IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CORKS OR STOPPERS AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR THIS PURPOSE
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Garrett Tongue, of the Firm of Tongue
and Birkbeck, Patent Agents and Engineers, of 34, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CORKS OR STOPPERS
AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR THIS PURPOSE."—A com-
munication from abroad by Mess". Raymond Edouard Montaugé
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Garrett Tongue
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 22nd April 1875.
I, JOHN GARRETT TONGUE, of the Firm of Tongue and Birkbeck,
Patent Agents and Engineers, of 34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CORKS OR STOPPERS
AND IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR THIS PURPOSE," a communi-
cation to me from abroad by Mess". Raymond Edouard Montaugé and
Auguste Alfred Brandely, both of Paris, France, to be as follows:-
:-
This Invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of corks

page_text: or stoppers from cork, reduced to powder and mixed with india-rubber
and other materials, and in the machinery and apparatus employed for
moulding or converting such compounds into corks or stoppers. For
this purpose cork (even old corks) is first pulverized or reduced to saw-
dust by means of well known machinery, the gum and impurities
contained in the said cork sawdust are removed first by means of boiling
alcohol, and then by washing in water at a temperature of about 100
degrees Reaumer. The cork sawdust being washed and drained is put
into a stove and dried, then from 10 to 20 per cent. of hemp cut the
length of about to an inch is added; the hemp and cork dust is
mixed with great care in order to have it mixed uniformly as much as
possible; or the cork sawdust may be thus treated without the addition
of fibrous materials.
India-rubber (caoutchouc) dissolved in disinfected or refined sulphuret
of carbon and brought into a state of paste more liquid than solid, pre-
pared as above stated, is put into a mixing apparatus and the cork dust
added thereto. When the materials are well mixed the compound is
placed in the machine or apparatus employed to mould it into corks or
stoppers, and in order that the same may be clearly understood I will
proceed to describe the Drawings annexed, which show several views of
the apparatus or machine for moulding the compound above described
into corks or stoppers.
Figure 1 shows a plan, and Figure 2 a longitudinal section of
machinery or apparatus arranged and contributed in accordance with
this Invention.
A is a large wheel having movable moulds a, a, mounted thereon;
B is a large metal or bronze plate which can be raised to an angle
of 45° for cleaning or inspecting the work; C, apparatus for distributing
the paste or compound into the moulds; D is a circular railway with
incline or cam surface; E, E, are pistons acting in the moulds a, a.
I will now describe the operation of the machine or apparatus.
The paste or compound contained in the apparatus c, c, is forced by
a piston regulated by a screw; at the same time a second metal piston c
receives motion by means of a cam which compels the material to be
forced into the mould a; as soon as one mould is filled the piston c is
raised by the cam, and then the wheel presents another empty mould

page_text: under the axis of the apparatus c, and remains until the piston c has
accomplished its movement.
Figure 1 shows that the circular platform does not require a con-
tinuous or regular movement, the movement being alternate, as each
mould presents itself it is filled. In this state the cork compound in the
mould is double the size it will be when pressed, but before it is put to
pressure it is important to let a part of the solvent evaporate in order to
render the paste more solid.
Figure 2 shows that the pressure is given by means of movable
pistons E, E, sliding in the moulds, and by which they are guided and
raised by means of the circular railway or cam surface D, D, arranged
under the axes of the moulds. The corks from the point ○ of the
platform to the point O¹ are not subjected to pressure, but as soon as
they pass under B they receive the required pressure, and are then
forced out of the mould as soon as they have passed the point O¹¹.
Figure 3 shows a plan, and Figure 4 a longitudinal section of
apparatus for pressing or moulding the corks or stoppers in accordance
with this Invention.
In these Figures the same letters refer to the same parts.
a is a table or platform, to which are fixed the mechanical parts forming
the machine for moulding; b is a hollow cylinder firmly fixed on
supports c; d is a mould or gauge screwed or otherwise fixed to the
cylinder b. The gauge or mould d can be regulated at will, according to
the diameter of the corks required; e, movable piston compressing the
material contained in the cylinder 6 to be pressed out through the gauge
or mould d; f, screw giving motion to piston e and fixed on support g;
h, driving wheel keyed on the screw f. The wheel is driven by the
wheel i keyed to the shaft j carrying the handle or crank k, which puts
"material as it is
in motion the whole machine. The "agglomerated
pressed out of the mould or gauge is cut in lengths as required by
means of one or several straight or circular saws worked by hand or
by mechanical contrivance. The saw or saws are not shown in the
Drawings.
Figure 5 shows a vertical section of another part of this machinery
) or apparatus, being employed to mould corks for stopping bottles
T
echowA n

page_text: a is a platform of iron or other suitable material; b, vertical cylinder,
in which the material to be compressed is placed. This cylinder made
in two parts is fixed on to the platform by means of cramp irons c
secured by screws d. The cylinder bis of a conical exterior form, which
allows a conical head e to be fixed, and brings the two parts exactly
together side by side. The interior base of the cylinder is of the form of the
cork. piston used for pressing the material either by hand or by any
suitable mechanical contrivance. The basis of the piston is convex in order
that in compressing the material the cork may be formed with a head
similar to corks used for stopping champagne wine. The compressed cork
is drawn out of the mould in removing the piston f, the head e, and the
holdfast c; by these means it is easy to separate the two parts forming
the cylinder b. Instead of dismounting these parts they can or may be
kept in their respective positions. In order to obtain this result an
opening may be made in the bed or platform equal to the dimensions
of the cork, this opening being then filled by a movable plug; the
cork being formed and the piston withdrawn will allow by means of a
shock to drive out or discharge the said cork or stopper from the
mould.
Several of the operations of moulding corks or stoppers which have
been described as being the most suitable for the rapid and continuous
production thereof could be effected by other mechanical contrivances in
accordance with this part of the Invention.
The novel character of this Invention consists in the manufacture
and application of corks or stoppers made from sawdust or pulverized
cork with the addition of fibrous materials, such as hemp, aloes, animal
substances, wool, tow, horse-hair, or other suitable materials, and
"agglomerated" by means of india-rubber (caoutchouc) dissolved is
disinfected or refined carbonated sulphur, chloroform, benzine, essential
oils of india-rubber (caoutchouc), or any other substance, and lastly of
any kind of india-rubber (caoutchouc) solvent, or its equivalent, for the
manufacture of corks obtained by the means above, as described and
represented in the Drawings annexed.

page_text: filed by the said John Garrett Tongue in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd October 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GARRETT TONGUE, of the Firm of Tongue and Birkbeck, Patent Agents
and Engineers, of 34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the
thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Ierself, Her heirs and succes-
sors, give and grant unto me, the said John Garrett Tongue, Her special
license that I, the said John Garrett Tongue, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others, as I, the said John Garrett
Tongue, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thercafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
makc, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF CORKS OR STOPPERS AND IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR THIS PURPOSE," a communication to
me from abroad by Mess". Raymond Edouard Montaugé and Auguste
Alfred Brandely, both of Paris, France, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John Garrett Tongue, my executors or admini-
strators, 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 immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
"
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Garrett Tongue, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
Quercus Suber" commonly known as cork has been employed from

page_text: •
.
time immemorial for stopping vessels containing liquids, such as wine,
alcohol, and table liquors. In examining minutely the elements con-
tained in this product of nature it will be found that its use is greatly
defective. In stopping sparkling champagne bottles generally, and even
with the best firms, when the greatest care is taken in stopping bottles,
and notwithstanding the high price given for the best quality of corks
(about £6 per thousand), on an average a leakage of 20 per cent. is
calculated. The same objections to the use of corks exist in the stopping
of lemonade and other gaseous liquids, and preserves, as well as in the
best growth of chamngana wing

page_text: washed and drained is put into a stove and dried, then from 10 to 20 per
cent. of hemp cut the length of about a¼ to ½ an inch is added. The
hemp and cork dust is mixed with great care in order to have it mixed
uniformly as much as possible. Or the cork sawdust may be thus
treated without the addition of fibrous materials.
The india-rubber (caoutchouc) dissolved in disinfected or refined
sulphuret of carbon, and brought into a state of paste, more liquid than
solid, prepared as above stated, is put into a mixing apparatus and the
cork dust added thereto. When the materials are well mixed the
compound is placed in the machine or apparatus employed to mould it
into corks or stoppers, and in order that the same may be clearly under-
stood I will proceed to describe the Drawings annexed which show
several views of the apparatus or machine for moulding the compound
above described into corks or stoppers.
Figure 1 shews a plan; and Figure 2, a longitudinal section of
machinery or apparatus arranged and constructed in accordance with
this Invention. A is a large wheel having a series of moveable moulds
a, a, Figure 2, mounted thereon; B is a metal or bronze plate which
can be raised to an angle of about 45° for cleaning or inspecting the
work; C, apparatus for distributing the paste or compound into the
moulds; D is a circular railway formed with an incline or cam surface;
E, E, are pistons acting in the moulds a, a.
I will now describe the operation of the machine or apparatus.
The paste or compound contained in the apparatus C, C, is forced by a
piston C regulated by a screw, at the same time a second metal piston E
receives motion by a cam D which causes the material to be forced into
thic mould a. As soon as one mould is filled the piston E is raised by
the cam D, and then the wheel A presents another empty mould under
the centre of the filling apparatus C and remains until the piston E has
accomplished its movement.
Figure 1 shows that the circular platform A does not require a con-
tinuous or regular movement, the movement being alternate, as cach
mould presents itself it is filled. In this state the cork compound in the
mould is double the size it will be when compressed, but before it is
put to pressure it is important to let a part of the solvent evaporate in
order to render the paste more solid.

page_text: Figure 2 shows that the pressure is given by means of moveable
pistons E, E, sliding in the moulds, and by which they are guided and
raised by means of the circular railway or cam surface D, D, arranged
under the centre of the moulds. The corks from the point o of the
platform to the point o' are not subjected to pressure, but as soon as
they pass under B they receive the required pressure and are then forced
out of the moulds as soon as they have passed the point o".

page_text: either by hand or by any suitable mechanical contrivance. The basis of
the piston is convex in order that in compressing the material the cork
may be formed with a head similar to corks used for stopping champagno
wine. The compressed cork is drawn out of the mould in removing
the piston f, the head e, and the holdfast c; by theso means it is
easy to separate the two parts, forming the cylinder b. Instead of
dismounting these parts they can or may be kept in their respectivo
position. In order to obtain this result an opening may be made in the
bed or platform equal to the dimensions of the cork; this opening is
then filled by a moveable plug; the cork being formed and the piston
withdrawn will allow the said cork or stopper by means of a shock to
be driven out or discharged from the mould.
Several of the operations of moulding corks or stoppers which have
been described as being the most suitable for the rapid and con-
tinuous production thercof could be effected by other mechanical
contrivances in accordance with, this Invention.
For certain kinds of stoppers, and particularly for the bungs of casks,
the right is reserved to impart greater rigidity to the composition or
paste by making mixtures of wood sawdust in various proportions or
different non-clastic powders, such as talc, slate, mineral oxides, or other
substances, in fact, in addition to the sawdust, any powders or dust taken
from either vegetable, animal, or mineral substances, for example, such
as raspings of bone or other substances.
Having thus described the nature of this Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, what I claim under the above in part recited
Letters Patent is, the improved manufacture and application of corks or
stoppers made from sawdust or pulverized cork, with or without the
addition of fibrous materials, such as hemp, aloes, animal substances,
wool, tow, horsehair, mineral substances, or other suitable materials
"agglomerated" or combined together by means of india-rubber
(caoutchouc), dissolved in disinfected or refined carbonated sulphur,
chloroform, benzine, essential oils of india-rubber (caoutchouc), or any
other substance, and lastly, of any kind of india-rubber (caoutchouc)
solvent or its equivalent for the manufacture of stoppers made sub-
stantially in the manner and for purposes herein-before described and
represented in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
I also claim the improved arrangements and combination of machinery.

page_text: or apparatus for the manufacture of corks or stoppers, substantially as
and for the purposes herein-before described and represented in the
Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Garrett Tongue, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of October, t
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
five.