IM- PROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS AND STOPPER FASTENINGS FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER STATET AD VESSELS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Hicks, of Brooklyn, County of Kings,
and State of New York, United States of America, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS AND STOPPER FASTENINGS FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER
STATET AD VESSELS"
Sealed the 24th April 1878, and dated the 5th March 1878.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Henry Hicks at the
⚫ Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th March 1878.
WILLIAM HENRY HICKS, of Brooklyn, County of Kings, and State of New York,
United States of America. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS AND STOPPER FASTENING
FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER SIMILAR VESSELS."
My Invention belongs to that class of stoppers in which a cap piece is combined
with an elastic or compressible packing piece provided with a flange, which is
compressed between the depending flange of the cap piece and the inner walls of the
mouth of a bottle, and not over the upper edges of the mouth, so that the joint
is not affected by irregularities of the said. upper edges, and in which a vibrating
arm joins the bottle in bearings upon its sides, and in which the stopper is connected
operatively to said vibrating arm by a link or links, and consists in certain com-
binations of the following elements, which are more fully set forth and claimed at
the end of this schedule :-
A cap piece arranged to connect with a closing mechanism, and provided with a
flange projecting from its under surface near its central portion.
An elastic or compressible packing piece arranged at its upper portion to be held
by the cap piece surrounded by a flange thickened on its under side near the larger
diameter (which is not larger than the mouth of the bottle to which it is applied)
so that when rolled up its diameter is increased by stretching, and when released, it
will return to its original diameter when out of the bottle, and a closing mechanism
consisting of a neck wire provided with bearings and attached to a bottle, a link or links
arranged to operatively connect with a stopper and with a vibrating arm, an arm
provided at its ends with means to connect with and vibrate on a bottle, and formed

page_text: or arranged to allow the loops of the link to slide past the vibrating point in both
directions.
In order that persons skilled in the art may make and use my Invention, I will
proceed to describe, referring to the Drawings in which the same letters of reference
indicate like parts :—
Figure 1 is a vertical part section of my device showing the stopper drawn into
the mouth of the bottle to close it, with the packing flange rolled up and com-
pressed between the depending flange of the cap piece and the inner walls of the
mouth of the bottle :-
Figure 2 is a vertical view of the same, showing the stopper above the mouth of
the bottle ready to be forced down into it, and the packing flange in its natural
position before compression.
Figure 3 is a sectional view of the packing piece on a vertical centre line.
Figure 4 is a top view; and Figure 5, a bottom view of the same.
Figure 6 is a front view of the bottle, showing the stopper and wire-closing
movements in their lowest positions.
A is the cap piece; B, the depending flange surrounding the opening in the cap
piece; F is the nose of the bottle; H is the upper part of the packing piece by
which it is held to the cap piece; E is the bottom portion of the packing piece; D
is the surrounding packing flange thickened near its larger diameter, preferably on
its under side only, but may be thickened on both sides or on only one; G is the
central portion of the link connecting the loops of the link together to cause them to
slide on the vibrating arm simultaneously; R is the neck wire having eyes J, J, in
it; K is the vibrating arm; L, L, are loops or ears in the stopper; M, M, are loops
in the link formed to hold and slide on the parallel portions or sides of the vibrating
arm; N, N, are hooked ends of the link joining it to the stopper; 0, 0, are portions
of the vibrating arm formed to allow the loops of the link to pass the vibrating
point, and to regulate the motion of the stopper to and from the mouth of the
bottle, or to regulate the lifting and closing movement.
The operation of my Invention is as follows:-The compressible packing piece is
fitted to the cap piece, and the vibrating arm is inserted in the loops of the link,
and the bearings on or in the bottle; the hooked ends of the link are entered in
the eyes of the stopper, and the stoppor adjusted centrally over the bottle mouth
The
with the vibrating arm in its upward position, as shown in Figure 2.
vibrating arm is then thrown down until it touches the bottle; this draws the
stopper tightly down upon the bottle, and slides the loops of the link past the
vibrating points of the arm and locks it, so that no strain can dislodge it unless
the arm is thrown up; thus, by the depression of the central part of the cap piece,
the packing flange is compressed between it and the inner walls of the mouth
of the bottle, making a tight joint independant of the upper edges of the mouth of
the bottle, which are often broken or injured by careless handling.
To release the stopper and open the bottle the vibrating arm is thrown up; the
elasticity of the thickened part of the packing flange contracts to its original shape
and size, and throws the stopper up above the mouth of the bottle, sliding the
loops of the link upward on the vibrating arm, so that the arm can fall down
against the side of the bottle, and be held there while emptying the bottle of its
contents. The two sides of the vibrating arm are hept parallel by making the
central portion at about right angles to said sides, but stiff or larger wire will
answer in some cases.
Having now described my Invention, what I claim as my Invention and desire
to secure by Letters Patent is,―
First. A compressible packing piece for a bottle provided with a projection to
attach it to a cap piece and a flange thickened near its circumference, and arranged
to operate substantially in the manner herein-before set forth.
Second. The combination in a bottle-closing device of a cap piece arranged to
sustain a compressible packing piece surrounded by a flange thickened near its

page_text: circumference, substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein-before set
forth.
Third. The combination, substantially as herein-before set forth, in a bottle-
stopping device, of a closing mechanism, a rigid cap piece, and a compressible
packing piece surrounded by a flange thickened near its circumference with a
bottle arranged to operate substantially in the manner and for the purposes set
forth.
Fourth. The combination in a stopper fastener of an arm joined to a bottle at
vibrating points, a link provided with means to connect with a stopper and to
connect with and slide on said vibrating arm to raise and lower a stopper towards
and away from the mouth of a bottle, with said stopper and bottle, all arranged to
operate substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.
Fifth. The combination, substantially as herein-before described, of an arm pro-
vided with projections near its vibrating points, and arranged to vibrate on a
bottle, to raise and lower a stopper with a link or links connecting with said
stopper, and arranged to connect with and slide on said vibrating arm in the
manner and for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Hicks, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eleventh day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
WILLIAM HENRY HICKS. (L.S.)