Improvements in Funnels.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 25th June, 1895-Accepted, 27th July, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Funnels.
We, JAMES JORDON EBERT, residing at 615 East 141st. Street, New York, in
the County of New York, and State of New York, U.S.A., Inventor, and MAX
LOEWENSTEIN, residing at 519 Broome Street, New York, in the County of New
York, and State of New York, U.S.A., Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be as follows:-
Our invention relates to funnels and has for its object to provide an automatic,
inexpensive and efficient device of this character, having few and simple parts and
adapted to be most readily cleaned, and to be successfully used by the most
inexperienced persons without waste of fluid transferred by or through it.
The invention will first be described and then will be particularly defined in
claims hereinafter set forth.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a vertical section of our improved funnel, showing the same fitted into
the neck of a bottle.
Figure 2 is a sectional plan taken on a line a-x, Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a sectional plan taken on a line y-y, Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a vertical section showing a slightly modified construction.
Figure 5 is a sectional plan on a line 2-2, Figure 4.
Figure 6 is a detailed view in perspective of the tube and valve.
Figure 7 is a vertical section showing a further modification of our invention.
Figure 8 is a sectional elevation of a bottle and an improved form of our device.
To the bottom of an ordinary funnel bowl A, is secured a sleeve B, which is
provided with a valve seat b. Within the sleeve B is telescoped a tube C, which
has secured to its upper end a valve c, adapted to engage with the seat 6 of the
sleeve B. Cut into the tube C, immediately below the valve c are two or more
ports c, through which the liquid may freely flow, when the funnel is in use.
Surrounding the tube C is an elastic collar C' preferably conical in shape and
immovable endwise on the tube and adapted to engage with the inner periphery of
the neck of a bottle or other vessel to be filled, rendering it impossible for any
escape of air around the tube C¹ while the bottle or vessel is being filled. Passing
through the tube C, and securely fastened to the same is an air tube or vent C³,
which has an outlet c', through the tube C, at any desired point above the top of
the collar C, and an inlet c³, at or near the bottom of said tube C, through which
the air passes from the bottle while the same is being filled.
At a point directly above the air outlet c², of the tube C, is rigidly secured a
small collar d, adapted to engage with the lower edge of the sleeve B, thereby
limiting the downward movement of sleeve B and funnel body A, when the device
s in use.
In the construction shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, the air tube C³, is simply
elongated and carried beyond the tube C, to a point above the top line of the
funnel body, and its lower or inlet end passes through the side of the tube C,
nstead of terminating at a point on a line with the lower edge of the tube C, as is
the case in our preferred construction shown in Figure 1.
In the construction shown in Figure 7, the air tube C, is still further elongated
and adjustably secured to the upper or valve portion c, of the tube C, by means of
thumbscrew e, with this construction we can fill a bottle to any predetermined
'

page_text: depth by raising or lowering the air tube C³, as will be hereinafter more fully
described.
The operation of the devicé is as follows:
The normal position of the working parts before the funnel is inserted into the
neck of a bottle, and while the funnel bowl or body A is held in the hand, is shown
in Figure 4, when the tube C, by its weight causes the valve c to descend to or
within its seat b, thereby forming a substantial and watertight bottom for the funnel
bowl A, and preventing the possibility of leakage. When the tube C is inserted
within the neck of the bottle and the collar C is in engagement with the same as
shown in Figure 1, the weight of the funnel and its sleeve B, will cause some to
drop down until the lower edge of the sleeve B, comes in contact with the collar d,
which limits the descent of the funnel bowl which in slipping downward on the
tubular stem C, of the funnel had opened the ports e', thereby permitting a free
inflow of the liquid contained within the funnel body A, to the tube C, and thence
to the bottle. As the liquid flows into the bottle the air contained therein will
escape through the tube C2, and the collar C¹ being of flexible material and tightly
pressed within the neck of the bottle, effectually prevents any escape of air around
the tube C, as would be the case in an ordinary funnel. The liquid flows with
perfect freedom until it reaches a level on a line with the bottom or inlet portion C³
of the tube C2, when the volume of air contained within that portion of the neck of
the bottle surrounding the tube C, and between the level of the liquid and the
collar will start to compress thereby preventing any further flow of liquid into
the bottle until the collar C', is removed from the neck of the bottle, no matter
how great a volume of liquid may still be contained within the body A, of the
funnel.
In removing the funnel, the simple act of lifting the body A, causes the sleeve B,
to slide upwardly on the tube C, until the ports c', are closed and the valve C, is
seated, then the collar C which has been tightly wedged within the neck of the
bottle will by a further upward movement of the funnel be released thereby
allowing of the escape of air still contained within the neck of the bottle and of the
inflow of a small amount of liquid still contained within the tube C, which will flow
into the bottle before the tube C is finally removed from the neck of the same.
In the construction as shown in Figures 4 and 7, it will be seen that the operation
is precisely the same, with the exception that the sleeve B, rests directly on the
collar C when the device is in use, instead of upon a collar d, as shown in
my preferred construction.
It will be seen that the funnel device is very simple, as in its present preferred
form shown in Figure 1, of the drawings, it comprises but two relatively movable
parts; viz., the tubular stem C, having upper ports c¹ and an interior vent tube and
the bowl or body A which is movable bodily on the stem and' thereby closes and
opens the ports.
There are no springs or other delicate parts liable to derangement by contact
of the fluid or otherwise, and the action is entirely automatic, because the gravity
of the bowl A and the fluid therein, lowers the bowl on the stem C,,the instant the
packing C seats itself in the neck of the bottle and the operator releases the bowl.
When he again lifts the bowl the stem admission ports c, are automatically closed
to stop the fluid discharge until the next bottle is to be filled.
The upper closed end or part c of the funnel stem C, need not be formed as a
valve, because said part c may act simply as a stop limiting the upward movement
of the bowl on the stem. The covering of the side or lateral ports, by the bow!
bearing B, would alone stop discharge from the funnel, but we prefer to use both
the lateral ports and the valve and seat as shown in the drawings.
In Figure 8, we have illustrated a form of sealing device, comprising a hollow
conical, upwardly or downwardly projecting collar D, of thin or flexible rubber,
mounted in an annular groove in the funnel-stem. Upon the lower end of the
sleeve B of the funnel-body A is formed or secured an annular or bulbous flange E,
rounded or convexed peripherally, which when the funnel is placed in the bottle,

page_text: bears upon the projecting portion of the collar D, and bends the same upon the
month of said bottle, thereby effectually sealing the same, however irregular the
contour of said mouth. And furthermore, by reason of the convexity of said
flange E, a tight connection is effected between said flange and the upper surface of
said collar.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :
1. The combination, in a funnel, of a tubular stem having fluid inlet at its upper
part, and a bowl or body adapted to slide on the stem and thereby close and open
the inlet, substantially as shown and described.
2. The combination, in a funnel, of a tubular stem having fluid inlet at its upper
part, stops above and below the inlet, and a bowl or body adapted to slide on the
stem between its stops and thereby close and open the inlet, substantially as shown
and described.
3. The combination, in a funnel, of a tubular stem having fluid inlet and a valve
at its upper part; and a bowl or body adapted to slide on the stem and to close and
open said inlet and also having a seat to which the stem valve is adapted,
substantially as shown and described.
4. The combination, in a funnel, of a tubular stem having fluid inlet and a valve
at its upper part, and a stop below the inlet; and a bowl or body adapted to slide
on the stem and to the lower stop and having a seat forming a stop to which the
stem valve is adapted, substantially as shown and described.
5. The combination, in a funnel, of a tubular sten having fluid inlet at its upper
part, and a packing collar below said inlet adapted to the neck of a bottle; and
a bowl or body adapted to slide on the stem and thereby close and open the inlet,
substantially as shown and described.
6. The combination, in a funnel, of a tubular stem having fluid inlet at its upper
part, and provided with an interior vent tube; and a bowl or body adapted to
slide on the stem and thereby close and open the inlet, substantially as shown and
described.
7. The combination, in a funnel, of a tubular stem having fluid inlet at its upper
part, a packing below said inlet adapted to the neck of a bottle, and an interior
vent tube; and a bowl or body adapted to slide on the stem and thereby close and
open the inlet, substantially as shown and described.
8. The combination, in a funnel, of a tubular stem having fluid inlet at its upper
part and provided with an interior vent tube which extends above the inlet within
the funnel bowl or body, said bowl adapted to slide on the stem and thereby close
and open the inlet, substantially as shown and described.
9. The combination, in a funnel, of a tubular stem having fluid inlet at its upper
part and provided with a vertically adjustable interior vent tube, and a bowl or
body adapted to slide on the stem and thereby close and open the inlet, substantially
as shown and described.
10. The combination, in a funnel, of a tubular stem C having a stop d, a closed
top c, fluid inlet at its upper part, a vent tube C2 opening through the side of the
stem below the stop, a packing C¹ on the stem, and a bowl or body A movable
on the stem and adapted to close and open the inlet, substantially as shown and
described.
11. The combination, in a funnel, of a tubular stem having a valve c, and fluid
inlet at its upper part; and an exterior packing C', below said inlet; a bowl or
body A, adapted to slide on said stem and thereby close and open the inlet and a
vertically adjustable vent tube C2, fitted within the stem and extending upward
within the funnel body, substantially as shown and described.
12. A funnel having a thin and flexible collar secured thereon to seal the mouth
of a bottle when the funnel is inserted therein, and adapted to be bent or turned
down over the said mouth, substantially as shown and described.

page_text: 13. A funnel comprising a funnel body, and a stem or tube slidable relatively
thereto, and a hollow conical flexible collar mounted upon said stem or tube, to
seal the mouth of a bottle when the funnel is inserted therein, and adapted when
borne upon by the funnel body to bend over the said mouth, substantially as shown
and described.
14. A funnel comprising a funnel-body, and a stem or tube slidable relatively
thereto, a thin and flexible collar, hollow and conical, mounted upon said stem or
tube and adapted to seal the mouth of a bottle, and a flange upon the funnel body
adapted to bear upon said collar and bend the same over the mouth of said bottle,
substantially as shown and described.
15. A funnel comprising a funnel-body, and a stem or tube sliding therein, a
peripheral groove in said stem, a hollow, conical, thin and flexible rubber collar
surrounding said stem within the groove, to seal the mouth of a bottle when the
funnel is inserted therein, and an annular flange upon the lower end of the funnel
body, rounded or convexed, and adapted, when said body falls, to engage the collar
to tightly contact therewith, and bend or turn the outer edge of said collar over
the bottle-mouth, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 25th day of June 1895.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.