A NEW OR IMPROVED STOPPER FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS AND IN APPLIANCES RELATING THERETO
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Lewis William Day, of North Tawton, in the County
of Devon, England, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED STOPPER
FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS AND IN APPLIANCES RELATING THERETO."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Lewis William Day at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th December 1876.
LEWIS WILLIAM DAY, of North Tawton, in the County of Devon, England.
"A NEW OR IMPROVED STOPPER FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS AND IN
APPLIANCES RELATING THERETO."
It has two
The stopper may be made of hard wood, glass, earthenware, metal, or any other
suitable material, being in shape similar to an ordinary hand bell.
grooves, one near the top or small end, and one near the enlarged end at the
bottom, in which latter is fastened a piece of india-rubber or other suitable material.
When the india-rubber or other material is secured to the stopper it partly covers
the enlarged or lower end, so as to form a cup. The groove at the top or small
end is for the double purpose of holding the stopper whilst being inserted in the
bottle and holding the stopper in position whilst the bottle is being filled. To put
the stopper in the bottle a piece of strong twine or other suitable material must be
fastened in the groove at the top or small end of the stopper. The india-rubber
or other substance must be securely fastened in the groove at the bottom or
enlarged end of the stopper. The india-rubber or other material is then turned
back over the small end of the stopper, the stopper will then pass through the neck
of the bottle.
The appliance for turning the india-rubber or other substance over the enlarged
end of the stopper has two legs or prongs, flattened, and having at their lower ends
a small projection forming a kind of shoulder; by inserting this between the india-
rubber and the stopper I force the india-rubber over the enlarged end, forming the
aforesaid cup. The stopper is now complete in the bottle.
The bottles being washed and turned mouth downwards, with the stopper in its
proper position for closing, the stopper must then be gripped by a spring tweezers

page_text: at its small end; the bottle is now ready for filling, which is done by the bottle
being in a vertical position.
Now what I claim as one part of my improvement is that a person having one
hand only can fill and stopper bottles containing my stopper as easily as a person
having two hands.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Lewis William Day in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 26th
May 1877.
LEWIS WILLIAM DAY, of North Tawton, in the County of Devon. " A NEW OR
IMPROVED STOPPER FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS AND IN
RELATING THERETO."
APPLIANCES
The stopper may be made of hard wood, glass, earthenware, metal, or any other
suitable material, and of a specific gravity either lighter or heavier than water.
It is similar in appearance to an ordinary hand bell, having an enlarged end, and a
kind of handle or sinall end. It has two grooves, one near the top or small end,
and one close to the enlarged or lower end." In the latter groove must be secured
a piece of india-rubber or other suitable material, the shape of which should be
similar to a cone, hollowed, and having a small hole at the cone end; or it may be
any other shape, provided it is made perfectly tight and secure in the groove, and
projects over the enlarged end from an eighth to a quarter of an inch, and
sufficiently tight that it may be drawn inwards and forming a cup.
The small or handle end of the stopper must not exceed in length the piece of
india-rubber used for covering the enlarged end. When the piece of india-rubber
is secured in the groove close to the enlarged end of the stopper a piece of twine
must be fastened in the grove at the top or small end, and the india-rubber turned
back over the same. The stopper can now be inserted (enlarged end first) through
the neck or orifice of the bottle or vessel.
To turn the india-rubber again over the enlarged end of the stopper after it is
inserted in the bottle or vessel a tool or appliance must be used having two legs
or prongs jointed and fastened in a handle, the legs being flattened and having near
their lower ends a small projection turning outwards and downwards about a
quarter of an inch. These legs or prongs may be made of brass or other suitable
material, and so made that they may spring slightly to the unevenness of the
stopper. The legs or prongs may be about four inches in length from the handle to
their extreme lower ends, but they may be made longer or shorter according to the
length required, so as to conveniently reach the stopper.
When the stopper is inserted in the bottle or vessel it must be firmly held by
the twine attached to the small end, and the legs of the above-mentioned appliance
inserted between the india-rubber and the small end of the stopper, so that the
projections may rest on the edge of the india-rubber and be slightly out over it,
when by pressing thereon it turns the india-rubber again over the enlarged end
and forins a cup. The stopper cannot now be withdrawn, as the enlarged end
should be just the size to pass easily through the neck or orifice before the india-
rubber is attached. The appliance and also the twine may now be removed from
the stopper.
The bottle being washed and allowed to drain in the usual way, the stopper must
now be made to fall with its small end downwards into the neck or orifice of the
bottle or vessel, and it must be caught by a small spring tweezers in the groove at
its small end. These tweezers may be made of silver, brass, or other suitable
metal not detrimental to or acted on by the liquid to be put in the bottle or vessel,
and having a semicircular or other shaped spring at the top, each end being
fastened to a leg, one of which has a slit or spring, through which the other

page_text: passes; on the extreme lower end of each leg is a semicircular piece, which fits in
the groove at the small end of the stopper. Between these semicircular pieces,
and where the legs cross each other, must be made a hole in each leg, through
which may be passed a small piece of india-rubber, twine, or other suitable sub-
stance, so put through that by pulling it the legs are drawn firmer together and
prevented from letting go the stopper when the bottles are being filled and closed;
and having at the other end of the india-rubber, twine, or other substance, a small
weight to partly counterbalance the weight of the tweezers and stopper when
attached thereto, to prevent their falling down in the bottle or vessel. The spring
at the top of the two tweezers must be made so as to be easily depressed by a
finger and thumb, whereby it opens their lower ends. The stopper being caught
by the tweezers at its small end, as previously stated, and having the india-rubber
with the small weight attached at the end thereof, the bottle or vessel must now
be brought into a vertical position, and is ready for filling with aërated or gaseous
liquids (which may be done at the ordinary machine used for filling and corking
bottles containing aërated or gaseous liquids by first driving a cork in the top of
the tube, as is usually done to keep the liquid down in the bottle) in the
following way-By pressing the mouth of the bottle or vessel against the clastic
seat of the filling tube by the treadle it holds the elastic band attached to the
tweezers and prevents the stopper and tweezers being forced down into the bottle
or vessel further than is required to fill and stopper it. The liquid supply cock
being turned on, it presses on the stopper and stretches the india-rubber attached
to the tweezers, and the liquid runs down the side of the bottle or vessel. By
shutting the supply cock and slightly depressing the bottle the atmosphere will be
allowed to escape. The bottle must be again firmly pressed up against the filling
tube filled to the proper height. By quickly depressing the bottle the compressed
gas in the bottle is concentrated in the cup at the enlarged end of the stopper, and
drives it firmly into the neck or orifice of the bottle, and effectually stops or closes
it. The tweezers may now be removed.
By the above method persons having but one hand will be enabled to fill and
stopper bottles with aerated or gaseous liquids having my stopper and appliances,
but other methods may be adopted for filling and stoppering bottles with my
stoppers and appliances.
In the following ways bottles having my stoppers and appliances may be used
without machinery for filling and stoppering: A stopper being inserted in the
bottle or vessel, as before stated, it must be caught by the tweezers, but instead of
having the india-rubber, a piece of twine or other like substance must be attached,
and having the small weight at the end thereof. The bottle or vessel may be
nearly filled with pure spring water, and a small quantity of subcarbonate of
potash, and the same quantity of citric acid dropped in the bottle or vessel. The
stopper must be drawn up in the neck or orifice, and the gas emanating from these
ingredients will keep the stopper perfectly tight and effectually secure
contents.
its
The stopper can also be used for stoppering bottles or vessels containing pure
spring water or liquid not charged with gas in the following way:-When a
stopper is inserted in the bottle or vessel, as before mentioned, and caught by the
tweezers, and having the twine or similar substance and the small weight at the
end thereof, and the bottle or vessel being filled to the proper height, a piece of
wire must be placed between the stopper and the sides of the bottle or vessel, and
the stopper drawn up tightly into the neck or orifice. The wire and tweezers
must now be removed. To open the bottles or vessels the stopper must be pressed
down.
The novelty and utility of this Invention consists,-
Firstly. Of an improved shape of internal stopper, whereby the contents of the
bottle or vessel may be more effectually secured.
Secondly. In the appliances to be used in conjunction with the above stopper.

page_text: Thirdly. By which persons having but one hand may fill and stopper bottles and
vessels with aürated or gaseous liquid.
In witness whereof, I, the said Lewis William Day, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Signed, sealed, and delivered, by the
above named Lewis William Day
in the presence of
EDWARD Goss,
North Tawton.
LEWIS WILLIAM (L.S.) DAY.