Improvements in the Mouths and Stoppers of Bottles, Cans, Jars, Tanks, and other Vessels.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 13th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 14th Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Mouths and Stoppers of Bottles, Cans, Jars,
Tanks, and other Vessels.
I ALEXANDER MACKIE of No. 1 Winchester Place Peckham in the County of
Surrey Builder do hereby declare the nature of this my invention to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to improvements in the construction of the mouth or throat
of bottles, cans, jars, tanks, and other vessels used for the keeping, storage, or
preservation of liquids, and of a stopper to fit the same, so that when the stopper is
properly fixed the bottle, or other vessel, shall be hermetically closed; and I designate
my Invention by the name of "The Geometrica! Lock Stopper."
The bottle, jar, or other like vessel, to which my Invention may be applied, from
the bottom or foot thereof upwards to the neck may be of any of the sizes or shapes
now in common use; and cans, tanks, and other like vessels without necks or
contrivances similar in shape appearance or use to the necks of bottles, may be of
any of the sizes and shapes of such vessels now in common use.
The said Geometrical Lock Stopper as applied to glass bottles or earthenware jars
is constructed as follows, that is to say :-
The shape or plan of the bottle, or jar, may be either round, square, hexagonal,
or octagonal, and the shape and size of the same may also vary in accordance with the
requirements of manufacturers or traders.
The external shape of the throat or mouth of the bottle or jar may be round,
square, or octagonal, octagonal being the best; while the interior forming the hole,
or channel through which the contents are received or discharged, is square, of the
same size and dimension as one of the sides of the octagon; while vertically the
thickness of the octagonal part is about ths of an inch.
From the external under side of this part of the throat or mouth, the bottle or
jar curves inwards forming the ordinary neck of a bottle or jar in common use, and
then outwards with a curve until it reaches the under part or stem of the bottle
or jar.
The interior of the throat or mouth of a bottle or jar constructed according to my
invention goes downwards die square (that is to say, exactly square in shape) about
ths of an inch; then under this part the throat, or mouth, widens and becomes
circular, making a recess of ths of an inch, with edges slightly bevelled to form a
hold for the stopper, and below this part the interior of the bottle or jar follows the
form of the exterior as before described.
The stopper may be made of glass, wood, metal, ebonite, or other hard substance.
The top of the stopper is octagonal in shape; corresponding exactly in size and
shape to the top of the bottle, or jar, (or may be either round or square) 3ths of an
inch in thickness; the top side may be either flatly rounded, or the edges may be
bevelled, the sides of the head of the stopper being slightly flated; or it may be
extended upwards in the form of a pyramid, or rectilinear; either forin giving a
firm hold or grip, or leverage when turning the stopper in the throat of the bottle or
jar. The under side of the stopper head may be perfectly flat or it may have a
depression, or cell, sunk or formed in it about rath of an inch deep, thus forming
a small rim round the under side of the stopper head; the external shape being
(as already described) octagonal, while the internal shape is circular to suit a
washer.
The stem of the.stopper is exactly in the centre of the head, and is first square,
then cylindrical, and then again square, in the form of a cube. That part of the stem
which is next the head is square (for the purpose of taking the washer hereinafter
mentioned), slightly less in size than the throat or mouth of the bottle or jar th of

page_text: an inch long: the stem then becomes cylindrical, and of sufficient length to reach
the under side of the square mouth of the bottle or jar. The stopper then, at the end
of the cylindrical part, again becomes square in the form of a cube, slightly smaller
than the mouth of the bottle or jar, so as to slide easily in and out of the mouth of
the bottle or jar, the four angles being bevelled towards the cylindrical part, so as
to cause a downward pull or pressure when the stopper is turned round. This
pressure against the upper part of the recess before mentioned in the interior of the
throat of the bottle or jar renders the bottle or jar airtight.
On the top of the bottle, or jar, a cell is sunk or formed, similar to and corre-
sponding with that on the under side of the stopper head already described, and of
the same size.
A washer of cork, or rubber, leather or other flexible substance, equal in thickness
throughout, with a square hole cut in the centre thereof, is made and fitted on to
the square part of the stem of the stopper next the head, the diameter of which washer
corresponds with the cell or sunk part in the top of the bottle or.jar.
The washer being thus fitted on to the stopper, and the stopper inserted in the
bottle, or jar, the stopper is turned partially round a distance equal to the size of
one of the sides of the octagon, and thereby brings the cube of the stopper to a
diagonal position in the interior of the neck of the bottle, or jar, and securely fixes
the stopper, and at the same time presses the top of the stopper hard on the washer,
which in its turn presses hard on the top of the mouth or throat of the bottle, or
jar, and so renders the bottle, or jar, air tight for any period of time.
The bottle or jar can also be locked and sealed as follows:-A small semi-
circular cell may be sunk on one of the sides of the stopper, and a similar cell may
be sunk on the exterior side of the mouth of the bottle, or jar, so that when the
stopper is inserted and fixed, both semi-circular cells may come together, the one
over the other, and form a complete circle. In this circle a thin disc of metal (such
as iron, zinc or copper, or other hard substance) made slightly less in diameter than
the circle referred to, may be placed and covered over with sealing wax. In this
way the stopper becomes locked and sealed, and cannot be undone until the seal is
broken and the metal removed. On the other hand, the bottle, or jar, may be
sealed only, without the insertion of the locking disc. This locking disc can be
utilized for a name or a trade-mark.
There may also be used, instead of sealing wax, paper labels (with or without
the locking disc) gummed over the stopper, with four or eight arms diverging from
a circle, which circle may be placed on the top of the stopper, the arms being gummed
down the sides of the octagon.
A band of paper, or rubber, or sealing wax, may also be placed round the octagon
and top of the bottle, for the purpose of covering the place of contact between
the two.
My Invention can be applied not only to bottles and jars made of glass or earthen-
ware, or other like substances, but also to cans, tanks, and other vessels used for
keeping, storing, and preserving liquids of every description. In such cases the mouth
and stopper constructed according to my invention of iron, brass, or other suitable
material may be made separately, and fitted on, or in, to the orifice made in the vessel
for receiving and discharging its contents.
And the same may be locked and sealed in the manner hereinbefore described.
The dimensions hereinbefore given are not fixed, but may be varied according to the
size and character of the bottle jar, can, tank or other vessel to which my Invention
may be applied.
•
Dated this Eleventh day of April One thousand eight hundred and eighty nine.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Mouths and Stoppers of Bottles, Cans, Jars,..
Tanks, and other Vessels.
I ALEXANDER MACKIE of No. 1* Winchester Place Peckham in the County of
Surrey Builder 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 improvements in the construction of the mouth or throat
of bottles, cans, jars, tanks and other vessels used for the keeping storage or preservation
of liquids, and of a stopper to fit the same, so that when the stopper is properly fixed
the bottle or other vessel shall be hermetically closed; and I designate my invention
by the name of "The Geometrical Lock Stopper."
In the accompanying drawings, in all the figures of which the same letters of
reference indicate the same, or similar parts,
Fig. 1 shews the plan of the mouth or outside shape of the top of the bottle or
other like vessel with an elongated neck.
Figs. 2 and 3. shew the elevation of the stopper with flat and conical or rounded
head.
Figs. 4 and 5. shew the elevation of the top of bottle when the stopper is inserted
in the mouth of the bottle or other vessel.
Fig. 6. shews a section of a bottle and stopper shewing stopper inserted and fixed
in a diagonal position.
Figs. 7 and 8. shew the stopper inverted.
Figs. 9. and 10. shew the shapes of the washers.
Fig. 11. is the locking disc.
a. on figs. 2. 3. 4. 5. 7. and 8 shews the semi-circular cell or sunk part of the
stopper.
h. on figs. 1. 4, and 5, shews the semi-circular cell or sunk part on the outside of
the mouth of the bottle corresponding to the cell or sunk part of the stopper lastly.
mentioned, which cells a. and h, are intended to receive the locking disc (fig. 11).
b. on figs. 4. 5. 6. 7 and 8 shews the position of the washers (figs. 9 and 10).
c. on figs. 3. 5 and 6. shews an aperture in the head of a stopper through which a
pencil or penholder, or other piece of wood or metal which may be at hand, may be
inserted, and used as a lever for turning the stopper.
The bottle, jar, or other like vessel to which my invention may be applied, from the
bottom or foot thereof upwards to the neck may be of any of the sizes, or shapes,
now in common use; and cans, tanks, and other like vessels without necks, or
contrivances similar in shape appearance or use to the necks of bottles, may be of any
of the sizes and shapes of such vessels now in common use.
The said Geometrical Lock stopper as applied to glass bottles, or earthenware jars,.
is constructed as follows; that is to say :-
The shape or plan of the bottle or jar may be either round, square, hexagonal; or
octagonal as in fig. 1. and the shape and size of the same may also vary in accordance
with the requirements of manufacturers or traders.
The external shape of the throat, or mouth, of the bottle or jar may be round,'
square, or octagonal, as in fig. 1, octagonal being the best for ordinary bottles ;
while the interior forming the hole, or channel, through which the contents are received,
or discharged, is square, as shown in fig. 1, of the same size and dimension as one of
the sides of the octagon, while vertically the thickness of the octagonal part is about
ths of an inch.
From the external under side of this part of the throat, or mouth, the bottle or jar"
curves inwards, as shown in fig. 6, forming the ordinary neck of a bottle or jar in
common use, and then outwards with a curve until it reaches the under part or stem
of the bottle or jar (fig. 6)...
"

page_text: The interior of the throat or mouth of a bottle or jar constructed according to
my invention goes downwards die square (that is to say exactly square in shape)
about gths of an inch, as shewn in figs. 1. and 6, then under this part the throat, or
mouth, widens and becomes circular, fig. 6, making a recess of, say, 16ths of an inch,
sufficiently large to accomodate the end of stopper diagonally, as shewn at f. fig. 6,
with edges slightly bevelled to form a hold for the stopper, and below this part
the interior of tho bottle, or jar, follows the form of the exterior, as before described
(Fig. 6).
The stopper may be made of glass, wood metal, ebonite, or other hard substance.
The top of the stopper is octagonal in shape, fig. 1, corresponding exactly in size
and shape to the top of the bottle, or jar, (or may be either round or square)
about ths of an inch in thickness; the top side may be either flatly rounded, as
shewn by figs. 2 and 3, or the edges may be bevelled, the sides of the head of the
stopper being slightly fluted; or it may be extended upwards in the form of a cone,
or pyramid, fig. 3, or rectilinear; either form giving a firm hold, or grip, or leverage
when turning the stopper in the throat of the bottle, or jar. The under side of the
stopper head may be perfectly flat, or it may have a depression, or cell, sunk or formed
in it about th of an inch deep, as shewn by the dotted lines on figs. 2. 3. 4. and 5,
thus forming a small rim round the underside of the stopper head; the external
shape being (as already described) octagonal, while the internal shape is circular to
suit a washer.
The stem of the stopper is exactly in the centre of the head, figs. 3, and 8, and
may be first square, d, figs. 3, and 6, then cylindrical, e, fig. 6, and then again
square in the form of a cube, f. fig. 6. That part of the stem which is next the
head may be square (for the purpose of taking the washer hereinafter mentioned)
slightly less in size than the throat, or mouth of the bottle, or jar, about th of
an inch long, fig. 3; the stem then becomes cylindrical, and of sufficient length to
reach the underside of the square mouth of the bottle, or jar, e. figs. 2. 3. and 6.
The stopper then, at the head of the cylindrical part, again becomes square in the
form of a cube, f, figs. 2. 3 and 6, slightly smaller than the mouth of the bottle, or
jar, so as to slide easily in and out, the four angles on the upper part of the cube
being bevelled towards the cylindrical part, 9. fig. 6, so as to cause a downward pull
or pressure when the stopper is turned round. This pressure against the upper part
of the recess before mentioned in the interior of the throat of the bottle, or jar,
renders the bottle, or jar, air-tight. Instead of the neck of the stopper next the
head being square to fit, or take, a square washer, it may be circular to fit, or take, a
circular washer, i figs. 2, and 9.
On the top of the bottle, or jar, a cell is sunk or formed similar to and corre-
sponding with that on the underside of the stopper head already described, and of
the same size, as shewn at a, in figs. 2. 3. 4 and 5.
A washer of cork, or rubber, leather or other flexible substance, equal in thickness
throughout, with a square or round hole cut in the centre thereof, figs. 9, and 10,
is made and fitted on the square, or circular part of the stem of the stopper next the
head, the diameter of which washer corresponds with the cell or sunk part in the
top of the bottle, or jar, b. figs. 7. and 8.
The washer being thus fitted on to the stopper and the stopper inserted in the bottle,
or jar, the stopper is turned partially round a distance equal to the size of one of
the sides of the octagon, and thereby brings the cube of the stopper to a diagonal
position in the interior of the neck of the bottle, or jar, as shewn by the dotted
lines in fig. 1, and the section fig. 6, and securely fixes the stopper, and at the
same time presses the top of the stopper hard on the washer, as shewn at b,
figs. 4. 5. and 6, which in its turn presses hard on the top of the mouth, or throat,
of the bottle or jar, and so renders the bottle, or jar, air-tight for any period
of time.
The bottle, or jar, can also be locked and sealed as follows: a small semi-
circular cell may be sunk on one of the sides of the stopper; as shewn at, a, figs. 2.3

page_text: 3. 4. 5. 7, and 8, and a similar cell may be sunk on the exterior side of the mouth
of the bottle or jar, as shewn at h, fig. 4 and 5, so that when the stopper is inserted
and fixed, both semi-circular cells may come together, the one over the other and
form a complete circle, as shewn at a, and, h, on figs. 4 and 5. In this circle a thin
disc of metal fig. 11 (such as iron, zinc, or copper, or other hard substance) or wood,
made slightly less in diameter than the circle referred to may be placed, and covered
with sealing wax. In this way the stopper becomes locked and sealed, and cannot
be undone until the seal is broken and the metal or wooden disc removed. On
the other hand the bottle, or jar, may be sealed only, without the insertion of the
locking disc.
This locking disc, when used, may also be utilized for a name or trade mark.
There may also be used, instead of sealing wax, paper labels, in which case the
sunk cells and locking disc may be dispensed with, gummed over the stopper with
four or eight arms diverging from a circle, which circle may be placed on the top
of the stopper, the arms being gummed down the sides of the octagon. A band
of paper, or rubber, or sealing wax, with or without the sunk cells and locking
disc, may also be placed round the octagon and top of the bottle for the purpose of
covering the place of contact between the two.
My invention can be applied not only to bottles or jars made of glass, or earthen-
ware, or other like substances, but, also to cans, tanks, and other vessels used for
keeping storing and preserving liquids of every description. In such cases the mouth
and stopper constructed according to my invention of iron, brass, or other suitable
material, may be made separately and fitted on or into the orifice made in the vessel
for receiving and discharging its contents, and the same may be locked and sealed
in the manner hereinbefore described.
Figs. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16 and 17 shew the application of my invention to cans
and tanks and other like vessels made of tin, iron, or other metal.
For these vessels, as they and the stoppers are made in metal I modify the
shape of both mouth and stopper in the manner shewn by figs. 12. 13. 15. 16
and 17.
The object of such modification is to reduce the weight of the stopper, for if
made of an elongated shape as in the case of glass stoppers for bottles and jars,
the stopper in metal would be too heavy for ordinary use. 1 therefore proceed to
explain the figures 12 to 17. both inclusive.
Fig. 12 shews a plan of the mouth of cans used for keeping or storing oil and
varnish or other liquids.
Fig. 13. shews a section of a mouth and stopper of cans, and the aperture, c, for
the insertion of a lever; b, the washer; and g, the upper part of the cube of a
bottle stopper as reduced or modified for a can.
Fig. 14. shews the top of the stopper for a can and the aperture, c, for a lever.
Fig. 16. shews a section of the mouth and stopper as applied to a tank or cistern
with aperture, c, for a lever; b, for washer; g. the upper part of the cube of a
bottle stopper as reduced or modified for a tank or cistern; and j, the metal plate or
top of the tank or cistern.
Fig. 15. shews the top of a stopper for a tank or cistern, with aperture, c, for a
lever.
Fig. 17. shews the last mentioned stopper inverted.
The dimensions hereinbefore given are not fixed, but may be varied according
to the size and character of the bottle, jar, can, tank or other vessel to which my
invention may be applied.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
ion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
cluim is
1. The construction manufacture and use of the hereinbefore described improved
nouths or throats of bottles, jars, cans, tanks, and other like vessels and of stoppers

page_text: to fit the same whereby the same may be locked or secured substantially as and for
the purposes hereinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings hereunto
annexed.
Dated this Thirteenth day of November One thousand eight hundred and eighty
nine.
Witness,
HENRY G. DALLIMORE,
Camberwell, S.E.,
Solicitor and Patent Agent.
ALEXR. MACKIE.