Improvements in Stoppers for Bottles and other Receptacles.
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvements in Stoppers for Bottles and other Receptacles.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER
RECEPTACLES," to be as follows:-
The Invention relates to improvements in bottle stoppers and consists in a novel
reversible attachment, which when inserted into the neck of a bottle, will either
seal the same, or permit the contents to be poured therefrom, according to which
end of the attachment is within the neck. If it be desired to seal the bottle, one
end of the attachment will be inserted into the neck thereof, and when a portion
of the contents is to be poured out, the attachment will be reversed, its other end
being at this time inserted into the neck. The attachment is reversible at will,
and may be constructed of sheet metal, wood, india-rubber, iron, glass, or any
other suitable material, according to the wish of the manufacturer. The distinctive
characteristics of the invention, together with its advantages, will be hereinafter
described.
The reversible stopper is composed of a stop or bowl, a post projecting from the
concave side of the bowl, and a tube extending from the opposite side thereof and
in line with the said post.
A passage is formed through the said tube and terminates at one side of the
post and at the lowest point in the concave surface of the bowl. When the post
of the stopper is inserted through the opening in a ring of cork, fitting within the
mouth of the bottle, the bowl will be in a reversed position over the edges of
the bottle, and the cork will close the passage, whereby the escape of the liquid
is prevented and air or dust is excluded from entrance to the bottle. The bowl,
when in the position described, presents a very desirable finish to the bottle, and
leaves no projecting edges wherein dust or other matter may accumulate; it may
moreover have a milled periphery or be otherwise ornamented as desired.
When the bottle is in use, the position of the stopper is reversed, the tube being
inserted into the ring of cork, at which time the liquid has a free outlet through

page_text: the passage.
When the lower end of the bottle is turned upward, as in the act of
pouring therefrom, the liquid escapes through the passage and runs along the
exterior surface and flows from the end of the post. Upon restoring the bottle
to its upright position any of the liquid remaining on the post is caught by the
bowl and returned into the bottle through the passage, thus effectually pre-
venting any of the liquid from trickling down the outside of the bottle, or being
wasted.
The bottle stopper above described may be employed for sauce, perfumery,
liquors, oils, or other liquids, as may be desired.
The stopper may be made of a single piece of material, or of two or more pieces
of sheet metal united by a seam on the periphery of the bowl or stop, or elsewhere,
as may be found convenient. The ring may be of cork, india-rubber, or other
material, according to the wish of the manufacturer or the nature of the liquid
in connection with which it is to be used, and in lieu of the ring of cork,
the post may be coated with india-rubber or other elastic material by dipping or
ctherwise.
The post sometimes contains an annular groove at a suitable point between its
ends, into which groove is placed a band of india-rubber, which serves to prevent
any escape of the liquid between the post and the walls of the neck of the bottle.
When the stopper is reversed the end thereof fits within the mouth of the bottle
completely filling it-For some purposes the stopper may be used without either
the cork or india-rubber, the tube and post of the same being made to snugly fit
the mouth of the bottle; or the stopper may be entirely coated with india-rubber
if preferred.
The stopper may also have annular shoulders on the outer extremity of the
post and tube, and these shoulders may be utilized to retain an india-rubber band,
or when the stopper is of wood, they will bind against the walls of the neck of the
bottle forming a liquid-tight joint.
When it is desired to cause the liquid to fall in drops from the end of the post
(as in dropping medicine) an additional opening is provided, whereby air is per-
mitted to enter the stopper and assist the passage of the liquid. With this
arrangement the passage, instead of terminating in the bowl or stop, extends
nearer to the end of the post. The shoulder prevents the escape of the liquid
into the passage when the stopper is in position to seal the bottle. The wooden
stopper may be used without a coating of india-rubber, and it may be boiled in
paraffine or analogous repellant and thus rendered impervious to moisture,
whereby the stopper is prevented from warping, shrinking or cracking, besides
giving it a desirable finish; and in cases where the stopper may be used without
the passages, said passages may be entirely omitted.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.

page_text: improvements in Stoppers for Bottles and other Receptacles.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER
RECEPTACLES" 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 improvements in stoppers for bottles and other
receptacles, and consists essentially in a reversible or adjustable attachment,
which, when inserted into the neck of a bottle, will either seal the same or permit
the contents to be poured therefrom, according to the position of the attachment
within the neck. If it be desired to seal the bottle one portion of the attachment is
inserted into the mouth thereof, and when a portion of the contents is to be poured
out another part of the attachment is inserted into the said mouth. The stopper
or attachment is reversible or adjustable at will, and may be constructed of sheet
metal, wood, india-rubber, cork, iron, or glass, or of any other suitable material,
according to the wish of the manufacturer.
The distinctive characteristics of the invention, together with its advantages, will
appear in the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a central vertical section of a bottle having a stopper embodying the
elements of the invention and showing the application of the stopper to seal the
bottle;
Figure 2 is a like view of the same, illustrating the stopper in position to
permit the contents of the bottle to be poured out;
Figure 3 is a central vertical section of a stopper, one end of which is partly
covered with india-rubber;
Figure 4 is a central vertical section of a slightly modified form of the stopper;
Figure 5 is a central vertical section of a stopper made according to the
invention, and having a ball valve to prevent air or dust from passing into the
bottle when the stopper is in position to permit the liquid to be poured out;
Figures 6, 7 and 8 are sectional views of a modified form of stopper, Figure 6
showing the position of same when closed and Figure 7 when open;
Figure 9 is a side elevation of another form of the stopper embodying the
invention;
Figure 10 is a central vertical section of same;
Figure 11 is a central vertical section of a form of the stopper adapted for
shipping cans or other receptacles, and shown in position to seal the mouth
thereof, and
Figure 12 is a like view of same, showing the stopper in position to permit the
contents of the can to be poured out.
A denotes the bottle; B the neck thereof, and C the stopper, one end of which
is shown in Figures 1 and 2 inserted through a ring D of cork or other suitable
material fitting within the mouth of the bottle. The stopper C shown in
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9 and 10, is reversible, and composed of the stop or bowl F,
the post G projecting from the concave side of the bowl, and the tube H extending
from the opposite side thereof and in line with the said post. The passage I of the
tube H terminates at one side of the post G and at the lowest point in the concave
surface of the bowl F as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, or as shown in Figures 5,

page_text: 9 and 10. When the post G of the stopper is inserted through the opening in the
ring of cork D the bowl F will be in a reversed position over the edges of
the bottle and the cork will close the passage I, as shown in Figure 1, whereby the
escape of the liquid is prevented and air or dust is excluded from entrance to
the bottle. The bowl F, when in the position described, presents a very desirable
finish to the bottle, and leaves no projecting edges wherein dust or other matter
may accumulate; it may, moreover have a milled periphery or be otherwise
ornamented or constructed as may be desired.
When the bottle is in use the position of the stopper C is reversed, the tube H
being inserted into the neck of the bottle, at which time the liquid has a free outlet
through the passage I, as shown in Figure 2 when the bottle is tilted from an
upright position. Upon restoring the bottle to its upright position, any of the
liquid remaining on the post C is caught by the bowl F and returns into the bottle
through the passage I, thus effectually preventing any of the liquid from trickling
down the outside of the bottle or being wasted.
The stopper above described may be employed for sauce, perfumery, liquors, oils
or other liquids, as may be desired. The stopper shown in the drawing may be
made of a single piece of material, or of two or more pieces united by a seam on the
periphery of the bowl or stop F or elsewhere as may be found convenient. The
ring D may be of cork, india-rubber or other material according to the wish of
the manufacturer or the nature of the liquid in connection with which it is to be
used; and in lieu of the ring of cork the post G may be coated with india-rubber
or other elastic material by dipping or otherwise.
As shown in Figure 3 the post G contains an annular groove m at a suitable
point between its ends, into which groove is placed a band of india-rubber n, which
serves to prevent any escape of the liquid between the post and the walls of the
bottle. When the stopper shown in Figure 3 is reversed the end H thereof will
fit within the mouth of the bottle completely filling it. For a great many purposes
the stopper may be used without either the cork D or the india-rubber n, the tube
and post being made to snugly fit the mouth of the bottle; or the stopper may be
entirely coated with india-rubber if preferred.
The stopper shown in Figure 4 has annular shoulders x, x, on the outer end of
the post G and tube H, and these shoulders may be utilized to retain an india-
rubber band, as shown in Figure 3, or when the stopper is of wood they will bind
against the inner walls of the neck of the bottle forming a liquid-tight joint. The
shoulders x, x, on the wooden stopper are sufficiently elastic to fit any irregularities
in the surface of the glass, and this is a point of importance since it enables the
manufacture and use of an inexpensive stopper for purposes for which it has
heretofore been necessary to employ costly articles. The wooden stopper may be
boiled in paraffine or analogous repellant whereby it will be rendered impervious
to moisture and be prevented from warping, shrinking, or cracking, besides giving
it a desirable finish and adding to its durability.
The stopper shown in Figure 4 is provided with the additional opening or
vent W, whereby air is permitted to enter the stopper and facilitate the flow of
the liquid. The passages I, W, may be varied in size and position as may be desired
or found convenient.
A modification very useful for some liquids is shown in Figure 5, a metal ball a
being placed inside the stopper or attachment and arranged to drop into the
position shown in said Figure, where it prevents evaporation or the entrance of
dust should the person using the bottle fail or prefer not to reverse the stopper.
The passages I, W, in the stopper shown in Figure 5 are on the same horizontal
plane and open on opposite sides of the post G, similar to the passages I, W, shown
in Figures 9 and 10, the differences between the stopper shown in Figure 5 and
that illustrated in Figure 10 being principally, with the exception of the ball a, in
details of construction. When the passages I, W, are bored transversely through
the post G or stop F the liquid may be poured from the bottle through either of
them, the other serving as a vent.

page_text: The stopper shown in figures 6, 7 and 8 employs the stop F, tube H and a post G
extending down through the cork D, but is not reversible, being intended for use
in bottles where it might be convenient to adjust the stopper in the cork but not
desirable to wholly reverse it. The post Ġ shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8 has a
groove or passage b extending from its lower end to a point below the stop F and
within the cork D, when the stopper is depresse 1 as illustrated in Figure 6; and
upon the lower end of the post G is provided a bulb or enlargement d which
prevents the stopper being drawn upward too far through the cork, as shown in
Figure 7. When the stopper is in the position indicated in Figure 7 it will be seen
that the liquid may, upon the bottle being reversed, escape through the passages b, I,
any suitable number of the passages being provided; and when the stopper is
depressed the outlet from the passage b will be securely sealed by the cork, as
shown in Figure 6.
In Figures 11 and 12 the stopper has the form of a cap adapted for use in
connection with a shipping can or other receptacle; in these Figures the stopper
has the passages I, W, passing into the central chamber, and has, also, an exterior
thread which engages a vertical threaded flange encircling the mouth of the can
or receptacle; either end of the stopper may be introduced into this vertical
threaded flange and form a liquid tight joint by impinging the flexible washer w.
The passage I is supplemented with a tube I' which may be moved into or
outward from the central chamber of the stopper as shown. This stopper is
reversible at will, its two positions being clearly shown in Figures 11 and 12, and
will be fully understood by persons skilled in the art without further explanation.
When the stopper is to be made of cast metal the tube I will be a rigid attach-
ment, but should not project beyond the vertical plane of the exterior screw
thread.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign Correspondents I declare that what I claim is
First. A bottle stopper composed of the stop or bowl, a post extending from one
side of the stop, and a tube from the opposite side thereof, a passage being formed
through the tube and connecting with an outlet, in or adjacent to the said stop or
bowl; substantially as set forth.
Second. The reversible stopper herein described having the transverse passages
I, W, connecting with the central bore or chamber; substantially as set forth.
Third. The stopper composed of the bowl or stop F, post G, tube H, passage I
and a ring of india-rubber or other suitable material either around the post or
within the mouth of the bottle; substantially as set forth.
Fourth. The bottle stopper having the shoulder or shoulders x-x; substantially
as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Fifth. The bottle stopper constructed substantially as described and containing
the loose metal ball; as set forth.
Sixth. The reversible stopper herein described having a threaded exterior and the
transverse passages I, W, or the passage I alone, connecting with the central bore
or chamber; substantially as described.
Seventh. A bottle stopper consisting of the stop, post, tube and cork, the post
having a passage b and the tube or passage I; substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
Dated this 10th If
L 10OE
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.