IMPROVEMENTS IN BOTTLES AND IN STOPPERS FOR SAME"
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Edwards of Holloway in the County of Middles:
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOTTLES AND IN STOPPERS FOR
SAME"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Edwards at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th April 1883.
JOHN EDWARDS of Holloway in the County of Middlesex.
BOTTLES AND IN STOPPERS FOR SAME
"
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
This Invention has for its object improvements in bottles and in means for
stopping same, having internal stoppers whereby a cheap, rapid and efficient means
is obtained.
For this purpose I form a hollow cap or stopper, the head of which is provided
with a hole in its centre-On the outside rim of the hollow cap, a groove is formed
into which a circular metal spring is fixed-Below this spring 1 secure, in any
suitable manner, a washer of mineralized India rubber, the said India rubber
washer reaching a little below the base of the hollow cap or stopper.
The bottle is constructed and fitted with the stopper in the following manner :-
A groove is formed in the inside of the neck of the bottle of suitable size and
shape;
or when desired that the glass ball shall not fall to the bottom of the bottle,
a contraction is formed in the neck of the bottle in any suitable manner to guide
the glass ball into the shoulder. I place a glass ball in the bottle and next press
into the neck or mouth of the bottle, the cap or stopper which is instantly secured,
by the circular spring ring expanding, one half of which enters the groove in the
bottle neck, the other half remaining in the stopper, thus forming a spring locking
piece
When the bottle is being filled the ball lies in the bottle, but as soon as the
bottle is as full as is required, it is turned round until it is bottom upwards, when
the ball will fall to the mouth of the bottle, and the gas from the liquid therein
will keep it in this position (until required to be used) by pressing it up against
the India rubber washer, so that the liquid will be prevented from diminishing in
quantity or from losing any of its effervescing qualities
When it is required to empty the bottle, all that is necessary is to push down
the ball, when the mouth of the bottle will open and so allow of the contents to be
poured out.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent and
of an Order of the Lord Chancellor filed by the said John Edwards in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th December 1883.
JOHN EDWARDS of Holloway in the County of Middlesex "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BOTTLES AND IN STOPPERS FOR SAME
"
This Invention has for its object improvements in bottles and in means for
stopping same having internal stoppers, whereby a cheap, rapid and efficient
stopping means is obtained
For this purpose 1 form a hollow cap or stopper the head of which is provided
with a hole in its centre. On the outside rim of the hollow cap, a groove is formed
into which a circular metal spring is fixed-Below this spring I secure in any
suitable manner a washer of mineralized India rubber the said India rubber washer
reaching a little below the base of the cap or stopper-The bottle is constructed
and fitted with the stopper in the following manner.
A groove is formed in the inside of the neck of the bottle of suitable size and
shape. Or when desired that the glass ball shall not fall to the bottom of the
bottle a contraction is formed in the neck of the bottle in any suitable manner to
guide the glass ball into the shoulder-I place a glass ball in the bottle and next
press into the neck or mouth of the bottle the cap or stopper which is instantly
secured by the circular spring ring expanding, one half of which enters the groove
in the bottle neck, the other half remaining in the stopper, thus forming a spring
locking piece.
And in order that my Invention may be more fully understood I herein give
reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings illustrative thereof.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved bottle, Figure 2 is a vertical section
of same, and Figure 3 a vertical cross section taken through the line A. B.
Figures 4. 5. 6 and 7 are details.
The internal stopper or glass ball A is first placed in the bottle and may either
fall to the bottom or the neck of the bottle may be contracted sufficiently to
prevent the passage of the ball in which case it will occupy the position shewn
in Figure 2, when the bottle is empty. The stopper having been introduced, a
washer of vulcanized or mineralized India rubber B of which the internal diameter
is less than that of the ball, is placed upon the ledge a and over this is placed the
cap or ring C. In order to hold the washer B and cap C in position the split ring c
is compressed until it is forced into the mouth of the bottle and into the groove d
when it expands by reason of its clasticity, one half of the ring entering the groove
and the other half covering the rim of the stopper C. The ring e may be made
either of round metal wire possessing a certain amount of elasticity and split in one
portion of its circumference, or it may consist of a flat washer of block tin or thin
sheet iron (as shewn in Figure 6) so that when being forced into the mouth of the
bottle the cut ends may overlap each other, being afterwards caused to expand and
fill the grooved by any suitable means.
Above the contracted portion of the bottle neck are internal projections e which
prevent the glass ball from falling into the mouth of the bottle whilst the liquid
is being poured out. The position of the glass ball when the bottle is held
horizontally is shewn in Figures 2 and 4, being guided thereto by means of an
inclined compression f at each side of the neck. When the bottle is being filled,
the ball lies in the bottle, but as soon as the bottle is as full as required, it is
turned round till it is bottom upwards when the ball will fall to the mouth of
the bottle and the gas from the liquid therein will keep it in this position (till

page_text: required to be used) by pressing it up against the India rubber washer, so that
the liquid will be prevented from diminishing in quantity or from losing any of its
effervescing qualities.
When it is required to empty the bottle, all that is necessary is to push down
the all, when the mouth of the bottle will open and so allow of the contents to be
poured out.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and shewn by the drawings
how the same is to be or may be performed or carried into practice, I would have
it understood that I do not confine myself to the exact configuration of bottle
herein shewn and described, but what I claim as my Invention and consider to be
new, is:
The construction of bottles having a ledge a and groove d formed in the neck
thereof, in combination with the cap C and ring c (whether plain or expanding) for
holding the washer B firmly in its place and preventing the egress of the glass ball
as herein shewn and described.
In Witness Whereof I the said John Edwards have hereunto set my hand and
seal this tenth day of December in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and eighty three,