Improved Method of and Apparatus for Stoppering and Sealing Jars and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Mar,
480.1
Complete Specification Left, 29th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 2nd Feb., 1895
ναισ
Complete Specification Left, 29th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 2nd Feb., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of and Apparatus for Stoppering and Sealing Jars
and the like.
I, JARVIS WILLIAM HORNER, of 27 Brookfield Road, Sharrow, Sheffield, in the
County of York, Analyst, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
My invention relates to an improved method of and apparatus for stoppering and
sealing jars and the like.
The object of my said invention is to enable a partial vacuum to be formed in jars
and the like, and to enable the said jars or the like to be subsequently stoppered or
sealed, or both stoppered and sealed, with facility, during the maintenance of the
vacuum, and then removed in batches with great ease and rapidity from the
apparatus in which the production of the vacuum and the action of stoppering is
effected.
According to my invention I construct a suitable vat adapted to contain liquid
and suitably supported on bearers. It is provided with an internal flange and also
with an external flange. The internal flange supports a perforated plate, each
A shoulder or
perforation of which is adapted to receive a jar, bottle, or the like.
any other suitable projection is provided at the neck of each jar to prevent it from
passing right through the perforation. A pipe, with a cock therein, is provided at
the bottom of the vat, through which the liquid contained in the vat therein may be
blown out or drained away as desired. A heating-coil placed in the vat, or any
other suitable means, is employed to heat the liquid contents of the vat for a purpose
hereinafter specified.
A cover flanged externally is supported upon the external flange of the vat,
Screw
a layer of packing being placed between the flanges of the vat and cover.
clamps are hinged to the vat and adapted to press the said two flanges together to
ensure the maintenance of a sufficiently tight joint between them.
A closed chamber is attached to the lower end of a screw-threaded spindle which
extends to the exterior of the cover through a stuffing box thereon. The screw-
threaded portion of the said spindle passes through a nut which is provided with a
Guide rods
hand-wheel and turns in bearings in standards fixed upon the cover.
are fixed to the chamber, and within the cover are guides into which the guide-rods
A pipe
enter, to guide and steady the chamber in its vertical movement.
communicates with the interior of the chamber and passes to the exterior of the
cover through another stuffing-box on the latter. This pipe slides in the said
stuffing-box when the chamber is moved, and is provided with a two-way cock by
which it may be put into communication with a gauge and a suitable air-pump or
exhauster. A gauge is also attached to the cover, to indicate the amount of fluid
pressure existing thereunder.
A pet-cock is provided upon the said cover, for a purpose hereinafter specified.
Above the vat is a traveller of the usual or other suitable construction. The block
thereof is connected by a shackle with the head of the spindle to which the chamber
aforesaid is hung

page_text: To the underside of the said chamber are secured, by any suitable means, suction-
devices, situated directly over the jars in the vat. Each device comprises a hollow
spindle provided with a flange and adapted to be screwed into the underside of the
aforesaid chamber, a centrally-perforated cup of india-rubber placed below the
flange and provided with a tapered circumferential lip and with blocks extending
radially inward from the circumference of the cup towards its centre, a perforated
washer placed below the cup, and recessed, in places, to clear the blocks, and
a perforated flanged screw to screw into the lower part of the spindle and to hold
the washer against the cup, and the latter against the flange of the hollow spindle.
The blocks limit the downward movement of the cups in the operation hereinafter
described, so as to prevent undue distortion thereof.
I will now proceed to describe, by way of example, one of the improved jars and
the stoppering devices thereof, constructed and arranged according to this
invention: The jar has a "flaring" flange formed upon the neck thereof; also an
internal ledge and an external shoulder. The stopper or lid is circular and is
provided on its underside with an annular projection and on its upper side with an
outwardly-turned flange. A packing-ring of india-rubber or other suitable material
may either be placed on the ledge of the jar or placed or sprung upon the projection
of the lid.
A wax or other filling is run into the channel between the flange and the lid to
make a good joint between the two. The jar, the stopper, and the projection
on the latter, may all be of any shape other than circular, as may be desired.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-
The cover is raised clear of the vat by the traveller which acts upon the screw-
threaded spindle aforesaid and with it raises the cover, chamber, and their
attachments, and the vat is filled with water, by any suitable means, nearly up to
the level of the perforated plate. The jars with the stoppers in place, but not
sealed with wax, are then dropped into the perforations of the plate so that their
bottoms dip into the water and their shoulders rest upon the adjacent parts of the
plate. Next the cover is lowered into place and secured by the clamps, then the
hand-wheel is turned to rotate the nut in such a direction that the screw-threaded
spindle will be lowered together with the chamber to bring the flexible lips of the
cups into close contact with the stoppers. The closed inner chamber is now,
through the two-way stop-cock put into communication with a suitable air-pump or
other exhauster, which being put in action will exhaust the air from the said
chamber, and, simultaneously, from the interior of the whole of the said rubber
cups or suction-devices, and so produce a vacuum therein. Next the hand-wheel is
turned to rotate the nut in such a direction that the screw-threaded spindle will be
raised with the chamber and its attachments; the external pressure of the
atmosphere in the vat will cause the lids or stoppers of the jars to adhere each to
its respective cup or suction-device and by the raising of the spindle and chamber
the whole of the lids or stoppers will simultaneously be lifted off the jars and held
at a distance above them, so as to allow of the free escape of the air and steam from
within the jars as hereinafter explained. The pet-cock is opened, and the water in
the vat is heated by any suitable means so that most of the air in the jars expands
into the space above the liquid in the vat and together with a considerable amount
of the air in the rest of the apparatus goes out with the steam through the
pet-cock, which is closed at the expiration of a suitable period. Then the hand
wheel is turned to rotate the nut in such a direction that the screw-threaded spindle
will be lowered and the chamber and stoppers therewith, and the latter forced down
so as to compress the packing rings of the jars and thus close their mouths
completely.
It will be observed that the vacuum in the chamber and cups has been maintained
up to this point; I may construct a suitable indicator to indicate the amount
of pressure put upon the stoppers and I may also provide sight-holes so that the
cups and the interior of the apparatus may be observed. When this last described
operation is complete I may blow off, or drain out through a suitable trap, the hot

page_text: It will
water, by the pipe at the bottom of the vat, and permit the apparatus to cool down.
I may facilitate the cooling, if necessary, by injecting cold water or any other
cooling medium into the apparatus, or by otherwise artificially cooling it.
be observed that inasmuch as the lids or stoppers have been put back upon the jars
while the latter were filled with and surrounded by an atmosphere of steam,
the ingress of air to the jars is effectually prevented and that when the steam
within the jars has condensed a high vacuum will exist within them. If next the
cover be released and raised by the traveller the pressure of the atmosphere will
cause the jars and stoppers to adhere to each other and the stoppers to adhere to
the cups so that the whole of the jars will rise out of the perforations of the
perforated plate as the chamber rises, and instead of being dealt with singly can be
conveyed, in one operation, to a convenient place whereat the cups can be caused to
release them to enable the wax filling to be run into place.
To open any jar, the wax filling is cut through with any sharp instrument,
whereupon any convenient lever with its end placed under the outwardly-turned
flange can be turned upon the top of the flange of the jar as a fulcrum to prize the
stopper or lid open.
Instead of heating the water after it is put into the vat I may run in water at a
sufficiently high temperature from a steam boiler or the like, or otherwise provide
for the desired heating effect.
Instead of passing the jars through a perforated plate, upon which they are
supported by their flanges, they may be arranged to stand on a perforated
false-bottom or may be placed or held in any other convenient manner within the
vat, it being understood that each jar has provided directly over it a cup or suction-
device for the purpose herein before explained.
In an alternative construction of jar, the jar has an annular groove at its mouth,
the said groove being preferably made taper in cross-section as shown. The
stopper is provided with a rim of similar but smaller cross-section, arranged to dip
into and rest on the bottom of the said groove. In this modification I dispense with
india-rubber or other packing, and in operating with such jars I run into the said
groove a suitable quantity of liquid wax or other filling, put the lids or stoppers on
the jars, and then put the jars in the vat and proceed as herein before explained up
to the point where the water or other heating medium is run off from the vat
to facilitate the cooling of the same. But the lids or covers are not thereafter dealt
with until the wax or other filling in the grooves of the jars has become
otherwise the liquid wax would be forced by the pressure of the outer air, over the
inner edges of the grooves into the jars.
66
set
"
I will now proceed to describe the device constructed according to this invention
for supplying the filling of wax or other fluid material to the grooves of the jars ;
it consists of two cylindrical receivers fixed vertically into a block or body-piece.
The said receivers are provided at their upper ends with stuffing-boxes. Through
said stuffing-boxes and into the receivers slide well-fitting hollow cylindrical pistons
which are closed, top and bottom, by plates which are centrally perforated and
provided with tubes which lie, preferably, in the axial line of each piston. In
chambers formed at the lower ends of said tubes are fitted hollow valves for a
purpose hereinafter explained. The said valves are supported by perforated supports.
In the body piece are formed stop-cocks having ways by which the receivers
may be put into communication either with a supply or filling channel or with a
delivery jet which is suitably shaped for delivering the liquid wax into the grooves
of the jars. The plugs of the said stop-cocks are connected together by means of
levers and a link so that any motion given to one is simultaneously communicated
to the other. The receivers are encased in a jacket to which steam or hot water
may be admitted by a pipe for the purpose of maintaining the contents of the
receivers in a liquid state. The water of condensation or waste water is run off by
a suitable drain. A spring is provided for the purpose of forcing the lever against
a stop and causing the stop-cocks to maintain normally a desired position. Another
stop is provided for a purpose hereinafter specified. The filling channel is

page_text: .
connected by a jacketed tube, which may be either flexible metallic or other
tubing, or rigid tubing, with a vessel placed overhead, which vessel is also jacketed,
and steam or hot water is caused to circulate in the jacket spaces for the purpose
of maintaining the wax or other suitable material which is put into the inner part
of the vessel, in a liquid state. If the connection between this vessel and the
receivers aforesaid is made by means of flexible tubing the overhead vessel may be
stationary, but if rigid tubing be used for this purpose, the said overhead vessel
will preferably be hung from the end of a cord or chain, which passes over a pulley
and is provided at its other end with a counterpoise to allow of the delivery
apparatus being moved about as desired for the purpose of running the wax on to
the jars. The jacket space of the connecting tubes is preferably in communication
with the receiver jacket and with the jacket space of the overhead-vessel aforesaid.
Instead of heating the wax by means of steam or hot water, I may heat it by heat
conducted into the apparatus by metallic projections fixed to convenient parts
thereof, the said metallic projections being heated by gas lamps or any other
suitable and convenient source of heat. I will now proceed to explain the use of
this waxing-apparatus :-Into the overhead vessel aforesaid is put paraffin wax, or
other suitable wax and the said vessel the connecting tubing and delivery apparatus
are heated either by steam or hot water circulating in the jackets thereof or by
any other of the means herein before referred to. If now the stop-cocks are in the
normal position aforesaid the melted wax will flow into one, only, of the two
receivers, the hollow valve of which in its normal position rests upon its perforated
support so that a space is left between the conical head of the valve and the valve-
seating for the passage of air expelled from the receiver by the liquid wax or other
filling as it rises in the receiver. When the filling reaches the hollow valve the
latter floats up to its seating to which it is guided by suitable projections, and
prevents the further rise of wax in the valve-chamber. If now the lever is pulled
over to another stop the receiver which has just been filled as described, will be
shut off from the filling channel and connected to the jet through which the liquid
wax or other filling will run out, and the valve aforesaid by falling away from its
seating admits air to the receiver to take its place. The said movement of the
lever will shut off the companion receiver from the delivery jet and connect it to
the filling channel so that the said companion receiver will fill while the receiver
first filled is being emptied. It will thus be seen that by the simple movement of
a lever between fixed stops uniform quantities of liquid wax may be run out,
without requiring any thought or judgment on the part of the operator. The
capacity of the receivers can be altered by pushing in or pulling out the pistons
thereof, which after adjustment are fixed in position by clamping rings which
screw down on split and tapered parts of the stuffing-box nuts and compress them
against the walls of the pistons, after the right position of the latter has been
determined by preliminary trial. It will be obvious that by the use of this
apparatus the operation of "waxing" the jars will be facilitated and so simplified
that it may be entrusted to a young or unskilled attendant.
I may make other arrangements and constructions of the jars and stoppers to
facilitate the opening thereof, or I may otherwise modify the construction of the
apparatus and jars and lids as may be necessary or desirable, for I do not limit my
invention to the particular method and apparatus hereinbefore set forth by way of
example.
1004
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improved Method of and Apparatus for Stoppering and Sealing Jars
and the like.
I, JARVIS WILLIAM HORNER, of 27 Brookfield Road, Sharrow, Sheffield, in
the County of York, Analyst, 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:-
My invention relates to an improved method of, and apparatus for, stoppering
and sealing jars and the like.
The object of my said invention is to enable a partial vacuum to be formed in
jars and the like, and to enable the said jars or the like to be subsequently stoppered
or sealed or stoppered and sealed with facility during the maintenance of the
vacuum and then removed in batches with great ease and rapidity from the apparatus
in which the production of the vacuum and the action of stoppering is effected.
In order that my said invention may be clearly understood I will now proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figure shows in vertical transverse section, apparatus, constructed according
to this invention, wherein the vacuum is produced and the operation of stoppering
performed, and shows in elevation, the stoppered jars or the like in the apparatus.
Figure 2 is a similar view showing the stoppered jars raised out of the said
apparatus by a special appliance forming part of my invention.
Figure 3 is a vertical central section of a detail of Figure hereinafter
particularly described.
Figures 4 and 5 are an underside view and plan, respectively, of parts of the
device shown in Figure 3.
Figures 6 and 7 are partial side elevations and Artial central sections of jars
adapted for being stoppered according to this inven' on.
Figure 8 is a central section of the mouth of arther form of jar adapted to my
invention.
Figure 9 is a vertical central section of a device employed to supply wax to the
jars, to seal them.
Figure 10 is a central longitudinal section of a modified form of the device
illustrated in Figures 3, 4 and 5.
Figures 11 to 14 are side elevations of the separate parts of the device shown in
Figure 10.
Like reference-letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
A is a vat adapted to contain liquid and suitably supported on bearers B. It is
provided with an internal flange A¹ and an external flange A²: The internal
flange A supports a perforated plate C, each perforation C of which is adapted to
receive a jar, bottle, or the like. Each jar or the like is furnished with a shoulder
or other suitable projection at the neck to prevent it from passing right through
the perforation C. D is a pipe, and D' a cock therein, through which the liquid
contained in the vat A may be blown out or drained away as desired. A heating
coil or other suitable means placed in the vat A is employed to heat the liquid
contents of the vat, for a purpose hereinafter specified.
E is a cover, flanged externally at E' and supported upon the external flauge A²
of the vat, a layer of packing F being placed between the two flanges, as shewn.
GG are screw clamps, hinged to the vat at G¹ and adapted to press the said two
flanges together to ensure the maintenance of a sufficiently tight joint between
them.
H is a closed chamber, attached to the lower end of a screw threaded spindle I
which extends to the exterior of the cover E through a stuffing box E³. The screw

page_text: threaded portion of the said spindle passes through a nut J which is provided with
a hand-wheel J1 and turns in bearings in standards K fixed upon the cover.
LL are guide rods fixed to the chamber H. M M are guides into which the
guide rods enter, to guide and steady the chamber H in its vertical movement.
N is a pipe communicating with the interior of the chamber H and passing to the
exterior of the cover through a stuffing-box E³ on the latter. This pipe slides in
the said stuffing-box when the chamber H is moved, and is provided with a two-
way cock N' by which it may be put into communication with the gauge N and a
suitable air pump or exhauster. O is a gauge attached to the cover E, to indicate
the amount of fluid pressure existing thereunder. P is a pet-cock.
Q is a traveller the construction of which is well understood. The block Q
thereof is connected by a shackle Q' with the head of the spindle, I. R is a joist
upon which the traveller runs.
To the underside of the chamber H are secured, by suitable means, suction
devices S, one of which is illustrated in detail by Figures 3, 4 and 5. Each device
is situated directly over a jar in the vat, and comprises a hollow spindle S¹
provided with a flange S2 and adapted to be screwed into the underside of the
chamber A as shown, a centrally perforated cup S3 of india rubber placed below
the flange S2 and provided with a tapered circumferential lip or flange S' and with
blocks S³ extending radially inward from the circumference of the cup towards its
centre, a perforated washer S° placed below the cup, and recessed, in places, to
clear the blocks S³, and a perforated flanged screw S to screw into the lower part
of the spindle S¹ and to hold the washer So against the part S³, and the latter against
the flange S. The blocks limit the downward movement of the cups relatively to
the jars in the operation hereinafter described, and prevent undue distortion of the
former.
The modified device shown in Figures 10 to 14 is constructed to give greater
flexibility to the sucker and to allow the same to tilt sideways where required to
.accommodate itself to jar covers that are not quite horizontal. It is also provided
with a valve to automatically close the passage leading to the chamber in case the
jar cover breaks or becomes detached.
The india rubber sucker S³ is made considerably deeper than that shown in
Figure 3 and it is made without the blocks S. It is however supported by a
coiled spring S to prevent collapse when air is exhausted therefrom, to prevent
distortion of the cups when lifting the jars, and also to furnish a gradual pressure
to the stoppers when forcing the latter to their seating on the jars. Moreover the
perforated flanged screw S7 is furnished with a valve S' that rests loosely on the
top of the screw and is adapted to close the passage in the piece S.
Should
the cover of the jar break or become detached this valve will be forced by the air
pressure to its seat and will close the passage leading to the chamber H and thus
preserve intact the vacuum in the said chamber. The other jars therefore remain
unaffected. The dish S serves to catch the water that condenses on the spindle
and prevents the same from falling on the jars.
66
TT are the jars, one of which, stoppered, is shown in Figure 6. T¹ is a
flaring" flange formed upon the neck. T3 is an internal ledge and T³ an external
shoulder. U is the stopper or lid provided on its underside with an annular pro-
jection U¹ and on its upper side with an outwardly-turned flange U². V is a
packing-ring of india-rubber or other suitable material which may either be placed
on the ledge T2 of the jar or placed or sprung upon the projection U₁ of the lid.
W is a wax or other filling run into the channel between the flange T' and the
lid U to make a good joint between the two. The jar, the stopper, and the
projection on the latter, may all be of any shape other than circular, as may
.be desired.
The jar neck shown by Figure 8 is similar to that illustrated by Figure 6 with
the exception that the annular ring or projection U₁ is dispensed with.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-The cover E is raised clear of
the vat A by the traveller Q which acts upon the spindle I and with it raises the

page_text: cover E, chamber H and their attachments, and the vat A is then filled with water,
nearly up to the level of the perforated plate C. The jars T with the stoppers U
in place, but not sealed with wax, are then dropped into the perforations C of the
plate so that their lower ends dip into the water and their shoulders T³ rest upon
the adjacent parts of the plate.
Then
Next, the cover E is lowered into place and secured by the clamps G.
the hand-wheel J' is turned to rotate the nut J in such a direction that the screw-
threaded spindle I will be lowered together with the chamber H. to bring the
flexible lips S of the cups S³ into close contact with the stoppers U. The closed
inner chamber I is now, through the two-way stop-cock N placed in communi-
cation with a suitable air-pump or other exhauster, which being put in action will
exhaust the air froin the said chamber and simultaneously from the interior of the
whole of the said rubber cups or suction-devices, and so produce a vacuum therein.
Next, the hand-wheel J' is turned to rotate the nut J in such a direction that the
screw-threaded spindle I will be raised with the chamber H and its attachments;
the external pressure of the atmosphere in the vat will cause the lids or stoppers
of the jars to adhere each to its respective cup or suction device and by the raising
of the spindle and chamber the whole of the lids or stoppers will simultaneously be
lifted off the jars and held at a distance above them, so as to allow of the free
escape of the air and steam from within the jars as hereinafter explained. The
cock P is now opened and the water in the vat is heated by any suitable means so
that most of the air in the jars expands into the space above the liquid in the vat
and together with a considerable amount of the air in the rest of the apparatus
escapes with the steam through the cock P which is closed at the expiration of a
suitable period. Then the hand wheel J' is turned to rotate the nut J in such a
direction that the spindle I will be lowered and the chamber H and stoppers
therewith, and the latter will be forced down so as to compress the packing rings V
and thus close completely the mouths of the jars. It will be observed that the
vacuum in the chamber H and cups S³ has been maintained up to this point;
I may construct a suitable indicator to indicate the amount of pressure put upon the
stoppers and I may also provide sight-holes so that the cups and the interior of
the apparatus may be observed. When the stoppers or lids have been forced
down upon the jars as described I may blow off or drain out through a suitable
trap the hot water by the pipe D at the bottom of the vat, and permit the
apparatus to cool down. I may facilitate the cooling, if necessary, by injecting
cold water or other cooling medium into the apparatus, or by otherwise artificially
cooling it.
It will be observed that inasmuch as the lids or stoppers have been put back
upon the jars while the latter were filled with, and surrounded by an atmosphere of,
steam, the ingress of air to the jars is effectually prevented, and that when the
steam within the jars has condensed a high vacuum will exist within them.
If next the cover E be released and raised by the traveller the pressure of the
atmosphere will cause the jars and stoppers to adhere to each other and the
stoppers to adhere to the cups S3 so that the whole of the jars will rise out of
the perforations C₁ as the chamber H rises and instead of being dealt with singly
can be conveyed, in one operation, to a convenient place whereat the cups S³ can
be caused to release them to enable the wax filling to be run into place.
It will be obvious that it, from any cause, any of the jars have failed to maintain
a vacuum, such jars will not be lifted out of the vat, the stoppers only will go up
when the cover of the vat is lifted, and there will be no danger of jars in which the
vacuum is imperfect being sealed and passed as right.
To open a jar the wax filling is cut through with a sharp instrument, whereupon
any convenient lever with its end placed under the flange U2 can be turned upon
the top of the flange T' as a fulcrum to prize the stopper or lid open.
Instead of heating the water after is put into the vat I may run in water at a
sufficiently high temperature from a steam boiler or the like, or otherwise provide
for the desired heating effect.

page_text: Instead of passing the jars through a perforated plate, upon which they are
supported by their flanges they may be arranged to stand on a perforated false-
bottom or may be placed or held in any other convenient manner within the vat, it
being understood that each jar has provided directly over it a cup or suction-device
for the purpose hereinbefore explained.
In the alternative construction of jar illustrated in Figure 7, the jar has an
annular groove T at its mouth, the said groove being preferably made taper in
cross-section as shown. The stopper U is provided with a rim Ú¹ of similar, but
smaller, cross-section, arranged to dip into and rest on the bottom of the said
groove. The stopper is formed with a convex lower face as shown. In this
modification I sometimes dispense with india-rubber or other packing, and in
operating with such jars I run into the groove T a suitable quantity of liquid wax
or other filling, put the lids or stoppers on the jars, and then put the jars into the
vat and proceed as herein before explained up to the point where the water or other
heating medium is run off from the vat to facilitate the cooling of the same.
when the rubber rings are omitted the lids or covers are not thereafter dealt with
until the wax or other filling in the grooves of the jars has become "set";
otherwise the liquid wax would be forced by the pressure of the outer air over the
inner edges of the grooves into the jars. In order however to allow of removing
the jars before the wax is set without risk of forcing the wax over the inner edge
of the groove, I sometimes place a paper, felt, rubber, or other washer in the
bottom of the groove T₁ to form a joint with the edge of the ring U' and thus
separate the wax inside the ring U' from that outside the ring,
But
I will now proceed to describe the device constructed according to this invention
and illustrated in Figure 9 for supplying the filling of wax or other fluid material
to the grooves of the jars :-It consists of two similar cylindrical receivers a, b
fixed vertically into a block or body-piece c. Each receiver is provided at its
upper end with a stuffing-box d. Through the said stuffing-box and into the
receiver there slides a well-fitting hollow cylindrical piston f, closed, top and
bottom, by plates f₁ which are centrally perforated and provided with a tube f2
which lies preferably in the axial line of the piston. In a chamber f³ formed at
the lower end of the said tube is fitted a hollow valve for a purpose hereinafter
explained. The said valve rests upon a perforated support h¹. In the body
piece c are formed stopcocks having ways as shown, by which the receivers a
and may be put into communication either with a supply or filling channel c¹ or
with a jet c that is suitably shaped for delivering the liquid wax into the grooves
of the jars. The plugs k¹ of the said stopcocks are connected together by
means of levers j, k2 and a link / so that any motion given to one is simultaneously
communicated to the other. The receivers a and b are encased in a jacket m to
which steam or hot water may be admitted by a pipe m' for the purpose of
maintaining the contents of the receivers in a liquid state. The water of
condensation or waste-water is run off by an elbow pipe m². A spring, not shown
in the drawing, is provided for the purpose of forcing the lever against a stop j³,
projecting from the wall of the apparatus, and causing the stopcocks to maintain
normally a desired position, the said position being, in the present example, that
in which they are shown in the drawing. Another stop is provided for a
purpose hereinafter specified. The filling channel c³ is connected by a jacketed
tube, which may be either flexible metallic or other tubing, or rigid tubing, with
a vessel placed overhead, which vessel is also jacketed, and steam or hot water is
caused to circulate in the jacket spaces for the purpose of maintaining the wax
or other suitable material which is put into the inner part of the vessel, in a
liquid state. If the connection between this vessel and the receivers a and b
aforesaid is made by means of flexible tubing the overhead vessel may be
stationary, but if rigid tubing be used for this purpose, the said overhead vessel
will preferably be hung from the end of a cord or chain, which passes over a
pulley and is provided at its other end with a counterpoise to allow of the delivery
apparatus being moved about as desired for the purpose of running the wax on

page_text: bottles or jars. The jacket space of the connecting tubes is preferably in
communication with the receiver jacket m and with the jacket space of the over-
head vessel aforesaid. Instead of heating the wax by means of steam or hot
water I may heat it, by heat conducted into the apparatus by metallic projections
fixed to convenient parts thereof, the said metallic projections being heated by
gas lamps or other suitable and convenient source of heat. I will now proceed to
explain the use of this waxing-apparatus. Into the overhead vessel aforesaid is
put paraffin-wax or other suitable wax and the said vessel, the connecting tubing,
and delivery apparatus are heated either by steam or hot water circulating in the
jackets thereof or by any other of the means heretofore referred to.
If now
the stopcocks are in the normal position, in which they are shown in the drawing,
the melted wax will flow into the receiver b, the hollow valve of which, in its
normal position, rests upon its perforated support so that a space is left between
the conical head of the valve, and the valve-seating for the passage of air expelled
from the receiver by the liquid wax or other filling as it rises in the receiver b.
When the filling reaches the hollow valve the latter floats up to its seating, to
which it is guided by suitable projections, and prevents the further rise of wax in
the valve-chamber. If now the lever is pulled over to the other stop, the
receiver which has just been filled as described, will be shut off from the filling
channel c¹ and placed in communication with the jet c through which the liquid
wax or other filling will run out; the hollow valve h aforesaid by falling away
from its seating admits air to the receiver to take the place of the wax that flows
out. The said movement of the lever will shut off the companion receiver a from
the delivery jet c³ and place it in communication with the filling channel c¹ so that
the said companion receiver a will fill while the receiver b first filled is being
emptied. It will thus be seen that by the simple movement of a lever between
fixed stops, uniform quantities of liquid wax may be run out, without requiring
any thought or judgment on the part of the operator. The capacity of the
receivers can be altered by pushing in or pulling out the pistons thereof, which
after adjustment are fixed in position by the clamping rings n n which screw
down on split and tapered parts o o¹ of the stuffing-box nuts and compress them
against the walls of the pistons, after the right position of the latter has been
determined, by preliminary trial. It will be obvious that by the use of this
apparatus the operation of "waxing" the jars will be facilitated and so simplified
that it may be entrusted to a young or unskilled attendant.
I may make other arrangements and constructions of the jars or stoppers to
facilitate the opening thereof, or I may otherwise modify the construction of the
apparatus and jars and lids as may be necessary or desirable, for I do not limit
my invention to the particular method and apparatus hereinbefore set forth by way
of example.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The method of stoppering jars and the like by placing them in a closed
chamber, utilizing a vacuum chamber therein, and suckers to lift the stoppers
therefrom, then heating the jars by hot liquid and vapour so as to form a partial
vacuum therein and in the closed chamber, next lowering the vacuum chamber to
replace the stoppers on the jars, then, when the jars are cool, raising the vacuum
chamber and suckers to lift the whole series of jars or the like, substantially as
described.
2. The method of sealing jars such as that illustrated in Figure 7 which method
consists in charging the groove with wax, placing the jar in a closed heating
chamber, and, when the wax is melted, lowering the lid or cover of the jar into
the wax by means of a pneumatic device without opening the heating chamber,
substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.
3. Apparatus for stoppering jars and the like, comprising a vat with means for
B

page_text: supporting the jars therein, means for heating the same, a cover, a vacuum
chamber movable with and adjustable relatively to the cover and provided with
flexible-mouthed suckers, substantially as described.
4. The vat-cover and vacuum chamber with the means for adjusting the latter,
substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.
5. The flexible lipped suckers with or without the internal spring, and with or
without the valve, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.
6. Apparatus for sealing jars and the like with wax or other filling having a
jacketed receiver fitted with a float valve which closes when the receiver is full
and opens to admit the air to replace the filling that flows out, substantially as
described, and for the purpose specified.
7. The apparatus for sealing jars and the like constructed substantially as
described with reference to Figure 9 of the drawings and operating as specified.
8. The apparatus substantially as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 of
the drawings and operating as, and for the purposes, specified.
Dahi ooth 1
1001
J. W. HORNER.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.