IMPROVEMENTS IN CORK- FOREWS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Twigg, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CORK-
FOREWS."
Sealed the 24th March 1868, and dated the 10th October 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Twigg at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 10th
October 1867.
I, GEORGE TWIGO, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN CORKSCREWS," to be as follows (that is to say) :-
This Invention consists, firstly, of improved methods of forming the upper
or handle portions of corkscrews. Within an ordinary wood handle I fit a
metal plug tapped to receive the wormed screw which works loose within the
bell, and which has upon its lower end the corkscrew; the metal plug bas
upon its top side a grooved recess for the purpose of receiving a swivel or
catch piece attached and working upon the end of the wormed shaft instead
of being fitted into the wooden handle; the metallic plug may be formed into
a handle if preferred. When required to draw a cork the catch piece or
swivel is engaged into its recess in the metal plug, and by means of the handle
the cork receives the screw in the usual manner; to withdraw the cork the
catch piece or swivel is set free, which permits the handle to be worked upon
the screw, the screw being forced upwards and the cork thereby drawn from

page_text: the bottle. Or again, I make the upper end of the wormed shaft into the
form of a handle of suitable shape, and use such handle to work the screw
into the cork, the ordinary handle being tapped and working below this
handle upon the screw; this arrangement may also be reversed, the ordinary
handle being fixed at the top and a wormed collar piece or loose fly in the
form of a handle working below it.
By another method I employ a tapped handle working upon the wormed
shaft, as already specified, and retain such handle rigidly in position when
required by passing through from one end of the handle a set pin wormed
upon its inner end, which pin is actuated by a thumb piece, and a groove is
formed upon the screw so that the end of the pin enters such groove and sets
the handle in position until required to be released, when the handle becomes
the lever for winding out the cork. Again, I pass a pin through the handle
vertically, and upon its lower end on the under side of the handle I attach a
clutch, which is capable of holding the screw rigidly whilst the cork is being
penetrated, and which is released for the withdrawal of the cork. Again, I
form the upper portion of the bell of a corkscrew into a suitable chamber for
receiving a small toothed pinion, which is also tapped and works upon the
main screw, being held within the chamber or bell by a pin, and this pinion
engages in a second toothed pinion placed vertically within the chamber; a
handle is placed outside the bell, the spindle of which receives the second
pinion, and the cork is withdrawn by the action of the toothed wheels which
force up the screw; the handle is attached upon its upper end in the ordinary
way. This description of corkscrew has an action similar to that of a lifting
jack.
And, secondly, my Invention refers to improvements in the construction of
the bells or barrels of corkscrews. I form the lower end or lip of the bell
with a groove or recess cut in and around its inner edge, and in this groove
or recess I insert and secure a ring or strip of india-rubber or other suitable
material, which forms a cushion and is for the purpose of fitting upon the neck
of the bottle and preventing breakage. I also propose to construct this bell
or barrel by forming it in two halves and jointing the same at or near their
upper ends, and passing over these two parts a ring, which will always
keep them secure upon the bottle; the lip or bottom in this case I prefer to
prolong so as to clip the neck of the bottle, and the same flexible cushion
already specified I apply to this description of bell.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Twigg in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st April 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
TWIGG, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by ITer Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of [ler
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Twigg, Her special license that I, the said George Twigg,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
George Twigg, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
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 CORKSCREWS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
George Twigg, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, 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 George Twigg, do hereby declare the
nature of my 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, reference being bad to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
My Invention refers, firstly, to certain improvements in the upper or handle
portions of corkscrews; and, secondly, to improved methods of manufacturing
the bells or barrels of such articles.
The nature and object of these improvements will be the better understood by
the aid of the Drawings hereunto attached, in which Figures 1 and 2 shew in
part sectional, front, and top views a corkscrew constructed with one of my
improved handle portions.
(a) is the main wormed shaft working loosely within the bell or barrel (6),
and provided at its lower end with the usual corkscrew (c); (d) is a metal
plug inserted in an ordinary handle (e); this plug (d) is tapped and works

page_text: upon the main screw (a), being retained or held rigidly in position, as shewn
in Figure 1, when necessary, by means of a swivel or catch piece (f)
attached to the upper end of the wormed shaft (a) working within and out of
a grooved recess (9) formed in the plug (d). When it is required to draw a
cork from a bottle the handle part (d) and (e) is secured rigidly by means of
the swivel or catch piece (f), and the corkscrew (c) is penetrated into the
cork in the usual manner; to withdraw the cork the swivel or catch piece (f)
is released from its groove or recess (9) in the plug (d) and the bandle is
turned around upon the screw (a), causing the screw (a) to move upwards,
and also the corkscrew (c), and thus withdraw the cork from the bottle. As
shewn at (Figure 3) the plug (d), instead of being secured within an ordinary
handle (e) (Figures 1 and 2) may be suitably formed into a handle (seen
at d'), if preferred.
Figures 4 and 5 illustrate in part front elevation and part section another
way in which I form the handle portions of corkscrews. In this instance the
upper part or end of the main screw (a) is formed into a loop or handle
piece (h), the ordinary handle (e) being tapped and working free upon the
screw (a). In this case the loop or handle piece (h) is employed for passing
the screw (a) into the cork, whilst the handle (e) becomes the lever for the
withdrawal of the same, when the corkscrew will assume a similar position to
(Figure 5).
By another method, as seen at (Figures 6 and 7) in part elevation and
section, I propose to employ a set pin (i) working through a portion of the
handle (e) wormed upon its one end, and provided at its outer end with a
thumb piece (e) or similar means for actuating it; this set pin (i) is for the
purpose of setting the handle (e) in position when requisite by entering a
recess () formed around the main screw (a); the release of the set pin (i)
from this groove (k) will set at liberty the handle (e); (Figure 7) shewing the
handle as fixed in position, and (Figure 6) after the withdrawal of the cork;
or the handle (e) may be set in position, as shewn in elevation at (Figure 6¹),
by means of a pin (1) secured to a chain or otherwise connected to the loose
handle (e), the pin (1) passing through a hole (2) formed in the handle and
entering the recess (k) in the screw (a); or by another method I attach a
spring (3), (Figure 7¹), to the one end of the handle (e), and form at the
other end of the spring a pin and stud (4), which works within a hole in the
handle (e), and in the centre of the spring is rivetted a pin (5) passing to the
recess (k) through a slotted hole (6); the pressure of the finger or thumb
upon the stud (4) disengages the piu (5) from the rece-s (k), and thus releases
the Landle (e) when desired. Or again, I purpose setting the handle rigidly

page_text: when desired by providing a set pin (1), (Figures 8 and 8'), passing through
and working in the handle (e) vertically, and this pin is provided at its bottom
end upon the under side of the handle (e) with a clutch piece (m) secured
upon the pin (2) and actuated thereby; this clutch (m) when engaged upon
the screw (a) will retain the handle (e) in the position required for use. Or
again, as exhibited in part elevation and part section (Figures 9 and 10), I:
form the handle (e) a fixture upon the screw (a), and furnish such screw with
a lever collar piece (n) tapped to work upon the screw (a), so that upon a
cork being penetrated by the corkscrew end (c) the lever collar piece (n) is
turned around and the cork withdrawn by the upward motion thereby given
to the screw (a).
(Figures 11, 12, and 13) shew in side elevation, part longitudinal section,
and sectional plan of the under side respectively another way in which I
propose to make the upper portions of corkscrews. I form the upper portion
of the bell or barrel into a chamber (o) suitably constructed to receive the
small toothed pinions (p,p',) which engage with each other; the one pinion
(P) is tapped to work upon the main screw (a), and is held up in position
within the chamber (0) by a pin (r) secured, as shown, to fit into a groove (s)
surrounding the pinion (p); the second pinion (p¹) is secured upon the
spindle (t), which is provided upon the outside of the chamber (o) with a
handle (¹). The action of this corkscrew will be similar to that of a lifting
jack apparatus, that is to say, after the screw (a) by means of the handle (e)
has been passed into the cork in the usual manner the pinion (p¹) will actuate
the pinion (p) through the medium of the handle (¹), and the rotation of the
pinion (p) will cause the tapped portion of such pinion (p) to work upwards
the screw (a), and thus withdraw the cork from the bottle.
And, secondly, my Invention consists of certain improvements in the
manufacture of the bells or barrels to be used with these and other kinds of
corkscrews. Referring to the sectional portion of (Figure 3), (v) is the lip of
the bell or barrel, which I purpose cutting, shaping, grooving, or 'recessing
upon its inner side in such manner and, for instance as here shewn at (v¹), so
as to receive a ring or strip of india-rubber, gutta percha, or other flexible or
suitable material, which will act as a cushion or cap for fitting upon the neck
of the bottle during the process of drawing a cork, and will also serve to
prevent breakage of the bottle.
(Figure 14) shews in elevation another mode in which I construct the bell
or barrel portions. In this instance I divide the bell or barrel into two parts
(w), or into more than two, if preferred; these parts are binged at or near
their upper ends (a) and provided with a ring (y), which fits over and upon

page_text: the two parts (w), so as to have a tendency to keep them always clipped, held,
or closed upon the bottle, and by this means I make my corkscrews suitable
to various sizes of bottles, as shewn; I prefer to make this description of
barrel with its lower part (-) longer than is usually made for the purpose of
fitting more readily upon the neck of the bottle, and I employ a similar
cushion or cap for this barrel as already specified and shewn at (Figure 3);
this kind of bell or barrel, as shewn in (Figure 14), may be formed solid if
preferred instead of being formed into two or more parts.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which I propose to carry out the same, I wish it to be understood that I do
not limit myself to the precise details of the various parts as shewn and
described, but that which I claim is the various improvements in corkscrews
as herein more fully set forth and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Twigg, have hereunto set for
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.