IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF BOTTLES INTENDED TO CONTAIN MALT LIQUORS AND OTHER LIQUIDS, AND IN THE MODE OF STOPPERING, UNSTOPPERING, AND DRAWING OFF THE CONTENTS THEREOF, THE SAID STOPPERS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE TO BOTTLES OF THE ORDINARY KIND AND OTHER VESSELS EMPLOYED TO CONTAIN LIQUIDS, FLUIDS, AND GASES, EITHER SEPARATELY OR IN COMBINATION
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William Dennis at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th April
1867.
I, WILLIAM DENNIS, of Aldermanbury, in the City of London, Merchant, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF BOTTLES INTENDED TO CONTAIN MALT LIQUORS AND OTHER LIQUIDS,
AND IN THE MODE OF STOPPERING, UNSTOPPERING, AND DRAWING OFF THE CONTENTS
THEREOF, THE SAID STOPPERS BEING ALSO APPLICABLE TO BOTTLES OF THE ORDINARY
KIND AND OTHER VESSELS EMPLOYED TO CONTAIN LIQUIDS, FLUIDS, AND GASES,
EITHER SEPARATELY OR IN COMBINATION," to be as follows:-
-
As regards that part of this Invention relating to the construction of bottles
the improvement consists in forming the same in the following manner, that is
to say: Instead of forming the bottle flat or hollow at the bottom and the
top with a long neck, and the body of the bottle cylindrical or parrallel, or
nearly so, as heretofore practised, I propose to form the body of the bottle as
the frustrum of a cone, the base being convex on the outside and the apex
communicating with a narrow circular chamber about three or four times
larger in diameter than the hole in the apex. I form the hole in the said

page_text: apex about half an inch in diameter for a pint bottle, and of proportionate
size for larger bottles. I also form another and larger hole through the outside
of the aforesaid circular chamber opposite to the hole in the apex of the bottle,
and into these openings I insert a conical shaped hollow stopper or nipple
made of elastic material, such as vulcanized india-rubber, the end of the said
stopper or nipple being somewhat smaller than the hole in the apex of the
bottle, so as to leave a clear annular space between the stopper or nipple and
the hole in the apex for the passage of the liquid and any sediment it may
contain into the aforesaid circular chamber, the object and intention being to
accumulate, hold back, and separate the sediment from the liquid (bottled
ale, for example) that when poured out it may not be "cloudy," as is now
the case in using bottles of the ordinary construction.
The stopper or nipple above mentioned I fix air-tight to the outside of the
bottle by any suitable means; and in order to accomplish as effectually as
possible the object of this Invention, I propose that after the bottle has been
filled with ale it should be stood upon its flat or chambered end for the
sediment to pass into the said chamber, and when it is required to draw off
the contents of a bottle thus constructed I proceed as follows:-I take a
piece of tube of nearly the same size as the hole in the apex of the bottle,
the said tube having a cutting blade fixed across the lower end thereof; I
push this tube forcibly into the stopper or elastic nipple, the effect of which
is to cut a slit through the end thereof, and continuing to push the tube
through the nipple the nipple fits tightly in the hole in the apex of the
bottle, by which the communication between the ale in the body of the
bottle and the sediment in the circular chamber is effectually cut off, so
that when the ale is poured out through the tube it cannot mix with the
sediment, and by these means I prevent, or very considerably lessen the
" clouding" of the ale, and further by using a stopper of the above kind the
bottle may be laid down after the tube is withdrawn, the slit in the tube
closing, and the pressure of the remaining ale assisting in keeping closed the
slit and keeping it air-tight, or sufficiently so to prevent escape of the liquid.
In applying the above improved description of stoppers to wine or other
bottles or jars the stoppers may be formed as a cap to embrace the upper part
of the neck of the bottle, to which it may be affixed by cement, string, wire,
or other convenient and suitable means. I
propose to coat that part of the
aforesaid stopper in contact with the liquid in the bottle with liquid ebonite,
elastic varnish, or other suitable composition or material, so as to prevent if
necessary the injurious action of the liquid with the vulcanized india-rubber
or other elastic material of which the stopper is made.

page_text: Stoppers made as above stated may be applied with advantage to barrels
containing beer and other liquids in lieu of vent pegs by making a slit through
the bottom of the stopper, through which the atmospheric air will pass as the
contents are being drawn off, the stopper afterwards closing by its elasticty,
thus rendering the stopper a self-acting vent peg.