A Device for Automatically Indicating when Liquors have been Fraudulently Extracted from Bottles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Dec., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 5th Sept., 1899-Accepted, 7th Oct., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Device for Automatically Indicating when Liquors have been
Fraudulently Extracted from Bottles.
I, LOGAN MCFARLANE, of 37, Waverley Gardens, Crossmyloof, Glasgow,
Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
At present liquors, such as brandy, etc., are very ingeniously extracted from
bottles which are thereafter filled up again with a cheaper liquor or with water.
The object of the present invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device
whereby immediately liquid is fraudulently extracted from the bottle the fact
that such extraction has taken place is automatically indicated.
The device may consist of a glass or other tube closed at its upper end but open
at its lower end and in which is fitted a small piston with piston rod or its
equivalent provided, at its upper end, with hooks or a suitable catch whereby it
can be attached to a tubular or other indicator arranged at the top of and at the
inside of the glass tube aforesaid.
Fitted also within the glass tube and so as to serve as a guide for the indicator
is a second short paper, cardboard, or other tube or liner having an opening
or window cut in it through which the indicator indicates.
The indicator is, preferably, formed of a split tube with sufficient spring in
the split portions to open out, when the indicator sinks a certain distance, and
catch against the bottom of the guide tube, or liner and so prevent the indicator
being forced up again into its original position. Any suitable arrangement other
than the split tube can be used for locking the indicator in position when once
it sinks a certain distance and such arrangement may take the form of a spring
catch or like automatic locking device.
The indicating device is inserted in the mouth of the 'bottle when the latter
is filled up in the first instance and it floats in the liquid therein. Thereafter
the bottle is corked in the usual manner. Owing to the pressure of the sur-
rounding liquid the piston is forced up in the glass tube thereby compressing
the air therein, and, at the same time, forcing up the indicator to the top of the
tube. The indicator is prevented rising above the proper position by means of
a suitable paper or other packing or wad inserted in the upper end of the glass
tube.
So long as the contents of the bottle are not tampered with the indicator
will remain in the up position but immediately a portion of the liquid is with-
drawn from the bottle the reduced liquid pressure allows the compressed air in
the tube to expand to a corresponding extent with the result that the piston is
forced downwards in the glass tube. This downward movement of the piston
affects the indicator attached to it, which latter, by suitable marks or words
thereon, now indicates, automatically, through the window of the guide tube
that the contents of the bottle have been tampered with. As the indicator locks
itself in position when once drawn down it cannot be again forced up to its

page_text: former position by injecting further liquid into the bottle to take the place of the
extracted liquor.
The piston may be constituted by a suitable double cup leather or like piston.
The tubes and indicator may be made of any suitable material.
Dated this 5th day of December 1898.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
100, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.
A Device for Automatically Indicating when Liquors have been
Fraudulently Extracted from Bottles.
I, LOGAN MCFARLANE, of 37, Waverley Gardens, Crossmyloof, Glasgow,
Manager, 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: --
At present liquors, such as brandy, etc., are very ingeniously extracted from
bottles which are thereafter filled up again with a cheaper liquor or with water.
The object of the present invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device
whereby, immediately liquor is fraudulently extracted from the bottle, the fact
that such extraction has taken place is automatically indicated.
In order that my said invention may be properly understood I have hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings which shows, by way of example, con-
venient modes of carrying my invention into effect or practice.
Fig. 1 is a view of a bottle with my device fitted therein.
Fig. 2 is a view of the same bottle but showing the device as indicating that
the contents of the bottle have been tampered with.
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are views of different forms of the device.
Fig. 6 is a vertical section of the device as at Figs. 1 and 4 and Fig. 7 a like
section of the device as at Fig. 2.
The device consists of a glass or other tube a closed at its upper end a¹ but
open at its lower end a² and in which is fitted a small piston b with piston rod or
its equivalente which latter is provided, at its upper end, with a suitable wire
catch d, or equivalent, whereby it can catch or grip a tubular indicator e arranged
at the top and at the inside of the glass tube aforesaid. The catch d is preferably
formed of a wire which is bent into the upper end of the indicator tube so as to
catch it and at the same time tend to force it open (see Fig. 6).
Fitted also within the glass tube and so as to serve as a guide and cover for the
indicator is a second short metal, paper, cardboard, celluloid, or other tube or
liner f. This tube f can be held in place within the tube a by means of gum
or the like.
The indicator is, preferably, formed of a rolled up or a split tube with sufficient
spring in it to open out, when the indicator sinks a certain distance, and thereby
catch against the shoulders a", or equivalent, made in the glass tube and prevent
the indicator being readily forced up again into its original position.
Fig. 6 shows the indicator in the up position whilst Fig. 7 shows the indicator
in the down position, expanded out, and with its upper edge catching against the
shoulders Any suitable and well known arrangement other than the
shoulders a can be used for locking the indicator in position when once it sinks
a certain distance. The indicating device is, preferably, made as at Fig. 3 with
a dome top a¹ and may be merely inserted in the mouth of the bottle when the
latter is filled up in the first instance and allowed to float in the liquid therein.

page_text: If desired, however, the upper end of the device may be made with a glass
screw a³ Figs. 4, 6 and 7, or with glass spikes a¹ (Fig. 5) whereby it can be
secured to the cork (see Figs. 1 and 2). The screw a³ and the spikes a would be
formed on the glass tube a during the process of manufacture in the manner
well known to skilled workers in glass.
The tube is first fitted in the tube a and then the tube e inserted into the
position shown at Fig. 6, thereafter the piston b is inserted and the tube a
contracted at its lower end in the manner well known to glass workers. The
shoulders are pinched in the tube a also in the manner well known to workers
in glass.
will
In the arrangement Fig. 3 the device, with the indicator in the position shown
is merely inserted in the bottle which is thereafter corked in the usual manner.
In the case of the arrangement Fig. 4 the device is screwed to the cork and
inserted with it into the bottle (see Fig. 1). After the cork has been inserted
it is hermetically sealed in the usual manner. Owing to the pressure within the
bottle the piston b is forced up, in the glass tube a, until its piston rod c reaches
the top (see Fig. 6). This movement of the piston compresses the air confined,
within the tube a, at the back of it. The wire d on the piston rod now catches
on the upper end of the indicator e and so long as the contents of the bottle are
not tampered with in any way so as to cause the pressure within the bottle to
fall down below that within the upper part of the tube a the piston
remain steady in the up position (see Fig. 1) so as to indicate the word "genuine"
at its upper end. Immediately, however, a portion of the liquid is withdrawn
from the bottle the pressure therein falls with the result that this reduction in
pressure allows the compressed air, within the tube a, to expand to a corres-
ponding extent and force down the piston b. The downward movement
of the piston is, by the wire d, imparted to the indicator e so that the latter
is pulled down into the low position (see Fig. 7). Immediately the indicator sinks
below the shoulders as it expands (see Fig. 7) and cannot therefore be readily
pushed up again. The downward movement of the indicator e, within the cover f,
causes the word "genuine" at its upper end, to disappear behind the cover,
which
is opaque and serves as a sort of screen, whilst the word " tampered," at its
lower end, is exposed to view. In Fig. 1 the indicator is shown in the correct
or up position whilst in Fig. 2 the indicator is in the down position and shows
that the contents of the bottle have been tampered with. As the indicator locks
itself in position, when once drawn down, by unrolling or expanding to such an
extent as to prevent it rising again above the shoulders as it cannot be again
forced up to its former position by injecting fresh liquid into the bottle to take
the place of the extracted liquor.
The inner indicating tube e may have any suitable words or marks on it for the
purpose of indicating correctly.
The outer tube f may bear the words "see indicator reads genuine before
opening"
or such like so as to direct purchasers to examine the indicator before
drawing the cork.
The piston may be constituted by a suitable double cup leather or like piston.
If it is packed the packing would preferably be smeared with paraffin wax. The
tubes and indicator may be made of any suitable material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I consider novel and desire to claim is: -
1. An indicating device for bottles made and operating substantially as herein-
before described with reference to the drawings annexed and for the purpose set
forth.
2. An indicating device comprising a tube, a piston within the tube, and an
indicator operated by the movement of the piston, substantially as hereinbefore
described.

page_text: 3. An indicating device for bottles in which the variations of the pressure
within the bottle due to the bottling of the liquid and the subsequent withdrawal
of a part or the whole of the liquid is utilized to operate an indicator, substan-
tially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 4th dor of Santer 1
1000
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
100, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.