Improvements in Stoppers for Bottles or other Receptacles.
Year: 1886

page_text: ·Improvements in Stoppers for Bottles or other Receptacles.
I, PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE of 55 and 56 Chancery Lane in the County of
Middlesex Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents do hereby declare the nature
of this invention (a communication to me from abroad by Henry Martin Wirz of
Wallingford in the State of Pennsylvania, United States of America) and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :— ..
The invention relates to stoppers for bottles or other receptacles and is adapted
to be applied to a removable part formed to fit in the mouth of an ordinary bottle
or receptacle.
I provide a closing device which is capable of turning on an axis through a
sufficient arc to allow a suitable orifice to be covered and uncovered. The bearing
surfaces are curved to allow of the lateral sliding movement. The curvature of the
Burface is slightly eccentric to the axis of the motion. For some uses I apply
packing material in a recess in the interior of the cap to ensure a tight contact
when the device is closed.
It is important to ensure against the swinging of the cap into the open position
by concussion in transportation or other accidental forces. In what I deem the
most complete form of the invention the eccentricity is so arranged that in moving
the cap to the closing end of its motion it moves a little past the tightest point.
Further motion in that direction is resisted by a positive stop. Accidental move-
ment in the return direction is resisted by the eccentricity.
The device may be applied to control the discharge of syrups and other semi-
fluids and to cocks and faucets for other purposes.
It may be applied with some advantage in connection with collapsible tubes, in
which case it will be made in one with the tube.
The following is a description of what I consider the best means of carrying out
the invention as applied to a bottle from which the application of my invention to
other receptacles will be readily understood without further description.
In the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification :—
Fig. 1 is a side elevation.
Fig. 2 an elevation at right angles to Fig. 1.
".
Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section in the position corresponding to Fig. 1. --
· Fig. 4 is an elevation of a part on a larger scale.

page_text: ig. 5 is an elevation showing the novel parts complete ready for application to
a stopper.
Fig. 6 is a view at right angles to Fig. 5 showing the cap being applied..
Fig. 7 is a vertical section showing another mode of engaging the 'cap.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where
they occur.
60
८
:
Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, A, is the mouth of a bottle, B, an annular cork
making a close joint therewith, D, is a metallic body which is tightly and strongly
joined to B, and is traversed longitudinally by an aperture d. A flange D¹ extends
over the mouth of the bottle and gives an ornamental finish. The main portion D³
is screw threaded. The upper surface D³ is smoothly finished. E, is a screw
threaded ring, matching on the screw threaded portion D. It carries trunnions E',
the axis of which, when the device is down, lies a little below. the centred of the
spherical surface D. G is a cap adapted to match on the spherical surface D³, and
provided with arms G¹, engaging the trunnions E. The cap may turn on these
trunnions as an axis the centre line of its inner surface curvature being below the
centre of the trunnions. In one position it uncovers the orifice d, and allows the
perfumery or other contents of the bottle to be discharged. In another position
its smooth interior matches tightly against the spherical surface D³ and closes the
orifice. G is a piece of fine cork or analogous yielding and elastic material.
It is fitted in a recess in the cap G and presents a smooth face on the inner side of
the cap. This packing makes a close joint with the spherical surface of the body
and compensates for imperfections in workmanship or adjustment so as to maintain
an absolutely tight joint when the device is closed.
The eccentricity or want of coincidence of the trunnions E¹ with the centre of
curvature d³ of the face of the body, causes the cap to, be drawn very tightly upon
the body in one position and to gradually relax its contact in being turned away.
from that position in either direction. In one direction it is allowed to be moved
sufficiently to completely open the orifice d. In the other direction it is allowed to
move a little past the point of tightest contact, and is then arrested. The cap is
prevented from being moved too far in either direction. Two projections 'I and J,
formed on the ring E, serve, as stops to arrest the motion of the cap in the opened
and closed positions. A similar end is attained by the form of the trunnions E¹
and the adjacent portions of the cap. Each of the latter is formed with an internal
projection g, which as the cap swings, traverses to one side and the other of a
notch formed in the trunnions. In the manufacture I employ by preference the
white metal known as Britannia metal. It is strong and so nearly destitute of
elasticity that the cap being completed in shape except the final bending may be
applied in the correct position and permanently secured thereon by simply bending
the cap inward, by suitable dies or otherwise. The construction allows the force
with which the inner force of the cap presses against the upper surface of the body,
to be varied by turning the ring E and its attachments around on the screw
threaded body. The spherical form allows this without interfering with the
action. Supposing the cap to have been previously moved to one side, and the
passage & open, the act of tightly closing, consists in first swinging the cap so as
to cover the passage d, and afterwards turning the ring E- and its connections
around until the cap is pressed tightly down upon the spherical surface of the
top of the body. It will remain in that condition for any period. When it is to
be opened again the operation should be commenced by first turning the ring E
and its connections around, to lift the cap clear of the body, after which it may
be swung with ease to one side. The stop I allows the cap to be moved somewhat
past the tightest closed position, but not so much as to materially impair the
tightness of the contact. The stop J'arrests the opening motion after the orifice d
is entirely uncovered.
Modifications may be made without departing from the principle or sacrificing
the advantages of the invention. The threaded ring: E may be adjusted in a
position phial mi

page_text: when in the closed position, and allowed to remain in that position omitting the
turning to tighten and the turning in the opposite direction to relax the force.
The turning ring may be set fast or in other words the trunnions may be formed
on the body, care being taken to adjust the parts so that there will be a sufficiently
forcible contact while still allowing motion. Figs. 5 and 6 represent such a
construction. Instead of producing trunnions E' projecting out from the body
and engaging in holes in the cap, I can, if preferred, produce a cap with projections
and provide the body with holes to receive them. Fig. 7 shows such modification.
The top of the body is not necessarily spherical. When the turning ring E is
omitted and the cap is mounted directly on the body, the rubbing surface of the
body at the top may be a portion of a cylinder, care being taken to give a
corresponding form to the cap. The elastic material G* may be omitted and the
close fit of the cap obtained by letting the efficient surfaces of the metal apply
directly together. Other metal than Britannia may be used. The projections E¹
and the corresponding but wider notches in the trunnions may serve alone as the
stops to limit the swinging movement of the cap, the stops I and J being omitted.
Or the latter stops may be employed and plain cylindrical trunnions may serve
It is only essential that the proper amount of motion be allowed with provisions
for preventing a mischievous excess. The location of the devices which arrest the
cap in the closed position may be varied so as to stop it in the position of tightest.
contact, instead of allowing it to move a little past. 'I prefer however to let the
cap swing a little past the most tightly fitting position, so that the elasticity of the
parts shall aid to hold the cap in the closed position, thus affording increased
security against possible opening by accidental forces. I propose in some cases to
make the body D, of glass, casting the trunnions in one with the body. The cap
will be of metal applied as described. The lower portion of the body may be
ground to fit in the neck of the bottle in. the usual manner.
.
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 correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
-
1st. In stoppers for bottles or other receptacles the body D having an aperture d
and a curved surface D³ arranged to be rigidly held in a bottle or the like, in
combination with a swinging cap G, turning on an axis eccentric to said curved
surface, and arranged for joint operation, substantially as herein specified.
2nd. In stoppers for bottles or other receptacles the removable body D, having '
a curved surface D* adjacent to the aperture d arranged to serve with a separato
vessel or tube A in combination with a swinging cap G and with stops adapted to
arrest the motion, as specified.
3rd. In stoppers for bottles or other receptacles the threaded ring E in com-
bination with the correspondingly threaded body, and with a swinging cap.C
pivoted to the said ring, the cap and body having curved bearing surfaces
presented towards each other, all arranged for joint operation, substantially as
described.
4th. In stoppers for bottles or other receptacles the cap G and packing Ģ*, in
combination with each other and with the body D, and having a perforation d, and
curved surface D³ with means for pivoting the cap to the body at a point below
the centre of the curvature of the body such as the trunnions E, substantially as
set forth.