An Improved Method of using Cork in Conjunction with a Plug, Screw, or any other Suitable Form of Stopper for the Stoppering or Closing of Bottles, Jars, or other Hollow Vessels.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left. 6th Nov. 1897-Accepted 5th Feb. 1898
Date of Application, 9th Feb., 1897
Complete Specification Left. 6th Nov. 1897-Accepted 5th Feb. 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of using Cork in Conjunction with a Plug,
Screw, or any other Suitable Form of Stopper for the Stoppering
or Closing of Bottles, Jars, or other Hollow Vessels.
JOHN MURRAY, Ale and Porter Merchant, 11, Trinity Square, Anlaby Road, Hull,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
The stoppering or closing of bottles, jars, or other hollow vessels by using two or
more thin flat discs or squares of cork, or any other suitable shape; but in preference
two pieces; in conjunction with a plug, screw, or any other suitable form of stopper ;
in place of one piece hitherto before used by me, and which is fully described and
set forth by me in my Patent of February 8th 1892 No. 2366.
The advantages of using two or more thin flat discs or squares of cork, in the place
of one piece as hitherto before used by me, are as follows:-In cutting the cork across
the grain (which is the most suitable way) the greater portion of the cork thus cut is
full of holes, and therefore a great quantity of it is not fit to be used in one piece, as
previously set forth by me in my Patent of February 8th 1892 No. 2366; but by
cutting the cork much thinner, that is to say about one twenty fourth of an inch thick,
and using two or more pieces in the place of one piece, hitherto before used by me,
you avoid the great loss of cork which would occur if only one piece was used.
Another advantage is as follows;-when two or more pieces of cork are pressed
into the neck or orifice of the bottle, jar or other hollow vessel to be closed, if they
are of a very poor quality and unfit for use in one piece, they are as one solid piece
when pressed into the bottle neck, in conjunction with a plug or stopper.
Having fully described the advantages of using two or more thin flat pieces of cork,
in the place of one as hitherto before used by me and fnlly discribed in my Patent of
February 8th 1892, No. 2366.
I will now describe my method of using two or more thin flat pieces of cork. I take
a piece of cork and cut it into squares or cylinders, about one inch and a quartersquare
or about one inch and a quarter in diameter, I then cut it, across the grain into thin
discs or squares about one twenty fourth of an inch thick; or any other suitable size
shape or thickness. Having cut the cork to the desired size I steep them in hot
water, boil or steam them, untill thoroughly softened, when they are ready for being
pressed in conjunction with a plug or stopper, into the neck or orifice of the bottle,
jar or other hollow vessel to be closed in the following manner :-I take two pieces of
the cork as above discribed; of which the holes in the pieces do not correspond, so
that when the two pieces are placed one upon the other, and held up to the light, you
cannot see through them.
I then place the two pieces of cork, as before described, upon the neck or orifice of
the bottle, jar or other hollow vessel to be closed, and with a plug or stopper I force
the cork into the neck or orifice of the bottle, jar or other hollow vessel to be closed,
and thereby make the vessel air tight.
The plug or stopper should be the same shape as the inside of the neck or orifice of

page_text: the bottle, jar or other vessel to be closed, but about one twenty fourth of an inch less
in diameter than the neck or orifice of the vessel to be closed.
Another method of carring out my invention, by using the two or more thin flat
dises or squares of cork, as before described, is as follows:-I procure a mould, the
bottom half of which is hollowed out to the shape of a U or any other suitable shape, the
top half must correspond in shape to the bottom half. I than take two pieces of
cork, as previously described which has been thoroughly softened and place them,
evenly upon the bottom half of the mould, I then take the top half of the mould, and
press the cork firmly into the bottom portion of the mould, after which the cork is
allowed to remain in the mould until thoroughly dry when they can be taken out.
When the cork is thus formed they are ready for being placed upon a plug or
stopper previous to being put into the neck or orifice of the bottle, jar or other hollow
vessel to be closed or the cork formed as above described can be placed upon a screw,
made of lignumvita or any other suitable material, and screwed into any bottle, jar or
other hollow vessel which has a corresponding thread, in the neck or orifice to the
screw used.
D
1
1000
An Improved Method of using Cork in Conjunction with a Plug,
Screw, or any other Suitable Form of Stopper for the Stoppering
or Closing Bottles, Jars, or other Hollow Vessels.
I, JOHN MURRAY, Ale and Porter Merchant, 11, Trinity Square, Anlaby Road,
Hull, 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 an improvement in using cork for the stoppering or closing
of bottles, jars and other hollow vessels, by using two or more flat dises or squares of
cork, but in preference two pieces, in conjunction with a plug, screw or any other
suitable form of stopper, made of lignum vitae or any other suitable material, in
place of one piece of cork hitherto before used, and which is fully described and set
forth in my Patent of February 8th 1892 No. 2366; but I wish it to be distinctly
understood that I do not claim the plug or screw.
The object of my improvement is to avoid the great waste of cork that does occur
in the present method of using one piece.
My invention will be understood by reference to the annexed drawings; Fig. 1 is
a bottle neck with two pieces of flat cork laid upon the orifice of the bottle neck, with
a plug or stopper standing upon the cork ready for being pressed into the bottle
neck, B is the bottle, C the cork and A the plug or stopper.
Fig. 2 is a section of the bottle neck cork and plug or stopper when pressed into
the neck of the bottle, B is the bottle neck, C the cork and A the plug or stopper.
Fig. 3 is a cup or cap formed out of two or more flat pieces of cork, ready for being
placed upon a plug or screw previous to being pressed or screwed into the neck or
orifice of the bottle, jar or other hollow vessel to be closed.
The advantage of using two or more flat discs or squares of cork, in the place of
one piece, as hitherto before used, is as follows:-In cutting the cork across the
grain, which is the most suitable way, a great portion of the cork thus cut is full of
holes, and therefore a great quantity of it is unfit for use when one piece only is used;
but by using two or more pieces, the holes of which do not coincide when one pieces

page_text: is placed upon the other, they become as one solid piece when pressed, in conjunction
with a plug or stopper into the neck or orifice of the bottle, jar or other hollow vessel
to be closed, and being free from holes keeps the contents of the bottle from coming
in contact with the plug or screw.
Having fully described the advantage of using two or more flat discs or square of
cork, in the place of one piece as hitherto before used, I will now describe the method
of preparing and using them. I take cork and cut it across the grain into squares or
discs, about one inch and a quarter square or about one inch and a quarter in
diameter, and about one twenty fourth of an inch thick or any other suitable size or
thickness, according to the size of the neck or orifice of the bottle, jar or other hollow
vessel to be closed. Having cut the cork to the desired size I steep it in hot water
until it is thoroughly softened, when it is ready for being pressed into the neck or
orifice of the bottle, jar or other hollow vessel to be closed in the following manner :-
I take any ordinary bottle, jar or other hollow vessel, the plug or stopper for which
must correspond in shape to the internal shape of the neck or orifice of the bottle, jar
or other hollow vessel, but a little smaller in diameter than the inside of the neck or
orifice of the bottle, jar or other hollow vessel to be closed. I then take two pieces
of the cork as previously described, of which the holes do not correspond, so that when
the two pieces are placed one upon the other and held up to the light you cannot see
through them, I then place the two pieces of flat cork as before described upon the
neck or orifice of the bottle, jar or other hollow vessel to be closed, as shown in
Fig. 1, and with a plug or stopper I force the cork into the neck or orifice of the
bottle, jar or other hollow vessel and thereby make the bottle, jar or other hollow
vessel air tight, as shown by the section of a bottle neck, cork and plug Fig. 2.
Another method of carrying out my invention by using the two or more flat
discs or squares of cork, as before described, is to form them into the shape of a
cup or cap which is accomplished in the following manner :-I procure a cup
shaped mould, or any other suitable shape, with the top half or core to
correspond in shape to the inside of the mould. I then take two or more pieces
of the cork as previously described, which has been thoroughly softened and
place them evenly upon the bottom half of the mould. I then take the top half
of the mould and press the cork into the bottom portion of the mould, after
which the cork is allowed to remain in the mould untill thoroughly dry, when
it can be taken out.
When the cork is thus formed it is ready for being placed upon a plug or
stopper as shown in Fig. 3, previous to being put into the neck or orifice of the
bottle, jar or other hollow vessel to be closed; or the cup or cap shaped cork
can be placed upon a screw made of lignum vitae, or any other suitable material,
and screwed into the neck or orifice of any bottle, jar or other hollow vessel
which has a corresponding thread in the neck or orifice, to the screw used.
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 :-
(1) The two or more flat pieces of cork used as herein before described and for the
purpose specified.
(2) The cup or cap of cork formed out of two or mere flat pieces of cork
substantially as and for the purpose herein specified.
Dated this 5th day of November 1897