IM- PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO FACILITATE THE WITHDRAWAL OF NON-AERATED LIQUIDS FROM DECANTERS AND OTHER LIKE BOTTLES WITHOUT TILTING OR HANDLING SUCH BOTTLES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Johann Maximilian Plessner, of 11, Golden Square, in the
County of Middlesex, late Captain, Prussian Army, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO FACILITATE THE WITHDRAWAL OF NON-AERATED
LIQUIDS FROM DECANTERS AND OTHER LIKE BOTTLES WITHOUT TILTING OR
HANDLING SUCH BOTTLES."
ealed the 5th January 1877, and dated the 14th July 1876
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Johann Maximilian Plessner
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th July 1876.
JOHANN MAXIMILIAN PLESSNER, of 11, Golden Square, in the County of Middle-
sex, late Captain, Prussian Army. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO FACILITATE
THE WITHDRAWAL OF NON-AERATED LIQUIDS FROM DECANTERS AND OTHER LIKE
BOTTLES WITHOUT TILTING OR HANDLING SUCH BOTTLES."
This Invention relates to improvements which I have made upon the apparatus
for which I obtained Letters Patent, dated the 14th day of July 1875, No. 2534, and
the object of which was to dispense with ordinary stoppers in perfume or liquid
smelling bottles, and to obtain the liquid scent by means of a small forec pump
without opening the bottle.
The present Invention has for its object the withdrawal of liquid such as water,
wine, or spirits from decanters and similar vessels without lifting these vessels, for
pouring the liquid out in the usual way, but like with seltzer or soda-water syphons,
through the pressure of a gaseous substance for which I use common atmospheric
air. I effect this by a stopper of peculiar construction provided with a movable
socket so as to allow the instrument to be inserted into bottles of any dimensions.
There are several sizes of conical sockets lined with india-rubber to effect an air-
tight closing of the bottles.
The main body of the apparatus according to my present Invention consists of a
screw flange perforated, with a series of passages. Outside the bottle at the top of
the flange a screw chamber is formed into which a metal ball may be screwed air-
tight, having within it an india-rubber ball or similar air containing contrivance.
From this screw chamber several perforations for the passage of air are bored
through the lower part of the screw flange (itself a screw body), having its place in
the socket and within the neck of the bottle. Another hole from the screw chamber
communicating with the exterior air by means of a metallic or india-rubber air
valve which admits the air when a vacuum is produced within the screw chamber,
[Price Gd.]

page_text: but does not allow it to escape when the air therein is compressed. A separate and
sufficiently large boring is in the body of the lower screw to allow the insertion of
a glass tube sufficiently long to reach to the bottom of the bottle. This boring
passes under a right angle through the flange and ends in an outflow nozzle
similar to those of seltzer or soda-water siphons. By pressing on the air bag by
means of a rod or lever, or with the finger through a hole in the enclosing metal
covering, the air is forced into the bottle, pressing thereby on the surface of the
liquid and forcing it through the glass pipe and nozzle in the form of a continuous
stream so long as this pressure lasts. When the air re-extends either by the air
bag own elasticity, or by the help of an inserted spring, the liquid ceases to flow,
and that quantity of air which is now less in the apparatus by the displacement
of, the volume which has been withdrawn enters through the air valve provided
for this purpose. It could and would also, by preference, enter through the
nozzle and glass pipe passing through the liquid in the form of bubbles (which is not
objectionable when using water), in which case the air valve can be dispensed with,
but for other liquids this is prevented by having the nozzle doubly bent, and in its
vertical branch a glass, porcelain, or silver bead is inserted. This bead sinks when
the vacuum is produced into a cavity, preventing the liquid in the glass pipe to fall,
and thus shutting off the air from passing through this pipe. The dimensions are,
however, such that the ball has sufficient play upwards to allow a small quantity of
liquid in the end of the nozzle to be sucked back before the closing takes place,
which effectually prevent drops falling from the nozzle.
It is an essential condition for the working of the apparatus that no air must be
allowed to escape, and this condition, besides the special technical arrangements
mentioned above, constitute at the same time the vital difference between this
siphon and the so-called vaporizers wherein it is essential that the air should escape
in order to intermix with the liquid for producing a spray. To prevent the escape
of air between the glass tube and the boring into which it is inserted I slip a little
piece of india-rubber tubing over both, this is placed high enough in the neck of
the bottle not to come into contact with the liquid contained in the bottle. By
providing another air valve, which prevents the return of the compressed air in the
bottle to the air bag when the latter is aspiring air, a continuous outflow of the
liquid inay be obtained. If, further, a small stop-cock is attached to the nozzle the
bottle may be charged with compressed air and the liquid withdrawn by opening
the cock. To prevent an ejecting of the whole apparatus by the force of the com-
pressed air cramps may be 'provided which secure it to the glass flange of the
bottle. If a clockwork acting by a main spring is attached to the air bag the
latter may be considerably smaller; the work may be set in notion by opening the
cock, withdrawing therewith a catch which arrests the clockwork by means of a
flanged key. The clockwork may be wound up after stopping.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Johann Maximilian Plessner in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th January 1877.
JOHANN MAXIMILIAN PLESSNER, of 11, Golden Square, in the County of Middle-
sex, late Captain, Prussian Army. IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO FACILITATE
THE WITHDRAWAL OF NON-AERATED LIQUIDS FROM DECANTERS AND OTHER LIKE
BOTTLES WITHOUT TILTING OR HANDLING SUCH BOTTLES."
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus to facilitate the withdrawal
of non-acrated liquids from decanters and other like bottles without tilting or
handling such bottles.
In order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose I refer to the several
Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference indicating
corresponding parts throughout all the Figures.

page_text: "
Figure 1 represents a section of the new stopper which hereafter I shall call the
decanter syphon," a name which does not exclude the application of the apparatus
to barrels or other liquid containing capacities as will be seen hereafter.
A represents the inain body of the apparatus; B is the india-rubber ball or
similar air-containing contrivance; C is a shell of metal or other material covering B,
and which may be screwed to A, as shown in Figure 1; D is the india-rubber or
cork lining to be inserted for air-tight closing into the neck of a decanter or similar
bottle; E is a glass pipe connected with the body A and descending nearly to the
bottom of the decanter or bottle. The body A has various perforations, of which
a is the screw flange to which, as mentioned before, B is fastened. b is a hole for
the passage of air from B into the decanter; c is the perforation for the passage of
the liquid which is forced up through the glass pipe E; & is the outflow or nozzle
containing the ball valve c. Opposite this valve an air valve f is soldered or screwed
to the body A, and an air passage connects it with the interior of the screw
flange a, as shown in the Figure. In order to prevent an escape of air from the
interior of the bottle through the nozzle d, between the glass tube E and the
liquid passage c, both must be joined air-tight, which may be effected either by
screwing or cementing both together, as shown in Figure 1, or by providing the
upper part of the glass pipe E with a small cork ring h, which can be inserted in
the passage c, as shown in Figure 2, or in any other way.
"
The method, as shown in Figure 2, I consider the best and cheapest, inasmuch as it
allows the adjusting of the glass pipe E according to the depth of the decanter or
bottle. The india-rubber or cork D is slipped over a metal tube, the upper and
inner part of which being provided with a screw thread corresponding to a similar
screw thread cut into the lower part of the body A. By this arrangement the
body A may be provided with corks or india-rubber stoppers of various dimensions,
and thus allow its air-tight fixing into narrow or wide necked bottles. k is a lid or
finger plate fastened to the shell C by means of a hinge or hinges Ɩ, which allow the
swinging of into C. In order to fill a glass with liquid by means of this new
decanter syphon," the latter must first be inserted air-tight into the neck of a decanter
or bottle, which is effected by using a cork or india-rubber stopper D of adequate
proportions to the inner diameter of the neck of the bottle, when it suffices after
adjusting the length of the glass pipe E to the depth of the bottle gently to press
the stopper D into the neck. By pressing the lid or finger plate the air bag B
is depressed, and part of the air contained therein is forced through the air passage b
into the decanter or bottle. The air above the surface of the liquid is thus com-
pressed and forces a quantity of the liquid up the glass pipe E through the passage c
lifting the ball valve e and flowing out through the nozzle d until the density of
the air in the bottle and air bag is again of atmospheric pressure, when the outflow
ccases. This stopping of the outflow is also effected instantaneously, even before
the air within the apparatus is reduced to atmospheric pressure, as soon as the air
bag B is allowed to re-extend by its own elasticity or by the help of a spring. In
that case part of the compressed air returns from the decanter through the passage
into the air bag B, whilst a quantity of new air corresponding to the volume of
liquid which has been ejected is sucked up through the air valve f and passage g,
whereby the valve fis raised. The ball valve e prevents the air entering through
the nozzle d into the partial vacuum produced in the decanter by the re-extension
of B.
It will be seen from this description that the process of filling a glass with liquid
can be effected with ease and great accuracy, since the outflow of the liquid will
stop immediately the finger is taken off the lid k.
Figure 2 represents a modification of the apparatus just described, the air bag B
is not or is only partly enclosed and the lid is dispensed with. A somewhat modified
form of the air valve j' is fastened to the air bag B, the air-tight closing of the same
being effected by the operation of the apparatus when the finger by depressing the
air bag closes the hole m, thereby preventing any escape of air. When taking the
finger off from the valve f the air bag B re-extends, and a fresh volume of air enters

page_text: through m in forcing down the small plate n, which is kept in its position by a
spring o. Instead of placing the ball valve e in the vertical branch of the nozzle d
it can be placed directly in the glass tube E, as shown in Figure 2. In some cases
I connect both the lid and the bag B by the air valve. The shell C may also
be without a lid when I use simply the slot provided for for the movement of
the finger.
The height to which liquid may be raised by the apparatus just described depends
upon the relative proportions of the air containing contrivance and the vessel or
bottle containing the liquid. If, for instance, the volume of the decanter or vessel
is thirty times the volume of B, the liquid may still be forced up to a height of one
foot, since this height corresponds to the pressure of th of an atmosphere. Should
the apparatus be therefore used for barrels or other large vessels its construction
must be somewhat modified in order to avoid too large proportions. This I effect
by screwing the air vessel B to a receiver F, Figure 3, and inserting the latter by
means of a cork D into a hole at the upper part of the barrel whereby, however,
an air-tight fitting is not required. The pipe E passes air-tight through the bottom
of this receiver, having its ball valve c, Figure 2, at its lower extremity, and
therefore constantly submerged. The nozzle has another similar ball valve é, and
the air valve f can be constructed in form of a small stop-cock for the admittance
or for the escape of air, as shown in the Figure.
For working this apparatus, f, whilst open, is depressed, when part of the air
contained in B and F escapes through and d. Then f is closed by turning the
handle, and d is stopped by the finger, when the re-extension of B causes a partial
vacuum to be produced in B and F. Into this vacuum liquid is forced through the
pipe E partially filling F. By a repetition of the same operation F may be entirely
filled. By then compressing B whilst f is closed the liquid will flow out from the
nozzle d, and the apparatus works as described before, with this difference, that the
action takes place with always the same volume of air which alternately enters F
and re-enters B, and that by the re-extension of B a new quantity of liquid is each
time sucked up into F. To stop the refilling of F it suffices to have f open, when
the re-extension of B takes place.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same may be performed, I declare that I do not limit myself exclusively to the parts
described, but may modify the same according to the demands of the public, for
instance, by doing away with india-rubber air bag and substituting a cylinder and
piston. I claim,-
Firstly. The general construction and arrangement of apparatus described, with
reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the annexed Drawings, by which non-aerated liquids
can be withdrawn from decanters, bottles, and liko vessels without tilting or
handling such vessels, as set forth, the apparatus not being permanently fixed or
forming part of the decanter or bottle itself.
Secondly. The modified arrangement of apparatus for obtaining liquid from large
vessels, such as barrels and the like, by alternately rarifying and compressing
atmospheric air, as described with reference to Figure 3 of the annexed Drawings.
Thirdly. The arrangement of the apparatus by which I avoid the liquid coming
into contact with the air containing capacity of the apparatus itself, thereby avoiding
any taste being imparted to the liquid while passing through it, as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Johann Maximilian Plessner, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of January, One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-seven.
J. M. PLESSNER. (L.S.)