A New or Improved Stopper for Bottles and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 27th July, 1895-Accepted, 31st Aug.,
1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Stopper for Bottles and the like.
I, CHARLES EDWARD BEAVIS, of Jacob Street, Bristol, Mineral Water
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 a new or improved stopper for use in bottles or vessels
containing gases or liquids under pressure, and has for its object to provi le means
whereby a stopper may be placed in the neck or opening of a bottle or vessel
previous to filling, and be automatically sealed by a valve and washer when the
vessel is full.
My invention consists in making the stopper of the usual form and size, but with
a tubular opening, from the top to the bottom, through which the battle is filled,
and a valve fitted in the opening which will effectually seal the stopper after the
bottle is filled. This invertion is primarily intended for use in stoppering bottles
containing mineral waters and other liquids under pressure, and the following
description more particularly refers thereto, but it is also applicable to cylinders
and other vessels containing gases.
This invention will be more fully described in connection with the accompanying
sheet of drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a view of a screw stopper with the valve inserted, ready to be placed in
the bottle;
Fig. 2 is a section, and Fig. 3 a plan of the same;
Fig. 4 is a vertical, and Fig. 5 a plan view of the valve, previous to its insertion
in the stopper.
For the sake of clearness, all the figures are drawn to an enlarged scale.
A is an ordinary screw stopper, and B the rubber washer to make the stopper
and bottle airtight, the screw C fitting into the neck of the bottle; in the top of
the stopper a circular hole D is made, below this, at a suitable distance from the
top, the hole is continued with a reduced diameter E right through the stopper,
thus forming a seating d on which the collar of the valve rests. A valve G, on
which a washer H (preferably conical) is placed, is attached to a shank I, the
upper part formed with a flange or collar J to rest on the seating d; the shank and
collar are conveniently made triangular and their faces fluted, to give as much
space as possible for the rapid filling of the bottle. The bottom of the stopper is
made conical, as shown by K in Fig. 2; to allow the escape of air from the bottle
while it is being charged, a small vertical air passage L is made from the base of
the stopper to a horizontal passage M made in or near the top, which conveniently
opens in the side of the stopper, as shewn.
The various parts being provided as described, the valve shank I is inserted in
the opening DE, the flange J resting on the seating d, the rubber washer H is
sprung or stretched over the lower part of the valve G, to fit tightly in the concave
surface K at the base of the stopper; the stopper and valve will then be complete,
as shewn in Figs. 1 and 2, ready for insertion in the neck of the bottle or vessel.
In the manufacture of mineral waters and the like, the bottles will have their
stoppers inserted after washing, and be taken to the ordinary machines, and
charged through the aperture D E in the stopper, the inrush of liquid to the bottle
expelling the air through the perforations LM, and the pressure of gas or liquid
in the bottle forces the valve G and washer H into the conical base of the stopper,
D

page_text: and effectively seals the inlet E and outlet L, the valve, washer, and collar
occupying the position in the stopper indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2.
In opening the bottle, if it is desired to allow any superfluous gas to escape
before discharging the contents, the finger is placed on the collar J, which will be
nearly on a level with the top surface of the stopper, and by a slight pressure, the
valve will drop to its original position, and the gas be liberated, when the stopper
may be unscrewed and the liquid poured out without waste.
I am aware that stoppers have already been made with openings through them
for the purposes of filling and air-exhaustion, to the perforated stopper in itself I
make no claim, but―
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. The construction of stoppers for vessels containing gases and liquids under
pressure with perforations through them of different diameters, thereby forming &
seating to support a valve for automatically sealing the stopper when the vessel or
bottle is filled, substantially as described and shewn.
2. In stoppers for bottling gases and liquids under pressure, the insertion of a
valve as herein described, (to be normally supported on an internal seating),
which automatically seals the stopper when the bottle is filled, substantially as
described.
3. In stoppers as herein described, the provision of a channel from the base of
the stopper to the outside, whereby the air contained in the bottle or vessel may be
displaced by the inrush of the gas or liquid, substantially as set forth.
4. In the construction of stoppers, the combination of the several parts herein
described, whereby the bottles or vessels may be filled after the stoppers are
inserted and automatically sealed, substantially as and for the purposes herein set
forth and illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Waton this 7th dow of July XUG
Waten the Znh dow of Imly IXUS
J. G. WESTLAKE,
2, John Street, Bristol, Applicant's Agent.