Improvements relating to Stoppers for the Filling Apertures of Bottles, Jars, and other Similar Receptacles Provided with Draw- off Taps.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Apr., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 26th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 18th Dec., 1897
Improvements relating to Stoppers for the Filling Apertures of
Bottles, Jars, and other Similar Receptacles Provided with Draw-
off Taps.
I, GEORGE ALBERT MERCHANT, of 59, Shakespeare Street, Southport, in the County
of Lancaster, Student, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to stoppers for the filling apertures of bottles, jars, ale
flagons, water filters, and other similar receptacles provided with draw-off taps.
Stoppers according to this invention possess a screwed shank, a shoulder, and an
In the head of the
enlarged head, and are perforated axially by an air or spigot hole.
stopper are formed two or more recesses to receive a key, by which the stopper may
be screwed into or out of the filling aperture. The said filling aperture is screwed to
receive the stopper, and the orifice of said aperture is countersunk to receive the head
of the stopper, so that when the latter is screwed into the filling aperture the stopper
head will be flush with the orifice of the filling aperture, and consequently the
stopper cannot be unscrewed from the aperture except with the help of the key.
An india rubber washer or other packing may be placed between the shoulder of
the stopper and the countersunk recess around the filling aperture.
Normally the air hole in the stopper will be plugged with a spigot, which latter is
removed when it is desired to draw off the contents of the vessel by means of the
tap.
Another
By the employment of a spigot stopper such as above described, the contents of ale
flagons, wine flagons and other comparatively small vessels-usually formed of glass
or earthenware-may be withdrawn without removal of the stopper.
advantage attending this invention is that the stopper cannot easily be removed by
domestics and others who are not provided with a key, which in the case of water
filters or vessels containing distilled water, is very desirable. Thus where vessels
fitted with filling aperture stoppers according to this invention are sent out by trades-
men, filled with distilled water, ale, wine, or other liquid, the liability of such vessels
being refilled with inferior liquids byjunauthorized persons, is very much restricted.

page_text: .
Improvements relating to Stoppers for the Filling Apertures of
Bottles, Jars, and other Similar Receptacles Provided with Draw-
off Taps.
I, GEORGE ALBERT MERCHANT, of 59, Shakespeare Street, Southport, in the County
of Lancaster, Student, do hereby declare the nature of my said 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 relates to stoppers for the filling apertures of bottles, jars, ale flagons,
water filters, and other similar receptacles provided with draw-off taps.
A stopper according to this invention is illustrated in the annexed drawing, and,
it will be seen, possesses a screwed shank a, a shoulder b, and an enlarged head c; and
is perforated axially by a vent or spigot hole d. In the head c are formed two or
more recesses e to receive a key f, by which the stopper may be screwed into or out of
the filling aperture of the jar g. The said filling aperture screwed to receive the
stopper, and the orifice of the aperture is countersunk to receive the head of the
stopper, so that when the latter is screwed into the filling aperture the stopper head
will be flush with the orifice of the filling aperture, and consequently the stopper
cannot be unscrewed from the aperture except with the help of a key.
An india-rubber washer or other packing, h, may be placed between the shoulder
of the stopper and the countersunk recess around the filling aperture.
Normally the vent d will be plugged with a spigot, or otherwise, which will be
removed when it is desired to draw off the contents of the vessel by means of a
draw-off tap.
By the employment of a vented stopper such as above described, the contents of
ale flagons, wine flagons, distilled water jars, water filters, and the like, which possess
a draw-off tap, may be withdrawn without removal of the stopper from the filling
aperture. Therefore, from the time of leaving the bottling stores to the time of its
return for refilling, the flagon, jar, or bottle, need never have its filling stopper
removed. The stopper is consequently arranged as herein described in order to render
it difficult for unauthorized persons to remove. Thus the stopper cannot easily be
removed by domestics and others who are not provided with a key. Consequently
where vessels fitted with filling aperture stoppers according to this invention are sent
out by tradesmen, filled with distilled water, ale, wine, or other liquid, the liability of
such vessels being refilled with undistilled water or inferior liquids, by unauthorized
persons, very much restricted.
The material of which the stopper is constructed will vary with varying
requirements.
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 :-
The employment for the purpose of closing the filling apertures of vessels of the
kind herein specified, provided with draw-off taps, of a vented stopper having a
screwed shank a, a shoulder b, and an enlarged head c provided with recesses to
receive a key, said head being arranged to enter a countersunk filling aperture, so
that its upper surface is flush with the orifice of said aperture, whereby the removal

page_text: of the stopper by consumers is unnecessary and is rendered .difficult to unauthorized
persons, substantially as described.
T
Bell
COL. 1005
J. A. COUBROUGH
Registered Patent Agent (Qual. by Exam.)
10, St George's Crescent, Liverpool. Agent for the Applicant.