IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF BOTTLES INTENDED TO CONTAIN MALT LIQUORS AND OTHER LIQUIDS, AND IN THE MODE OF STOPPERING, UNSTOPPERING, AND DRAWING OFF THE CONTENTS THEREOF, THE SAID STOPPERS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE TO BOTTLES OF THE ORDINARY KIND AND OTHER VESSELS EMPLOYED TO CONTAIN LIQUIDS, FLUIDS, AND GASES, EITHER SEPARATELY OR IN COMBINATION
Year: 1866

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Dennis, at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th October
1866.
I, WILLIAM DENNIS, of 57, Aldermanbury, in the City of London, Merchant,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF BOTTLES INTENDED TO CONTAIN MALT LIQUORS AND OTHER
LIQUIDS, AND IN THE MODE OF STOPPERING, UNSTOPPERING, AND DRAWING OFF THE
CONTENTS THEREOF, THE SAID STOPPERS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE TO BOTTLES OF
THE ORDINARY KIND AND OTHER VESSELS EMPLOYED TO CONTAIN LIQUIDS, FLUIDS,
AND GASES, EITHER SEPARATELY OR IN COMBINATION," to be as follows :-
As regards that part of this Invention relating to the construction of bottles,
the improvement consists in forming the same in the following manner, that
is to say: Instead of forming the bottle flat or hollow at the bottom and the
top with a. long neck and the body of the bottle cylindrical or parallel, or
nearly so, as heretofore practised, I propose to form the body of the bottle as
the frustrum of a cone, the base being convex on the outside and the apex
communicating with a narrow circular chamber about three or four times
larger in diameter than the hole in the apex; I form the hole in the said apex
.

page_text: about half an inch in diameter for a pint bottle and of proportionate size for
larger bottles; I also form another and larger hole through the outside of the
aforesaid circular chamber opposite to the hole in the apex of the bottle, and
into these openings I insert a conical shaped hollow stopper or nipple made
of elastic material, such as vulcanized india-rubber, the end of the said stopper
or nipple being somewhat smaller than the hole in the apex of the bottle, so
as to leave a clear annular space between the stopper or nipple and the hole
in the apex for the passage of the liquid and any sediment it may contain
into the aforesaid circular chamber; the object and intention being to
accumulate, hold back, and separate the sediment from the liquid (bottled
ale for example), that when poured out it may not be "cloudy" as is now
the case in using bottles of the ordinary construction; the stopper or nipple
above mentioned I fix air-tight to the outside of the bottle by any suitable
means. And in order to accomplish as effectually as possible the object of this
Invention I propose that after the bottle has been filled with ale it should be
stood upon its flat or chambered end for the sediment to pass into the said
chamber; and when it is required to draw off the contents of a bottle thus
constructed I proceed as follows:-I take a piece of tube of nearly the same
size as the hole in the apex of the bottle, the said tube having a cutting blade
fixed across the lower end thereof; I push this tube forcibly into the stopper
or elastic nipple, the effect of which is to cut a slit through the end thereof,
and continuing to push the tube through the nipple, the nipple fits tightly in
the hole in the apex of the bottle, by which the communication between the
ale in the body of the bottle and the sediment in the circular chamber is
effectually cut off, so that when the ale is poured out through the tube it
cannot mix with the sediment, and by these means I prevent or very considerably
lessen the "clouding" of the ale; and further, by using a stopper of the above
kind, the bottle may be laid down after the tube is withdrawn, the slit in the
tube closing, and the pressure of the remaining ale in the bottle assisting in
keeping closed the slit and keeping it air-tight, or sufficiently so to prevent
escape of the liquid. In applying the above improved description of stoppers
to wine or other bottles or jars, the stopper may be formed as a cap to
embrace the upper part of the neck of the bottle, to which it may be affixed
by cement, string, wire, or other convenient and suitable means. I
propose to
coat that part of the aforesaid stopper iu contact with the liquid in the bottle
with liquid ebonite, elastic varnish, or other suitable composition or material,
so as to prevent if necessary the injurious action of the liquid with the
vulcanized india-rubber or other elastic material of which the stopper is made.

page_text: Stoppers made as above stated may be applied with advantage to barrels
containing beer and other liquids in lieu of vent pegs by making a slit
through the bottom of the stopper, through which the atmospheric air will
pass as the contents are being drawn off, the stopper afterwards closing by its
elasticity, thus rendering the stopper a self-acting vent peg.