Im- PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SECURING STOPPERS IN BOTTLES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Thompson, of No. 13, Hilldrop Crescent,
Camden Road, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SECURING STOPPERS IN BOTTLES."
Sealed the 30th August 1864, and dated the 4th May 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Thompson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 4th
May 1864.
.I, JOHN THOMPSON, of No. 13, Hilldrop Crescent, Camden Road, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SECURING STOPPERS IN BOTTLES," to be as.
follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for securing
stoppers in bottles. It sometimes happens that chemists in dispensing make
dangerous mistakes by accidentally taking bottles containing poisons when
other preparations are required.
Now according to my Invention, in order to guard against such mistakes
I employ apparatus for securing the stoppers of the poison bottles in their
places so that they cannot be removed except intentionally and knowingly.
The apparatus consists of a disc or cap of metal, or it may be of other
material, having a lug projecting downwards from it on one side through
which a binding screw passes, and it has also a lip turned down on the side-
Price 8d 1

page_text: opposite the lug and screw, or it may be all round if desired to stiffen and
improve the appearance of the disc or cap. In the centre of the disc or
cap is a hole for the top or square of the stopper to pass through, but this
hole is not of such a size as to allow the cone of the stopper to pass. When
the disc or cap is dropped over the stopper, the lip on its under side passes
below the flange around the neck of the bottle, and the screw in the lug
when screwed inwards also passes under this flange, and so the disc or cap
becomes secured; the end of the screw receives a small leathered or padded
button so that it may not break the bottle when screwed up. In place of the
lip on the disc or cap, two or other convenient number of claws may be
applied; the form of the disc or cap may also be varied, as for example, it
can be made of a triangular form, and in place of the screw a spring or other
catch may be applied.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd November 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
THOMPSON, of No. 13, Hilldrop Crescent, Camden Road, in the County of
Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Thompson, Her special licence that 1, the said John Thompson,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said.
John Thompson, my executors, administrators, and assigns,. should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN APPAPATUS FOR SECURING STOPPERS IN BOTTLES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Thompson, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause.

page_text: the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Thompson, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for securing
stoppers in bottles. It sometimes happens that chemists in dispensing make
dangerous mistakes by accidentally taking bottles, containing poisons when
other preparations are required.
Now according to my Invention, .in order to guard against such mistakes, I
employ apparatus for securing the stoppers of the poison bottles in their
places, so that they cannot be removed except intentionally and knowingly.
The apparatus consists of a disc or cap of metal, or it may be of other material,
having a lug projecting downwards from it on one side, through which a
binding screw passes, and it has also a lip turned down on the side opposite
the lug and screw, or it may be all round if desired, to stiffen and improve
the appearance of the disc or cap. In the centre of the disc or cap is a hole
for the top or square of the stopper to pass through, but this hole is not of such
a size as to allow the cone of the stopper to pass. When the disc or cap, is
dropped over the stopper, the lip on its under side passes below the flange.
around the neck of the bottle, and the screw in the lug when screwed inwards
also passes under the flange, and so the disc or cap becomes secured; the end
of the screw receives a small leathered or padded button, so that it may not
break the bottle when screwed up. In place of the lip on the disc or cap,
two or other convenient number of claws may be applied; the form of the disc
or cap may also be varied, as for example, it can be made of a triangular form,
and in place of the screw, a spring or other catch may be applied.
The annexed Drawing shows various forms and modifications of apparatus
constructed according to my Invention for securing stoppers in bottles.
In Figures and 2, a is a disc with a hole in the centre for the passage
of the square of the stopper; c is a lug projecting downwards on the side
of the disc; d is a screw passing through it, and having a button at its end,
which may, if desired, be padded with leather; e, e, are claws on the other
side of the disc. Figures 3 and 4 show a similar arrangement, excepting
that in place of claws the disc is made with a lip turned inwards all round
and passing under the flange around the neck of the bottle.
In the arrangement shown at Figures 5 and 6 spring catches f are substituted
for the screw d, the disc is made with a flange projecting vertically downwards

page_text: all round, and to this the two catches are hinged, as is shown, their ends pass-
ing through holes in the flange; g is a spring fixed in the centre to the
flange and pressing at its ends on the spring catches. In Figures and 8
the catches and claws are all of them rigidly fixed to the disc, and this to
admit of its being put on and taken off from the bottle is made in two parts
hinged together at a¹ as is shown, and the circular spring tends constantly
to draw the two parts of the disc together. Figures 9 and 10 show a similar
arrangement, but without the spring g to draw the parts together, in lieu of
which a spring catch h is used, it has ratchet teeth formed in it, and there is a
corresponding tooth formed on one half of the disc.
Figures 11 and 12 represent an arrangement similar to that shown at
Figures 9. and 10, but the two parts of the disc are held together by the
clamping screw i in place of by a catch; the clamping screw, it will be seen,
forms also the pin of the hinge joint.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Thompson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this First day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
J. THOMPSON. (L.S.)