IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES AND SIMILAR VESSELS
Year: 1884

page_text: BENJAMIN HARRISON 62 Oxford Street Freehold Oldham, Ale & Porter Merchant;
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS
FOR BOTTLES AND SIMILAR VESSELS" to be as follows:-
:-
:
I construct the Stopper of metal, glass wood, vulcanite or any other suitable
material; the expansive part I make of wood or any other suitable elastic
material.
The Stopper consists of material as above described-the top part is made with
a fluted cap or bonnet & attached underneath the same is an india rubber ring,.or
any other substance suitable for making a joint; the middle portion consists of a
he thread to screw into the bush or tube; the bottom part being made conical or
taper so that it will work into the said bush or tube hereinafter described, causing
the same to expand & contract.
The expansive part consists of a bush or tube constructed of metal, wood or any
other suitable elastic material made to fall into the neck of any ordinary bottle,
jar or vessel, the same being fitted with a she thread part through to suit the
screw part of Stopper; the bottom part being bored or drilled smaller to suit.
the conical or taper part of same. The bottom part of above bush.or tube is sawn,
cut, or slit in several parts & of a sufficient length to enable it to expand & contract
as the conical part of Stopper screws in or out of the said bush.or tube.
To open the bottle it is merely necessary to turn or unscrew the cap or bonnet
when the whole can be lifted out together.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION."
BENJAMIN HARRISON 62 Oxford Street Freehold Oldham Ale and Porter
Merchant do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES AND SIMILAR VESSELS and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:—
"
This invention relates to stoppers for bottles and similar vessels and these
improvements consist in forming such stoppers of an expansible bush and internal
screw in such a manner that the stopper may readily be inserted into the neck or
opening of the bottle or other vessel and, as readily withdrawn therefrom.
And in order that my invention may be more readily understood and carried
into practical effect I have hereunto appended a sheet of drawings marked with
letters of reference, similar letters denoting similar parts in the various figures.
Fig 1 represents a side view Fig 2 a top end view and Fig 3 a bottom end view
of the expansible bush. Fig 4 shows the screw and Fig 5 a vertical section of the
bush.
I construct the bush and stopper preferably of hard wood, but other materials
such as vulcanite, vulcanized fibre or metal may be employed. The bush is turned
moulded or otherwise formed to approximately fit the neck or orifice of the bottle
or other vessel and it is bored axially, and tapped with a female screw thread.
The bush has then cut in it from the bottom two or more saw kerfs or slits A. A
parallel with the axis and for about two thirds of the length of the bush. The
screw Fig 4 is of a length and diameter and is screwed with a thread to fit the
bush it is also provided at its upper end with a suitably shaped head B the edge
of which may for greater convenience be milled or fluted:
Immediately below the head B is fitted an elastic or compressible ring or
washer C of india rubber, soft vulcanised fibre, leather or other suitable material.
The lower part of the screwed bore of the bush may slightly decrease in diameter
so that when the screw is fully inserted the lower end of the bush may spread or
expand the kerfs or slits permitting this result, or the same result may be obtained
by making the hole of the same size throughout and the lower external part of the
bush of such a diameter. that it will be compressed when in the act of being
inserted into the neck or orifice of the bottle or other vessel..
The stopper is used-in the following manner
The screw being inserted into the upper end of the bush to about the tops of the
kerfs or slits the combination is inserted into the neck or orifice of the bottle or other
vessel The screw being then turned by its head passes into the bush at the same
time expanding its lower part into close contact with the interior of the neck or
orifice and thus locking it in position or in the case of the bush having a uniform
bore the locking is obtained by turning the screw when the bush rises until it
engages with narrow part of the bottle neck As the head approaches the top of
the vessel a tight joint is made by the compression of the ring or washer C. To
remove the stopper it is only necessary to partly withdraw the screw by rotating it
by means of its head when it is readily withdrawn.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I desire it to be
understood that what I claim is
As a stopper for bottles and similar vessels the combination of the expansible
bush and the screw or stem substantially as hereinbefore set forth and described
and as illustrated on the accompanying sheet of Drawings.