IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER LIKE VESSELS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to August Kohlhofer, of No. 84, Nichols Square, Hackney
Road, in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER LIKE VESSELS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said August Kohlhofer at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th October 1880.
AUGUST KOHLHOFER, of No. 84, Nichols Square, Hackney Road, in the County
of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES AND
VESSELS."
OTHER LIKE
My Invention relates to a stopper for bottles and other like vessels, so
constructed that it is secured by an attachment to the neck of the bottle, which
attachment can be readily applied to or removed from bottles of various sizes. For
this purpose I make a band of flexible metal divided at one part of its circumference,
and having at the division two projecting ears. To one of these ears is hinged a
catch having several notches, by any one of which it can be engaged on the other
ear. This band is placed round the neck of the bottle under the projecting lip
thereof, and is secured by engaging the catch by one or other of its notches
according as the bottle neck is larger or smaller. From the band two arms project
upwards above the mouth of the bottle; to one of these arms is hinged a cross bar
having a notch that can engage over a projection on the other arm, which is
elastic. To the middle of the cross bar is secured a plug of approximately globular
form made of or covered with elastic material, such as caoutchouc, cork, or the like,
which forms the stopper. By folding down the cross bar until its notch engages
with the projection of the elastic arm, the plug is pressed firmly on the bottle
mouth, closing it tightly. For the purpose of opening the bottle the elastic arm is
pressed inwards so as to release its projection from the notch of the cross bar, the
cross bar with the plug thereupon springs up opening the mouth of the bottle.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said August Kohlhofer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th
April 1881.
AUGUST KOHLHOFER, of No. 84, Nichols Square, Hackney Road, in the County
of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER LIKE
VESSELS."
My Invention relates to a stopper for bottles and other like vessels, so
constructed that it is secured by an attachment to the neck of the bottle, which
attachment can be readily applied to or removed from bottles of various sizes. For
this purpose I make a band of flexible metal, divided at one part of its círcum-
ference, and having at the division two projecting cars. To one of these ears is
hinged a catch, having several notches, by any one of which it can be engaged on
the other ear. This band is placed round the neck of the bottle under the
projecting lip thereof, and is secured by engaging the catch by one or other of its
notches, according as the bottle neck is larger or smaller. From the band two
arms project upwards above the mouth of the bottle; to one of these arms is hinged
a cross bar, having a notch that can engage over a projection on the other arín,
which is elastic. To the middle of the cross bar is secured a plug of approximately
globular form, made of or covered with elastic material, such as caoutchouc, cork,
or the like, which forms the stopper. By folding down the cross bar until its notch
engages with. the projection of the elastic arm the plug is pressed firmnly on the
bottle mouth, closing it tightly. For the purpose of opening the bottle the elastic
arm is pressed inwards so as to release its projection from the notch of the cross
bar, the cross bar with the plug thereupon springs up opening the mouth of the
bottle.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying Drawing shews a side view of the before described
stopper detached; Fig. 2 shews a front view of the same as attached to the neck of
a bottle; and Fig. 3 shews a plan. The band of flexible or elastic metal A has
two ears B, B, to one of which is pivotted the catch C, having three slots, so that
on fitting the band onto the neck of the bottle and then turning down the catch
so that the ears B enter one or other of the slots, according to the size of the neck,
the band will be effectually secured on the latter. To the band A are secured two
opposite arms D, D', of which D has hinged to it the cross bar E carrying the
elastic plug or stopper F. The arm D¹ is made as a spring, and the cross bar E
has a slot so formed that for the arm D' to enter it this must be sprung back
somewhat, so that when entered it will spring forward with its head & overlapping
the front edge of the slot, and will thus hold the cross bar and stopper securely.
For opening the bottle D' is sprung back again so as to release the cross bar, and
for removing the stopper altogether from the bottle the catch C is turned upwards
so as to release the ears B.
In some cases, instead of rivetting the arms D, D¹, to the band A, as shewn, the
latter may be formed with inclined slots, as shewn at a, a, a¹, a', Fig. 1, in which
the arms D, D', are respectively held by pins, so that by shifting them in such
slots they may be made to project to a greater extent above the band, in order to
suit bottles of greater height in the lip than others.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed I claim,-
First. Constructing stoppers for bottles with a band that embraces the neck of
the bottle, and is secured thereon by means of a slotted or notched catch engaging
with two projecting ears on the band, substantially as herein described.

page_text: Second. The combination of the band A with ears B, B, catch C, and arm D with
slotted cross bar E and stopper F, and spring arm D', arranged and operating
substantially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said August Kohlhofer, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
AUGUST KOHLHOFER. (L.S.)