the wings in proper position. Where more than
two wings are formed on the capsule, the shape of the plate edges will be altered
to suit.
The apparatus for raising the bottle and pressing the neck of the bottle up into
the hole in the fixed plate consists of a non-rotative stand on which the bottle is
placed, fitted into a rotative circular table with two semi-circular inclined planes
on the top of the same, and which support the non-rotative stand. The rotative
circular table is rotated in the direction to raise the bottle by the tension (or com-
pression) of a spring, and in the opposite direction by means of a weight fastened
to a lever attached to the shaft to which the operating hand lever
is also attached. The tension or compression of the spring is balanced
by said weight, which is raised by the operating movement of the
operating lever, and the spring is thus allowed to act 80 as to rotate
the rotative circular table, causing the non rotative stand to rise up and lift the
bottle placed thereon, so that the neck is tightly pushed into the before mentioned
hole of the fixed slide plate.
The down pusher for pushing the wings of the capsule into a vertical position
and the device for pushing in the bending-in and closing tools are operated by a
second lever on the shaft of the operating lever and a connecting rod passing to a
vertical sliding piece, which carries the down pushers and an inclined-plane slot
device; which latter forces inwards the bending-in and closing tools.
Side springs acting on or forming the down pushers cause the wings to be pressed
tight against the side of the bottle neck, and provide an automatic adjustment for
inequalities or variations in the diameter of the bottle neck or necks.
The side bending and closing tools are operated i.c. forced inwards by the above
mentioned inclined plane slot device acting on a projection of or attached to the
tool, said projection or projections fitting in the slot. The position or attachment
of the alot device is such, that it does not commence to operate on the bending-in
and closing tool, until the side wings have been pushed down into a vertical
position. Each tool consists of a straight piece of metal fitted capable of hori-
zontal to-and-fro motion towards the centre line of the bottle, and is fitted with a
spring arranged to press the front part of the underside against the upper edge
of the lower collar as a fulcrum, so that the inner edge of the tool is automatically
adjusted to bend the lower part of the wing tight against the underside of the
upper collar. A spring acting in the direction of the movement of the side bending
and closing tool, allows of sufficient play or adjustment for any variation in the
size of the said collars and recess.
Dated thin 7th ... .l
100%
improvements in, and in machinery 1or, Stoppering Bottles.
We, BENJAMIN CROCKER CROSS, Civil Engineer, and ALEXANDER WALKER BROOKE,
Mechanic, both of Haysleigh, Lady Pit Lane, Leeds, in the County of York,
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:-
Our invention refers to stoppers for bottles, being an improvement on the stopper
or capsule described in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 14420, dated 12th
September 1890, and in machinery for closing the bottles.

page_text: In said specification is described a capsule consisting of a sealing disc of cork,
or other suitable material, fitted within a metallic capsule, the latter being pro-
vided with two or more wings, which are bent inwards near the ends; said ends
fitting beneath a collar formed on the neck of the bottle. As the said wings were
formed of a definite uniform length, whilst the depth from the mouth edge to the
underside of said collar was liable to vary, not only in different bottles but also on
different sides of the same bottle, the bottles were not uniformly tight, and generally
would only remain tight under low pressures.
To avoid this defect, we now form the said wings in the first instance straight
up to the end, without any inward bend; the inward bend being formed only
immediately after the straight wings have been pressed down into a vertical position,
and whilst they are so held pressed against the side of the bottle neck and holding
the cork disc tight down on the mouth of the bottle, sealing the filled bottle; such
bending securing the sealing. The bottle is now formed with two moulded collars
on the neck, so that the space between the two collars is always uniform in size
and position on bottles made from the same tool. Now we make use of the said
recess, or rather of the upper edge or side of the lower collar, for guiding the
bending-in and closing fool; and as the capsule is in place on the bottle and
properly pressed on to the mouth of the bottle, when the bending-in and closing
up of the wings takes place, the length of each wing to the bend is automatically
adjusted to the height of the edge of the bottle mouth above the underside of the
top collar, notwithstanding any difference in such height on different sides of the
same bottle, or in different bottles.
A machine for fixing the capsuled cork on the filled bottles, comprises; a slide
and fixed plate for pushing the capsule into place over the mouth of the bottle,
a device for raising the bottle and pressing the mouth sufficiently tight up into a
hole in said fixed plate, and a device for pushing down vertically the horizontal
wings of the capsule, and for forcing the bending-in and closing tool against the
lower part of the wings and into the recess between the two collars.
The slide for pushing the cork capsule into place consists of a bottom fixed
plate, with a hole for the passage or insertion of the mouth of the bottle, and a
sliding plate; the front edge of which latter (for a capsule with two wings), is
an incomplete semi-circle with two straight edges parallel to the diameter of the
said incomplete semi-circle, and back from the same by half the width of the
wings. The capsule is placed on the bottom plate, and the sliding piece is then
pushed forward; pushing and holding the capsule centrally in position over the
mouth of the bottle; and the said straight edges placing the wings in proper
position. When more than two wings are formed on the capsule, the shape of
the plate edges will be altered to suit.
The apparatus for raising the bottle and pressing the neck of the bottle up into
the hole in the fixed plate, consists of a non rotative stand on which the bottle is
placed, fitted into a rotative circular table with two semi-circular inclined planes
on the top of the same, and which support the non rotative stand. The rotatíve
circular table is rotated in the direction to raise the bottle by the tension (or com-
pression) of a spring, and in the opposite direction, by means of a weight fastened
to a lever attached to the shaft, to which the operating hand lever is also attached.
The tension or compression of the spring is balanced by said weight, which is raised
by the operating movement of the operating lever; and the spring is thus allowed
to act so as to rotate the rotative circular table; causing the non-rotative stand to
rise up and lift the bottle placed thereon, so that the neck is tightly pushed into
the before mentioned hole of the fixed slide plate.
The down pusher for pushing the wings of the capsule into a vertical position,
and the device for pushing in the bending-in and closing tools, are operated by a
second lever on the shaft of the operating lever, and a connecting rod passing to
a vertical sliding piece, which carries the down pushers, and an inclined plane
slot device, which latter forces inwards the bending-in and closing tools.
Side springs acting on, or forming, the down pushers cause the wings to be

page_text: pressed tight against the side of the bottle neck, and provide an automatic adjust-
ment for inequalities or variations in the diameter of the bottle neck or necks.
The side bending and closing tools are operated, i.c., forced inwards by the above
mentioned inclined plane slot device acting on a projection of or attached to the
to.1 said projection or projections fitting in the slot. The position or attach-
ment of the slot device is such, that it does not commence to operate on the bending-
in and closing tool, until the side wings have been pushed down into a vertical
position. Each tool consists of a straight piece of metal, fitted capable of hori-
zontal to-and-fro motion towards the centre line of the bottle, and is fitted with a
spring, arranged to press the front part of the underside against the upper edge of
the lower collar as a fulcrum, so that the inner edge of the tool is automatically
adjusted to bend the lower part of the wing tight against the underside of the
upper collar. A spring may be provided, acting in the direction of the movement
of the side bending and closing tool, to allow sufficient play or adjustment for any
variation in the size of the said collars and recess.
And in order that our invention and the manner in which the same is to be per-
formed may be more readily and clearly understood, we have annexed hereto the
accompanying drawings, of which: —
Fig. 1 is a cross section, Fig. 2 a plan, and Fig. 3 an outside edge view of our
improved capsule, prior to being applied to bottles. Fig. 4 is an elevation of a
bottle neck.
Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section, and Fig. 6 a front elevation, with the
upper part in section on line A B of Fig. 5, of our improved machine; whilst
Fig. is a plan on line C D of Fig. 6 to a larger scale, and Fig. 8 a corresponding
section on line E F of Fig. 7.
As shewn in Figs. 1 to 3, the wings a are formed straight up to the ends, instead
of as heretofore having the ends turned down at right angles to a definite length
from the body of the capsule, as indicated by the dotted lines b. The bottle is formed
with two moulded collars c and d, (see Fig. 4), on the neck, the former undercut
as described in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 14420 of 1890; so that the
space between these collars is uniform in size and position in bottles made with
the same tool. The indents on the ends of the arms a facilitate the removal of the
capsule from the bottle.
1, Figs. 5 to 8 is the sliding plate for pushing the cork capsule into position,
and which slides over the fixed plate 2, having a hole countersunk in the underside
for the passage of the mouth of the bottle. When the capsule has two wings, the
front edge of the sliding plate 1 is shaped as shewn in Fig. 7. The sliding plate 1
is attached to the sliding frame 3, the sides of which are guided through slot holes
in the bracket 4, cast in one with the fixed plate 2, and between guide ribs 5 on the
sides of the main casting 6. The sides of the frame 3 are connected across at their back
ends by a pin 7, on which is mounted a friction roller 8, fitting in the cam slot 9,
formed in the vertical sliding piece 10; the vertical movement of which last moves
the frame 3 and the sliding plate 1 horizontally back and forwards.
11 is the circular rotable table, the cylindrical stem 14 of which fits in
bearings 12 and 13 formed in the main casting or frame 6 of the machine. 15 are
the semi-circular inclined planes or cams, cast on the top of the table 11, which is
also provided with a semi-circular arrangement of ratchet teeth 16.
17 is the non-
rotative stand, to receive on a cylindrical wood packing 18 the bottle 19. The
cylindrical stem 20 of the ncn rotative stand 17 fits in the hollow stem of the
table 11. The underside of the stand 17 is provided with semi-circular inclined
planes 21, resting on the semi-circular inclined planes or cams 15. To prevent
the rotation of the stand 17, a projecting wing 22 is formed thereon, the outer end
of which fits in the guide slot formed by the ribs 23 on the main casting. 24 is a
spiral spring, secured at one end to the wooden trestle frame 25, carrying the
machine, and at the other end to a chain 26, passing round the hollow stem 14 of
the rotable table 11. The other end of the chain is attached to the lever 27,
which latter is hinged loose, (i.e. not keyed), on the main shaft 28. On the same

page_text: shaft 28 is keyed a triple armed lever, the longer arm 29 of which carries a balance
weight 30, sufficiently heavy to overcome the tension of the spring 24. The short
arm 31 of this triple lever is connected by the link 32 to the lower end of the vertical
sliding piece 10, whilst the third arm 33 is provided with a round lug 34, which
lotter bears against the lever 27, so as to draw back the chain 26, and extend the
spring 24, when the weight 30 descends. 47 is a hand operating lever, secured to the
outer end of the main shaft 28. A set screw or pin, passing through one of
the links of the chain, ensures the partial rotation of the stem 14 and table il as
the chain moves in one direction or the other. The hinged ratchet pawl 35 dropp-
ing into the ratchet teeth 16, prevents the rotation of the table 11, and downward
movement of the stand 17, in case the downward pressure on closing the capsule
exceeds the tension of the spring 24. The pawl 35 is raised by the rod 36, which
passes through a hole in the lug 37; an adjustable collar 38 being fitted on the
rod 30 above the lug 37, and a spring and adjustable collar 39 on the under side.
A projecting lug 40 on the upper end of the vertical sliding piece 10 carries the
bridge piece 41, to which are attached the slotted cam plates 42; for actuating
the side bending-in and closing tools 43, by means of friction rollers on the latter
fitting in the slots of the plates 42. A cylindrical boss on the bridge piece 41,
carries the spring cushioned holding down plunger 44, for holding down the corked
capsule tightly on the mouth of the bottle, and carries also the spring down
pushers 45 for pushing down the wings of the capsule into a vertical position, prior
to the action on the wings of the side bending-in and closing tools 43. When
operating on the wings, the tools 43 rest upon the top of the lower collar of the
bottle, or on a spring cushioned ball bearing 46 as a fulcrum. In place of actuat-
ing the cam plates 42 from the vertical sliding piece 10, they may be actuated
independently by a separate hand or foot lever, connected to the lower ends of the
plates 42 by means of the connecting rods 46 (see dotted lines).
The modus operandi of the machine is as follows. The positions of the various
parts of the machine, when at rest, is as shewn in Figs. 5 and 6. In the latter
however, the position of the bottle when the closing and sealing takes place, is
shewn.
The operator seated astride the wooden trestle frame 25 places a capsule on the
fixed plate 2, and the bottle on the stand 17. On pulling the operating lever 47
in the direction indicated by the arrow, the counter-weight 30 is raised, the lever 33
moved back, relieving the tension on the spring 24; which latter draws back the
chain 26, rotating the table 11, and raising the stand 17, with the bottle thereon.
The same movement of the operating handle lowers the short lever 31, and draws
down the vertical sliding piece 10 with attachments, and draws in the sliding
plate 1, pushing the capsule into position and holding it there, and lowers the
capsule plunger. Owing to the vertical portion of the cam slot 9 being vertical,
the movement of the sliding plate 1 is completed during the first part of the down-
ward movement of the vertical sliding piece 10; and owing to the lower portion
of the slots in the plates 42 being vertical, the inward movement of the side bending
in and closing tools 43 does not commence till after the first half of the downward
movement of the sliding piece 10. The further downward movement of the sliding
piece 10 compresses the spring above the plunger 44, and causes the spring down
pushers 45 to bend down the side wings of the capsule into a vertical position, and
whilst the spring down pushers 45 hold the side wings of the capsule tight against
the sides of the bottle neck, and the spring capsule plunger 44 tightly holds down
the capsule on the mouth of the bottle, the final portion of the downward move-
ment of the sliding piece 10 and plates 42 moves in the side bending and closing
tools 43.
The nose of the tool 43 slides against the incline on the lower end of the down
pushers 45, and owing to the bend near the end of the nose, the end of the nose
can rise by the depth of the bend, in case the length from the undercut collar to
the mouth of the bottle is shorter than usual.

page_text: It will be evident, that the device for raising the bottle can be applied to machines
for closing bottles with ordinary corks.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. The general arrangement and construction of our improved machine sub-
stantially as and for the purpose or purposes herein set forth and illustrated.
2. The device for pushing and holding a capsule into and in position over the
mouth of the bottle comprising a fixed and a moveable plate substantially as set
forth and illustrated.
3. In bottle corking or capsuling machines the device comprising a non rotable
stand and a rotable table provided with semi-circular inclined planes or cams for
raising and holding the bottle substantially as set forth and illustrated.
4. The device comprising a plunger and down pushers for bending down and
holding the side wings of a capsule into and in a vertical position substantially as
set forth and illustrated.
5. The device comprising moveable side bending-in and closing tools for bending-
in and securing the lower ends of the side wings of capsules against a collar on the
neck of the bottle substantially as set forth and illustrated.
6. In combination respectively with the devices the subject matters of Claims 2,
3, 4 and 5, the means for operating said devices substantially as set forth and
illustrated.
7. The construction of capsuled cork consisting of a metallic capsule containing
a cork disc and provided with two or more side wings, which prior to use extend
straight outwards approximately parallel to the plane of the capsule, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth and as illustrated.
Dated this 7th day of March 1900