Improvements relating to Internal Bottle-stoppers.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements relating to Internal Bottle-stoppers.
I, JOHN FORSHAW, Junior, of 31, Crosby Road, Seaforth, near Liverpool, Bottle
Stopper Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to those internal stoppers whose heads are weighted in
order that they shall fall head-first into the bottle mouth in the process of
bottling.
A cavity having a restricted orifice is formed in the head of a stopper. Such
cavity may be conical, i.e., wider at the base than at the orifice, or may be a partial
sphere with a restricted aperture, or any other shape. Into such cavity a weight
is placed. This may be done by running some molten lead into the cavity, or
by placing a bullet or other weight therein. Such lead or weight only partially
fills the avity, for instance to the extent of one half. The upper portion of the
cavity is then plugged or stopped in any suitable manner.
For instance a plug
of poplar wood may be driven into the cavity. By preference I use a wood, cork,
or substance which will spread or expand within the cavity and thus key itself
therein. In this way the weight within the head of the stopper is entirely
closed in, which is in the case of leaden weights very desirable.
As a modification I form a plain cylindrical or straight sided cavity in the head
of a stopper, into which a weight is put and covered in by a plug.
Improvements relating to Internal Bottle-stoppers.
I, JOHN FORSHAW, Junior, of 31, Crosby Road, Seaforth, near Liverpool, Manu-
facturer, 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:-
-
This invention relates to those internal stoppers for bottles whose heads are
weighted in order that they shall fall head first into the bottle mouth in the
process of bottling aerated liquids.

page_text: Such
A cavity having a restricted orifice is formed in the head of the stopper.
cavity may be conical, i.e., wider at the base than at the orifice, or may be a partial
sphere, or any other shape with a restricted aperture. Into such cavity a weight
is placed. This may be accomplished by running molten lead into the cavity,
or by placing a bullet or other weight therein. Such lead or weight only partially
fills the cavity; for instance to the extent of one-half. The upper portion of
the cavity is then plugged or stopped in any suitable manner. For instance a
plug of poplar may be driven into the cavity. By preference I use wood, cork
or other substance which will spread or expand within the cavity and thus key
itself therein. In this way the weight within the head of the stopper is entirely
closed-in, which is very desirable in the case of leaden weights.
The drawing hereto annexed is a section of a stopper whose weighted head is
plugged according to this invention. In the head a of the stopper is formed
a cavity b having a restricted orifice c, that is to say, the cavity is wider within
the stopper than it is at its orifice. A spherical cavity is shewn in the drawing,
with a conical or tapered orifice c. Molten lead is poured into the cavity until it
is one-half or three-fourths full or thereabouts. The conical or tapered orifice
is thus left vacant, and is filled by a plug d. Such plug must be of a material
which is capable of expansion in order that it may expand within the conical
orifice c and thus key itself in the stopper. In practice I have found that the most
suitable material is poplar wood or other woods of a similar nature.
I take a
cylindrical piece of perfectly dry poplar wood, or similar wood, slightly larger
than the orifice of the stopper cavity. Such piece is then compressed until it
is reduced to such a size as to easily enter such orifice. It is then put into the
cavity until it rests upon the lead. The piece of poplar is then moistened which
causes it to expand in the cavity. If any portion of such plug protrudes beyond
the outer end of the orifice it is cut off with a saw or on a lathe, or by any similar
means.
It will be seen that the plug d is prevented from displacement by the tapered
formation of the cavity and forms a liquid tight cover to the lead within the
stopper, thus preventing any contact between the lead and the contents of the
bottle.
It must be understood that I do not confine myself to the shape of the cavity
illustrated in the annexed drawing, that is to say, the cavity may take various
forms, but the orifice thereof must be smaller than the internal width of the cavity.
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:-
The herein described means of enclosing the leaden weight of an internal bottle
stopper, which consists in forming the cavity which contains said lead with a
restricted orifice, in partially filling said cavity with lead, and in plugging the
remaining portion of the cavity with a suitable expanding material such as poplar
wood, substantially as described with reference to the drawings.
Dated this 27th day of July 1808
J. A. COUBROUGH,
Chartered Patent Agent, 10; St. George's Crescent, Liverpool,
Agent for the Applicant.