IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERING, CLOSING, OR COVERING BOTTLES, JARS, CASKS, AND OTHER LIKE. RECEPTACLES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Hilditch Bulkeley-Johnson, of Dowgate Hill, in
"
the City of London, Merchant, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
STOPPERING, CLOSING, OR COVERING BOTTLES, JARS, CASKS, AND OTHER LIKE.
RECEPTACLES."
Sealed the 15th October 1878, and dated the 17th April 1878,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Hilditch Bulkeley-
Johnson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th April
1878.
HENRY HILDITCH BULKELEY-JOHNSON, of Dowgate Hill, in the City of London,
Merchant. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERING, CLOSING, OR COVERING BOTTLES,.
JARS, CASKS, AND OTHER LIKE RECEPTACLES.'
"
My Invention relates to improved means of effectually stoppering, closing, or
covering bottles, jars, casks, and other like receptacles so as to admit of their being
readily re-opened, and the stopper or cover re-utilized for an indefinite period.
"
In carrying out my Invention as applied, for example, to a bottle, I first pass
down the neck of a sample bottle a cone cut into frustums or sections threaded
together in order to gauge or ascertain the position and diameter of the "< bite or
smallest portion of the neck; I then adopt the diameter of the frustum which is
the last to enter, as that of the base of two rigid cones or frustums of cones, of
which, with the addition of a larger intermediate flexible or elastic wad or washer,
the stopper is composed, these several parts being connected together by a wire rod
or cord, and secured by an adjustable nut or nuts.
In applying these stoppers to the bottles, I introduce them in parts in the following
manner-I thread one of the rigid cones or frustums on to the wire rod or cord
so that it will be supported by a head or nut, and pass it, base upwards, into the
neck of the bottle. I then thread on to the wire, rod, or cord the intermediate
flexible or elastic wad or washer, and finally I add the other rigid cone or frustum
which I place with the base downwards, and secure the whole with a nut or nuts,
Prins 11

page_text: the flexible or elastic wad or washer forming, if necessary, an air-tight closure whilst
the upper frustum prevents its ejection.
When it is required to release the stopper, it is simply necessary to loosen and
remove the nut when the several parts may be withdrawn in succession.
The stopper may, if desired, be suspended from an external cap.
For bottles or receptacles of a polygonal section, I substitute for cones stoppers of
a corresponding section to the bottle.
In some cases the direction of the upper rigid frustum may be inverted, the same
being placed base upwards in lieu of downwards, as previously described, or sections
of a cylinder of the requisite determined diameter may be wholly or partially
substituted for the cones.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Hilditch Bulkeley-Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 17th October 1878.
HENRY HILDITCH BULKELEY-JOHNSON, of Dowgate Hill, in the City of London,
Merchant. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERING, CLOSING, OR COVERING BOTTLES,
JARS, CASKS, AND OTHER LIKE RECEPTACLES."
My said Invention relates to improved means of effectually stoppering, closing,
or covering bottles, jars, casks, and other like receptacles so as to admit of their
being readily re-opened and the stopper or cover re-utilized for an indefinite period,
and it consists in the employment in the manner herein-after described of a stopper,
consisting essentially of three constituent parts, two of which are composed of a
rigid material, whilst the other, which is placed between the two rigid parts, is
composed of a flexible or elastic substance.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to the several
Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating
corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of my Drawings represents a side elevation of a guage which I employ
for determining the size of stoppers required to fit the bottles or like receptacles
with which they are to be used.
Figure 2 is a vertical section shewing a stopper constructed according to my said
Invention applied to a bottle.
Figure 3 is an elevation of the stopper detached with its constituent parts partially
separated the one from the other.
And Figure 4 is a vertical section taken through the bung hole of a cask, and
illustrating the application of my said Invention to the stoppering or closing of the
same.
In carrying out my said Invention as applied (for example) to the stoppering or
closing of a bottle, I first pass down the neck of a sample bottle (the internal size

page_text: of which at the neck is unknown) the guage A (Figure 1) consisting of a cone
subdivided into a series of frustums or sections 1, 2, 3,
- 18, threaded
together, the object of which is to guage or ascertain the position and diameter of
the "bite" or smallest portion of the neck. I then adopt the diameter of the
frustum which is the last to enter (say, for example, the frustum 9, from which the
larger frustums are shewn separated) as the diameter of the base of two rigid cones
or frustums of cones a, a¹, (Figures 2 and 3), of which, with the addition of a larger
intermediate flexible or elastic wad or washer b, the stopper is composed, these
several parts being connected together by a stem c or its equivalent and secured by
a nut d.
In applying these stoppers to the bottles, I introduce them in parts in the following
manner, reference being had to Figure 3 in which the constituent parts are shewn
partially separated, and to Figure 2, in which the stopper is represented in its com-
plete form as applied to a bottle. Assuming that the cone a has been rigidly
attached (base upwards) to the stem c, and that the other parts have been loosely
threaded upon the chain e, connected to the said stem, I pass the cone a (base
upwards) with the stem c into the neck f of the bottle B. I then thread on to the
stem c the intermediate flexible or elastic wad or washer b, and force the same into
the bottle, after which I add the rigid frustum a¹ which I place with the base
downwards. I then secure the whole together by means of the nut d which is
screwed upon the stem c (threaded for its reception), the operation of tightening the
nut when the stopper is in the interior of the bottle being effected by any suitable
tool. The flexible or elastic wad or washer b thus forms (if necessary) an air-tight
closure, whilst the upper frustum a¹ prevents its ejection.
It will be understood that it is not necessary to remove the stopper from the
bottle when the latter is emptied and requires to be refilled.
When however for any purpose whatever it is required to release the stopper, it is
simply necessary to loosen and remove the nut d when the several parts may be
withdrawn in succession.
An external cap 9, fitting over the mouth of the bottle, may be employed in com-
bination with the stopper, as shewn, in which case the cap may either be secured
by a nut h screwing on to the stem c, as indicated, or the cap itself may be arranged
to screw upon the said stem.
In the case of bottles or receptacles of a polygonal section, I substitute for cones
or frustums thereof stoppers of a section corresponding to that of the bottle, and in
the case of bottles or receptacles of a circular section, as shewn in the Drawings,
portions of a cylinder of the requisite determined diameter may be employed in lieu
of cones or frustums of cones.
When frustums are employed, the direction of the upper rigid frustum may, if
desired, be inverted, the same being placed base upwards in lieu of downwards, as
previously described.
This modification is particularly advantageous when the Invention is to be
applied to the stoppering or. closing of the bung holes of casks, as illustrated in
Figure 4, and next herein-after described.
B¹ represents a portion of the stave of a cask and f¹ the bung hole of the same.
a is the lower frustum secured to the stem c and above which is the elastic washer
b which bears against the under side of the stave, and a¹ is the upper frustum
placed in this case, base upwards. The whole of these parts are secured together by
a nut d, above which may be placed a closing nut or cap g and an additional nut ď³,
and an interposing washer or washers may also be employed if necessary.
In this modification the stem c is made hollow for the facility of venting the cask
by unscrewing and removing the cap g. The cord e connected to the stem c is
enclosed within the frustum a¹ when the cap is in position, as shewn in the
Drawing.
The cones or frustums or their equivalent may be composed of glass, wood, or
other suitable rigid material, and the flexible or clastic wad or washer may be com-
posed of india-rubber or other substance adapted for the purpose.

page_text: Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carrried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is, stoppering, closing, or covering bottles, jars, casks, and other like
receptacles by the employment of stoppers, each consisting of the three constituent
parts a, a, b, in conjunction or not with accessory devices, the whole being con-
structed, arranged, fitted, applied, and combined, substantially in the manner herein-
before described, and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Hilditch Bulkeley-Johnson, have
to this my Specification set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of
October, One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
TT D TOTINSON