Improvements in Apparatus for Charging Aërated and other Liquids into Screw-stoppered Bottles.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Mar., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Dec., 1893-Accepted, 27th Jan., 1894
Improvements in Apparatus for Charging Aërated and other
Liquids into Screw-stoppered Bottles.
I, JOHN WALKER of 76 and 82 Pearl Street Sheffield in the County of York
Mineral Water and Cordial Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows
My present invention relates to apparatus employed for charging aerated, and other
liquid into screw stoppered bottles; the object being to hold the screw stopper over
the bottle mouth during the time the bottle is being filled, and when filled to imme-
diately screw the said stopper into the mouth, thus hermetically sealing the charged
bottle; to attain which I employ the following mechanism: I fix to the front and upper
part of a suitable stand, a vertical cylindrical box, which contains a plunger or stopper
grip having a conical hole formed vertically in its centre, the circumference of
which is formed with vertical serrations or milled to suit the milled part or head of
an ordinary screw stopper. The bottom of said cylindrical box is open, and is
made with a stuffing box, which receives an india-rubber washer in such a way as
to leave the inner part of same projecting within the cylindrical box laterally, so
that when the neck and mouth of bottle are forced upwards into the cylindrical
box, a tight joint is formed between the shoulder or neck of bottle and the lower
part of said box. The plunger or stopper grip is carried by a rod which extends
through the upper part or cover of the cylindrical box, and bears in a bracket or
bearing fitted to the stand, and receives a suitable handle. A cross bar is secured
to the plunger rod between the top of the cylindrical box and the bearing, and this
cross bar is coupled up by connecting rods to a lever having a suitable handle.
Near the lower part of the cylindrical box is arranged a valve and connection for
the supply of aerated or other liquid, and this valve is operated by a lever working
When required this
preferably in a lateral direction and fulcrummed to the stand.
lateral lever may be arranged to operate a syrup pump having the usual valve, and
connected to the liquid supply pipe so as to force the aërated water and syrup
combined into the bottle. I employ a foot lever which is carried upon the lower
part of the stand and receives a weight or spring, and has a wooden or other rest or
support for the bottom of the bottle. In charging and stoppering a bottle by my
said improved apparatus, I place the bottle with the screw stopper in its mouth on
to the rest of the foot lever, I then press the latter down, by which means the
stopper and bottle mouth and neck are forced up into the cylindrical box; I now
press down the lever which operates the stopper grip or plunger thus causing the
serrations of the conical hollow part of plunger to press tightly over the milled
head or stopper. The handle at the top of plunger rod may then be turned round
so as to unscrew the stopper from the bottle when with the left hand of the operator
the lever which regulates the supply of aërated or other liquid, and the syrup pump
I place or
may be immediately worked so as to allow the liquid to fill the bottle.
arrange a suitable snifter or air escape valve in the side of the cylindrical box.
As soon as the bottle filled 1 release the lateral lever and turn round the plunger
rod handle at the same time as I press down the lever operating the plunger, this
screws the stopper into the mouth. The foot is then lifted and the charged bottle
removed as will be well understood.
Dhi auch den of March 1900
H. F. BOUGHTON, M.I. Mech. E.,
Sheffield, Agent.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Charging Aërated and other
Liquids into Screw-stoppered Bottles.
I, JOHN WALKER of 76 and 82 Pearl Street, Sheffield in the County of York,
Mineral Water and Cordial Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention 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 apparatus employed for charging aërated and other
liquid into bottles having screw stoppers, (preferably of the ordinary construction)
the object being to withdraw the stopper from the bottle, to retain it above the
bottle mouth during the time the bottle is being filled, and when filled to screw the
stopper into the mouth of the bottle, thus keeping the bottle closed until it is ready
to be filled and preventing any but very slight escape of gas or liquid during. the
operation.
In carrying out my invention, I construct a suitable stand to carry the various
parts of the required mechanism, which are clearly shown in the annexed sheets of
drawings.
.
Fig. 1, is a front elevation of a complete apparatus, part of the lower portion of
the stand being omitted.
Fig. 2, section of the cylindrical box, showing the stopper grip, and means for
making the joint with the bottle.
Upon the upper part of the standard A, I fix a cylindrical box of metal B, which.
receives the neck of the bottle C, see Fig. 2, and containing the stopper grip D,
which consists of a conical head semi-divided into sections to make it elastic and
expansible, and having a serrated or otherwise roughed conical interior, adapted to
fit over and grip the head of the screw-stopper E.
The head of the grip D, is provided with a spindle D2, which passes upwards
through a stuffing-box F, and finally through a bearing G, terminating with a
handle H, by which it is turned round so as to screw or unscrew the stopper as
required.
The bottom of the cylindrical box B, is open and is made with a stuffing-box 1,
to receive a thick rubber collar J, the inner edge of which projects beyond the
metallic parts, to engage with the shoulder and lower part of neck, when the neck
of the bottle is passed upwards through its central opening.
Above the top of the cylindrical box B, a crossbar K, is secured upon the
spindle D2, between two collars, but in such a manner that the spindle can revolve, and
is coupled by means of side rods L, to a horizontally fixed lever M, provided with a
handle at one end and a preponderating balance weight N, at the other, its fulcrum
is marked O.
The pump for supplying the non-aërated liquid is marked P, aud the handle for
operating same P². Its delivery pipe P³, communicates with the interior of the
cylindrical box, in a position adapted for charging the bottle.
On the opposite side of the cylindrical box and communicating therewith I fix a
valve Q, which is opened by means of the lever R, and closes automatically,
preferably by the action of a spring, and is for the purpose of supplying aërated
water and the like.
This lever R, if desired may be operated by the opposite end of the pump-
lever P².
S, is a vertically moving support upon which the bottle is placed, and by pressing
the foot upon the lever T, the bottle will be raised and forced with its shoulder
and lower part of the neck against the rubber collar J, the upper part of the neck
of the bottle with the stopper screwed into it having passed through the collar into
the cylindrical box.

page_text: A snifting valve, or air escape valve U, the purpose of which is well known, is
fixed to the cylindrical box and communicates with the interior.
In charging and stoppering a bottle by the apparatus as hereinbefore described,
I place a bottle with the stopper screwed in upon the support S, and press down
the foot lever T, which as before described raises the bottle until its shoulder and
the lower part of its neck are pressed against the rubber collar J.
I then press down the hand-lever M, which draws down the gripper D, the
coned head of which passes over the stopper and grips it round the head with an
elastic pressure.
The handle H, is now turned round to unscrew the stopper, and the action of
the weight N, upon the lever M, raises the stopper automatically above the mouth
of the bottle; the pump P, and the valve Q, inay now be operated and the bottle
be filled and snifted.
The lever M is then pressed down to bring the stopper to the mouth of the
bottle, and the handle H, turned round in the contrary direction to its former
movement, thus screwing the stopper into the mouth of the bottle, and completing
the operation.
The foot is then taken from the lever T, and the bottle removed.
I am aware that apparatus have been designed for a somewhat similar purpose,
in some of which it is necessary to use a specially made stopper and in all of which
it is necessary to place the stopper separately in the apparatus, but my invention
goes beyond these, as it will unscrew, remove, and raise the ordinary screw-stopper
from the bottle, and the bottle being filled replaces the stopper.
By means of my invention the chance of dirt or dust entering the bottles when
unstoppered is avoided, and a considerable saving of time and labour is effected.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is or may be carried into practice, I declare
that what I claim is :-
1. An apparatus for unstoppering, charging with aërated and other liquid, and
restoppering screw-stoppered bottles, being a combination of parts, constructed,
arranged and operating as herein before described and specified, and as shown in
the annexed drawings.
2. In an apparatus for charging screw-stoppered bottles with aërated and other
liquid, having a pump such as P, an aërated-water valve Q, a snifter U, and
bottle raising support S, a cylindrical box B, having a rubber collar J, to make a
joint with the bottle shoulder and lower part of neck, in combination with an
elastic or expansible stopper grip D, with its spindle passing through a stuffing-box F,
and having a handle by which it may be turned, substantially as hereinbefore
described and shown."
3. In combination with an apparatus for filling bottles with aërated and other
liquid, a cylinder B, (to receive the neck of the bottle) provided with an elastic
collar J, and a stuffing-box F, enclosing a stopper-grip D, constructed to unscrew
the stopper, to sustain it above the bottle, and to screw it in again substantially as
hereinbefore described and shown in the drawings.
4. In an apparatus for charging screw-stoppered bottles with aërated and other
liquid, a stopper-grip D, having a hollow conically-formed head, constructed to
grip with expansive action a screw-stopper (preferably an ordinary milled screw-
stopper) to turn it in either direction, and to sustain it when out of the bottle,
substantially as herein before described and illustrated.
Dated the 22nd day of December 1893.