IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Wharldale, of Pontefract, in the County
of York, Wood Turner, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES."
Scaled the 25th July 1873, and dated the 28th January 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Wharldale
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 28th January 1873.
I, WILLIAM WHARLDALE, of Pontefract, in the County of York,
Wood Turner, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to simple and efficient improvements in stoppers
for bottles, more particularly adapted for such bottles as are used to
contain aerated or gaseous drinks or liquids, such as soda water,
lemonade, ginger beer, ale and stout, or mineral waters, and indeed for
any other bottles where it may be desired to use stoppers made according
to the present Invention, such as champagne bottles and the like.
The improved stoppers I make of cork and wood, or of cork combined
with any other suitable material, the combination of which will cause

page_text: the stopper to be of less specific gravity than water or the liquid in the
bottle.
The cork portion of the stopper is made or cut out tubular of a con-
venient length and size to fit easily the neck of the bottle. Inside this
tubular cork I fit or place a screw plug made of wood or other suitable
material, which, in combination with the cork, will make the whole
stopper of less specific gravity than the contents of the bottle. On to
the top or screwed end of the plug I fit a screwed washer of wood,
metal, or other suitable material, and screw it down until it fits securely
on to the mouth of the bottle, and so (in addition to securing the stopper
in its place) prevent any dirt or extraneous matter getting inside the
bottle neck. Or these stoppers may be made without a screw plug, but
with an equivalent plain plug; the principal use of the latter being to
prevent the stopper from turning over in the bottle and presenting its
bottom end to the mouth of the same. It should therefore be made 1
(for example) of a length slightly exceeding the greatest width of any
part of the bottle.
In this modification I sometimes place a small ring of india-rubber
above the tubular cork, in order more completely to prevent the escapo
of the gases or other contents from the bottles.
By the employment of these improved stoppers, bottles (and especially
those containing aerated waters) may be packed on their sides, or may
be kept in an upright position without any fear of the stoppers being
accidentally forced inside the bottles and the contents let out.
In stoppering bottles with these improved stoppers, the stopper is first
pushed into the interior of the bottle, then the aërated liquid (for
example) is poured or forced in, the bottle being kept in an upright
position. The stopper will then float up and be forced into its proper
place in the neck of the bottle, being kept there by the wedging or
compression of the cork portion of the stopper, and the plug can then bo
secured at the mouth of the bottle.
In order to empty or let out the contents of a bottle in which one of
my improved stoppers has been placed, I turn the bottle bottom upwards,
and put the neck inside the glass or vessel it is wished should contain tho
contents of the bottle, and then by forcing the bottle downwards press
the outer end of the plug or stopper against the bottom of the vessel

page_text: (or the stopper may be pressed in any other convenient way), when the
stopper, being of less specific gravity than the contents of the bottle, will
immediately float up to the bottom of the bottle, and by raising up the
bottle its contents will gradually flow into the glass or vessel, and the
stopper will remain inside for re-use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Wharldale, in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 26th July 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
WHARLDALE, of Pontefract, in the County of York, Wood Turner, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-eighth day of January, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Wharldale, Her special
licence that I, the said William Wharldale, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Wharl-
dale, my exccutors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said William Wharldale, my exccutors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
scals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Wharldale, 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

page_text: by the following statement in writing, and on reference being had to
the accompanying Drawings, that is to say :-
The Invention relates to certain simple improvements in stoppers for
bottles, more particularly those used to contain aërated or gaseous drinks
or liquids.
The improved stopper which is illustrated on the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings in Figures 1, 2, and 3 is made of cork and wood, or of cork
and any other suitable material, the combination of which will cause
the stopper to be of less specific gravity than water or the liquid in the
bottle.
The cork portion 1 (Figure 1) is made or cut tubular (of a convenient
length and size to fit easily the neck of the bottle, Figure 4), and
embraces a screwed plug 2 made of wood or other suitable material, and
hollowed out to make it lighter, and which in combination with the cork
portion 1 will make the whole stopper of less specific gravity than the
liquid contents of the bottle (see Figure 5). On to the screwed end of
the plug 2 I fit a screwed washer 3 made of wood, metal, or other suit-
able material, and screw it down until it rests securely round the mouth
of the bottle (Figure 4), and (in addition to securing the stopper in its
place, thus prevent any dirt or extraneous matter getting inside the
bottle neck.
Figure 2. Or the stoppers may be made without the screw plug 2, but
with an equivalent plain plug 2*, the principal use of the latter being to
prevent the stopper from turning over in the bottle and presenting its
bottom end to the mouth of the same; it is therefore made of a length
slightly exceeding the greatest width of any part of the bottle.
Figure 3. In the latter modification I sometimes place a ring of india-
rubber above the cork portion 1 in order more completely to prevent
the escape of the gases or other contents from the bottles.
By the employment of these improved stoppers, bottles, especially
those containing aërated waters, may be packed on their sides, or may
be kept in an upright position without any fear of the stoppers being
forced accidently inside the bottles, and the contents let out.
In stoppering bottles with these improved stoppers, the stopper is first
forced into the interior, after which the aërated liquid (for example) is
poured or forced in, the bottle being kept in an upright position. The

page_text: stopper will then float up (Figure 5) and be forced into its proper place
in the neck of the bottle, Figure 4, and be kept there by the wedging
or compression of the cork portion 1, and in the case of the screw plug 2
(Figure 1) the stopper can be further secured at the mouth of the bottle
by the washer 3 (Figure 4), or by a pin passed through the hole 5 in
the plain plug 2* (Figure 3).
In emptying a bottle thus stoppered it is turned bottom upwards, with
the mouth inside the glass or vessel it is wished should contain its
contents, and (after the washer 3 or pin is removed) is then forced
downwards so as to press the outer end of the plug 2 (or 2×) against the
bottom thereof (or the stopper may be pressed in any other convenient
way), which forces the stopper inside the bottle, and thus allows it to
float up to the bottom thereof, when the liquid contents will gradually
flow therefrom into the glass or vessel, and the stopper remain in the
bottle for re-use.
"
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention for
*Improvements in Stoppers for Bottles," together with the manner in
which the same is to be, or may be, performed or carried into practical
effect, I would remark in conclusion that I claim as my Invention, the
peculiar construction of the improved stoppers of cork and wood, or of
cork and any other suitable material, the combination of which will
cause the stopper to be of less specific gravity than water or the liquid
contents of the bottle, substantially as, or in the manner, and for
the purposes above described, and illustrated on the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Wharldale, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of July, in
the year of our Low One thousand night lundund and