Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd July, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 8th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 13th Apr., 1889
I, WILLIAM THOMAS READ, of the Bottling Stores, Carker's Lane Kentish Town,
London N.W. Beer Bottler, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:-
Whereas much unnecessary friction, wear and labour in the use of corking machines
results from lateral pressure bearing upon the travelling shaft, such lateral pressure
being required only for the purpose of compressing the cork before driving it down-
wards into the neck of the bottle.
The specific features of novelty in my machine consist; firstly of a cam working on
a fixed pivot for actuating the clamp or cork compressor. This cam takes off all the
lateral pressure from the travelling shaft. And, secondly, of the means I employ to
obtain reciprocal action between the said Cam and the travelling shaft of the machine.
In the result, the friction, wear, & labour in working the machine are much reduced.
In the accompanying diagram, A represents the shaft which travels vertically in or
upon the upright standard B fixed upon the base plate C.
From the standard B project two fixed horizontal arms D and E. Near the end of
one of the arms is pivoted the cam F. The shorter arm D supports the block wherein
the cork is compressed laterally, before being thrust downwards.
The strap G moves horizontally behind the arms D and E in or upon suitable guides
or grooves, and to it at one end is attached the clamp H, and at the other end the
roller I, which travels in a slot in the cam. This slot is curved so as to produce lateral
movement of the clamp.
The Roller I is held in its place by means of a pin K which passes through it and
the strap.
Neither the clamp nor the block wherein the cork is compressed are more particularly
described, as they are like those in general use.
The spindle R carries two levers L and M placed nearly at right angles to one
another, and to their ends are attached the straps N and O, connecting the said levers
respectively, with the travelling shaft A and with the cam F.
It will be seen from this description and from the diagram that the cam rises as the
shaft descends--the two being thus counterpoised.

page_text: Since the lateral compression must be completo before the cork is thrust downwards,
it is desirable that the cam should travel relatively faster than the shaft at the
beginning of the stroke of the handle. Conversely the shaft should travel relatively
faster than the cam at the end of the stroke.
This I accomplish by placing the two levers I, and M approximately at right angles
to one another.
The machine is operated by pulling forward the handle P, so as to cause the
spindle R to make about one quarter of an entire revolution.
The bottle to be corked stands upon the support Q which is raised as customary by
means of a lever actuated by the foot of the operator, or otherwise, and the entire
machine may be supported by legs to any convenient distance above the ground.
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 the
application of a cam
or any equivalent device working upon a fixed pivot for
obtaining lateral pressure upon corks when in the corking machine, and I also claim
the employment of two levers placed at right angles, or nearly at right angles to one
another, upon the same axis for imparting reciprocal motion to the squeezing clamp,
and to the perpendicular travelling shaft of corking machines.
Dated this Twenty third day of July 1888.

page_text: I, WILLIAM THOMAS READ, Beer Bottler, Carker's Lane, Kentish Town, the drawing
left with the Provisional Specification to be used for this, 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 :-
Whereas much unnecessary friction, wear and labour in the use of corking machines
results from lateral pressure bearing upon the travelling shaft, such lateral pressure
being required only for the purpose of compressing the cork before driving it down-
wards into the neck of the bottle.
The specific features of novelty in my machine consist firstly of a cam working upon
a fixed pivot for actuating the clamp or cork compressor. This cam takes off all
lateral pressure from the travelling shaft. And secondly of the means I employ to
obtain reciprocal action between the said cam and the travelling shaft of the machine.
In the result the friction, wear and labour in working the machine are much reduced.
In the accompanying diagram A represents the shaft which travels vertically in or
upon the upright standard B fixed upon the Base Plate C.
From this standard B project two fixed horizontal arms D and E. Near the end of
one of these arms is pivoted the cam F. The shorter arm D supports the block
wherein the cork is compressed laterally before being thrust downwards.
The strap G moves horizontally behind the arms D and E in or upon suitable guides
or grooves and to it at one end is attached the clamp H and at the other end the
roller I which travels in a slot in the cam. This slot is curved so as to produce lateral
movement of the clamp.
The roller I is held in its place by means of a pin K which passes through it and
the strap.
Neither the clamp nor the block wherein the cork is compressed are more par-
ticularly described as they are like those in general use.
The spindle R carries two levers L and M placed nearly at right angles to one
another and to their ends are attached the straps N and O connecting the said levers
respectively with the travelling shaft A and with the cam F.
It will be seen from this description and from the diagram that the cam rises as the
shaft descends-the two being thus counterpoised.
Since the lateral compression must be complete before the cork is thrust downwards
it is desirable that the cam should travel relatively faster than the shaft at the
beginning of the stroke of the handle. Conversely the shaft should travel relatively
faster than the cam at the end of the stroke.
This I accomplish by placing the two levers L and M approximately at right angles
to one another.
The machine is operated by pulling forward the handle P so as to cause the
spindle R to make about one quarter of an entire revolution.

page_text: The bottle to be corked stands upon the support Q which is raised as customary by
means of a lever actuated by the foot of the operator or otherwise and the entire
machine may be supported by legs to any convenient distance above the ground.
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
The application of a cam or any equivalent device working upon a fixed pivot for
obtaining lateral pressure upon corks when in the corking machine and I also claim the
employment of two levers placed at right angles or nearly at right angles to one
another upon the same axis for imparting reciprocal motion to the squeezing clamp
and to the perpendicular travelling shaft of corking machines.
Dated this 8th day of March 1889