CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN SECURING CORKS IN BOTTLES JARS, AND OTHER VESSELS TO CONTAIN LIQUIDS AND OTHER: MATTERS, AND ALSO IMPROVEMENTS IN SUCH BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1846

page_text: WEST'S SPECIFICATION.
TO ALL TO. WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, FREDERICK
HENRY WEST, of the City Road, Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Thirty-first day of August, in the-tenth year of "Her reign, did;
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, "give and grant unto me, the said
Frederick Henry West, Her especial licence full power! sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said Frederick Henry West, my exors, admors and assigns,
and such others as I, the said Frederick Henry' West, my exors; adfiors; and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others; from time to time and
at all times during the term of years therein expressed,' should 'and lawfully
might "maké, use, exercise, and vend; within that part of the United King
dom of Great Britain and Ireland: called England, the Dominion of. Wales,
and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed; and in the Islands of "Jersey, Guernsey,
Alderney, Sark, and Man, and in all Her Majesty's Colonies and Plan-
tations abroad, my Invention of CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN SECURING CORKS IN
BOTTLES, JARS, AND OTHER VESSELS TO CONTAIN LIQUIDS AND OTHER: MATTERS, AND
ALSO IMPROVEMENTS IN SUCH BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS;" in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso, obliging-me, the said Frederick Henry West,
by an instrument in writing under my hand. "and. seal, to cause a particular
description of the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery

page_text: .
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being there-
unto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Frederick Henry West, do hereby declare that the nature of my Invention
consists in improvements in securing corks in bottles, jars, and other vessels to
contain liquids and other matters, and also in improvements in the manufacture
of such bottles and other vessels. But in order that my said Invention may
be better understood, and more readily carried into effect, I will in describing
the same refer to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and
letters marked thereon, that is to say :-
My Invention relates to the various modes of securing corks in bottles and
other vessels in such a manner that the same may be entirely secure, and also
having the advantage of liberating the corks instantaneously.
Figure 1 represents the portion of a bottle shewing the cork secure in the
neck thereof; and Figure 2 shews the plan of the cork, and rim of the neck of
the bottle. a is a plate of metal, which may be stamped or cut out of any
material, being furnished with two ridges or grooves, as seen in section of
plate, Figure 8. This plate a is applied on the upper surface of the cork b
after it is inserted in the neck of the bottle c, and secured to it by wire, which,
being first twisted and tied round the neck of the bottle as in the usual way, is
then brought over the plate a, and is fastened and made secure by passing it
over and round a loop or eye, which must be left over the wire which surrounds
the neck of the bottle. This plate a may be ornamented; or it may have
stamped or embossed thereon the name of the liquid or other matter contained
in the bottle in which it may be inserted.
Figure 4 represents another method of effecting the same purpose. a reprc-
sents a piece of metal having a tendency to become straight; this piece a is
placed over the cork 6, and having its end turned under so as to retain the
shoulder or flange of the rim c of the bottle, which rim c is also furnished on
its outer sides with a loop d, d. This piece of metal a being elastic will havo
a tendency to spring out of its holding place were it not confined in its position
by the forked piece of metal or other suitable material e, the ends ƒ and g of
which pass through the loops d, d, which are fixed to the opposite sides of the
rim c of the bottle.
Figure 5 represents a plan of this arrangement shewing the rim c of the
bottle and the piece a, and the forked piece of metal or other material e.
Figure 6 represents another arrangement for securing corks in bottles and
other vessels, in which the shape of the rim of the bottle is the chief feature.

page_text: It will be easily perceived that the rim a is furnished with a surrounding
groove b, which gives it the appearance of two rims. c is a vertical groove, the
sunken surface of which must be on the same plane as the surrounding groove
b; there is another corresponding groove exactly on the opposite side of the
rim a to the groove c.
After the cork has been inserted in the neck of
the bottle, and the portion which may be above the surface cut level to the
neck of the bottle, the cap d, Figure 7, which is made of metal or other
material, and is furnished with two inward projecting pieces e, e, is applied on
the rim a until the projecting pieces e, e, are slid down the vertical groove c,
which, upon giving the cap d half a turn, catches under the part of the rim f,f,
not grooved, and thereby holds the cork in its proper place. The cap d may
be released by turning it half a turn either to the right or to the left.
Figure 8 shews a fastening formed of one piece of metal a, of the shape
seen in plan, Figure 9, in the centre of which is formed a circular plate 6 to
rest upon the cork c, the ends or strap d, d, thereof are bent into the form seen.
at Figure 8, so as to catch or hold under the rim e of the bottle. These two
ends or straps d, d, are bent so as to give them a spring inwards, in order that.
they may always force against the sides of the bottle under the rim. The cork
is secured by sliding this piece of metal a sideways..
Figure 10 is the same description of fastening, as seen at Figures 8 and 9,.
the only difference being the bend of the straps d, d, as seen at e, e, and after.
having passed over the rim of the bottle and securing itself to the under part
thereof, a string or wire f is tied round the neck of the bottle, and thereby
secures the piece of metal a.
Figure 11 shews another mode, which consists of a circular piece of metal
a, of any suitable thickness, having a cross piece or bar 6 secured thereto.
These cross pieces b are of a sufficient length to pass through the hole c made in
the side straps d, d, which are secured to the ring e when the same are vertical,
as seen at Figure 11; when so passed, it is obvious that it will be impossible
for the cork to fly or force out.
Figure 12 shews the ring e and side straps d, d, before they are applied to
the neck of the bottle.
Figure 13 is a side view of the bottle, shewing the application of Figures 11
and 12. This ring e is formed out of two semicircular pieces having the end f,f..
turned outwards at the meeting points, for the purpose of receiving the screws
and the straps d, d, which hang loose, so as to enable them to attain the position
shewn at Figure 13*. The cross arm bis furnished with two small notches at the
ends thereof, so as to prevent the straps d, d, from slipping off. This circular
piece a and cross arm 6 being applied over the cork g, and the ends passed
b

page_text: . through, will hold the cork securely in its place, and when it is necessary to
release the cork, the same is effected by pressing the straps b outwards.
Figure 14 shews the same arrangements as described at Figures 11, 12, and
18, but instead of having the straps d, d, with holes cut therein, I substitute
oblong rings, similar to those used in coat studs or couples.
Figure 15 represents the fastening of the same detached, in which the shme
letters of reference correspond with those in Figures 11, 12, and 18, d, d, being
the steel rings which constitute the difference of the Figure.
'
Figure 16 shews another mode of securing corks in bottles and other
. vessels.
a is a circular piece of metal fitting the top of the cork 6, and has
projecting from it two arms c, c; to these arms are attached on pivots the bars
or fastening hooks d, d, the lower ends e, e, of which are bent inwards in such
a manner as to catch or hold the under side of the rim f. These arms or
"fastening hooks d, d, are always kept pressing the neck of the bottle by means
"of the two springs 9,9, which are riveted or otherwise secured to the circular
piece a.
'
Figure 17 shews a plan of the arrangements of the different parts of
*Figure 16.
Figure 18 is an elevation of another mode of effecting the same object; and
Figure 19, a plan thereof, and consists simply of a piece of wood, metal,
"earthenware, or other material a, of the form and shape shewn, having its sides
bb, bent inwards at the bottom end so as to receive security by pressing
against the under side of the bottle neck c; it is applied to the cork and bottle
by sliding it on from either side.
'
4
..
Figure 20 represents the cork a secured by a covering of gauze wire formed
in two parts 6 and 6', and opening by means of a hinge, which is fixed at the
top. After the same has been passed over the cork a and neck of the bottle,
it is secured by binding it round, as seen at c, with a pièce of string or
"wire d...
Figure 21 represents a plan of the same; the same letters of reference
indicate similar parts.
Figure 22 represents a side elevation of a full size bottle, shewing another
arrangement for securing corks in bottles and other vessels. a is a cross bar,
which may be made of metal, or a cap and cross arm may be used, the same
as described at Figure 11. 6 is a metal ring slipped on the end of the bottle;
this ring 6 is furnished with an eye c; d, d, is a wire or string, which is passed
I over the cross bar a, and through the eye c attached to the ring b; the s
is applied on the opposite side of the bottle. By this. arrangement it will be
perceived that it is impossible for the cork to get released, except when
same

page_text: wanted, which is effected by slipping off the wires or strings d from the end
of the cross bar a.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine
myself to the precise form of arrangements herein described, so long as the
principal character of my Invention be retained; but what I claim is the
securing corks in bottles or other vessels to contain liquid and other matters,
in the different ways above described, and shewn in the Drawings; and I
claim also constructing the necks and rims of bottles and other vessels as above
described, and seen at Figure 6.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Henry West, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Twenty-seventh day of February, One
thousand eight hundred and forty-seven.
FREDERICK HENRY (L.s.) WEST.
Enrolled the Twenty-seventh day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven.