IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO FACILITATE THE WITHDRAWAL OF CORKS FROM BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Martin Kosminski, of Aldermanbury, in the City of
London, Manufacturer, for the Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
TO FACILITATE THE WITHDRAWAL OF CORKS FROM BOTTLES AND OTHER
VESSELS."
Sealed the 6th December 1878, and dated the 19th June 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Martin Kosminski at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th June 1878.
MARTIN KOSMINSKI, of Aldermanbury, in the City of London, Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO FACILITATE THE WITHDRAWAL OF CORKS FROM
BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS."
The object of the Invention is to afford increased facilities to the operator in
withdrawing corks from bottles and other vessels, and at the same time to give
increased protection from injury during such operation.
"
"
In carrying out my improvements the base or bottom of the bottle or other vessel
is placed on a support capable of adjustment to variation of height of bottle or
vessel, whilst the neck or mouth thereof is retained in the lower part of a socket
or holder immediately under the "screw" or instrument for entering the cork. The
stem of the " screw or instrument for entering the cork is formed with a thread
thereon, which passes through a nut capable of movement endwise without rotation
in suitable guides. This stem is also by links or other suitable connection
attached to a lever handle, which by spring connection has a tendency, when not
otherwise operated upon, to raise the "screw or other instrument for entering the
cork.
"
To withdraw a cork the lever arm is first acted upon to cause the "screw" or
other instrument for entering the cork to pass to the extent desired into the cork
to be withdrawn. The necessary rotary motion to the "screw" or other instrument
for its entering the cork is effected by the thread on the stem thereof acting. in it

page_text: "
nut. After the entry of the ", screw or other instrument into the cork, by simply
releasing the lever arm, the action of the spring or springs thereto, aided by slight
pressure of the hand, causes the cork to be withdrawn.
19
The nut to the thread on the stem is held by stops at each end of its traverse,
those in one direction acting to cause the rotation of the ". screw or instrument !
for entering the cork, whilst those in the opposite direction come into operation to
withdraw the " screw or other instrument from the cork after the cork has been
withdrawn from the neck of the bottle or vessel.
"
.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed, by
the said Martin Kosminski in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th December
1878.
:
MARTIN KOSMINSKI, of Aldermanbury, in the City of London, Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO FACILITATE THE WITHDRAWAL OF CORKS FROM
BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS."
The object of the Invention is to afford increased facilities to the operator in
withdrawing corks from bottles and other vessels, and at the same time to give
increased protection from injury during such operation.
"
In carrying out my improvements the base or bottom of the bottle or other vessel
is placed on a support capable of adjustment to variation of height of bottle or
vessel, whilst the neck or mouth thereof is retained in the lower part of a socket
or holder immediately under the screw or instrument for entering the cork. The
stem of the "screw or instrument for entering the cork is formed with a thread
thereon, which passes through a nut capable of movement end wise without
rotation in suitable guides. This stem is also by links or other suitable connection
attached to a lever handle,, which by spring connection has a tendency, when not
otherwise operated upon, to raise the "screw or other instrument for entering tho
cork...
"1
13
To withdraw a cork the lever arm, is first acted upon to cause the screw or other
instrument for entering the, cork to pass to the extent required into the cork to be
withdrawn. The necessary rotary notion to the " scrow or other instrument for
its entering the cork is effected by the thread on the stem thereof acting in its nut.
After the entry of the "screw or other instrument into the cork, by simply
releasing the lever arm, the action of the spring or springs thereto, aided by slight,
pressure of the hand, causes the cork to be withdrawn.
33
The nut to the thread on the stem is held by stops at each end of its traverse,,
those in one direction acting to cause the rotation of the " scrow. or instrument
for entering the cork, while those in the opposite direction come into operation to
withdraw the "screw" or other instrument from the cork after the cork has been
withdrawn from the neck of the bottle or vessel.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figures 1 and 2 show two side views of the apparatus, the only difference between
them being in the different relative positions of the working parts.
Figure 3 shows a sectional front view of parts, and Figure 4 a partial side view,
showing the reverse side of the apparatus to Figure 2. The parts shown by
Figures 3 and 4 are drawn to a full size scale.
In each of the Figures the same letters indicate corresponding parts.
, a, shows the framing of the apparatus, which by the foot a¹ is screwed or
otherwise fixed to the counter or other place for its more convenient use. b is the
support or stage for the bottle or other vessel from which the cork is to be with-
drawn, and which is capable of adjustment to the height of the bottle or vessel
for the time under operation by such support being formed with a socket b¹, by
which it is capable of being slided up and down on the vertical stationary rod
and of being fixed for the time at the desired height by a set screw 6%. The dotted
lines & represent a bottle in position for the cork to be withdrawn therefrom. The
bottle is placed so that the neck of it may be retained in correct position for the
cork to be withdrawn, by being held within the lower part of the socket or holder e
immediately under the point of the screw for instrument for entering the cork.
The upper part or stem f' of the screw fis formed with a screw thread thercon,
which passes through a nut g with a corresponding thread formed through it. This
nut g is capable of vertical movement without rotation to a certain extent by a pin
or projection g' projecting therefrom, and being held by the sides of the slot e¹ in
the upper part of the socket c. The stom fis also by pins or screws f2 connected
to one end of links h, which at the other of their ends are connected by other pins
or screws ¹ to the lever arm i, which is supported to turn on the pin or stud i¹ as
an axis of motion, and is formed into a handle at 12 for facility of its motion in
operating upon the stem f', whilst the opposite end of this lever arm i¹ is at 2³
connected to one end of the spring j, the lower end of which is connected to the
framing to act on the lever arm i, so as to give the handle end of it, with the parts
moved by the handle lever, a tendency to be held upwards for the free application
of a fresh bottle or vessel to be acted upon, or the removal of one that has had its
cork withdrawn.
In operating upon a bottle or vessel to withdraw the cork therefrom, the bottle or
vessel is placed on the support b with the upper portion or neck of the bottle or
vessel within the lower end of the socket e under the point of the screw f, or that
part of the instrument for entering the cork. The handle end of the lever handle i
is then pulled downwards until the nut g comes in contact with the stop-piece e²,
when the point of the instrument ƒ should be just above or entering the top of the
cork to be withdrawn, and the further downward movement of the lever handle
will cause the stem f' with the instrument f, by the stoppage of the movement
of the nut g, to effect the rotation of the screw stem in the nut g, and of
the instrument f in the cork until the lever handle has been moved to its lowest
position, when, by releasing the handle lever i, it will in most cases rise by the
action of the spring j, or, if not, its rising may be aided by the operator, when the
nut g will rise with the stem, withdrawing the cork from the neck of the bottle or
vessel, and then the bottle or vessel may be removed, and so soon as the nut
g
comes in contact with the stop e³ in the further upward movement of the handle i,
the nut g will act on the stem f' to cause the instrument f to rotate in the opposite
direction to that of its descent for its withdrawal from the cork, and the cork will
then fall out of the way, and the apparatus will be left in position for successive
operations with it.

page_text: Having thus described my Invention, and means which I adopt in carrying tho
same into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim is, the arranging or
combining parts forming apparatus to facilitate the withdrawal of corks from
bottles and other vessels, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Martin Kosminski, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Eleventh day of December, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
•
Witness,
ALFRED G. BROOKES,
37, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane,
London.
MARTIN KOSMINSKI. (L.S.)