Improvements in or connected with the Stoppering of Bottles and other Vessels and Means for Withdrawing the Contents of the same.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Jan., 1893-Accepted, 25th Feb., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with the Stoppering of Bottles and
other Vessels and Means for Withdrawing the Contents of the
same.
I, LUCIEN MAUSSION, of 19, Rue Crebillon, Nantes, in the Republic of France, .
Manufacturer, 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 apparatus for closing or stoppering bottles and other
vessels and for withdrawing the contents thereof the objects being to prevent the
gas from escaping when the liquid to be withdrawn is gaseous or under pressure;
to filter the air admitted to non-gaseous liquids or other products which deteriorate
under the action of impure air; and to prevent contact with the air in the case of
certain liquids
or other products which are spoiled even by the action of pure air,
such as the sulphurous mineral waters, oils, spirits and solutions which become
oxidised by the oxygen of the air.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figures 1 to 13 are vertical sections of the necks of bottles illustrating various
forms of my invention, and
Figure 14 is a vertical section of one form of my apparatus for withdrawing the
contents of bottles and other vessels.
Similar letters in all the figures indicate similar or corresponding parts.
According to my invention the stoppering is effected by means of a cork or
bushing a, a, Figure 1, of suitable substance such as metal composition or ceramic.
material adapted to fit in the mouth of the bottle (or other vessel) the axial-
passage c of the said bushing being closed by means of a conical plug or stopper d
as in Figures 1 and 2 a spherical stopper as in Figure 3 or a valve as in Figure 4..
The bushing a can be secured in the mouth 6 of the bottle (or other vessel) as
shewn in Figure 4, by a metal bail e placed over the same and made with a central.
hole to give passage to the drawing off apparatus hereinafter described, the said
bail being held in position by two legs or strips f, f secured by a wire g.
By driving the stopper d (Figures 1, 2 and 3) from without it will enter the
vessel and allow of the withdrawal of the liquid contained therein by means of one
of the apparatuses hereinafter described.
The bushing a may partially enter the mouth of the bottle as in Figure 2 and
be secured by an arrangement of spring eccentric or other suitable device the axial
passago c being provided with a lining of india-rubber or other suitable material
such as cork, leather or asbestos.
Instead of employing a bushing, the seating for an internal stopper, in the case.
of gaseous liquids, can be formed by contracting the mouth of the bottle (or other
vessel) as shewn at a in Figure 3 and providing the contracted portion with a.
lining of india-rubber or other suitable material. The bottle would be filled in.
an inverted position.
Figure 4 shews a stoppering and withdrawing arrangement for bottles containing
aërated or gaseous liquids whereby the necessity for a separate withdrawing
apparatus is dispensed with. In this arrangement the valve d is formed by lateral
holes in a tube j adapted to slide within a tube k fitted in the axial passage c of
the bushing a, the tube k being secured by the contraction of the cork or bushing a
when it is forced into the neck of the bottle. The tube is closed at its lower
end by a head I, a washer m of pure india-rubber forming a tight closing between
the head and tube k. n is an india-rubber jacket making a perfect joint at o and
secured by the nut p screwed over the end of the tube j; q is a spring compressed
between the nut p and a collar through which the tubej slides.
t

page_text: A levers is hinged at t to the collar and serves to lock the nut p. By moving
the lever outwards into the position indicated by the dotted line ", for example, the
nut p will be released and the tube j can by pressing the nut be caused to descend
and (the bottle being reversed) the liquid will then flow out through the holes i and
tubej. The tube j can also be provided with a nut having wings w, w; by
inverting the bottle over a glass and bringing the wings to bear upon the edge of
the glass, the tube will be pressed inwards and the liquid will flow out through
the holes and tube j.
I will now describe the apparatuses I employ for forcing the plugs or stoppers
shewn in Figures 1, 2 and 3 into the interior of the bottle or other vessel and for
withdrawing the contents.
If the liquid contained within the bottle or other vessel exerts an internal
pressure as is the case with aerated liquids, in order to drive the plug or stopper d
into the interior of the bottle I make use of a tube j such as is shewn in Figure 5,
the lower end of which is slightly conical and has a hole i through which the
liquid can flow. This tube is provided with lugs which allow of fixing it to
the vessel. y is an apparatus which allows of regulating the passage of the liquid
or of stopping it entirely. This apparatus consists of a suitable cock or valve.
I have hereinafter mentioned some of the forms which I prefer to adopt.
When in order to unstopper the vessel, the tube j has been forced into the
passage c of the cork or bushing a the lower end will be located within the interior
of the vessel or bottle and if the latter be inverted the gaseous liquid can be
withdrawn therefrom.
The withdrawing apparatus illustrated in Figure 6 is similar to that shewn in
Figure 5 except that the tube j is surmounted with a syphon head z provided with
a lever a' which allows of acting on the valve which, when open, gives passage
to the liquid through the nozzle b', the said liquid passing into the tube in the.
direction of the arrow and passing up through the open valve 1, passage
syphon head z and nozzle b¹..
in the
In the withdrawing apparatus shewn in Figure 7, the tube j is surmounted with
a cock or valve, with or without a spring the lever a' being adapted to be operated
by the hand which holds the bottle so as to easily open and close the passage for
the liquid.
The withdrawing apparatus, shewn in Figure 8 is constructed of a tube similar.
to those shewn at j in Figures 5, 6 and 7 but open at its lower end instead of
being provided with lateral holes i. The tube is screw-threaded at d¹ to adapt
it to receive a tube el shaped (as shewn in the drawing) somewhat like a bottle
open at its base which is provided with a screw-thread. I employ an elastic
washer adapted to bear against the shoulder of the bottle-shaped tube e¹ by
means of a tube k screw-threaded at its upper end and carrying a nut g¹ which
bears upon a washer h¹ placed over the mouth of the bottle-shaped tube e. In the
interior of the tube k slides another tube; made of inoxydable material, the lower
end of which tube is provided with radial holes i which are normally covered by the
tube kupon which bears a rubber washer m placed upon the head of the inner
tubej similarly to the arrangement shewn in Figure 4. The inner tube ; carries
at its upper end a nut, ring or collar p by means of which the inner tube j is
operated.
With this construction to withdraw the contents the bottle is inverted and it is
then simply necessary to push the inner tube j inwards when its radial holes i will
become uncovered and the liquid will flow through and out of the tube.
A spring serves to carry back the tube j into its closed position when pressure
is removed from the collar p.
When requiring to unstopper bottles or other vessels containing non-gaseous
liquids and to withdraw the contents from such bottles or vessels in which case the
liquids will not flow if air be not allowed to enter the vessel, I as shewn in Fig. 9
provide a small mouth or opening in which is screwed a chamber of any
suitable shape containing sterilized cotton and into which the exterior air enters

page_text: through openings k, k¹. The air passes through the cotton, becomes filtered, and
is conducted through a small tube to an outlet m' at the bottom of the tube j
through which it enters the vessel b. The said outlet can be provided with a small
check valve n. The rest of the apparatus is similar in construction to that shewn
in Figure 6. By pressing upon the lever a¹ the liquid will flow out by gravity if
the vessel be inverted. This arrangement of air filter can obviously be adapted to
others of my withdrawing apparatuses.
Figure 10 shews an arrangement of this sterilizing chamber suitable for
application to an infant's feeding bottle.
is a tube of suitable diameter and serving to occupy the axial passage in the
cork or bushing a and to drive out the plug or stopper d; it is provided with a
collar x.
j
The tube having been completely passed through the cork or bushing a into
the bottle bit is then only necessary to apply an india-rubber tube and teat to the
end o. The air which enters the feeding bottle each time the child sucks is
filtered by passing through the chamber filled with sterilized cotton and passing
through the small tube 1.
For preventing the child from contaminating the milk by impurities, ferments or
microbes contained in its saliva, I place beneath the teat which terminates the
india-rubber tube a small valve which allows the milk to pass out but which will
allow nothing to pass into the bottle.
With apparatuses such as are described with reference to Figures 9 and 10 the
liquid in the vessel b is always in contact with external filtered air. To shut off this
communication in cases where it may be necessary I can employ the arrangement
shewn in Figure 11. The tube is similar to that shewn in Figure 8 in that it is
adapted to receive a tube e¹ in which slides the tube ; provided with a head / and
washer m and with a hole or opening i allowing the liquid to egress from the vessel
when the tube is sufficiently pressed inwards; a small tube allows of the
admission of air from the chamber when the hole i is uncovered and it is obvious
that this inlet of air is closed when the said hole is covered. The lower part
of the spring 9 in this case bears upon the chamber and the tube j' has a lateral
hole in its lower end instead of such end being open.
In Figure 12 I have shewn a device which I have designed to assist the
introduction into the bottles of the unstoppering and withdrawing apparatuses
hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 11.
This device consists of a removeable collar p' surrounding the neck of the
bottle b, and rods q', 1' connecting the collar to a nut in which works a screw
threaded rods having a lever t' jointed thereto. To make use of this device it is
applied to the mouth of the bottle in the manner shewn and the withdrawing
apparatus is placed with its tube or as the case may be in the axial hole c of the
cork or bushing a when, by turning the lever t in the proper direction the rod s
will be caused to press upon the top of the withdrawing apparatus and force its
tubej or to eject the plug or stopper d from the cork or bushing a into the
bottle b. The device can then be removed from the bottle.
In some cases (as shewn in Figure 13) when making a combined stopper and
withdrawing apparatus I make the tube j (provided with holes i a head and
washer m) to slide in the axial passage of the cork or bushing a as in Figure 4.
The tube is also screw-threaded at its upper end and carries a nut
which when
turned in one direction will allow the tube to be pressed inwards so as to give
passage to the liquid in the bottle band when turned in the opposite direction
will bring the head back onto its seating and thereby close the holes i.
P
Previously to opening a vessel closed with this stopper I apply to the threaded
end of the tube j the screw-threaded socket u¹ of a cock having a plug o' made with
a mouth or nozzle w' for the delivery of the liquid and with a small passage-k
which by turning the plug v' can be brought into communication with a tube for
admitting air to the bottle to allow of the flow of the liquid, when the vessel is held
in a suitable position. The part of the plug in which is the passage¨Ã¹ can be

page_text: .
provided with a chamber such as Figures 9, 10 and 11 containing sterilized
cotton. After having withdrawn the required quantity of liquid and closed the
delivery tubej by operating the nut p the cock can be unscrewed to be used with
any other vessel stoppered by similar means.
It is necessary to prevent any contact with the air of products which are liable
to become changed or spoiled in presence of gases or vapours which may be con
tained therein. In this case the bottle or vessel containing the product having
been stoppered with the necessary care by means of my cork or bushing and plug
or stopper I employ the withdrawing apparatus illustrated in Figure 14 which
consists of a vessel a in which is a piston y' adapted to be moved within the vessel
by means of a screw working in a nut a' at one end of the vessel. The other
end of the vessel is provided with a cock v¹ terminated by a tube ; which will
serve to drive in the plug or stopper d (Figure 1). or to penetrate into the bottle or
other vessel enclosing the product. A spiral spring serves to press the piston
towards the end of the vessel, in which the cock is fitted. The vessel x' is
provided with two pivots or trunnions (not shown) which allow of placing it on a
support formed of two bearings in a plate.
j
To make use of this apparatus and fill it with a product which would be
injuriously affected even by purified air, I invert the apparatus and fix the bottle or
vessel which it is required to empty on the cock »¹ and after having driven in the
plug or stopper d reverse the apparatus into the position indicated; then the
piston y being close against the top of the vessel a by acting on the nut a' I
cause the piston y¹ to advance which almost completely exhausts the product from
the bottle or other vessel.
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 use for stoppering bottles and other vessels of a cork or bushing having
an axial passage which is closed by a plug or stopper inserted in the lower end.
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the
accompanying drawings.
2. The improved apparatus for stoppering bottles and other vessels containing
gaseous liquids and for withdrawing the contents therefrom herein before described
and illustrated in Figure 4 of the accompanying drawings.
3. The employment for unstoppering bottles and other vessels containing
gaseous liquids and for withdrawing the contents therefrom when such vessels are
stoppered by the means claimed in the first claiming clause, of the apparatuses
herein before described and illustrated in Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 respectively of the
accompanying drawings.
4. The modified arrangements of withdrawing apparatus in which provision is
made for the admission of air to the vessels to adapt the apparatuses for use with
vessels containing non-gaseous products substantially as herein before described
and illustrated in Figures 9, 10, 11 and 13 respectively of the accompanying
drawings.
5. The arrangement of withdrawing apparatus herein before described and
illustrated in Figure 14 of the accompanying drawings.
6. The apparatus herein described with reference to Figure 12 for assisting the
introduction into bottles or other vessels of the unstoppering and withdrawing
apparatuses illustrated in Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 11 of the accompanying
drawings.
1
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.