A New and Improved Method of Using Cork in Conjunction with a New and Improved Plug or Stopper for the Stoppering of Bottles, Jars, or other Hollow Vessels.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 24th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 29th Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New and Improved Method of Using Cork in Conjunction with a
New and Improved Plug or Stopper for the Stoppering of Bottles,
Jars, or other Hollow Vessels.
I JOHN MURRAY, of 11 Trinity Square Carr Lane Hull in the County of
York, Ale and Porter Merchant do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows :—
For the carrying out of my invention, I take cork, and cut it into thin discs or
squares about one sixteenth of an inch thick, and about one inch and one eighth
square or an inch and one eighth in diameter, as shown in (Fig. 1. 2) or any other
suitable size, according to the size of the neck or orifice of the bottle, jar or other
hollow vessel to be closed.
I then take a plug or stopper made of wood, porcelain, or any other suitable
material, about half an inch long, and about one sixteenth of an inch smaller
in diameter than the neck, or orifice of the bottle, jar, or other vessel to be
closed, with a small grove about one sixteenth of an inch wide, and one sixteenth of
an inch deep, and about three sixteenths of an inch from the bottom of the plug or
stopper, as shown in (Fig. 3) the accompanying drawing.
The object of having the grove made round the plug or stopper is as follows ;-
when the cork, is pressed into the neck or orifice of the bottle, jar, or other hollow
vessel to be closed, by the plug or stopper the cork beds its self into the grove, so
that when the plug or stopper is withdrawn the cork adheres to the plug or stopper,
and therefore leaves the neck or orifice of the bottle, jar or other hollow vessel
clear, so that the contents can be poured out.
Having now fully described the cork and the plug or stopper, I will proceed to
describe the method of using them.
I take the thin pieces of cork as previously described, and steep them in hot
water, boil, or steam them, untill thoroughly softened, when they are ready for
been put into the neck or orifice, of the bottle, jar, other hollow vessel to be closed,
in the following manner.
I take any ordinary bottle, but in preference one with the neck or orifice
tapering inwards as shown in (Fig. 6).
I then take one of the pieces of cork, which has been softened, and place it over
the neck or orifice of the bottle, jar, or other hollow vessel to be closed, as shown
in (Fig. 4) then the plug or stopper is taken, groved end first as shown in (Fig. 5),
and with it I force the cork into the neck, or orifice of the bottle, jar, or other
hollow vessel to be closed, and thereby make an air tight joint, as shown in a
section of the bottle neck, cork, and plug or stopper, (Fig. 6) A is the plug, B the
bottle, and C the cork.
Another method of carrying out my invention, by the thin disc or square of cork,
as previously described is as follows;-1 soften the cork as previously described,
then I form it by pressing it into a mould, to the shape of the plug or stopper, a
section of which is shown in (Fig. 7), when the cork thus pressed, is ready for
been placed upon the plug or stopper, previous to been put into the neck or orifice
of the bottle, jar, or other hollow vessel to be closed.
February 8th 1892

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New and Improved Method of Using Cork in Conjunction with a
New and Improved Plug or Stopper for the Stoppering of Bottles,
Jars, or other Hollow Vessels.
I, JOHN MURRAY of 11 Trinity Square Carr Lane Kingstown upon Hull in
the County of York, Ale and Porter Merchant 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 :-
The object of my invention is the stoppering of bottles, jars, and other hollow
vessels, whereby a great saving of cork is effected.
For the carrying out of my invention I take cork, and cut it into flat discs or
squares, about one sixteenth of an inch thick, and about one inch and one eighth
square, or one inch and one eighth in diameter (as shown in the accompanying
drawing Fig. 1 & 2) or any other suitable size or thickness, according to the size of
the neck or orifice of the bottle, jar or other hollow vessel to be closed.
I then take a plug or stopper made of wood, porcelain, or any other suitable
material of the following size and shape, or any other suitable size, according to
the size of the neck or orifice of the bottle, jar, or other hollow vessel to be closed.
The length and shape of the plug or stopper for all ordinary purposes, such as the
stoppering of bottles containing fermented liquors such as bitter beer, mild ales, or
any other fermented liquor where it is necessary to keep the bottle in an upright
position, so that the sediment can remain at the bottom of the bottle, is as
follows.
The plug or stopper is about half an inch long, and for a distance of about three
sixteenth of an inch from the top of the plug or stopper it is straight, and about
half an inch in diameter at the top, then it projects out on each side at right angles"
to the straight part of the plug or stopper, about one tenth of an inch from the
edge of the ledge thus formed the plug or stopper tapers to the bottom, to corre-
spond to the shape of the bottle neck or orifice. The taper part of the plug or.
stopper should be about one sixteenth of an inch smaller than the bottle to be
closed, about three sixteenth of an inch from the bottom of the plug or stopper a
small groove is made about one sixteenth of an inch deep and about one sixteenth
of an inch wide, (as shown in the accompanying drawing Fig. 3) the object of
having the plug or stopper made as previously described is as follows.
When the cork is pressed into the neck or orifice of the bottle, jar, or other
hollow vessel to be closed by the plug or stopper and cork the cork beds its self
into the groove and bends over the ledge towards the straight part of the plug or
stopper, so that when the plug or stopper is withdrawn from the bottle, jar, or
other hollow vessel the cork adheres to the plug or stopper and therefore leaves the
neck or orifice of the bottle, jar, or other hollow vessel clear, so that the contents
can be poured out.
Having now fully described the cork and plug or stopper, I will proceed
to describe the method of using them. I take the flat pieces of cork as previously
described, and steep them in hot, water, boil or steam them until thoroughly
softened, when they are ready for being put into the neck or orifice of the bottle,
jar, or other hollow vessel to be closed, in the following manner.
I take any ordinary bottle but in preference one with the neck or orifice tapering
inwards, (as shown in Fig. 6) to correspond to the shape of the plug or stopper,
I then take one of the pieces of cork, which has been softened and place it over the
neck, or orifice of the bottle, jar, or other hollow vessel to be closed, (as shown in
Fig. 4 B is the bottle and C the cork) then the plug or stopper is taken taper end
first, (as shown in Fig. 5 B is the bottle C the cork and A the plug or stopper) and
with it I force the cork into the neck or orifice of the bottle, jar, or other hollow
vessel to be closed and thereby make an air tight joint (as shown in a section of the

page_text: bottle neck cork and plug or stopper Fig. 6 A. is the plug B the bottle and C the
cork).
For the stoppering or closing of bottles, jars, or other hollow vessels where the
liquor therein is continually in contact with the cork, so as to prevent it from
shrinking, it is not neccessary to have a specially constructed plug or stopper or any
particular shape neck or orifice, but the plug should be the exact shape of the neck
or orifice of the bottle, jar, or other hollow vessel to be closed, and about one
sixteenth of an inch smaller in diameter.
The stopper or plug and cork can be retained in the bottle neck, or orifice, where
an internal pressure is created, by the plug or stopper been attached by a stud or
screw to a bent plate, bar, or rod as described in Specification No. 1384 March 15th
1883, or any other suitable contrivance.
Another method of carrying out my invention by the flat disc or square of cork
as previously described is as follows, I soften the cork as previously described then
I form them by pressing them into a mould to the shape and size of the plug or
stopper, (as shown in Fig. 7) when the cork thus formed is ready for being placed
upon the plug or stopper, previous to being put into the neck or orifice of the
bottle, jar, or other hollow vessel to be closed.
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
1st. The stoppering or closing of bottles, jars, or other hollow vessels by a flat
piece of cork being pressed into the neck, or orifice of the bottle, jar, or other
hollow vessel as herein before described, in conjunction with a plug or stopper con-
structed substantially as herein before described with reference to the accompanying
drawings and for the purpose specified.
2nd. The stoppering or closing of bottles, jars, or other hollow vessels by the flat
piece of cork as herein before described being pressed into the neck or orifice
of the bottle, jar, or other hollow vessel with a plug or stopper so as to form an air
tight joint.
3rd. The stoppering or closing of bottles, jars, or other hollow vessels by the flat
piece of cork being formed to the shape of the plug or stopper so as to form a
cover for the plug or stopper, as herein befor described and for the purpose
specified.
Dated this 24th day of September 1892.