IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES FOR CONTAINING AËRATED OR GASEOUS LIQUIDS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR BOTTLING SUCH AERATED OR GASEOUS LIQUIDS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Leon Vallet, of Liverpool, in the County of Lan-
caster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES
FOR CONTAINING AËRATED OR GASEOUS LIQUIDS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED
FOR BOTTLING SUCH AERATED OR GASEOUS LIQUIDS."
Sealed the 9th April 1875, and dated the 10th February 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Leon Vallet at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
10th February 1875.
I, LEON VALLET, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES FOR CONTAINING AËRATED OR GASEOUS LIQUIDS, AND IN
APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR BOTTLING SUCH AËRATED OR GASEOUS LIQUIDS," to be
as follows:
The first part of my Invention relates to a novel form of internal
bottle stopper to be used for aërated or gaseous liquids, and consists of a
short stem or plug, one end of which, being the top thereof, is formed

page_text: especially applicable for bottling liquids stoppered with a stopper, as
described in the first part of this Invention.
A bottling apparatus constructed according to my Invention consists
of a frame, the top of which projects and carries the usual filling pipe.
The bottom of the frame is provided with a treadle, which works a base
plate having a vertical travel. Inside the frame there is mounted a
sliding bottle-holder hung on a pivot or trunnion.. The bottle-holder is
actuated by the treadle and sliding base plate before mentioned. The
top of the bottle-holder is provided with an adjustable pipe, the top of
which takes on to the supply or filling pipe, which has a suitable socket
to receive it. The pipe is provided with a suitable self-acting valve or
other means for allowing the liquid to pass therethrough. The bottom
of the pipe is provided with a suitable socket to receive the neck of the
bottle. The pipe is held down and in position by a spring and is
operated by a lever.
In operation the bottle (provided with an internal stopper) is placed
in the bottle-holder, the spring causing the pipe at the top of the holder
to fit securely over the mouth of the bottle. The treadle is then
operated and the bottle-holder raised until the pipe on the top thereof
forms a joint with the main supply pipe. The bottle is then filled in the
usual manner, and when filled is lowered by releasing the treadle and
the bottle-holder and bottle turned round and inverted, allowing the
internal stopper to take its position in the neck of the bottle and stopper
the bottle. The bottle is then removed by working the lever and spring,
and the bottle-holder resumes its normal position and the operation may
be repeated.
The hottle holdas mix ha nonvided wi
11
30
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Leon Vallet in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 7th August 1875..

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of February, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in
the thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Leon Vallet, Her
special licence that I, the said Leon Vallet, my executors, admi-
nistrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Leon Vallet,
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 STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES FOR CONTAINING AËRATED OR GASEOUS
LIQUIDS, AND IN APPARATUS EMPLOYED FOR BOTTLING SUCH AËRATED OR GASEOUS
LIQUIDS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Leon
Vallet, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in 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 Leon Vallet, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:—
The first part of my Invention relates to a novel form of internal
bottle stopper to be used for aërated or gaseous liquids, and consists of a
short stem or plug, one end of which, being the top thereof, is formed
with a head of diameter to pass easily through the neck of the bottle to
be stoppered; the other end or bottom of the plug developes into a hollow
cone, the base of which is of diameter equal to the head of the stopper.
At the apex of the cone there is provided a groove or cap so made as to
hold an india-rubber or other elastic washer, which washer covers the
surface of the cone.
Stoppers constructed according to this Invention are constructed of a
material or metal of sufficient gravity as to cause the stopper always to
fall into the neck of the bottle with the head downwards, the cone with
the india-rubber washer securely stoppering the bottle. Tinned metal or

page_text: to receive it. The pipe is provided with a suitable self-acting valve or
other means for allowing the liquid to pass therethrough. The bottom
of the pipe is provided with a suitable socket to receive the neck of the
bottle. The pipe is held down and in position by a spring, and is
operated by a lever.
In operation the bottle (provided with an internal stopper) is placed
in the bottle-holder, the spring causing the pipe at the top of the holder
to fit securely over the mouth of the bottle. The treadle is then operated
and the bottle-holder raised until the pipe on the top thereof forms a
joint with the main supply pipe. The bottle is then filled in the usual
manner, and when filled is lowered by releasing the treadle and the
bottle-holder and bottle turned round and inverted, allowing the internal
stopper to take its position in the neck of the bottle and stopper the
bottle. The bottle is then removed by working the lever and spring,
and the bottle-holder resumes its normal position and the operation may
be repeated.
The bottle-holder may be provided with a safety shield or guard, as is
understood.
The beforegoing being the nature, object, and purposes of this my
Invention, I will now proceed to describe more in detail how the same
may be carried out into practical effect, and for that purpose I have
hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof marked with
letters and figures of reference corresponding with those in the following
explanation :-
Like letters and figures marked on the Drawings denote similar parts
throughout the various views.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a stopper constructed according to my
Invention. Figure 2 is a plan of same.
Figures 3, 4, and 5 are modifications of stoppers constructed according
to my Invention.
Upon reference it will be seen that the stopper consists of a short
stem or plug a formed with a head 6 of diameter to pass easily through
the neck of the bottle. The bottom of the stem or plug at c developes
into a hollow cone, the base of which may be of diameter to pass easily
through the neck of the bottle. At the apex of the cone c there is
.provided a ridge and cap d, which ridge holds an india-rubber or other
suitable elastic washer e. In some instances the head 6 may be formed

page_text: with a groove b¹ to receive an india-rubber ring to prevent the danger of
the stopper breaking the bottle, or the whole head 6 may be covered
with an india-rubber or elastic cap.
Referring to Figures 6 and 7, which illustrate the second part of my
Invention, A. is a frame, the top of which projects and carries the usual
filling pipe A'. The bottom of the frame is provided with a treadle
which works a base plate or head B, imparting a vertical travel. Inside
the frame A. there is mounted a vertical sliding bottle-holder C. The
bottle-holder is actuated by the sliding base or head B worked by the
treadle. The top of the bottle-holder C is provided with an adjustable
pipe D, the top of which D¹ takes on to the supply or filling pipe A¹,
which is provided with a suitable socket and packing to receive it. The
pipe D is provided with a suitable self-acting valve or cock D², and the
bottom of the pipe is provided with a suitable socket or packing to
receive the neck of the bottle. The pipe D is held down on the neck of
the bottle by the spiral spring E pressing on a suitable collar. The
pipe D is worked by the lever and handle F, which also serves as a
handle for inverting the bottle. The bottle-holder O is pivoted to the
frame A by the sliding stud G, which is arranged to allow vertical travel
or rotary motion to be imparted to the bottle. H is a bottle in position,
shown in Figure 6 in position for filling, and in Figure 7 in an inverted
position to allow of the stopper falling into the neck. The stopper a is
in both instances shown in section.

page_text: Figures 17 and 18 represent a mould for casting stoppers constructed
according to my Invention. h is a frame of the mould; h¹, four holes;
k, k', two pieces placed one upon the other, comprising the principal
part of the mould. The interior is cut out in such a manner as to form
any of the different models of stoppers as herein-before represented. The
moulten metal is run into the centre of the mould through the holes 7.
The mould is afterwards opened by means of the lever m fixed on the
frame h. The plate n has formed upon it the cores j, which serve to
form the hollow base of the stoppers. This plate is actuated by the
lever t, which has its fulcrum at t¹ and works in the jaws t³.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature, object, and
purposes of this my Invention, and shown how the same may be put
into operation, what I claim as my Invention and secured to me by
Letters Patent as aforesaid is,―
Firstly. Constructing a gravitating stopper (for internally stoppering
bottles containing aërated or gaseous liquids) with its head of superior
weight or specific gravity to the base or body thereof, substantially in
the manner and for the purposes described in the beforegoing Specifi-
cation and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
Secondly. The improvements in stoppers for bottles for containing
aërated or gaseous liquids, and in apparatus employed for bottling such
aërated or gaseous liquids, the whole as shown in the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings and described in the beforegoing Specification.
In witness whereof, I, the said Leon Vallet, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.