Improvements relating to Teats for Feeding-bottles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Sept., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 15th June, 1900-Accepted, 21st July, 1900
PROVIDIONAL DIMULTICATION.
Improvements relating to Teats for Feeding-bottles.
I, LOUIS CONTANT, of 28, Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle, Paris, in the Republic
of France, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
Hitherto the admission of air into bottles intended for feeding infants has been
obtained either by means of a valve placed upon the bottle or by means of a valve
forming part of the teat.
In either case, the cleansing of the valve is effected with difficulty and then only
imperfectly, so that the impurities which it may retain and conceal are liable
to contaminate the milk.
When the valve is arranged upon the bottle itself, it is necessary to use special
bottles which are not only expensive but can only be replaced with difficulty in
case of accident.
In order to obviate this defect, I have devised a removable plug adapted for
the admission of air and capable of application upon a teat of any kind without
further preparation than a small incision in the india rubber.
It is only when the infant sucks the teat that air passes through the tube which
traverses the plug and in sufficient quantity to cause a flow of milk.
My air admission plug thus obviates the necessity of bottles of special
construction, as teats provided with this plug may be used with a flask or bottle
of
any
kind.
This air admission plug may be cleansed with the greatest case; it is only
necessary, in case of obstruction of the air conduit, to pass a needle or very small
wire through the tube in order to unstop it.
When the teat is no longer fit for use, the air admission plug may be instan-
taneously applied to a fresh teat.
It should be stated that whilst suction is taking place, the feat, of whatever
kind it may be, never becomes flattened, sufficient air being admitted to ensure
a flow of milk.
In order that my invention may be readily and clearly understood, I have re-
presented in the accompanying drawing, but by way of example only, the device
which forms the subject thereof.
Figure 1 shews to an enlarged scale, my removable air admission plug in
external elevation.
Figure 2 is a vertical section through the same.
Figure 3 is an external elevation shewing the plug adapted to a teat.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section through a teat provided with this plug.
In these figures similar létters of reference are used to designate like parts.
As shewn in the drawing, the plug is formed with a groove or channel b
into which the edges of the incision made in the teat c fit tightly.
Through the middle of this plug passes a tube d the internal diameter of which
is sufficient to enable, whilst the child is sucking, air to enter the interior of the
bottle which contains the liquid food in the form of globules.

page_text: It will of course be understood that the plug and the tube may be made in one
piece also that the parts may be of any suitable shape, and dimensions, also that
they may be of any, appropriate substance such as gold, silver, platinum, nickel,
pewter, mother-of-pearl, porcelain or the like, without in any way altering the
principle of my invention.
Tad this 15th
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
I, LOUIS CONTANT, of 28, Boulevard Bonne Nouvelle, Paris, in the Republic
of France, Engineer, 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: —
Hitherto the admission of air into bottles intended for feeding infants has been
obtained either by means of a valve placed upon the bottle itself or by means of a
valve forming part of the teat.
In either case, the cleansing of the valve is effected with difficulty and then only
imperfectly, so that the impurities and decomposed portions of the milk or food
retained therein are liable to contaminate the fresh milk or food when introduced
into the bottle.
+
When the valve is arranged upon the bottle itself, it is necessary to use special
bottles which are not only expensive, but can only be replaced with difficulty in
case of accident.
In order to obviate these defects, I have devised a removable plug adapted for
the admission of air and capable of application upon a teat of any kind without
further preparation than a small incision in the india rubber.
It is only when the infant sucks the teat that air passes through the tube which
traverses the plug, and in sufficient quantity to cause a flow of milk or food.
My improved air admission plug thus obviates the necessity of bottles of special
construction, as teats provided with this plug may be used with a flask or bottle
of any kind.
This air admission plug may be cleansed with the greatest ease; it is only
necessary, in case of obstruction of the air conduit, to pass a needle or very small
wire through the tube in order to unstop it.
When the teat is no longer fit for use, the air admission plug may be instan-
taneously applied to a fresh teat.
It should be stated that whilst suction is taking place, the teat, of whatever
kind it may be, never becomes flattened, sufficient air being admitted to ensure
a flow of food.
In order that my invention may be readily and clearly understood, I have re-
presented in the drawings accompanying my Provisional Specification, but by
way of example only, a device embodying my invention.
Figure 1 shews to an enlarged scale, my removable air. admission plug 'in
external elevation.
Figure 2 is a vertical section through the same.
Figure 3 is an external elevation shewing the plug adapted to a teat!
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section through a teat provided with this plug.
Similar letters of reference designate like parts in all the figures,
TT

page_text: As shewn in the drawing, the plug a is formed with an annular groove or
channel b into which the edges of the incision made in the teat & fit tightly.
Through the middle of this plug a tube d the internal diameter of which
is sufficient to enable, whilst the child is sucking, air to enter the interior of the
bottle which contains the liquid food in the form of globules.
It will of course be understood that the plug and the tube may be made in one
piece; also that the parts may be of any suitable shape, and dimensions, also that
they may be of any. appropriate substance such as gold, silver, platinum, nickel,
pewter, mother-of-pearl, porcelain or the like, without in any way altering the
principle of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
:-
A removable air admission plug or valve for feeding bottles constructed arranged
and operating substantially as herein before described with reference to the
drawings and for the purpose specified.
1-11 1
T
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.