IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CAPSULING BOTTLES AND SIMILAR ARTICLES
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick William Schreiber, of Bond Court, in
the City of London, Merchant, for the Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS.
Sealed the 15th February 1876, and dated the 16th September 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick William
Schreiber at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 16th September 1875.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM SCHREIBER, of Bond Court, in the City of
London, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CAPSULING BOTTLES AND SIMILAR
ARTICLES," to be as follows :-.
My said Invention relates to simple and efficient apparatus of novel
construction for securing capsules upon wine, spirit, and beer bottles
and other bottles for various purposes and similar articles.
1
My improved apparatus or machine has supported by and between
two upright plates a block or head fitted to work freely between the said

page_text: plates. The said block has in it a central circular aperture, and one of
the said plates has a corresponding aperture, the other plate being solid
and having a flat smooth surface. Each of the said plates is formed
with an annular channel or groove.for-the-reception-of-a-circular pro-
jection or ring on the side of the aforesaid block. These rings and t
channels form the means whereby the said block or head is supported
with a capability of turning in and between the said plates. I prefer to
construct the said block or head of wood, but it may be formed of metal,
the bearing rings being of brass secured thereon by screws or otherwise.
The plates may be of cast iron or other suitable metal firmly screwed 1
down upon a slab or plate of wood or metal, or upon a bench or table.
Within the central aperture of the said block or head I place a band
or strap of leather or other suitable material. The inner end of this
band is secured to a pin or stud passing through or nearly through the
said plates, while its outer end is connected by means of a small metal 1
link or otherwise to the head or block; therefore by turning the said
block in the proper direction it is obvious that the said strap or band
will be compressed upon any object surrounded by it.
To prevent the buckling or bulging in of the tube, collar, or ring
herein-after described under compression, I provide the inner end of this
strap with a tongue attached to the said stud or pin, and preferably
formed of leather stiffened with a strip of steel, whalebone, or the
like.
The aforesaid block or head is provided with a suitable lever whereby
-it-is moved to tighten the said strap_or band. This lever may be 2
operated by hand or foot, and I prefer that the said lever should be
made capable of adjustment-upon-the-block-to- adapt the machine for
bottles-or-other-articles of various sizes. A spring of india-rubber or
metal is attached to the head and to some fixed part of the apparatus, or
a weight is provided to cause the return of the said head after each a
depression of the lever. In combination with the head I arrange a stop
to prevent its turning too far.
In using the said apparatus I place within the said band or strap
a collar, ring, or short tube of india-rubber or other suitable material,
then the bottle or other vessel with the capsule placed on it is inserted
into the said collar or tube, the top of the capsule resting against the
face of the solid plate which may have a cushion of india-rubber or

page_text: other soft substance for the capsule to bear against. The bottle having
been thus adjusted the lever or handle of the head is depressed, thereby
causing the strap or band to contract upon the said tube or collar, which
is thus compressed upon the capsule and makes the same tight upon the
said bottle; the lever is then released and the spring turns the head
back to its original position; the bottle may then be removed and a fresh
one inserted. I provide flexible or compressible collars or tubes of
various sizes to suit different sized bottles or other articles to be
capsuled.
The band may be strengthened by a lining or extra thickness of
leather, and the india-rubber tube may be thicker at one side than the
other to prevent its bulging.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frederick William Schreiber in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 15th March 1876.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
WILLIAM SCHREIBER, of Bond Court, in the City of London, Merchant,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixteenth day of September, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and suc-
cessors, give and grant unto me, the said Frederick William Schreiber,
Her special licence that I, the said Frederick William Schreiber, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Frederick William Schreiber, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and
at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CAPSULING BOTTLES
AND SIMILAR ARTICLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Frederick William Schreiber, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and

page_text: seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the-date-of-the-said-Letters-
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Frederick William Schreiber, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the accom-
panying Drawing forming a part of this Specification :—
My said Invention relates to a simple and efficient apparatus of novel
construction for securing capsules upon wine, spirit, and beer bottles
and other bottles for various purposes and similar articles.
My said apparatus or machine has supported by and between two
upright plates a block or head fitted to work freely between the said
plates. The said plates are mounted upon a slab or plate of wood or
metal, or may be fixed upon a table or bench. The arrangement and
operation of this head in combination with the other parts of the
apparatus are herein-after described.

page_text: metal firmly screwed down upon the slab or plate or upon the table,
bench, or other support a, and secured together with the proper space
between them by distance pieces or bolts 6*.
Within the central aperture of the said block or head d I place a band
or strap e, preferably formed of several thicknesses of leather, but which
may be formed of metal or other suitable material. The inner end of
this band e is secured to a pin or stud e* passing through or nearly.
through the said plates b, c, while its outer end is connected by means
of a small metal plate or otherwise to the head or block at a³; therefore
by turning the block in the direction of the arrow it is obvious that
the strap or band e will be tightened or contracted upon any object
surrounded by it. Within the said strap or band e is placed the tube,
ring, or collar f of india-rubber into which the necks of the bottles are
inserted, as herein-after described.
To prevent the buckling or bulging in of this tube or collar under
compression, I provide the inner end of the strap e with a tongue e¹
attached to the said stud or pin, and preferably formed of leather stiffened
with a strip of steel, whalebone, or other like material.
For some bottles the band e may require a lining or extra thickness of
leather, and the india-rubber ring may be thicker at one edge than the
other to equalize the pressure upon the neck and collar of the bottle.
The lever or handle of the aforesaid block or head d is made of
such a length as to permit the same to be conveniently and effectively
manipulated in tightening the said band or strap. This lever may be
operated by hand, or may be connected with a treadle and operated by
the foot to tighten the said band or strap. I prefer that the said lever
should be made capable of adjustment upon the block to adapt the
machine for bottles or other articles of various sizes. For this purpose
I construct the said lever with a ring or eye d³ which is fitted adjustably
or with a capability of turning upon the head d, and I form the end d
of the said lever with a screw whereby it may be tightened upon the
head in any required position and readily released and adjusted
thereon.
In some instances it may be desirable to have a spring of india-rubber
5 or metal, or a weight attached to the head and to some fixed part of the
apparatus to cause the return of the said head after each depression of
the lever; but I do not consider this weight or spring necessary.

page_text: If required I may arrange a stop in combination with the said head or
lever to prevent the same being turned too far.
In using the said apparatus I insert the neck of the bottle or other
vessel to be capsuled with the capsule placed on it within the said collar
or tube fin such a position that the top of the capsule rests against the
face of the solid plate c, which is preferably provided with a cushion of
leather, india-rubber, or other soft substance at g for the capsule to bear
against. The bottle having been thus adjusted the lever or handle d' of the
head is depressed, thereby causing the strap or band e to contract upon
the said tube or collar f which is thus compressed upon the capsule and
makes the same tight upon the said bottle; the lever d¹ is then released
and the head d is turned back to its original position, the bottle may
then be removed and a fresh one inserted.
I provide each apparatus with flexible or compressible collars or
tubes of various sizes to suit different sized bottles or other articles to
be capsuled.
Having thus fully described my said Invention, and shown how the
same may be conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I
wish it understood that I claim for capsuling bottles or similar vessels a
strap or band of leather or other flexible material arranged in and
forming a portion of an apparatus consisting of the parts herein
described, or similar parts, and operating in the manner specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick William Schreiber, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of March,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
Witness,
JA'. EDWARDS,
8, Southampton Buildings,
London.
F. W. SCHREIBER. (L.S.)