IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES AND JARS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred William Birt, of No. 42, Dock Street, in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES
AND JARS."
Sealed the 12th March 1880, and dated the 23rd September 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred William Birt at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd September 1879..
I
ALFRED WILLIAM BIRT, of No. 42, Dock Street, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES AND JARS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in stoppers for bottles and jars.
I construct stoppers for bottles and jars of two parts, the one of wood and the
other of cork. The part which is of wood forms the head of the stopper; it is a
disc larger in diameter than the mouth of the bottle or jar, and it has in it on the
under side a cylindrical recess, which also slightly exceeds in diameter the mouth of
the bottle or jar with which the stopper is intended to be employed. The part of
the stopper which is of cork is cylindrical or slightly taper, of a size to fit tightly
into the mouth of the bottle or jar, and it also fits into the recess already mentioned
in the wooden part of the stopper. The two parts of the stopper are combined by
means of a peculiar composition or cement consisting of the following ingredients:-
say 1 lbs.
11. oz.
Gypsum
Litharge

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alfred William Birt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
March 1880.
1
ALFRED WILLIAM BIRT, of No. 42, Dock Street, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES AND JARS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in stoppers for bottles and jars.
My improved stopper consists of three parts:-1, a wooden head; 2, a cylin-
drical or taper cork; 3, a mass of cement serving to connect the cork to the head
and penetrating deeply into cavities in the cork. The wooden head is of a disc
like form, and has in it on the under side a cylindrical cavity slightly exceeding in
diameter the mouth of the bottle or jar with which the stopper is intended to be
used. The part of the stopper which is of cork is cylindrical or slightly taper, of a
size to fit tightly into the mouth of the bottle or jar, and it also (at the larger end.
if taper) fits into the cavity in the head. If the stopper be of large size the cork is
cut bung fashion; that is to say, with the natural pores of the cork running through
it parallel to the sides, but where the size of the stopper admits it is better to cut
the cork so that the pores run transversely, as is usual in cutting wine and other
corks. When the cork is cut bung fashion the only further preparation it requires
is to roughly level it with a rasp or by other like means on the outer side which
fits into the head, for the natural cavities on the outer side of the cork will be found
sufficiently large and widely open to allow of the cement being driven deeply into
them, forming as it were strong fangs, firmly connecting the head and the cork.
But where the cork is cut with the pores running transversely a cavity or cavities
has to be formed artificially in the end of the cork which enters the head in order
that the cement may be able to penetrate into the cork and form a connecting fang
or fangs. The way in which the composition is prepared is hereinafter described;
it must be of a nature to resist all action upon it by the contents of the vessels with
which the stoppers are employed, consequently the composition employed when oil
or spirit has to be dealt with is somewhat different from that employed when the.
stopper is intended for other uses.
In the annexed Drawings Figures 1 and 2 represent a side view and section of a
large stopper made according to my Invention; the cork in this stopper is cut bung
fashion. a is the wooden head; b is the cork; the natural outer side is entered
into the cavity in the head; c is the mass of cement pressed into the cork in such
manner as to produce the connecting fangs c', c¹, by which the cork is firmly held
and attached to the head.
The Figures 3 and 4 represent a smaller stopper, in which the cork is cut with
the pores transversely (as is usual in wine bottle and other corks), and in this case
a cavity is bored in the end of the cork which is inserted into the head for the
cement to penetrate and to form the stout fang c¹. The Figures 5 and 6 and the
Figures 7 and 8 represent other small stoppers.
In the manufacture of these stoppers the heads, the corks, and the cement having
been previously prepared and the cement being kept melted in a steam heated pan
a portion of the cement, which is semi-fluid, is poured into one of the heads, and
then by hand the cork is pressed in upon the cement with a circular motion. The
pressure and movement is continued for a few seconds until the workman feels that
the penetration of the cement into the cavity or cavities of the cork is complete.
The cork being made to fit the head accurately but little if any of the cement
escapes, but it is forced up and made to penetrate into the cavity or cavities of the
cork. In a short time the cement hardens and the stopper is then ready for use.
The nature of the cements which I employ is such that they never attain a stoney
hardness but always retain a small amount of flexibility, such as permits a partial
yielding to a strong and continued pressure.
t

page_text: The cement which I employ, except for stoppers which are intended to be brought
into contact with oily and spirituous liquors, is prepared in the following manner :-
I melt together in a steam heated pan, or otherwise, so as carefully to avoid over-
heating, nine parts of rosin and one part of raw linseed oil; when thoroughly
melted and blended I stir in fourteen parts of gypsum, and when a complete and
intimate mixture is obtained the cement is ready for use. Stoppers made with
this cement are suitable for use with bottles or jars containing articles pickled or
preserved in vinegar, brine, syrup, or water, for sauces and jellies, for bottling ale
and beer, and so forth.
The cement which I employ for stoppers to be used with bottles and jars con-
taining oily and spirituous liquids is prepared as follows:-I soak and then melt
seven parts of glue in six parts of water, and I then gradually stir in and thoroughly
mix therewith twenty two parts of gypsum and one part of litharge. A small
quantity of treacle added (say, two parts), increases the ductility of the cement and
is advantageous. This cement requires less heat in working than that in which
rosin is employed.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of performing.
the same I would have it understood that I do not claim generally the attachment
of a cork to a wooden head to form a stopper, but I do claim the manufacture of
such stoppers in the manner hereinbefore described with a mass of suitable cement
interposed between the cork and the head, and driven by pressure into deep cavities
in the cork in such manner as to form connecting fangs, substantially as herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred William Birt, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty second day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.
ALFRED WILLIAM BIRT. (L.S.)