Improvements in Closing or Stoppering Bottles, Jars, and Casks.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 29th May, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Feb., 1890-Accepted, 22nd Mar., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Closing or Stoppering Bottles, Jars, and Casks.
I JOHN BARLOW DODD of 102 Lyndhurst Grove Peckham in the county of Surrey
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide means whereby when a bottle jar or
cask is closed or stoppered it cannot be opened again surreptitiously or otherwise
without the permission of the person who has closed the same and therefore the liquid
contained therein or the other contents thereof will be safely retained and cannot be
removed.
To carry out this object on the inside of the neck of the bottle or jar or on the inside
of the bunghole of the cask I form one or more recesses or it may be a continuous slot
or groove all round the same at the desired distance from the mouth of the bottle or jar
or the outside of the cask. I then make a cork or other stopper that can close the
neck or mouth of the bottle or jar or the bunghole of the cask on the top of which
stopper I secure in any convenient manner a block or casing of wood metal glass or
other suitable material. In this block or casing I fit any suitable lock mechanism
which can actuate one or more bolts or latches or other appliances which when this
stopper is placed in the bottle jar or cask can enter the one or more recesses or the slot
or groove made as aforesaid in the neck or bunghole and the key to actuate this lock
mechanism is passed through the top of this block or casing.
When therefore this stopper is passed into its proper position in the neck of the
bottle or jar or into the bunghole of the cask and is locked therein in manner
aforesaid it cannot be removed therefrom until by the key it is unlocked as is
desired.
It may sometimes and especially in and with casks be desirable so to fit in any
usual and convenient manner the block or casing that it can act as the desired
stopper in which case the bolts or other appliances can engage the inside of the bung-
hole of the cask or of the neck of the bottle or jar and no recesses or slot or groove
would be needed.
Dated this 29th day of May 1889.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Closing or Stoppering Bottles, Jars, and Casks.
I JOHN BARLOW DODD of 102 Lyndhurst Grove Peckham in the county of Surrey
Gentleman 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 :-
The object of this my invention is to provide simple and cheap but yet extremely
efficacious means whereby when a bottle or a jar or a cask is closed or stoppered it
cannot be opened again surreptitiously or otherwise without the permission of the
person who has closed the same and therefore the liquid contained therein or the
other contents thereof will be safely retained and cannot be removed.
In order the more clearly to explain this my invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed I refer to the accompanying drawing wherein Figure 1
is a vertical section of the neck of a bottle as constructed for and fitted with my
stopper also in section.
On or in the inner surface of the neck A of the bottle and at the desired distance
from the mouth thereof I create and form it may be and preferably is all round the same
a continuous recess or slot or groove B of any suitable transverse area and shape. I also

page_text: construct a cork or other plug C that can close the neck A of the bottle on and to the
top of which plug C I attich and secure in any convenient manner a metal or other
casing or chamber D within which I place and arrange and fit any suitable lock mechanism
and will hereinafter be explained and on the top of and to this casing D I may attach
and secure in any convenient manner a block E made of wood metal glass or other
suitable material and of any convenient size and shape and style or it may be that the
aforesaid chamber D within which is the lock mechanism may be formed in and by
this block E in which case obviously a separate casing would not be required. I also
construct a removable key F to actuate the lock mechanism which key F can be
passed through the block into the chamber D by and along the passage H.
All the parts of this stopper constructed and fitted as hereinbefore described are so
formed and proportioned and arranged that when the stopper has been passed into its
proper position in the neck A of the bottle and the plug C has closed the same the
chamber D is coincident with or opposite to and on the same level as the recess slot or
groove B and the lock mechanism in the chamber D is of such an ordinary kind and
is so arranged that on actuation by the key F one or more bolts or latches or other
usual and suitable appliances can be made and caused thereby to enter the recess slot or
groove B and when this is effected it is obvious that the stopper cannot be removed
from the bottle and therefore the contents thereof will be safely retained until by
the lock mechanism actuated by the key these appliances are withdrawn from the
recess slot or groove.
As is aforesaid the plug C is attached and secured to the bottom of the chamber D
in any convenient manner and I shew in Figure 1 one very suitable method wherein a
tongue K formed on and with or connected to the bottom of the chamber D projects
into the plug C and a pin L passes transversely through the plug C and an aperture in
the tongue K.
As also is aforesaid any ordinary and suitable lock mechanism may be used and I
shew in Figure 2 the plan of one very simple and cheap and convenient lock mechanism
wherein two sliding bolts M governed by springs can be operated by a tumbler N and
be caused to slide outwardly or inwardly in respect of the casing D in opposite
directions and the key F is formed and fitted to actuate this tumbler N in the
required manner.
As also is aforesaid the block E may be made of any convenient size and shape and
style and I shew in Figure 1 one very simple and cheap and suitable block E not only for
convenience of handling by reason of the enlargement of this block outside the bottle
but also for prevention of attempts by blades of knives or other appliances to thrust
back the bolts of the lock into the chamber by reason of the shoulder of this block that
engages the mouth of the bottle.
Instead also of the continuous recess slot or groove all round the inner surface of
the neck of the bottle herein before described I can create and form when I may desire
so to do in the same position one or more separate recesses or non-continuous slots or
grooves to receive the end or ends of the locking appliance or appliances in a similar
manner.
I have thus described and I have shewn in the accompanying drawing a very
convenient and useful form of this my stopper as applied to and constructed for and
fitted in a bottle with a long neck and it is sufficiently obvious that the same can be
applied in a similar manner to other bottles and to jars and to casks and in every case
the plug and the block on the top thereof and the chamber interposed between the
same as also the one or more recesses or slots or grooves would be so constructed and
formed as may be necessary or expedient for the purposes aforesaid and the lock
mechanism and the appliance or appliances operated thereby would be so arranged and
fitted as also may be necessary or expedient for the purposes aforesaid and no further
explanation or description is or can be needed.
I would further have it clearly understood that although as is herein before
described and as is shewn in the accompanying drawing I preferably in all
cases and more especially when a liquid is or is to be contained in the bottle or
jar or cask interpose the lock between the plug and the block or that is to say

page_text: interpose the plug between the lock and the contents of the bottle or jar or cask so
that these contents may not be able to damage or injuriously affect the lock yet I do
not limit myself to this arrangement for it may sometimes and more especially in and
with casks be desirable to arrange and fit the lock on and at the inner end of the
stopper so that the locking appliance or appliances may engage the inside of the staves
or of the head of the cask or the underside of the shoulder of the bottle or jar whereby
the one or more recesses or slots or grooves aforesaid would not be needed and in this
case the block would be so constructed and fitted in any usual and convenient manner
as to constitute and act as the desired and necessary plug.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. A plug a block on the top of the plug and a lock interposed between the plug
and the block in combination with a bottle or a jar or a cask having one or more recesses
or slots or grooves near its mouth substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described and declared.
2. A plug and block within which is a lock in combination with the mouth of a
bottle or a jar or a cask substantially as and for the purpose herein before described
and declared.
3. The combination of a bottle or a jar or a cask having one or more recesses or slots or
grooves B near its mouth with a plug (a chamber D containing locking mechanism a
block E with a passage H and a removeable key F which can pass through the block E
to actuate the locking mechanism substantially as herein before described.
4. The method of and apparatus for closing or stoppering bottles jars and casks
substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 92nd day of Fahmy 1890
HART & Co.