Improvements in Means for Preventing the Refilling of Bottles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 21st Mar., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Preventing the Refilling of Bottles.
I, DANIEL HEPP, resident of 48 West North Avenue, Chicago, in the County of
Cook, and State of Illinois, United States of America, 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 bottles, and the object thereof is to produce a bottle.
provided with a valve and stopper so constructed and arranged that when the bottle
has been once filled and the valve and stopper applied, the bottle cannot be again
refilled.
The invention is fully disclosed, in the following Specification, of which the
accompanying drawing forms a part, in which:
Fig. 1, represents a central vertical section of the neck of a bottle provided with my
improvement:
Fig. 2, is a view thereof in elevation, looking in the direction of the arrow shown
in Fig. 3.
Fig. 3, a similar section to that shown in Fig. 1, the stopper plug being withdrawn.
to admit of the discharge of the contents of the bottle:
Fig. 4, a sectional view similar to that shown in Fig. 1, the automatic valve and
other elements being omitted;
Fig. 5, a section on the line a-x of Fig. 1; and
Figs. 6, 7 and 8, details of the construction which I employ.
Referring to the drawing, the numeral 2 designates the neck of a bottle, the inner
walls of which are provided with an annular chamber or recess 3, preferably conical
in cross section with the base directed inwardly, said chamber being adapted to
receive an automatic valve 4, substantially elliptical in cross section, and provided, if
desired, on its lower surface with a circular projection 6 and also provided on its
upper surface or side with a series of upwardly and outwardly directed lugs or
projections 7 preferably arranged near the outer perimeter thereof.
On referring to the drawing it will be seen that the neck of my bottle is provided
with a three-way nozzle, which is formed by a tube 8 at right angles to the neck of
the bottle. In practice this tube, and consequently the nozzle of the bottle is closed
by a plug 9, formed preferably of rubber, within which is placed a rod 10, which is
provided centrally with a ring or shoulder 11 mounted thereon, said rod being
Hattened at each side of said ring or shoulder after the latter has been placed in
position on the rod, the object of this arrangement being to prevent the rod from
slipping through the plug or stopper, which is formed or molded around said rod in
the proper shape and provided about midway thereof with an annular enlargement or
shoulder 12 adapted to fit in a corresponding depression or cavity 13 formed in said
tube 8.
One end of said rod 10 is also provided with a loop or ring 14 and the opposite end.
thereof, which is preferably corrugated, as shown in Fig. 8, is preferably provided
with an enlargement 15, which is adapted to enter a slot 16 formed in the end of
the arm 17 of a plate 18, a preferred form of which is shown in elevation in
Figs. 2 and 7, and side views of which are given in Figs. 1 and 3. This device is
preferably stamped from a piece of steel, in the form shown in Fig. 7, after which
the arın is bent at right angles to the head 18, and the outer end of the rod 10 with
its head 15 is slipped through the slot 16, when the arm 17 and head 18 thereon will
depend from the rod 10, as shown in Fig. 1.

page_text: When the parts are thus united, if the plug 9, be drawn through the tube 8 the
head 18 on the arm 17 will catch against the end of said tube, as shown in Fig. 3,
from which it cannot be removed by pulling on the plug in the direction of the
arrow shown in said figure, and the contents of the bottle may flow out through the
recess 19 in the bottom of said plate or cap.
The end 15 of the rod 10, after the arm 16 of the cap 18 has been connected
therewith may be upset or formed into a hinge, so as to firmly secure the arm 17
thereto; and these parts I prefer should be made of tempered steel, or equivalent
material having the required strength, though formed of light or thin material.
The valve 4 may be formed of any desired material, but must be elastic or
compressible, and, as hereinbefore stated the plug 9 is preferably formed of rubber,
The method of
though I am not limited to the use of this particular material.
assembling the various parts of my improvement and the operation thereof are as
follows: The bottle having been filled, the valve 4 is forced down into the neck of
the bottle by a tool prepared for this purpose, and into the annular chamber 3 as
shown in Fig. 1 the projections or lugs formed thereon being directed upward,
after which the plug 9, with its inclosed rod, is forced through the tube 8, into the
position shown in Figs. 1 and 4 and the arm 17. of the cap 18 is then secured to the
end 15 of the rod 10, as herein before described.. If, now, it be required to empty
the bottle, the plug 9, is pulled or driven through the tube 8, into the position shown
in Fig. 3, the cap 18 preventing its removal. In this position it is only necessary to
invert the bottle or hold it tilted in the usual position, when the contents thereof will
flow out in the manner indicated by the arrows in the neck of the bottle in Fig. 3,
the valve 4 in this operation leaving its seat and being supported on the upper walls
of the annular chamber 3 by means of the lugs or projections 7, thus enabling the
contents of the bottle to flow out around said valve, and this operation, it is evident,
may be repeated or continued until the contents of the bottle are fully exhausted.
If, now, an attempt bo made to refill the bottle and the same be held in a position
in which fluids could be poured into it, the valve 4 will at once be seated in its
normal position or that shown in Fig. 1, after which no fluids can pass into the
bottle, and it is evident that this action of the valve 4 would be the same in any
position in which the bottle could be held to admit of pouring liquids thereinto.
As thus constructed the plug 9 and cap 8 would defeat any attempt to tamper with
the valve 4 or to interfere with the operation thereof in an attempt to fill the bottle
by introducing a wire or other instrument through the opening 19 in an attempt to
reach said valve, and it is thus evident that I accomplish the object of my invention
by means of devices simple in construction and application and effective in operation,
and which are perfectly adapted to perform the work for which they are intended.
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. A bottle baving a three-way nozzle, and means for closing the same, sub-
stantially as shown and described.
2. A bottle having a three-way nozzle, an automatic valve located in the neck
thereof, and means for closing the nozzle, substantially as shown and described.
3. A. bottle having a three-way nozzle, an automatic valve in the neck thereof
below the nozzle, operating to permit of the discharge of the contents of the bottle
but to prevent the refilling thereof, said nozzle being closed by means of a plug
inserted transversely to the neck of the bottle, substantially as shown and described.
4. A bottle provided with a three-way nozzle and having an automatic valve in
the neck thereof, said nozzle being closed by a plug inserted transversely to the
line of the neck of the bottle, said plug being provided with a rod extending through
the same, to which is hinged a cap or plate constructed substantially as shown and
described.
5. A bottle provided with a three-way nozzle and having an automatic valve in
the neck thereof, and the nozzle being closed by a plug inserted transversely to the

page_text: discharge orifice of the neck, said plug being provided with a rod extending longi-.
tudinally therethrough and provided with means to prevent its withdrawal, and
being pivotally connected at one end with a plate adapted to partially close one of
the nozzle openings by means of an arm secured to said plate, substantially as.
5 shown and described.
Dated this 20th day of December 1895.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.