Improvements in and relating to Bottle Capsuling Instruments or Machines.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Nov., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 28th Sept., 1888
Improvements in and relating to Bottle Capsuling Instruments or
Machines.
I, GEORGE SUMMERS, of 19 Rosehall Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of. my invention to be as follows :-
My invention comprises a new or improved construction of instrument or hand
lever machine for capsuling bottles that is compressing the tin or metallic capsules
previously made, close to the heads of bottles; suitable for being screwed to a table
or counter for general use either separately or in combination with a cork squeezer in
which the same hand lever may be made to work the cork squeezer, for inserting the
cork before capsuling the bottle. This improved instrument will be more simple in
construction and convenient for general use than any instrument of the kind hereto-
fore in use for such purposes.
According to my invention I mount on a flat short metallic frame, to be screwed or
secured to a table or counter, a lever or handle,-which may be that applied to press
the jointed upper plate of a cork squeezer with various sized recesses, in its downward
motion, to which I attach, preferably under and within the frame, the near end of a
blade spring, which I carry forward over a rounded surface, or it might be antifric-
tion rollers, having its front end formed as a coiled spring carried up through a recess
in the end of the frame, and having its inner coiled end secured to the frame, or to
an annular metal box or case secured to the frame which is really the capsuling case,
open in front side, or end. Within the said coiled blade spring and case, I fit an
annular ring or rings of thick india-rubber preferably shaped approximately to the
outside shape of the bottle heads to be capsuled, and wide enough, when the lever is
in its lowest or normal position to insert the head of the bottle with the capsule on it,
through from the front side into the india rubber ring or rings and capsuling box or
case with the left hand while working the lever -with the right. The capsuling case
would have a close ended cylindrical hollow metal chamber formed or secured on its
071

page_text: back end against which the end of the capsule and cork would be pressed to maintain
them in proper shape when the head of the bottle was inserted as stated, and the
person would then raise the lever which would draw and turn the coiled spring with
any required force so as to contract the india-rubber ring to compress the capsule
close to the head of the bottle in a smooth and even manner to suit the varying shapes
of bottle heads. Thus it will be seen that the said hand lever may work the
capsuling case in the reverse direction in which it operates to work the cork com-
pressing plate and so make a combined useful instrument both for compressing corks
and capsuling bottles for general use in the retailing or bottling trade.
Dated this 23rd day of November 1887.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Bottle Capsuling Instruments or
Machines.
I, GEORGE SUMMERS, of 19 Rosehall Street, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon that is to say :-
My Invention comprises a new or improved construction of instrument or hand
lever machine for capsuling bottles, that is, compressing the tin or metallic capsules
previously made, close to the heads of bottles; suitable for being screwed to a table
or counter for general use either separately, or in combination with a cork squeezer in
which the same hand lever may be made to work the cork squeezer, for inserting the
cork before capsuling the bottle. This improved instrument will be more simple in
construction and convenient for general use than any instrument of the kind hereto-
fore in use for such purposes.
And in order that my said invention, and the manner of performing or carrying
the same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended an explanatory Sheet of Drawings, in which the same reference letters are
used to indicate corresponding parts in all the figures where shown.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the improved capsuling instrument or machine as
taken on the line 1--1 of Figure 2, and showing the operating hand lever B dotted-in
in the position it would take when the bottle is getting capsuled, and in full lines in
the position it would be when compressing a cork. Figure 2 is a plan with the bottle
capsuling parts in section as taken on the line 2---2 in Figure 1. While Figure 3 is
an inverted plan of the underside of the instrument to show the tension band or blade
spring C, and guide roller c.
Referring to these Drawings. According to my invention I mount on a flat short
hollow metallic plate or frame A screwed at A² to a wooden sole A¹ and which could
also screw or secure the whole to a table, counter, or other convenient part of the
shop, a lever or handle B of a plate B¹ hinged at B2 to the plate A, and which may be
that applied to press the jointed upper plate of a cork squeezer B¹ with various sized
recesses 6 for squeezing the corks 61 in its downward motion as shown in Figure 1 and
formed partially in the plate B' and the upper side of the plate A, at the front end.
To the handle B B, I attach, preferably under and within the frame A, the near end of
a band or blade spring C, which I bolt or secure at C by a hinge joint piece C¹ to the
lower end of the plate B¹ below its fulcrum B2 and carry the blade C, forward over a
rounded surface, or preferably an antifriction roller or rollers c rotating on a transverse
pin at c, and having its front end formed as a coiled blade C, carried up through a
recess in the back end of the plate or frame A, and having its inner coiled end
screwed to the plate or frame A at C at the side of the annular metal box or case D
secured to the frame plate A by screws and snugs at D¹ which is really the capsuling

page_text: case, open in front side, or end at 'd. Within the said coiled blade spring C and
case D, I fit an annular ring or rings of thick vulcanized india-rubber E preferably
shaped within approximately to the outside shape of the heads F of the bottles to be
capsuled, and wide enough, when the lever B is in its lowest or normal position, to
insert the head of the bottle F, with the capsule on it, through from the front open
side d into the india rubber ring or rings E and capsuling box or case with the left
hand, while working the lever B B¹, with the right. The capsuling case D has a close
ended cylindrical hollow metal chamber D' formed or secured on its back end,
preferably having a lining or thickness of rubber d' against which the end of the
capsule and cork would be pressed to maintain them in proper shape when the head
of the bottle F was inserted as stated, and the person would then raise the lever B B¹,
to the position shown dotted-in in Figure 1, which would draw and turn the coiled
spring C with any required force, so as to contract the india-rubber ring E to
compress the capsule close to the head F of the bottle round the retaining grooves at
Fin a smooth and even manner to suit the varying shapes of bottle heads. Thus it
will be seen that the said hand lever B may work the capsuling case in the reverse
direction in which it operates to work the cork compressing plate B₁ and so make a
combined useful instrument both for compressing corks and capsuling bottles for
general use in the retailing or bottling trade.
Instead of the instrument being placed horizontally as described it may be screwed
up vertically or at an angle to a post or the wall, to capsule the bottles by pulling the
hand lever B in a direct manner towards the person, instead of pushing it from him.
In this arrangement the cap D would be reversed, and have the opening d on the
opposite side for the insertion of the bottle by the left hand.
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
First. The construction or arrangement and combination of the parts of an
instrument or machine for capsuling bottles, either with or without cork squeezing
fittings on the acting lever, substantially as and acting in the manner herein
described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The combination of a bottle capsuling instrument or machine, with a
cork squeezer or compresser, substantially as and operated in the manner herein
described in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Third. In a bottle capsuling machine, the use of a coiled metallic band or blade
spring in combination with a ring or rings of india-rubber or equivalent elastic
yielding material within an outer case, and actuated by a band lever, substantially as
and for the purpose herein described in reference to and shown in the accompanying
Drawings.
To date of Aust 1000