IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS OR COVERS FOR BOTTLES, JARS, OR OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co-Engineers and Patent
Agents, of 35 Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, in the County of
Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STOPPERS OR COVERS FOR BOTTLES, JARS, OR OTHER ARTICLES to be as follows:-
33
My present invention relates to stoppers or covers for bottles, jars, and other
hollow articles, of the kind described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted
to Nathan Thompson and dated January 22nd A.D. 1874 and numbered 276, in
which a stopper or cover is described and shewn having on its top circular inclines
and in combination with such stopper or cover, a clip or strap passing across the
stopper or cover and formed with turned in ends or legs which pass under a flange
or ring on the neck of the bottle or jar, so that by turning such clip or strap round
the stopper or cover so as to cause it to mount the inclines, the stopper or cover is
pressed firmly onto the end of the neck of the bottle or jar.
This arrangement has the disadvantage, among others, that the stopper or cover
and clip being in separate parts, there is always liability of loss of one or other of
the parts.
My present invention has for its object a novel method of construction of such
stoppers or covers, by which a very cheap and effective stopper or cover for bottles,
jars, or other articles, is produced, and the objections hitherto existing are obviated.
In order to put my invention in operation I take a cap or stopper, formed of
metal, glass, or other suitable material, but preferably of sheet metal stamped up so
as to form a cylindrical cap into which can be fitted if necessary one or more discs
of cork, or other suitable material by which a tight joint can be inade between
the cap and the end of the neck of the bottle, jar, or other article. In order to
hold and press the cap or stopper in its place I arrange a separate clip extending
across the top of the cap and having legs projecting downward at right angles from
its ends these legs being turned inward at their lower ends so that their turned-in
parts fit under a flange or collar formed upon the neck of the bottle, jar, or other
article. Upon the top of the cap or stopper between it and the cross clip, I fit a
plate of metal, glass, wood, or other suitable material having inclined cams formed
upon its upper surface, so that if the cap be fitted upon the mouth of the bottle,
jar, or other article, the crossclip being arranged above it with the ends of its
descending legs fitted under the flange upon the neck, when the cam plate is turned
round its inclines press against the crossclip above and force the cap downward
with any required pressure.

page_text: The cam plate may be pivotted by a central pivot or rivet to the centre of the
cap, and in order to retain the clip in its place I make the cap with projecting ears
or lugs through holes in which the descending arms of the clip pass. The
extremities of the legs may be bent in to fit under the collar after they have been
passed through the holes in the lugs, or one or both of the latter may be made of
such shape that the ends previously turned in can pass through them, whilst the
packing of cork or other substance subsequently inserted prevents them from being
withdrawn.
It will be seen that by this method of arrangement the clip can be conveniently
made of round steel or other wire of sufficient strength, since no hole for a rivet or
pin has to be made through it, and great economy and cheapness of construction
are thus attained. A flat or square bar may, however, be used instead of a round
wire where great strength is required. Instead of the inclined cams by which the
cap is forced down as described being upon a horizontal revolving plate as
described, I sometimes form them in the shape of excentrics or cams of wire, metal
plate, or other suitable material fitted and turning upon the transverse wire of the
clip, and connected together by a bent wire or plate which may also serve as a
handle. In this form of arrangement, when such handle is turned up the excentrics
or cams are turned up so that the cap can be raised and removed from the bottle,
jar, or other article, whilst when it is turned down the excentrics or cams force the
cap down with sufficient pressure against the neck of the bottle or jar. In cases
where my improved stopper or cap is to be used upon ordinary wire or other
bottles the flange of which is not sufficiently square or protuberant to hold the
turned in ends of the legs of the clip, I sometimes fit round the neck of the bott!c
below the flange a metal or other wire, round, square, or of other suitable shape in
section, and I fix such wire in its place by twisting its ends together, or in other
convenient way. I make the turned-in ends of the legs sufficiently long to pass
under the wire so arranged and fixed, against which they hold readily and safely.
The-cap-may_be_provided with one or more short descending arms to secure its
adjustment in proper position. I am aware that it has-been-proposed-to_uso.n
stopper consisting of a cap and a flat clip or strap, connected together by a central
stud or pin, but it will be seen that by my invention the stopper or cap can be
attached with any desired force against the mouth or end of a bottle, jar, or other
article to which it is applied, by the pressure of moveable inclines operating between
it and between the cross bar of a clip above, whilst by the method of connecting
the clip to the cap or stopper by means of perforated lugs or cars no rivet or hole
is required in the crossbar, which may consequently be made with advantage, of
round wire. Also that the stopper or cap is very simple, cheap, durable, and easy
to apply, fix and remove, and by the method of applying a separato wire or ring
under the flange upon the neck, it can be applied to any ordinary bottle, jar, or
article without difficulty.
Dated thin 10th day of Ton 198.1

page_text: I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and C.-Engineers and Patent
Agents, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, in the County
of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STOPPERS OR COVERS FOR BOTTLES, JARS, OR OTHER ARTICLES
" and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say) :-
My present invention relates to stoppers or covers for bottles, jars and other
hollow articles, of the kind described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted
to Nathan Thompson and dated January 22nd A.D. 1874 and numbered 276, in
which a stopper or cover is described and shewn having on its top circular inclines
and in combination with such stopper or cover, a clip or strap passing across the
stopper or cover and having turned-in ends or legs which pass under a flange or
ring on the neck of the bottle or jar, so that by turning such clip or strap round
the stopper or cover so as to mount the inclines, the stopper or cover is pressed
firmly on to the end of the neck of the bottle or jar.
This arrangement has the disadvantage among others, that the stopper or cover
and clip being in separate parts there is always liability of loss of one or other of
the parts. It has been proposed to remedy this disadvantage by the use of a
central pin connecting together the clip and the stopper or cover a method of
construction which requires the clip to be formed of a plate or of such shape and
size that a hole for the reception of the central pin inay be made through it,
and a plain cylindrical wire strap or clip cannot be effectively used.
The present invention has for its object improvements whereby the stoppers or
covers are made more certain and efficient in operation and are cheaper, whilst
the objections hitherto existing are obviated, and the stoppers or covers can be
applied to any ordinary bottles.
I take a cap or stopper formed of metal, glass or other suitable material, but
preferably of sheet metal stamped up so as to form a cylindrical cap into which
can be fitted if necessary one or more thicknesses of cork, indin rubber, or other
suitable material by which a tight joint can be made between the cap and the end
of the bottle, jar, or other article.
In order to hold and press the cap or stopper in its place I arrange a separate
clip or bail wire extending across the top of the cap and having legs projecting
downward from its ends, these legs being turned inward at their lower ends so
that the so turned-in parts fit under a flange or collar formed or fitted upon the
neck of the bottle, jar, or other article. Upon the top of the cap or stopper
between it and the bail-wire I fit a plate of metal, glass, wood, or other suitable
material having two inclined cams upon its upper surface, so that if the cap be
fitted upon the mouth of the bottle, jar, or other article, the crossclip or bailwire
being arranged across it with the ends of its descending legs fitted under the flange
upon the neck, when the cam plate is turned round its inclines press against the
transverse bailwire or crossclip and force the cap down with any required pressure,
or the cam plate may be held firmly and the crossclip turned round with the
same result.
The cam plate may have its edge milled, roughened, or provided with projections,
and may be pivotted by a central pivot to the centre of the cap, and in order to
retain the clip or bailwire in its place, I make the cap with two opposite projecting
ears or lugs through holes in which the descending legs of the clip pass. The
extremities of the legs may be bent in to fit under the collar after they have been

page_text: passed through the holes in the ears, or one or both of the holes may be made elongated
radially or of such shape that the ends previously turned-in can pass through them,
whilst the packing of cork or other material subsequently inserted prevents them
from being withdrawn.
In the accompanying drawings which are in illustration of my invention
figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, are in illustration of the arrangement just described, figure 1
being a vertical section of the stopper or cover closed upon the neck of a bottle,
figure 2 a plan of the same, figuro 3 a vertical section and figure
same stopper opened.
a plan of the
a is the neck of the bottle to be closed, and c is a hollow cap or stopper fitting 1
over the top of the bottle and having a packing b of cork india rubber or other
suitable material, which may if preferred be made so as to be pressed into the
mouth of the bottle as well as against its end (as indicated in dotted lines at b¹).
The crossclip or bail wire, d has the ends of its descending legs at d¹ turned under
a flange or collar upon the neck of the bottle, after passing through holes in the
сар с.
The cam plate e has two opposite cams as shown the upper edges of which
press against the bailwire d, so that when they are turned round in one direction
they force the cap c and packing b against or into the mouth of the bottle, whilst
when turned in the other direction they release the cap which can be raised
sufficiently, as shewn in figure 3, to allow the entire cover to be removed laterally
from the bottle.
Where great pressure is not required, or it is not desired that the packing
should enter the mouth of the bottle, a cam plate c of less depth may be used LS
illustrated in figure 5, in which it is shewn made of slicet metal turned up at its
edges. Figure 6 is a plan of the cape shewing the elongated holes for the ends
of the bail wire to pass through.
In figure 7 the camplate e is shewn of solid material, such as metal, glass, or
earthenware, with cams of considerable thickness, as in figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, but
of less depth; and in-figures-8-and-9--the cams upon the plate e are shewn
extending from the circumference to the centre of the latter, and the cam plate e
is shewn pivotted to the cap c. In figures 10 and 11 the cams are shewn stamped
up from sheet inetal.
It will be seen that by the method of arrangement described and shewn the
clip or bailwire can be conveniently made of round steel or other wire of sufficient
strength, since no hole for a rivet or pin has to be made through it, and great
economy and cheapness of construction are thus attained. A flat or square bar
may, however, be used instead of a round wire where great strength is required.
Instead of the inclined cams by which the cap c is forced down as described and
shewn being upon a horizontal revolving plate e, 1 sometimes form them in the
shape of excentrics or cams of wire, metal plate, or other suitable materials fitted
and turning upon the transverse wire of the clip, and connected together by a bent
wire or plate which may also serve as a handle.
This form of arrangement is shewn in figures 12, 13, 14, and 15, figures 12
and 14 being side views of the cover closed upon a bottle, figure 13 a plan, aud
figure 15 a side view of the cover opened.
a is the neck of the bottle, c the cap or cover containing packing and d the wire
crossclip passing through holes in the cover c, and having turned-in ends d¹, as in
the arrangement already described and shewn. i, i, are excentrics or cams
turning freely upon the wire d and connected together by the beut wire g.
When the handle g is turned up as shewn in figure 15, the excentrics or cams i, u,
are also turned up so that the cap c can be raised as shewn, and the entire cover
can be removed laterally from the neck of the bottle a, whilst when the handle g
is turned down as shown in figures 12, 13, and 14, the excentrics or cams i, i¹, force
down the cap c with sufficient pressure against the neck of the bottle or jar a.
In cases where stoppers or caps having turned in legs such as those described are
to be used upon ordinary wine or other bottles the flange upon which is not
sulliciently square or protuberant to hold the turned in ends, I sometimes first fit

page_text: round the neck of the bottle below the upper collar a metal or other wire, round,
square, or of other suitable shape in section, and I fix such wire in its place by
twisting its ends together, or in other convenient way.
This part of my invention is illustrated in figure 10, in which a is the neck of
an ordinary wine bottle, c is the cap or cover containing packing, & is the bailwire
or clip having turned in ends which fit beneath the collar formed of wiro
twisted round the neck of the bottle.
The turned-in ends are shewn inclined slightly upward so as to be the better
held by the wire f.
The cap or cover c inay be provided with one or more descending arms, as shewn
at c in figure 16, in order to ensure its adjustment in the proper position upon the
mouth of the bottle, jar, or other article.
In figures 17 and 18 a solid plate c is shown instead of a hollow cap, the plate
having ears with openings for the bailwire or crossclip, and the packing bis
also shewn with ears and similar holes in order to retain it in its proper position.
By my invention the stopper or cap can be attached with any desired force
ngainst the mouth or end of a bottle, jar, or other article, by the pressure of
moveable inclines operating between it and the crossbar of a clip above, whilst by
the method of connecting the cross clip or bail wire to the cap or stopper by means
of perforated lugs or cars no rivet nor hole is required in the crossbar, which may
consequently be made with advantage of round wire.
The stopper or cover is very simple, cheap, durable, and easy to apply, fix, and
remove; and by the novel method of applying a separate wire or ring under the
flange upon the neck, it can be applied to any ordinary bottle, jar, or other article,
without difficulty.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the naturo of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is ==
1. The combination of the cap or plate c having holes for the cross clip, the
cain plate e having inclined cams, and the cross-clip passing through the holes in
the cap or plate c, substantially as described and shewn.
2. The combination of the cap or plate c having holes for the cross clip, the wire
crossclip d passing through the holes in the cap or plate c, and the excentrics i, ¹,
and handle g, substantially as described and shown.
3. The separate wire or ring f fixed under the flange of an ordinary bottle, jar,
or other article, substantially as and for the purpose described and shewn.
Dated this 10th day of October 1881