A NEW OR IMPROVED CORK- SCREW OR CORK DRAWER
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Richard Willan Bradnock of Moseley in the County of
Worcester Brassfounder for an Invention of A NEW OR IMPROVED CORK-
SCREW OR CORK DRAWER
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Richard Willan Bradnock
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th June 1883.
RICHARD WILLAN BRADNOCK of Moseley in the County of Worcester Brass
Founder "A NEW OR IMPROVED CORK SCREW OR CORK DRAWER
"
In making a cork screw or cork drawer according to my invention I take two
taper pins having a length about equal to that of an ordinary cork. The said pins
are bent so as to form portions of a helix each pin making about one half of a
convolution. These curved pins are fixed in one face of a strong steel or other
hard metallic disc of about an inch in diameter and about midway between the
centre and edge of the disc and opposite each other. To the other face of the said
disc a stem and cross handle are affixed. The said pins taper from their base part
or part fixed to the disc their free ends being pointed. The pins may be fixed in
the disc by riveting brazing or screwing
In using my new or improved cork screw or cork drawer the points of the pins
are placed on the top of the cork and the instrument turned by its handle in
the direction proper to drive home a screw a gentle downward pressure being
exerted When the handle has been turned through a semi rotation the pins
will have entered and embedded themselves in the cork and by continuing to turn
the handle in the same direction the cork is loosened and by pulling the cork screw
upwards is withdrawn from the neck of the bottle.
Although in practice two curved pins as described answer well yet I do not
limit myself thereto as three or more may be employed. I prefer to make the
pins and disc of steel. The stem may be made of brass and the handle of wood but
I do not limit myself to the use of any particular materials

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Richard Willan Bradnock in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 18th December 1883.
RICHARD WILLAN BRADNOCK of Moseley in the County of Worcester Brass
Founder. "A NEW OR IMPROVED CORKSCREW OR CORK DRAWER
"
In making a corkscrew or cork drawer according to my invention I take two
taper pins having a length about equal to that of an ordinary cork. The said pins
are bent so as to form portions of a helix, cach pin making about one half of a
convolution. These curved pins are fixed in one face of a strong steel or other
hard metallic disc of about an inch in diameter and about midway between the
centre and the edge of the disc and opposite each other. To the other face of the
said disc a stem and cross handle are aflixed. The said pins taper from their base
part or part fixed to the disc, their free ends being pointed. The pins may be fixed
in the disc by riveting, brazing or screwing.
In using my new or improved cork screw or cork-drawer the points of the pins
are placed on the top of the cork and the instrument turned by its handle in the
direction proper to drive home a screw, a gentle downward pressure being exerted.
When the handle has been turned through a semi-rotation the pins will have
entered and embedded themselves in the cork and by continuing to turn the handle
in the same direction the cork is loosened and by pulling the cork-screw upwards
is withdrawn from the neck of the bottle.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents in elevation and Figure 2 in
plan of underside, a corkscrew or cork-drawer constructed according to my
invention. In the said Figures 1 and 2, a b are the curved taper pins or prongs
of the cork-drawer, each pin or prong being pointed at its end and bent so as
to form a portion of a helix. The said curved pins or prongs a, b are of about
the length of an ordinary cork and are fixed in the face of the disc c by riveting,
brazing or screwing. The said disc c forms the bottom of the stem d to which
the cross handle e of the cork-drawer is fixed. The curved pins or prongs a, b are
fixed in the disc c opposite one another in the position best seen in the plan
Figure 2. By an examination of the drawing it will be seen that each pin or
prong a, b makes about one half of a convolution (see the plan Figure 2) and that
the two pins or prongs are so bent with respect to one another that they form a
portion of a double threaded helix.
I do not limit myself to the sectional form of the wire of which the pins
or prongs a, b are made as it may be circular, oval or angular in cross section
In using the corkscrew or corkdrawer Figures 1 and 2, the points of the bent
or helical pins or prongs a, b are placed on the top of the cork to be drawn and
the cork-drawer is turned by its handle e in the direction proper to drive the bent
or helical pins or prongs into the cork, a gentle downward pressure at the same
time being exerted. By the turning or twisting of the handle through a semi-
rotation, the pins or prongs a, b enter and embed themselves in the cork and by
continuing to turn the handle in the same direction through about another half
rotation, the cork is loosened in the neck of the bottle and by pulling the cork-
drawer upwards the cork is withdrawn from the neck of the bottle.
withdrawal of the cork is thus effected with great ease and quickness and the
several turnings of the handle required for driving home the worm of an ordinary
corkscrew is dispensed with.
The
Although in practice two curved or helical pins or prongs as described and
illustrated answer well, yet I do not limit myself thereto as three or more may be

page_text: employed. When more than two curve: or helical pins or prongs are used they
are arranged equi-distantly on the disc c.
I prefer to make the pins or prongs of steel. The stem d may be inade of brass
or other metal and the handle e of wood, horn, bone or ivory but I do not limit
myself to the use of any particular materials nor to the use of a cross handle, as
a knob or other shaped handle may be employed.
Having now described the nature of my invention and the manner in which
the same is to be performed I wish it to be understood that I claim as my
invention The new or improved cork screw or cork-drawer hereinbefore described
and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing; that is to say, the combination in
a corkscrew or cork-drawer of two or more curved or helical pins or prongs, each
pin or prong being so bent as to make about half a convolution, the said pins or
prongs being arranged with respect to one another and acting substantially as
described and illustrated.
In witness whereof I the said Richard Willan Bradnock have hereunto set my
hand and seal this Seventeenth day of December in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
Witness
RICHARD SKERRETT
37 Temple Street
Birmingham
RICHARD. WILLAN BRADNOCK (L.s.)