In- PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FIXING CAPSULES ON THE NECKS OF BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1853

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry John Betjemann, of New Oxford
Street, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "In-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FIXING CAPSULES ON THE NECKS OF
BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS."
Sealed the 5th April 1854, and dated the 5th October 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry John
Betjemaun at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
his Petition, on the 5th October 1858.
I, HENRY JOHN BETJEMANN, of New Oxford Street, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FIXING CAPSULES ON THE NECKS OF.
BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of a method of combining apparatus for.
pressing capsules on to the necks of bottles and other vessels. For.
this purpose several cords or bands are used, each independent of the.
other. One end of each is made fast to the upper part of the appa-.
ratus, and is at its other end connected with a spring or other means.
of admitting of separate elastic action or motion; and. each cord or
band is at the same time capable of being pulled.on by a treadle or.
otherwise. There are two sets of such bands or cords, and the cords.

page_text: in each set are bent in opposite directions. The bends of the neigh-
boring bands or cords of one set are caused to work between the
spaces of the neighboring cords or bands of the other set, by which
means a tubular eye or opening is formed, into which the neck of a
bottle or other vessel having a capsule on it is passed, when by pulling
on the several bands or cords they close on the capsule and cause it to
assume the figure of the neck; and by reason of the neighboring
cords or bands being capable of independent action they can be caused
to embrace a smaller or larger part of the neck. In order that the
bent part of each cord or band may expand to release the neck elas-
ticity is given to or caused to act on such bent part.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry John Betjemann in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 5th April 1854.
TO ALL TO WHOM
THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
HENRY JOHN BETJEMANN, of New Oxford Street, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-three, in the seven-
teenth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Henry John Betjemann, Her special
licence that I, the said Henry John Betjemann, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Henry John Betje-
mann, 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
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FIXING CAPSULES ON THE NECKS OF
BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Henry John Betjemann, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be per-

page_text: formed, 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 Henry John Betjemann, 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):
This Invention consists of a method of combining apparatus for
pressing capsules on to the necks of bottles and other vessels. For
this purpose several cords or bands are used, each independent of the
other. One end of each is made fast to the upper part of the appa-
ratus, and is at its other end connected with a spring or other means
of admitting of separate elastic action or motion; and each cord or
band is at the same time capable of being pulled on by a treadle or
otherwise. There are two sets of such bands or cords, and the cords
in each set are bent in opposite directions. The bends of the neigh-
bouring bands or cords of one set are caused to work between the
spaces of the neighbouring cords or bands of the other set, by which
means a tubular eye or opening is formed, into which the neck of a
bottle or other vessel having a capsule on it is passed, when by pulling
on the several bands or cords they close on the capsule and cause it to
assume the figure of the neck; and by reason of the neighbouring cords
or bands being capable of independent action they can be caused to
embrace a smaller or larger part of the neck. In order that the bent
part of each cord or band may expand to release the neck elasticity is
given to or caused to act on such bent part.
Having thus briefly described my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I will now proceed to give a
detailed account thereof, and describe the accompanying Drawings.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1, is a front view, Figure 2, a side view, Figure 3, a section,
and Figure 4, a plan of apparatus constructed according to my Inven-
tion. a, a, is the framing; b, is a treadle, similar to that of a lathe;
c, c, are connecting rods attached to the levers or arms d, d, which are
fixed to the squared ends of the parts e, e, which are mounted in bear-

page_text: ings at a', a', affixed to the framing a, a. To the parts e, e, are attached
several springs f, f, to which are affixed the one end of each of the
bands or cords g, g, their other ends being fastened to the framing a, a,
by screws or otherwise, as shewn. h, h, are pulleys or guides, to guide
and keep the cords or bands g, g, in their proper position. i, is a filling
piece, on which they rest when out of action. j, j, are levers or jaws
covered with vulcanized india-rubber, so as to offer a soft substance to
the neck of the bottle or vessel and capsule, which also serve to prevent
the cords or bands from escaping forwards (herein-after more fully
described). k, is the holder for the bottles or other vessels to be
capsuled, which I prefer should have strips of vulcanized india-rubber
within it, in order to offer additional contact, to insure the revolving of
the bottle or vessel. The holder k, is mounted on the frame k¹, k',
which frame is capable of a to and fro action between the friction
rollers a³, a², mounted on the frames a, a, attached to the framing
a, a. l, is a handle by which the holder k, and bottle or other vessel
contained, is caused to revolve. m, m, are weights, and n, n, cords,
having at all times a tendency to draw the holder k, forwards to the
opening formed by the bands or cords g, g. The cords n, n, pass over
pulleys o, o, mounted and attached to the framing a, a, as shewn; the
other ends of the cords n, n, being attached to the frame k¹, k¹. To
capsule a bottle or other vessel the capsule is first placed on the neck
by hand, as usual, and the bottle or vessel placed in the holder k, which
will be drawn forward by the weights m, m, into the opening p, sce
Figure 1, formed by the cords or bands g, g, until the capsule end
of the vessel arrives at the back plate a*, see Figure 2, which is clothed
with vulcanized india-rubber, and thus forms a cushion for it to revolve
in. The treadle b, is then to be pressed down, by which the connecting
rods c, c, will cause the levers d, d, to be also drawn down, as shewn by
the dotted lines in Figure 1; consequently the parts e, e, will turn in
their bearings a¹, a', and carry with them the springs f, f, and the ends of
the bands or cords g, g, attached thereto, in such manner as to cause them
to embrace tightly the capsule on to the neck of the bottle or other vessel;
the cords g, g, being attached to the springs f, and the springs f, f, being
capable of independent action, allowance is made for any form or con-
tour of vessel to be capsuled, the action on the springs f being according

page_text: to the various diameters of the neck of the vessel. The downward
action of the treadle b, also allows of the rod q being pressed down-
wards by the action of the spring, by which the links 8, 8, attached to
the rod q, and levers or jaws j, j, will also be caused to descend, and
thereby reduce such opening during the pressure of the cords or bands
9,9, on the capsule. The handle 1, is turned round while the pressure of
the cords is on the capsule and neck of the bottle, and the capsuling
will be complete. Then, by removing the pressure from the treadle b,
the treadle will be again borne upwards by the weight t, and carry
with it the rod q, thereby overcoming and compressing the spring r,
between the part a", of the framing and the stop q' of the rod q, and
thus acting upon the links 8, 8, and jaws j, j, in such manner as to open
them out; and as the cords or bands 9, 9, are stiffened by having
within them tempered steel wire, they also open out by the rising of
the treadle b, and parts connected therewith, and by drawing back the
frame k', ', and holder k, tho neck of the vessel may readily be
removed, and another bottle or vessel capsuled in like manner, and so
on continuously.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood that I make no
claim to any of the parts separately, nor do I confine myself to the
details shewn and described; but what I claim is, the combination of
the parts ff. 9, 9, and parts connected and acting therewith, as herein
explained.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry John Betjemann, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of April, in the year
Witness,
FRED HARRIS.
HENRY J. BETJEMANN. (L.S.)