Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 28th June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 28th Mar., 1895-Accepted, 4th May, 1895
WILLIAM ROBERT MAUD Chemist and Dentist Pontefract do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
To an ordinary corkscrew is attached just above the worm of the screw a
revolving disc or washer, upon the under side of which are fixed points or pegs of
suitable size and number. When the corkscrew is forced into the cork in the
ordinary way, the points or pegs are also pressed into the cork, but as soon as they
are driven quite home, the revolving disc becomes automatically locked or fixed
upon the stem of the corkscrew and thus when the person using the same continues
to turn the corkscrew the cork itself is forced round and can thus be drawn from
the bottle with much greater ease than by the ordinary method, and further the
corkscrew cannot pull through the cork without drawing it.
Dated this 97th law of Tuna 10011
1. WILLIAM ROBERT MAUD, of Pontefract in the County of York, Chemist,
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:—
This invention relates to improvements in corkscrews, and its object is to enable
corks to be drawn from the necks of beer, wine, and other bottles more readily
than at present by causing the corks to be simply twisted from their beds or
positions in the necks of the bottles with ease and safety, thereby reducing the
liability of breakage, either of the cork or neck of the bottle, to a minimum,
and at the same time preventing the corkscrew pulling through the cork without
drawing it.
The above object is attained by combining with, say, an ordinary corkscrew
above its worm or twisted thread an attachment consisting of a disc or washer
capable of being automatically locked and unlocked by any convenient means with
the stem or handle of the corkscrew; the said disc or washer being also armed
on its underside with any desired number of pendant pins arranged to enter the
top of the cork as the twisted thread or worm passes into and through it.
In the accompanying drawings I have shown two ways of carrying the invention
into practice but I wish it to be distinctly understood that the illustrations therein
given are to be taken as examples only of simple, ready, and inexpensive methods
that might be employed for automatically locking and unlocking the disc or washer
with the stem of the corkscrew.
In the drawings :-
--
Fie is an elevation of a corkscrew with my invention applied.

page_text: Figs 2 to 5 inclusive are respectively elevations and plans of some of the details
of the corkscrew shown at Fig. 1.
Fig. 6 is an elevation of another method of applying my invention to a
corkscrew.
Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive are respectively elevations and plans of some of the
details of the corkscrew shown at Fig. 6.
Like parts in all the views are marked with similar letters of reference.
A is the twisted metal thread or worm hereafter termed the worm, provided with
a pointed end for entering the cork, and B the handle or top of the corkscrew
which is employed for turning the worm and which may be of any suitable or
convenient shape or configuration and material such as for instance of metal. Both
these parts may be of ordinary construction and connected or fixed together in the
usual manner.
In the drawings the parts A and B are shown screwed together at
Fig. 1.
Above the worm A and the base of the handle B is a shank C which may be
either square as shown at Fig. 1 or round as shown at Fig. 6, or of any other
suitable and convenient shape and length. The shank C may be formed either by
slightly reducing the upper end of the worm A as shown at Fig. 1 or by forming
on or fixing thereto by any suitable means a collar c as shown at Fig. 6. On the
shauk C is arranged to slide a disc or washer D provided with a round central
hole d; armed on its underside with any desired number, say for instance two
or three of short pins or pegs E which are employed for entering the top of
the cork as the worm A enters and passes through it. The hole d is bored
or otherwise formed of such a diameter that the shank C will readily pass
through it.
On the underside of the disc or washer D as shown at Fig. 1 or on its top
or upper surface as shown at Fig. 6, is cut or otherwise formed any desired
number, say for example two, three or more,-of inclines or projections to form
teeth F, each of which may be somewhat similar to a ratchet tooth, and which
in the example given at Fig. 1 engage with a second and smaller washer G having
also on its upper surface a corresponding number of inclines or teeth Farranged
to mesh with the teeth F on the disc or washer D thereby forming a simple and
convenient arrangement of clutch. The washer G is provided with a square
hole
to fit and slide upon the shank C.
I would have it understood that if desired the washer G may be arranged to.
form part of or be fixed to the shank C.
At Fig. 6 where the teeth F are formed on the upper portion of the disc or
washer D the washer G is shown to project slightly beyond and to form part of the
base 6 of the handle B, or it may be attached thereto by any convenient means.
The disc or washer D shown at Fig. 6 is also shown provided with a recess d' in
which may when preferred be inserted the spiral spring H which is employed for
aiding in raising from or causing the teeth F to ride more readily over the teeth F
before the two sets of teeth are locked together as well as for pressing the pins
into the cork. The disc or washer D revolves with the corkscrew until its worm A
has sufficiently entered the cork and until the pins E have come in contact with its
top, when by the continued rotation of the handle B the worm A causes the pins E
to be forced or driven completely into the cork by base coming in contact with
the top of the boss of the disc or washer D as at Fig. 1, or at Fig. 6 by the action of
the teeth and F1 passing over each other until they become automatically locked
or meshed together, when by continuing to turn or rotate the corkscrew, the
cork will be readily carried round with the pins E and withdrawn from the neck of
the bottle by a slight upward movement being imparted to the corkscrew at the.
same time that it is rotated.
At Fig. 1 the cork forces the teeth F1 into contact with teeth F by raising the
washer G on the shank C, but at Fig. 6 a similar effect is obtained by the worm A
drawing the teeth F down to and in contact with the teeth F on the top of the
boss of the disc or washer D.

page_text: I would have it understood that any other suitable mechanical and equivalent
locking device, such as for instance an arrangement of pins and teeth or recesses
may be employed in place of the herein described clutch; also that I am aware
that pins fixed to the base of a corkscrew handle have been previously used;
I do not therefore broadly claim the use of such pins except when used in
combination with the other portions of my invention.
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. A corkscrew for withdrawing corks from the necks of bottles substantially
such as herein described and illustrated having an attachment consisting of a disc
or washer mounted upon a shank between the top of the worm and base of the
handle, and capable of being automatically locked and unlocked with the stem
or handle of the corkscrew, the said disc or washer being also armed on its
underside with any desired number of pendant pins arranged to enter the top of
the cork as the worm passes into and through it as and for the purposes set
forth.
2. In a corkscrew substantially such as herein set forth and illustrated, the
washer such as D mounted and sliding on a stem such as C and having teeth
such as F provided on its upper or lower face, arranged to mesh with teeth such
as F¹ formed on a washer such as G above or below the disc or washer D, said
disc being armed on its lower face with any desired number of pendant pins'as and
for the purposes herein set forth.
3. The combination in a corkscrew substantially such as herein described of the
worm A mounted in the handle B having a washer or disc D sliding on the stem C
between the top of the said worm and base of the said handle, said disc or washer
being armed on its underside with pendant pins E and having teeth F provided ou
its upper or under face arranged to mesh with a corresponding number of
teeth provided on the washer or projection G above or below the said disc or
washer D whereby the latter may be automatically locked and unlocked by merely
turning the corkscrew with its stem or handle as and for the purposes herein set
forth.
Dated this Twenty-seventh day of March 1895.