IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SCREWED STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER LIKE RECEPTACLES AND IN THE APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1884

page_text: We HORATIO WILLIAM CATON of 413 Mile End Road in the County of Middlesex,
Veterinary Surgeon, and ALEXANDER RICHMOND STOCKER of 78 Glengall Road,
Camberwell in the County of Surrey Engineer do hereby declare the nature of
said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SCREWED STOPPERS
FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER LIKE RECEPTACLES AND IN THE APPARATUS TO BE
EMPLOYED THEREIN" to be as follows:-
This invention relates to further improvements upon or modifications of the
lower die or matrix described and shewn at figure 1 in the specification to Lotters
Patent No 1404 AD 1880 and has for its object the manufacture or production
from "dust" or powdered clay by compression in a more perfect expeditious and
economical manner than heretofore of the larger class of bottle stoppers or of
feeding bottle tops (in contradistinction to what are known as sprinklers) provided
with screwed shanks and formed with a perforation passing wholly or only.
partially through the said stopper by the aid of moulds or matrices of a more
simple construction and arrangement than has heretofore been proposed for this
purpose the said improved moulds or matrices not only serving to form the screw
thread on the shank and to facilitate its release from the mould but at the same
time to form a hole or perforation in the said stopper for the reception of the
"runner bits" or supporting pins which maintain or support the stopper whilst in
the "saggers" during the operation of glazing.
Hitherto this particular class of bottle stoppers has been made in moulds or
matrices divided longitudinally into two halves hinged or otherwise fitted together
but the result was an imperfect stopper showing more or less of a fin or web down
the centre on each side where the two halves of the mould met, whilst the
simultaneous production of a perfect milling round the head of the stopper was
rendered almost impossible by reason of the difficulty in opening the divided
moulds without injury to the milling.
Now according to this invention we simplify the construction of the matrix or
lower die referred to in the said specification N° 14040 by dispensing with the
central stationary supporting pin, whereby we are enabled to make the central

page_text: rotary spindle solid in lieu of tubular. We also dispense with the use of the
peculiar top tool with its releasing arrangement described in the said specification
and employ the simplified arrangement of matrix hereinafter described consisting
of a fixed block or holder in the interior of which we secure by a set screw or
otherwise an annular collar or matrix of any desired depth the inner wall of which
may be left plain or grooved longitudinally through the whole or a portion of its
depth according as the head of the screwed stopper is to be left plain or milled.
Inside this collar is fitted concentrically an annular die for shaping the underside
of the head of the stopper and for lifting or releasing the same after compression.
The exterior of this die may if desired be grooved longitudinally to correspond to
the grooving in the interior of the collar, or it may be loft plain provided the
grooving in the collar does not extend entirely through the same. In the centre
of the said annular die or lifter fits a solid rotating spindle having an internally
screwed matrix or cavity sunk into its upper end for forming the screwed part or
stem of the stopper, said matrix having a central pin or projection fixed to or
formed in one with the solid rotating spindle for the purpose of producing a holo
or perforation extending either entirely or only partially through the stopper
longitudinally which perforation, whether partial or complete, serves for the
reception of the usual pin or holder for supporting the stopper upright whilst boing
fired in the glazing process and when made completely through serves also for the
passage of the rubber tube employed with feeding bottle tops the length of the
said central pin inside the screwed matrix being such in the latter case, as to pass
completely through the stopper into a corresponding recess in the face of the top
tool or plunger which enters the lower die and is worked by a By_ press or
otherwise. Near the lower end of_the_lifter`dio_an internal screw is provided_
through which works a screw thread formed on the rotating solid spindle the pitch
of the said screw corresponding to that of the screw to be produced on the stopper.
A hand wheel is fitted onto the lower end of the solid screwed-spindle for turning
the same, and the spindle itself along with the lifter die, is raised and lowered as
_required by a hand or foot-lever_or_other_suitable_mechanical_contrivance. The
upper die forming the top or head of the stopper, may be milled or grooved round
its edge as required to fit the collar die herein before referred to. If desired when
the stopper is to be perforated throughout, the perforating pin or projection, may
be formed in or fixed to the centre of the said top die in lieu of being situate in
the centre of the solid rotating spindle, or both arrangements may be used in
combination if preferred the two pins meeting together. Exit- openings are
provided in the dies or matrices employed for the free escape of any "dust" that
may have passed between the collar die and the bottom or lifting die. In using this
apparatus the interior of the annular or collar die as well as the lower matrix
forming the screwed stem is filled with clay dust and the top die is then brought
down so as to compress the said "dust." The top die is then withdrawn and the
screwed portion of the stopper is released from its screwed matrix by suitably
rotating the screwed spindle which causes the matrix to be unscrewed from the
stopper leaving the stem of the stopper perfectly free. The completed stopper is
then raised above the fluted collar die by raising the spindle and lifter die and the
stopper can then be lifted off.

page_text: We HORATIO WILLIAM CATON of 413 Mile End Road in the County of Middlesex
Veterinary Surgeon and ALEXANDER RICHMOND STOCKER of 78 Glengall Road
Camberwell in the County of Surrey do hereby declare the nature of our invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SCREWED STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES
AND OTHER LIKE RECEPTACLES AND IN THE APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statoment:—
Our said invention relates to the manufacture from clay dust by compression in
undivided moulds or matrices, of the larger class of screwed bottle stoppers such
for example as Stoppers for beer bottles, feeding bottle tops and the like in contra-
distinction to what are known as perfume sprinklers, and has for its object the
manufacture of stoppers of the kind' referred to in a more perfect expeditious and
economical manner than heretoforo.
The larger class of screwed bottle stoppers has hitherto been made from clay in
a soft or plastic state in moulds or matrices divided longitudinally into two halves
hinged or otherwise fitted together and the smaller class of screwed perforated
stoppers known as perfume sprinkler tops have been made from clay dust by
compression under a plunger in an undivided mould or matrix as described with
reference to figure 1 of the drawings attached to the specification of Letters Patent
granted to the said Alexander Richmond Stocker N° 1404 A.D. 1880.
In the former case the result was an imperfect stopper showing more or less of a
fin or web down the centre on each side where the two halves of the divided mould
met, and the simultaneous, production of a perfect milling round the head of the
stopper was rendered almost impossible by reason of the difficulty in opening the.
mould without injury to the milling.
In the latter case the apparatus employed was of two costly and complicated a
nature to be economically available for the manufacture of the particular class of
stoppers to which our present invention has special reference.
Now according to our said invention we so simplify and improve the apparatus
referred to in the aforesaid specification as to render it suitable for the production
in a perfect and economical manner from clay dust of screwed stoppers for beer
bottles, and feeding bottle tops whilst at the same time perforating the same when
required either partially or throughout for the reception of runner bits or supporting
pins for maintaining the stopper upright whilst being conveyed to the saggers or
stacked therein during the process of glazing thus avoiding loss from breakages.
We dispense with the central stationary supporting pin o and tubular spindle m
surrounding the same in the matrix of the aforesaid apparatus and substitute
therefor a single central rotary spindle which may be solid (if desired in lieu of
tubular) combined with an annular lifter die and provided with a central internally
screwed cavity sunk into the upper solid end of the said central spindle or formed
in a separate piece attached thereto said cavity in either case being made with a
solid closed bottom and serving for the production of the screw thread round the
plug of the stopper. This cavity is in some cases provided with a contral pin of
suitable length for producing either a partial or a complete perforation of the

page_text: aforesaid or for the passage of the tube in the case of feeding bottle tops.
In some cases if preferred when making perforated feeding bottle tops the
perforating pin may be formed on or fixed to the top tool or plunger which is made
solid or in one piece, the outer annular slide b the inner slide c the cross bar e
slot fand spring g of the plunger referred to in the specification aforesaid being
all dispensed with and a plain solid plunger alone being substituted therefor said
solid plunger with its perforating pin being caused to enter and fit accurately the
simplified matrix a corresponding sunk recess being in that case provided in the
bottom of the internally screwed cavity for the reception of the end of the
perforating pin; or a shorter perforating pin may be provided on both the top tool
or plunger and in the internally screwed cavity of the single central rotating
spindle of the lower die or matrix so that the two pins may meet together in the
centre of the stopper.
Figure 1 of the drawings hereunto attached is an elevation and partial section
(half the full size) of a solid screwed and partially perforated bottle stopper
produced by our improved and simplified apparatus.
Figure 2 is an elevation of a screwed feeding bottle top perforated throughout
also produced by our said apparatus.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of our improved and simplified lower die or matrix
specially adapted for the manufacture of the aforesaid stoppers and shown as
charged with "dust" ready for the descent of the plunger or top tool therein.
Figure 3 is an elevation and partial section of the said plunger to be used in
combination with the said lower dio or matrix.
—Figure 4 is a view similar to figure_3_showing the "dust"as.compressed-into-
the form of a beer bottle stopper the partially perforated screwed plug of which
is represented as released from the solid bottomed screwed die or cavity sunk in or
carried by the single central rotating spindle.
Figuro 5 is a similar view showing the moulded and partially perforated stopper
lifted to the top of the matrix-and-ready-to-be-removed-and-placed on the
supporting pins or runner bits for conveyance to and stacking in the saggers for
the glazing operation.
с
a is a fixed block or holder secured in.any convenient manner to a work bench
- or table and having secured therein by a set screw or otherwise an annular collar
die b of proper depth to hold the required amount of clay dust the inner wall of
which collar die may be left plain or grooved longitudinally throughout the whole
or a portion of its depth according as the head of the screwed stopper is to be left
plain or milled. Inside this collar die is fitted concentrically the well known
annular die or lifter c for shaping the underside of the head of the stopper and for
lifting or releasing the same from the matrix after compression as is well under-
stood. The exterior of this die may if desired be grooved longitudinally to
correspond to the grooving in the interior of the collar die 6 or it may be left
plain provided (as shown in our drawings) the grooving in the collar die b does not
extend entirely through the same in which case the smooth external surface of the
lifter die c will fit accurately the lower or ungrooved part of the collar die. In
the centre of the said lifter die fits a single rotating spindle & which may be solid
throughout, or made solid at its upper end at least, in which solid part there is
sunk (as shown in the detail figure 6) an internally screwed .matrix or cavity e
having a solid closed bottom, or if preferred the said cavity may be sunk into
a separate piece f secured to the upper end of the said spindle as shown in
Figures 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings annexed. This cavity forms the screwed part
or stem of the stopper and has a pin or projection g fixed to or formed centrally in
the solid bottom thereof for the purpose of producing a hole or perforation
extending according to the length of pin either partially or completely through the
stopper longitudinally which perforation whether partial (as shown in figure 1) or
complete (as shown in figure 2) serves for the reception of the usual pin or holder
for supporting the stopper upright whilst being fired in the glazing process and,
-

page_text: when perforated completely through the said perforation serves also for the passage
of the rubber tube employed with feeding bottle tops, the length of the said
central perforating pin being such, in the latter case, as to pass completely through
the stopper and enter a corresponding sunk recess provided for the purpose in the
face of the top tool or plunger h (figure 3) which plunger enters and fits accurately
the annular collar b and is worked by a fly press or otherwise. Near the lower
end of the lifter die c an internal screw is provided through which works a screw
thread formed on the rotating solid central spindle d the pitch of the said screw
corresponding to that of the screw to be produced on the stopper as is well under-
stood. A hand wheel i is fitted onto the lower end of this solid screwed spindle
for turning the same, and the spindle itself along with the lifter die o is raised and
lowered as required by a hand or foot lever k or other suitable mechanical con-
trivance. The top tool or plunger h which forms the upper surface of the bead of
the stopper may be milled or grooved round its edge as required to fit the grooves
in the collar die herein before referred to. If desired when the stopper is to be
perforated throughout the perforating pin or projection may be formed on or fixed
to the centre of the said top die and caused to enter a small recess in the centre of
the cavity e in lieu of being situate in the centre of the said cavity or both
arrangements may be used in combination if preferred the two pins meeting
together.
Suitable exit openings as is also well understood are provided in the dies or
matrices employed for the free exit of any "dust" that may escape between the
collar die and the annular lifter die, which die is prevented from rotating by
feathers engaging with keyways in the block a.
In using this apparatus the lifter die and solid central rotating spindle.d having
been lowered to their proper positions the interior of the collar die b as well as
the cavity for forming the screwed stem are filled with clay dust as shown
in figure 3 from the board or table and the "Dust" having been smoothed off
level with the top of the collar die b the top die or plunger figure 3ª is brought
down so as to compress the said "dust." It is then withdrawn and the screwed
portion of the stopper is released from its screwed matrix or cavity e by suitably
rotating the solid screwed spindle d which causes the matrix or cavity e to be
unscrewed from the stopper leaving the stem of the stopper perfectly free as in
figure 4. The completed stopper is then raised slightly above the top of the collar
die b by raising the lifter die to the position shown in figure 5 and indicated by
the dotted line k¹ in figure 4 the partially or wholly perforated stopper as the case
may be can then be lifted off and deposited on the runner bits or supporting pins.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
The use in the manufacture from compressed clay dust of screwed stoppers for
beer and other like bottles, and feeding bottle tops, of an undivided mould provided
with a central screwed rotating spindle having an internally screwed matrix or
cavity with a closed or solid bottom sunk in or attached to the upper end of the
said rotating spindle, in combination with an annular lifter die and a solid plunger
fitting and entering the said undivided mould as hereinbefore described and
illustrated by the drawings annexed.