IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES FOR CONTAINING AERATED LIQUIDS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR FILLING THEM THEREWITH
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Davies and Price Humphreys, both of Ruthin,
North Wales, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES
FOR CONTAINING AERATED LIQUIDS, AND IN APPARATUS FOR FILLING THEM
THEREWITH."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Davies and Price
Humphreys at the Ottice of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd
October 1880.
JOHN DAVIES and PRICE HUMPHREYS, both of Ruthin, North Wales.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES FOR CONTAINING AERATED LIQUIDS,
AND IN APPARATUS FOR FILLING THEM THEREWITH.".
One object of this Invention is the construction of stoppers for bottles to contain
aerated liquids, so that a portion or portions of the liquids may be drawn from the
bottle without allowing the whole of the gas to escape.
We provide a cap made of metal or other suitable material to screw on to the neck of
the bottle, which latter is for that purpose made with a screw thread thereon, an india
rubber washer being placed between the top of bottle neck and the inner base of
the cap. Or the cap may be fastened to the neck in any other suitable manner.
The cap may be of a round, oval, or other shape. Through the cap we form an
aperture for the reception of a valve spindle passing through same, having at top a
button and at bottom a valve; a nozzle preferably having an upward direction
leads from the aperture through the cap to the outside, and communication between
the interior of the bottle and the atmosphere is thereby obtained. Between the
underside of the button and the top surface of the cap there is placed a disc of
india rubber, which in its normal position always keeps the button raised and the
valve tight up on its seat inside the cap, but by depressing the button the india
rubber disc is compressed, the valve descends, and liquid can flow as long as the
button is kept depressed, but on releasing the pressure the india rubber expands,
and the valve is closed, and liquids cannot escape while such gas as is contained
therein remains secured with the liquid. The india rubber disc or washer, while
acting thus as a spring, also produces a gas tight joint between the valve stem and
the hole for same through the cap.

page_text: We prefer to make the exit passage, which also is the inlet passage, for filling
comparatively small and about the size of the aperture in the cap through which
the valve spindle passes. To clean the inside of the bottles the caps are unscrewed
therefrom. To fill them with aerated liquids the caps are screwed on the necks
while the bottles are empty; the nozzle is then fitted to the filling machine, which
is constructed or adapted to receive our small nozzles. The pressure of the aerated
liquid in entering presses open the valve, but the latter instantly closes automatically
as soon as the pressure is cut off.
Another object of this Invention is to construct a filling machine suitable for
charging bottles having caps as described with aerated liquids.
The filling machine is constructed as follows:-The treadle lever and rod are
The bottle
connected and arranged on an upright frame in the ordinary manner.
seating is fixed or connected to this rod, and serves to hold the bottle in a slanting
position with the filling nozzle on the cap rising against a nipple with india rubber
washer on the mouth piece, which is screwed on to the filling tap or stop cock in
connection with the aerated water reservoir on the soda water machine. When the
bottle is to be filled the nozzle on the cap is by the treadle and rod forced up
against the india rubber washer on the aforesaid nipple. There is in connection
with this a peg and spring, which when the bottle is forced up depresses the button
on the cap and thus opens the valve therein; this spring may be adjusted by a
screw. On the mouth piece there is also a handle for pressing upon a spring valve
passing through the back for " *sniffing or easing the bottle. There is a fork
or part for keeping the head of the bottle firm while it is being pressed up against
the nipple. The syrup pump may be connected to the shank of the mouth piece,
which passes out through the back of the frame.
33

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Davies and Price Humphreys in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 22nd April 1881.
JOHN DAVIES and PRICE HUMPHREYS, both of Ruthin, North Wales.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES FOR CONTAINING AERATED LIQUIDS,
AND IN APPARATUS FOR FILLING THEM THEREWITH."
One object of this Invention is the construction of stoppers for bottles to
contain aerated liquids so that a portion or portions of the liquids may be drawn
from the bottle without allowing the whole of the gas to escape.
Our Invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying
Drawings. Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Figure 2 a plan of a stopper con-
structed according to our Invention shown screwed on to a bottle neck. Figure 3
is a vertical section, and Figure 4 is a horizontal section through x, y, of Figure 3 of
a similar stopper and bottle. Figure 5 is a vertical section, and Figure 6 is a plan
of the stopper cap with spindle and valve removed. Figure 7 is a vertical section,
and Figure 8 is a plan of the valve and spindle. Figure 9 is a vertical section of
another form of cap stopper. Figure 10 is a front elevation partly in section of a
bottling machine. Figure 11 is a side view of same partly in section, and
Figure 12 a detached port sectional view of the syrup pump drawn to a larger
scale. Similar letters of reference refer to like parts in all the Figures.
a is a cap made of metal or other suitable material to screw on to the neck of
the bottle b, which latter is for that purpose made with a screw thread thereon, an
india rubber washer c being placed between the top of bottle neck and the inner
base of the cap a. Or the cap may be fastened to the neck in any other suitable
manner, such as by a so called bayonet joint or by cementing. The cap may be of
a round, oval, or other shape. Through the cap we form an aperture for the
reception of a valve spindle d passing through saine, having at top a button e and
at bottom a valve f; a nozzle g, preferably having an upward direction, leads from
the aperture through the cap a to the outside, and communication between the
interior of the bottle and the atmosphere is thereby obtained. Between the under-
side of the button and the top surface of the cap there is placed a disc of india
rubber, which in its norinal position always keeps the button e raised and the
valve f tight upon its seat inside the cap a, but by depressing the button e the
india rubber disc h is compressed, the valve f descends, and liquid can flow as long
as the button e is kept depressed, but on releasing the pressure the india rubber
disc h expands and the valve ƒ is closed, and liquids cannot escape while such gas
as is contained therein remains secured with the liquid. The india rubber disc or
washer h while acting thus as a spring also produces a gas tight joint between the
valve stem and the hole for same through the cip.
We prefer to make the exit passage, which also is the inlet passage, for filling
comparatively sinall and about the size of the aperture in the cap a through which
the valve spindle d passes. To clean the inside of the bottles the caps are
unscrewed therefrom. To fill them with aerated liquids the caps a are screwed on
the necks while the bottles are empty, the nozzle is then fitted to the filling
machine, which is constructed or adapted to receive our small nozzles.
pressure of the aerated liquid in entering presses open the valve f, but the latter
instantly closes antematically as soon as the pressure is cut off.
The
Figure 9 shews a modified form of cap in which the nozzle g is dispensed with,
and the bottle charged through the passage g' around the valve stem; to empty the
bottle the cap is preferably unscrewed from the bottle neck.
Another object of this Invention is to construct a filling machine suitable for
charging bottles having caps as described with aerated liquids.

page_text: When
The filling machine is constructed as follows:-The treadle lever and rod are
The bottle
connected and arranged on an upright frame in the ordinary manner.
seating is fixed or connected to this rod and serves to hold the bottle in a slanting
position with the filling nozzle on the cap rising against a nipple with india-rubber
washer on the mouthpiece which is screwed on to the filling tap or stopcock in
connection with the aërated water reservoir on the soda water machine.
the bottle is to be filled the nozzle on the cap is by the treadle and rod forced up
against the india-rubber washer on the aforesaid nipple. There is in connection
with this a peg and spring which when the bottle is forced up depresses the button
on the cap and thus opens the valve therein; this spring may be adjusted by a
screw. On the mouthpiece there is also a handle for pressing upon a spring valve
passing out through the back for "sniffing" or easing the bottle. There is a fork
or port for keeping the head of the bottle firm while it is being pressed up against
the nipple. The syrup pump may be connected to the shank of the mouth piece
which passes out through the back of the frame.
Figure 10 is a view in front, and Figure 11 in side elevation of a filling machine
made according to this second part of our Invention; g* is a treadle lever to work
the rod i by foot; hx is an ordinary upright cast iron frame; to the rod i the
seating or frame is fitted which holds the bottle m in a slanting position while
being filled, that is, while the filling nozzle g, Figure 3, on the bottle cap is raised
against the nipple or mouthpiece p; k is a small lever to work the wire netting
guard, which is made in 2 halves hinged together, one half being stationary and
the other half fixed on the hinge pin y which has a cranked part y¹ and turns in
bearings y² on the underside of the seating frame or cradle l. Figure 10 is a
projected end elevation of the guard and lever connections therefor. The lever k has
its fulcrum at k² and has universal joints at each end. When the bottle is pressed
up to be filled the guard k¹ closes on the bottle, as the rod i when raised raises the
frame and guard bodily with it, whereby the lever pulls the crank part y',
turns the hinge pin y, and closes the movable half of the guard k', and as soon as
the foot is taken off the trendle g* the rod i descends, whereby the crank part y'
is returned to its first position and the guard opens to allow the bottle to be
withdrawn or changed; n is a small lever attached to the rod i, which when the
bottle is pressed up to the nipple to be filled, opens the valve f. Figure 3, on the
cap or stopper so as to allow the aërated water to flow in; o is a peg or screw to
regulate the lever n; p is the mouthpiece or nipple by which the bottle is filled
and in which also is a spring valve to sniff the bottle; 7 is the tap fitted with a
spring valve; r is a handle on the mouthpiece having its fulcrum at r¹ and connected
to the sniffing valve and filling valve. When this handler is pressed upwards it will
cause the aërated water to flow into the bottle, and the least touch downwards
closes the filling valve and opens the sniffing valve to ease the bottle; t is a fork
piece for keeping the top of the bottle firm while in the cradle; & is a small
handwheel to regulate the bottle in the cradle; t¹ is a syrup pump, which we make
preferably with glass barrel and with glass plunger, as shown to a larger scale in
Figure 12 in part section. When the hand lever b* is raised the syrup is drawn
in through the valve w, and when the lever b is depressed the syrup is forced out
through the valve x. It may be fixed to any convenient part of the machine.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, we declare that we claim as our improvements in
stoppers for bottles containing aërated liquids and in apparatus for filling them
therewith,-
First. The application to a bottle neck of a cap or stopper containing a valve
spindle and valve with india rubber or other suitable elastic disc for keeping the
valve in its normal position against its seat, and forming a gas tight joint between
spindle and cap, said elastic disc when compressed allowing the spindle to descend
and the valve to open for liquid to escape by a nozzle or aperture which is also
used for filling, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Second. The combination of parts forming the apparatus for holding and filling

page_text: bottles fitted with valve caps or stoppers with aerated liquid, substantially as
herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Davies and Price Humphreys, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Eighteenth day of April, in the year
of our Lord Eighteen hundred and eighty one.
JOHN DAVIES.
(L.S.)
PRICE HUMPHREYS. (L.s).