IMPROVED MEANS OF CLOSING OR STOPPERING JARS, BOTTLES, OR OTHER RECEPTACLES."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Heber Mardon, of the City of Bristol, for an Invention
of "IMPROVED MEANS OF CLOSING OR STOPPERING JARS, BOTTLES, OR
OTHER RECEPTACLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Heber Mardon at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th November 1881.
"IMPROVED
HEBER MARDON, of the City of Bristol.
STOPPERING JARS, BOTTLES, OR OTHER RECEPTACLES."
MEANS OF CLOSING OR
My Invention has reference to the closing or stoppering of jars, bottles, or other
receptacles.
For this purpose I fit in the side of the plug or stem of the stopper two (or other
number of) spring catches, and I form a flange in the mouth of the bottle, in which
flange are two gaps to give passage to the spring catches. The stopper has a flange
to press upon the mouth of the bottle when the parts are in position; between
this flange and the month I interpose a washer of india rubber or other suitable
yielding material to make a tight joint, and this washer may either be loose or be
fixed or fitted to either the stopper or the bottle. In order to allow of the spring
catches being inserted into their place in the stopper I form one or more vertical
holes in the body of the stopper, extending from the bottom (or it may be from the
top) thereof to the place where the catches are required. I form other holes
extending from the sides of the stopper to the vertical hole or holes. The area of
the vertical holes must be large enough to allow of the catches being passed up
through them to the side holes, while the side holes are large enough to allow the
front of the catches to protrude, but not to allow shoulders or projections of the
catches to pass. The catches having been inserted into the vertical holes and made
to protrude through the side holes to their full extent, I introduce springs into
the vertical holes bebind the catches, these springs being by preference pieces of

page_text: india rubber. The vertical holes may then be filled up with cement or otherwise
to prevent the springs and catches falling out. The catches are inclined or bevelled
on their lower side.
To close or stopper the bottle the stopper is pushed down into the mouth, the
spring catches yielding to the pressure until they pass the flange; they then spring
out and thus prevent the stopper being withdrawn. The washer between the
stopper and the bottle makes a tight joint. When it is required to withdraw the
in
stopper it is simply moved on its axis until the catches coincide with the gaps
the flange, when it may be lifted out. To prevent the stopper being lost it may
have a hole formed horizontally through its upper part to allow of its being
connected to the bottle or jar by a string or wire.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Heber Mardon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th May
1882.
HEBER MARDON, of the City of Bristol.
"IMPROVED MEANS OF CLOSING OR
STOPPERING JARS, BOTTLES, OR OTHER RECEPTACLES."
My Invention has reference to the closing or stoppering of jars, bottles, or other
receptacles.
For this purpose I fit in the side of the plug or stem of the stopper two (or other
number of) spring catches, and I form a flange in the mouth of the bottle, in which
flange are two gaps to give passage to the spring catches. The stopper has a flange
to press upon the mouth of the bottle when the parts are in position; between this
flange and the mouth I interpose a washer of india rubber or other suitable yielding
material to make a tight joint, and this washer may either be loose or be fixed or
fitted to either the stopper or the bottle.
Figure 1 of the annexed Drawings represents a bottle and stopper constructed to
carry out my means of closing as above described. Figure 2 is a vertical section ;
Figure 3 is a vertical section of the bottle through a line at right angles to Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a vertical section of the stopper; and Figure 5, a view of its lower end;
Figure 6 shows one of the catches separately; a is the bottle; b, the plug or stem of
the stopper; c, c, spring catches in the sides of the plug b; d is a flange in the mouth
of the bottle; and e, e, are gaps in this flange; f is a flange on the stopper; g is a
washer of india rubber or other suitable yielding material between the flange fand
the top of the bottle; this washer, as already stated, may either be loose or be
fixed to either the stopper or the bottle.
In order to allow of the spring catches c, c, being inserted into their place in
the stopper I forin a vertical hole h in the body of the stopper, extending from the
bottom (or it may be from the top) thereof to the place where the catches are
required. I form other holes i, i, extending from the sides of the stopper to the
vertical hole. The area of the vertical hole h must be large enough to allow of the
catches being passed up through it to the holes i, i, while the holes i, i, must be
large enough to allow the front of the catches to protrude, but not to allow
shoulders or projections of the catches to pass. The catches having been inserted
into the vertical holes and made to protrude through the side holes to their full
extent, I introduce a spring (or springs) into the hole h behind the catches, this
spring being by preference a piece of india rubber, as shown in Figure 4. The
hole may then be filled up with cement or otherwise to prevent the springs and
catches falling out. The spring is omitted in Figure 5. The catches are inclined
or bevelled on their lower side, as shown.
To close or stopper the bottle the plug of the stopper is pushed down into the
mouth, the spring catches c, c, yielding to the pressure until they pass the flange d;
they then spring out and thus prevent the stopper being withdrawn. The washer g
between the stopper and the bottle makes a tight joint, the parts being so pro-
portioned that this washer becomes compressed before the catches pass the flange d.
When it is required to withdraw the stopper it is simply moved on its axis until
the catches c, c, coincide with the gaps e, e, in the flange d, when it may be lifted
out.
Figures 7, 8, and 9 represent the application of my Invention to closing jars.
The only difference between this and the application to bottles, as already
described, is that instead of a single vertical hole h there are two of these holes
corresponding respectively with the two side holes i, i; each hole h is provided
with a spring .

page_text: To prevent the stopper being lost it may have means of attaching it to the
bottle or jar, such as a hole formed horizontally through its upper part to allow of
its being connected to the bottle or jar by a string or wire.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed,
I declare that I claim,-
First. The employment for closing bottles, jars, or other receptacles, of spring
catches in the side of the plug of the stopper to take under a flange in the mouth
of the bottle or receptacle in combination with a washer between the top of the
bottle and a flange of the stopper, the parts being so proportioned that as the
stopper is being inserted into the bottle the washer becomes compressed and makes
a tight joint before the catches pass the flange in the bottle, substantially as
described.
Second. The particular form of the spring catches and method of inserting and
securing them in the plug of the stopper, substantially as hereinbefore described.
Third. The improved means herein before described and represented in the
Drawings of closing or stoppering jars, bottles, or other receptacles.
In witness whereof, I, the said Heber Mardon, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty fifth day of May, One thousand eight hundred and
eighty two.