Improvements in and Relating to Bottle Stoppers.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 18th May, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 16th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 16th Apr., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and Relating to Bottle Stoppers.
I, HENRY CLAY LITTLE, of No. 52, Hereford Street, in the City of Boston, United
States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the provision of a bottle stopper which shall
perthit of the free decanting of the contents of the bottle, but which, upon the other
hand shall effectually prevent the bottle from being refilled when once the contents
have been poured out.
The essential feature of my invention is an elongated lock which operates
between the valve and an inclined surface on a guard above the valve to hold or
lock the stopple-valve in closed or seated position whenever gravity or the liquid
in the neck of the bottle does not with certainty effect that result.
In carrying my invention into effect, I provide a thimble or base made of glass
and its upper surface ground so as to form a perfect water tight seat for the
buoyant valve, which rests on the top the said base or thimble being provided with
a ring of cork, the whole being secured in the lower part of the neck.
The lower face of the valve plate is also ground to fit closely upon the upper face
of the thimble. There is a centrally located boss in the upper side of the valve
plate which extends into the cark body of the valve.
The diameter of the cork body is less than the interior diameter of the bottle
neck, and the valve plate is of the same diameter, but has small projections extend-
ing against the neck of the bottle in order to allow the liquid to readily escape
along the side of the valve when being poured out and also to guide the valve in
its movements in the bottle neck.
A conical recess is provided in the cork body which extends to the top or boss of
the valve plate upon which rests the lock which consists of an elongated piece
of glass arranged between the buoyant valve and the guard in the top of the neck of
the bottle. When the bottle is in an upright position the lock falls by its own
weight against the side of the neck, thus holding the valve securely against its
scat, and, as the seating is water-tight no liquid can be poured or forced into the
bottle under these conditions. As the lock also rests against the guard in the top
of the neck it is evident that the valve cannot be moved from its seat, either by
shaking the bottle or by applying an exhaust pump to raise it from the thimble.
The guard is provided with two flanges each extending to the walls of the bottle
neck. Each of the said flanges is notched on its edge for the purpose of allowing
the outflowing liquid to pass the guard; but the notches in one flange are offset
from those in the other, that is to say, the notches in one flange occur quarteringly
as to position from those in the other. This construction is provided for the pur-
pose of preventing anyone from inserting a wire or other substance into the neck
of the bottle beyond the guard, and tampering with the buoyant valve. The guard
is provided in its lower face with a convex depression or recess, in which depression
the lock is adapted to play or bear.

page_text: If the bottle should be inverted, and immersed in liquid, the air in the bottle
would, of course, prevent its entering. If an attempt should be made to refill the
bottle in this position by placing an air-tight cap over the neck and exhausting the
air therefrom and then allowing the vacuum to draw in the liquid through a flexible
tube in a fine spray, as soon as enough of the liquid is collected in the neck of the
bottle to fill the same, it will float and seat the valve, thus preventing any further
introduction of liquid. Should the bottle now be gradually brought to a horizontal
position the upper end of the lock will fall by gravity down the inclined face of
the recess of the guard, to the side of the neck, thus forcing the buoyant valve
tightly against its seat, and locking it in that position, so that no liquid can enter
the bottle by "bubbling in," when submerged, or shaking it from end to end.
When it is desired to decant the liquid in the bottle, it is inverted, when the lock
will easily drop by gravity to the bottom of the recess in the guard, and allow the
buoyant valve to fall away from its seat, thus allowing the contents to flow readily
out of the neck, but while in this, or any other position, it is impossible to force
a drop of liquid into the bottle.
By grinding the surfaces of the two valve-seats a perfectly water-tight connec-
tion is secured, and owing to this fact the cork ordinarily used to seal the bottle
while stored in its course of shipment is dispensed with. It will be readily seen
that the valve may be retained against its seat in any position in which it may be
placed, simply by connecting a wire with the upper end of the lock and extending
it through the notches on the other side. As this wire is made of copper it is very
flexible and may be easily withdrawn when it is desired to unstopper the bottle.
The guard is retained in position either by cement or a spring, thus preventing
its removal without breaking the neck of the bottle.
T
1 .. 1001
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in and Relating to Bottle Stoppers.
I, HENRY CLAY LITTLE, of No. 52, Hereford Street, in the City of Boston, United
States of America, Gentleman, 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 has for its object the provision of a bottle-stopper which shall 3
permit of the free decanting of the contents of the bottle, but which, upon the other
hand shall effectually prevent the bottle from being refilled when once the contents
have been poured out.
The essential feature of my invention is an elongated lock which operates
between the valve and an inclined surface on a guard above the valve to hold or 4
lock the stopple-valve in closed or seated position whenever gravity or the liquid
in the neck of the bottle does not with certainty effect that result.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown how my said invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the invention shown in position in the
neck of an upright bottle.
Figure 2 is a like view in inverted position.
Figure 3 is a sectional view showing a slightly modified view.
Figure 4 is a top view of the guard.
4

page_text: Figure 5 is a perspective view of the valve-plate detached, and
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the thimble detached.
In the drawings-
a is the base or thimble provided with a ring of cork 6, the whole being secured
in the lower part of the neck c of the bottle; as shewn in Figures 1, 2 and 3.
The thimble a is made of glass and its upper surface ground so as to form a
perfect water-tight seat for the buoyant valve d, which rests on the top. The lower
face of the valve-plate is also ground to fit closely upon the upper face of the
thimble. There is a centrally located boss e in the upper side of the valve-plate
which extends into the cork body f of the valve.
The diameter of the cork body is less than the interior diameter of the bottle
nick, and the valve-plate is of the same diameter, but has small projections g
extending against the neck of the bottle in order to allow the liquid to readily
escape along the side of the valve when being poured out (see Figure 2) and also to
guide the valve in its movement in the bottle neck.
A conical recess h if provided in the cork body which extends to the top of the
boss of the valve-plate upon which rests the lock i, which consists of an elongated
piece of glass arranged between the buoyant valve and the guard j shown in the
top of the neck of the bottle. When the bottle is in an upright position the lock
falls by its own weight against the side of the neck, thus holding the valve securely
against its seat; and, as the seating is water-tight, no liquid can be poured or
forced into the bottle under these conditions. As the lock also rests against the
guard in the top of the neck, it is evident that the valve cannot be moved from its
Beat either by shaking the bottle or by applying an exhaust pump to raise it from
the thimble.
The guard is provided with two flanges k, l, each extending to the walls of the
bottle neck. Each of the said flanges is notched on its edge for the purpose of
allowing the outflowing liquid to pass the guard; but the notches in one flange are
offset from those in the other, that is to say, the notches in one flange occur quar-
teringly as to position from those in the other, as indicated by the full and dotted
lines in Figure 4. This construction is provided for the purpose of preventing any
one from inserting a wire or other substance into the neck of the bottle beyond the
guard, and tampering with the buoyant valve. The guard is provided in its lower
face with a convex depression m or recess, as represented by dotted lines in
Figures 1, 2 and 3, in which depression the lock is adapted to play or bear.
If the bottle should be inverted, as shown in Figure 2, and immersed in liquid,
the air in the bottle would, of course, prevent its entering. If an attempt should
be made to refill the bottle in this position by placing an air-tight cap over the
neck and exhausting the air therefrom and then allowing the vacuum to draw in
the liquid through a flexible tube in a fine spray, as soon as enough of the liquid
is collected in the neck of the bottle to fill the same, it will float and seat the valve,
Should the bottle now be
thus preventing any further introduction of liquid.
gradually brought to a horizontal position the upper end of the lock will fall by
gravity down the inclined face of the recess of the guard, to the side of the neck,
thus forcing the buoyant valve tightly against its seat, and locking it in that
position, so that no liquid can enter the bottle by "bubbling in," when submerged,
shaking it from end to end.
or
When it is desired to decant the liquid in the bottle, it is inverted, as shown in
Figure 2, when the lock will easily drop by gravity to the bottom of the recess in
the guard, and allow the buoyant valve to fall away from its seat, thus allowing the
contents to flow readily out of the neck, but while in this, or any other position,
it is impossible to force a drop of liquid into the bottle.
By grinding the surfaces of the two valve-seats a perfectly water-tight connection
is secured, and owing to this fact the cork ordinarily used to seal the bottle while
stored or in its course of shipment is dispensed with. By referring to Figure 3 it
will be readily seen that the valve may be retained against its seat in any position
in which it may be placed, simply by connecting a wire with the upper end of the

page_text: lock and extending it through the notches on the other side. As this wire is made
of copper it is very flexible, and may be easily withdrawn when it is desired to
unstopper the bottle. The guard is retained in position either by cement or a
spring, as shown in Figure 4, thus preventing its removal without breaking the
neck of the bottle.
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:-
-
A bottle stopper embodying in its construction a fixed valve seat; a buoyant
valve to co-operate therewith, substantially of the character shown and explained;
a fixed guard, also substantially of the structure described, and an elongated lock
operatively arranged between the guard and buoyant valve, as and for the purpose
set forth.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.