IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS OR COVERS FOR BOTTLES, AND IN THE TOOLS OR APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Bradley, of Castleford, in the County
of York, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STOPPERS OR COVERS FOR BOTTLES, AND IN THE TOOLS OR APPARATUS
FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME."
Sealed the 11th April 1854, and dated the 12th October 1853.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Bradley
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 12th October 1853.
I, GEORGE BRADLEY, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS OR COVERS FOR BOTTLES, AND IN THE
TOOLS OR APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates, first, to a novel mode of constructing the
stoppers of bottles, and of securing such stoppers thereon, and will be
found particularly applicable for all purposes where effervescing drinks
are kept in bottles.
The second part of the Invention relates to the tools, instruments, or
apparatus to be used in making or manufacturing such stoppers.
The neck of the bottle is provided at the upper part, or that part to
which the stopper is to be applied, with a flange or bead which is cut

page_text: The
away on two sides of the neck flush with the neck of the bottle.
stopper is made in the form of a cap, into which the mouth of the bottle
is inserted, the opening of the cap being just large enough to receive the
flange or bead on the neck of the bottle, and admit the top of the neck
including the flange into the interior of the cap, where, by turning the
cap partly round, the top of the neck will be secured by an internal
shoulder, which will prevent the cap from being "forced off by the
elastic force of any gas that may exist in the liquid/contained in the
bottle. A disc of cork or other slightly yielding material is placed at the
bottom of the cap to receive the pressure of the mouth of the bottle.
Also a ring of cork or other elastic substance may be placed on the
bottle neck above or below the flange, or both. As the internal
space of the cap is of larger diameter and greater capacity than the
entrance or mouth leading-thereto,-it-will-be- evident that these
stoppers must be made by means of tools specially contrived for the
purpose. Supposing the cap or stopper to be made of soft, metal
or any other suitable material capable of being moulded or formed
into the required shape by either casting, stamping, or any other
analogous process, I prepare a mould or die to form the exterior part
of the stopper or cap, and in the centre of this mould or 'die I insert a
core pin of the required form, but divided into three parts, one of which
is fixed or attached to a table, while the other two are detached and
moveable, and are mounted one on each side of tlie fixed piece. These
moveable pieces are fitted in dovetailed grooves in the fixed piece,
and when the cap or stopper is formed in the mould or die the stopper
or cap is lifted up off the table, taking with it the two moveable dove-
tailed pieces, but leaving the coil pin fixed to the table.
A
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Bradley in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 11th April 1854.
..TO. ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME; I,
GEORGE BRADLEY, of Castleford, in the County of York, Gentleman,
send greeting

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellant Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seventeenth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said George Bradley, Her special license that I, the
said George Bradley, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such,
others as I, the said George Bradley, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS OR
COVERS FOR BOTTLES, AND IN THE TOOLS OR APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING
THE SAME," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George
Bradley, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 J, the said George Bradley, 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 hereunto
annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say):
.
My Invention of "Improvements in Stoppers or Cover for Bottles,
and in the Tools or Apparatus for Manufacturing the same," relates, first,
to a novel mode of constructing the stoppers of bottles, and of 'securing,
such stoppers on the necks of bottles without the use of strings,
ligatures, or other like means, which improvement will be found
particularly applicable for all purposes where effervescing drinks are
kept in bottles, as a portion of the contents ray be poured out of the
bottle, and the stopper replaced and secured thereon' until the remaining
portion of liquid is required for use:

page_text: The second part of the Invention relates to the employment of a
peculiar construction of core in the manufacturing of the improved
stoppers.
The neck of the bottle is provided at the upper part, or that part to
which the stopper is to be applied, with a flange or bead which is cut
away on opposite sides of the neck flush with the neck of the bottle.
The stopper is made in the form of a cap, with an internal flange cut
away in a manner corresponding to the bead or flange on the bottle
neck to admit of the insertion of the bottle neck and of the locking of
the cap and bottle together. A disc of cork or other slightly yielding
material is placed in the cap to receive the pressure of the mouth of
the bottle. Also a ring of cork or other elastic substance may be placed
on the bottle neck above or below the flange, or both, for the purpose
of making an air and water tight joint. In the accompanying Drawing
I have shewn various views of my improved stopper fitted to the neck
of a soda water bottle. Fig. 1, is an elevation of a bottle with the
stopper thereon shewn in section. Fig. 2, is a view of the bottle and
stopper detached, the latter being shewn in section. Fig. 3, is a plan
view of the bottle and stopper, shewing the flanges or shoulders. a, is
a flange on the bottle neck, having portions cut away as shewn best in
the plan view. Fig. 3, b, is a corresponding flange formed on the immer
periphery of the cover or stopper. A disc or ring c, of cork, india-rubber,
or other suitable material is secured inside the cover or stopper for the
purpose of receiving the pressure of the lip of the bottle. I sometimes
propose to make the covers or stoppers of glass when it will be found
convenient to adapt a ring of some yielding material to the neck of the
bottle as at d. As the internal space of the cover is of larger diameter
and greater capacity than the entrance or mouth leading thereto, it will
be evident that these stoppers must be made by means of tools specially
contrived for the purpose. The construction of these tools forms the
second part of my Invention, and will be understood by the following
description: Supposing the cover or stopper to be made of soft metal
or any other suitable material capable of being moulded or formed into
the required shape by either casting or stamping, or other analogous

page_text: process, I prepare a mould or die to form the exterior part of the stopper,
cap, or cover in the usual manner, and in the centre of this mould or
die I insert a core pin of the required form, but divided into three parts,
one of which is fixed or attached to a table, while the other two are
detached pieces, and are mounted one on each side of the fixed piece.
This will be best understood by referring to Figs. 4, and 5, in the
Drawing. Fig. 4, is a vertical section of the die or mould for casting
the covers or stoppers either in soft metal or glass. e, e, is the mould
or die which forms the exterior of the cover or stopper; f, f, is a
table on which the die e, is placed, and secured previously to pouring
in the melted material of which the stopper is intended to be com-
posed; g, is a fixed core pin which is secured in the table f, and
forms the central part of the core, the remaining portion of the core
being formed by the two lateral pieces i, i, which are connected to
the central portion g, by means of dovetailed grooves as shewn in the
detached plan view, Fig. 5. When these pieces i, i, are fitted into
the dovetailed grooved in the fixed core pin, and the mould is se-
cured to the plate or table ff, the cover or stopper is formed in
the mould or die by pouring in the melted material in the ordinary
The mould c, is then removed, and the stopper or cap is
lifted up off the table, carrying with it the two dovetailed pieces i, i,
but leaving the central part g, of the core pin fixed to the table.
The pieces i, i, are then removed from the cap or stopper, and the
disc c, being secured in its place, the stopper may be applied to the
neck of a bottle.
manner.
Having now described my Invention, and the best means with which
I am at present acquainted for carrying the same into effect, I wish it
to be understood that I claim,-
First, constructing stoppers or covers for bottles with a flange or
flanges formed as above shewn and described for the purpose of bearing
against the under side of a corresponding flange or flanges formed on
the neck of bottles which are required to be stoppered, and thereby
holding the caps or stoppers firmly in their place.
Second, I claim the use of a core pin composed of fixed and

page_text: In witness whereof, I, the said George Bradley, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Tenth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four.
GEO. BRADLEY. (L.S.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the above-
named George Bradley in the presence of
WE. PRATT,
A. SYKES,
Clerks to the said George Bradley.