Improvements connected with the Sealing of Bottles and the like with Capsules.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Oct., 1895-Accepted, 23rd Nov., 1895
[Communicated from abroad by Dr. RUGGERO OLIVIERI, of Sangemini, Italy,
Manager of the Sangemini Mineral Water Spring.]
Improvements connected with the Sealing of Bottles and the
like with Capsules.
I, ERNEST RICHARD ROYSTON, Fel. Chart. Inst. P.A., Patent Agent and
Consulting Engineer, of 15 Water Street, Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what mauuer the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
For the protection of the corks used for stopping bottles and the like, containing
wine, mineral and aerated waters and other liquids, tin capsules have so far been
generally used which were placed over the head and neck of the bottles, and
fastened thereto generally by hand pressure, but this method has the disadvantage
that it does not give a perfect scaling so as to positively avoid tho contact of the air
with the cork, and does not satisfactorily answer the purpose for which it is
principally used, namely to guarantee the purchaser against imitations and fraudulent
substitutions, for it is very easy to remove such tin capsules from the bottles even
when they are cemented to it, and to replace them, without leaving trace of the
manipulation.
The present invention has for its object to overcome these difficulties by the use.
of a new type of metal capsules, which are applied on the head and neck of
the bottles, and the like, by a galvano-plastic process, thus producing a capsulo
which adheres fast round and over the neck of the bottle and to the cork, and
affording an hermetic sealing which positively prevents the contact of the air with
the cork and with the contents of the bottle, and preventing at the same time any
evaporation of the latter. The said capsule has also the advantage of avoiding all
possible interference with the contents of the bottles, which cannot in any way bo
opened without destroying the capsule; so that by adopting this system of capsules,
manufacturers and purchasers can protect themselves against frandulent imitations,
which are now so often practised by refilling original bottles and the like with
imitations of the genuine article, and then selling them with the original capsules
which were carefully removed.
The said invention may very conveniently he put into practice as follows:-
After the bottle or other similar enclosure has been corked, there is applied over
the cork, and over and around the neck of the bottle, a layer of non-injurious
cementing material which is quick in drying, such as, for instance, a varnish of
spirit and shellac, which is then covered over with a layer of some pulverised
electricity conducting material, such as tin, aluminium, brouze, etc.; and the neck
of the bottle thus prepared is then submerged in a galvano-plastic bath of copper
or any other suitable electrolytic material, and it is left therein until a sufficient
thickness of metal is deposited over it to form the capsule. The metal thus
deposited adheres perfectly well to the glass and to the cork, and forms, as may be
easily understood, a capsule which hermetically seals the bottle, and which cannot
be removed without being destroyed.
Upon such capsule may also be impressed the trade-mark, name of manufacturer,
or other inscriptions or designs, by preparing small platos made of tin or other
suitable electricity conducting metal, with the desired inscription or design,

page_text: which are then cemented over the cork or round the neck of the bottle, prior to its
being submerged in the galvanic bath, so that the impressions, which are
naturally in relief or in intaglio, will be exactly reproduced over the finished
capsule.
The metallic capsules prepared as above specified, can afterwards be gilt, silvored,
nickelled, etc. by a further galvano-plastic bath, or they may be coloured by the so
called oxydation process with zinc, platinum, silver, and the like, to suit the
commercial requirements.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, it is to be stated that many
alterations may obviously be made in the application of this said invention,
without departing from the gist thereof, and it is desired to be clearly understood
that the same is not limited to the details above specified; but what is claimed in
respect of the herein described invention is :-
1. The improvement in the forming and applying of capsules to bottles and the
like, by a galvano-plastic deposit of a suitable electrolytic metal, over and round
the neck and cork of the bottle or the like; substantially as specified.
2. A capsule for bottles or the like consisting of a galvano-plastic deposit round
and over the cork and neck of the bottle, which is formed by submerging the neck
of the bottle in a galvano-plastic bath, after it has been covered with a layer of a
non-injurious and quick-drying cement, such as spirit and shellac, and a coating of
some powdered electricity conducting material, such as tin, bronze, aluminium, etc.;
substantially as described.
3. In a capsule applied as indicated in the preceding claim, the application over
the cork or round the neck of the bottle before it is submerged in the galvano-
plastic bath, of a plate of electricity conducting material, such as tin, upon which is
provided in relief or in intaglio a sign, mark, name, or the like, by which the same
is reproduced over the finished capsule, in the galvano-plastic bath; substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 19th day of October 1895.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON,
15 Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.