Improvements in Bottle Stoppers.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in Bottle Stoppers.
I, CHARLES MICHAEL HIGGINS, of the City of Brooklyn, in the County of Kings
and State of New York, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN BOTTLE STOPPERS and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My invention applies to that class of simple stoppers consisting of a cork or plug
provided with an overhanging disk or head affixed to the top of the cork to afford an
easy and powerful grasp to the hand in inserting or removing the cork in or from the
bottle.
Heretofore the disk or head has been usually formed of wood or of wood overlaid
with sheet metal and glued to the cork, whereas my invention aims to provide a more
elegant, strong and inexpensive stopper of a cast or molded material consolidated on
the cork. To this end I form the stopper of a plug of cork or other material and a
disk or head of resinous cement solidified upon, or secured to the head of the cork,
and I prefer to form the improved stopper by first pouring the solidifiable cement
while liquid into a molding cavity, and thence plunging the end of the cork therein
and allowing the liquid charge to solidify and cement itself directly upon and to the
cork, after which the cork and its attachment is removed. My invention therefore
consists mainly in the features here outlined, as hereinafter fully set forth and
claimed.
In the drawings annexed Fig. 1 presents a perspective view of my improved
stopper, and Fig. 2 a section thereof. Fig. 3 shows a similar section with a solid cork.
Fig. 4 gives a section of the stopper and of the mold or die for forming the same,
showing the mode of casting. Fig. 5 gives a section of a capped die containing a
complete stopper, and illustrating the more perfect process of manufacture with
hollow corks. Fig. 6 is a similar view illustrating a modification of the process with
solid corks. Fig. 7 gives a perspective view of another form of stopper, having a
quill extending from the cork. Fig. 8 shows a section of the parts of the mold
separated, illustrating the process of casting said stopper, and Fig. 9 shows a section

page_text: of the closed mold containing the completed stopper. Fig. 10 illustrates the casting
of stoppers with hollow or shell corks to fit outside the neck of the bottle instead of
solid corks to fit inside the neck as in the former figures. Fig. 11 is a view of another
modification of stopper having a swab or brush extending from the cork.
Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, & indicates the plug or stopper of cork or other
material to enter the neck of the bottle, and m indicates a head, disk, or rim of resinous
or other consolidated compound cast on the cork. This head is of larger diameter
than the cork, with a broad rim to admit the grasp of the fingers, and is formed in
some nice ornamental design, and with any desired ornamental devices or proprietary
words on its top, and it thus not only forms an ornamental and effective proprietary
mark or advertisement for the bottle on which it is used, but also serves as a means
whereby the cork can be readily removed or inserted, although very tight-fitting
without having to resort to cork-screws, or without danger of mutilating the cork, for
the reason that as the cast top is much larger than the cork and has a broad grasping
rim it affords such a grasp and purchase for the hand as enables the stopper to be
inserted or removed with ease. This rim may be corrugated for better grasp, as
shown, or it may be smooth. The cork used may be solid, as shown in Fig. 3, or it
may be hollow or tubular as in Fig. 2, in which case the composition will extend into
the hollow or bore integral with the head, and thus secure a more firm attachment to
the cork.
Now in proceeding to cast or mold my improved stoppers, I prepare a resinous
composition of any suitable kind which can be fused or melted and poured in a hot
liquid state into the molds, and which will there rapidly solidify. I will mention that
equal weights of common rosin and powdered silica, with or without any pigment for
coloring, the rosin being first melted and the silica being thoroughly incorporated
therewith, will form an excellent composition for this purpose, being cheap and strong,
and which may be run very fluid and will solidify rapidly in the molds without sticking
to or corroding the same. The addition of the silica or other powdered substance to
the rosin overcomes its brittleness and tendency, to chip and crack, and makes a
composition of great tenacity and strength, having five or six times the tenacity of
the rosin alone, and this mixture not only may be run very fluid but will follow the
finest intricacy of the mold, and cast sharp and true with a fine polished surface.
Any other fusible composition of similar action may, however, be used, that is any
composition which is a running liquid when fused and a strong solid when cold.
In Fig. 4, n indicates the mold for forming the stopper, which is made of a massive
block of metal or other good conductor and absorber of heat, and is formed with a
cavity corresponding to the shape of the ornamental head, with any desired devices
or letters engraved or stamped on the base, and with its sides very slightly tapering
for draft, as will be understood. This cavity being filled with the molten composition
poured therein, as seen in Fig. 4, the cork or stopper is then placed on top of the
molten mass and sunk a little way therein, and thus left until the mass solidifies, when
the casting with the cork adhering firmly thereto can be freely lifted out of the mold,
and will appear as in Figs. 1 and 3. This forms a very ornamental and cheap stopper,
as the material of the head is quite inexpensive, and the manufacture is very rapid
and simple, and, moreover, the head requires no after fixing to the cork, as in other
stoppers heretofore made, but is most firmly cemented or united with the cork in the
very act of formation, and, furthermore, the nature of the material forming the head
gives a better frictional grasp to the hand and admits of more ornamental effects than
is the case with the attached wood and metal heads heretofore used.
In some cases the molds may be provided with a cap n', having a central bore or
recess in which the cork k may be socketed or centered, with its head slightly protruding,
this cap being also formed with a short neck hi concentric with the cork, adapted to
easily enter and snugly fit the mouth of the molding cavity, as seen in Fig. 5, said
neck being formed with an annular groove or beveled recess i, as best shown in Fig. 6,
which corresponds to and forms the finished or beveled under edge of the cast resinous
head, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. If the corks used be hollow or shell corks, as
in Fig. 5, the cap with the cork therein is first placed in the empty mold, as in Fig. 5,

page_text: and the molten composition is then poured in through the hollow of the cork until the
molding cavity and the bore of the cork are filled to the top as shown. If the corks
be solid the molten compound is first poured into the molding cavity direct, as in
Fig. 6, until filled to the proper height, and the cap with the cork therein is then
plunged into the mold in the position shown in Fig. 5. In either case as soon as the
composition has solidified the casting may be freely removed from the molds without
any sticking, and will appear as in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the resinous head being firmly
bound into and cemented to the cork, and accurately formed and finished on both top
and bottom edges.
It may now be readily seen that by using caps to the molds with the corks held
therein, as described, the corks can thus be placed more accurately and embedded
more deeply in the resinous head than would be the case in the more simple and less
perfect method shown in Fig. 4, and besides this the edge or side of the head from
which the corks project will be cast with a sharp finished or beveled edge instead of
the irregular finish in Fig. 4.
It may be proper to explain how, in the act of casting, the composition firmly
adheres to the cork but does not adhere at all to the mold, which is for the reason that
the cork being a very bad conductor of heat its surface becomes rapidly heated by the
molten composition to the temperature of adhesion, so that it sticks at once thereto,
whereas the mold, being a good conductor of heat, absorbs the heat so rapidly from
the composition as to keep the cavity cool and prevent its surface from reaching the
temperature which favors or determines adhesion. Hence as soon as the casting has
solidified in the mold it may be lifted out freely without any sticking or chipping by
taking hold of the cork, which latter, however, will be found firmly bound into the
casting, and cannot be removed without breaking the same. In fact the adhesion of
the composition to the cork always greatly exceeds the strength of the cork itself so
that there is no danger of the cast head breaking off the cork when the stopper is in
use, a most important advantage of this construction.
In casting my improved stoppers a series of the molds should be used, each being
filled in succession and left to cool until all are filled, when the casting is then
removed from the first one, and the first is then again filled, and so on successively to
the end of the series, by which means the molds are allowed sufficient time to cool
down, or rather the heat is prevented from accumulating therein to the temperature
of adhesion, which is near the point at which the composition softens.
In Fig. 7 is shown another form of stopper having a cast tapering top or handle o,-
and head or rim m, with a cork k to enter the neck of the bottle, and a quill which
passes up through the cork and is embedded in the composition and projects below the
cork, with a pointed tip which is adapted to be used in bottles of drawing ink to fill
the drawing pen with the ink. The molds for making these stoppers, as shown at n n
in Figs. 8 and 9, are substantially the same as described for the other stoppers, as are
also the caps n n'. The caps n' have also the beveled rims i and the central hole in
which the cork k is socketed, and which projects therefrom to become embedded with
the projecting end of the quill in the molten composition when the corked cap is
inserted in the filled mold, as illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9. It will be seen that in this
case the cork and quill greatly strengthen the cast top, and at the same time the
casting is firmly bound to the cork and quill, for, as the cork and quill are bad
conductors of heat, the molten composition will rapidly heat the surface thereof and
then firmly adhere thereto, while it will not adhere to the good conducting mold, as
before described.
In Fig. 11 is shown a stopper of similar form to that in Fig. 7, but with a stick
or wire in place of the quill r, and a swab or brush c on the end of the wire, and
which is cast in precisely the same manner as the stopper shown in Figs. 8 and 9, as
will be readily comprehended.
In some cases the stoppers may be made with hollow or ring corks to fit outside the
neck of the bottle instead of plug corks to fit inside the necks. This is illustrated in
Fig. 10, where indicates the ring cork embedded in and cemented to the resinous

page_text: head m which is cast about the ring cork, and flush, or nearly so, therewith, as shown:
In casting this form of stopper the mold will first be filled as in Fig. 6, and the cap n
having the ring cork k forced onto a central boss h² thereon, will then be plunged
into the mold, as shown in Fig. 10, where the composition will be accurately molded
áround the cork and cemented thereto. As soon as the composition is solidified the
cap can be lifted off, bringing with it the stopper, which can then be removed
from the cap, as the composition will stick firmly to the cork but not to the cap, as
will be understood:-
It will be understood that while I prefer to use a resinous composition which may
be fused and run liquid into molds, as described, yet any other suitable fusible and
solidifiable composition may be used, for instance, sulphur combined in equal parts
with silica or any other powdered substance. The great objection to a sulphur
compound however, is that it will rapidly cause corrosion of the metal molds and thus
adhere thereto by virtue of corrosive adhesion. This may, however, be obviated in a
great degree by plating the brass or other metal molds with gold or platinum or
similar metal which is proof to the action of sulphur. The great advantage of a
resinous compound, cast as described, is the quickness and simplicity of the
operation, and the fact that when the molds are made of massive blocks of metal
or large conductors of heat, as described, and not allowed to get hot, the resinous
casting will never stick or adhere to the mold, but will draw out instantly when
solidified, and will show a perfectly finished surface when removed. Hence the molds
need no lubrication, but may be used in a clean, dry, state for any successive number
of casts desired, and therefore the resinous casting when removed will have a brilliant,
smooth and polished surface, perfectly true to the mold, whereas the surface would be
more or less dull and rough if lubricants were required to be used to oil or smear the
molds to prevent sticking, as would be necessary with plaster of paris, or with plastic,
putty-like substances pressed into the molds. Besides these advantages the resinous
compound has the merits of great cheapness, ease in handling and strength, and affords
a better frictional grasp to the hand, which combine to make it preferable to all others
for the described purpose.
The corks will be of course preferably and ordinarily made of cork-wood, but any
other suitable substance or substitute may be used, such as soft wood, rubber, leather,
or any other equivalent.
It will be understood that the resinous heads might be first separately cast in the
molds and then afterwards cemented on the tops of the corks, but this would be
obviously inferior to the preferred process described of casting and cementing the
resinous head directly on the cork.
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
1st. A compound stopper formed of a cork or plug and a solid overhanging disk
or head of resinous compound fixed upon the top of the cork, substantially as herein
shown and described.
2nd. A bottle-stopper formed of a cork or plug combined with a molded head of
resinous cement cast directly upon and adhering to the top of the cork, substantially
as herein shown and described.
3rd: A compound stopper formed of a cork or plug and a grasping head of fusible
and solidifiable cement into which the cork is embedded and directly cemented,
substantially as herein shown and described.
4th. A shell or tubular cork overlaid with a mass of solidifiable cement forming a
grasping cap or rim upon the cork, and extending integral into the bore of the same,
and being thereby cemented to both the exterior and interior thereof, substantially as
herein shown and described. .
5th. The described mode of forming compound stoppers consisting in placing a
charge of solidifiable and fusible cement in a molding cavity and embedding the end

page_text: of a cork or plug in the said charge while fluid, allowing the same to solidify in the
mold and upon the cork, and thence removing the cork with its molded and solidified
attachment, substantially as shown and described.
6th. The process herein set forth of making compound stoppers consisting in placing
or pouring a charge of liquid solidifiable cement into a molding cavity, placing a
cork or plug in a cap which fits the mouth of said cavity, with a part of said cork
protruding or exposed, inserting said cap and cork into the cavity and pressing them
against or into the charge, allowing the charge to solidify in the cavity and cement
itself to the cork, and thence removing the cork and its attachment, substantially as
shown and described.
7th. The improved stopper formed of the cork such as k and the solid resinous head
such as m, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 8th day of Maral 1888
CHARLES MICHAEL HIGGINS..