IMPROVEMENTS IN BOTTLE LABELS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Murdoch Napier, of York Road, Lambeth,
in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BOTTLE LABELS."
Sealed the 13th March 1874, and dated the 9th January 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Murdoch Napier
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 9th January 1874.
I, JAMES MURDOCH NAPIER, of York Road, Lambeth, in the County
5 of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for “Im-
PROVEMENTS IN BOTTLE LABELS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in bottle labels to
prevent the fraudulent or unfair reuse of such labels, and refers more
especially to paper printed labels, which as is well-known are largely

page_text: used affixed to bottles containing beer, wine, spirits, and other liquors
or beverages to guarantee to the purchaser and consumer the character
and quality of the contents of the bottles as well as to secure to
manufacturers and traders the benefit of their trade mark, name, and
reputation.
Now in order to prevent the fraudulent or unfair reuse of such labels
I provide in connection with them ready and easy means, so that the
purchaser or consumer may cancel them. For this purpose I place or
attach under the label a cancelling instrument, which may consist of a
tape or strip of any sufficiently strong material, such as tough paper or
parchment, or it may be formed of hemp or other twine or thread, or of
thin metal or wire or other suitable material. A part of such cancelling
instrument I leave free to be easily laid hold of to be pulled against the
part of the label covering it to tear and so deface and cancel the
label.
I prefer to place the cancelling instrument under the label as above
explained, but when desired it may be attached to the face of the label,
and may also be printed upon so as to carry part of the design, the
defacement and cancelling being caused by tearing it from its position.
A part of the cancelling instrument in this case also is left free and
handy for the purpose of being taken hold of for cancelling.
The cancelling instrument may also be arranged and applied so as to
be attached partly underneath and partly on the face of the label, or the
label may itself be designed and formed with a part not to be fastened
to the bottle, but which is left free to be laid hold of, so that it may be
torn for the purpose of cancelling the label.
'
The part of the label designed to be operated upon may be backed or
otherwise strengthened so as the better to serve the purpose intended,
and a portion of the label contiguous to it may be left uncemented to
the bottle, so that such portion may be liable to be torn away to effect a
the more complete defacement of the label.
My Invention also applies to labels made of metal foil, such as can be
torn and defaced as described, or of any other suitable substance.
In cases when the bottle is printed upon and no adhesive label is used
I cement the cancelling instrument to the bottle, so that the printing a
may take effect upon it, and that the tearing of it away from the bottle.

page_text: may deface and so cancel the impression. Or the cancelling instrument
may be cemented to the bottle after it has been printed upon, a blank
place being left for it or not, as may be preférred, and the cancelling
instrument may be printed upon, imbosed, or otherwise ornamented
before it is cemented to the bottle.
I have above spoken of the cancelling instrument as a strip or length
of material, but it may also be made of any other form convenient for
the purpose and use for which it is intended, and it may be so designed,
ornamented, or arranged as to serve for or form part of a trade mark.