AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR STOPPERING BOTTLES.
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francisco Prudencio and Joseph Francis
Cotterell, both of Bath, in the County of Somerset, Soda Water
Manufacturers, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
STOPPERING BOTTLES.'
"-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francisco Prudencio
and Joseph Francis Cotterell at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 3rd April 1872.
We, FRANCISCO PRUDENCIO and JOSEPH FRANCIS COTTERELL, both of
Bath, in the County of Somerset, Soda, Water Manufacturers, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS
FOR STOPPERING BOTTLES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of an improved apparatus whereby the necks
of bottles containing aerated and other liquids, are more easily and
effectually closed than by the methods hitherto adopted. A small

page_text: metallic rod or piston, provided at its upper end with a cap, and at its
lower extremity with a screw thread, is passed through a hole formed
in the centre of the bridge of metal or other material herein-after
mentioned. Two metallic collars or washers, having between the same
one or more india-rubber collars or washers of larger diameter than the
interior of the neck of the bottle, are then screwed on to the lower
extremity of the metallic rod or piston. The metallic rod or piston with
its metallic and india-rubber washers is then passed through the neck
of the bottle until the washers have passed into the latter, but the
metallic rod or piston is prevented from falling through the same by
reason of the bridge of metal or other material through which it works
forming a bar across the mouth of the bottle. This bridge may either
be a single narrow strip of metal or other suitable material or may be
formed of three or more strips diverging from a centre piece in which
the hole for the passage of the rod or piston is made. The ends of the
strip or strips which project beyond the sides of the bottle are then
turned down over the neck thereof and securely fastened by means of
wire, or any other suitable contrivance. When the bottle is empty, the
washers at the lower end of the metallic rod or piston hang just a little
below the lower part of the neck of the bottle, and the cap on the other
extremity of the metallic rod or piston rests upon the bridge, but when
the bottle is filled or partially filled, the india-rubber washers are forced
against the inside of the neck of the former by the action of the gas
contained in the liquid, thus effectually stopping the same and pre-
venting the escape of the liquid therefrom, and the metallic rod or piston
is raised so that the cap on the end thereof projects a little above the
bridge. When it is desired to open the bottle, the metallic rod or
piston is pushed downwards thus forcing the india-rubber washers from
the neck of the bottle and allowing the liquid to be poured out. When
the bottles are required to hold liquids that are non-gaseous, the metallic
rod or piston may be provided with a small spiral or other spring placed
between the cap thereon and the bridge, for the purpose of returning the
washers to the neck of the bottle directly the pressure is taken off the
top of the metallic rod or piston.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Francisco Prudencio and Joseph Francis Cotterell
in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th September 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, FRANCISCO
PRUDENCIO and JOSEPH FRANCIS COTTERELL, both of Bath, in the
County of Somerset, Soda Water Manufacturers, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-fifth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto us, the said Francisco Prudencio and Joseph Francis
Cotterell, Her special licence that we, the said Francisco Prudencio
and Joseph Francis Cotterell, our executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as we, the said Francisco Prudencio and Joseph Francis
Cotterell, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR STOPPERING BOTTLES,” upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said Francisco Prudencio and Joseph
Francis Cotterell, our executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under our, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Francisco Prudencio and Joseph
Francis Cotterell do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed and to the figures and
letters marked thereon, that is to say :---
Our said Invention consists of an improved apparatus whereby the
necks of bottles containing aerated and other liquids are more easily
and effectually closed than by the methods hitherto adopted. A small

page_text: rod or piston of metal or other suitable material provided at its upper
end with a cap, and at its lower extremity, by preference with a screw
thread, is passed through a hole formed in the centre of the bridge of
metal or other material herein-after mentioned. We then screw or
otherwise fasten two metallic collars or washers, having between them
one or more india-rubber collars or washers of larger diameter than the
interior of the neck of the bottle on to the lower extremity of the rod.or
piston. We pass the rod or piston with its metallic and india-rubber
washers through the neck of the bottle until the washers have passed
into the latter and are suspended immediately beneath the wide part of
the neck of the bottle, the rod or piston being prevented from passing
too far by reason of the bridge of metal or other material through which
it works forming a bar across the mouth of the bottle.
The bridge may be formed either of a single narrow strip of metal or
other suitable material with a hole in the centre thereof, or of three.or
more strips diverging from a centre piece in which the hole for the
passage of the rod or piston is made. The ends of the strip or strips,
which project beyond the sides of the bottle are then turned down over
the neck thereof, and securely fastened by means of wire or any other
suitable contrivance. When the bottle is empty the washers at the
lower end of the rod or piston hang just a little below the lower part of
the neck of the bottle as herein-before mentioned, and the cap on the
other extremity of the rod or piston rests upon the metallic bridge, but
when the bottle is filled or partially filled with gaseous liquid the india-
rubber washers are forced against the inside of the neck of the bottle by
the action of the gas contained in the liquid, thus effectually stopping
the same, and preventing the escape of the liquid from the bottle, the
cap. on the end of the rod or piston projecting a little above the metallic
bridge. When it is desired to open the bottle the rod or piston is
pressed downwards, thus forcing the india-rubber washers from the neck
of the bottle and allowing the liquid to be poured out. When the
bottles are required to hold liquids that are non-gaseous, the rod or
piston may be provided with a small spiral or other spring, but we find
that a small piece of india-rubber tubing forms the most convenient
spring, placed between the cap thereon and the metallic bridge, for the
purpose of returning the washers to the neck of the bottle directly the
pressure is taken off the top of the rod or piston.
We will now refer to the accompanying Drawings from which the

page_text: Figure 1 shews an empty bottle with the apparatus hanging loose in
it, and Figure 2 shews a bottle filled with liquid and the neck of the
same closed by the apparatus. The same letters of reference refer to
like parts in both Figures.
A is the bottle; B, the bridge of metal or other material; C, the rod
or piston, c being the cap on its upper extremity, and c¹ the india-rubber
washer held between the two metallic washers c² and c³.
.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we would observe in
conclusion that we do not claim the several parts herein-before described
separate and apart from one another, but what we consider novel and
original and therefore claim as constituting the Invention secured to us
by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the combination and
arrangement of parts in the construction of the apparatus for stoppering
bottles, substantially as herein-before set forth and described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Francisco Prudencio and Joseph
Francis Cotterell, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this
Twenty-first day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
FRANCISCO PRUDENCIO. (L.S.)
J. FRANCIS COTTERELL.
(L.S.)