AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING CORKS FROM BOTTLES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, &
Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING CORKS FROM BOTTLES.” A
communication from abroad by Peter Tyrer, of Melbourne, Victoria, Engine
Driver
Sealed the 21st December 1876, and dated the 2nd November 1876.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd November 1876.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING
CORKS FROM BOTTLES." A communication from abroad by Peter Tyrer, of Mel-
bourne, Victoria, Engine Driver.
This Invention of an improved apparatus for extracting corks from bottles is
carried into practice as follows, that is to say -I tako two strips of flat steel wire
about twenty-eight inches long, and place them crosswise one over the other. Whero
they cross each other I solder them together, and then strengthen each of the four
arms by "whipping" them with thin wire for, say, three-eighths of an inch. I then
gather up the four ends, and bring them all into a small hole made through a piece
of round rod iron about three-eighths of an inch in diameter. This piece is the
handle. I then force a wedge into the centre of them to hold them tight, and finally
solder the ends to close up the hole, and complete the apparatus. The wire may
be round or flat, and tinned or untinned, as preferred, and the said handle may be
painted, japanned, or polished.
The object of my Invention is the extraction of corks which have been forced
through the neck into the body of the bottle. In using the said apparatus I first
push the wires through the neck into the bottle, and (if it is empty) I turn the
bottle upside down to shake the corks into or about the bottom of the neck. I
then pull the handle downward, when the apparatus brings the cork or corks with
it, and out of the bottle. If the bottle be full or have any liquid in it I do not
turn it upside down, but allow it to stand on its bottom, and in this position extract
the corks by an upward pull of the apparatus through the neck of the bottle.

page_text: In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 shews my improved apparatus; Figure 2
shews the same in the act of insertion into the bottle; Figure 3 shews it as about
to extract the cork from an empty bottle; and Figure 4 illustrates its expansion
(after being frequently squeezed through the neck of the bottle) in order that it
may regain its original shape.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I do not confine myself to any particular size or quality of wire or rod iron,
nor to the dimensions above specified, and that I claim,the improved apparatus
for extracting corks from bottles as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Second day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
WM. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)