A Machine adapted to be Used in Coating or Drying, or both, of. Corks, Bungs, or other Stoppers.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Machine adapted to be Used in Coating or Drying, or both, of.
Corks, Bungs, or other Stoppers.
I, CHARLES BAUER, of 34, Sussex Street, Warwick Square, London S.W., Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
It is well known that ordinary plain corks, bungs and the like are not suitable to
be used in stoppering bottles or other vessels containing corrosive fluids, such for
example as most acids, alkalis liquid ammonia photographic chemicals and many other
corrosive fluids or solids by reason of the fact that these corrosive fluids or solids
attack or corrode the said corks rendering the cork useless and endangering the
purity of the contents of the vessel and it has been customary to employ either glass
stoppers, rubber plugs, or ordinary corks coated with a suitable solution-say
of gutta-percha, india rubber or the like-which will resist, practically perfectly, the
corrosive action of such liquids or solids. The glass stoppers and rubber plugs are
too expensive for many purposes and the coated corks would, if the drying could be
In coating
accomplished very cheaply as by a suitable machine, supply a great want.
corks by hand however there is a great waste of time as each cork when dipped must
be held in a horizontal position and turned continuously at a proper speed so that the
solution does not run to the lowermost part and then dry and thus form a "blob" or
lump.
The object of my invention is to provide a machine by means of which a consider-
able number of corks dipped by hand may be revolved so that the solution shali dry
practically evenly, said machine, if desired, being also provided with mechanism
whereby the dipping of the corks is accomplished automatically instead of by hand.
In carrying my invention into practice I may employ a series of discs having a
number of needles projecting from one side each of which needles receives a cork.
The other side of the disc is provided with a central spindle having either at its free
end or at any other part a toothed pinion. I also provide a fixed toothed wheel and on
one or both sides of said wheel I provide a revolvable frame provided on its periphery
with suitable forks or the like each of which is adapted to receive a spindle carrying
a disc as described, the arrangement of the whole being such that when the frame is
revolved the pinion will run along the fixed toothed wheel and thereby the spindle
and disc will be revolved as the frame carries them along the wheel.
I have found in practice that corks dipped in a suitable solution of india rubber or
gutta-percha and benzol require about three or four minutes to dry sufficiently
to receive another dipping and that-as the solution should not be too thick" but
I have also found that a very
fairly fluid-it is better to dip the corks three times.
suitable speed at which the corks should he revolved is from 20 to 30 revolutions per
minute. Further, from experiments I find that corks when revolved in a circular path
having about one foot radius dry fairly evenly but if the diameter of the discs
referred to were too great then even at 20 or 30 revolutions per minute of said discs,
there would be a tendency-by reason of centrifugal force-for the solution on
the corks situated near the periphery of said discs to be "thrown" ontwards

page_text: and thereby said corks would have a thick coating on one side and a comparatively
thin coating on the other.
•
Assuming that four minutes are required for the drying and 30 revolutions
per minute I cause the machine to revolve once in four minutes and I employ a pinion
of such diameter relatively to the diameter of the wheel around which it travels that
said pinion and consequently the disc revolved by it-will revolve 30 times on its.
own axis during each quarter revolution of the pinion around the wheel, or the
relative diameters of the pinion to the wheel may be greater in which event I
can obtain the same necessary number of revolutions by employing a revolvable
toothed wheel and causing said wheel to travel at a suitable speed in a direction con-
trary to the travel of the frame.
Each spindle during its travel is kept in its place by suitable rails or equivalents and I
prefer an opening to be left at a suitable part to permit of the spindle being
"dropped" into its place on the revolving frame and also so that after having been
carried completely around the wheel each spindle is permitted automatically-by the
action of gravity-to roll off the machine towards the place where the corks are to
be dipped.
The machine described so far is adapted only for revolving or drying and the
attendant takes the spindle referred to in the hand with the disc downward and dips
the corks which are on the needles projecting from the now underside of said disc-
in a suitable bath or vessel containing the solution. After taking them out
the spindle is placed as described on the machine which is in motion and thereby the
corks are at once revolved until a second revolution around the wheel is completed and
80 on. When employing dises about 25 inches in diameter with one inch from needle
to needle there is space for over three gross of corks on such a disc so that
that number of corks is simultaneously dipped and then dried as described and as an
attendant when expert should easily be able to dip and place on the machine 6 dises
per minute it will be seen that to keep one attendant fully employed as described the
machine should be large enough to carry 6×4 or 24 dises so that by means of such a
machine one person would be enabled to dip and dry over 70 gross of corks
in a quarter of an hour.
I do not confine myself to any particular dimensions of the parts referred to and
their speeds may be any which is found most suitable and if desired I may provide
means whereby at each complete revolution of the discs around the wheel the said
discs will be caused to move with the corks downwards so as to be dipped in the solu-
tion and then up again and then continue for another revolution.
Further, instead of said dises and spindles being caused to travel around a wheel as
described I may cause them to run by the action of gravity-or otherwise-down a
more or less straight rack set at any suitable inclination and I may employ suitable
and preferably automatically actuated mechanism to control the rate of travel of said
spindles along said racks.
Or I may employ a series of pivotally supported and normally horizontal needles
adapted to be moved in a horizontal direction said needles being at the same
time caused to revolve by reason of their frictional contact with a suitable rail
or equivalent. Suitable guide rails or equivalents being fixed in such a position that
as the needles or their supports come in contact with said guide rails said needles or
their supports are depressed and thereby dip the cork in a bath of solution and as
soon as the end of the guide rail is passed the action of gravity or of a spring brings
said needle and also the cork back to the horizontal position.
If desired, the revolvable needles or the revolvable discs firstly referred to may be
supported in stationary bearings and rotary motion imparted to such needles or discs
by any suitable means.
If the revolvable needles be employed I may provide the machine with suitable
means whereby a cork will be placed centrally and horizontally on each needle and
the finished corks will be pushed off the needles and if the dises are employed
I prefer to employ a suitable plate having a series of holes in it corresponding to the
size of the cork to be dipped and the number and positions of which holes correspond

page_text: with the number and positions of the needles on the disc so that when a cork has been
placed in each of the holes referred to I may press the needles on the dise
simultaneously into all the corks thus getting them centrally and in alignment with
the needles and all entered to practically the same depth which renders the
simultaneous dipping easier than if some corks were low down and others high up on
the needles.
If desired also I may cause a current of air to pass over the corks after having been
dipped so as to assist in the drying.
A Machine adapted to be Used in Coating or Drying, or both, of
Corks, Bungs, or other Stoppers.
I, CHARLES BAUER, of 34, Sussex Street, Warwick Square, London, S.W.,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
It is well known that ordinary plain corks, bungs and the like are not suitable to
be used for stoppering bottles or other vessels containing corrosive fluids such for
example as most acids, alkalis--including liquid ammonia-photographic chemicals
and many other corrosive fluids or solids by reason of the fact that these corrosive
fluids or solids attack or corrode the said corks rendering the corks useless and
endangering the purity of the contents of the vessel.
It has been customary to employ either glass stoppers or rubber plugs for
stoppering vessels containing corrosive fluids or solids but such glass stoppers or
rubber plugs are comparatively very expensive and by means of my invention a cheap
substitute for them may be readily provided.
It is known that an ordinary cork if coated with a suitable acid-resisting solution or
material practically answers all ordinary purposes about as well as a glass stopper or
rubber plug and if such coated. corks could be manufactured cheaply they would
supply a great want.
In coating corks by hand there is a great waste of time as each cork when dipped
must be held in a horizontal position and turned continuously at a proper speed so
that the solution shall dry fairly evenly and not run to the lowermost part. As a
solution of gutta-percha and benzol takes from three to ten minutes to dry properly
it is evident that even with the shorter period one person could not turn out a great
quantity especially in view of the fact that a cork should, for ordinary purposes have
three dippings. It is no doubt largely, if not wholly, due to this slow and compara-
tively expensive method of manufacture that hitherto such coated corks have not been
put on the market in any large quantities.
The object of my invention is to enable coated corks to be manufactured in
comparatively large quantities at a cost exceeding but little that of the materials
employed, and to this end I provide a machine or means by which a considerable
number of corks, dipped by hand, may be revolved so that the solution or coating shall.
dry practically evenly and if desired the dipping of the corks may also be accomplished
automatically.
In the accompanying drawing I illustrate one form of my invention.
Figs. 1 and 2 illustrate a face view and side elevation respectively of a disc A which
may be of wood or any other suitable material. Said disc is provided with a number
of needles-say one gross-which needles project on one side of said disc and each of
:

page_text: which needles is adapted to receive a cork D. The other side of the disc is provided
with a handle or spindle C by means of which spindle the operator can revolve the
dise and thereby the whole number of corks on the needles, the arrangement. being
such that the operator after the corks have been fixed on the needles dips the whole
number of corks simultaneously in a vessel containing the solution and then bringing
the disc to a vertical position he turns the spindle and thereby all the corks are
simultaneously revolved and dried. By this means an operator can easily coat and
dry from say one hundred to two or three hundred times as many corks-according
to the number of needles on the disc-as he could without my improved means.
33
In order to obviate the necessity of the operator turning the spindle as described I
may provide the spindle C with a toothed pinion N¹-Fig. 7-said spindle being
placed into suitable bearings so as to engage with a toothed wheel O so that when the
toothed wheel O is revolved or if the spindle be rolled along the toothed wheel said
spindle and consequently the disc A, and corks are revolved. Instead of a toothed
wheel I may employ a toothed rack which engages with the toothed spindle and
revolves the latter, but in the event of my employing a toothed wheel I prefer that
such toothed wheel O be stationary_Fig. 8 shows this in side elevation and Fig. 9 in
end view partly in section-and I provide a revolvable frame P which frame is
adapted, by means of suitable forks or equivalents p to carry around the periphery of
said toothed wheel a number of spindles C each provided with a disc A-shown in
dotted lines Fig. 8-the said spindles C being kept in position by means of suitable
rails Qor the like said rails having a conveniently arranged "break or opening so
that each spindle-with its disc-as it has been carried around the wheel,
automatically runs off the wheel-at the break-and along a pair of plain or if
desired toothed racks R towards the person who dips the corks, said corks-if they
require it are again dipped and placed on the machine. For this purpose I provide
a pair of rails R which slope towards the machine so that when the spindle is placed
thereon it will run towards the machine and against the periphery of the frame P, said
frame is provided at its periphery with racks or equivalents pl which engage with and
revolve the pinion N₁of the disc just run down the rail Runtil one of the forks p
reaches to the level of the rail R¹ when the spindle runs into said fork or forks and
will be carried round as before. In order that the machine may take a larger number
of discs I prefer to arrange the discs alternately projecting on one side and on the
other side as will be readily understood from Fig. 9. Instead of providing the
pinion closely adjacent to the disc A, said pinion may be situated at the opposite end
so as to act as a counterpoise as hereinafter referred to and the free end of the spindle
may be mde square as shown in Fig 10 so as to readily receive or be inserted into
such pinion or equivalent for revolving said disc. In this latter event the hole in the
pinion or equivalent would of course be made of corresponding shape but I wish it to
be understood that I do not confine myself to any particular arrangement or shape
of the parts for causing the disc to revolve nor to any particular dimensions of the
parts referred to, and their speeds may be any which is found most suitable.
As a further alternative I may employ a series of pivotally supported and normally
horizontal needles B shown in plan view in Fig. 11 which needles are adapted to be
moved in either a horizontal vertical or other direction, said needles-which carry the
corks D-being at the same time caused to revolve-when the plate or equivalent V
is rotated by reason of their frictional contact with a suitable rail S or equivalent,
said needles being for this purpose preferably provided with rollers s so that the
frictional contact shall be more effective. Suitable guide-rails T or equivalents being
fixed in such a position that as the needles or their supports come in contact with or
roll along said guide rails said needles or their supports are caused to move into a
vertical direction that the corks are automatically dipped in the solution and taken
out and revolved as will be readily understood on reference to Figs. 12 and 13 which
show a front and side elevation respectively of the guide rails T.
I may employ a series of discs adapted to be revolved in any suitable manner and
if desired the needles of which discs are also adapted to be revolved relatively to the
discs, or the discs may be stationary and the needles only revolved.

page_text: The means which I however prefer to employ on account of simplicity are those
shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings. I employ a series of discs such as shown
at A in Figs. 1 and 2 the handle or spindle C of each of which is provided or formed
with two rollers e which rollers are adapted to roll on a pair of suitably supported
rails or equivalents E, the rails E being arranged so as to slope to a slight but
sufficient extent so that when the rollers are placed on the highest part of the rails E
the spindle will roll down said rails and consequently the discs, with the needles and
the corks thereon, revolved. As the corks will usually be required to be dipped two
or three times in the solution it is desirable that when the operator has placed the
spindle on the rails and the discs has rolled a sufficient distance away from him that
said disc shall be caused to return to the operator. For this purpose I provide the
end of the straight rails E with curved rails F about as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 and at
the end of the curved part I provide a further straight run so that, referring to Fig. 4,
a dise may start at M and continue to run along the rails until it is returned to the
operator at L. It will be seen that the whole operation of turning the corks in this
arrangement is done by the action of gravity.
In order that the spindle will run readily around the curved part of the rails I
provide said spindle with a roller f which roller f runs along the outer bent rail F,
said roller being larger than the opposite roller e in the proportion that the "outer "
rail of the curved part is longer than the "inner" rail of said curve. It will also be
noticed that the outer rail F is supported lower down than the rails E this being due
to the greater depth of the roller f and so as to avoid said roller having to "climb "
on the outer rail. The spindle C is also preferably provided with a counterpoise N
so as to properly balance the disc whilst on the rails.
By the time the disc has travelled around and back to the operator, the corks
are dry enough either to be again dipped or to be removed. In order that the
operator need not wait until such disc has returned before he can again dip the corks
I employ a series of such discs the arrangement being such that when the first disc
has travelled a sufficient distance down the rails, the operator places a second disc on
the rails at M which will travel after, but a distance from, the first disc; the operator
then similarly places a third, fourth and so on, on the rails-according to the time
required for the first disc to return at L. When the first disc has arrived at L,
as will be understood from Fig. 4, the operator removes it, dips the corks a second
time if required, and places it on the rails, said first disc following the last disc
of the series. This operation continues until the corks of cach disc have been
dipped a sufficient number of times and the discs are then taken to have the corks
removed from the needles.
"
For the purpose of facilitating the placing of the corks on the needles I employ a
"cork-receiver consisting of a plate or board G (Fig. 5) having a number of holes h
the position of said holes corresponding with the position of the needles on the discs A.
In each of said holes is placed a cork-the size of the holes being preferably such
that said corks fit snugly therein--and the disc A is brought with its needles towards
the corks in the cork receiver and in order that each needle shall enter each relative
cork I provide the cork-receiver with guides such as I, and I form the discs with slots
or equivalents such as J so that the disc will be guided in its proper position and each
needle will enter one of the corks and when the disc is withdrawn each needle will
hold or support a cork.
In order to facilitate the removal of the corks from the needles when finished, I
prefer to employ a comb or rake K (Fig. 6) the prongs of which enter between the
corks and discs, and the needles B-which are in straight rows on the discs -come in
the slots between the prongs k.
In order that the needles on all discs shall be entered a like distance into their
corks, I provide the cork-receiver with stops H so that each disc will be pushed down
until it comes in contact with said stops. The beginning of the rails E is provided
with a guide or equivalent M by means of which all spindles may readily be
properly started on the rails and the end of said rails is provided with a stop L to
prevent any disc accidentally running or falling off.

page_text: I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to any particular shape or
dimensions of parts and in referring in the specification to "corks" I mean thereby
to include bungs or other stoppers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. A machine or means consisting of a disc such as A having needles adapted to
hold corks or other stoppers said needles projecting from one side and a handle or
spindle projecting from about the centre of the other side for the purpose and
substantially as set forth.
2. A machine or means consisting of a dise such as A having needles to hold corks
or other stoppers said needles being placed in rows across said disc so that the
prongs of a rake or comb K may be inserted between said needles for the purpose
and substantially as set forth.
3. A machine or means consisting of a disc such as A having needles adapted to hold
corks or other stoppers said disc being formed or provided with grooves or
equivalents J for the purpose and substantially as set forth.
4. A imachine or means consisting of a dise A having needles to hold corks or other
stoppers and a spindle such as C having rollers e adapted to roll down rails E .for. the
purpose and substantially as set forth.
5. A machine or means consisting of a disc A having needles to hold corks and a
spindle such as C having rollers e and f said rollers being adapted to roll along rails E
and Fall for the purposes and substantially as set forth."
6. In a inachine or means for revolving corks or other stoppers one or more rails
set at a decline for the purposes and substantially as set forth.
7. A machine or means for revolving corks or other stoppers in which the necessary
rotary motion is obtained by the action of gravity.
8. A machine or means for revolving corks or other stoppers said machine having
one or more dises the spindles of which discs are provided with a toothed pinion
which is adapted to be put in engagement with a toothed wheel or a toothed rack for
the purposes and substantially as set forth.
9. A inachine or means for revolving corks or other stoppers in which a series of
needles are rolled along a rail or equivalent for the purposes and substantially as set
forth.
10. A machine or means such as claimed in Claim in which the needles are
pivotally supported so that said needles or the supports may be caused to dip the
corks automatically by reason of said needles or supports coming in contact with
suitable guide rails substantially as set forth.
11. A machine or means for revolving corks or other stoppers consisting of one or
more discs provided with needles adapted to receive corks said 'needles being adapted
to be revolved relatively to the discs for the purpose and substantially as set forth.
12. The improved means for adjusting revolving and removing corks or other
stoppers substantially as hereinbefore set forth.
13. A machine or means adapted to be used in coating or drying or both of a
number of corks bungs or other stoppers simultaneously, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 8th day of November 1897.
CHARLES BAUER.