IMPROVEMENTS IN BOTTLE-CLOSING DEVICES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sydney Pitt, of Sutton, in the County of Surrey, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOTTLE-CLOSING DEVICES." A communication
from abroad by William Hicks, of Brooklyn, County of Kings, and State of
New York, United States of America,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sydney Pitt at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th October 1877.
$6
SYDNEY PITT, of Sutton, in the County of Surrey. 'IMPROVEMENTS IN BOTTLE-
CLOSING DEVICES." [A communication from abroad by William Hicks, of Brooklyn,
County of Kings, and State of New York, United States of America.]
The Invention relates to bottle-closing devices. Where the closing is effected by
internal pressure, the following parts are employed:-An internal projection from
the inner walls of the bottle near its mouth, extending around its circumference,
preferably rectangular in cross section; a compressible seat grooved in its larger
diameter to fit over and cover said projection; a groove formed in the inner walls
of the bottle a distance below said projection; a detachable bridge extending across
the inside of the bottle, supported in said groove or grooves, and of less area than
the inner area of the bottle at that point, said bridge being so formed as to
sustain a stopper, preferably ball shaped, and so formed above the lower part as
to hold between it and the upper part a stopper upon one side of the perpendicular
centre line of the bottle when the bottle is turned upon that side, and so shaped as
to allow the stopper to pass it freely when turned upon its other side; a stopper,
preferably ball shaped, contained within the bottle between the detachable bridge
below, and the projection and compressible seat above; a chamber contained between
and bounded by the bridge and its groove below and the projection above, and by
the inner walls of the bottle on its sides; a designating mark upon the bottle to
indicate the position in which it is to be held while its contents are being
discharged.
Where bottles not especially constructed for the purpose are arranged to be closed
by the pressure of the gaseous contents within the bottle, the stopper and its seat

page_text: •
are placed within or beneath the cap piece, which is held over the mouth of the
bottle permanently, or capable of being closed down upon it, and lifted away from
it by a lifting and closing mechanism.
1
The following elements are employed -A cap piece provided at its edges or
circumference with eyes or pivots to joint to a lifting and closing mechanism, having
its upper surface unencumbered, so as to fit uniformly and tightly to the packing of
the filling machinery, having an opening through its thickness, surrounded on its
under side by an angularly projecting flange to a distance from the edge of said
opening, so as to form a shoulder for a valve seat between the inner walls of said
flange and the edge or circumference of said opening, said flange having at its base
a supporting or deflecting plate or piece sustained beneath it; a stopper, preferably
ball shaped; an annular compressible valve seat; an annular compressible flanged
packing piece; a lifting and closing mechanism; a bottle having a shoulder on the
outside of its neck; a wire or metallic piece arranged to fasten around the neck of
the bottle under its shoulder, and provided with bearings; a continuous wire or
metallic piece provided with journals or pivots and eyes or bearings, curved at its
central portion nearly to the shape of the neck of the bottle; a continuous wire or
metallic piece curved at its central portion nearly to the shape of the neck of the
bottle, provided with journals at the ends of the curved portion, and arranged at
its ends to joint to a cap piece.
Where also the bottle is intended to be filled with liquid under pressure while
the cap piece is held over the mouth of the bottle by a closing mechanism; the
following elements are employed :-A closing mechanism and a cap piece carrying
a compressible packing piece, provided with one or more perforations or slits, closed
by the elasticity of the material which surrounds it.
Bottle-closing devices, through which the bottle is filled without removing the
closing cap piece, are also employed, consisting of the following parts or elements :-
A cap piece having an opening through it of two different diameters; an
angular flange projecting from its under side of less diameter than the diameter of
the cap piece, said cap piece being provided at its circumference to connect to a
closing leverage or mechanism.
An annular double-flanged packing piece, the upper flange formed to sustain the
packing piece within the opening through the cap piece by resting in its larger
diameter the lower flange formned to extend below and beyond the outside diameter
of the projecting flange from the under side of the cap piece, and having beneath
said lower flange a projection to form a seat for a valve.
A valve, preferably conically shaped or curved on its upper surface, attached by
a stem through the opening through the said packing piece to a cap flange or plate,
perforated or notched to allow the passage of fluids through or past it.
A spring, preferably coiled, situated to operate between the cap plate on the upper
end of the said valve stem and the upper surface of the upper flange on said packing
piece, to close the valve on the lower end of said valve stem against the projection on
the under side of the lower flange of the said packing or valve seat, to close the
opening through said packing piece.
A controlling wire curved at its central portion, bent equidistant from its centre,
to form eyes or bearings, and beyond said eyes bent at nearly a right angle with its
central portion, and at its ends arranged to joint to bearings on opposite sides of the
neck of a bottle.
A lever wire curved at its central portion, bent at equal distances from its centre
to pivot or joint in eyes in said controlling wire beyond said pivots or joints, bent
at more than a right angle with its central portion, and at its ends arranged to joint
to a cap piece to a bottle.
Closing devices are also employed, which operate by a leverage mechanism attached
under a shoulder, and also jointed to the stopper to close it upon a packing between
the stopper and the inner walls of a bottle to make a tight joint, the stopper being
so constructed and arranged that the bottle can be filled or not through an opening

page_text: in the stopper, closeable or closed by a stopper or valve which is made tight by
pressure from within the bottle.
The following elements are made use of :-
-
A closing leverage or mechanism jointed to a stopper, and attached to the bottle
beneath a shoulder.
A cap piece or stopper jointed to a closing mechanism, having its under surface
provided with a curved or tapering portion projecting from it, and provided with
an opening through it closed by a valve or stopper operating against a valve seat or
surface by pressure.
A packing. ring or piece compressible between the curved or tapering portion of
the stopper and the inner walls of the mouth of a bottle.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Sydney Pitt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th April
1878.
SYDNEY PITT, of Sutton, in the County of Surrey. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOTTLE-
CLOSING DEVICES." A communication from abroad by William Hicks, of Brooklyn,
County of Kings, and State of New York, United States of America.
The Invention relates to bottle-closing devices. Where the closing is effected by
internal pressure the following parts are employed :- An internal projection from
the inner walls of the bottle near its mouth, extending around its circumference,
preferably rectangular in cross section; a compressible seat grooved in its larger
diameter to fit over and cover said projection, a groove formed in the
inner walls of the bottle a distance below said projection; a detachable bridge
extending across the inside of the bottle, supported in said groove or grooves, and
of less area than the inner area of the bottle at that point, said bridge being so
formed as to sustain a stopper, preferably ball shaped, and so formed above the lower
part as to hold between it and the upper part a stopper upon one side of a the
perpendicular centre line of the bottle when the bottle is turned upon that side, and
so shaped as to allow the stopper to pass it freely when turned upon its other side;
a stopper, preferably ball shaped, contained within the bottle between the detachable
bridge below, and the projection and compressible seat above; a chamber contained
between and bounded by the bridge and its groove below and the projection above,
and by the inner walls of the bottle on its sides; a designating mark upon the
bottle to indicate the position in which it is to be held while its contents are being
discharged.
In order to enable persons skilled in the art to make and use this part of the
Invention, I will proceed to describe it, referring to the Drawings, in which the
same letters wherever they occur refer to similar parts.
In the Drawings Figure 1' is a vertical section of the upper part of a bottle, and an
outside view of the lower part, showing in section the projection for the compressible
seat, the compressible seat, the groove for holding the detachable bridge, the

page_text: detachable bridge, and in dotted lines the position of the ball stopper when in its
seat, also its position on the bridge between its lower and upper curved parts when
the bottle is turned upon its side to empty its contents, and upon the outside of the
bottle opposite to the claw-shaped part of the controlling bridge, showing a
longitudinal groove or depression to mark the side to be held uppermost, also in
section.
Figure 2¹ is a vertical section of part of the upper portion of a bottle, and an
outside view of the nose of the bottle, the section being taken on line a, b, of
Figure 1, showing the groove E for the detachable controlling bridge in section, the
bridge, the lower part in section, and the claw-shaped upper part in end view, with
the stopper shown in dotted lines between the upper and lower parts.
Figure 2 also shows designating marked H in outside front view.
Figures 3 and 41 are plan and sectional views of the compressible seat which,
when in the bottle, covers the projection I, and showing the groove in its larger
diameter nearer the upper than its lower surface.
Figure 5 shows a top view of one-half of a bottle, and a sectional view across
the bottle on the line c, d, of Figure 11 through the groove E for sustaining the
bridge, also a top view of the bridge in its place in the groove, and the stopper resting
on it when in its lowest position.
In the several Figures of the Drawings A represents the grooved compressible
seat; B represents the mouth of the bottle; D represents the chamber formed by
the inner walls of the bottle between the projection I and its compressible seat A
for its upper boundary; and the detachable controlling bridge F and its groove E
for its lower boundary; E represents the groove in the inner walls of the bottle for
supporting the bridge; F represents the lower part of the detachable supporting
bridge; G represents the upper curved or claw-shaped portion of the supporting
and controlling detachable bridge in its position in groove E; C represents a ball-
shaped stopper or closing piece between the upper and lower parts of the bridge, as
in Figure 1, and in its different positions in the other Figures; H represents a
designating mark on the outside of the bottle; I represents the projection on the
inner walls of the bottle, extending around the circumference, to hold the compres-
sible seat A; K represents the lower portion of the bottle below the chamber D.
The operation of the device is as follows:-The seat having been placed, by means
of a suitable tool, over projection J, the bridge having been placed in its groove E,
with its upper claw-shaped part opposite the designating mark H, the ball stopper
having been placed in the chamber D, the bottle is then filled to a point below the
bridge in any manner suitable for the purpose. The stopper, when the bottle is
turned upside down, falls to its seat, or against the compressible seat on projection I,
and is held in its place by the pressure from the gases of the contents, or by internal
pressure upward, thus sealing the bottle against leak.
When it is desired to empty the contents the stopper is to be pressed away from
its seat, and the internal pressure released; the stopper falls by its gravity to the
bridge below, and is held by it from descending lower. The bottle is then turned
upon its side, so that the ball rolls to the side opposite the designating mark, and
into the space between the lower and upper parts of the controlling bridge, which
prevents it from rolling to its seat, and obstructing the flow of the liquid out from
the bottle. When the contents are discharged the bottle may be held upright, and
the stopper returns to the lower part of the bridge below, where it may rest until
the bottle is to be again filled for use.
The claw-shaped upper part of the controlling bridge is so formed as to hold the
stopper upon one side of the perpendicular centre line of the bottle, and to offer no
hindrance to its free passage back and forth from its seat to the supporting bridge
upon the other side of said bottle.
The bridge performs two offices, that of supporting the stopper above the line
of the contents, and of holding or controlling it when the bottle is turned on one
side.

page_text: The bridge is inserted in the bottle and placed in its supporting groove by a
suitable tool by passing it down through the mouth of the bottle below the groove,
and drawing it back again into the groove. As the lower edge of the groove, when
made in the tapering neck of the bottle is of larger diameter than the upper
edge, it is easier to insert the bridge in this manner. The bridge is formed with
elliptical curves, in order that it may be easier to compress it through the neck of
the bottle. After passing it into the bottle it returns to its shape, the elasticity
holding it in the groove with greater firmness than it would if there were no
elasticity in it.
The designating mark may be of any convenient form in or on the bottle.
The stopper may be made of glass or of wood, suitably prepared to resist the
action of the contents of the bottle, and made of proper specific gravity to answer
the end desired.
The compressible seat is made of elastic material, preferably, that it may hold
more tightly on to the projection which holds it, and return again to its former
shape after compression. The groove, on its outer surface, is made nearer its upper
than its lower surface, so that the pressure of the stopper may have less leverage to
force it off its projection, and that the pressure may crowd the material at a
sharper angle into the lower corner of the projection formed by its junction with
the walls of the chamber D. The leverage, to force the seat off the projection, is
increased or diminished as the lower corner of the seat A is placed nearer or farther
from the lower corner of the projection which holds it.
I claim, as respects this part of the Invention,-
First. The combination within a bottle of a raised projection on its inner walls,
extending around its circumference, with a compressible seat recessed in its larger
diameter to fit over said projection, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
Second. The combination within a bottle of a raised projection, extending
around its inner walls, a compressible seat grooved in its outer diameter to fit and
cover said projection with a ball stopper, or otherwise, contained within the
bottle below said projection and seat, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
Third. The combination within a bottle of a groove or recess formed in its inner
walls with a bridge of less area than the area of the bottle at that point supported
in said groove upon opposite sides, and extending across the bottle, substantially as
and for the purposes set forth.
Fourth. A detachable bridge, placed across the inner walls of a bottle, substantially
as and for the purposes set forth.
Fifth. A detachable controlling bridge of less area than the area of the bottle at
that point placed across the inner walls of a bottle to support a stopper or closing
piece, and on one side of the perpendicular centre line of the bottle formed to
control the stopper from falling to its seat when the bottle is turned upon one side,
and so formed as to allow the stopper to pass it freely on the other side of the said
centre line, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Sixth. A compressible seat having a groove in its outer surface to fit a corre-
sponding projection on the inner walls of the bottle having a groove nearer its
upper surface than its lower, and having an opening in it or through it for the
passage of the fluids or contents of the bottle, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
Seventh. A bridge, constructed as described, with an upper curved or claw-shaped
portion for controlling the position of a stopper for a bottle, substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
Eighth. A chamber formed by the inner walls of a bottle between an internal
projection on its inner walls covered by a compressible seat, and a groove or recess
in its inner walls holding a detachable bridge, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.

page_text: Ninth. The combination within a bottle of a raised projection on its inner walls,
a compressible seat fitting over said projection, a groove in its inner walls below
said projection, a detachable bridge supported in said groove, a stopper contained
between said projection and seat, and the groove and bridge below, with said bottle,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Another part of the Invention relates to bottle-stopping or closing devices where
the pressure from the contents holds the stopper to its seat.
In former devices of this nature the seat for the stopper has been formed in the
neck of the bottle, necessitating the construction of the bottle for this special
purpose. By this Invention, bottles not especially constructed for the purpose are
arranged to be closed by the pressure of the gaseous contents within the bottle by
placing the stopper and its seat within or beneath the cap piece, which is held
over the mouth of the bottle permanently, or capable of being closed down upon it,
and lifted away from it by a lifting-and-closing mechanism.
The following elements are employed:-
A cap piece provided at its edges or circumference with eyes or pivots to joint to
à lifting-and-closing mechanism, having its upper surface unencumbered so as to fit
uniformly and tightly to the packing of the filling machinery, having an opening
through its thickness surrounded on its under side by an angularly projecting
flange to a distance from the edge of said opening, so as to form a shoulder for
a valve seat between the inner walls of said flange and the edge or circumference of
said opening, said flange having at its base a supporting or deflecting plate or
piece sustained beneath it; a stopper, preferably ball shaped; an annular com-
pressible valve seat; an annular compressible flanged packing piece; a lifting and
closing mechanism; a bottle, having a shoulder on the outside of its neck; a wire
or metallic piece, arranged to fasten around the neck of the bottle under its
shoulder, and provided with bearings; a continuous wire or metallic piece,
provided with journals or pivots, and eyes or bearings curved at its central
portion, nearly to the shape of the neck of the bottle; a continuous wire or metallic
piece, curved at its central portion nearly to the shape of the neck of the bottle,
provided with journals at the ends of the curved portion, and arranged at its ends
to joint to a a cap piece.
To enable persons skilled in the arts to understand, make, and use this part of
the Invention, I will proceed to describe it, referring to the Drawings, in which the
same letters refer to like parts wherever they occur.
In the Drawings Figure 12 is a front view of a bottle, closed by a cap piece, and
having a portion of the nose broken away, to show the details of the cap piéce in
section.
Figure 2 is a side view of the same, showing the cap piece lifted from the
mouth of the bottle and the lifting mechanism in its extreme upward position.
Figure 32 is a top view of the same, showing the hole in the cap piece through
which the bottle is to be filled, and upper surface smooth or unobstructed by anything
which would interfere with the operation of filling the bottle.
Figures 4, 5, 62, 72, are detail views.
In the several Figures, A is a bottle, having a shoulder on its neck; B is a cap
piece, having an opening C through its thickness, surrounded on the under side by
a flange D, projecting at an angle from it; said flange D having at its base a
deflecting or supporting plate or piece E, to support a stopper when dropped
from its seat, and to protect it from the outward force of air, which other-
wise would force it to its seat when the bottle is being filled, and having
flange F at its edge or circumference to which the lifting and closing mechanism
joints.
a
G is the chamber, formed by the inner walls of the flange D, the under surface of
the cap piece above and the deflecting plate below; J is a bail wire, arranged to
joint to the edge or circumference of the cap piece, having journals K, K', a distance
from its ends, and between journals K, K', curved to touch the neck of the bottle on

page_text: one side when the cap piece is closed down upon the mouth of the bottle; L is a'
wire or metallic piece, arranged to fasten around the neck of the bottle under its
shoulder, and provided with bearings M, M'; N is a wire or continuous metallic
piece, having journals at its ends to bear in bearings M, M', in wire L, and at a
distance from said journals having eyes or bearings in which journals K, K', on bail
wire J work. Wire N is curved between its bearings to touch the neck of the
bottle on one side when in its extreme lower position; O is a stopper, preferably
ball shaped, contained in chainber G.
P is an annular compressible valve seat fitting the shoulder, formed by the
junction of the flange D with the under side of the cap piece between said flange
and the circumference of opening C; Q is an annular-flanged compressible packing
piece formed to surround flange D), and fitting the under surface of the cap piece
between the flange D and the edge of the cap piece, provided with grooves or
recesses on its inner surface to receive the pressure from the contents of the bottle
to force said packing piece against the inner walls of the neck of the bottles to
assist in forming a tight joint.
The flange D has openings or slots through its thickness to admit the pressure to
said grooves in the packing piece.
The operation of this part of the Invention is as follows:-The wire provided with
bearings is fastened around the neck of an ordinary bottle under its shoulder. The
pivoted ends of the lifting lever are placed in the bearings in the neck wire, the bail
wire having been previously jointed in the bearings in the lifting lever. The hinge
ends are jointed to the cap piece, which has been provided with its packing piece,
valve seat, and stopper. The lifting lever is now in its extreme upward position,
and the cap piece raised over the mouth of the bottle, as shown in Figure 23. The
lever is then thrown down to its lowest position. This brings the cap piece to the
mouth of the bottle tightly, the curved parts of the bail and lifting or lever wires
touching the neck of the bottle, and the eyes or bearings in the lever wire and the
journals on the bail wire are thrown past the perpendicular centre line drawn
through the bearings in the neck wire and hinge joint on the circumference of
the cap piece. The elasticity of the packing piece in the cap now draws up on
the lifting mechanism and prevents any backward motion of the lower hinged
joint in the lever wire, and the curved part of the lever and bail wire by
touching the neck of the bottle prevents the lifting mechanism from any further
forward motion.
It will be seen that the whole arrangement is substantial and held firmly.
It will also be seen that the bail wire and the lever wire both touch the neck of
the bottle in their lowest position. Thus additional safety is insured, as should one
of them become bent out of shape the other one performs this office. The two wires
are formed together before being placed in position to act their parts in the combi-
nation. The stopper at this point in the operation is on the supporting piece at the
base of the flange below which it is situated. The bottle is then filled through the
opening in the cap piece in any of the usual ways. When the air in the bottle
escapes it tends to throw the stopper to its seat in other kinds of bottles, but in
mine the deflecting plate beneath the stopper prevents this action, and the stopper
cannot go to its seat until the bottle is inverted, and it is allowed to fall to it by
gravitation. When this is done, the pressure from the fluids within the bottle holds
the stopper in its place, and the bottle will be tightly closed. The holes through the
flauge admits the pressure to the grooves on the inside of the packing piece which
presses the packing against the inner walls of the neck of the bottle, and insures it
tight joint.
The upper surface of the cap piece is made smooth, and unobstructed by anything
which would interfere with making a uniformly tight joint with the packing of the
filling machinery.
When the bottle is to be discharged, the lifting lever is thrown up to its extreme
upward position, which lifts the cap piece off the mouth of the bottle, and the full

page_text: area of the neck of the bottle is opened for the discharge unobstructed by any
valve or seat in the neck.
When the valve and its seat are in the neck of the bottle, either the neck must
be enlarged in making, to keep the right amount of area, or a less area must be
submitted to.
It is important to be able to use bottles which are not made especially for the
purpose. This my Invention does, by the addition of the cap piece with its
lifting mechanism and stopper arranged in it in a cheap and substantial
manner.
The lifting and bail wires are made in one continuous piece to give stiffness and
uniform action to both sides of the lever mechanism, as also to limit the motion by its
contact with bottle at its extreme movements.
What I claim as respects this part of the Invention is,―
First. A cap piece, substantially as herein-before described, plain upon its upper
surface, but having an opening through it, having on its under side a chamber, the
bottom of which is nearly covered by a deflecting plate or shield, and provided with
means, substantially as described, to connect to a closing leverage, all arranged
substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.
Second. In a bottle-closing mechanism the combination, substantially as herein-
before described, of a cap piece, plain on its upper surface, but having an opening
through it, having on its under side an angularly projecting flange surrounding
said opening, an annular packing piece surrounding said flange within the walls of
said flange, having an annular valve seat surrounding said opening, and a stopper
or valve contained in the chamber formed by the inner walls of said flange, above
a deflecting and supporting shield, with a lifting and closing mechanism, sub-
stantially as described, all arranged to operate substantially in the manner and
for the purposes set forth.
Third. The combination, substantially as herein-before described, of annular packing
piece, grooved or recessed on its inner walls, with a flanged cap piece which it
surrounds, having or provided with openings through its thickness to communi-
cate with said grooves or recesses, all arranged to operate substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
Fourth. In a bottle-closing device, a deflecting plate or shield placed beneath a
chamber on the under side of a cap piece to close or nearly close said chamber at its
bottom, but leaving an opening to said chamber at its lower circumference, substan-
tially as and for the purposes set forth.
Fifth. The combination, substantially as herein-before described, of a lever wire
or metallic piece curved or bent at its central portion, having bearings or eyes about
equidistant from its centre, and at its ends arranged to joint to or in bearings
attached to a bottle, with a wire or metallic piece bent or curved at its central portion,
pivoting in bearings in said lever wire, and arranged to be attached to a cap piece
of a bottle, all arranged to operate substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Another part of the Invention relates to closing devices, through which the bottle
can be filled with liquid under pressure, while the cap piece is held over the mouth of
the bottle by a closing mechanism. The following elements are employed :-A closing
mechanism, and a cap piece carrying a compressible packing piece provided with
one or more perforations or slits closed by the elasticity of the material which
surrounds it.
To enable others skilled in the arts to make and use this part of the Invention, I
will proceed to describe it, referring to the Drawings, in which the same letters
indicate like parts.
Figure 18 is a vertical side view of my device, partly in section.
Figure 23 is a vertical view of the same with the cap thrown off the bottle.
Figures 33 and 4 represent different views of a compressible packing piece with
a curved teat at its base, curving downward, and provided with a slit or perforation
through it, which is kept closed by the elasticity of the material which surrounds it.
A is the nose of a bottle; B, its body; C, a cap piece carrying compressible

page_text: packing piece D; E is a slit or perforation through the curved depending teat on
the packing piece D; F is the closing mechanism attached to the cap piece and the
bottle.
The operation of the Invention is as follows:-The cap piece C is held down upon
the bottle by the mechanism F. The bottle is then placed upon a bottling table and
filled with liquid under pressure through the perforation in the compressible packing
piece which is forced open by the pressure of the inflowing liquid. When this
pressure is removed after the bottle is filled, the elasticity of the material closes the
slit or perforation, and the pressure within the bottle by acting against the convex
surface of the depending teat tends to firmly hold the slit closed and the more
tightly as the pressure is increased.
I claim as respects this part of the Invention,-
First. The combination, substantially as herein-before described, of a closing
mechanism, a cap piece carrying a compressible packing piece provided with an
opening or perforation through it, closed by the elasticity of the surrounding
material independent of the cap piece, all arranged to operate substantially in the
manner and for the purposes set forth.
Second. A compressible packing piece, substantially as herein-before described,
provided with one or more perforations or slits through the convex or tapering
surface at its base, closed by its own elasticity independently of the cap piece,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Another part of the Invention relates to bottle-closing devices, through which the
bottle is filled without removing the closing cap piece.
I am aware that bottles have been filled through an opening in the cap piece
previous to this Invention.
The Invention overcomes certain defects which are present in previous methods
and consists in certain combinations of the following parts or elements :-
:-
A cap piece having an opening through it of two different diameters, an angular
flange projecting from its under side of less diameter than the diameter of the
cap piece, said cap piece being provided at its circumference to connect to a closing
leverage or mechanism.
An annular double-flanged packing piece, the upper flange formed to sustain
the packing piece within the opening through the cap piece, by resting in its larger
diameter the lower flange formed to extend below and beyond the outside diameter
of the projecting flange from the under side of the cap piece, and having beneath
said lower flange a projection to form a seat for a valve.
A valve, preferably conically shaped or curved on its upper surface attached by a
stem through the opening through the said packing piece to a cap, flange, or plate,
perforated or notched to allow the passage of fluids through or past it.
A spring, preferably coiled, situated to operate between the cap plate on the
upper end of said valve stem and the upper surface of the upper flange on said
packing piece to close the valve on the lower end of said valve stem against the
projection on the under side of the lower flange of the said packing or valve seat
to close the opening through said packing piece.
A controlling wire, curved at its central portion, bent equidistant from its centre
to form eyes or bearings, and beyond said eyes bent at nearly a right angle with
its central portion, and at its ends arranged to joint to bearings on opposite sides of
the neck of a bottle.
A lever wire curved at its central portion, bent at equal distances from its centre
to pivot or joint in eyes in said controlling wire, beyond said pivots or joints bent
at more than a right angle with its central portion, and at its ends arranged to
joint to a cap piece to a bottle.
To enable persons skilled in the arts to make and use this part of the Invention,
I will proceed to describe it, referring to the Drawings, in which the same letters
indicate like parts.
In the Drawings Figure 1' is a top view of the cap piece and perforated plate
on the top of the valve stem.

page_text: Figure 2 is a vertical view showing the cap piece partly in section.
Figure 3 is a vertical side view showing the cap piece in position when the
bottle is open.
Figures 4 and 5* are views of the double-flanged annular packing piece.
A is the nose of the bottle forming a shoulder where it joins the neck; B is the
body of a bottle; D is the double-flanged packing piece having an opening through
it; E is a notched plate fastened to the top of the valve stem; F, F, are ears on
the opposite sides of the cap piece; G is a lever wire; H is a controlling wire; I is
a wire fastened around the neck of the bottle, provided with bearings on opposite
sidės; J is a valve, conically shaped on its upper surface and attached to the bottom
of a valve stem, which connects it through the opening in the packing piece to the
plate at its top; K is a projection from the lower side of the lower flange of the
packing piece for a valve seat, reinforced around its circumference by a band to
hold it in shape; L, L, are bearings on the neck wire, into which the ends of the
controlling wire pivot; Mis the lower flange on the packing piece, of larger diameter
than the diameter of the flange on the under side of the cap piece; N is the upper
flange on the packing piece which supports the packing piece in its position in the
opening in the cap piece by resting in its larger diameter; O is a valve stem or rod
which connects the valve to the notched plate at its top through the opening in the
packing piece; P is a spring which operates between the cap plate on the valve
rod and the upper flange on the packing piece or a plate which may be placed
thereon.
The operation of this part of the Invention is as follows:-The annular double flanged
packing having been inserted in the opening in the cap piece, the valve rod, spring, and
cap plate having been adjusted in the packing piece so as to close the opening
through it, the cap piece thus arranged is connected with the closing mechanism,
the lever wire is thrown down upon the neck of the bottle to its lower position,
bringing the cap piece down on the mouth of the bottle and squeezing the lower
flange of the packing piece between the flange on the under side of the cap piece
and the inside of the nose of the bottle, which makes a tight joint at this point.
When this is done the curved part of the controlling wire comes in contact with the
neck of the bottle, preventing further motion in this direction. The eyes of the
controlling wire and the pivots of the lever will then be in position a little beyond
a perpendicular line, in which position the elasticity of the packing piece holds
them, preventing any backward movement to open the bottle. The bottle is then
filled on a bottling table through the opening in the cap piece and packing piece by
depressing the valve from its seat and holding it there by suitable mechanism.
When the bottle is filled with liquids under pressure, the bottle is removed from the
bottling table and the spring draws the valve to its seat suddenly, and it is held
there by the power of this spring assisted by the pressure from within the bottle.
The reinforcing band around the valve seat keeps the seat from changing its shape
materially when the conically shaped valve presses out the opening through the
packing piece, in which it enters partially at its lower end. The valve is also
curved up at its circumference to enclose the outer edges of the valve seat within its
diameter, which causes the compressible seat to shape itself to conform to the shape
of the valve nearly.
The bottle is opened by pressing the curved part of the lever and controlling wires
away from the neck of the bottle, when the elasticity of the packing piece and the
pressure from within the bottle throws the cap piece away from the mouth of the
bottle, the lever wire is there pressed down upon the bottle by the thumb or finger,
and as the lever wire is rigid this throws the cap picce clear of the bottle, as shown
in Figure 3, in which position it is firmly held as long as the wire is held against
the bottle; thus it will be seen that the cap piece is entirely controlled in its posi-
tion by the hand of the operator, so that it cannot move about and drop over the
mouth of the bottle while the liquid is being emptied out, as happens in other kinds
of devices. This is an important point.
The projection on the bottom of the lower flange of the packing piece, which

page_text: serves as a valve seat also, prevents the packing piece from becoming set in any
shape except the one designed and shown herein; were it not for this the straining
of the lower surface of this flange by compression and drawing up occasioned by the
depression of the cap piece on the bottle would curve it at this point, and it would
become permanently set in the curved form.
The packing piece may be held in the hole in the cap piece by corrugations
instead of by an upper flange; when desirable a plate may be placed over the top
of the upper flange of the packing piece for the spring to bear upon instead of the
surface of the rubber; or the spring may bear on the shoulder around the edges of
this upper Hange, without departing from the Invention.
I claim as respects this part of the Invention,-
First. An annular or tubular compressible packing piece for a bottle, substantially
as herein-before described, surrounded by two flanges, so placed as to form a pro-
jection from the under surface of each flange, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
Second. A double flanged annular packing piece having a projection from the
under side of its lower flange surrounded by a reinforcing band, substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
Third. The combination of a controlling wire curved at its central portion bent to
form eyes or bearings equidistant from its centre beyond said eyes, bent at nearly
right angles with its central portion, and arranged at its ends to bear in bearings on
opposite sides of the neck of a bottle, with a lever wire curved at its central portion
bent to pivot in bearings in a controlling wire equidistant, from its centre beyond
said bearings or pivots bent to more than a right angle with its central portion,
and arranged at its ends to joint to a cap piece of a bottle, the whole arranged to
operate together as a closing mechanism substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
Fourth. The combination of a cap piece for a bottle, substantially as herein-before
described, having an opening through it of different diameters, a flange projecting
from its under side surrounding said opening and provided with means to connect
to a closing mechanism upon opposide sides alike, substantially as and for the pur-
poses set forth.
Fifth. The combination of a cap piece for a bottle, substantially as herein-before
described, having an opening through it of different diameters, surrounded on its
under side by an angularly projecting flange and arranged to connect with a closing
mechanism; a packing piece, compressible, having two flanges surrounding it,
arranged to form a projection beneath each flange, said packing piece being
perforated through its entire length, substantially as and for the purposes set
forth.
Sixth. The combination in a bottle-closing mechanism of a cap piece, sub-
stantially as herein-before described, having an opening through it of two different
diameters, surrounded on its under side by a flange projecting from it arranged at
its edges to connect with a closing mechanism; a double flanged annular compres-
sible packing piece; a valve connected by a stem through the opening through said
packing piece with a cap plate, perforated or notched; a spring operating between
the cap plate and the bottom of upper end of the opening through the cap piece or
upper end of the flange on the upper end of the packing piece, with a closing
mechanism, all operating or arranged to operate, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
Another part of the Invention relates to closing devices which operate by a
leverage mechanism attached under a shoulder and also jointed to the stopper to
close it upon a packing between the stopper and the inner walls of a bottle to make
a tight joint, the stopper being so constructed and arranged that the bottle can be
filled or not through an opening in the stopper, closable or closed by a stopper or
valve which is made tight by pressure from within the bottle, and consists in certain
combinations of the following elements :-

page_text: A closing leverage or mechanism jointed to a stopper and attached to the bottle
beneath a shoulder.
A cap piece or stopper jointed to a closing mechanism, having its under surface
provided with a curved or tapering portion projecting from it and provided with an
opening through it closed by a valve or stopper operating against a valve, seat, or
surface by pressure.
A packing ring or piece, compressible between the curved or tapering portion of
the stopper and the inner walls of the mouth of a bottle.
To enable those skilled in the arts to make and use this part of the Invention I
will proceed to describe it, referring to the Drawings in which the same letters
wherever they occur indicate like parts.
Figure 15 is a vertical part section and part outside view of a bottle provided
with the device, showing the bottle closed; Figure 25 is a vertical side view of same
showing the bottle unclosed.
A is the mouth of a bottle; B, the neck; C, the solid cap piece with a curved
under portion; D, the closing leverage; E, a tapering opening through the stopper,
closed by a cork F; G is a compressible packing ring seated in the mouth of the
bottle, on its inner walls, which may be attached to the stopper or bottle, as
shown.
The operation of this part of the Invention is as follows:-The closing leverage is
attached to the bottle under the shoulder, on its neck, and also connected to the
stopper, so that by depressing the leverage the stopper will be drawn down upon
the packing in the neck of the bottle. When this has been done the bottle is filled
with liquid under pressure by the usual means, through the hole in the stopper, the
cork F is compressed into said hole and held firmly against its seat by the pressure
from the liquid. When still liquids are used the bottle is filled first, and the stopper
closed over it afterwards; for this purpose no hole through the stopper is needed.
The contents are discharged by releasing the closing leverage, when the pressure of
the liquid will throw off the stopper from the mouth of the bottle when it is held by
the operator.
Tho stopper can be made of metal, wood, or glass, or of combined materials, the
wood having been made impervious to liquid. By using a narrow packing ring I
present very little surface to the action of the liquid.
I claim as respects this part of the Invention,―
First. The combination, substantially as herein-before described, of a stopper for
a bottle, having a portion of its under surface curved or tapering downward towards
its centre, a compressible packing ring on the inner walls of the neck of a bottle,
with a closing mechanism attached under the shoulder of a bottle, and jointing to
said stopper, all arranged to operate substantially in the manner and for the pur-
poses set forth.
Second. The combination, substantially as herein-before described, of a stopper for
a bottle having a portion of its under surface curved or tapering downward towards
its centre, and an opening through it closed by a stopper; a compressible packing
piece or ring held within the mouth of the bottle, with a closing mechanism attached
beneath the shoulder of a bottle, all arranged to operate substantially in the manner
and for the purposes set forth.
Third. A stopper for a bottle arranged to be closed upon the mouth of a bottle by
a closing mechanism, and provided with a surface on its under side tapering or
curved downward towards its centre, and an opening through it to be closed by a
valve or stopper, all arranged to operate substantially in the manner and for the
purposes set forth.
Fourth. A bottle provided on the inner walls of its neck near its mouth with a
seat arranged to hold a compressible packing, with its inner diameter tapering
upward and outward from the centre line of the bottle, and arranged to be com-
pressed downward and outward by a tapering or curved stopper pressed upon it

page_text: froin the outside of the bottle to make a tight joint, substantially as and for the
purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Sydney Pitt, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-third day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
SYDNEY PITT. (L.S.)