Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Nov., 1886
Complete Left, 17th Sept., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 18th Oct., 1887
I FREDERICK ASTLEY WHELAN, of No. 4, Tokenhouse Buildings, in the City of
London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object the saving of time and labour involved by the
present necessity of changing the grasp of the hand at every half revolution of the
corkscrew when inserting it into the cork and in withdrawing it therefrom.
In carrying out my invention I provide the corkscrew with a double clutch
arrangement which is capable of acting in opposite directions according as the pressure
upon the handle is applied in one direction or the other.
G. F. REDFERN,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Figure 4 is a plan of a detail.
Figures 5 and 6 are similar views to figures 3 and 4 respectively of another detail.
a, is the handle of the corkscrew, the shank b, of which is provided at its end
with the socket c.
d, is the corkscrew proper, the end e, of which is adapted to enter a recess f, at
the end of the said socket.
g, is a plug which is screwed into the socket c, and provided with a central hole h,
designed to receive the shank of the screw d.
i, is a pin which is secured in the said shank d, and which is adapted to engage
with one or the other of two sets of inclined teeth j, k, which are formed at the end
of the socket c, and at the inner end of the plug g, respectively. These two sets of
teeth are inclined in opposite directions so that the screw d, can be turned in one or
the other direction according as the pin i, is in engagement with one or the other set
of teeth.
The operation of my improved corkscrew is as follows:-that is to say-If, on the
one hand, the screw d, is pressed against a cork for inserting the said screw, the
teeth j, will be caused to engage with the pin i, so that when the handle a, is turned
to the right the screw will enter the cork. When the screw has been turned through
half a revolution more or less the handle may be turned in the reverse direction, the
teeth, then sliding over the pin i. If, on the other hand, the screw is to be withdrawn
from the cork the pull upon the handle a, causes the teeth k, to engage with the pin i,
so that the screw can then be turned in the opposite direction, that is to the left, the
teeth k, sliding over the said pin i, in the reverse movement of the handle,

page_text: In order to prevent the plug g, from turning in the socket c, I provide the set
screw 1, which is passed through the wall of the socket c, and enters the plug g. Any
other means suitable for the purpose may however be employed.
I wish it understood that I do not limit myself to the details of construction
hereinbefore described as it is obvious that the same may be considerably modified
without departing from the nature of my invention, for instance instead of employing
the pin i, and the teeth j, k, I may fix a double cone upon the shank of the screw d,
and form corresponding conical recesses in the end of the socket c, and the plug 9, 80
that when either part of the double cone is in its corresponding conical recess,
sufficient friction will exist to cause the screw d, to turn.
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 improved corkscrew constructed substantially as hereinbefore described.
Dated the 17th day of Sentember 1887
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant.