IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CAPSULING BOTTLES AND OTHER LIKE RECEPTACLES
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Betts, of Wharf Road, City Road, in
the County of Middlesex, Capsule Manufacturer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CAPSULING BOTTLES
AND OTHER LIKE RECEPTACLES."
Sealed the 23rd April 1872, and dated the 3rd February 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Betts at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd February 1872.
I, WILLIAM BETTS, of Wharf Road, City Road, in the County of
Middlesex, Capsule Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CAPSULING
BOTTLES AND OTHER LIKE RECEPTACLES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a peculiar combination and arrangement of
machinery or apparatus operating by fluid or hydraulic pressure for the
purpose of securing soft metal capsules on to and over the necks and
stoppers or corks of bottles and other like receptacles.
34"

page_text: According to this Invention it is proposed to employ a horizontal
cylindrical or other shaped chamber capable of swivelling (for the
purpose hercin-after described) upon a vertical axis in a socket or holder
in the upper end of a vertical pillar or upright, the pivot of such
chamber being maintained in its socket by a key or set screw. On the
upper side of this swivelling chamber there is cast a cylinder, within
which works a fluid-tight ram or piston.
This ram, or the rod of the piston as the case may be, works through
a cup leather packing tightened up by a screwed gland, or a simpler and
cheaper arrangement may be employed whereby the said cup leather
and gland may be dispensed with. For this purpose the ram is caused
to work fluid-tight within the cylinder by having a washer or disc of
leather or other suitable material secured to its lower extremity at the
centre. The said disc or washer should be of rather larger diameter
than the cylinder within which it works, and it is to be so compressed
on inserting it into the cylinder as to present the appearance of an
inverted cup, which is expanded by the pressure of the fluid acting
against the concave surface thereof, and thus maintains a perfectly
tight packing inside the cylinder.
Inside the swivelling chamber above referred to there is placed an
elastic chamber composed by preference of vulcanized india-rubber
closed at the inner end and open at the mouth or entrance for the
introduction of the neck of the bottle to be operated upon. This elastic
chamber is secured to the mouth of the swivelling metal chamber by a
flange and screwed ring or otherwise, and is in some cases lined with
leather to impart greater stability to the india-rubber.
A self-acting feed cup and cock are fitted to the swivelling metal
chamber for the purpose of maintaining a constant supply of water or
other fluid to the interior of such chamber, and by thus compensating
for any loss or leakage that may occur the machine is always maintained
ready for work. The plunger or piston, which by its descent exerts the
requisite pressure through the medium of the fluid in the swivelling
chamber for compressing the elastic chamber, and thereby applying the
capsule, is worked by direct perpendicular action, for which purpose it
is provided with a cross head connected to the upper ends of two vertical
side rods extending downwards, one on each side of and parallel, or
nearly so to the main vertical axis of the upright or standard of the

page_text: machine, whilst the lower ends of these rods are respectively jointed to'
two lever arms projecting from one side of a horizontal transverse
rocking shaft working in brackets cast on the main upright or standard.
At both ends of this rocking shaft provision is made for attaching
either a foot lever or a nearly upright hand lever, the latter being so,
weighted as to serve in conjunction with an india-rubber spring or.
springs to maintain the plunger when at rest in an elevated position.
1
The object of making the chamber capable of swivelling is to facilitate
the operation of capsuling by enabling the machine to be readily:
adjusted to suit a right or left handed workman, for which purpose
also, and to enable a workman to work the machine either by hand or
foot as he may prefer, the levers are capable of being transferred to
either end of the rocking shaft; thus the same machine may be worked
either by the right or by the left hand or foot as found most convenient.
The entire machine being self-contained upon a single upright or
vertical support without lateral branching arms or brackets is capable
of being readily packed inside the wooden stand upon which it is to be
mounted, such stand constituting the seat for the operator as well as
the support and packing case for the machine.
› SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Betts in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 25th July 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
BETTS, of Wharf Road; City Road, in the County of Middlesex, Capsule
Manufacturer, send greeting.
.
WHEREAS. Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing, date the Third day of February, in the year of ▸
our Lord One thousand eight; hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-.
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me,, the said William Betts, Her special license.
that I, the said William. Betts, my executors,. administrators;. and. t
assigns,. or..such others as. I,, the said William Betts,, my executors,
administrators, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no i
'
4

page_text: According to my Invention I employ a horizontal, cylindrical, or
other shaped chamber A capable of swivelling (for the purpose herein-
after described) upon a vertical axis in a socket or holder formed in the
upper end of a vertical pillar or upright B, which is provided with a
base for bolting it down on to the supporting block C at one end of the
stand D.
The pivot of the chamber A is maintained in its socket by a key a or
by a set screw. On the upper side of this swivelling chamber there is
cast a cylinder E, within which works a fluid-tight ram or piston F
(shewn in enlarged detail in Figure 5).
This ram or the rod of the piston, as the case may be, may work
through a cup leather packing in the top of the cylinder E tightened up
by a screwed gland, but I prefer to use the simpler and cheaper
I arrangement shown in my Drawings, wherein the said cup leather
and gland are dispensed with. In the arrangement the ram F is caused
to work fluid-tight within the cylinder E by having a thin washer .or
disc of leather or other suitable material 6 secured to its lower extremity
at the centre by a hollow screwed plug c having an expanded head.
The said washer or disc, which is shown detached at Figure 6, should
be of rather larger diameter than the cylinder within which it works,
and should have its periphery. cut or bevilled to a thin or sharp edge, as
shown clearly in Figure 6. This thin edge is to be turned down on
inserting it into the cylinder so that it may enter freely and be then
: expanded outwards by the pressure of the fluid acting against the inner
sides of the cupped or turned down edges of the said disc, thus
maintaining a perfectly tight packing inside the cylinder.
Inside the swivelling chamber above referred to there is fitted an
elastic chamber G composed by preference of vulcanized india-rubber,
closed at the inner end and open at the mouth or entrance for the
introduction of the neck of the bottle to be operated upon. This elastic
chamber (which forms separately no part of my present Invention) is
secured to the mouth of the swivelling metal chamber by a flange and
screwed ring, as shown, or otherwise. The said elastic chamber is in,
some cases lined with leather to impart greater stability to the india-
rubber.
A self-acting feed cup and cock are fitted to the swivelling

page_text: other fluid to the interior of such chamber, and by thus compensating
for any loss or leakage that may occur the machine is always maintained'
ready for work. I prefer to make this feed cup and cock or valve
inside the body of the plunger itself, such plunger being made hollow
for that purpose (see Figure 5), and provided with a feeding cup d on its
upper end. A screw plug e having à conical extremity is inserted into
the hollow of the plunger, so that when screwed home it closes the
aperture communicating with the cylinder E and chamber A, but
when unscrewed slightly it opens the said communication. The upper
screwed portion g of the plug has a slot made down it to allow any
water or other liquid which may have been poured into the cup d to flow'
down the plunger into the cylinder when the plug or valve is opened,
and thereby compensate for any loss of the liquid from leakage or
otherwise. Having thus charged the cylinder the plug e is screwed
tightly home and the machine.is, ready for work. The plunger which by:
its. descent.exerts the requisite pressure through the medium of the fluid-
in the cylinder E and swivelling chamber A for compressing the elastic
chamber contained in the latter, and thereby applying the capsule, as is.
well understood, is worked according to my present Invention by direct
perpendicular action in lieu of by a lever acting upon the end of the
plunger as heretofore. For this purpose the plunger is provided with a
cross head or is formed with side lugs h, h, to which are connected the
upper ends of two vertical side rods H, H, extending downwards, one
on each side of and parallel or nearly so to the main vertical axis of the
upright or standard B of the machine, whilst the lower ends of these
rods are respectively jointed to two short links I, I, which are connected.
respectively to two lever arms K, K, projecting from one side of a
horizontal transverse rocking shaft L working in bearings M, M, cast
on the main upright or standard. A vertical guiding slot is made
through the upright B, within which slides the cross bar i connected to
the lower ends of the two parallel side rods, thereby ensuring a perfectly
parallel motion of the plunger.
At both ends of the rocking shaft. L provision is made for attaching
either a foot lever N or a nearly upright hand lever O, the latter being
so weighted as to serve in conjunction with the india-rubber spring or
springs P to maintain the plunger when at rest in an elevated position,
as shown in my Drawings.
The object of making the chamber A. capable of swivelling towards

page_text: the right or left hand of the workman is to facilitate the operation, of
capsuling by enabling the machine to be readily adjusted to suit a right
or left handed workman, who is seated when at work on the raised
scat Q in front of the machine at the end of the stand. For this,
purpose.
also, and to enable a workman to work the machine either by hand or
foot as he may prefer, the levers N and Ó are capable of being inter-
changed or transferred to either end of the rocking shaft; thus the same
machine may be worked either by the right or by the left hand or foot
as found most convenient.
The entire machine being self-contained upon a single upright or
vertical support without lateral branching arms or brackets is capable
of being readily packed inside the same wooden stand upon which it is
to mounted when at work, as shewn clearly in Figure 4; thus the said.
stand constitutes the seat for the operator as well as the support and
packing case for the machine.
Although I have illustrated and described my improved machine as
being mounted upon a stand forming the workman's seat, it is obvious
that it may, if desired, be secured to any suitable work bench or table,
or be fixed to a stationary upright or post.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or
carried into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to
be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to
me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The peculiar combination and arrangement of parts forming an
improved machine for capsuling bottles and other like receptacles, as
herein-before described and illustrated by my Drawings.
Secondly. The making the chamber A capable of swivelling to the
right or left hand of the workman upon a vertical axis or pivot for the
purpose herein-before described.
Thirdly. The peculiar mode of packing the inner end of the ram or
plunger Fas herein-before described and illustrated by my Drawings.
.
Fourthly. The combination with the chamber A of a self-acting feed
cup or a hollow plunger in conjunction with a cock or valve for making
good any deficiency of liquid in the chamber A, as herein-before
described.

page_text: Fifthly. The application and use to and in capsuling machines of the
peculiar combination of mechanism for imparting a direct parallel and
vertical motion to the compressing plunger F, as herein-before described
and illustrated by my Drawings.
Sixthly. The combination with the rocking shaft L of a counter-
weighted hand lever or a foot lever, or both, made interchangeable as
and for the purpose herein-before described.
Seventhly. The strengthening the elastic or india-rubber chamber of a
capsuling machine by lining the same with leather or other suitable
material as herein-before described.
Eighthly. The making the wooden stand or stool of a capsuling
machine serve as the packing case for the said machine when required
for transport as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Betts, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of July
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.