Apparatus for Securing Covers on Jam and other Jars or Vessels.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 26th May, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 9th Feb., 1892-Accepted, 25th Mar., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Securing Covers on Jam and other Jars or
Vessels.
1. JOHN NUGENT HARRIS L.P.S.I., of 34 Clifton Road, Selhurst Road, South
Norwood, in the County of Surrey, Pharmaceutical Chemist, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for securing covers on jam and other jars or
vessels.
My apparatus consists of an outer frame having longitudinal grooves or guides in
which slide two spring controlled blocks or inner frames each carrying the half of
an india-rubber or other elastic ring. The pressure of the springs tends to keep
the two half rings together.
For securing
a cover to a jam or other jar or vessel, 1 prefer to gum the upper
edge of such jar or vessel, and if necessary the periphery or outer edge of the
parchment or other cover used. I then moisten the gum and place the parchment
or other cover used in position on pot or vessel, and then place the apparatus over
the top of the jar or vessel in such manner that the india-rubber or other clastic
ring will pass over the outer edges of the parchment or other cover, and as and
when the said ring is pressed down it will press the outer edges of the cover firmly
against the upper edge of the jar or vessel and thus secure the same thereto. To
remove the elastic ring the two inner frames carrying the half rings are separated
from each other by any suitable means. The outer frame may if desired be so
mounted as to be brought down on to the top of the jar or vessel by means of a
pedal or other attachment, a spring or lever returning it to its normal position
when the pressure of the foot is removed. I propose to make the india-rubber or
other elastic rings of varying sizes according to the sizes of the jars or vessels with
which they are to be used.
השיב
15 201
CASTLE SMITH,
Invention Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for Securing Covers on Jam and other Jars or
Vessels.
1. JoN NUGENT HARRIS L.P.S.I., of 34 Clifton Road, Selhurst Road,
South Norwood, in the County of Surrey, Pharmaceutical Chemist, 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
staiement :
This invention relates to apparatus for securing covers on jain and other jars or
vessels.
My apparatus consists of an outer frame having longitudinal grooves or guides
n which slide two spring-controlled blocks or inner frames each carrying the half
of an india-rubber or other elastic ring. The pressure of the springs tends to keep
the two half rings together, so as to form a flat washer having a lesser inner
iameter than that of the jar or vessel to be covered.
For securing a cover to a jam or other jar or vessel, I prefer to gum the upper
[Price 8d.]

page_text: edge of such jar or vessel and if necessary the periphery or outer edge of the parch-
ment or other cover used. I then moisten the gum and place the parchment or
other cover used in position on pot or vessel, and then place the apparatus over the
top of the jar or vessel in such manner that the india-rubber or other elastic ring
will pass over the outer edges of the parchment or other cover, and as and when
the said ring is pressed down it will press the outer edges of the cover firmly
against the upper edge of the jar or vessel and thus secure the same thereto. To
remove the elastic ring the two inner frames carrying the half rings are separated
from each other by any suitable means. The outer frame may if desired be so
mounted as to be brought down on to the top of the jar or vessel by means of a
pedal or other attachment a spring or lever returning it to its normal position when
the pressure of the foot is removed. I propose to make the india-rubber or other
elastic rings of varying sizes according to the sizes of the jars or vessels with which
they are to be used.
As the said rings or washers yield more readily at the points where the two half
rings meet, I sometimes form a number of radial slits in the inner part of the half
rings in order to equalize its elastic force throughout its acting face. This formation
is specially suited for washers to be used for covering jars and other vessels having
irregular edges.
In practice I have found it to be more advisable to move the jam, or other jar,
against the elastic half rings, than to move these half rings against the jar, though
it is obvious that either method may be adopted with equal success.
And in order that this invention may be more readily understood and carried into
practical effect, I have appended hereunto a sheet of drawings in which the same
parts are indicated by means of like reference-letters in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a front elevation; Figure 2 an end elevation, and Figure 4 a plan
of an apparatus constructed according to this invention, in which the jar is moved
against the elastic half rings, and Figure 3 is a vertical section of a portion of the
same.
Upon the framework a is supported the table from which extends the casing a
of cylindrical or other suitable form supporting the frame d carrying the slides e
to which the elastic half rings are secured. These slides are retained in position
on the cylindrical, casing by means of a cover plate y suitably grooved on its
underside to guide the said slides in their longitudinal movement. Both the top of
the casing and the cover plate y are provided with a central opening to allow of
the passage of the jar therethrough. The slides e are maintained in contact with
each other by the action of two springs of suitable form secured to the casing
and acting against the ends of the slides e directly in their plane of motion. A
rising and falling block or support is provided to move the jar against the elastic
half rings and is actuated by means of a treadle k and intermediate mechanismı
which may be of any suitable design and arrangement that will effect the desired
result i.e. the vertical movement of the block or support j.
q
One suitable arrangement I have shewn in the accompanying drawings, and will
now proceed to describe. The treadle is arranged to turn on the axis and is
connected by a link to a short chain m the other end of which is secured to the
periphery of a small hub or pulley a keyed to the shaft p, so that the depression of
the treadle k causes the shaft P to rotate. A spring is arranged upon this shaft
to return it to its normal position on the treadle being released. A cam r of suitable
shape is keyed to the shaft p in order to give longitudinal motion to the vertically
reciprocating rod, to the upper end of which the block or support is secured.
The return of this rod s is assisted by the action of the spring t as will be readily
understood from an inspection of the drawings. In order to separate the slide e so
as to liberate the jar after the cover has been secured thereto, 1 employ the following
mechanism: A. collar is formed upon the rods and which, towards the end of
the upward stroke of the rod comes in contact with the upper part of the bifurcated
frame fitted freely upon the said rods and collar was shewn at Figure 3.
"
Further
movement of the said rods carries with it the bifurcated frame e upon the upper

page_text: ends of which rest the lower arms of two bell-crank levers w the upper arms of
which engage in slots in the slides e. The arms of both these bell-crank levers
may be provided with friction rollers as shewn, in order that the slides e may be
made to separate at any desired point in the upward movement of the support j, I
provide the lower part of the bifurcated frame with two lugs into which are
inserted the screwed ends of two pins or bolts y provided with central collars = to
rest upon the stretcher a of the framing a when the apparatus is in its normal
position. Lock nuts are provided on the said screwed ends of the pins y in order
that the parts may be properly adjusted in position. It will be seen that by means
of the said screwed ends and the lock nuts the bifurcated frame may be adjusted
at any desired distance above the stretcher a¹ in order to be sooner or later lifted
by the collar u on the rod s. The surface of the block or support j is normally
level with that of the table so that the jars to be covered may be readily pushed
from the one to the other, the said block being provided with a vertical flange
around a portion of its periphery to prevent the jars being pushed too far.
When the machine is to be used, the jars-each with a moistened and gummed or
pasted parchment disc laid upon its mouth, are placed upon the table by an
attendant whose duty it is to keep the operator supplied with jars and covering
discs. The operator pushes the jars, one at a time, with his right hand, along the
table on to the block or support which he then raises by means of the treadle
to bring the mouth of the jar in contact with the elastic half rings f. Further
pressure upon the treadle drives the mouth of the jar through these half rings
which, by their elastic force, draw the parchment or other cover tightly over the
jar. When the mouth of the jar protrudes about a quarter of an inch through the
elastic half rings, the downward movement of the operator's foot upon the treadle
is arrested, so that the jar remains stationary for a short time while the operator
passes a small elastic ring or band over the inouth of the jar in order to secure the
cover in its place until the gum or paste dries. The said elastic ring or band may
be afterwards removed if desired, but as it costs no more than the string hitherto
employed for securing the covers, it will be found that it is not worth the cost of
removal. When the said elastic ring or band is in position the treadle is depressed
the remainder of its travel so as to lift the covered jar up through the elastic half
rings As the jar is lifted these half rings are separated by means of the
mechanism hereinbefore described and illustrated at Figure 3 so as to liberate the
jar. This is then lifted away by the operator's left hand while he pushes the next
jar forward with his right hand, at the same time lifting his foot to allow the treadle
to return to its normal position.
It is obvious that the machine described may be operated by steam or other
motive power.
In such case the jars might be fed to the machine automatically by
means of an intermittently travelling endless band arranged to move along a trough
by any suitable mechanism. Such band would be provided with a number of
openings each large enough to pass over one of the jars. The jars with their
covering discs, would be placed by hand, one in each of these openings so as to rest
upon the bottom of the trough, but to be drawn along by the perforated travelling
band. It will be readily understood that the block or support would rise up
through the openings in the band while the latter paused between its intermittent
movements. In order that the said perforated endless band may not become
distorted by reason of the comparatively large area of the openings in it, I prefer
to construct it of a number of transverse bars of wood or other suitable material
laid in contact with each other and glued or otherwise secured to a leather, canvas,
or other suitable flexible backing.
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 :-
(1) The use of a washer or ring of india-rubber, or other suitable elastic
material, for securing covers to jam and other jars or vessels, such washer having a

page_text: lesser inner diameter than that of the jar to be covered, and being formed in two
parts capable of separation in order to release the covered jar or other vessel
substantially as herein before set forth and described.
(2) In machines for covering jars or other vessels, the formation of the elastic]
washer described in the preceding claim with a number of radial slits in order that
it
may act more equally throughout its acting face, substantially as hereinbefore
set forth and described.
(3) The method of covering jars or other vessels by passing an elastic washer]
over the cover and the mouth of the vessel, either by moving the washer]
against the vessel, or by moving the vessel against the washer, substantially as
hereinbefore set forth and described.
(4) In machines for covering jars and other vessels, the employment of a
bifurcated frame and two bell-crank levers for separating the slide carrying the
elastic half rings, the whole being actuated by a fixed collar on the jar supporting
spindle and adjustable pins or bolts which latter may be regulated to separate the
elastic half rings to any desired point in the movement of the treadle and other
moving parts substantially as hereinbefore set forth and described.
Dated this 9th day of February 1892.
CASTLE SMITH,
Invention Office, 54, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.