Improvements in Bottle Stoppers.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 2nd Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Oct., 1894-Accepted, 3rd Nov., 1894
Improvements in Bottle Stoppers.
I, JOHN C. GROUT of 128 Fort Street West, Detroit, in the County of Wayne
and State of Michigan, United States of America, Capitalist, 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:
This invention relates to bottle stoppers, and has for its object an improvement
in a stopper to be used at the interior of a bottle for the purpose of preventing the
refilling of the bottle after the contents first placed in it have been used out of it.
This is especially desirable in connection with that class of merchandise which is
manufactured by persons who have acquired a reputation for particular classes of
merchandise, and whose merchandise is apt to be counterfeited by other manu-
facturers who procure the original bottles and refill them; and the object of this
device is to prevent such refilling and to produce a device which will entirely
prohibit the refilling of the bottle unless the device itself is removed from the bottle
or broken, in either of which cases the fraudulent second filling would be patent to
any observer.
In the drawings:—
Figure 1 shows in section the neck of a bottle with the stopper in place.
Figure 2 shows the parts of the stopper disassembled.
Figure 3 shows the stopper in perspective, as it would appear before it is
inserted, and when in condition to be inserted in a bottle that has been filled.
Figure 4 shows the stopper made in two parts, which separate across the axis
instead of along the axis.
The stopper consists essentially of a case made preferably in two parts, which
separate either along the axis, as indicated in Figure 2, or across the axis, as
indicated in Figure 4; and within this case is received the globular end of a ball
valve 3, from which projects outward, through the opening 10 at the lower end of
the case, a stem 4 curved in form and terminating at its lower or free eud in a
weight 5. The end 3 of the valve is globular in form, and seats itself accurately
within the lower end of the conical chamber within the case composed of the two
parts 1 and 2, or 1 and 2 (of Figure 4). The chamber between the two
parts of the case is in the form of a double cone, largest at the middle, and
smaller at both the lower and upper ends. The lower end of the chamber 11 forms
the seat for the ball valve 3, and into the upper end of the chamber 11 project a
number of lugs, 6, 7, 8 and 9. These are arranged in staggered forma around the
chamber, so that a projection of them would show the entire chamber closed up;
but, from the fact that they are at different altitudes, there is a tortuous passage
between them, through which liquid can flow out from the bottle, and through
which liquid could also flow into the bottle were its progress not stopped by the

page_text: ball valve 3. The curved form of the stem 4 which projects from the ball valve 3
into the bottle, and the heavy weight terminating the end of the curved stem 4,
cause the ball valve 3 to seat itself at the smaller part of the opening from the
chamber in whatever position the bottle may be placed, and it will effectually
prevent the introduction of liquid into the bottle, while it will yield before the
weight of escaping liquid. The valve will seat itself even when the bottle is
reversed and the neck is held vertically downward, if the shoulders from the neck
of the bottle are sufficiently sharp, or if the case projects into the body of the bottle,
as shown in the drawings.
The case is preferably made in two parts, 1ª and 2ª, or 1° and 2b; and, before the
case is inserted in the neck of the bottle, these two parts are joined by some suitable
cement. The outside of the case is then coated with a suitable cement, and the
assembled stopper forced into a position near the bottom of the neck of the bottle,
with the end of the case preferably projecting into the bottle. The case should be
made to fit the neck of the bottle at this place, and the bottle itself should be
made with a narrower aperture just at the junction between the neck and the
shoulders than the general opening through the neck of the bottle.
Provision is made for giving suitable vent to escaping liquid by a small channel v
alongside of the case, and this channel is left open when the case is cemented into
the bottle. A small passage way of this kind, not large enough to permit the
passage of liquid into the bottle against the air confined in the bottle, will permit
the ingress of air sufficient to cause the liquid to flow freely out.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my suid inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a stopper for bottles, the combination of a case baving a passage way
therethrough, tortuous at its upper end and coned at its lower end, a ball valve
adapted to seat itself in the conical opening and provided with a curved stem
terminating with a weight, substantially as described.
2. The combination of a bottle having, a neck contracted at its lower part, a case
adapted to seat in the contracted part of said neck and having an opening there-
through at the upper end and contracted in cone form at the lower end, a ball valve
provided with a weighted stem adapted to seat itself in the conical passage way
through the case, substantially as described.
Dated this 1st day of October 1894.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.