An Improved Bottle Stopper.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Oct., 1893-Accepted, 4th Nov., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Bottle Stopper.
We, Professor Dr. ALBERT STUTZER, and JULIUS SCHÄFER, Manufacturer,
both of 538 Weberstrasse, Bonn, in the Empire of Germany, 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:-
Our invention relates to a bottle stopper.
This bottle stopper comprises an elastic cap with a valve and serves for use in
bottles containing liquid to be sterilized. The said valve acts in such a manner
that, on the air being rarefied in the vessel, it is closed by the outer pressure, while
gases generated in the interior of the bottle can escape freely. As compared with
other stoppers of the same class our improved device possesses the feature that the
part carrying the valve, when the air is rarefied in the bottle, will be almost entirely
sucked into the bottle neck and will not project, thus obviating inconvenience in
the handling and packing of the closed bottle. In addition to the automatic
closing of the valve we provide for holding the cap more securely and tightly upon
the orifice of the bottle neck in proportion as the rarefaction of the air in the
bottle increases.
Referring to the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 is an elevation showing our stopper fitted upon the bottle neck.
Figure 2 represents a section of the same.
Figure 3 is another section showing the head of the stopper drawn into the
bottle neck.
+
Figure represents another view of the stopper arranged on the bottle neck.
Figure 5 is a plan of the stopper head showing the valve slit provided therein.
The cap a may be made of indiarubber or other suitable elastic material, and is
thickened at the lower edge in order to obtain a secure hold upon the orifice of
the bottle neck. This cap possesses a conical head b widening upwards, wherein
a valve d is arranged. It is expedient to make the cone 6 wider at the top so as
to form a disc c.
When pressure prevails in the bottle the stopper occupies the position shown in
Figures 1 and 2, the gases and vapours being able to escape freely. As soon as
the air is rarefied in the bottle the conical head b descends first into the cap a and
then into the upper part of the bottle neck, as represented in Figure 3.
In order to ensure a specially tight closing of the valve slit d, we provide at
opposite points of the head 6 reinforces or noses g for closing the said slit as soon
as the head is sucked into the interior of the orifice of the bottle neck. In lieu of
the aforesaid reinforce or nose we may, for achieving the same result, give the
head 6 a somewhat different shape so that it will be compressed in the direction
transversely to the slit. Besides serving for the tight closing of the valve the
upwardly widening form of the said head has the effect that when the air is rarefied
in the bottle the cap a will be held more securely than in the case of the stoppers
heretofore employed, and that by the rarefaction of the air the cap a will also make
a better joint with the orifice of the bottle neck, inasmuch as the cap is pressed by
the head firmly against the curved edge of the bottle neck, this pressure augmenting
with the degree of rarefaction of the air in the bottle. This action will be clearly
understood on inspection of Figure 3. The widening of the head b to form the
lisc c has for its object to prevent the head being sucked too far into the bottle
leck.
Great importance is attached to the double object of the special form of the
topper head constructed as hereinbefore set forth.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
A stopper for bottle containing liquid to be sterilized, characterized by the
arrangement of an upwardly widening head on the cap a, this head being provided
with projections g, in such a manner that when it is drawn into the bottle neck
owing to the rarefaction of the air, the valve slit or opening d therein will be
closed, and that the cap will at the same time be forced firmly against the edge of
the bottle neck.
Dated this 3rd day of October 1893
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.