Improvements relating to the Air Tight Closing of Bottles, Jars, Cans, and other Receptacles or Vessels for Sterilized Liquids, Preserves, or the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 11th May, 1895
Complete Specification Left, 11th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 11th May, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Air Tight Closing of Bottles, Jars,
Cans, and other Receptacles or Vessels for Sterilized Liquids,
Preserves, or the like.
I, OTO BING, of 39 Rue Lafayette, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows.-
This invention relates to improvements in self-locking devices for the an-tight
closing of bottles, Jars, cans and other receptacles or vessels for sterilized liquids
preserves, or the like
An occurrence which has been almost invariably observed hitherto, in connection
with the process of boiling sterilized liquors or preserves, contained in bottles, jars,
cans, or other vessels or receivers, may be thus described the steam under pressure,
resulting from ebullition, in seeking an issue from the closed chamber wherein it is
confined and compressed, tends to raise the cap or lid of the same. This tendency
being resisted, however, by the contrivance which serves to fasten such lid or
cover to the vessel, the steam exercises its pressure upon the packing, generally of
indin rubber, whereby air-tightness 18 sought to be ensured. The consequence is,
that the said packing is in most cases expelled from the groove in which it is
embedded, a jet of steam is allowed to escape; and when, subsequently, con-
densation sets in, the rubber packing, which has been forced beyond the lower
flange of the cap or cover,- fails to resume its place of its own accord. Hence the
tightness of the joint is impaired.
The object of the present invention is to remedy this serious defect; and it is
attained by the employment of a cap or lid of peculiar constructionu, the main
distinguishing features of which consist
(1) In the inclined or sloping shape imparted to the portion of the lid which
covers the packing, and wluch (by reason of its improved shape) exercises powerful
pressure upon such packing, both whilst the vessel is cooling, after the boiling
process, and also for any subsequent length of tune, however piotracted, during
which the vessel remains closed; and
(2) In the provision of notches or perforations in the said lid and in the bevelled
portion of its surface covering the packing.
Owing to these arrangements, the pressure which, at first, lifts the lid or cap,
thereby carises the perforations-or the initial parts of the notches ou recesses (as
the case may be) above the supporting surface of the packing, with which they
are normally in contact; so that, whereas a passage, communicating with the
atmosphere, is thus opened, and steam is allowed to escape, the flexible packing,
nevertheless, retains its position undisturbed.
When next condensation and cooling set in, the lid redescends and its comical or
sloping surface, by firmly bearing on the india rubber, forces the same light home
into its recess or groove, and thus completes a perfectly tight joint.
I
In carrying the invention into practice the neck of the bottle has an outer surface
of conical shape, and at the top of the incliue there is provided a groove, of semi-
cncular section, wherein the flexible packing ring or washer,—preferably of india
rubber,- -18 located. The cap or lid is retained in position by a resilient stirrup-
shaped piece or yoke, the hook-shaped ends of which engage with the lower part of
he bottle-neck collar.

page_text: When, after admission into the vessel, the contents thereof are brought to the
boiling potut, the cap o hd of apparatus of the class hero described,-
-as hereto
fore constructed,-tends to rise, and as the resistance of the clamping or
retaming yoke, at the top, is greater than the resistance offered to the steam
pressmc by the packing ring, such ang is forced to leave its bed or groove. To
obviate this inconvenience in the present arrangement there are provided in the
portion of the lid, which covers the ring or washer one or more small perforations.
Owing to this feature, the operation of my "self-closing" device is such, that
before any displacement of the packing, in the mauner just stated, can take place,
the hole or holes in the lid place the interior of the vessel in communication with
the atmosphere so that the steam or vapours may escape, without in any way
affecting the position of the washer, or ring, or causing any loss of liquid
As the internal pressure becomes less, owing to the escape of gases and vapours,
the cap is firmly pressed down upon its seat on the bottle-neck, first, by the yoke,
and then, by external pressure. The cap accordingly descends, and thus once
more causes the perforation or perforations to be closed by the rubber packing,
tightly compressed between the lid and neck of the jai, and to form a perfectly
tight joint as a result,
The provision of the inclined supporting surface of the cap 18 an extremely
important feature of this invention. For if that surface were horizontal, it would
act upon the packing outwardly, in the direction of an inclined resultant line,
thereby expelling the packing from its seat of recess. Whereas, where the beating
surface is inclined, the resultant line of pressure 13 always directed inwards, its
course extending practically through the centre of the surface of the packing,
which is in contact with the packing-gioove; so that the said packing denives as
full advantage as possible from external pressure, in tightly closing the jomit.
Slots or notches may be cut in the lower edge of the cap, if preferred, instead of
perforations; in which case the bottom part of such slots should lie against, or in
contact with, the conical supporting surface of the ring.
Dated the 11th don
100
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Air Tight Closing of Bottles, Jars,
Cans, and other Receptacles or Vessels for Sterilized Liquids,
Preserves, or the like.
I, OTTO BING, of 39 Rue Lafayette, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Manufacturer, 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
-
When heating receptacles, such as boxes and Jars containing preserves or
sterilized liquids so that these will boil there occurs almost always a moment at
which the pressure in the tenor of the receptacle becomes so strong that the
vapours under pressure, which seek an escape and which cannot raise the cover or
cap of the closing device any higher owing to the resistance opposed by the clastic
part fastening the said cover to the receptacle, will compel the india rubber packing
to leave the groove wherein it is located, so that, after the escape of vapoun jet and
at the time of the condensation, the indiarubber which has passed beyond the lower
edge of the closing cap cannot return to its place, which gives rise to a defective
closing and may occasion a very considerable loss of liquid.
My invention comprises various processes whereby these serious inconveniences
may be obviated.

page_text: 1 employ a special cap or cover characterized first, by the inclined plane of the
part of its surface which covers the packing and presses energetically upon it at
the moment when the receptacle cools and during the whole time which this
receptacle afterwards remains closed; and second, by notches or holes pierced in
this cap and in the part with a surface forming an inclined plane, which part covers
the packing.
At the moment of the boiling the pressure which first raises the cover or cap
brings the holes or commencement of the notches above their supporting surface
upon the packing so as to establish a communication with the exterior, and cause
au escape of the vapour without any displacement of the indiarubber packing.
Duing the cooling the cover descends again and 18 energetically pressed by its
conical surface against the indiaubber packing in its groove, thus producing a
tight joint
In the accompanying diawing
Figue is a vertical section through the axis of my improved automatic closing
device, supposed to be put in its place upon a Jai the contants of which have been
Bubjected to boiling, so that the atmospheric pressure presses the cap against the
neck, so flattening the packing ring.
Figure 2 is a plan of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of the closing device during the boiling in the
first process or during the suction of the air when the preliminary vacuum 18
produced.
Figure 4 is a detail of the cover or cap and
Figure 5 is a modification in which the holes in the cap are replaced by notches.
Referring to Figures 1 to 5, the neck of the bottle a is conical at its outer surface
and presents, in the upper part of the inclined plane, a semicirculat groove in which
the indiarubber packing ing b is located. The cap or cover c is held in its place
by an elastic holder d which takes below the small collas a' on the neck. If after
the filling heat is applied to cause boiling the cap c is raised.
Suppose the cape to be without an opening of any kind as is the case in ordinary
closing devices, and suppose the bottles or jars a to be subjected to boiling heat
after the yielding baud & has been put in place. under the interior pressure of the
vapours the said band gives way and the cap c is lifted. Now, the vapours act at
the saine time upon the india rubber mounting or stopping ring and then the
resistance of the band d to the rising of the cover will be greater than tho resistance
of the ring to the passage of the vapours.
At this moment, the said ring will be forced from the groove, in which it is
located under normal conditions and enables a jet of vapour to escape, but this
ring which, under the action of the pressure has passed the lower flauge of the
closing cap, cannot return to its place, which causes a defective closure.
In order to obviate this inconvenience I pierce in the cover c, at the part covering
the ring, oue or more small holes c. By this arrangement, before the aforesaid
contingency can occur, the hole or holes c in the cover set the interior of the
receptacle in communication with the atmosphere (Figure 2) and the vapours can
escape into the open air without interfering with the packing and without
occasioning loss of the contained liquid.
As soon as the interior pressure has diminished by reason of the escape of gasca
and vapours the holder d fist, and then the exterior pressure, force the cap e firmly
against the neck Therefore the cap descends, and the hole or holes c are again
stopped up by the indiarubber packing pressed between the cover and neck so as
to form an absolutely tight joint.
The arrangement of the supporting surface of the cap as an inclined plane
produces an essential result. In fact if this surface were loizontal it would act
upon the indiarubber packing as an oblique resultant directed outwards and which
would cause the packing to leave its groove. With a surface forming an inclined
plane the resultant is always directed inwards and the joint is tight.
As shown in Figure 5 1 may replace the holes c by notches c' formed in the

page_text: lower edge of the cap c so that their bottom reaches to the conical supporting
surface of this ring.
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:-
First An automatic closing device for receptacles, such as boxes and jars for
preserves, characterized by the employment of a cap, capsule or cover permitting,
during the boiling if necessary, the escape of a certain quantity of vapour in order
to prevent this vapour from acting upon the packing inserted between the cover
and neck of the receptacle, this cover ensuring on the other band the perfect and
permanent application of the packing in its groove.
Second. In an automatic closing device characterized in the first claim a cap,
capsule or cover presenting a supporting surface upon the packing in the form of
an inclined plane, which surface is pierced with holes or notches, and which, by
reason of its inclination, contributes to ensure the application of the packing to its
groove, and the holes or notches permitting the escape of vapour during the
boiling.
Dated ins in ину or reoruаrу 1000.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.