IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CLOSING AND OPENING OF NECKED VESSELS OR BOTTLES.
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frederick Trotman, of the Zoological Gardens,
Regent's Park, in the County of Middlesex, Refreshment Con-
tractor, and George Brooke Price, of 26, Coleshill Street, Birming-
ham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CLOSING AND OPENING OF NECKED VESSELS OR
BOTTLES.'
"
Sealed the 15th November 1872, and dated the 3rd September 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frederick Trotman
and George Brooke Price at the Office of the Commisioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 3rd September 1872.
We, FREDERICK TROTMAN, of the Zoological Gardens, Regent's Park,
in the County of Middlesex, Refreshment Contractor, and GEORGE
BROOKE PRICE, of 26, Coleshill Street,. Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CLOSING AND OPENING OF NECKED VESSELS OR
BOTTLES," to be as follows:-
The Invention has reference to hanging elastic washers, discs, or
pistons for vessels or bottles intended to contain aerated liquids, and
comprises the carrying the piston by a single rod passing through the
neck or narrow part, the rod being sometimes furnished at one part or
at more than one part of its length with projections or a guide, or being

page_text: so bent or formed as to constitute a guide to keep it approximately in a
central position, the lower end of the rod carrying the piston and the
upper end terminating in a ring, or kink, or knob, or handle, of dimen-
sions too large to pass through the neck or narrow part, and by which
the piston may be pulled for closing and pressed upon for opening the
vessel or bottle.
Also the Invention comprises the carrying the piston by two rods
instead of by one passing through the neck or narrow part of the vessel
or bottle, the rods being so disposed, bent, or shaped as of themselves to
become a guide to obtain the approximately central position, the lower
ends carrying the piston as before and the upper ends terminating in a
ring, or kink, or knob, or handle as before.
The Invention has reference also to pistons, as above set forth, to be
used not only with aerated liquids but also with liquids in which fermen-
tation or pressure occurs subsequently to the time of bottling, and also
with other liquids, and consists in bending or shaping the rod or rods so
as to receive a pin or wedge to bear upon or against the mouth of the
vessel or bottle and hold the piston closed until the fermentation or
pressure,takes place or until the pin or wedge is withdrawn.
Also with reference to pistons, as above set forth, to be used with
aerated liquids and with non-aerated, unfermented, and other liquids;
the Invention comprises the carrying the piston by a vertical plate
terminating at the lower end in a rod or stem or piston carrier, single or
not single, passing through the neck or narrow part of the vessel or
bottle, the plate being so formed or shaped as to become a guide to
obtain the approximately central position, and the upper part of the
plate forming a handle as before, and a hole through the plate for
receiving a securing pin or wedge, being or not provided as the circum-
stances may require.
277
"
Throughout this Specification the terms "hanging," "lower end,"
upper end," and "vertical," and other terms herein used, are intended
to have reference to vessels or bottles standing, held, or presented
with the mouth upwards.
In the accompanying Drawing Figures 1 and 2 are sections of a bottle
furnished with the elastic piston shewn in the open and closed positions
respectively. a is the bottle%; b, the rod formed of stout wire; c, the
projections or guide on same, one only shewn, but more may be used;

page_text: d, the piston at the lower end; and e, terminal ring or handle at upper
end.
Figure 3 is plan of projections or guide c, and Figure 4 plan of piston.
Figure 5 shews a modification, the guide c being formed by the wire
of the rod, being bent or formed into a horizontal ring to fit easily within
the diameter of the neck.
Figure 6 shews the piston carried by two rods instead of by one, both
being formed by one piece of wire bent so as also to form the ring handle
as well as the guide.
Round wire is shewn, but other sections are also useful, such for
instance a half round as in Figure 7, where one screw for receiving the
piston is shewn as cut on the two ends when placed together.
Figure 8 shews a single rod of wire bent to form a vertical ring or
guide c. This as a guide is not so perfect as the horizontal ring c in
Figure 5, but when the piston is raised a wooden or other wedge may be
passed through it for securing the closed position.
Figure 9 shews this object provided for by bending the wire without
forming a guide ring c, the place or position = being intended for the pin
or wedge.
y
Figures 10 and 10ª, two views of another modification, the wire being
flattened and holes pierced in stem at bend, and at end for reception of
pin; and Figure 11, another modification, the hole being elongated for a
wedge instead of a pin.
Figures 12 & 13, other modifications of the rod; etc., shewn in
Figures 10 and 10ª, one pin hole only instead of two being provided;
Figure 12 shewing the hole pierced at the bend in stem, and Figure 13
at the end; in either of these cases elongated holes for wedges may be
substituted..
When it is desired to secure by a pin or wedge a piston attached to
two rods, as above set forth, this may be accomplished by crossing the
rods as in Figure 14, the pin being applied at y.
Instead of wire, as in the Figures above described, I sometimes stamp
or punch the rod or rods and ring handle out of sheet metal.
A few illustrations corresponding to some of the foregoing cases are
shewn at Figures 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19; also the Figures 17, 18, and 19,

page_text: if considered or read as without the perforations or openings which are
delineated, serve also to illustrate the vertical plate piston carriers above
set forth.
All the forms represented in the several Figures may be produced by
casting as well as by stamping or punching the holes for the pins or
wedges, being if desired produced at the time of stamping, or punching,
or casting, or subsequently.
In all cases an elastic washer, disc, or piston is intended, though not
represented in all the Figures. The washer, disc, or piston is held
between two metal plates as shewn, the upper one being smaller than
the lower to afford facility for the introduction of the piston into the
bottle, and the larger size of the lower one preventing the piston being
readily forced out of it or withdrawn.
In some cases the metal work whether of wire, or stamped, or cast,
is to be tinned or plated.
We would remark that a block or wedge may also be employed for
securing the pistons in the cases of those illustrated by the Figures 6, 7,
and 18, the block or wedge being made sufficiently deep to extend from
the top of the mouth of the bottle to the under side of the top of the
ring handle.
Also that the Invantion comprises any convenient combinations of the
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Frederick Trotman and George Brooke Price in
the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd March 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, FREDERICK
TROTMAN, of the Zoological Gardens, Regent's Park, in the County of
Middlesex, Refreshment Contractor, and GEORGE BROOKE PRICE, of 26,
Coleshill Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixtli year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give

page_text: and grant unto us, the said Frederick Trotman and George Brooke Price,
Her special license that we, the said Frederick Trotman and George'
Brooke Price, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as we, the said Frederick Trotman and George Brooke Price, our 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
CLOSING AND OPENING OF NECKED VESSELS OR BOTTLES," upon the condition
(amongst others) that we, the said Frederick Trotman and George
Brooke Price, our executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the hand and seal
of one of us or them, 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 Frederick Trotman, on behalf of
myself and the said George Brooke Price, 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, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing
and the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to say:-
Firstly. The Invention has reference to hanging elastic washers, discs,
or pistons for vessels or bottles intended to contain aerated liquids, and
comprises and consists in the carrying the piston by a single rod passing
through the neck or narrow part, the rod being sometimes furnished at
one part or at more than one part of its length with projections or a
guide to keep it approximately in a central position, the lower end of
the rod carrying the piston and the upper end terminating in a ring, or
kink, or knob, or handle, of dimensions too large to pass through the
neck or narrow part, and by which the piston may be pulled for closing
and pressed upon for opening the vessel or bottle.
Secondly. The Invention comprises and consists in the carrying the
piston by two rods instead of by one, passing through the neck or narrow
part of the vessel or bottle, the rods being so disposed, bent, or shaped as

page_text: of themselves to become a guide to obtain the approximately central
position, the lower ends carrying the piston as before and the upper ends
terminating in a ring, or kink, or knob, or handle as before.
Thirdly. The Invention has reference also to pistons, as above set
forth, to be used not only with aerated liquids, but also with liquids in
which fermentation or pressure occurs subsequently to the time of
bottling, and also with other liquids, and comprises and consists in the
bending or shaping the rod or rods so as to receive a pin or wedge to
bear upon or against the mouth of the vessel or bottle and hold the
piston closed until the fermentation or pressure takes place or until the
pin or wedge is withdrawn.
And Fourthly, and lastly. With reference to pistons, as above set
forth, to be used with aerated liquids and with non-aerated, unfermented,
and other liquids, the Invention comprises and consists in the carrying
the piston by a vertical plate terminating at the lower end in a rod, or
stem, or piston carrier passing through the neck or narrow part of the
vessel or bottle, the plate being so formed or shaped as to become a guide
to obtain the approximately central position, and the upper part of the
plate forming a handle as before, and a hole through the plate for
receiving, a securing pin or wedge being provided or not provided as the
circumstances may require.
Throughout this Specification the terms "hanging," "lower end,”
upper end," and "vertical," and other terms herein used are intended
to have reference to vessels or bottles standing, held, or presented with
the mouth upwards.
The accompanying Drawings illustrate the several improvements.
With reference to the first of these, Figures 1 and 2 are sections of a
bottle furnished with the hanging elastic piston shown in the open and
closed positions respectively. a is the bottle; b, the rod formed of stout
wire; c, the projections or guide on same (formed of metal), one only
shewn but more may be used; d, the washer or piston at the lower end
(formed of vulcanized india-rubber) and held between two small metal
plates; e, the terminal ring or handle at upper end.
.
Figure 3 is plan of projections or guide c, and Figure 4 plan of piston,
in which the dotted circle denotes the lower plate.
With reference to the second improvement, Figure 6 shews the piston
carried by two rods instead of by one, both being formed by one piece

page_text: of wire bent so as also to form the ring handle as well as the guide and
piston carrier. Round wire is shewn, but other sections are also useful,
such for instance as half round, as in Figure 7, where one screw for
receiving the piston is shewn as cut on the two ends when placed
together.
With reference to the third improvement Figure 9 shews a single rod
of wire so bent that when the piston is raised a wooden or other wedge
may be passed underneath and through it at and against the mouth of
the bottle for securing the closed position. Figures 12 and 13 are modi-
fications of the rod, etc., the wire being flattened in a convenient spot
thereon and a hole pierced through the flattened part for reception of
the pin.
Figure 12 shews the hole pierced at the bend in stem, and Figure 13
at the end; in either of these cases elongated holes for wedges may be
substituted.
When it is desired to secure by a pin or wedge a piston attached to
two rods, this may be accomplished by crossing the rods as in Figure 14,
the pin being applied at y.
Instead of wire, as in the Figures above described, I sometimes stamp
or punch the rod or rods and ring handle out of sheet metal.
A few illustrations corresponding to some of the foregoing cases are
shown at Figures 15, 16, 17, 18, and 19, the Figures 15 and 18 as
adapted for aerated and 16, 17, and 19 for non-aerated liquids.
With reference to the fourth improvement the Figures 18" and 19ª
illustrate the vertical plate piston carriers above set forth; m in these
Figures shews the hole for securing pin or wedge, to be provided or
omitted as desired.
All the forms represented in the several Figures may be produced by
casting, and those represented in Figures 15 to 19ª by stamping or
punching the holes for the pins or wedges, being if desired produced at
the time of stamping, or punching, or casting, or subsequently.
In all cases an elastic washer, disc, or piston is intended, though not
represented in all the Figures. The washer, disc, or piston is held
between two metal plates as shewn, the upper one being smaller than
the lower to afford facility for the introduction of the piston into the

page_text: bottle, and the larger diameter of the lower one preventing the piston
being readily forced out of it or withdrawn.
When it is desired to fix the wire or piston rod more securely to the
bottom washer the said washer may be thicker or may be formed with a
lump or knob on the under side (as in Figures 18* and 19*), into which
the wire or rod may be more firmly screwed. This remark is intended
to apply generally.
In some cases the metal work, whether of wire, or stamped, or cast,
´is to be` tinned or plated.
In all cases a disc of cardboard or metal may be employed as a label,
as represented in Figure 20, which may be printed, or stamped, or orna-
mented as desired.
I would remark that a block or wedge may also be employed for
securing the pistons in the cases of those illustrated by the Figures 6, 7,
and 18, the block or wedge being made sufficiently deep to extend from
the top of the mouth of the bottle to the under side of the top of the
ring handle.
Also I would remark that inasmuch as bottles of so called uniform size
are not so accurately, but vary too much both in the length and internal
diameter of the neck to allow of the application of a strictly uniform
size of hanging piston, we contemplate making the several parts of the
pistons of various slightly differing sizes as to length and diameter, and
selecting for any particular bottle such parts to be made up or put
together as by gauging it it is found to require.
And lastly I would remark that the Invention comprises and consists
in any convenient combinations of the parts and alternatives herein set
forth or described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frederick Trotman, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this First day of March, One thousand
eight hundred and seventy.three
.