Improvements in or connected with Tools Employed in the Manu- facture of Bottles, Pots, Jars, and other Hollow Vessels.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 16th May, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 11th Oct., 1890-Accepted, 22nd Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Tools Employed in the Manu-
facture of Bottles, Pots, Jars, and other Hollow Vessels.
I, HENRY LOUIS PHILLIPS, of 57, Moorgate Street, in the City of London,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
My present invention relates to an improved tool for finishing or shaping the upper
part of the necks of bottles pois jars and other hollow vessels and especially for forming
external screw threads thereon.
Hitherto, the tools or tongs for shaping or finishing the mouths of, or for forming
lips upon, bottles and the like, have been constructed without any provision for
retaining in the desired position the shaping parts of the tool, whilst the lip was being
made, consequently the skill of the workman and the constant pressure of his hand,
have alone determined the size or thickness of the lip upon the bottle. Whilst
forming a plain or ordinary lip round the mouth of a bottle intended to receive
internal stoppers or corks any such varying or diminishing manual pressure is
generally of no consequence, but in those cases where exactness of size or shape is
absolutely necessary as for instance when forming an external screw thread upon the
neck of the vessel in order to engage with hollow stoppers or covers having suitable
corresponding screw threads formed in or upon their inner peripheries, it is obviously
of the highest importance to determine, (first) the extent to which those shaping parts
of the tool which are to form the screw thread shall press upon the plastic material,
and when such extent is determined and the shaping parts are brought into the exact
required position then (secondly) to so lock or secure them as to prevent the shaping
parts from opening or springing back from such position (thus increasing the
diameter of the screw thread) whilst the workman operates the tool and finishes the
bottle.
As hitherto accomplished the workman simply held the spring tool or tongs in his
right hand with which he pressed the shaping parts of the tongs upon the plastic
material, but such pressure either varying or diminishing through the muscles of the
hand having a natural tendency after awhile to relax the pressure, lips of exact size
upon all the bottles or other vessels when made with the same tool were rarely
obtained.
My present invention has for its object not only a novel method of so constructing
a tool or tongs (or certain parts thereof) as to cause it to make a perfectly formed
screw thread of the size and shape desired upon the neck of the vessel and if required
to make a neat finish below such screw thread, but also to furnish such tool with a
novel device by means of which the pressure of the hand of the workman upon the
tool is arrested at a predetermined point (such point being the precise moment when
the desired screw thread or other desired shape is sufficiently impressed in the plastic
material) and the tool or the shaping parts thereof then locked at that point by
automatic means and kept locked until the plastic material is sufficiently set, the
shaping parts being unlocked or liberated by the independent action of the workman
when desired. The advantage of obtaining positive results by mechanical means
instead of having to rely as hitherto entirely upon the varying conditions of manual
effort will be obvious.
For the above purposes, my invention consists of a spring tool or bottle tongs
intended to be grasped or held by the right hand of the operator (with the back of the
hand under the tool in the manner well understood by bottle makers so that the thumb
shall be outward) such tool or tongs being furnished with a central plug upon which
the mouth of the bottle is placed, and each of the two moveable arms of the tool or
tongs being also provided with a roller on which suitable screw threads are formed

page_text: 23
66
mounted at each side of the plug at a suitable distance therefrom so as to enable the
plastic material forming the upper part of the neck of the bottle to come between the
plug and the rollers, and thus cause it to receive the impression of tho screw thread
when the screw-threaded rollers are brought together or closed upon it. The bottle is
hold by means of a "punty or gauge in the usual manner and is rolled by the
left hand of the workman, the plug of my improved tool (which is not rolled) entering
the mouth and the two tools are then simultaneously moved backward and forward in
the same plane a sufficient number of times. The rotation of the bottle upon the plug
causes the two rollers when pressed against the plastic material also to rotate and to
impress the screw thread upon the upper part of the neck of the bottle. My improved
tool is so devised, as to enable the shaping parts or screw-threaded rollers to be
gradually brought together to a predetermined point and to be kept fixed or locked
by automatic means when so brought to such point until released by the operator.
My improved tool therefore when so locked and operated, entirely relieves the hand
of the workman from continued strain or pressure, and ensures an accurately finished
bottle being made.
I make my improved bottle tongs or finishing tool from any suitablo metal but
preferably from sufficiently tempered or spring steel. I make it of a length so as to
be conveniently held by one hand of the workman and I find that a suitable length is
about 13 inches but I only mention these figures (or any other figures herein) for
greater convenience in describing my invention generally, and I do not limit or
restrict myself to such or to any other figures or dimensions which may be specified
herein.
I take preferably a square rod of spring steel of suitable length, and for the purpose
of better description such length may be 26 inches. I flatten it to about one-sixteenth
or three thirty-seconds of an inch in thickness and to about an inch and a half in
width with the exception of the two end portions of the rod each of which I leave of a
more or less square section (say three-eighths of an inch square) for a length of about
4 inches from the end. I then turn down the end of each of the two square portions
so as to form thereon two round central pins each about an inch in length and about a
quarter of an inch in diameter. On the rod I leave a central flat portion for about
7 inches in length, and then for the remainder of the length of the rod on both sides
of such central flat portion until the commencement of the more or less square section
at each end portion of the rod, I bend over or curve the top and bottom edges so as
to form a nearly semi-cylindrically shaped portion.
I then, at its centre, bend the flattened steel rod into two portions of equal length
so as to form my improved locking tongs, with the convex side of the two aforesaid
curved or nearly semi-cylindrical portions outward so that they shall afford a smooth
hold for the hand of the workman. The two square end portions should be bent
outward or set apart from each other according to the diameter of the neck of the
bottle to be operated upon.
I place a cylindrical rod of metal (preferably steel) about 12 inches in length and
about of an inch in diameter centrally between the arms of the tongs and I pass
one end of it (which is screw threaded for the purpose of adjustment or replacement
if necessary) through a hole made in the centre of that portion where the rod was
bent round to form the tongs and I keep it in place by means of nuts. The other end
of the rod is arranged to carry a taper metal plug (preferably of steel) of the
dimensions required and intended to enter the mouth of the bottle.
A metal guiding
plate is placed across the free ends of the tongs and against the plug to which it may
be fixed and the guide plate may be also fixed to the central rod. Each end of the
guiding plate is provided with a slot of sufficient length and width in which the square
end portions of the tongs will freely work. These two slots will be so cut as to keep
the working of the free end portions in a radial direction and also to regulate the
distance to which the end portions of the tongs shall be closed while the screw-thread
is being formed upon the mouth of the bottle or other vessel. The plug may be
attached to the rod in any suitable manner and is preferably formed with a circular
head plate or "swiller" against which the edge of the mouth of the bottle will be

page_text: formed, as it is pressed against it by the workman while rolling the bottle held in the
"punty" or
gauge" before mentioned.
«
On each pin centrally formed as described on the free ends of the tongs, I fit a
screw-threaded roller (both rollers being of equal size) made from suitable metal (but
preferably from steel) and arranged to revolve freely. Upon each of the two rollers
I form a screw thread of the size, shape and pitch desired to form the screw thread
upon the neck of the bottle. Each of the screw threads is cut left handed if it be
desired to produce a right handed screw thread upon the neck of the bottle, or each
screw thread is cut right handed if to produce a left-handed thread. The length of
the rollers will be determined by the length of the screw thread required and by such
other shapes or finish as may be required to be placed upon the neck of the bottle
above or below the screw thread.
The rollers are arranged to work freely but with their ends close to the circular
head plate or "swiller," the diameter of which will be made sufficiently wide to
prevent any glass getting behind the ends of the rollers. The screw thread for
ordinary purposes will be obviously formed on that portion of each roller which is
nearest the head plate. The rollers may be shaped as may be desired both above and
below the screw thread.
More than two rollers may be sometimes employed in which case provision will be
made accordingly.
Other patterns than a screw thread may be formed upon the rollers such for instance
as parts thereof and in some cases only one roller may have the pattern formed upon
it, the other being left plain-as for instance when it is intended to form what is
known as a bayonet joint instead of a screw thread.
Suitable metal washers and pins or other means are used to keep the rollers in
place.
As hereinbefore observed it has been found in practice not sufficient merely to
provide for pressing the tongs against a stop or stops fixed, at a given point, in or
upon the tool, for after forming a number of bottle necks the muscles of the workman's
hand become more or less relaxed or fatigued, the tongs are not kept sufficiently or
continuously pressed, and thus the diameter of the external lip becomes enlarged. In
forming an ordinary plain lip upon a bottle the mouth of which is to take an internal
cork, this is of little moment, but in forming an external screw thread which has to
engage with a rigid screw threaded stopper, it is of the greatest importance to prevent
the tongs or tool from spreading or opening should the pressure of the hand become
relaxed. In view of such importance I furnish my improved spring tongs or finishing
tool with a novel device by means of which after the arms of the tool or the shaping
parts thereof or the screw-threaded rollers described are brought together against a
predetermined stop or stops (which may be either the bottoms of the slots cut in the
guiding plate as herein provided or the end of a distance pieco or any other suitablo
stop) such spring tongs or tool is then locked at such stop or stops by a locking
arrangement operating automatically in such manner as to lock and to keep locked
the arms of the tongs or tool at the point desired (even if all manual pressure upon
the tool be removed) until the screw thread upon the bottle is finished and the
workman thinks fit to release the tongs or tool from the bottle neck by an independent
act. In addition to the importance of producing an exact and perfect article by the
use of my improved tongs, the operator will be enabled to work with much greater
ease, speed, and comfort owing to the absence of any necessity for a continued.
pressure of his hand.
My novel locking arrangement to prevent the rollers or other shaping parts from
spreading or separating from each other after being pressed against the predetermined
stop or stops inay be devised to operate in several ways, but I give the following
method of carrying my invention into effect by way of illustration.
I enclose a considerable length of the already described fixed central rod (which
extends from the bow of the tongs to the slotted guiding plate) in a metal tube of
such size as to be capable of rotating freely upon the rod. Upon that end portion of
the tube which is nearest the slotted plate I fix a double catch somewhat similar in

page_text: shape to that of the letter S. One end of the catch will rest upon the upper and the
other end upon the lower side of the tongs. When my improved locking tongs or
tool is taken in hand by the workman and its two arms are gradually pressed together
until they can go no further, owing to the stop or stops provided for that purpose
arresting the pressure of the hand the two ends of the double catch which normally
rest upon the square sections of the tongs will fall or spring over the outside of each
arm and hold them tightly such action being facilitated by means of a helical spring
coiled round the upper end of the rod and immediately above the upper end of the
tube, one end of such spring being attached thereto and the other end pressing against
a projecting piece or lever upon-the tube so that the latter tends to rotate and thus to
bring the catches into operation.
By means of this device the arms of the tongs will be locked automatically at the
required moment of contact with the predetermined stop and cannot be unlocked
(consequently the screw-threaded rollers cannot leave the neck of the bottle) until the
workman presses against the projecting piece or lever and forces back the end of the
spring, thus sufficiently rotating the tube, and causing the ends of the double catch
to rise sufficiently from the square section portions of the arms of the tongs and so
allow the arms to separate and enable the bottle to be released from the tool.
I generally prefer to place a second vertical projecting piece or lever upon the
opposite side of the tube, so that the workman will then find both sides of my
improved tongs or tool identical when he takes them up.
I have given the hereinabove method of throwing the double catch in and out of
place by way of illustration only. It is obvious that an identical result may be
achieved by other means, and that flat instead of helical springs may be also used.
The shape of the vertical projecting piece or lever may be modified and it may be
operated by means of a pusher or stud instead of by direct action of the thumb.
I generally prefer to make my herein described novel locking arrangement in such
a manner that each free end portion of my improved tongs when being pressed upon
the plastic material shall come against the bottom of a slot cut in each end of the
guiding plate and then at that instant that each end of a catch or locking piece
operated by a suitable spring shall automatically fall over the outside of the end
portions of the tongs (which as stated are preferably of a square or nearly square
section) and thus securely hold or fix them against the stops formed by the ends of
the two slots. But instead of slots so formed one or more distance pieces or studs
fixed at one end to the tongs may be employed for a like purpose. And instead of
having a catch or locking piece with ends arranged to spring over and grip both outer
edges of the tongs and so hold or lock them, I sometimes employ a catch piece the
two ends of which are so formed as to grip both sides of each of the arms of the
tongs and so hold them and thus operate both as a stop and locking arrangement
combined.
That part of my hereinabove described invention which consists of closing and
locking the arms of the bottle tongs or tool and keeping them locked at a fixed point
until unlocked by the workman is obviously applicable to all bottle tongs or tools
formed for making external lips, grooves, screw threads, or parts thereof, upon the
necks of bottles and other vessels whether the shaping parts consist of rollers, dies or
other moveable or fixed parts for a like purpose.
My invention is herein more particularly described in connection with the
manufacture of glass bottles and jars, but it is equally available for shaping or forming
the lips or external parts of the mouths of vessels formed from other suitable
substances or composition whilst in a sufficiently plastic condition, as for instance, pots
jars bottles and other vessels of stoneware.
My herein described method of obtaining certain positive results by locking the
tongs or tool, is also applicable with some modifications to tongs or tools used in the
formation of screw threads, grooves, or recesses in the interior of the necks of bottles
or other vessels. Accuracy of size of such interior threads or grooves mostly
depends upon the distance to which the shaping parts or jaws attached to the ends
of the arms of tongs are moved toward the central plug herein described, the extent
.

page_text: of such movement being more or less regulated by the amount of plastic glass or
other substance taken up or employed in making the neck of the vessel, whereas in
order to obtain internal screw threads or grooves of uniform dimensions it is important
that the arms of the tongs shall be shut to a fixed point and there retained, in the
manner already herein set forth while the formation of the internal screw thread or
grooves is being completed.
As is well known, in finishing a bottle by forming an ordinary lip upon it, it is
the practice to cast a ring of molten glass round the exterior of the bottle mouth
after the bottle leaves the mould and the finishing tool or tongs is then operated
thereon. This ring of molten glass is variable in quantity being taken from the
melting pot by a hand tool, the workman estimating the quantity as nearly as possible,
but in forming a screw thread (the diameter of which should be exact) it is important
to commence by having the glass where the screw thread is to be formed as nearly as
possible of a fixed or ascertained quantity and I therefore prefer to so make the
bottle mould that the upper part of the neck of the bottle at that part where the
rollers upon my improved tongs or tool are to be applied will be already provided
with a sufficient amount of glass so as to enable the screw thread to be formed
without "casting
on any extra molten glass after the bottle leaves the mould. The
mould at this part will be sufficiently cut out to hold the extra quantity of glass
required and when the bottle leaves it, the workman will have simply to sufficiently
re-heat the mouth of the bottle before applying my improved tongs thereto.
33
My improved tongs or tool instead of being held and operated manually may be
attached to a standard or table by means of suitable mechanical arrangements for
holding and working the same.
Dated this 16th day of Nov 1800
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Tools Employed in the Manu-
facture of Bottles, Pots, Jars, and other Hollow Vessels.
I, HENRY LOUIS PHILLIPS, of 57, Moorgate Street, in the City of London,
Gentleman, 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 tho
following statement and accompanying drawing, that is to say :-
My present invention relates to an improved tool for finishing or shaping the
upper part of the necks of bottles pots jars and other hollow vessels.
Hitherto, the tools or tongs employed for shaping or finishing the mouths of, or for
forming lips upon, bottles jars and the like, have been constructed without any
provision for retaining in the desired position the shaping parts of the tool, whilst the
mouths or lips were being made or finished, consequently in such cases the skill of the
workman and the constant pressure of his hand upon the tool or tongs have alone
determined the size or thickness of such mouth or lip.
Whilst forming a plain or ordinary lip round the mouth of a bottle intended to
receive internal stoppers or corks any such varying or diminishing manual pressure
is generally of little consequence, but in those cases where exactness of size or shape
is absolutely necessary (as for instance when forming an external screw thread upon
the neck of the vessel in order to engage with hollow stoppers or covers having
suitable corresponding screw threads formed in or upon their inner peripheries) it is
obviously of the highest importance to determine, (first) the extent to which those
shaping parts of the tool which are to form the neck or screw thread shall press upon
the glass or other plastic material, and when such extent is determined and the rollers
or other shaping parts are brought into the exact required position then (secondly)
to so lock or secure them or the arins of the tool or tongs carrying them, as to
prevent then from opening or springing back from such determined position (and

page_text: thus increasing the diameter of the screw thread) whilst the workman is operating
the tool and finishing the bottle. As hitherto accomplished the workman simply held
the spring tool or tongs in his right hand with which he pressed the arms and the
shaping parts thereon against the glass or other plastic material, but such manual
pressure either varying or diminishing through the muscles of the hand having a
natural tendency after awhile to relax the pressure, lips of exact uniform size upon all
the bottles or other vessels when made with the same tool were rarely obtained.
My present invention has for its object not only a novel method of so constructing
a tool or tongs (or certain parts thereof) as to cause it to make if desired a perfectly
formed screw thread or any other desired device of the size and shape required upon
the neck of the bottle or other vessel but also to furnish such tool or tongs with a
novel locking device by means of which if the pressure of the hand of the workman
upon the arms of such tool when being operated is arrested at a predetermined
point (such point being reached at the precise moment when the desired screw
thread or other desired device has been formed by sufficiently impressing the glass
or other plastic material) then the arms of the tool or the shaping parts thereon
become locked at that point by automatic or other means and are kept so locked until
the plastic material is sufficiently set, and the arms of the tool or the shaping paris
thereon unlocked or liberated by the independent action of the workinan. The
advantage of obtaining positive and invariable results by mechanical means instead
of having to rely as hitherto entirely upon the varying conditions of manual effort
will be obvious.
In order to put my invention in operation (and by way of illustration I will
proceed to describe tho making of a screw thread upon the neck of a bottle or other
vessel) as illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, of the accompanying drawing.
I take a spring tool or bottle tongs intended to be grasped or held by the right hand
of the operator (with the back of the hand under the tool in the manner well under-
stood and practised by bottle makers so that the thumb shall be outward) such tool
or tongs being furnished with a central plug m upon which the mouth of the bottle
or vessel is placed, and each end of the two moveable or spring arms a, b, of the tool
or tongs being provided with a roller h, i on which a suitable screw thread is formed
mounted at each side of the plug m at a convenient distance therefrom so as to enable
the glass or other plastic material forming the upper part of the neck of the bottle or
vessel to come between the plug m and the rollers h,, and thus cause it to receive
the impression of the screw thread when the screw-threaded rollers h, i, are brought
together or closed upon it. The bottle is held in the left hand by means of a tool or
carrier (sometimes called a punty or gauge") in the usual manner and is rolled
by the workman, the plug of my improved tool (which tool is not rolled) entering
the mouth of the vessel and the two tools are then simultaneously moved backward
and forward in the same plane a sufficient number of times. The rotation of the
bottle upon the plug m causes the two rollers hi when sufficiently pressed against
the glass or other material also to rotato and to impress their scrow threads upon
the upper part of the neck of the bottle. My improved tool is so devised, as to
enable its arms a, b, or the screw-threaded rollers a, i, or other shaping parts thereon
to be brought together to a predetermined point and to be locked and kept locked
by automatic or other means (as for instance by means of a spring catch) when so
brought to such point until released or unlocked by the operator. My improved tool
therefore when operated with its arms fixed in place and locked will relieve the
hand of the workman from strain or pressure, and will ensure an accurately finished
bottle being made.
42
m
"
I make my improved tool or bottle tongs from any suitable metal but preferably
from sufficiently tempered or spring steel I make it of such length as to be
conveniently held by the hand of the workman and I find that a suitable length is
about 13 inches but I only mention these figures or dimensions (or any other figures or
dimensions herein) for greater convenience in describing my invention generally and
I do not limit or restrict myself to such or to any other figures or dimensions which
may be specified herein.

page_text: I take preferably a square bar or rod of spring steel of suitable length. I flatten
it to about one-sixteenth or three thirty-seconds of an inch in thickness and to about
an inch and a half in width with the exception of the two end portions d, e, each of
which I leave preferably of a square section (say three-eighths of an inch square) for
a length of about four inches from the end. I then reduce or turn the end of each of
the two square portions so as to form thereon two round central pins f, each about
an inch in length and about a quarter of an inch in diameter their length depending
upon the length of the rollers or other shaping parts to be placed upon them. On
the bar 1 leave a central flat portion about seven inches in length, and I then bend
over or curve the edges of the remainder of the flat portion so as to form nearly semi-
cylindrically shaped portions at a and b extending to the commencement of the more
or less square section d and eat each end of the bar. I then at its centre c, bend the
flattened portion of the steel bar into two portions of equal length so as to form the
two spring arms of the tool or tongs with the convex side of the two aforesaid curved
or nearly semi-cylindrical portions outward so that they shall afford a smooth hold
for the hand of the workman. The two square end portions (having the pins 9,
thereon as described) should be bent outward or set sufficiently apart from each other
according to the diameter of the neck of the bottle or vessel placed between them to
be operated upon.
I place a cylindrical solid or hollow rod of metal (preferably steel) about twelve
inches in length and about five-sixteenths of an inch in diameter centrally between
the arms of the tool or tongs and I pass one end of it (which is screw threaded for
the purpose of adjustment or replacement if necessary) through an opening made in the
centre of that portion where the flattened bar was bent round to form the spring
bow c of the tool or tongs and I keep it in place by means of nuts. The other end
of such central cylindrical rod carries a taper metal plug (preferably of steel) of
the dimensions required and adapted to enter and to form the opening or mouth of
the bottle er vessel.
The aforesaid plug m may be attached to the end of the central rod / in any suitablo
manner, but preferably by screwing one into the other, and such plug m is formed
with or attached to a head plate or "swiller" (preferably circular) against which
when the plug m is in the mouth of the bottle the edge of such mouth will be formed
as the bottle is pressed against it by the workman while rolling it as before mentioned
and operating the tool or tongs.
For the purpose of compelling the two spring arms of the tool or tongs to operate
in the same place and diametrically across the centre of such plug I provide a
sufficiently stiff metal guiding platen having in each of its ends a notch or slot o of
sufficient length and width (such slots being exactly opposite each other) in which
slots the square portions d and e of the spring arms of the tool or tongs will freely
work radially. In the centre of the guiding plate n and centrally between the afore-
said two slots a circular opening is made in order to allow the central rod to pass
through it and to keep the guiding plate in a central position upon such rod.
guiding platen is attached to the rod by brazing or by other suitable means.
inner ends of the two slots o, o, may be made so as to act as stops to the two spring
arms of the tool or tongs in order to fix or regulate the place at the distance to which
they shall be pressed together.
The
The
The guiding plate is preferably fixed as close against the aforesaid plug as
possible and (when its centre is made of sufficient size) may itself be used as a head
piece or swiller thereto if the plug is not provided with such head plate in one piece
with it (which however is usually done). If the guiding platen is fastened to such
swiller plate p it may be done by screws or rivets or the swiller plate on the plug
may if desired be so shaped as to enable the separate guide plate to be dispensed with
in which case it will be made sufficiently large for that purpose and the two slots o, o,
already described will be formed in such swiller plate instead of in the guiding plate
as described above for the purpose of stops to the arms of the tool or tongs as already
set forth.
On each pin f, g, centrally formed as described on the free ends of the arms of the

page_text: tongs, 1 fit a screw-threaded roller h, i (both rollers being of equal size) made from
suitable metal and arranged to revolve freely. Upon each of the two rollers h, i, I
form a screw thread of the size, shape, and pitch required to form the desired screw
thread upon the neck of the bottle or other vessel.
Each of the screw threads is cut left handed if it be required to produce a right-
hand screw thread upon the neck of the bottle or vessel, or each screw thread is cut
right handed if to produce a left-hand thread. The length of the rollers will be
determined by the length of the screw thread required and by such other shape or
finish (if any) as may be required to be placed upon the neck of the bottle or vessel
above or below the screw thread.
The rollers h, i, are arranged to work freely but with their ends close to the head
plate or swiller, the diameter of which should be sufficient to prevent any glass or
other plastic material from getting behind the ends of the rollers.
More than two rollers or other moveable or fixed shaping parts or dies may some
times be employed in which case suitable provision will be made for them to work
upon the neck of the bottle or vessel by forming the tool or tongs with an addition
arm or arms or an equivalent therefor.
Devices other than screw threads may be formed upon the rollers such for instance
as parts of a screw thread and in some cases only one roller may have the required
device formed upon it-the other being left plain-as for instance when it is intended
to form what is known as a "bayonet" joint instead of a screw thread upon the neck
of the bottle or vessel. Or instead of rollers, fixed shaping parts may be used.
Suitable metal washers and pins or other means are used to keep the rollers in
place.
It has hitherto been found in practice not sufficient merely to provide for pressing
the arms of the tongs against a stop or stops fixed at a given point in or upon the
tool in order to obtain exact results for after shaping a number of bottle necks
with a spring tool or tongs the muscles of the workman's hand become more or less
relaxed or fatigued, the arm of the tool or tongs cannot be kept sufficiently or
continuously pressed against the stop and thus the diameter of the external lip or
other device upon the bottle neck is left too large.
To meet this difficulty I furnish my improved tool or tongs with a novel locking
device by means of which after the arms of the tool or tongs or the screw-threaded
rollers herein described or such other shaping parts as may be employed are brought
together or pressed against a predetermined stop or stops (which may be either the
bottoms of the slots cut in the guiding plate or swiller plate as already herein provided
or the end of one or more distance pieces or any other suitable stop or stops) such
tool or tongs is then locked at such position by a suitable locking arrangement or
device operating in such manner as to lock and to keep locked the arms of the tool
or tongs and the rollers or other shaping parts thereon at the precise point desired
until the screw thread upon the bottle or vessel is finished and the workman thinks
fit to release the tool or tongs and the rollers or other shaping parts thereon from the
bottle neck by an independent act. In addition to the importance of producing at all
times an exact and perfect result by the use of my improved locking tongs or tool,
the operator will be enabled to work with much greater ease, comfort, and
economy owing to the absence of any necessity for a continued pressure of his
hand upon the arms of the tongs. My novel locking arrangement to prevent the
arms of the tool or tongs or the rollers or other shaping parts thereon from
spreading or separating from each other or springing back after being pressed
against a predetermined stop or stops until desired by the operator may be carried
into effect in several ways, and I give the following methods but by way of
illustration only. One method is as follows, as shewn in the figures already
referred to.
enclose a considerable length of the already described central rod (which rod
extends from the bow c of the tongs to which it is fixed to the aforesaid slotted
guiding platen or thereabouts) in a metal iube g of such size as to be capable of
rotating freely upon the rod. Upon that end portion of the tube which is

page_text: nearest the notched or slotted guiding plate nfix a double catch somewhat
similar in shape to that of the letter S. One end of the catch will rest upon the
upper part of one arm (when the tool or tongs is horizontally held) and the other
end against the lower side of the other arm of the tongs as shewn in Figure 3.
When my improved tool or locking tongs is taken in hand by the workman and its
two spring arms are gradually presse together until they can go no further, owing
to the stop or stops provided for that purpose arresting the manual pressure, the two
ends s, s, of the double catch which normally rest as described upon the square
sections of the tool or tongs will fall or spring over the outside of each arm and hold
them tightly (as shewn in Figure 7) such action being accomplished by means of a
sufficiently powerful helical spring coiled round the upper end of the central rod
on that portion immediately above the upper end of the tube, one end of such helical
spring being securely attached to the rod and its other end pressing against a
sufficiently long projecting piece or lever fixed upon the tube and therefore tending
to rotate it and to bring the ends of the double catch into operation upon the two
arms of the tool and lock them together as already described. It is obvious that
the spring which causes the tube to rotate may be fixed in any other convenient
manner, so that its free end shall bring the locking arrangement into operation as sat
forth.
יך
By means of this novel device the arms of the tool or tongs will be locked auto-
matically at the required moment of contact with the predetermined stop or stops
above mentioned and they cannot be unlocked (consequently the screw-threaded-
rollers cannot leave the neck of the bottle) until the workman presses against the
projecting piece or lever attached to the tube 7 and forces back the end of the
spring t, thus sufficiently rotating the tube, and causing the ends of the double catch
to rise sufficiently from the square section portions of the arms of the tool or tongs
and so allow the arms to spring back or separate and the bottle neck to be released
from the rollers or other shaping parts.
I generally prefer to fix a second vertical projecting piece or lever u upon the opposite
side of the tube, so that the workman will then find both sides of my improved locking
tool or tongs identical when he takes them up.
I have given the above method of locking the arms of the tool or tongs together by
throwing in and out of place a double catch arranged to operate upon the arms as set
forth by way of illustration only. It is obvious that identical results may be achieved
by other means, and flat instead of helical springs may be used. The shape of the
vertical projecting piece or lever may be modified and it may be operated by means
of a pusher or stud instead of by direct action.
1 generally prefer to make as shewn my herein described novel locking arrange-
ment so that each arm of my improved tool or tongs (when the rollers or other shaping
parts thereon are being pressed upon the glass or other plastic material) shall come
against the bottom of a slot cut in each end of the guiding plate n described and then
at that instant that each end of a double spring catch or locking piece » shall auto-
matically fall over the outside of the end portions of the tongs (which as stated are
preferably of a square or nearly square section) and thus securely hold or fix them
together, or against the stops formed by the ends of the two slots. But instead of
slots so formed one or more distance pieces or studs of suitable length fixed at the
end of the tool or tongs to the inside of one of its armis may be employed for a like
purpose. And instead of having a catch or locking piece with its ends arranged to
spring over and grip both arms of the tongs on their outer edges and so hold or lock
them, as described I sometimes employ a catch piece the two end portions of which
are so formed as to sufficiently grip both sides of each of the arms of the tool or
tongs and so hold them, such catch piece thus operating as a stop and as a
locking arrangement and as a guiding plate combined for the purposes set forth.
I have devised such an arrangement as follows which I give only by way of
illustration, as shewn in Figures 8, 9, 10, and 11.
In each arm of the tool or tongs I cut a narrow slot at a convenient distance above
the head plate of the plug or swiller plate both slots being opposite or in the same
R

page_text: plane with each other and their lengths cut in the direction of the length of the arms
and arranged to receive the ends of a metal catch piece..
Such catch piece is a sufficiently strong bar or strip of metal having a cylindrical
enlarged portion in the centre of its length, parallel with the sides of the bar and
having a central opening to receive the end of the central rod already described
upon which rod the catch piece will slide freely up and down for a short but
sufficient distance. The two flat portions of the strip on either side of the central
enlarged portion have each a rectangular notch or slot 8, s, cut in one of their edges
such notches or slots corresponding in width with the width (takon radially) of that
preferably square portion of the arms of the tool or tongs at that point where the
previously described narrow slots are cut but each of such rectangular notches
having its inner side standing higher (that is to say higher in the direction of
the length of the central rod () than the upper edge of the flat end portion of the
catch piece beyond the slot. Figure 11 of the drawing will show the shape of the
catch piece.
The object for thus shaping or cutting the notches or slots s, s, is, that when the
spring arms of the tool or tongs are pressed together they shall not be able to ride
over the notches as they work upon the catch piece and therefore shut closer than
required, but will come against the longer side of such notches which will thus act
act as stops to the closing movement of the tool or tongs. The actual distance
between the two notches or slots 8, s, in the catch piece will be therefore regulated
by the exact point at which it is desired to stop the movement of the arms of the
tool or tongs and there lock them. The catch piece is attached to the tool or
tongs preferably as follows:-One end of the central rod is fixed in the bow cas
already described and the other end passes through the opening in the enlarged
portion upon the centre of the catch piece and the flat end portions of the
catch piece pass through the narrow slots cut in the two arms of the tool or tongs,
its notched or slotted edge being placed in the direction of the coiled spring herein-
after described. Each of the outer ends of the catch piece has a short pin to prevent
the arms of the tongs springing out or opening too far. To the notched or slotted
side of the catch piece is attached one end of a sufficiently powerful helical spring t
which is placed along the inner or concave portion of one of the arms of the tool or
tongs, the other end of the spring t being attached to a hook fixed in a suitable
position inside one of the arms. As the springt is constantly pulling upon the sliding
catch piece r, it is obvious that when the arms of the tool or tongs are sufficiently
pressed together or closed by the workinan against the inner longer sides of the
notches or slots &, s, formed in the edge of the catch piece (and which are intended
to operate as the stops desired) such notches or slots will fall over the outside of the
ends of the narrow slots cut in the arms of the tool or tongs and thus cause the catch
piece to lock the arms together.
For the purpose of opening the arms of the tool or tongs and releasing the neck of
the bottle or other vessel from the screw-threaded rollers or other shaping parts
already described I place upon the aforesaid central rod a tube q arranged to freely
slide a short distance up and down thereon fixed preferably by brazing at one of its
ends to the enlarged central portion of the catch piece r and the other end of the
tube (which is arranged to be conveniently placed near to the workman's thumb)
carrying a cam. Between that cam and a collar either made or fixed upon the
central rod is placed a corresponding cam having on two of its sides levers or wing
pieces u of sufficient length to project a short distance beyond the open sides of the
tool. This cam operates freely upon the central rod and when sufficiently pressed by
the thumb of the workman (the arms of the tongs being then closed) the cams w will
act upon each other and cause the tube and the catch piece r attached thereto to be
forced endways consequently releasing the short side of each of the notches or slots 8, 5,
from behind the outer ends of the narrow slots cut in the arms of the tool or tongs,
thereby allowing the latter to spring open and so release the neck of the vessel from
the tool.
The above described method of locking together the arms of the tool or tongs or the

page_text: shaping parts thereon for the purpose described may be obviously varied. For
instance by reversing the position of the catch piece lastly described so that its
notched or slotted edge shall be on the side next the swiller plate or head p of the plug
aforesaid and keeping the spring fixed in the position already described it will be
obvious that the power of the spring will be exeried so as to prevent the catch piece
from locking together the arms of the tool or tongs. Such locking would then be
accomplished (after the arms of the tongs are sufficiently pressed together) by the
thumb of the workman at the same instant pressing and continuing to press
against the lever attached to the cam aforesaid, and so forcing the notches or
slots formed on the edge of the catch piece over the lower ends of the narrow
slots cut in the two arms of the tool or tongs. By this method the release of the
arins of the tool or tongs would only take place when the workman ceased to press
upon the lever aforesaid.
Sometimes I dispense with the cams for forcing the catch piece into operation as
described, and instead thereof I employ a lever of bent or bell-crank shape for such
purpose. The lever works at or about the point where it is bent, upon a fulcrum or
pivot fixed to the side of one of the arms of the tool or tongs and preferably at a short
distance above one of the narrow slots cut therein, one of its ends being provided
with a slot or its equivalent which engage with a stud fixed on the side of the
cylindrical enlarged portion of the sliding catch piece already described. The other
end portion of the lever is formed so as to lie almost parallel with but at a short
distance from the gripping portion of the tool or tongs (so as to allow of sufficient
movement) and its edges may be curved to correspond therewith. I retain the
spring in the place and for the purpose described in the last paragraph or sometimes
I employ two springs similarly placed, or 1 may use other springs placed elsewhere
for a like object.
In operating the tool or tongs, the workman when holding it in the usual manner,
will include in his grasp that portion of the lever attachment which lies parallel with
the gripping portion as described. When he commences to press the arms of the tool
or tongs together he will cause the slotted portion of the lever to operate upon the
fixed stud described and thus to overcome the resistance of the spring, and in that
manner (so long as he keeps the lever pressed down) force the notches or slots formed
on the edge of the catch piece over the lower ends of the narrow slots cut in the two
arms of the tool or tongs as soon as the arms are sufficiently pressed together.
In employing this last described device the arms of the tool or tongs will be
unlocked when the operator diminishes the pressure of his grasp upon the lever attach-
ment described.
The following method of locking the arms of the tool or tongs describes a non-
automatic arrangement and is given by me only as an illustration thereof, but I prefer
that the locking of the arms or shaping parts of the tool shall be independent of any
special act of the workman.
In some cases the coiled spring attached as hereinafter described may be dispensed
with. For instance a projecting thumb piece or rest or a ring may be fixed to the
upper end of the sliding tube in place of the two cams already described so that the
workman by pressing his thumb upon such projecting piece or rest or through the ring
in the direction required will be able to slide the tube upward and downward to
accomplish the locking and unlocking of the arms of the tool or tongs when pressed
together.
My hereinabove described novel invention of a locking device for a tool or tongs is
for greater simplicity of description more particularly illustrated by me in connection
with forming screw threads upon the necks of bottles or other vessels when in a plastic
siate by means of screw-threaded rollers but it will be obvious that the principle of
locking the moveable arms of the tool or tongs when they or the shaping parts thereon
are brought to a predetermined point or stop so that such shaping parts shall not be
able to spring back from such point or stop or from the plastic material operated upon
until the operator unlocks or releases them is not only applicable to the formation of
such external screw threads but also to parts thereof or to plain lips or grooves rims or

page_text: projections upon the necks of bottles or other vessels and whether the shaping parts of
the tool or tongs shall consist of rollers (such as those illustrated herein or otherwise)
or dies or other devised moveable or fixed shaping parts for the purposes herein
described and illustrated.
My novel locking invention also is equally applicable to all bottle tools or tongs
where it is required that the glass or other plastic material shall be of uniform thick-
ness round the mouth of the bottle or other vessel as for instance in those cases where
internal grooves are formed to receive india rubber rings.
It will be obvious that my novel invention is also applicable to tools or tongs
employed for the purposes herein described and illustrated, in respect of substances
other than glass, such for instance as pottery stoneware porcelain and other materials
or substances when in a sufficiently plastic condition.
As is well known, in finishing a bottle when forming an ordinary lip upon it. it is
the practice to cast a ring of molten glass round the exterior of the bottle mouth after
the bottle leaves the mould and the tool or tongs is then applied thereto. This ring of
molten glass is variable in quantity being taken from the melting pot by hand tool, the
workman estimating the quantity as nearly as possible; but when forming an external
screw thread (the diameter of which must be exact it is important to have the glass at
that part where the screw thread is to be formed as nearly as possible of an exact and
ascertained quantity and I therefore prefer to make the mould wherein the bottle is
blown, so that the upper part of the neck of the bottle at that part where the rollers or
other shaping parts upon my improved tool or tongs are to be applied shall be provided
with a sufficient amount of glass so as to enable the screw thread to be formed thereon
without "casting on any extra molten glass after the bottle leaves the mould. The
mould at that part will be sufficiently enlarged to hold the extra quantity of glass
required and when the bottle leaves it the workman will have simply to sufficiently
re-heat the mouth or neck of the bottle before applying my improved locking tool or
tongs thereto.
"
I have herein described my improved tool or iongs as made in one piece from spring
steel, but it may also be made in two or more pieces hinged together at their
ends and provided with a sufficiently strong spring to furnish the spring action
required.
My improved tool or tongs instead of being held and operated manually may be
attached to a standard or table by means of suitable mechanical arrangements for
holding and working the same.
The drawings annexed hereto and forming part hereof are only given by way of
illustration generally of my invention and I do not restrict myself to any of the
dimensions shapes or figures therein set forth.
I do not limit myself to the precise details of my invention as herein before specified
and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing, as equivalent modifications, or
variations can be made in such details, quite consistently with the principles or
characteristic features of my invention; 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. In a tool or tongs having moveable or spring arins furnished at their ends with
dovices for shaping or finishing the external upper parts of necks of bottles or other
vessels when plastic, tho mode of always securing for such external parts accuracy
of shape and size by means of one or more mechanical devices attached to the
tool or tongs for the purpose of holding and locking its moveable armis when
brought to the desired position, in order that the extent of the distance between
such shaping or finishing devices shall be defined limited and fixed during the
shaping or finishing operation and shall continue so fixed until the arms are
liberated or unlocked by an independent act of the operator releasing such
mechanical holding and locking devices, and some of which mechanical devices are
described herein, and shewn in the drawings.

page_text: 2. In a tool or tongs for the purposes hereinabove described, and having
moveable or spring arms formed with shaping parts as set forth, the method of
securing accuracy of shape and size of the external upper parts of the necks of
bottles or other vessels, by means of mechanical devices attached to the tool or
tongs operating in combination with sustained manual pressure upon a lever, by
means of which the arms are securely held and locked during the shaping or
finishing operation until they are liberated and unlocked by the removal of such
pressure, substantially as herein described.
3. In a tool or tongs for the purposes hereinabove described and having moveable
or spring arms furnished with shaping parts as set forth, the combination of such
arms and shaping parts with a device operating automatically, by means of which
they may be held and locked in a predetermined position until liberated and
unlocked by an independent act of the operator substantially as herein set forth
and illustrated.
4. In a tool or tongs for the purposes hereinabove described and having moveable
or spring arms provided with shaping parts as set forth the combination of such
arms and shaping parts with a device operating automatically, by means of which
their closing movement may be arrested and they may be held and locked in a
predetermined position nntil liberated and unlocked by an independent act of the
operator, substantially as set forth herein and illustrated.
5. In a tool or tongs for the purposes hereinabove described and having moveable
or spring arms provided with shaping pirts as set forth, the combination of such
arms and shaping parts with a device for arresting the closing movements of such
arms and for holding and locking them in a predetermined position by means of
a notched locking piece forming part of such device operating in combination with
sustained manual pressure upon a lever until the arms are released by the removal
of such pressure as herein described.
6. In a tool or tongs for the purposes hereinabove described, and having moveable
or spring arms provided with shaping parts as set forth, the combination of such
arms and shaping parts with a device operated manually instead of automatically
by means of which they may be held and locked in a predetermined position
until released by the operator, as herein described.
7. In a tool or tongs for the purposes hereinabove set forth, having moveable or
spring arms carrying shaping or finishing rollers and also furnished with a plug and
swiller plate the combination of such arms shaping or finishing rollers plug and
swiller plate with a device operating automatically, by means of which the arms
may be held and locked in a predetermined position, until liberated and unlocked
by an independent act of the operator, substantially as described herein and
illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
8. In a tool or tongs for the purposes hereinabove set forth having moveable or
spring arms carrying shaping or finishing rollers and also furnished with a plug
and swiller plate the combination of such arms shaping or finishing rollers plug
and swiller plate with a device operated manually instead of automatically by means
of which the arms may be held and locked in a predetermined position until
liberated and unlocked by the operator substantially as described herein.
9. In a tool or tongs for the purposes hereinabove set forth and having moveable
or spring arms carrying fixed shaping parts or dies and also furnished with a plug
and swiller plate, the combination of such arms fixed shaping parts or dies plug
and swiller plate with a device operating automatically by means of which the arms
may be held and locked in a predetermined position until liberated and unlocked
by an independent act of the operator substantially as herein described.
10. In a tool or tongs for the purposes hereinabove set forth and having moveable
or spring arms carrying fixed shaping parts or dies and also-furnished with a ping
and swiller plate the combination of such arms, fixed shaping parts or dies plug
and swiller plate with a device operated manually instead of automatically by means
of which the arms may be held and locked in a predetermined position by the
operator until liberated and unlocked, as herein described.

page_text: 11. In a tool or tongs for the purposes hereinabove set forth having moveable or
spring arms carrying suitable shaping devices and also furnished with a plug and.
swiller plate the combination of such arms shaping devices plug and swiller plate
with a device operating automatically by means of which the closing movement of
the arms may be stopped and they may be held and locked in a predetermined
position, until liberated and unlocked by an independent act of the operator,
substantially as herein set forth and illustrated.
12. In a tool or tongs for the purposes hereinabove set forth having moveable or
spring arms carrying suitable shaping devices and also furnished with a plug and
swiller, plate the combination of such arms shaping devices plug and swiller plate
with a device operated manually instead of manually automatically by means of
which the closing movement of the arms may be stopped and they may be held
and locked in a predetermined position, until liberated and unlocked by an indepen-
dent act of the operator, as herein set forth.
13. In a tool or tongs for the purposes hereinabove set forth and having moveable
or spring arms carrying shaping devices the combination of such arms and shaping
devices with a mechanical arrangement consisting of a central rod, spring, rotating
tube lever. and locking piece devised to hold and lock the arms in a predetermined
position and liberated and unlocked by an independent act of the operator substan-
tially as herein described and illustrated.
14. In a tool or tongs for the purposes hereinabove set forth, and having moveable
or spring arms carrying shaping devices the combination of such arms and shaping
devices with a mechanical arrangement consisting of a central rod, spring, sliding
tube, cams, lever, and locking piece devised to hold and lock the arms in a pre-
determined position until liberated and unlocked by an independent act of the
operator substantially as herein described and illustrated.
15. In a tool or tongs for the purposes herein set forth and having moveable or
spring arms carrying suitable shaping devices, and furnished with a stop or stops
(for arresting the closing movement of such arms) and also with a plug, swiller
plate, and central rod, the combination with such arms, shaping devices, stop or
stops, plug, swiller plate, and central rod, of a device for holding and locking
such arms in a predetermined position until they are liberated and unlocked by
an independent act of the operator substantially as set forth herein and illustrated.
16. In a tool or tongs for the purposes hereinabove set forth, and having moveable
or spring arms carrying rollers or other moveable or fixed shaping devices as
described, the constructing such tool or tongs with three or more arms so that
they may carry three or more rollers or other shaping devices as described
herein.
17. In a tool or tongs for the purposes hereinbefore set forth the combination of
the spring arms a, b, pins f, g, the screw-threaded rollers h, i, plug m, swiller
plate p, guiding plate n, central rod ; with the spring t rotating tube 9 double
catch or
locking piece, and lever u as described herein and illustrated in
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7, of the drawing.
18. In a tool or tongs for the purposes hereinbefore set
of the spring arms a, b, pins f, g, screw-threaded rollers h,
central rod, with the spring sliding tube q locking plate
as described herein and illustrated in Figures 8, 9, 10, and
Dated this fish day of October 1890.
forth the combination
i, plug m, swiller p,
lever u, and cams w
11, of the drawing.
ted tils Live day of OctoUCI
OCOT
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London,
Agents for the Patentee.