Improvements in or connected with Screw or other Stoppers for Bottles and like Vessels containing Liquids under Pressure.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Sept., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 22nd May, 1897-Accepted, 10th July, 1897
Improvements in or connected with Screw or other Stoppers for
Bottles and like Vessels containing Liquids under Pressure.
We, DOUGLAS GEORGE RAMSEY, Sanitary Engineer, and JOSEPH QUICK, Gas
Engineer, both of 80, Elspeth Road, Lavender Hill, London, S.W. do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to improvements in or connected with screw or other
stoppers for bottles containing liquids under pressure such as beers, aerated
waters, beverages, and the like, the object being to combine or arrange a suitable
vent or venting device with the stopper, and thus obviate or reduce to a minimum
the danger and loss resulting from the bursting of such bottles, which now
frequently occurs, where no vent or venting device is provided.
In carrying our invention into practical effect, we provide a screw or other
stopper of the usual form and which may be made of vulcanite, wood, glass, stone,
earthenware or other suitable material, while around the top or cap a suitable
groove or recess is moulded or formed. Running from this groove or recess is a
hole or holes reaching to the centre of the stopper or the said hole or holes may be
carried right through and across the said stopper, the said hole or holes opening
into a central passage formed vertically through the said stopper.
Around the top or cap of the stopper and fitting into the aforesaid groove or
recess is arranged or stretched a band of india-rubber, or other suitable material,
said band covering and closing the exterior ends of the aforesaid hole or holes.
The outer surface of this rubber band may be either plain or ribbed or fluted so as
to afford a grip to the fingers when opening the bottle.
The exterior ends of the aforesaid hole or holes may be counter-sunk-while upon
the inner surface of the india-rubber closing band a pip or pips may be formed to
fit into the counter-sunk portions.
When the pressure within the bottle becomes too great the gas or liquid
contents of the bottles passes through the central passage in the stopper and from
thence to the cross or radiating hole or holes where it escapes by forcing back the
aforesaid closing band until the pressure is relieved, when the said band again
assumes its normal or closed position.
We further form under the top or cap of the stopper a half round or V-shaped
groove or seating, designed to receive a stretched rounded india-rubber ring, so as
to allow of the bottle being tightly closed by the said stopper in the usual manner.
We may also apply to bottles, syphons or the like the same principle of venting
by having the groove or recess formed around the top of the neck under the
stopper, the hole or holes in the said recess being either counter-sunk or plain or
having the external edges raised so as to form a seating.
11h as of Sontember 1896.
F. G. CASSELL,
(Of Cassell & Co.),
Glasshouse Street, Regent Street, London, W.
Agent for the Applicants.

page_text: Improvements in or connected with Screw or other Stoppers for
Bottles and like Vessels containing Liquids under Pressure.
We, DOUGLAS GEORGE RAMSEY, Sanitary Engineer, and JOSEPH QUICK, Gas
Engineer, both of 80, Elspeth Road, Lavender Hill, London, S.W. do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:--
Our invention relates to improvements in or connected with screw or other
stoppers for bottles and like vessels containing liquids under pressure, such as
beers, aerated waters, beverages, and the like, the object being to combine or
arrange a suitable vent or venting device with the stopper, and thus obviate or
reduce to a minimum the danger and loss resulting from the bursting of such
bottles, which now frequently occurs where no vent or venting device is provided.
In carrying our invention into practical effect, any ordinary screw, or other
description of stopper, and which may be constructed of wood," vulcanite, china,
glass, stone or carthenware, or other suitable material, has formed round the top
or cap a groove or recess into which is fitted a band of india-rubber or other
suitable elastic material. From this recess or groove a hole or passage is formed
passing in a horizontal direction to about the centre of the stopper until it meets a
second hole or passage formed vertically up the said stopper, thus forming a
continuous passage leading from the inside of the bottle to the surface of the
aforesaid groove or recess, where the end of the hole or passage is closed by the
rubber band hereinbefore referred to, while in some cases the rubber band at this
point may be furnished with a small pip or projection for the purpose of entering
and closing the hole or passage.
As a modification of our invention we may so construct the stopper and employ
therewith a band of such a width as to combine the vent with the seal, and instead
of a passage through the stopper, form a vertical passage down the outside of the
thread of the stopper, or we may make the stopper in such a manner that the
groove runs spirally around the thread and ends under the covering band, and in
both the last mentioned forms of our invention the edge of the groove or recess may.
be slightly raised where the band covers it. so as to give a better grip to the said
band.
.
In order to prevent the band from moving or shifting from its position we may
form around the stopper a series of raised projections in such a manner that the
band covers them.
When the pressure in the bottle or jar to which the stopper is fitted becomes
excessive, the gas or liquid contents is forced up through the grooves or passages
and past the band, (which is temporarily dislodged by the pressure), escaping
outside, the band afterwards returning to its normal position.
Although in the majority of cases one groove recess or passage may be sufficient,
yet we may, if found advisable to do so employ two, three, or more such recesses.
In order that our invention may be more fully understood, we will now proceed
to describe same with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is
an elevation of a stopper in the neck of a bottle which is in section, and Fig. 2 is
a sectional view of the stopper detached.
The band a fits into the groove or recess around the top or cap c of the stopper s
as shown covering the outer end of the hole or passage 6 which leads through the
bottom of the stopper and opens into the interior of the bottle d.

page_text: Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views to Figs. 1 and 2 but illustrate a slightly modified
form of the invention. In this case the hole or passage is formed vertically
down the exterior of the stopper as shown, terminating under and being covered
by the band a¹ said band being sufficiently wide to combine the seating rubber
with the part forming the valve as shown.
Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views to the above but illustrating another form of
construction.
In this case the groove or passage b winds spirally around the hollow portion of
the thread or worm of the stoppers and terminates under the band a2 which in
this case is also of sufficient width to combine the seating rubber with the valve,
while in order to prevent the said band from slipping out of position we may form
around the stopper a series of raised projections in such a manner that the band
covers them, one of such projections being preferably formed over the end of each
hole or passage b.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. The construction of a stopper for a bottle, jar, or other receptacle containing
liquid under pressure, having formed through, around, or down one of its sides, a
hole, passage or groove, or holes, passages or grooves, in combination with a band
of india-rubber or other suitable elastic material fitted to or around the stopper in
such a manner as to wholly or partially cover the outer ends of the aforesaid holes,
passages, or grooves, substantially as herein described and shown and for the
purposes specified.
2. In combination with stoppers or the like for bottles, jars, or other receptacle
containing liquids under pressure; of a hand covering the outer ends of holes,.
passages, or grooves, formed therein so as to act as an automatic valve substantially
as herein described and shown with reference to the accompanying drawings, and
for the purposes specified..
3. The improvements in or connected with screw or other stoppers for bottles
containing liquids under pressure, substantially as herein described and shown and
for the purposes specified.
Dated this 10th day of May
F. G. CASSELL,
(Of Cassell & Co.),
22, Glasshouse Street, Regent Street, London, W.,
Agent for the Applicants.