Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Stoppers for Bottles and other Vessels.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 30th May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 9th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 24th Feb., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Stoppers for
Bottles and other Vessels.
I, FORDER BREWER STANLEY of 10 Cassland Road, South Hackney in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of screw stoppers, for
bottles, jars and such like hollow vessels, and an apparatus for producing or
forming a screw thread thereon, and has for its objects, Firstly-The utilization
and combination of substances and materials not hitherto employed for this purpose,
and Secondly-That by the said combination of substances and materials and the
rapid and easy means of forming a screw thread thereon, to produce a stopper
possessing advantages not attained by those hitherto made and used, and which
can be sold at less than half the price therecf.
I carry my invention into effect by producing by turning or other convenient
means suitable size lengths of lignum vitæ, or other hard wood or substance, the
external contour and dimensions of which, approximate to that of the stem of an
ordinary stopper, if intended for use with beer, wine, mineral water and similar
bottles, but which may be larger or smaller if intended for other vessels, and
may be either solid, or provided with a longitudinal circular, rectangular or
polygonal recess. The said lengths, if solid, would be serrated, grooved, notched
or incised, or provided with a rim, or an extension or extensions or otherwise formed
at one end, by which a key would be caused to exist for connecting the said end to
a plastic substance.
The plastic substance employed may be vulcanite, xylonite, herculite, celluloid or
other suitable like material, or any desired combination of such materials, and by
the use of suitable moulds I form of this or these the stopper head, and while
in a plastic condition I cause this to be connected to the prepared end of the lignum
vitæ or other stem, or in other words, to embed the prepared end of the stem
therein, so that as and when the plastic substance solidifies the combination forms
one solid and inseparable mass. Or if the said stem be hollow, or recessed as stated,
the plastic substance would be caused to occupy this and form a core therefor, during
the moulding of, and integrally with, the head of the stopper, suitable provision
being made in said recess for keying the same.
I form an external screw thread upon the said stem by means of the apparatus
hereinafter mentioned, which may be either before or after moulding the said head
thereon, and if the former, the thread may be arranged to form, or partly form or
assist in forming a key for the said plastic substance, and the mould or moulds
may be so formed internally, that any desired trademark, design, name, word or
words may appear upon the said head when finished, which may be circular with
a milled edge, or faceted in any suitable manner so as to form a finger hold.
The apparatus for forming the said thread consists of a bed plate, upon which
is mounted in suitable bearings, a rapidly rotating shaft, carrying a circular cutter,
which may be of metal, provided with cutting teeth or projections, or of emery,
stone, glass, sand or other material suitable for the purpose. Upon the same bed
plate is mounted a suitable stand, capable of being adjusted in any desired position
thereon, which receives the shank of a suitable gimbal, or its equivalent, pivotally
holding an internally threaded collar, which may or may not be in more than
one piece, and through this passes a suitable mandrel, upon which is mounted a

page_text: cylindrical sleeve, provided with an external screw thread, which corresponds with,
and screws freely into the said internally threaded collar, the pitch of said threads
regulating, and operating as a templet for, the thread to be formed upon the stem
of the stopper, and which may be varied as desired.
The said mandrel is constructed to carry a templet, the contour of which in
combination with a suitable guide regulates the contour of the stem of the finished
stopper, and upon the free ends of said mandrel a suitable chuck or its equivalent
is provided which receives and holds the stopper, or the stem, in such a position,
that when the stem is presented to the rotating cutter before mentioned, and the
mandrel rotated by manual or mechanical means, a thread is thereby cut upon
the stem corresponding to that upon the before mentioned sleeve and collar.
may find it convenient to employ the use of a thin cork or other washer, set
into, or fixed upon the under surface of the head of the stopper, which may or may
not be during the moulding thereof.
Dated this 29th day of May 1893.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
4, Moorfields, Fore Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Stoppers for
Bottles and other Vessels.
1, FORDER BREWER STANLEY, of 10 Cassland Road, South Hackney, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of screw stoppers for
bottles, jars and similar hollow vessels, such improvements consisting of the com-
bination and utilization of substances and materials not hitherto employed for this
purpose, and of an apparatus by means of which a screw thread, of any desired
pitch, may be quickly and easily formed upon the said stopper, and by the employ-
ment of the said combination of materials, and the said apparatus, in the manner
hereinafter explained and shewn, I am enabled to produce such screw stoppers at a
much less cost than that of those hitherto made and used, and possessing advan-
tages not attained thereby, hence the object of my invention.
In the manufacture of screw stoppers hitherto, one of the methods employed has
been to form the whole of the stopper of box or other wood, the disadvantage of
this system being the unavoidable waste of material consequent upon turning the
smaller diameter of the stem from the larger diameter of the head, and to over-
come this, the head and stem have been made separately and connected together
by cement, but this system lost favor in consequence of the cement failing to hold
the parts together under variation of temperature and for other reasons. Another
method has been to form the whole of the stopper of vulcanite, celluloid, or other
similarly costly material, and to overcome the cost of manufacture, a means was
devised of forming the head of the stopper and a threaded core for the stem,
integrally of a cheaper compound known as "Lionite," upon the core of which a
casing of vulcanite or celluloid was fixed while in a plastic condition, by the
employment of heated moulds, but the disadvantage of this arrangement arises
from the fact, that in use, the head and core frequently leave the celluloid or
vulcanite casing in the neck of the bottle or other vessel, when unscrewing the
stopper therefrom, but in the manner of constructing such stoppers according to my
invention, as hereinafter explained and shewn, I overcome the whole of these dis-
advantages, and yet produce a stopper at considerably less cost than either of those
above referred to, I therefore claim that I have invented certain new and useful
improvements in the manufacture of screw stoppers, not hitherto attained.

page_text: In order that my invention and the manner of its operation may be clearly
understood, I have hereunto appended two sheets of drawings, in which the same
reference letters are used throughout, when referring to the same or like parts, and
although I have chosen to therein shew, and to hereinafter describe my invention,
in connection with the manufacture of stoppers for beer, wine and similar bottles,
I wish it understood that I may employ the same principle in the manufacture of
stoppers for enclosing the mouths or necks of larger, smaller, or any size bottles,
jais or other vessels, to which their application is adaptable.
Fig. 1 Sheet 1 is a view of a rod of lignum vitæ or other hard wood, as I prefer
to form it by turning or otherwise, each section of which in its dimensions would
approximate to that of the length and contour of the stem of the stopper.
Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5, are vertical sections of finished stoppers, while Figs. 6, 7, 8
and 9 are views of the upper ends of the stems of same, as they would appear
before the heads are fixed thereon, these latter views being to illustrate more
particularly the several methods of forming the stem I may employ, for keying
the head thereto.
Figs. 10 and 11 are sectional views illustrating the method of moulding the
heads upon the stems, to be hereinafter explained.
Fig. 12 is an elevation of a finished stopper drawn to an enlarged scale.
rests
Fig. 13 is a vertical section of the neck of any ordinary bottle, and stopper in
position therein, shewing how the cork or other washer as employed by me,
apon the top of the neck instead of therein as hitherto.
Fig. 14 is a view of part of the circular cutter, showing the manner in which
I prefer to form the teeth when teeth are employed thereon, for cutting the screw
thread upon the stem.
Fig. 15 Sheet 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus for forming the screw thread
upon the stopper stem.
Figs. 16 and 17 are side elevation and plan respectively of the same machine
slightly modified in construction.
Fig. 18 is an end elevation of Fig. 16 as viewed from right to left.
Fig. 19 is an elevation of the guide for regulating the depth of the screw thread
upon the stem of the stopper.
Fig. 20 is an elevation of a second and spring guide, which I may or may not
employ, as hereinafter explained.
I carry my invention into effect by turning or otherwise forming of lignum vitæ
or other hard wood the stem of the stopper, and I prefer to employ a cylinder or
rod of this material of indefinite length, of which any number of stem blanks may
be formed in continuity as at Fig. 1, and to form a screw thread upon each of these
I employ an apparatus as follows.
Referring to Fig. 15 the said apparatus consists of a bed plate A, upon which is
mounted in suitable bearings B, a rapidly rotating shaft, carrying a circular
cutter C, which may be of suitable metal, provided with cutting teeth a as at
Fig. 14, or with a projecting ridge a of emery, stone, glass, sand or other material
suitable for cutting or rapidly wearing away the material to form a screw thread
upon the said blanks, when presented thereto. Upon the same bed plate A is
mounted a suitable stand D, capable of being adjusted in any desired position
thereon, and which pivotally carries a suitable gimbal or its equivalent E, holding
an internally threaded collar F, which may or may not be in more than one piece,
and retained in pivotal contact with E by the means of set screws band b', and
through F passes a suitable mandrel G, upon which is mounted a cylindrical
sleeve H, provided with an external screw thread, which corresponds with, and
screws freely into, the collar F, and as the pitch of these threads regulate the
pitch of the threads to be formed upon the blanks, collars F and sleeves H with
threads of different pitches may be used, according to the thread desired to be
formed upon the blanks or stopper stems.
One end of the mandrel G is provided with a handle or wheel I, by which it
may be rotated, the opposite end being fitted with a self centring or other suitable

page_text: chuck or its equivalent, which receives and holds one end of the length of blanks
Fig. 1, the opposite end of this extending in the direction of the cutter C, and
resting against a suitable guide K, adjustably mounted upon the bed plate A,
and which may, for the purpose of reducing friction, be provided with a roller c,
against which the blanks S may impinge. This guide is shewn detached at
Fig. 19, in order that the means of adjusting the position of this upon the bed
plate A may be understood, such adjustment being effected by the means of a
bolt d thereon engaging with a slot e in A.
To form the thread upon the blanks S, the operator would, with his left hand,
press these against the guide K (or the roller c thereof when such is provided) and
when the narrowest end of the second blank was against this, the narrowest end of
the first blank would be presented to the cutting edge a of the rotating disc C,
when by a gentle and regular rotation of I, a spiral thread would be thereby cut
upon the first blank, the second in conjunction with K operating as a templet for
the threading of the first blank, the position of K being such, that when the second
blank slips past this, the finished thread would be formed upon the first blank, and
the presentation of the third blank to K, would also present the second blank to a,
and this operation would continue until the last blank but one was presented to K,
when the operator would cease rotating I, and withdraw the threaded and
unthreaded blanks from C and K, and remove the same from the mandrel G, and
by rotating I in the opposite direction return this and H to its original position
in F, and then attach another length of blanks S to the mandrel G as before.
In order that the two or more unthreaded blanks upon the first length may be
similarly treated, I prefer to form in one end of the length Fig. 1, a rectangular
recess (shewn by dotted outline at f) and upon the opposite end a like shaped
projection g, therefore, the second length of blanks now upon the mandrel G,
would present at its disengaged end a projection g, and with this the recess of the
first length of blanks would be caused to engage, and threads be formed upon the
unthreaded blanks thereof in the manner previously described, and so on ad lib.
may when ordinary bottle or lighter stoppers are to be made, dispense with the
chuck upon the mandrel G, and form the end of this capable of engaging with
the recess in the length of blanks S. Such an arrangement is presumed to be
employed in the illustrations Figs. 15, 16 and 17.
In order that the horizontal travel of the length of blanks S may be perfectly
steady, I form upon the guide K, a table like projection K', upon which the said
length of blanks may rest, and under certain conditions, or where it may not be
convenient for the operator to use his left hand for keeping the length of blanks in
close contact with the guide K, I may provide upon the bed plate A, the device
shewn by Fig. 20. This consists of a standard L, pivotally mounted upon a
plate M, capable of being adjusted laterally upon A, by the means of a slot h therein
receiving a bolt j depending from the bottom of M. The standard L, is provided
at its upper end with a roller c¹ similar to c, and this would be presented to the
length of blanks at the opposite side to that of K, and would be kept pressed close
thereto by the tension of a spring k upon M pressing against the standard L, this
being depressed when L is deflected from the vertical to accommodate the presence
of the larger ends of the blanks S. The position of this device Fig. 20 upon the
bed plate A is shewn by the dotted outline L in Fig. 17.
m m
In Figs. 16 and 17 I illustrate a slight modification of the said apparatus. In
this arrangement, in lieu of the circular adjustable stand D, I provide a rectangular
stand D', the under surface of which is provided with two or more projections
of dovetail form in cross section, which engage with like shaped slots n n in the
base A, which permits that D' may slide upon A. to and from the cutter C. The
gimbal or ring E is provided with a slotted foot N, which receives a bolt O
upon D', which permits that E may be adjusted upon D' in either direction,
laterally with A. In this method I dispense with the internal thread in the
collar F, and in lieu of the threaded sleeve H, I fix upon the mandrel Ga
collar H', capable of rotating within F, and upon one end of G I fix a handle or

page_text: 5
wheel I as in the previous arrangement, and upon the opposite end I key or
otherwise fix a worm wheel P, which engages with a toothed rack R, fixed upon the
bed plate A.
In this arrangement the length of blanks S Fig. 1, would be fixed upon the
mandrel G in the same manner as that previously described, and the feed of this to
the cutter C, would be effected by the turning of I in the same manner, which
imparting rotation to the wheel P, and this engaging with the rack R, would cause
the stand D' to travel along the slots nn, and so feed the blanks to the cutter to be
operated upon thereby as previously stated. I find in practice that in this arrange-
ment of the apparatus, that the feed is steadier than that illustrated by Fig. 15,
otherwise the result is the same.
The threaded length of blanks S produced by either of the foregoing means
would now be cut into lengths, and the shanks S₁ of the stoppers be thereby
produced, and I will now proceed to describe the manner of connecting the heads T
thereto.
The plastic substance of which the head T is formed, may be vulcanite, xylonite,
celluloid, or preferably that known as herculite, or any desired combination of
these or other materials suitable for the purpose, and in order that the heads T¹ of
the finished stopper may not by any fair and reasonable means be lifted from the
stems S¹, or rotated thereon, I provide against the occurrance of the former by
forming in each stem S₁ above the threaded portion, an annular horizontal
groove p, as at Figs. 2 and 4, or I may form a rim p¹ upon the upper end of S' as
at Fig. 5, or I may continue the thread to the extreme upper end of S₁ for the
same purpose, as shewn at Fig. 3, and to provide against the rotation of T upon S',
I may form in the upper surface of the latter two rectangular grooves at right
angles to each other, as shewn at Figs. 2 and 6, or double cross grooves r¹ of
dovetail form in cross section as shewn at Figs. 3 and 7, or I may form a large
rectangular recess as at Figs. 4 and 8, or a rectangular recess of dovetail form
in cross section as shewn by in Figs. 5 and 9, or any combination of these
devices to attain the end desired.
Whatever may be the material employed for forming the head T, when this has
been heated and reduced to a plastic condition, the stems S' would be placed in a
mould U, as at Fig. 10, in which any desired number of recesses & are formed for
receiving a like number of stems, and when these are in position in U, I place upon this
a middle plate V, (shewn detached, and in position by dotted outline in Fig. 10) in
which is formed a number of circular holes t, larger than, but coinciding in position
with, the recesses a, such coincidence being effected by the means of suitable pins
on V, engaging with recesses ¹ in U, and when this is placed in position upon U as
at Fig. 11, a certain and predetermined quantity of the plastic substance to would
be placed in each hole t, covering the ends of the stems S', as shewn at Fig. 11,
which may be slightly pressed by the fingers so as to evenly surround the upper
portions thereof, and when this has been done the top plate or cover W would be
placed upon the plate V, in such a position, that the recesses a formed in the under
surface of W coincide with the holes in the plate V, this being effected by the
means of registering pins 11 and recesses 111, as shewn. The whole would then be
placed in suitable presses, whereby the plastic substance to would be forced into all
the recesses in and upon the stems S₁, and the head T to assume such shape as that
governed by the shape of the moulds t and x which would be, preferably, that
shewn by Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5, and I may by simply placing a flat metallic ring
surrounding each stem S' when in U, and before placing the plate V in position
thereon, form in the under surface of the head T a circular recess as shewn at
Fig. 5, in order that a cork or other washer " when placed therein may rest upon
the neck of the bottle or other vessel when the stopper is placed in position therein,
as shewn at Fig. 13.
The plastic material or compound in cooling would slightly contract, and so form
a firmer grip upon the head of the stem S¹, and the moulds may remain under
pressure until such cooling is completed, or these may, under certain conditions of

page_text: the temperature and other surroundings, be removed from such pressure and the
finished stoppers be thrown therefrom before these are perfectly cold.
The upper portion or roof of the moulds & may have engraved or otherwise formed
therein any letter, letters, word or words, trademark or design desired, in order that
such may appear in relief upon the upper surface of the finished stopper, and in order
that a suitable finger hold may be formed upon the edge or rim of the head T,
serrations, flutings, facets or the like, may be formed in the sides of the moulds,
in W, or the holes in the plate V, or both as may be convenient. Fig. 12 shows
an enlarged view of a finished stopper according to 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,
1st. In the manufacture of screw stoppers for bottles, jars and other vessels, the
combination of a lignum vitæ or other hard wood stem, partly embedded in, and
keyed to, a suitably shaped head, composed of herculite, vulcanite, xylonite, or
celluloid, or any combination of these or other materials suitable for the purpose,
while in a plastic condition, and the apparatus for forming a screw thread upon the
said wooden stein, substantially as and for the purposes herein described and shewn
by the drawings hereunto appended.
2nd. In the manufacture of screw stoppers, for bottles, jars and other vessels, the
employment of lignum vitæ or other hard wood in the formation of the stem S', in
combination with the apparatus for forming a screw thread thereon, consisting of a
bed plate A, to which is fixed suitable bearings B, carrying a rapidly rotating
disc C, provided with a cutting or wearing edge a, having saw like teeth such as shewn
by Fig. 14, or composed of emery, sand, glass or other material suitable for the
purpose. The adjustable stand D, upon which is pivotally mounted a gimbal or its
equivalent E, carrying by set screws, and internally threaded collar F, through
which passes an externally threaded sleeve H, carrying a mandrel G, to one end of
which is connected an indefinite number of wooden blanks S, such connection being
by the means of a suitable chuck on G, or by this being formed to engage with the
recess in S, the opposite end of G carrying a handle or its equivalent I for
rotating G and H simultaneously, by which the blanks S are led to the guide KK¹,
with or without the use of a spring guide L, and so fed to the cutting edge a of the
rotating disc C, substantially as herein described and shewn by Figs. 1, 15, 19 and 20
of the accompanying drawings.
3rd. In the manufacture of screw stoppers, for bottles, jars and other vessels, the
employment of lignum vitæ in the construction of the stems S¹, in combination with
the apparatus for forming a screw thread thereon, consisting of a bed plate A, to
which is fixed suitable bearings B, carrying a rapidly rotating disc C, provided with
a cutting or wearing edge a having saw like teeth as at Fig. 14, or composed of
emery, glass, sand or other material suitable for the purpose. The rectangular
stand D, arranged to slide upon A, by the means of projections m_m thereon
engaging with slots n n in A, and carrying a gimbal or its equivalent E, arranged
to slide upon D¹ by the means of a slotted plate N, and by the means of set screws bb
carrying a collar F in which may rotate a collar H¹ and mandrel G, one end of the
latter having mounted thereon a worm wheel P, and connected to an indefinite
number of blanks S, such connection being by the means of a suitable chuck on G,
or by this being formed to engage with the recess f in the blanks S, the opposite
end of G carrying a handle or its equivalent I, for rotating G, H¹ and P
simultaneously, the latter in gear with a toothed rack R fixed upon A, by means of
which D' is caused to travel upon A, and so feed S to the guides K K', (with or
without the use of the spring guide L,) and the cutting edge a of C, and so produce
the threaded stems S', the whole connected and operating substantially as herein
described and shewn by Figs. 1, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 of the accompanying
drawings.
4th. In the manufacture of screw stoppers, the combination of a threaded stem S¹

page_text: as set forth in the preceding claims, and a plastic compound composed of herculite,
vulcanite, xylonite, or celluloid, or any desired combination of these or other like
substances in the formation of the stopper head T while in a plastic condition, and
the method and means of forming said heads by the use of suitable moulds such as
that shewn by U, V and W, and the method and means of keeping T upon S¹ by
forming in the latter grooves p or a rim p¹ or both, and grooves or recesses r, rl, 1
or, or any combination of these, and the manner of forming a recess t' in T as
at Fig. 5 for receiving a cork or other washer t¹¹ for use with a bottle or other vessel
as at Fig. 13, the whole connected, combined and operating for producing a finished
stopper such as that shewn at Fig. 12, substantially as and by the means herein
described and shewn by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 9th day of January 1894.
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
4, Moorfields, Fore Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant..