A METHOD OF RENDERING THE STOPPERS OF BOTTLES, JARS, &C. AIR-TIGHT
Year: 1814

page_text: TO AL
STEERS, of the Inner Temple, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by His
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain.
and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twelfth day of March, in the
fifty-fourth year of His reign, give and grant unto me, the said Edward Steers,
my exors, adiñiors, and assigns, His especial licence, full power, sole privilege
and authority, that I, the said Edward Steers, my exors, adiñors, and assigns,
should and lawfully might, during the term of years therein mentioned, make,
use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-
upon-Tweed, my Invention of "A METHOD OF RENDERING THE STOPPERS OF
BOTTLES, JARS, &C. AIR-TIGHT;" in which said Letters Patent there is
contained a proviso that if I, the said Edward Steers, shall not particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of his said Invention, and in what manner
hand and
the same is to be performed; by an instrument in writing under my
seal, and cause the same to be inrolled in His Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within two calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent, that then the said Letters Patent, and all liberties
and advantages whatsoever thereby granted, shall utterly cease, determine, and
become void, as in and by the same (relation being thereunto had) may more
fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Edward Steers, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and in

page_text: what manner the same is to be performed, are particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the Drawings hereunto annexed, and the following references
or description thereof, that is to
o say:-
My Method of Rendering the Stoppers of Bottles, Jars, &c. Air-tight con-
sists in the application of a screw, whereby the stopper is so forcibly pressed down
that if a piece of bladder-or-oil'd-skin, or other fit.material, be placed between
it and the bottle the passage of air is completely prevented. In Figure No. 1
it is seen that the neck of the bottle passes between the arms A and B, which
press against the collar C, and the screw being turned the stopper is forced
down. Figure No. 2 represents the Invention applicable to bottles of different
sizes, the arms A and B being made to expand or close as the screws C and D
are turned to the right or left. Figure No. 3 is similar to No. 1, but it shews
the arm A and B made to expand-and-close as in Fig. No. 2. Figure No. 4
represents a box with a screw made to act through the top of it, so as to press
upon the stopper of a bottle within its Figure No.5; also represents a box
with a screw passing through its top, but an opening is made through the
upper part for the purpose of adjusting the screw to the stopper of the bottle.
When the screw is made to press upon cork, or any other soft material, it will be
an advantage to have the end of it made concave (see the screw in Fig. No. 3);
it will also be an advantage to have the end of the screw made to turn upon
a pin, so that when the upper part of the screw is turned the lower part,
which presses upon the stopper of the bottle, will not turn.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Steers, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of April," in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fourteen.
:E.. STEERS. (L.S.)
$
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that' on the First day of April, in the
year of our Lord 1814, the aforesaid Edward Steers came before our said
Lord the King in His Chancery and acknowledged the Snocification