Improvements in Bottles, Jars and the like for Preventing the Fraudulent Re-filling thereof.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Mar., 1899-Accepted, 17th June, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Bottles, Jars and the like for Preventing the
Fraudulent Re-filling thereof.
I, CLIFFORD ROBERT STEPHEN JOHN HALLÉ, of 50, Pembroke Road, Earl's Court,
London, S.W., Lecturer and Musician, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion 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 improvements in bottles, jars and the like, for pre-
venting the fraudulent re-filling thereof, and has for its object the provision of
simple, inexpensive and efficient means for preventing bottles or other vessels
being refilled and converted to a fraudulent use, after their original contents have
been removed.
The essential part of the invention consists in a cheap and effective catch or
snap, which once caught cannot be undone without destroying some distinctive
feature of the bottle or jar as it is issued in the first instance. This catch or
snap may be constructed in the following manner:
A small piece of metal, glass or other suitable substance is cut, stamped out,.
or cast in the form of a cross, the upright piece being flat while the two arms are
short and thin and roughly rounded. The cross piece is considerably, nearer
to one end of the upright than to the other, and the longer piece of the upright
is bent just above the cross piece till it forms a considerable angle with the
shorter piece. Or the catch may be simply a piece of bent metal or glass without
cross arms.
In the material composing this bottle or jar, a depression or recess is moulded
or otherwise formed of the same form as this cross, so that the cross fits easily
into it. The arms of the cross will then act as a hinge upon which the cross
may turn. If then the short end be held flat to the glass, the longer end projects;
and on pressing the longer end towards the glass, the shorter end leaves the back
and approaches the edge of the depression or recess in the glass; but the angle
and length of the two bent pieces must be such that the shorter piece never pro-
jects beyond the edge of the depression even when the longer piece is pressed
to a level with the outer rim of the glass. In order to hold the cross in its place
and to give the necessary spring to the catch, an annular groove is sunk round
the neck of the bottle or whatever portion of the glass or jar the catch is attached
to, of the same depth or nearly so as the recess or depression in which the cross
is placed. This annular groove is in such a position that it runs into the bottom
part of the depression for the cross; the bottom of the groove and the bottom of
the depression being on the same level. Into this groove an india-rubber band,
or a thread or any substance that has sufficient elasticity for the purpose is
inserted, and passing over the short arm of the cross, holds it close to the back

page_text: of the depression in the glass and causes the cross to resume its original position
after any obstruction, that presses the longer end, is passed.
And in order that this my said invention may be the more readily understood
and carried into practical effect, reference is hereby made to the accompanying
sheet of illustrative drawings, wherein;
Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the neck of a bottle, with one form of my
invention applied thereto the enclosing cap being shewn in section.
Fig. 2 illustrates a modification of the invention, part of the bottle being shewn
in section.
Fig. 3 is a like view of another modification.
Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of a further modification, and
Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of the bottle-neck-and-one of the catches,
shewn in Fig. 1.
Fig. 6 is a section of a modified form of bottle-neck.
Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the catches, and
Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation of the bottle neck shewn in Fig. 6 with a modified
stopper in position therein.
Referring to the drawings wherein like letters of reference indicate correspond-
ing parts throughout the several figures, a (Fig. 1) represents a metal or other
catch bent in the centre to form two parts at an angle to one another. One or
more of these catches a are employed, being let into vertical recesses in the
side of the bottle neck c. The said catches 6 are held in position on the bottle
by means of a rubber ring which encircles the bottle neck c and the upper
parts of the catches 6, an annular groove being provided in the bottle neck for the
reception of the said ring d. Over the top of the bottle neck fits a cap e having
an inwardly flanged rim e', which when the said cap is in position, abuts against
the lower ends of the catches a, and thereby prevents the said cap e being removed
without breaking the flange c¹ off same.
Referring to Fig. 2 I have there shewn a modified form of the invention in
which a tumbler is employed for effecting the same purpose as the cap above
described. In this arrangement, I provide a gallery f surrounding the bottle
and formed integral therewith, such gallery being formed with an inwardly pro-
jecting flange f upon its rinn and a base f at the junction with the bottle. An
annular space is provided between the gallery f and the bottle c. The tumbler
is provided with catches a as in the former example, such catches being held in
position in the same manner but inverted position.
In use the tumbler e is placed over the neck of the bottle in the manner clearly
shewn by Fig. 2 and the upper ends of the catches a abut against the lower side
of the flange f' on the rim of the gallery f and so prevent the said tumbler being
removed without damage to the bottle. The tumbler is adapted to be subse-
quently employed for ordinary drinking purposes.
In Fig. 3 I have illustrated an arrangement for use with a bottle having, its
filling inlet in the bottom thereof. g represents the neck of the inlet, having
shoulders g against which the lower ends of the catches a project when the
stopper h is inserted into the said filling inlet, and so prevent such stopper being
withdrawn as in the former examples.
The mouth of the bottle c is stoppered in the usual manner, and a cap e-is
placed over same and united at its lower edge with the shoulder c¹ of the latter,
by blowing c or in any other suitable manner. It is obvious that the opening of a
bottle constructed in this manner can only be effected after the cap e has been
broken.
Referring to Fig. 4 I have there shewn a similar arrangement to, that described
with reference to Fig. 3, but with the addition of a diaphragm h which is placed
in the bottle near the upper end thereof, such diaphragm having openings in
same closed by hinged valves 2 adapted to open when the liquid is poured out of
the pouring mouth of the bottle and to seat themselves and thereby close the

page_text: openings when an attempt is made to refill the bottle. Vertical guards, i are
provided to the said diaphragm for the purpose of preventing a wire or the
like being employed to lift the valves 2 off their seats.
In Figs. 6 and 8 I have illustrated a modification of the bottle and stopper in
which the top of the bottle is provided with an inner rim i against the under side
of which the upper extremities of the catches a abut when the stopper j, (Fig. 8)
is in position in the mouth of the bottle. The said stopper j is of hollow con-
struction, the hollow or cavity into which a cork (not shown) is preferably
inserted, extending from the bottom to nearly the top of the stopper, a thin
covering of glass being provided at the top of such stopper.
When this form of stopper is inserted into the mouth of the bottle shewn in
Fig. 6, the upper extremities of the catches a engage with the underside of the
interior rim, and prevent such stopper being withdrawn, the contents of the
bottle being extracted by breaking the glass covering j³ and withdrawing the
cork from the cavity in the ordinary manner.
In Fig. 7 I have illustrated the form of catch I preferably employ, such catch
being in the form of a cross as shewn. The arms of the catch are nearer one end
than the other, and the longer portion of the upright portion is bent at an angle
to the shorter portion in the manner previously described.
In lieu of the arrangement of the catches described and illustrated, I may employ
a piece of large watch-spring and insert one end of same in a slit formed in the
glass composing the stopper, or the neck of the bottle, the action of this simple
form of catch being precisely similar to that of the others.
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:
1. The improvements in bottles, jars and the like for preventing the fraudulent
refilling thereof, consisting in an angle catch or catches held in vertical recesses
in the exterior of the bottle neck by a band of india-rubber or other suitable sub-
stance, or other similar catch; in combination with a glass cap having an inwardly
flanged rim, substantially as described with reference to Figs. 1 and 5 of the
drawings.
2. In bottles, jars and the like for preventing the fraudulent refilling thereof,
the gallery formed upon a bottle and having an inwardly flanged rim; in combi-
nation with a glass tumbler provided with bent or other catches and adapted to
be held to such bottle, substantially as described and illustrated by Fig. 2 of the
drawings.
3. In bottles, jars and the like for preventing the fraudulent refilling thereof,
the stopper having bent or other catches adapted to be inserted within the filling
inlet at the bottom or one side of a bottle, said inlet having shoulders against
which the lower ends of said catches abut; in combination with a glass cap
blown or otherwise fixed over the top of the bottle, substantially as described with
reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings.
4. In bottles, jars and the like for preventing the fraudulent refilling thereof,
the diaphragm fixed within a bottle, said diaphragm having openings therein
closed by hinged valves adapted to open when the bottle is inverted as when the
contents are being poured out, and to seat themselves when an attempt is made
to refill the bottle, vertical guards being provided upon the diaphragm to prevent
the valves being unseated by means of wires or their equivalent, substantially as
specified and shewn by Fig. 4 of the drawings.
5. In bottles, jars and the like, for preventing the fraudulent re-filling thereof,
a hollowed stopper fitted with angle or other catches, which engage with an inner
rim in the neck of the bottle, the cavity in stopper being filled with a cork if
desired, which-cork cannot be drawn_nor_contents of bottle reached, until the

page_text: thin layer of glass on top of the stopper is broken, substantially as described with
reference to Fig. 8 of the drawings.
Dated this 30th day of March 1899
HUGHES & YOUNG;
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.