IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STOPPERS AND VALVES OF SYPHON OR OTHER BOTTLES FOR CONTAINING AERATED OR EFFERVESCENT LIQUIDS OR OTHER LIQUIDS UNDER PRESSURE PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Joseph West of 110 Southwark Bridge Road in
the County of Surrey, Engineer for an invention of “IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
STOPPERS AND VALVES OF SYPHON OR OTHER BOTTLES FOR CONTAINING
AERATED OR EFFERVESCENT LIQUIDS OR OTHER LIQUIDS UNDER PRESSURE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Joseph West at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st April 1882.
HENRY JOSEPH WEST, of 116 Southwark Bridge Road, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STOPPERS AND VALVES OF SYPHONS OR
OTHER BOTTLES FOR CONTAINING AERATED OR EFFERVESCENT LIQUIDS OR OTHER
LIQUIDS UNDER PRESSURE
"
In the syphon bottles heretofore in use, the stoppers or caps, syphon tubes,
valves, and valve actuating parts are so arranged and adapted to each other as to
be comparatively costly to manufacture. The object of the present invention is to
produce a cap for syphon bottles, with its valve and syphon pipe, and means of
actuating the said valve which while being as efficient and as useful as the
ordinary well known arrangement for drawing off large or small quantities at
pleasure of aerated or effervescent liquids without waste while maintaining the
strength and quality of the liquid until the whole is consumed or expended, shall
be less costly to produce.
The present improvements consist in the following arrangements. A cap or
plug is secured on the neck of the bottle by being screwed on or into the same by
means of screw threads formed on or in the said cap or plug, and on or in the neck
of the bottle or the said cap or plug may be secured to the neck of the bottle by
other known or suitable means. Between this cap or plug and the rim of the
bottle or a shoulder formed on or in the neck of the bottle is placed and held in
position by the said cap or plug an indiarubber or other elastic washer which
forms firstly, a means of making an airtight joint for preventing the escape of
liquid, gas or air between the said cap or plug and the neck of the bottle, and
secondly a valve seat against which the retaining valve is pressed by a spring or.
by the pressure of the gas or air in the bottle or by both when liquid is not being
drawn off. The upper end of the syphon tube is also held in place by the said
ID 31

page_text: washer, being expanded at that end and furnished with a rim or flange which rests
on the rim or shoulder of the neck of the bottle A hole or passage is formed
through the aforesaid cap or plug and through the washer, and against the lower
edge of the hole passing through the said washer is adapted a retaining valve
which when pressed upwards by a spring or by the pressure in the interior of the
bottle effectually closes the said hole and prevents the escape of liquid, air, or gas.
The stem of the aforesaid retaining valve may be adapted to fit easily into a socket
This
which is dropped losely into the upper expanded part of the syphon tube.
socket contains the spring for forcing the retaining valve to its seat and is grooved
at its sides and underneath, or is provided with suitable holes or passages to
allow of the passage of liquid from the syphon tube to the valve when the latter
is opened by the means to be hereafter described. Or instead of the socket being
losely dropped into the enlargement of the syphon tube it may form a part of such
enlargement when the latter is made of metal and instead of being grooved may
be furnished with holes for the passage of the liquid. This completes the
arrangement of parts fixed to and carried by the bottle."
"
For the purpose of drawing off the liquid from the bottle a special separate
opening appliance or opener " is employed which may be used with any number
of bottles furnished with the foregoing arrangements. This "opener" is constructed
as follows. A kind of hollow socket or cap is adapted to fit loosely over the
upper part of the aforesaid fixed cap or plug. This hollow socket contains an inner
tube adapted to enter the hole or passage in the fixed cap or plug, and is provided
with a lateral opening which communicates with the said inner tube, and with the
spout or other outlet intended to conduct the liquid from the bottle into the glass
or other vessel into which it is to be placed. Inside the hollow socket and round
the inner tube is placed an indiarubber or other elastic washer or packing so
arranged that when the said hollow socket is placed in position over the fixed cap
or plug the said washer or packing comes to bear against and around the upper
edge of the hole in the said cap so as to form a liquid tight joint therewith when
pressed on to it in the act of opening the valve so as to prevent the escape of
liquid except by the proper passages. In the centre of the inner tube in the
socket is fixed a wire or rod which is made of sufficient length to press upon and
open the valve when the said "opener" is placed on the cap or plug and is pressed
down. This wire or rod also serves the purpose of displacing more or less the
liquid which would be left in the hole or passage through the cap when the valve
is closed after drawing off liquid from the bottle.
>>
It will now be understood that when the "opener" is put in place over the cap
or plug on the bottle and is pressed down, the washer in the socket of the "opener
bears on the upper end of the cap or plug and makes a tight joint therewith, at the
same time the wire or rod in the "opener" presses the valve away from its seat and
liquid is forced by the pressure in the bottle up the syphon pipe through the valve
scating and hole or passage in the cap or plug into the inner pipe in the "opener,"
and thence by the spout or other orifice to the place it is desired to conduct it.
On ceasing to press down the "opener" the spring and the internal pressure in
the bottle combine to close the valve and the "opener" may then be removed or
left on for further use as may be required.
If and when preferred the "opener" may be secured to the fixed cap or plug
by a bayonet joint or otherwise so that it may always remain with the bottle
or be detached at will, care being taken that the connection shall be such as will
give sufficient play to the "opener" to allow of its effecting the required movement
of the valve when necessary.
It will be readily understood that the above described arrangements are
applicable to other than syphon bottles, but when the syphon tube is not used the
bottle has to be inverted before opening the valve, so as to prevent the escape of
the gas or compressed air before the liquid is discharged.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Joseph West in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
30th September 1882.
HENRY JOSEPH WEST, of 116 Southwark Bridge Road, in the County of Surrey,
Engineer IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STOPPERS AND VALVES OF SYPHON OR
OTHER BOTTLES FOR CONTAINING AERATED OR EFFERVESCENT LIQUIDS OR OTHER
LIQUIDS UNDER PRESSURE
"
In the syphon bottles heretofore in use the stoppers or caps, syphon tubes,
valves, and valve actuating parts are so arranged and adapted to each other as to
be comparatively costly to manufacture. The object of the present invention is to
produce a cap for syphon bottles, with its valves and syphon pipe, and means of
actuating the said valve, which while being as efficient, and as useful as the
ordinary well known arrangement for drawing off large or small quantities at
pleasure of aerated or effervescent liquids, or other liquids under pressure without
waste, while maintaining the strength and quality of the liquid until the whole is
consumed or expended, shall be less costly to produce.
The present improvements consist in the following arrangements;-
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings shows a vertical section, figure 2 an
elevation of the neck of a bottle with the arrangements forming the subject of the
present invention applied thereto, and figure 3 a section similar to figure 1 but
partly in elevation. A metallic cap or plug A is secured on the neck of the bottle B
by being screwed on or into the same by means of screw threads formed on or in
the said cap or plug, and on or in the neck of the bottle, or the said cap or plug
may be secured to the neck of the bottle by other known or suitable means such
as for example the means described and illustrated in the Specification and
drawings of a patent granted me and bearing date the twenty eighth day of
October in the year of our Lord One thousand eight. hundred and eighty and
numbered 4415. Between this cap or plug A and the rim of the bottle, or a
shoulder formed on or in the neck thereof, is placed and held in position by the
said cap or plug an indiarubber or other elastic washer C which forms, firstly, a
means of making an airtight joint for preventing the escape of liquid, gas, or air,
between the said cap or plug A and the neck of the bottle, and secondly, a valve
seat against which the retaining valve D is pressed by a spring E, or by the
pressure of the gas or air in the bottle, or by both, when liquid is not being drawn
off. The upper end of the syphon tube F is also held in place by the said
washer C, being expanded at that end as shown at F' and furnished with a rim
or flange which rests on the rim or shoulder of the neck of the bottle. A hole or
passage G is formed through the aforesaid cap or plug A and through the washer C,
and against the lower edge of the hole passing through the said washer is adapted
the retaining valve D which when pressed upwards by a spring E, or by the
pressure in the interior of the bottle effectually closes the said hole and prevents
the escape of liquid, air, or gas. The stem of the retaining valve I may be
adapted to fit easily into a socket H which is dropped loosely into the upper
expanded part F of the syphon tube F. This socket H contains the spring E for
forcing the retaining valve to its seat, and has grooves H₁ formed at its sides and
underneath (as seen more clearly in figure 4) or is provided with suitable holes or
passages to allow of the free passage of liquid from the syphon tube F to the
valve D when the latter is opened by the means to be hereafter deseribed. Or,
instead of the socket being loosely dropped into the enlargement of the syphon
tube it may be formed by such enlargement itself when the latter is made of metal,

page_text: as illustrated in figure 5 in which the spring E takes its bearing on the bottom of
the said enlargement F of the syphon tube F, and the valve D is shown spherical
but if preferred it may be made as in figure 1, or with a stem which passes into
the spring E or in any other suitable way. In figure 6 the socket H is shown as
a prolongation upwards of the syphon tube F in its enlargement F, holes H being
formed therein for the passage of the liquid to the valve D. In the case shown
the spring E is composed of a prism of indiarubber and bears at the bottom end
upon a diaphragm I secured in the syphon tube F. This completes the arrangement
of parts fixed to and carried by the bottle.
For the purpose of drawing off the liquid from the bottle a special separate
opening appliance or "opener" is employed which may be used with any number
of bottles furnished with the foregoing arrangements. This "opener" is shown
separately at figure 7, and in place on the bottle ready for action in figs 1 and 2
and is constructed as follows. A kind of hollow metallic socket or cap J is adapted
to fit loosely over the upper part of the aforesaid fixed cap or plug A. This hollow
socket J contains an inner tube K adapted to enter the hole or passage G in the
fixed cap or plug A, and is provided with a lateral opening L which communicates
with the said inner tube K, and with the spout M, or other outlet intended to
conduct the liquid from the bottle into the glass or other vessel into which it is
to be placed. Inside the hollow socket J, and round the inner tubo K, is placed
one or more india rubber or other elastic washers or packings N, so arranged that
when the said hollow socket J is placed in position over the fixed cap or plug A
the said washer or packing N comes to bear against, and around, the upper edge of
the hole G, in the said cap A, so as to form a liquid tight joint therewith when
pressed on to it in the act of opening the valve D, thus preventing the escape of liquid
except by the proper passages.
In the centre of the inner tube K in the socket is
fixed a plug, wire, or rod O which may be of wood or metal and made of sufficient
length to press upon, and open, the relief valve D when the said "opener" is placed
on the cap or plug A, and is pressed down. This wire or rod O also serves the
purpose of displacing more or less the the liquid which would be left in the hole or
passage G through the cap A, when the valve D is closed after drawing off liquid
from the bottle.
#
Or a solid rod may be screwed direct into the hollow metallic socket or cap J
to take the place of the tube K and rod or plug O. This arrangement is shewn in
Figure 1 in which the rod O is screwed into the cap J and has a recess S formed
in the upper end thereof, with one or more lateral passages T communicating
between the passages L and the inside of the cap A when the valve D is open, but
being covered by the india rubber ring or washer N when the valve is closed
the escape is prevented of any liquid which may remain in the passage when the
opener is removed.
it will now be understood that when the "opener" is put in place over the cap
or plug on the bottle as shown in figure 1, and is pressed down, the washer N in
the socket of the " opener" bears on the upper end of the cap or plug A, and
makes a tight joint therewith. At the same time the wire or rod in the
"opener" presses the valve D away from its seat, and liquid' is forced by the
pressure in the bottle up the syphon pipe through the valve seating, and hole or
passage G in the cap or plug A, into the inner tube K in the "opener," or through
the lateral passages T, as the case may be, and thence by the spout M, or other
orifice to the place it is desired to conduct it.
On ceasing to press down the "opener" the spring E and the interal pressure in
the bottle combine to close the valve, and the "opener" may then be removed or
left on for further use as may be required.
"
If and when preferred the " opener may be secured to the fixed cap or plug A
by a bayonet joint or otherwise, so that it may always remain with the bottle, or
be detached at will, care being taken that the connection shall be such as will give
sufficient play to the " opener" to allow of its effecting the required movement
of the valve when necessary. If it is desired that the " opener shall not be
13.

page_text: secured to the cap as above mentioned, but yet be so tightly fitted thereon that it
shall not fall off when the bottle is inverted, it may be lined internally with cork
(as at P figures 1. 14. and 7) adapted so as to fit more or less tightly on the
cylindrical upper part of the cap A; but not so tightly as to prevent its easy
removal when required.
Figure 8 shows a modification in which a spring to force the ball valve D to its
seat is dispensed with, the direction of the passage (in the part F¹) leading from
the syphon tube F to the under side of the said valve D being such as to direct
the liquid to the underside of the ball (which is of light material such as vulcanite
for example) so as to raise the same and force it against the india-rubber seat C
when the "opener" is removed.
Figure 9 shows an arrangement in which the cap or plug A is adapted to be
screwed into the neck of the bottle, the socket to contain the spring E for keeping
the valve D pressed against its seat being formed in the upper part of the said cap
or plug. The valve D shown in this case, is provided with a tubular stem G',
furnished with one or more lateral holes Q near its lower end, through which holes
the liquid escapes into the said tube G¹ when the valve D is pressed away from the
india rubber washer C by the "opener" applied to the upper end of the tube G¹,
as shown in the figure.
This arrangement of valve forms no part of this present invention and I make
no claim thereto.
"6
Figure 10 shows a similar arrangement, but with the cap A screwed on the
outside of the neck of the bottle. In both these arrangements the passage L and
spout M of the "opener" form a continuation of the tube G' when the opener"
is applied as shown; and when it is pressed down so as to force the valve D away
from its seat C the liquid is forced up the syphon tube F, through the holes or
holes Q, the tube G¹, passage L, and spout M, in the same manner as before
explained.
Figure 11 shows in section an arrangement in which the fixed part D¹ of the
valve is formed or fixed on the top of the syphon tube F, and remains stationary;
the movable part, consisting of the elastic washer C, rests on a metallic washer C²
the two being pressed up against the fixed part D' of the value by the spring E.
The "opener," shown in place in figure 11 and detached in figure 12, is in this
case shaped in such a manner that when the "opener" is in place the cylindrcal
part K bears upon the washer C¹, and forms therewith a liquid tight joint: when
the "opener" is pressed down it presses the movable part of the valve C¹ C² away
from the fixed part D', and the holes Q in the syphon tube are uncovered giving a
passage for the liquid through the annular space round the outside of the fixed
part D', and the inside of the cylindrical part K. of the "opener" to the spout M.
The cap or plug A and the " opener" may be made of white metal when they
are required to be of cheap construction, and of brass, gun-metal, ebonite or other
suitable material when economy is not so important. And the " opener" may be
of various ornamental or artistic designs.
It will be readily understood that the above described arrangements are applicable
to other than syphon bottles; but when the syphon tubes is not used the bottle
has to be inverted before opening the valve so as to prevent the escape of the gas
or compressed air before the liquid is discharged. And when desired the enlarge-
ment F may be retained in order to hold the socket H or the spring E although
the syphon tube is removed.
Having now described the nature of the said invention and the manner in
which the same is to, or may be carried into effect, I would have it understood that
what I claim is :-
First The combination of the cap or plug A secured to the neck of the bottle,
the washer C, the valve D, the spring E, the enlarged end FI of the syphon
tube and the socket H arranged, adapted, and operating as hereinbefore
described and illustrated in figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6 of the drawings, and for
the purposes set forth

page_text: Second The movable "opener" composed of the cap or socket J with or without
the inner tube K, the elastic washer N, the rod or plug O, the lateral
opening L and spout M. combined arranged and adapted so as to make a
liquid tight joint between the cap or socket J of the "opener" and the cap.
or plug A on the bottle, at the same time that the valve D is opened,
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in figures 1, 1ª, 7, 9,
10, 11 and 12, of the drawings, and for the purpose set forth.
Third The combination of the cap or plug A secured to the neck of the bottle, the
washer C, the valve D, the spring E and the enlarged end F¹ of the syphon
tube, arranged, adapted and operating as herein before described and illustrated
in figure 5 of the drawings and for the purpose set forth.
Fourth The combination of the cap or plug A, the washer C, the valve D, and the
part F containing the said valve D, and the end of the syphon tube F,
arranged and operating as herein before described and illustrated in figure S
of the drawings, and for the purpose set forth.
Fifth The combination of the cap or plug.A, the washer C, the fixed part D of
the valve attached to the top of syphon tube F, the movable parts C¹ and C²
of the valve and the spring E arranged, adapted, and operating as herein-
before described and illustrated in figure 11 of the drawings and for the
purpose set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Henry Joseph West have hereunto set my
hand and seal this thirtieth day of September in the year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and eighty-two.
H. J. WEST. (L.S.)