A New or Improved Measuring Apparatus for Emptying Bottles and the like.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Dec., 189-Accepted, 9th Feb., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Measuring Apparatus for Emptying Bottles
and the like.
I, WILLIAM CHARLES GREEN of 35 Lefevre Road, North Road, Bow
London, E. Gunmaker 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 :-
.
My invention relates to an apparatus for attachment to wine, spirit, liqueur,
beer, and similar bottles, for the purpose of emptying same in predetermined and
equal quantities, without the use of a separate meusure for that purpose, or the
need of tilting back the bottle between each delivery, thus rendering it particularly
adaptable, for emptying bottles containing liquors having a. sediment, such for
instance as port and other wines, beer, and the like.
In order that my invention, and the manner of its operation, may be fully and
clearly understood, I have appended 2 sheets of drawings, in which
Figs. 1 and 2 Sheet 1 are elevations of my invention, as viewed from opposite
sides, and according to one method of constructing the same.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section of Fig. 2.
Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective views of my invention, according to another or
alternative method of construction.
Fig. 6 is a detached perspective view of the oscillating cylindrical measuring
portion of Figs. 4 and 5, to be hereinafter explained.
"
Fig. 7 Sheet 2 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 2, but illustrating a further
modification of construction.
Figs. 8 and 9 are views partly in section, showing the application of my
invention, as hereinafter explained, and in which I have chosen to illustrate the
manner of employing the device shown by Figs. 1, 2, and 3..
In so far as regards the method of construction illustrated by Figs. 1, 2 and 3,
I carry my invention into effect, by constructing of any auitable metal, bone,
ivory, celluloid, vulcanite, or other material, or any desired combination of these,
a cylindrical chamber.A, the lower end of which is open and threaded internally
for the whole, or any desired portion of its length, its upper end being closed by
a cap or cover B, which may be either .connected to, or formed integrally with A.
The said cap or cover B, is provided upon its upper or outer surface, with a
preferably central perpendicular cylindrical extension C, and at a suitable angle
with this, a second cylindrical extension D, both of which communicate with a
small chamber E, formed upon the inner or under surface of B. The whole of
these parts B, C, D, E, may be constructed integrally of one casting or otherwise,
as may be found most convenient..
A tubular portion F, is arranged to slide freely within the cylinder C, to the
cap G, of which one end of a rod H is connected, preferably, by forming a screw
thread upon one end of the latter, which screws into an internally threaded hole
in the former, as shewn in Fig. 3, which provides facilities for disconnection, when
these and other parts may require cleansing. The rod H extends downward
through an aperture in the crown of the chamber E, which serves as a guide
therefor, and a seat for one end of a spiral spring J, surrounding H, the opposite
end of which, abuts against the cap. G,.and by the exercise of its tension, operates
in.keeping the tube F pushed outwardly from C, the limit of which is governed by

page_text: a disc K, upon the rod H, when this is seated against, and closes as a valve, the
mouth of the chamber E, as shewn in Fig. 3.
A cylindrical chamber L, closed at its lower end by a cap or cover M, provided
with a nozzle N, screws into the chamber A, and it will be understood that the
holding capacity of A may be extended or lessened at will by the screwing out or
in of the chamber L, and the thread upon this and the chamber A may be of such
a pitch that one turn of L may extend or lessen the holding capacity of the vessel
for a known quantity not necessarily an aliquot part of a standard measure, but,
such as will enable a waiter or other person to fairly divide the contents of the
bottle into a certain number of equal parts, when this has to be divided equally
among a given number of persons, and to more accurately effect this, I may
provide upon the cylinder L a pointer O, aud upon the chamber A, an index P as
shewn at Figs. 1 and 2.
The lower end of the rod H, is provided with a disc R which acts as a valve for
closing the aperture in the nosing N, when F is pressed inwardly, and which
like K, may be of rubber, cork, or other resilient substance, or of metal coated
upon its active surface with such resilient material.
The cylindrical extension D carries a cork or stopper S, capable of fitting
any ordinary bottle, and through this, outside D, passes a vent. tube T, curved
or bent at one end for purposes hereinafter explained, its opposite end terminating
in a trumpet or other shaped mouth S', which may or may not be fixed to and
upon the outer surface of B or C, as desired, and into this dips, without touching,
one end of a curved tube V, communicating with the highest part of the
chamber A.
Referring to Figs. 8 and 9. The capacity of the chambers A and L, having
been adjusted, the ordinary cork of the bottle of wine or the like W would be
withdrawn in the usual way, and the cork S inserted in its place, with the curved
end of the vent tube T, in the shoulder of the bottle as shewn. If then a finger or
thumb of the hand holding the bottle, presses inwardly, the tube F in the direction
of the arrow, until the valve R closes the aperture of N, the valve K will be thereby
removed from the chamber E, and open the passage D, and allow the liquor to
flow therethrough into AL, the displaced liquor in W being replaced by air
passing through the tube T, while the air in AL, displaced by the liquor, would
pass out through the tube V, and the moment the attendant saw liquor come
out of the end of V, he would know that A L was full, and would immediately
release the pressure upon G F, when the rod H would rise by the tension of the
spring J, and the valve K would close the passage through E, and the valve R
open the passage in N, through which the contents of AL would flow into the
customers or other glass or its equivalent ✗, when the operation may be again
repeated in connection with another vessel X and so on until W was emptied.
This operation is clearly illustrated by Figs. 8 and 9.
In emptying the liquor from A L into X the displaced liquor, would be replaced
by air entering through V, and any liquor that may have passed from V into S'
could be again returned through T into W.
In Fig. 7 illustrate a slight modification of the foregoing apparatus, which
consists in dispensing with the tube V and the mouth S¹ at the tube T and in lieu
of the former I provide a cup S", which may be fixed to or formed integrally with B,
and communicating with the chamber A, acting as a vent in place of V, and allowing
any liquor that may come thereinto when A L is filled, to flow back again into A Ľ
as these are emptied into the glass or its equivalent X.
An alternative method of construction is illustrated by Figs. 4, 5 and 6.
According to this part of my invention, I provide of metal, or other suitable
material, or any desired combination of metal and other material, a frame consisting
of two suitably shaped parallel plates a and b, connected together by tie plates c
and d. The plate a has an approximately central aperture covered by a tube D',
vertical or otherwise upon which is mounted a cork S, provided with a carved vent
tube T one end of which, preferably, passes through and is connected to the plate a,

page_text: terminating flush with the inner surface thereof. Between the plates a and b and
fluid tight with both, a preferably circular chamber e is pivotted at f to a, and at g
to b, so that this may oscillate between a and b when moved by a finger hold / to
an extent limited by the plates c d. The chamber e is shown detached at Fig. 6,
and in the upper surface of this, holes ; and k are formed, the former of which
coincides with the lower end of the tube D' on a, while the latter coincides with the
lower end of the tube T in a, when the chamber is pushed over against the plate c,
as in Fig. 4, which permits that when the cork S is in the bottle W and e is in this
position, liquor may flow through D into e, and the displaced air in e would pass out
through Tinto W, to replace the liquor removed therefrom.
In the bottom of the chamber e is a hole m, (shown in dotted outline) which is
blocked by the plate b when e is in the position shown by Fig. 4, but when e is
brought over abutting against d, the said hole m would coincide with the opening of
a nozzle N extending downward from the plate b, this nozzle being for the same
purpose as that of N described and shewn in the previous method, and when m
and N coincide, the lower end of the tube D', would be blocked by the upper surface
of e, and so stop the flow of liquor from W, and the hole j in e being now beneath a
hole n in the plate a, would thereby allow air to enter e to replace the liquor that
would now flow out through m and N into a glass jug, mug or its equivalent as at
Fig. 9. A suitable spring or springs may if necessary be provided, the tension or
tensions of which may operate to move the chamber from the position shewn by
Fig. 4, to that shewn by Fig. 5, when pressure is removed from the finger hold h
by means of which e was placed in the position shewn by Fig. 4.
By either of the foregoing methods of construction, or any desired suitable
combination thereof, I am enabled to provide an apparatus, by the aid of which, I
can remove the contents of a bottle or the like, in predetermined and equal
quantities, more accurately, without the least waste, and in less than half the time
needed, when such emptying is effected by the use of a measure as hitherto, and I
reserve to myself the right to make and use an apparatus as described, of any or
varying dimensions, to adapt it for use with bottles and similar vessels of varying
capacity.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. In an improved method of, and means for, removing liquor from bottles and the
like, in predetermined and equal quantities, the construction and use of the herein
described apparatus, and the alternative method of arranging the same, connected,
combined, and operating substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth and
shewn by the accompanying drawings.
2nd. In an apparatus for removing liquor from bottles and the like, in pre-
determined and equal quantities, the combination of a chamber A, provided with a
cover B, having a cylindrical perpendicular projection C, and angular projection D,
both communicating with a chamber E, arranged to be opened and closed by a
valve K, upon a rod H connected to the cap G of a tube F, sliding within C, and
kept extended by the tension of a spring J. The chamber L arranged to screw into
the chamber A, and provided with an outlet nozzle N, capable of being closed by a
valve R, upon the rod H when the rod F is lowered in C, thus opening the
passage D. The tube V for ventilating A L, as liquor enters thereinto, and the
tube T with trumpet shaped mouth S₁ passing through a cork S for ventilating
the vessel W as the liquor is drawn therefrom, the whole connected, combined, and
operating, substantially as and for the purposes herein described and shewn.
3rd. The apparatus as set forth in the preceding claim, having a cup shaped
device S communicating with the chamber A, in substitution of the tube V, and
trumpet mouthed opening S', of the tube T, substantially as and for the purposes
herein described and shewn by Fig. 7 of the accompanying drawings.
4th. In an improved apparatus for removing liquor from bottles and the like, in

page_text: predetermined and equal quantities, the combination of a frame composed of parallel
plates a, b, connected by tie plates c d, and provided with tube D', carrying a cork S,
and vent tube T connected to a, and nozzle N connected to b. The chamber e
pivotted at f, g, and provided with finger hold h and holes or apertures j, k, m,
arranged to operate in conjunction with T D', and N, and hole n in a, substantially
as and for the purposes herein described and shewn by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 18th day of December 1894.
"
GEO. THOS. HYDE,
1, Broad Street Buildings, Liverpool Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.