IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS, AND IN THE MBANG EMPIAVED IN SUCH MANUFACTURE
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Brooks, of No. 31, Cumberland Market,
Regent's Park, and No. 138, Hampstead Road, both in the County
of Middlesex, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS, AND IN
THE MBANG EMPIAVED IN SUCH MANUFACTURE
"
Sealed the 20th January 1871, and dated, the 25th July 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Brooks at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th July 1870.
I, HENRY BROOKS, of No. 31, Cumberland Market, Regent's Park,
and No. 138, Hampstead Road, both in the County of Middlesex,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER
VESSELS, AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED IN SUCH MANUFACTURE," to be as
follows:-
:-
The object of the improvements is the production of a stopper formed
partly of metal and partly of cork or other suitable elastic material

page_text: adapted to various sizes of bottles or other vessels, the metal portion
being obtained by stamping in suitable dies. For this purpose the
metal portion is formed cylindrical with a hole through it, and tapped
at both ends with a flange or enlargement between. The tapped portion
at one end is adapted to receive a screw cap or cover, and that at the
other end a cylinder of cork or other suitable elastic material to fit
tightly in the neck of the bottle or other vessel.
In carrying out my improvements I obtain by stamping a cylinder
of the metal with a recess in one end thereof, or with a hole in the
direction of its length. The metal so formed is then subjected to the
_action of another set of dies formed so that a part thereof enlarges
the recess. or hole into a hole through it from end to end, or as far as
necessary, whilst other portions by compression form the threads and
the flange.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Henry Brooks in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 25th January 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
BROOKS, of No. 31, Cumberland Market, Regent's Park, and No. 138,
Hampstead Road, both in the County of Middlesex, Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-fourth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Henry Brooks, Her special licence that I,
the said Henry Brooks, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Henry Brooks, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES AND OTHER VESSELS, AND IN THE MEANS EMPLOYED IN SUCH
MANUFACTURE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Henry Brooks, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in

page_text: writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Henry Brooks, do hereby declare -
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
The object of the improvements is the production of a stopper formed
partly of metal and partly of cork or other suitable elastic material
adapted to various sizes of bottles or other vessels, the metal portion
being obtained by stamping in suitable dies. For this purpose the
metal portion is formed cylindrical with a hole through it, and tapped
at both ends with a flange or enlargement between. The tapped portion
at one end is adapted to receive a screw cap or cover, and that at the
other end a cylinder of cork or other suitable material to fit tightly in
the neck of the bottle or other vessel.
In carrying out my improvements I obtain by stamping a cylinder
of the metal with a recess in one end thereof, or with a hole in the
direction of its length. The metal so formed is then subjected to the
action of another set of dies formed so that a part thereof enlarges
the recess or hole into a hole through it from end to end, or as far as
necessary, whilst other portions by compression form the other parts and
the flange.
But that the Invention may be fully understood, I will by the aid of
the accompanying Drawings proceed to describe means pursued by me
in carrying the same into effect.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
The metal I prefer to employ is pure tin. Figure 1 represents by
plan, front, under side, and sectional views a piece of such metal obtained
in the usual way by stamping from a sheet of it, and which piece of
dinavily gallad "dumb" A " dumn" such ne
innd

page_text: a support e capable of adjustment so as to maintain the position of the
upper end of the plug c at the height desired during the action on the
metal a of the upper punch f, by which the piece of metal a is acted
upon in the die b, as shown by Figure 3. The punch f is then again
raised, and the lever d is caused to raise the plug c, by which the
metal a may be lifted out of the die b, as shown by Figure 4, so as to
be readily removed by the fingers of the operator off the upper end of
the plug c. Figure 5 shows by sectional and other views the form thus
given to the metal a. Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9, show various views of
these dies and plug separately. The metal a, Figure 5, is then placed
on the plug in the die h, as represented by the red lines in Figure 10,
when by the coming down of the upper die i the parts are brought into.
the position indicated by Figure 11. The upper die is then raised when
it will take with it the metal a, having the form given to it as shown
by Figure 12. In this case the metal will be forced into the upper
die i so as to form a thread on the upper neck thereof a', as is more
clearly indicated by the separate views of a form of metal thus produced
as shewn by Figures 13, 14, 15, and 16.
I
It will be seen by these last operations that the hole or recess a²
obtained by the first set of dies is now extended to near the upper end
thereof, leaving only a thin piece of metal at such upper end as to be
pierced with a very fine or other sized hole, as may be desired; or, if
desired, the internal plug g of the dies h may in the action of those
dies cause a hole to be at once pierced through the tubular portion of
the metal a, as shown by Figures 17, 18, and 19. A thread, grooves,
or other roughening, and flanges or wings are now formed on the outer
surface of the lower tubular portion a', as shown by Figure 20, to
facilitate the holding of that part in a cylinder of cork or other suitable
material.
A convenient method I adopt to produce these effects is shown in
operation by side view and section of dies at Figures 21 and 22, and by
separate views of the parts of the respective dies at Figures 23 to 32.
In each of these Figures A is the lower die and B the upper one,
and each of these dies is formed with rings or screw-like recesses or
grooves A and B', whilst the edges of these parts are inclined at 2, 2,
to aid in the formation of the ribs or wings a when one of the metallic
stoppers in the course of formation is placed between the dies. Previous
to subjecting a stopper to the action of these dies a small mandril C,

page_text: Figure 33, is placed in the interior of the tubular portion a* to give it
support and prevent it from collapsing when pinched between the dies
A, B.
When a cork or other cylinder has been applied on this
portion at the outer end a³ of such portion is spread out or turned down
thereon, as shown by Figure 34, so as to further aid in firmly holding
the cork or other matter on the part a*.
In Figure 34, represents a cylinder of cork or other flexible material
applied to the part a', and m shows a screw cap adapted to the upper
end of the stopper.
A hole or holes may if desired, be formed in the tubular portion
above the flange to act with the hole in the end thereof in regulating
the supply from bottles or other vessels having such stoppers applied to
them, so that the same may be used for sprinkling, dropping, or pouring,
as may be desired.
Figures 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, and 41, show various views of the dies
and plugs separately employed as described in respect of Figures 10, 11,
and 12.
In carrying out these improvements the lower dies are fixed in presses
and the upper dies are operated as is well understood in the manufacture
of metallic capsules and other soft metal tubes.
Having thus described my Invention and means which I adopt in
carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise forms or shapes shown, or the exact
method of operating shown and described, as the same may be varied
without departing from the peculiar character of my Invention; but
what I claim is, the manufacture of stoppers for bottles and other vessels
by stamping, substantially as described; and also I claim the means
employed in such manufacture, substantially as described.
In witness whereof I, the said Henry Brooks, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Twenty-fourth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.