IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR STOPPING BOTTLES AND VESSELS, AND FOR DRAWING OFF LIQUIDS THEREFROM
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT' to Alexander James Eli; of Bedford' Square, in the
County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS
FOR STOPPING BOTTLES AND VESSELS, AND FOR DRAWING OFF LIQUIDS
THEREFROM."
Sealed the 14th June 1872; and dated the 15th December 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander James Eli at
the Office of the Commissioners' of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 15th December 1871.
I, ALEXANDER JAMES ELI, of Bedford Square, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR STOPPING BOTTLES AND VESSELS, AND FOR DRAWING
OFF LIQUIDS THEREFROM," to be as follows:-
This Invention has reference to apparatus which, whilst fitted for use
P

page_text: described) liquids to be from time to time drawn off as may be required
without taking the apparatus out of or from the bottle or vessel.
In general I prefer to use a tube to be inserted in the neck of a
bottle (or orifice in a vessel), which, in order to enable it to be tightly
fitted, has the exterior of such tube at the end inside the bottle or vessel
threaded, and has a screw collar for the purpose (by means of screwing
down the said collar),. pressing out a piece of elastic tubing or cylindrical
piece of cork or material placed around the said tube between said collar,
and a flange or enlargement on the end of the tube. Above the said
screw the said tube enters.a hollow sphere, ball, or chamber having an
air vent therein, and also a small exit tube. This hollów sphere, ball, or
chamber with vent hole ensures that the liquor shall flow freely and
quietly without gurgling. Above this ball is a tube or case for a coiled
spring, which acts on a plunger rod which passes through the ball or
chamber and tube first mentioned, and actuates a valve at or near the
inner end thereof, so as to allow liquid to be drawn off as may be
required
>>
In some
cases instead of the plunger valve arrangements above
described I use a tube or aperture passed through elastic. material, cork,.
or stopper,, thus forming an apparatus, with a spring cover or valve at
top of the tube or aperture, with a lever or handle, by which, the valve
may be operated upon so as to open and shut the same for drawing off
purposes.
'

page_text: med by the said Alexander James El in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 15th June 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
JAMES ELI, of Bedford Square, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Alexander James Eli, Her special licence
that I, the said Alexander James Eli, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander James Eli, 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 Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS'
FOR STOPPING BOTTLES AND VESSELS, AND FOR DRAWING OFF LIQUIDS THEREFROM,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander James Eli,
my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my,
or their, or one of their hands and 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: described). liquids to be from time to time drawn off as may be required
without taking the apparatus out of or from the bottle or vessel.
In general I prefer to use a tube to be inserted in the neck of a bottle
(or orifice in a vessel), which, in order to enable it to be tightly fitted,
has the exterior of such tube (at the end inside the bottle or vessel)
threaded, and has a screw collar for the purpose (by means of screwing
down the said collar) pressing out a piece of elastic tubing or cylindrical
piece of cork or material placed around, the said tube between said collar
and a collar or flange (or enlargement) on the end of the tube. Above
the said screw the said tube enters a hollow sphere, ball, or chamber
having an air vent therein, and also an exit tube. This hollow sphere,
ball, or chamber with vent hole ensures that the liquor shall flow freely
and quietly without gurgling. Above this ball or chamber is a tube-
or case for a coiled spring, which acts on a plunger rod which passes
through the ball or chamber and tube first mentioned,' and 'actuates a
valve at or near the inner end thereof, so as to allow liquid to be drawn
In the foregoing general description of my Invention I have par-
ticularly described and ascertained the nature thereof; I now therefore,
with the aid of the said foregoing description, proceed to particularly a
describe and ascertain in what manner the said Invention is to be.
performed or carried out in practice, for which purpose I shall refer to
"the accompanying Drawings by words, figures, and letters following,
that is to sav:—

page_text: Fig. 1, section of plunger valve arrangement; Fig. 2, exterior view ;
and Fig. 3, section of a spring valve arrangement which is not of the
plunger kind.
In these Figures A denotes the externally threaded hollow stopper or
tube for insertion into the neck of the bottle or aperture in the vessel;
B. denotes india-rubber or other suitable material surrounding the
said hollow stopper or tube; C, a screw collar or flange (or enlargement)
which is for use to remain fixed in its position, between which and the
screw washer D (workable on the hollow stopper or tube) the said india-
rubber or suitable material is placed so as to be capable of being pressed
upon in order to cause it to distend and fill the neck of the bottle or
aperture in the vessel in an air-tight manner; E is a screw collar with
milled edge, capable of being screwed or unscrewed, and thereby moving
the said washer D for the above purpose; F is the chamber with air
vent, which in this case is spherical (which is the form I prefer to adopt),
but any suitable form may be used; F* is the spout for exit-of liquid
when valve is opened; G (in Fig. 1) is the plunger valve; G*, (in Fig. 1)
plunger spindle; H, (in Fig. 1) spiral spring (contained in the cylindrical
case on top of chamber, as shown) for actuating plunger so ás to keep
the valve tightly closed when not pressed upon, which can be done by
pressing on the knob I (Fig. 1) on the end of said plunger spindle;
K (Figs. 3) denotes a valve which is actuated by pressing on the handle L
(Figs. 3 and 4), said valve being secured in position when not drawing
off liquid by the spring (H), which is contained in the chamber F, and
abuts on the top of the valve, and also inside the top of the chamber F,
as shown.
Although I have described and shown by the Drawings only two forms
of carrying out the said Invention, yet it will be obvious to all
mechanicians that modifications of these may be adopted, for instance,
amongst other arrangements a spring cap with handle for moving the
same might be used instead of the arrangements shown in the Drawings,
and the valve may be closed by a spring either inside or outside of said
chamber.

page_text: object of my Invention, and in what manner the same may be performed
or put in practice, I hereby declare that I claim the Invention of
"Improved Apparatus for Stopping Bottles and Vessels, and for Drawing
off Liquids therefrom," as herein-before described, wherein provision is
made for the exit of the liquid without gurgling.
It being understood that I do not claim (neither do I limit myself to
the use of) the exact constituent details of construction herein-before
described and illustrated by the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander James Eli, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of June, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
Witness,
THOMAS MORGAN,
Secretary,
Inventors' Patent Right Association, Limited,
21, Cockspur Street, S.W.-
A. J. ELI. (L.S.)