IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS, VALVES, AND APPARATUS FOR FILLING AND DISCHARGING BOTTLES, VESSELS, STORE CHAMBERS, MAINS, OR OTHER HOLDERS USED FOR CONTAINING FLUIDS, LIQUIDS, GASES OR VAPOURS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Atkins, of Saint Alban's, in the County
of Herts, for the Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS, VALVES,
AND APPARATUS FOR FILLING AND DISCHARGING BOTTLES, VESSELS, STORE
CHAMBERS, MAINS, OR OTHER HOLDERS USED FOR CONTAINING FLUIDS, LIQUIDS,
GASES OR VAPOURS."
Sealed the 5th March 1875, and dated the 10th September 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Atkins at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 10th September 1874.
I, THOMAS ATKINS, of Saint Alban's, in the County of Herts, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS,
VALVES, AND APPARATUS FOR FILLING AND DISCHARGING BOTTLES, VESSELS, STORE
CHAMBERS, MAINS, OR OTHER HOLDERS USED FOR CONTAINING FLUIDS, LIQUIDS,
GASES, OR VAPOURS," to be as follows:-
In accordance with the first part of this Invention a cork or other
elastic substance is employed as a coating or lining to the interior of the

page_text: neck of a bottle, vessel, store chamber or main. The said cork or
substance has a tube or pipe arranged for holding a valve which may be
composed of cork, wood, metal, or any other suitable substance with or
without a spindle for steadying the same. The valve may be coated
with india-rubber, leather, horn, or any suitable elastic substance that
will render the valve air-tight; or the seating in the cup for receiving
the valve may be furnished with any such material for securing an air-
tight valve and preventing the escape of air or gases when not required.
The tube is fixed through the cork or stopper, a cap of metal or other
material being applied on the top of the tube with a hole by which the
tube may pass through the cap. The cap may be screwed, rivetted, or
soldered, or may be made to fit air-tight on the outside of the tube and
thus give elasticity for the expansion of the cork beneath the cap which
may tend to secure the said bottle or chamber air-tight, and may be
instantly withdrawn for repairs. The cap may be furnished with clips
of any convenient length or thickness for fastening or securing the cap
on the surface of a bottle or vessel, or a hinge may be attached to the
cap with a moveable clip to cover the ends of the tube, and the cap may
be secured by lock, clip, or any other convenient fastening, and may be
rendered air-tight by leather, cork, or other elastic substance.
The second part of this Invention relates to the construction of a key
or handle for opening and shutting the valve previously described, the
handle or key may have a valve or valves in the interior that may be
opened and shut at pleasure, or the passage may be clear without a valve.
At the end of the tube holes or passages are arranged for the escape of
the fluid when passed down the tube to the valve. The tube is made
air-tight in its passage by any elastic packing, and a small collar is
attached under the neck of the handle or key. The end of the tubo
may be plugged up and may act as a piston for opening the valve during
the passage of the fluid or gases. This telescopic slide or angle may be
employed for taking any quantity of the fluid or gases required and at
any pressure that may be contained in the bottle or vessel, and may be
of any convenient size or diameter required; or the said tube may be
held down by a spring chain or lever or any other suitable contrivance.
On the end for delivering the said fluid or gases a nozzle or union may
be attached on the end of the discharge pipe of any convenient size or
length. These tubes and valves may be made of any convenient size or
length, and may be employed for various useful purposes, such as for

page_text: hydrants or discharging and fitting all descriptions of bottles, casks, or
chambers. Being of simple construction they may be instantly
employed, they are also inexpensive, clean, and durable, and effect a
great saving in time.
The pressure in the bottle or vessel to which this improved valve and
apparatus is applied may be regulated and indicated by means of a spring.
and dial plate attached to the apparatus, or an ordinary pressure gauge.
be attached to such apparatus to indicate the pressure.
may
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Atkins in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 10th March 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, THOMAS
ATKINS, of Saint Alban's, in the County of Herts, send greeting.
-
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-eighth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Thomas Atkins, Her special license that I, the
said Thomas Atkins, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Thomas Atkins, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time
to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and-Ireland, the Channel -Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for “IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS, VALVES,
AND APPARATUS FOR FILLING AND DISCHARGING BOTTLES, VESSELS, STORE CHAMBERS,
MAINS, OR OTHER HOLDERS USED FOR CONTAINING FLUIDS, LIQUIDS, GASES, OR
VAPOURS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Thomas
Atkins, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent,

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Atkins, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, that is to say:
In accordance with the first part of this Invention a cork or other
elastic substance is employed as a coating or lining to the interior of the
neck of a bottle, vessel, store chamber, or main. The said cork or
substance has a tube or pipe arranged for holding a valve which may be
composed of cork, wood, metal, or other suitable substance with or
without a spindle for steadying the same. The valve may be coated
with india-rubber, leather, horn, or any suitable elastic substance that
will render the valve air-tight; or the seating in the cup for receiving
the valve may be furnished with any such material for securing an air-
tight valve and preventing the escape of air or gases when not required.
The tube is fixed through the cork or stopper, a cap of metal or other
material being applied on the top of the tube with a hole by which the
tube may pass through the cap. The cap may be screwed, rivetted, or
soldered, or may be made to fit air-tight on the outside of the tube, and
thus give elasticity for the expansion of the cork beneath the cap which
may tend to secure the said bottle or chamber air-tight, and may be
withdrawn for repairs. The cap may be furnished with clips of any
convenient length or thickness for fastening or securing the cap on the
neck or surface of a bottle or vessel, or a hinge or joint may be attached
to the cap with a moveable clip to cover the ends of the tube, and the
cap may be secured by lock, clip, or any other convenient fastening, and
may be rendered air-tight by leather, cork, or other elastic substance.
The second part of this Invention relates to the construction of a key
or handle for opening and shutting the valve previously described; the
handle or key may have a valve or valves in the interior that may be
opened and shut at pleasure, or the passage may be clar without a
valve. At the end of the tube holes or passages are arranged for the
escape of the fluid when passed down the tube to the valve. The tube
is made air-tight in its passage by any elastic packing, and a small collar
is attached under the neck of the handle or key. The end of the tube
may be plugged up and may act as a piston for opening the valve during
the passage of the fluid or gases. This telescopic slide or handle may
be employed for taking any quantity of the fluid or gases required, and
at any pressure that may be contained in the bottle or vessel, and may

page_text: be of any convenient size or diameter required; or the said tube may be
held down by a spring, chain, or lever, or any other suitable contrivance.
On the end for delivering the said fluid or gases a nozzle or union may
be attached on the end of the discharge pipe of any convenient size or
length. These tubes and valves may be made of any convenient size or
length, and may be employed for various useful purposes, such as for
hydrants or discharging and fitting all descriptions of bottles, casks, or
chambers with fluids or gases under pressure. Being of simple con-
struction they may be readily employed, they are also inexpensive, clean,
and durable, and thus effect a great saving in time.
The pressure in the bottle or vessel to which this improved valve and
apparatus is applied may be regulated and indicated by means of a spring.
and dial plate attached to the apparatus, or an ordinary pressure gauge
may be attached to such apparatus to indicate the pressure.
And in order that my Invention may be clearly understood and
readily carried into practice, I will proceed to describe the Drawings
Figure 1 shows the section of a bottle or vessel for holding soda water
or other aerated liquid having my improved stopper or valve applied
thereto.
Figure 2 shows a side view and section of the stopper separately.
a, a, is a cork or any other elastic substance having a hole made or
formed through it; this stopper is of any length or diameter that may
be required for the various purposes to which my improvements may be
applied. 6 is a tube of metal or other substance having a screw on the
The lower end of the tube 6 is of
top for receiving a screw nut or cap.
conical form, having an internal flange or rim to form a seating for a
valve. The lower end of the tube 6 is turned inwards, thus forming a
ledge for receiving a perforated plate or seating for steadying the
spindle of the valve c made of any suitable material. By pressing down
the valve by means of an instrument passed down the tube the valve
will be depressed or forced on to its lower seating which is pierced with
holes for the passage of the fluid, gases, or vapours into or from the

page_text: bottle or vessel. A spiral or elastic spring is arranged to press and close
the valve c on its seat within the conical part of the tube 6 which is of
suitable diameter to expand the cork outwardly when the screw nut is
tightened so as to make an air-tight joint in the neck or entrance to any
vessel or receiver, bottle, or other chamber. A washer may be placed
within a leather cup for greater security, or the cork may be cut in two
and receive a washer of leather or any other substance to make the
outlet passage air-tight; or the stopper may have a leather or other
elastic washer, cupped or otherwise, with a metal ring under the cork;
by screwing the nut. 6' tight any degree of security for rendering the
passage in which the stopper and valve is placed air-tight may be
effected. The upper end of the tube 6 projects above the nut to receive
a screw cap, capsule, or plate for covering the tops of bottles or
passages in any kind of vessel or store chamber.
I will now describe the discharging apparatus shown at Figure 3 which
is employed for opening the valve or valves previously described. This
apparatus is for convenience formed with a cross piece d' so that it may
be readily introduced into the neck of a bottle or other vessel fitted with
a stopper and valve, arranged as previously described, and thus serve as a
tap or cock for discharging and desired quantity of the contents of such
bottle or vessel, or for filling the same. The tube d passes through the
cross piece d' ending with the discharging nozzle d³ which may have a
screw cut on its end or be reduced to any size required for discharging
the fluid. At d³ there is a small chamber or stuffing box to receive an
india-rubber or other elastic washer, against which the end of the tube b
is pressed so as to form an air-tight joint when the parts come together.
By pressing this discharging apparatus down into the tube 6 it acts in a
similar manner to a telescopic slide by which the discharge of the fluid
or gas may be regulated to a nicety, and the spiral spring acting on the
back of the valve will instantly close it and thus regulate or cut off the
supply on withdrawing the discharging apparatus from the valve. The
end of the tube d which is inserted into the neck of the bottle or vessel
is formed with a cross piece which presses upon the upper stem or
surface of the valve c to open the passage for the fluid to escape. In
cases where it is required to determine the quantity of fluid to be dis-
charged I cut a double or treble thread on a nut with a like thread on
the discharging valve, and then by screwing the said discharging valve
into the said nuț a certain quantity may be discharged at any given
time.

page_text: The discharging tap previously described may if required be fixed by
a screw or otherwise to the neck or entrance to a bottle, vessel, or
chamber, and the nozzle may have a pipe attached thereto by a union or
otherwise for the purpose of filling any bottle, chamber, or vessel up to
such pressure and to such quantities as may be required,
•
Figure 4 shows a section of a discharging apparatus arranged so as to
register the quantity of fluid discharged from a vessel or chamber to
which it is applied. e, e, is an outer tube which is arranged in com-
bination with an inner tube f, which passing through a screw cap and
stuffing box e¹ on the lower end of the tube fleather cups are mounted
with a nut and collars which form a plunger f* to fit in the tube e air-
tight; f is a spiral spring for regulating and adjusting a long stuffing
box or guide tube f¹ for regulating the discharging apparatus to any
desired pressure by means of the screw cap e¹; f³ is a thumb or finger
piece by which the elasticity of the spring f¹ may be increased or
diminished at will. Below the plunger a smaller tube f* is arranged to
fit air-tight in the tube f which is screwed into a plate e* having holes
pierced through it for admitting fluid from the lower chamber e³.
It will be seen by the arrows that fluid passing through the passage e³
passes through the holes in the plate e*, where pressure is brought to
bear on the annular ring of the plunger ft. By means of a small slit
(or fine holes) made in the tube f* the increase of pressure from the
lower chamber the plunger f* will be lifted, and the said pressure may
be indicated by marks on the telescopic tube fat 9, 9, and by an increase
of pressure the slit or holes in the bottom of the plunger will be raised
and admit the passage of the fluid or gases; or the apparatus may be
fitted to a conical valve for maintaining a constant supply of fluid or
vapour-from any bottle, vessel, or store chamber at such pressure and
in such quantities as may be required for the various purposes to which
the apparatus may be applied.
The lower part of the apparatus, as indicated by the arrows, may be
made of any size or length, and constructed to operate either by single
or double thread, or may be fixed to a clutch to which arms or inclines
may be attached and adapted for opening passages into store chambers
or water mains.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
of carrying the same into practice, I would have it understood that I do
not confine myself to the exact arrangements herein described as the

page_text: same may be considerably varied without departing from the true
character of my Invention; but what I claim is,—
The improved arrangement and combination of stoppers, valves, and
apparatus for filling and discharging bottles, vessels, store chambers,
mains, or other holders used for containing fluids, liquids, gases, or
vapours, substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-before
described and represented in the Drawings hereunto annexed.
I also claim the improved arrangement and combination of apparatus
for registering the quantity of fluid, gas, or vapour at various pressures
discharged from a bottle, vessel, store chamber, main, or other holder,
substantially in the manner herein-before described with reference to
Figure 4 of the Drawings hereunto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Atkins, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Tenth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
THOMAS ATKINS. (L.S.)
Witness,
J. G. TONGUE,
Patent Agent,
34, Southampton Buildings,
W.C.