An Instrument for Clearing Broken Corks from the Necks of Bottles or Liquid-containing Vessels, applicable also for other purposes.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Instrument for Clearing Broken Corks from the Necks of Bottles
or Liquid-containing Vessels, applicable also for other purposes.
I, CHARLES CLIFFORD HULL, of 69, Westwick Gardens, West Kensington, in the
County of London, Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention has for its object an instrument by means of which a broken cork
situated in the neck of a bottle, or liquid-containing vessel may be pushed into
such bottle or vessel and kept sufficiently clear of the neck or exit therefrom to
allow the liquid free passage whilst it is being poured out.
In carrying my invention into practical effect I take a rod of any suitable
substance or material and sharpen one end thereof so as to form a spike. The
other end thereof I bend or turn round so as to form a crook the extremity of
which terminates in a loop; or I may form this crook, in any other convenient
way than by so turning or bending this end of the rod. At à distance of about
an inch or thereabouts from the sharpened end of the said rod I fix a disc or its
equivalent, the said rod passing through the centre thereof.
When a cork becomes broken or fixed in the neck of a bottle or like vessel,
the said rod is passed into the neck of such bottle and coming in contact with
the cork, is caused to push it inwards by means of pressing upon the crook. When
pressure on the crook is now continued the cork will be thrust into the bottle
and there prevented from re-entering the neck of the bottle by the projecting rod.
In cases where the pointed end of the rod pierces the cork, it will remain fixed on
the end of the spike, and is prevented passing too far up the rod by coming in
contact with the disc. The crooked part of the apparatus will now be situated
close to and touching the outside of the neck of the bottle, so that the bottle can
be grasped by the hand and the forefinger placed on the crook, when the bend
of the crook will be pulled clear of the mouth of the bottle and the rod will be held
within the neck thereof. The contents of the bottle can now be poured out
without any inconvenience being caused by the broken cork. If required the
crook may be replaced by a spring which may be similarly shaped and is passed
into the neck of the bottle together with the sharpened end of the rod. This
spring, when the contents of the bottle are poured out, bears against the inside
Or the
of the bottle neck, and so retains the spike and cork within the bottle.
rod can be held in position by a spring on the outside of the bottle instead of
holding the same with the finger.
The sharpened end of the rod is made of such strength that it can be used in
addition as an ice breaker, and also to remove wire from aerated water, cham-
pagne, and the like, bottles.

page_text: An Instrument for Clearing Broken Corks from the Necks of Bottles
or Liquid-containing Vessels, applicable also for other purposes.
I, CHARLES CLIFFORD HULL, of 69, Westwick Gardens, West Kensington, in the
County of London, Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
My invention has for its object an instrument by means of which a broken cork
situated in the neck of a bottle, or inquid-containing vessel may be pushed into
such bottle or vessel and kept sufficiently clear of the neck or exit therefrom to
allow the liquid free passage whilst it is being poured out.
In carrying my invention into practical effect I take a rod of any suitable
substance or material and sharpen one end thereof so as to form a spike. The
other end thereof I bend or turn round so as to form a crook the extremity of
which terminates in a loop; or I may form this crook in any other convenient
way than by so turning or bending this end of the rod. At a distance of about
an inch or thereabouts from the sharpened end of the said rod I fix a disc or its
equivalent, the said rod passing through the centre thereof.
When a cork becomes broken or fixed in the neck of a bottle or like vessel,
the said rod is passed into the neck of such bottle and coming in contact with
the cork, is caused to push it inwards by means of pressing upon the crook. When
pressure on the crook is now continued the cork will be thrust into the bottle
and there prevented from re-entering the neck of the bottle by the projecting rod.
In cases where the pointed end of the rod pierces the cork, it will remain fixed on
the end of the spike and is prevented passing too far up the rod by coming in
contact with the disc. The crooked part of the apparatus will now be situated
close to and touching the outside of the neck of the bottle, so that the bottle can
be grasped by the hand and the forefinger placed on the crook, when the bend
of the crook will be pulled clear of the mouth of the bottle and the rod will be held
within the neck thereof. The contents of the bottle can now be poured out
without any inconvenience being caused by the broken cork. If required the
crook may be replaced by a spring which may be similarly shaped and is passed
into the neck of the bottle together with the sharpened end of the rod. This
spring, when the contents of the bottle are poured out, bears against the inside
of the bottle neck, and so retains the spike and cork within the bottle. Or the
rod can be held in position by a spring on the outside of the bottle instead of
holding the same with the finger.
My invention will be better understood by the aid of the accompanying draw-
ings, of which-
Fig. 1 is a view of the instrument,
Fig. 2 illustrates the instrument in use,
Fig. 3 is a modified form of instrument, and
Fig. 4 shows the application of such modified form.
As shown in Fig. 1 the instrument consists of a suitable length of wire one
portion A of which is straight and has its free end pointed and provided with a
stop collar B, whilst the other portion C is bent to an approximately S shape.
When using such an instrument, the pointed end of the portion A is forced into
the broken cork until the latter meets the stop collar B, when by continuing the
pressure the said cork will be forced into the body of the bottle, and so held by
grasping the looped end of the portion C, as shown in Fig. 2.
In the modified form of instrument shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the opposite portion

page_text: of the wire to that having its free end pointed and provided with a stop collar,
is provided with a handle 1) and is so bent that when in use said handle will occupy
a position to one side of the mouth of the bottle.
This handle D also carries a spring piece E which when the instrument is in
use, grips the neck of the bottle, as shown in Fig. 4, and so holds the whole in
position.
The sharpened end of the rod is made of such strength that is can be used in
addition as an ice breaker, and also to remove wire from aerated water, .cham-
pagne, and the like bottles.
.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
(1) An instrument for clearing broken corks from the necks of bottles or liquid-
containing vessels, substantially as described and illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of
the accompanying drawings.
(2) An instrument for clearing broken corks from the necks of bottles or liquid-
containing vessels, substantially as described and illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 of
the accompanying drawings.
(3) In an instrument for clearing broken corks from the necks of bottles or
liquid-containing vessels, the combination with the pointed end of a portion of
such instrument such as A of a stop such as B substantially as and for the purpose
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
T +1
1
1000
CASTLE SMITH,
Invention" Office, Mitre Court, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.