Improvements in Bottle Stoppers.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 19th Feb., 1898
Improvements in Bottle Stoppers.
We, SAMUEL CROCKER, JAMES MONROE HOUSEL, and WILLIAM MILLER, of
101, Main Street, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Territory, U.S.A., Gentlemen, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to self-acting bottle-stoppers, its object being to provide
a simple, cheap, and efficient device of this character which cannot easily be
detached from the bottle.
With these and other objects in view the invention consists of the several details
of construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, and particu-
larly pointed out in the claims.
In order to illustrate our invention, we have in the accompanying drawings
shown it applied to an ordinary ink-bottle, in which--
Figure 1 is an elevation of an ink-bottle of a common form equipped with our
improved stopper. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same inverted, showing the
position the stopper occupies under such circumstances. Fig. 3 is a perspective
view of the stopper-weight and connecting wires, the weight being in section.
Similar reference-numerals indicate similar parts in the several figures.
1 indicates a bottle, and 2 the stopper, which may be of any suitable material.
This stopper is conical in form, and the pointed end is adapted to project within
the neck of the bottle.
3 indicates a weight which is provided with a perforation 4, which extends
centrally through it.
5 indicates a wire which is bent upon itself to form a loop 6, and this bent wire
is passed through the perforation 4 in the weight 3, and the loop 6 is expanded to
form a support for the weight and prevent it from slipping off the wire. One of
the end portions 7 of the bent wire is longer than the other end portion 8, and
the short portion 8 is bent at substantially a right angle in such manner that it
will engage the shoulder below the neck of the bottle and form an elastic prong
which will prevent the withdrawal of the weight from the bottle unless consider-
able force is employed.
9 indicates a wire firmly secured in the stopper 2 and projecting from the pointed
end of the stopper into the bottle, and this wire 9 has a link connection with the
wire 7, as indicated at 9. The connection between the stopper and the weight is
therefore flexible and will permit the weight to swing out of a perpendicular position
and still maintain the stopper in the mouth of the bottle.
When the device is used in connection with an ink-bottle, a very slight pressure
of the pen upon the conical stopper will cause it to roll aside sufficiently for the
pen to be inserted in the ink-bottle, and as soon as the pen is withdrawn the stopper
will be automatically returned to its position to close the mouth of the bottle.
It is obvious the stopper may be used with equal advantage with other than ink-
bottles, and if it is desired to pour any kind of liquid from a bottle the stopper will
automatically open the bottle when the latter is tilted sufficiently to pour liquid