A NEW OR IMPROVED MODE AND MEANS OF STOPPERING BOTTLES AND OTHER.
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Lamont, of the City of Glasgow, in the
County of Lanark, North Britain, Merchant, for the Invention of
A NEW OR IMPROVED MODE AND MEANS OF STOPPERING BOTTLES AND OTHER.
TH
Sealed the 21st August 1874, and dated the 2nd June 1874.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Lamont at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd June 1874.
'
I, JOHN LAMONT, of the City of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark,
North Britain, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "A NEW OR IMPROVED MODE AND MEANS OF STOFPERING BOTTLES
AND OTHER VESSELS, AND CONSTRUCTION OF STOPPERS THEREFOR," to be as
follows:-
This said Invention has reference to the stoppering of bottles and
other vessels, in which the stopper is first placed in the inside, and when
filled with the liquid and gases the pressure of these within forces the
stopper automatically into the neck or mouth of the vessel so tightly as

page_text: to hold it properly close in its place, and prevent all escape of liquid,
and used and suitable for aerated waters and liquids or other purposes
where pressure fluids have to be retained within closely stoppered
vessels; and the nature of the Invention consists in forming the internal
neck or mouth of the bottle or vessel with a bearing narrow annular
flange or rim near the outer end, and having the neck part within
widening slightly towards the inside, or it might be with a bevelled or
grooved part to form the said closing rim, against which the elastic or
flexible part of the stopper is pressed when in the position of stoppering
the vessel, and this rim part may be formed by an expanding plug or
mandril made in two or more sectional parts, and inserted and pressed
out by the same action of the hand instrument which forms or com-
presses the strengthening outer rim when finishing the neck of the
bottles, while the glass or other material is soft or pliable.
The new or improved form and construction of the stopper consists of
a short central cylindrical stem, made preferably of glass or porcelain,
but it might be of heavy hard wood or other suitable material, with
rounded ends and a narrow annular groove near the middle or centre, of
such a diameter that it is easily dropped through the small outer part of
the closing rim, and of an inch or so in length, and free to turn any way
within the bottle. After it is so dropped into the bottle a long tapered
tube, split at the wide end, or other equivalent is inserted from the
outside over one end, and a small ring of ordinary vulcanized india-
rubber or other equivalent elastic or flexible material, with a small hole
in it is forced down this spindle on to the groove in the centre of the
glass or porcelain stem so that, when the inserting spindle is removed,
the stopper is free to turn by its own gravity with either end into the
neck or throat of the bottle, and when the vessel is filled the pressure
within forces this washer close up against the inner surface of the
closing or bearing rim, while the diameter of the washer is made so as
to fill the neck and sustain the stopper there, until pressed down by the
stem and finger or thumb of the person from the outside.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Jolin Lamont in the Great Seal Patcut Office on
the 27th November 1874.
:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
LAMONT, of the City of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain,
Merchant, send greeting.
.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of June, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-seventh
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said John Lamont, Her special licence
that I, the said John Lamont, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said John Lamont, my exccutors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the termi
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, excrcise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "A NEW OR
IMPROVED MODE AND MEANS OF STOPPERING BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS,-/ AND
CONSTRUCTION OF STOPPERS THEREFOR," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Lamont, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
scals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause 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 Lamont, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the.
following statement in writing, reference being had to the illustrative
figures and reference letters on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
which I have hereunto appended for the purpose of showing the best.
modes and means I am at present aware of for putting my said Invention、
into effect or practice, the same reference letters and numerals indicating.
the same or like parts in all the Figures :-
;

page_text: My said Invention has reference to the stoppering of bottles and other
vessels in which the stopper is first placed in the inside, and when filled
with the liquid and gases, the pressure of these within forces the stopper
automatically into the neck or mouth of the bottle or vessel so tightly as
to hold it properly (liquid pressure tight and) close in its place, and
prevent all escape of the liquid, and is more particularly used and
suitable for aërated waters or liquids, and for other purposes where
pressure fluids have to be retained within closely stoppered vessels.
Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a side elevation and end view of the
improved spring hand tool, full size, for forming the new bearing rim A
in the inside of the neck or mouth 1 and outer strengthening licad 1" of
the bottles 2, showing the parts of the tool all in their normal position.
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the said spring hand tool shown in
Figure 1, and corresponding thereto, but with the spring arms c, as
pressed in by the hand of the operator at the middle part c*, where they
are rounded to receive the hand, and the parts a, a, of the plug or
mandrel for forming the rim A as pressed out, all as in the act of
forming the throat or mouth 1 of a bottle 2, in accordance with my said
improvements.
...
1 in
Figure 4 is a longitudinal edge section taken on the line 1
Figure 1, and at right angles thereto, of this improved tool for forming
the head and new rim A within the neck 1, 1', of aërated or other liquid
bottles, in accordance with my said improvements.
Figures 5 to 12, and their accompanying detailed views detached,
show full sized sectional views of various slightly different modifications
or sizes and shapes of the necks or mouths 1 of bottles 2, with rims A
and stappers B, C, all as constructed in accordance with and illustrative
of my said Invention or improvements.
.
The nature, novelty, and mode of performing my said Invention
consist, first, in forming the internal neck or mouth 1, 1', of the bottle 2
(or other vessel) with a new bearing narrow annular flange or rim A
near the outer end 1, shown in Figures 3, 5, 6, 8 and 12, and having
the neck part 1 within wider than the mouth 1, and widening slightly
or gradually towards the inside 2; or, when desired, this bearing rim A
might be of a bevelled, curved (or other equivalent ridge or groove)
form, as shown in Figures 7, 9, 10, and 11, for the said closing rim A.

page_text: Against the prominent parts of these rims A an elastic or flexible part
or washer B of the stopper B, C, is pressed when in the position of
stoppering the vessel, as shown in the said Figures 5 to 12. And, as
shown in Figures 1 to 4, and particularly in Figure 3, this rim part A
may be formed by an expanding plug or mandrel made in two (or it
might be more) sectional parts a, a, formed or fixed on the end of two
springs a¹, a¹, attached at a" to the central spindle of the hand tool
a to d with an end disc 6', which rests on and forms the end face of tho
neck or mouth 1 of the bottle 2, the main holding double spring lever
part c, c, being attached to the outer free screw end of the central
spindle by the two screw nuts 6", the free ends of these spring arms c
having fixed on cach the curved segmental matrix or block c¹ for
forming the outer thick part or head 11 of the bottle 2 at cu close to
the disc b¹, the said pressing in of the spring arms c, c*, pressing out
the two parts a, a, of the mandrel a, a³, by the studs a¹¹, riveted to
their spring stems a¹, a', which are guided in the slots 62 of the disc b¹,
all as shown in Figure 3, the act of forming a bottle head, so that the
neck parts a², a², form the round narrow mouth 1, and the shoulder
part a³, a³, forming the bearing rim part A by turning the hand instru-
ment a to d or the bottle while the mouth or neck of the bottle is hot
and ductile when made of glass, and when made of earthenware the
mouth is so formed while the material is soft or plastic, the cross pin d
forming a guide for the moving arms a¹ and c.
Referring to Figures-5, 5 A, 5 B, and 5 C, the new or improved form
and construction of the stopper consist of a short central stem C made
of a cylindrical (or other equivalent suitable) shape, and preferably
formed of glass or of porcelain (but it might be of heavy hard wood, or of
other suitable material which would preferably sink) with rounded ends,
and a narrow annular groove C¹ near the middle or centre; the body part C,
Figure 5 A, being of such a diameter that it is easily dropped or passed
through the small outer part 1 of the closing rim A, and about an inch
or so in length for ordinary sized aërated liquid bottles, and free to turn
any way within the bottle. After the body or stem part C is so dropped
into the bottle 2 the lower wide end of a long tapered tube having slits
(or other equivalent) is inserted from the outside and sprung over one
end of the stem C, when a washer or ring B, of ordinary valcanized india-
rubber, Figure 5 B (or other equivalent elastic or flexible material) with
a small hole in it, B', is forced down this spindle on to the centre of the

page_text: groove C¹ in the middle of the glass or porcelain stem C, so that when
the said inserting spindle is removed the stopper B, C, Figure 5C, is
free to turn by its own gravity with either end into the neck or throat
1, 1, of the bottle 2, and when the vessel is filled with the aërated
water or pressure fluid the force within presses the washer B close up
against the inner surface of the closing or bearing rim A, and maintains
a perfectly tight joint (while the diameter of the washer may be made
so as to fill or nearly fill the neck and sustain the stopper there) until
the stem and washer B, C, are pressed 'down from the outside by the hand
of the person going to draw off the liquid; Figure 5 A shows an
elevation of the stem part C detached; Figure 5 B shows a side and edge
view of the india-rubber washer C detached; and Figure 5C is an
clevation of the stopper complete, as formed by the said two parts C, B,
all corresponding to that shown as stoppering the neck 1 of the bottle 2
in Figure 5, referred to in the foregoing description.
It will be understood that various other modifications or forms and
constructions of these improved reversing stoppers might be made, as
for lightening the stem part C it might have hollow grooves C" formed
in it between the india-rubber washer and the rounded end at C², as
shown in Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9, and to prevent them when heavy and
striking the sides or bottom of the bottle from breaking it, and as an'
additional safety in this respect the rounded end C² might have a small
india-rubber cap sprung over them, as shown at C², in Figure 7; or this
central stem or piece C might in some cases be made very short or of an
clliptical shape, as shown in Figure 11 B; or quite spherical, as shown
in Figures 11 and 11 A, in which latter case the india-rubber washer B
could be sprung on to the centre of the groove C¹ before inserting the
stopper into the bottle. And the india-rubber washer when desired
could be made thin enough to bend to the shape of the necks 1 of the
bottles when made with a straight or curved tapered part A, as shown
in this Figure 7. The throat 1 of the bottles might have a hollow
groove A formed in it (by the hand tool Figures 1 to 4), and have a
round ring of india-rubber sprung on to a curved groove C¹ in the
middle of the stem C, as shown in Figures 9 and 9 A; or as shown in'
Figure 10, a spherical ball B of thick india-rubber might be used as a
stopper made with a central core B" of some heavy material to cause it
to sink in the liquid when forced in to empty the bottle; this con-
struction of ball stopper would. require to be inserted through the

page_text: narrow neck 1 of the bottle at first after both were finished. Figure 12
shows the neck of a bottle formed with a flat square rim A, as shown in
Figures 3, 5, 6, and 8, but stoppered with a somewhat different con-
struction of stopper from any of those shown in Figures 5 to 11; the
stopper being shown detached in under plan view in Figure 12 A, and in a
slightly modified form in vertical elevation and plan in Figure 12 B,
suitable for the neck 1 and rim A. of the bottle, Figure 11; all as
detached from their bottles, Figures 12 and 11 respectively.
Referring to Figures 12 and 12 A, the stopper consists of a metal disc
head and screw spindle or stem C, C', with a hole on its point to which a
chain or wire Cx is attached, over which spindle C₁ an india-rubber
washer B is placed, and forced and screwed down close to the head C by
a thin metallic nut C", which may either be done before inserting tho
stem in the bottle or afterwards as desired, according to the dimensions
of the neck part 1, 1', of the bottle, as the head C must pass in through
the narrow part 1, as say in Figures 11 and 12; it being shown made
oval in Figure 12 for that purpose. A large nut C² is inserted over the
wire C* having a button of leather or other equivalent, afterwards fixed
at the end of the wire to hold the whole together, and prevent the head
and stem part from falling all together into the bottle; after filling
which these are drawn up by the bottom and wire until the washer bears
against the rim A; when the large nut is then screwed on to the stem
hard up against the end of the bottle until it draws the washer liquid
pressure tight against the rim A, which effectually stoppers the bottle.
This modification of stopper Figures 12, 12 A, and 12 B, is particularly
suitable for such aërated liquids, as ginger beer, cider, and perry, in
which the pressure and gases generated after being bottled; or it might
be for stoppering other liquids or malt liquors in bottles with the said
new or improved rim or groove A. This improved mode and means of
stoppering bottles has the advantage of enabling the rim or groove A to
be formed in a short truncated neck or mouth, as shown in Figures 6 to
12, or in the end of the bottle itself, as shown in Figure 8, thus
dispensing with the long necks heretofore used in bottles (when desired),
and which would enable these to be more compactly and easily packed
for transport than hitherto, and at the same time the stoppers might
last and be used as long as the bottles themselves.
.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is or may be performed, I have to state that

page_text: I do not restrict myself to the precise details herein described or
delineated, but what I believe to be novel and original, and therefore
claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
First. The forming of the necks of bottles with the new or improved 5
rim or groove A in each for a bearing surface for stoppering the same;
all substantially as herein described in reference to and shown in the
accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
Second. The construction and use of a hand tool indicated by the
small italic letters a to d for forming the said rim or groove A in the 1
necks of bottles, all substantially as described in reference to and
shown in Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying Drawings, or any mere
modification thereof.
Third. The construction of stoppers for stoppering bottles or other
vessels with a bearing rim or groove A, all substantially as described in 1
reference to and shown in Figures 5 to 9; or the modifications thereof,
shown and described in reference to Figures 10 to 12 of the accom-
panying Drawings or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Lamont, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
Witness,
W. R. M. THOMSON,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
JOHN LAMONT. (L.S.)