Improved Means of Preventing the Fraudulent Renung BOLLIES.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 11th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 11th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 17th Apr., 1897
Improved Means of Preventing the Fraudulent Renung
BOLLIES.
I, THOMAS MANLY DILLINGHAM M.D. of 8, West 49th. Street, New York City,
in the County and State of New York, United States of America, Physician and
Surgeon, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
It is well known that bottles which have been filled by the manufacturer or producer
with genuine products have, after the original contents were used, been refilled by
unscrupulous persons with inferior or sophisticated material and then resold as genuine,
thus working a double injury since it defrauds the purchaser and injures the reputation
of the manufacturer. Various remedies have been resorted to, to correct this evil, but
so far they have proved inadequate and it is the object of this invention to supply a
bottle which cannot be refilled and used again without full notice thereof. This
I accomplish by forming the neck so that the cork cannot be withdrawn, thus making
it necessary to break the neck of the bottle to get at its contents, and also forming the
neck so that the fracture will occur at such a point and in such a manner as to leave
the bottle intact as a safe receptacle while drawing off the contents, the appearance of
the bottle being however so changed that it will be impossible to refill it and foist it
on an innocent purchaser.
According to my invention the neck of the bottle is provided with a weakened zone
formed by contracting the neck entirely around in a plane perpendicular to the axis
and providing an annular groove on the inside of the neck, the neck being contracted
or choked at the mouth of the bottle to form a seat for the cork or provided with
grooves into which the cork will enter. The bottle is filled and corked in the usual
way. When it becomes necessary to open the bottle it will be found that the cork is
firmly held by the choked mouth and the expansion of the cork into the grooves, and
cannot be withdrawn and it becomes necessary to fracture the neck around the thin
part. This may be done either by the force of a pull and a twist on the cork, by a
gentle blow on the weakest part of the neck, or otherwise. When the separation has
been effected the presence of the cork below the line of fracture prevents the passage
of any fragments of glass into the bottle. The cork when in position is seated partly
within the removable portion of the neck and partly within the neck proper, the object
being to strengthen the weakened part of the neck to prevent broken glass going into
the bottle, and to enable the same cork to be used to close the bottle while in use.
The projecting lip on the outside of the bottle neck formed by contracting it as
described makes a smooth surface in handling the bottle and the edge of the groove
on the inside leaves a smooth edge for the reception of the cork. Sufficient neck is
left on the bottle for the insertion of a cork while using up the contents and the line
of fracture is so slight and so well guarded that there is no danger in handling the

page_text: bottle. Should the fracture occur unintentionally, the cork extending well below the
point of weakness, the contents need not necessarily be lost.
Dated this 11th day of June 1896.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means of Preventing the Fraudulent Refilling of Bottles.
I, THOMAS MANLY DILLINGHAM, M.D. of 8, West 49th Street, New York City,
in the County and State of New York, United States of America, Physician and
Surgeon, 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 :-
It is well known that bottles which have been filled by the manufacturer or producer
with genuine products have, after their original contents were used, been refilled by
unscrupulous persons with inferior or sophisticated material and then re-sold as genuine,
thus working a double injury since it defrauds the purchaser and injures the reputation
of the manufacturer. Various remedies have been-resorted to, to correct this evil, but
so far they have proved inadequate and it is the object of this invention to supply a
bottle which cannot be refilled and used again, without full notice thereof. This
I accomplish by the simple means of forming the neck so that the cork cannot be
withdrawn, thus making it necessary to break the neck of the bottle to get at its
contents, and also forming the neck so that the fracture will occur at such a point
and in such a manner as to leave the bottle intact as a safe receptacle while using
the contents, the appearance of the bottle being however so changed that it will be
impossible to refill it and foist it on an innocent purchaser.
In the drawings Figures 1 2 and 3 shew the general plan of my device.
A represents in section the neck of a bottle formed in accordance with my invention.
At B the glass is contracted so as to form a weakened zone extending entirely around
the neck in a plane perpendicular to the axis. On the inside of the neck an annular
groove is formed at C opposite the lower end of the thinnest part of the neck.
In Figure 1 the neck is contracted or choked at the mouth of the bottle.
In Figure 2 the neck is provided with grooves into which the soft cork E will
enter; otherwise the neck is made extra heavy.
The relation of these parts-that is their relative thickness-is to be carefully
adjusted to effect the object in view. The bottle is filled and corked in the usual
way. When it becomes necessary to open the bottle it will be found that the cork E
is firmly held by the choked mouth and the expansion of the cork into the grooves
and the cork cannot be withdrawn and it becomes necessary to fracture the neck
around the thin part B. This may be done either by the force of a pull and a twist
on the cork, or by a gentle blow on the weakest part of the neck, or by means of a
tool designed to crush the neck entirely around. When the separation has been effected
the presence of the cork below the line of fracture prevents the passage of any
fragments of glass into the bottle. Hence these may be brushed away and the cork
withdrawn without danger from the broken glass. The cork when in position is
seated partly within the removable portion of the neck and partly within the neck
proper, the object being to strengthen the weakened or breakable part of the neck,
to prevent broken glass going into the bottle, and to enable the same cork to be
used to close the bottle while in use.
It will be noticed that this bottle is designed to be closed by the simple operation
of the insertion of a simple cork in the usual way. It is therefore adapted for every
day use where celerity of filling and closing is necessary and it can be filled and

page_text: stoppered by the machines in common use. Hence it has advantages over methods
of closing involving the use of two or more steps as where the stopper is of several
parts and composed of different substances.
The projecting lip D on the outside of the bottle neck formed by contracting it as
described makes a smooth surface in handling the bottle and the edge of the groove C
on the inside leaves a smooth edge for the reception of the cork. Sufficient neck is
left on the bottle for the insertion of a cork while using up the contents and the
line of fracture is so slight and so well guarded that there is no danger in handling
the bottle. Should the fracture occur unintentionally the cork extending well below
the point of weakness, the contents need not necessarily be lost.
In manufacturing these bottles care must be taken to apportion the glass in its
varying thickness to meet the strains to which it will probably be subjected. The
presence of the cork acting as a plug or filling beyond the weak part gives the strength
and resistance necessary in handling the bottle in use and no more breakage of these
bottles is to be apprehended than those made in the usual style. Such bottles cannot,
of course, be refilled and re-sold without notice to the consumer, but for all economic
domestic uses these bottles fulfil their mission as well as the ordinary kind.
Figure 3 shews the neck with cork inserted after fracture and removal of the
upper part.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
A bottle neck provided with a seat for the cork, choked or contracted sharply
towards the mouth, a cork fitting the same, and a breakable line near the greatest
diameter of the cork and at such a point as to leave approximately half the cork
within the removable part and the rest within the neck proper, substantially as
described.
Dated this 11th day of March 1897
A. M. & W M. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.