Improvements in Bottle-corking Machines.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Oct., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 12th July, 1890-Accepted, 16th Aug., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bottle-corking Machines.
1, WALTER VAUGHAN, of 134 Cattell Road, Small Heath Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction and arrangement of
bottle corking machines, and its object primarily is to provide a new or improved
compound slide action for the cork gripper, cork receiver, and the cork plunger; also
improvements in or connected with the simple slide motion of the cork receiver; also
in the cork gripper, and with the general combination and arrangement of the various
parts of the machine.
Upon a somewhat upright frame, and at its upper end, is carried a main vertical
slide, which said slide also carries upon itself a second vertical slide, upon which is
carried the cork plunger. Upon the side of the upright frame is provided a joint or
fulcrum, to receive the manipulating lever. which said lever is connected to the
plunger slide by means of a connecting link or its equivalent.
Again. Near the lower part of the aforesaid main vertical slide, provision is made
to receive a horizontal slide, which extends to the rear part of the frame, and is there
provided with a roller or its equivalent, which engages with a camlike acting slot,
which is carried upon the plunger vertical slide. This slot is part straight and part
angular, or part curved, so that in the vertical motion of the said slide, the desired
motion may be imparted to the horizontal slide.
At the front of this horizontal slide, and upon the main slide, is formed part of the
cork gripper, the front part of the said horizontal slide itself forming the remaining
part of the said gripper, so that when the main slide is brought down to its lowest
point, the plunger has entered the cork receiver, and the gripper has closed in around
the cork, and compressed it into a small diameter, ready for the plunger to further
advance, and press it into the bottle.
The front part of the gripper which is carried upon the horizontal slide, that is, the
part which forms the segmental portion of the cork compresser, is further formed in
two parts, such parts being hinged upon a vertical hinge; or, they may be carried
upon angular slots; in either case, the object being, that upon the inward motion of
the horizontal slide, the two said parts shall close as it were around the cork to
compress it.
At the lower part of the frame provision is made to receive an adjustable support
for the various certain sizes of bottles to be corked, which may be readily raised and
lowered at will.
Upon the base of the said machine a seat is provided for the operator, or if
preferred such seat may be independent of such base.
The aforesaid main slide as it were hangs upon the plunger slide, so that in pulling
down the latter, the former advances until the underside of the cork receiver, which
is somewhat bell-mouthed in shape, rests upon the neck of the bottle, when the
motion of the plunger slide is continued, which next compresses the cork as aforesaid,
and then followed by a further advance of the plunger, which forces the compressed
cork into the bottle.
The return stroke of the lever brings each part back into its normal position ready
for a repeat action.
Dated this 11th dor of October 1889
CHARLES T. POWELL,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bottle-corking Machines.
I WALTER VAUGHAN, of 134 Cattell Road, Small Heath, Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction and arrangement of
bottle corking machines, and its object primarily is to provide a new or improved
compound slide action for the cork gripper, cork receiver, and the cork plunger; also
improvements in or connected with the simple slide motion of the cork receiver;
also in the cork gripper, and with the general combination and arrangement of the
various parts of the machine.
In order to more fully describe and explain this my invention, I have appended
hereunto illustrative sheets of drawings upon which are figs. & letters of reference,
similar letters referring throughout the several views to the same thing or part.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a front elevation, and Fig. 3 a plan view of a
machine constructed according to this my invention. Figs. 4, 5 & 6, are respectively
enlarged detail front, side, and sectional plan views of the main vertical slide, horizontal
slide, and cork gripper, the latter, in Fig. 6, being shown open ready to receive the
cork. Fig. 7, shows the cork gripper closed, by means of the horizontal slides. Fig. 8,
is a side view of the front part of the cork gripper. Figs. 9 & 10, are front and plan
views, detached, of the rear part of the cork gripper. Figs. 11 & 12, are front and
side views of the slotted cam for giving motion to the horizontal slide.
Upon a somewhat upright frame a, and at its upper end, is carried a main vertical
slide b, see Figs. 1 to 7, which said slide also carries upon itself a second vertical
slide c, upon which is carried the cork plunger d. Upon the side of the upright
frame a, is provided a joint or fulcrum e, to receive the manipulating lever f, which
said lever is connected to the plunger slide c, by means of a connecting link g, or its
equivalent.
of
Again. Near the lower part of the aforesaid main vertical slide b, provision
is made to receive a horizontal slide, or what may more correctly be said to be two
slides h, h, which extend to the rear part of the frame, and is there provided with a
roller i or its equivalent, which engages with a rear sliding piece, having a camlike
slot. This sliding piece is connected at its upper end by means of the bracket
stud k, to the plunger slide c, whilst its lower end moves in a slideway formed at 1, see
Fig. 1. This slot j, is part straight and part angular, or it may be part curved, so
that with the vertical motion of the said slide c, the required motion may be imparted
to the horizontal slides h, h, to close upon and compress the cork. At the front
of these horizontal slides h, h, and upon the main slide b, is formed the rear part m,
the cork gripper, see Figs. 5, 6, 7, 9 & 10, the front part n of the remaining part of
the said gripper, being firmly secured to the slides h, h, as one therewith. Hence,
when the main slide b, is brought down to its lowest point, the plunger d, has entered
the cork receiver, and the grippers have closed in around the cork, and compressed it
into a small diameter, ready for the plunger to further advance, and press it into the
bottle. Upon the frame a, is provided the rack o, into which engages the pawl p, by
reason of the roller q in its downwards motion riding upon the raised portion at r of
the said lever; so that, when the mouths (Fig. 1) has reached the top of the bottle,
the pawl p, enters the rack o, and relieves the bottle from the downward weight
or strain of the slide &c. The front part of the gripper which is carried upon
the horizontal slides, that is, the part which forms the segmental portion of the
cork compresser, is further formed in two parts, such parts being hinged upon
a vertical hinge t, t; or, they may be carried upon angular slots; in either case, the
object being, that upon the inward motion of the horizontal slide, the two said
parts shall close upon & around the cork to compress it, as seen in Fig. 7.
At the lower part of the frame a, provision is made to receive an adjustable support

page_text: for the various certain sizes of bottles to be corked, which may be readily raised and
lowered at will. u is a removable & adjustable bracket, having at its front part the
fulcrum joint v, which latter carries the weighted lever w. x is the bottle rest whose
stem is free to slide in the bracket u, and is supported by the lever w. Hence, should
there be any downward pressure calculated to break it, or beyond a given amount, the
lever w, yields thereto, and prevents breakage. This bracket u it will be readily seen
is removable and adjustable, a slot y with an enlarged upper end, being provided in
the frame a, to receive the rear part 2 of the said bracket which has in it the
cross pin a', which latter takes into any of the teeth a², according to the length
of the bottle.
Upon the base of the said machine a seat a³, is provided for the operator, or
if preferred such seat may be independent of such base.
Thus the action of the machine is somewhat as follows:-
The bottle is placed in the rest a, and a cork placed in the now open grippers.
Upon pulling down the weighted lever f, the plunger d, and slide e is brought down
therewith together with the rear sliding piece having the slot j. This forward motion
permits also of the advance of the slide b, until the roller q has reached the raised
part r upon the pawl lever p, when the latter is made to engage with the rack o, and
arrests further advance of the slide b, the mouths having now reached the top of the
neck of the bottle. The slide », being thus arrested, and the slot ; &c. advancing, the
j
slides h, h, are now drawn inwards, thereby compressing the cork, which is accom-
plished just as the plunger d is about to enter the grippers. The forward advance of
the plunger d now forces the cork from the grippers into the bottle, the lever f, is
returned to its normal position, and the various parts are ready for a repeat
operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1st. In a bottling machine, the arrangement of the cork gripping or compressing
device, as herein described and illustrated, that is to say, the combination with the
rear part m, of the adjustable sliding piece n having the hinged closing parts t, t,
constructed and operating substantially as set forth.
2nd. In a bottling machine the combination with the frame a, having notches a², of
the foot bracket u, having the pin a', substantially as set forth and illustrated.
3rd. In a bottling machine the combination with the foot bracket u, of the vertical
sliding rest a, carried upon the weighted lever w, as set forth and illustrated and for
the purposes specified.
4th. The combination in a bottling machine with the advancing gripping device and
plunger d, of the pawl lever p, or its equivalent, and rack o, constructed and operating
substantially as described and illustrated and for the purposes specified.
5th. In a bottling machine, the combination with the sliding plunger d, of
the slide b, carrying the cork gripping device, constructed and operating substantially
as shown and described.
6th. The general combination and arrangements of parts constituting this my
improved bottling machine, wherein the bottle is stationary, and by the stroke of the
lever, the cork is compressed, brought down to the bottle, and inserted therein,
substantially as herein described and illustrated upon the drawings.
Dated the 11th day of July 1800
CHARLES T. POWELL,
Applicant's Agent.