IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MODE OF SECURING CORKS AND STOPPERS IN THE NECKS OR MOUTHS OF BOTTLES, JARS, AND OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MODE OF SECURING CORKS AND STOPPERS IN THE NECKS OR
MOUTHS OF BOTTLES, JARS, AND OTHER VESSELS."-A communication from
abroad by Arthur Barbarin, of New Orleans, in the State of Louisiana,
America.
Sealed the 29th January 1867, and dated the 3rd August 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 3rd August 1866.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MODE OF SECURING CORKS AND STOPPERS IN THE NECKS OR
MOUTHS OF BOTTLES, JARS, AND OTHER VESSELS," a communication to me
from abroad by Arthur Barbarin, of New Orleans, in the State of Louisiana,
America.
This Invention consists, firstly, in the employment of a disk of elastic
india-rubber, having its border turned over and made thicker than the middle
portion of the disk. When the cork or stopper is in its place one of these.
disks is stretched across it, and its border is then passed over the flange or
projection at the mouth of the bottle or jar; the thickened border of the disk.
will, if a disk of suitable size has been selected, nip the neck of the vessel

page_text: below the flange, and the cork or stopper will thereby be firmly retained in its
place. The stopper may itself be formed of india-rubber, and if thought
desirable the disk may be cemented by any suitable cement to that stopper.
The disk may also be stretched across the mouth of a vessel in the absence of
a cork or stopper, and will thus form a useful temporary stopper.
Another part of this Invention consists in the employment of an elastic
ring of india-rubber having one or more strips or bands of the same material
connected with it, and passing from one side to the opposite side, the ring
being slipped over the flange on the neck of the vessel, as before mentioned,
the cross strips or bands will necessarily pass over the cork or stopper and
retain it in its place.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 2nd February 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the thirtieth year of Her reign,
did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto nie, the
said John Henry Johnson, Her special licence that I, the said John Henry
Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MODE OF SECURING CORKS AND STOPPERS IN THE NECKS OR MOUTHS OF
BOTTLES, JARS, AND OTHER VESSELS," a communication to me from abroad
by Arthur Barbarin, of New Orleans, in the State of Louisiana, America,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry
Johnson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office

page_text: within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:―
The said Invention consists, firstly, in the employment of a disk of elastic
india-rubber having its border turned over, and made thicker than the middle
portion of the disk. When the cork or stopper is in its place one of these
disks is stretched across it, and its border is then passed over the flange or
projection at the mouth of the bottle or jar. The thickened border of the
disk will, if a disk of suitable size has been selected, nip the neck of the
vessel below the flange, and the cork or stopper will thereby be firmly retained
in its place. The stopper may itself be formed of india-rubber, and if thought
desirable the disk may be cemented by any suitable cement to that stopper.
The disk may also be stretched across the mouth of a vessel in the absence
of a cork or stopper, and will thus form a useful temporary stopper or
cover.
Another part of this Invention consists in the employment of an elastic ring
of india-rubber baving one or more strips or bands of the same material
connected with it and passing from one side to the opposite side; the ring
being slipped over the flange on the neck of the vessel, as before mentioned,
the cross strips or bands will necessarily pass over the cork or stopper and
retain it in its place.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I shall.
refer to the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same
letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
.
Figure 1 of the Drawings annexed is a section, and Figure 2 a plan view
of the rubber holder first above mentioned. a'is a disk of thin rubber, around
the outer edge of which is ring b of thicker rubber, which should be smaller
than the neck of the bottle to be corked. When the device is put in use
the cork c, Figure 3, is first inserted in the neck of the bottle. The disk a is
then placed on the top of the cork and its edges drawn down until the ring b
is secured under the flange on the neck, which it pinches firmly; the cork may
either be separate from the fastening device, or, which is perhaps preferable,
it may be secured to the disk, so that all the parts shall form one device, as
shown in section in Figure 4, and in plan in Figure 5, 6 being the ring around

page_text: the edge of the disk a, to which latter the cork c is cemented. Instead of the
rubber disk one or more strips of rubber may be used for the same purpose,
as shown in Figures 6, 7, and 8. The bottle is first stopped with the cork c,
and then the device, composed in this instance of one rubber strip & secured
by each end to the ring bis applied; the ring b being drawn down until it
clasps tightly the flange on the neck of the bottle. The strip or rubber
strand d is thus made to hold the cork firmly and press it into place.
In Figure 6 the ring and strip are represented in a distended condition as
they appear when applied to the bottle shown in Figures 7 and 8. Instead
of the one strip seen in the last-mentioned Figures two or three, or as many
as are deemed necessary may be employed, all of them being held in place by
means of the rubber ring d or equivalent fastening device.
Figures 9 and 10 show the manner in which the rubber disks or rings shown
in Figures 1 and 2 may be applied to an ordinary glass jar. The disk may be
used either in connection with a cork, as shown in Figure 9, or without a cork
as seen in Figure 10. To apply the device to the jar, the elastic disk a is
stretched tightly over the mouth of the jar, and at the same time it is drawn
down until the outer rubber ring or clasp 6 catches under the flange on the
neck of the jar. Whether used with a cork or not it will seal the jar so as
to prevent all evaporation of its contents. If desired the rubber disk may have
more of a bag shape, and the ring b by which the device is secured in position
may be of any form, thickness, or size, or of equivalent elastic material.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion, that what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the elastic fastening device
for securing stoppers in bottles, jars, or other receptacles when constructed
and arranged for operation substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this, my
Specification, set my hand and seal, the Second day of February, One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.B.)