AN IMPROVED COMBINED SELF-CLOSING STOPPER AND WHISTLE FOR THE MOUTHPIECES OF SPEAKING TUBES, WHICH STOPPER MAY ALSO BE ADAPTED TO BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS, AND TO Cocks, TAPS, AND OTHER COMPLETE SP
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Leetch, of No. 9, Broadley Terrace,
Blandford Square, in the County of Middlesex, for the Inven-.
tion of "AN IMPROVED COMBINED SELF-CLOSING STOPPER AND WHISTLE
FOR THE MOUTHPIECES OF SPEAKING TUBES, WHICH STOPPER MAY ALSO BE
ADAPTED TO BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS, AND TO Cocks, TAPS, AND OTHER
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said James Leetch at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and.
Declaration, on the 2nd May 1870, pursuant to the 9th Section of
the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, JAMES
LEETCH, of No. 9, Broadley Terrace, Blandford Square, in the County
of Middlesex, send greeting.

page_text: TUBES, WHICH STOPPER MAY ALSO BE ADAPTED TO BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS, AND
To Cocks, TAPS, AND OTHER ARTICLES FOR REGULATING THE FLOW OF LIQUIDS,"
and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and
have made soleinn Declaration that I am the true and first Inventor
thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Leetch, do hereby declare
that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal,
fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing, forming
a part of this Specification:-
The said Invention relates mainly to the construction of a combined
self-closing spring plug or stopper and whistle for the mouthpiece of a
speaking tube and to a self-closing plug or stopper for bottles, cocks, or
taps, and various other vessels or articles for containing liquids, or for
regulating the flow of the same.
The nature of my said Invention consists, first, in the peculiar
construction of the plug or stopper so that the same also forms a whistle,
and in the combination of the said stopper whistle with a spring which is so
arranged in the socket of the said mouthpiece that it allows the plug or
stopper to be moved transversely across the aperture of the mouthpiece
to open the communication through the tube, but when the said
stopper is released it immediately closes the mouthpiece leaving the
whistle in the proper position to be sounded from the other end of the
tube.
The said Invention also consists in the novel construction of the plug
to serve as an efficient stopper for bottles or other vessels containing
liquids, and for taps, cocks, and other apparatus for preventing and
regulating the flow of liquids, which stopper is opened by the simple
pressure of the finger upon the end of the plug and immediately closes
itself when the pressure is withdrawn.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is an exterior side view of the mouthpiece of a speaking tube
provided with a combined spring whistle and plug according to my
Invention; Figure 2 is a section through the centre of the same shewing
the plug open, as when depressed by the finger; Figure 3 is a similar

page_text: section shewing the ping closed, or in the position which it is held by
the spring.
Figure 4 is an exterior side view of my improved device applied
to a bottle; Figures 5 and 6 are sections of the same shewing the
stopper open and closed. Like letters indicate the same parts throughout
the Drawings.
The mouthpiece a, Figures 1, 2, and 3, may be made of any desired
form and size, and of wood, ivory, metal, or other suitable material, and
it may be attached to the speaking tube or pipe by being screwed
thereon, or in any other convenient manner. The socket or barrel b of
this mouthpiece is bored to receive the plug or stopper c, which is
well and accurately fitted in the said socket in such a manner that it
can work freely up and down thereon across the aperture a¹ of the
mouthpiece. By referring to Figures 2 and 3 it will be seen that the
said plug has transverse apertures c¹, and when these apertures are
brought in line with the bore a¹ of the mouthpiece a clear passage exists
through the same and the tube d, but when the plug is in the position
shewn in Figure 3 the passage a¹ is closed. The plug is held in the
latter position by the spring e, when not depressed, and therefore the
mouthpiece is always closed, except when the speaking tubes are being
used. A small screw or pin for other equivalent device is employed to
prevent the removal of the plug c from the socket. The point of the
said screw projects through the socket into the groove c* which is
formed in the side of the plug, and which is of such a length as to allow
the said plug to move the required distance up and down in its socket
and no farther.
By the aforesaid arrangement the possibility of using the speaking
tubes as a means for overhearing in one room or part of a building
private conversation carried on in another room is entirely obviated
as the plug at either end of the tube is never removed from the
socket and the mouthpieces are always closed, except when the plug is
depressed.
Furthermore, the trouble and inconvenience arising from the loss or
displacement of the whistle which so frequently occurs with the ordinary
mouthpieces of speaking tubes is entirely obviated by having the whistle
undetachable from the mouthpiece. When the plug is not depressed
the small aperture c* is open to the tube, as shewn in Figure 3, and
therefore the whistle is in the proper position to be sounded from the

page_text: other end of the tube. It will be observed that when the plug c is in
the position the apertures c¹ are surrounded and closed by the surface of
the upper part of the socket, while the hole c, from which the sound is
emitted, is above the said socket, but when the plug is depressed, as
shewn in Figure 2, these holes c', c³, are closed.
It will be seen that I use a light spiral spring, which is enclosed in the
lower part of the socket band which may be readily replaced if broken
or otherwise injured.
Where there is a number of tubes, having their mouthpieces arranged
together, it is necessary that when either of the whistles is blown there
should be some means for indicating the same. For this purpose I
provide the plug with an indicator, which is preferably a light ball, button,
or knob g connected by a small rod or shank g¹ to a valve g², whose
seat is formed in the plug, as shewn just above the aperture c*. When
the whistle is blown the valve and button are raised, and by friction or
by a suitable catch will be retained in that position until pressed down.
In adapting my Invention to the stoppering of bottles, as shewn in
Figures 4, 5, and 6, I construct the socket with a projecting tube b
and cover the same with cork i, which is inserted into the bottle in
place of an ordinary cork. The spring plug is the same as that for the
mouthpiece, Figures 1, 2, and 3, except that it is not in this case a plug
and whistle combined. When the plug is depressed, as shewn in
Figure 5, the aperture c¹ will be in line with the neck of the bottle and
the contents can then be poured therefrom. When the plug is released
it instantly closes the bottle, as shewn in Figure 6. This plug without
any material change of form may be applied to casks and taps for water
pipes, ale casks, and other like articles.
Having thus fully described my said Invention I wish it understood
that I do not claim or limit myself to any particular form of the mouth-
piece or socket, or manner of securing the same upon a tube, or in a
bottle or other vessel or article; neither do I claim a spring stopper
which opens or closes the mouthpiece by turning around in the same;
but I claim,-
First. A self-closing combined stopper and whistle for the mouthpiece
of a speaking tube, consisting of the plug c fitted in the socket bin
combination with a spring in such a manner that the said plug moves
transversely across the aperture in the said mouthpiece. and so that the

page_text: mouthpiece is opened by simply depressing the said plug and closes
itself when the same is released, substantially as set forth.
Second. A self-closing spring stopper for bottles and other vessels and
articles constructed substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Leetch, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness,
J. TEARE,
Clerk to Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
Southampton Buildings,
London.
JAMES LEETCH. (L.S.)