Improved Construction of Apparatus for Filling Bottles with Liquids, and a Combination Appliance for Screw Stoppering such Bottles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 14th May, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 14th Feb., 1890-Accepted, 15th Mar., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Construction of Apparatus for Filling Bottles with
Liquids, and a Combination Appliance for Screw Stoppering
such Bottles.
1, DENNIS WICKHAM of The Star Brewery, Ware, Hertfordshire Brewer and
Manufacturer of Mineral Waters, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to
be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to construct or arrange apparatus in a novel
manner that, gas and liquid can be simultaneously or almost simultaneously charged
into bottles, sai charged bottles being afterwards screw stoppered mechanically. The
apparatus for the several purposes are preferably in combination as one structure.
For the purpose of my invention I arrange to the front of a stand, a rod workable
by crank or foot lever for lifting a bottle rest to a given height, said crank or foot
lever then bringing down the rod to which a liquid supply pipe is attached said pipe
entering the bottle for that purpose.
The pipe is provided with a tap, and as the pipe descends the tap lever or key,
bears against a tappet to open the tap, another lever or cam or the rod opening the
gas passage, the plug of which is in a head piece, against which the mouth of the
bottle becomes pressed by the lift of the rest, before referred to.
When the bottle has been charged the crank handle or the foot lever returns the
rod, and the pipe, and simultaneously closes the taps.
In connection with the crank handle shaft which is hollow, I arrange another
shaft, workable by a separate handle, and the second shaft has a bevel pinion, in gear
with another pinion, on a socket or cup-in which a screw stopper has been placed,
so that when the mouth of the charged bottle is placed into contact with the stopper
and the handle turned, the stopper is screwed into or on to the bottle neck..
I prefer to aërate the liquid before passing it into the bottle, the additional supply
of gas being to equalize the pressure in the bottle at the time of charging.
The additional supply of gas comes from a storage cylinder, the pressure of which
is lower than that of the liquid container, and as this supply is admitted to the
bottle in advance to the liquid, the superior pressure from the liquid container forces
said gas out of the bottle, back into the storage cylinder, along with the air that
was at that time in the bottle at ordinary atmospheric pressure; thus the pressure
in storage cylinder is slightly increased at the charging at each bottle, but by a
valve arrangement in the storage cylinder, the slight additional pressure is allowed
to escape.
1300
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said D. Wickham.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Construction of Apparatus for Filling Bottles with
Liquids, and a Combination Appliance for Screw Stoppering
such Bottles.
I, DENNIS WICKHAM of The Star Brewery, Ware, Hertfordshire, Brewer and
Manufacturer of Mineral Waters, 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 this invention is to construct or arrange apparatus in a novel
manner that gas and liquid can be simultaneously, or almost simultaneously

page_text: charged into bottles, said charged bottles being afterwards screw stoppered
mechanically.
The appliances for the several purposes are preferably in combination as one
structure, as shown at Figure 1 of the annexed drawings. For which purpose, I
arrange to the front of a stand A, a rod B workable from a foot lever C for lifting
a bottle rest D to a given height, or until the mouth of a bottle on the rest D comes
into contact with a fixed head E. The lever is attached to a pedal F (Fulcrumed
at F by which it is operated, and as the pedal is depressed, it by the link G
brings down the rod H and also a liquid supply pipe I which is attached, said pipe
entering the bottle for that purpose.
The pipe is provided with a tap J and as the pipe descends, the tap lever or
key K bears against a tappet L to open the tap, another lever or cam M on the
rod opening the gas passage, the plug N of which is in a head P supplied with
carbonic, or other gas from the reservoir Q which I here show as the foundation, for
convenience.
The link G is also attached to a lever R having a weight S in balance with the
rods and levers before referred to and a back rod, so that they remain in the fixed
position after the depression of the pedal F and when the bottle has been charged, the
crank handle T, according to the arrangement shown, is pushed backwards by the
attendant to reverse the position of the rods and pipe simultaneously, the cams M, L,
escaping from the taps which then close.
In connection with the shaft U of the crank handle T which is hollow, I arrange
another shaft V workable by a separate handle W, this second shaft V lias a bevel
pinion in gear with another pinion X on a socket or cup Y in which a screw
stopper has been placed, so that when the charged bottle is removed from the
rest D its mouth is placed into contact with the stopper and the handle W turned,
the stopper becomes screwed into the bottle neck. By a reverse action of the socket,
a screw stopper which has become fixed, can be easily unscrewed.
I prefer to aërate the liquid before passing it into the bottle, the additional
supply of gas being to equalize the pressure in the bottle at the time of charging.
The pressure of gas in the reservoir is lower than that of the liquid container and
as this supply, by the arrangement of the cam M, is admitted to the bottle in advance
of the liquid, the superior pressure from the liquid container forces said gas out of
the bottle back into the storage cylinder or reservoir along with the air that was at
that tine in the bottle at ordinary atmospheric pressure, thus the pressure in storage
cylinder is slightly increased ai the charging of each bottle but by a valve arrange-
ment at in the storage cylinder, the slight additional pressure is allowed to
escape. This escape valve Z may be arranged at the upper part of the stand A
for the handle T to open when the handle T is pushed round far enough at the will
of the attendant.
The arrangement of the rods and levers is more particularly shown in the diagram,
Figure 2, and if desired the pedal F can be dispensed with, in which case, the
handle T can be operated in both directions by hand, and if the cam M be
removed, buttles can be charged with liquid only for an after stoppering by the
appliances W, V, X, Y, said appliances constituting part of the apparatus for the
purposes referred to.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
The apparatus shown at Figure 1 of the annexed drawings, by means of which,
bottles can be charged with liquids alone, or in combination with a gas, for aëration,
the screwing appliances for screw stoppers forming part of said apparatus as
described.
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said Dennis Wickham.