New or Improved Machinery for Un-stoppering, Filling, and Re-stoppering Screw Stoppered Bottles.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Oct., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 17th Aug., 1895-Accepted, 21st Sept., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
New or Improved Machinery for Un-stoppering, Filling, and
Re-stoppering Screw Stoppered Bottles.
I, EDWARD SAMUEL CHAVASSE, of Ombersley, near Droitwich, Worcestershire,
Aerated Water Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention consists of the hereindescribed new or improved machinery for
unstoppering, filling and re-stoppering screw stoppered bottles. My invention is
applicable more particularly for filling bottles with aerated liquids but my said
invention can be modified so as to be applicable for filling screw stoppered bottles
with beer stout or other fermented liquids.
According to one arrangement of carrying out my invention I provide a machine
which with certain exceptions as hereinafter described is similar to the machine
for filling and corking bottles described in the Specification in connection with
my application for Letters Patent No. 19838 of A.D. 1893 that is to say the
said machine consists of a framework which by means of a bevel wheel and
pinion or other gearing is arranged to revolve round a central pillar carried by
a suitable base the said framework consisting of a disc like bottom plate con-
nected by upright stretchers to a stay plate near the top of the pillar the said
framework carrying one two three or more sets of bottle holding appliances with
the corresponding syrup pump valve boxes and snifting appliances operated by
stationary cams as described in my prior Specification above referred to except
that I provide means as hereinafter described for removing the screw stopper
from the empty bottle whilst held by the bottle holder and for replacing the
screw stopper in the bottle when the bottle is filled and I also construct and
arrange the bottle holder as hereinafter described so as to hold the screw stoppered
bottle and make a perfect joint round the neck of the bottle whilst the stopper
is being removed from the bottle and the bottle filled and the stopper rescrewed
into the bottle which owing to the fact that the screw stopper covers the top
of the bottle neck could not be done by the bottle holder described in the
Specification in connection with my application for Letters Patent above
referred to.
In my present machine the upper portion of the plunger or slide on which the
bottle stands is made with a downwardly projecting shank which fits and is free to
slide to and fro in a sleeve which is also free to move up and down in the cylinder
or vertical guide which is fixed to the bottom plate of the revolving frame. The
said sleeve forms the lower portion of what I will call the compressor which is
continued upwardly above the top and terminates as a collar which bears against
an indiarubber ring in the fixed socket of the valve box in which socket the upper
part of the Leck of the bottle enters. When the machine is at work the
stationary cam which acts upon the lower spring portion of the bottle holder
first raises this spring portion and the upper part of the bottle holder so as
to lift the bottle and its screw stopper a short distance through the india-
rubber ring and force the stopper into what I call the screw stopper remover
hereinafter described, the bottle holder being retained in this position and
released at the proper time by a sliding spring ratchet as in the machine
described in my said prior Specification. The said stationary cam then raises the
lower part of the bottle holder a little higher until the latter comes into contact

page_text: with the bottom of the sleeve of the compressor and raises the compressor slightly
so as to cause the top end of the compressor to compress the indiarubber ring
tightly round the neck of the bottle thus making an air tight joint to prevent the
escape of gas or liquid whilst the screw stopper is being removed, the bottle filled
and snifted, and the screw stopper rescrewed into the bottle. The compressor is
maintained in its highest position compressing the indiarubber ring as above
described by means of extra teeth formed on the sliding spring ratchet above
described.
The screw stopper remover is arranged as follows:-Projecting from the upper
part of the fixed socket in which is situated the rubber ring for making the joint
round the bottle neck as stated above, there is a vertical spindle which is concentric
with the bottle holder and which projects through an air tight stuffing box in the
top of the socket and is continued upwardly as far as the stationary top cam plate
of the machine the top end of the said spindle being furnished with an indiarubber
or other collar or a small spur pinion which will afford frictional or other means
for turning the spindle. One portion of the spindle has a screw thread cut on it of
the same pitch as the thread of the screw stopper this screwed part of the spindle
working in a screwed boss or nut which is carried by the revolving framework of
the machine so that when the spindle is turned axially it will either be moved up
or down. Fixed to the bottom of the said spindle within the said fixed socket part
of the valve box I provide a clutch made with jaws adapted to grip the screw
stopper, that is to say, the jaws of the said clutch are circular on the outside and
inside the inside being slightly bellmouthed so as to allow of the screw stopper
being forced into the jaws and the jaws are closed by an indiarubber or other spring
so as to grip the screw stopper and turn the same when the said spindle of the
stopper holder is turned in the working of the machine as hereinafter described.
At certain portions of the said top stationary cam plate there are stationary cams
or toothed segments so arranged that when the framework revolves these stationary
cams or toothed segments will at the proper times first act upon one side of the
frictional or other collar or toothed pinion on the top of the spindle and cause
the spindle to revolve through a certain space in one direction so as to unscrew
and remove the screw stopper from the bottle then when the bottle has been
filled as hereinafter described the frictional or other collar or toothed pinion of the
spindle comes in contact with another cam or toothed segment which acts upon the
other side of the frictional collar or toothed pinion and turns the spindle in
the opposite direction screwing the stopper again into the filled bottle.
The machine above described operates as follows:-The machine having been
set in motion the framework and parts carried thereby revolving round the central
pillar the operator stands in front of the machine and when the bottle holder comes
opposite to him a screw stoppered bottle with its screw stopper is placed neck
upwards in the bottle holder and as the framework revolves the slide or plunger at
the bottom of the bottle holder in passing over the cam forces the bottle up so that
the stopper and the upper part of the neck pass through the indiarubber ring in the
fixed socket and the stopper is forced into the clutch of the stopper remover
the bottle holder being held in this position by the ratchet slide engaging with the
teeth on the bottle holder plunger or slide as above described. As the upward
movement of the bottom part of the bottle holder continues it comes into contact
with the lower part of the sleeve of the compressor and compresses the indiarubber
ring in the fixed socket tightly round the neck of the bottle thus making an air
tight joint as stated above and the compressor is maintained in this position by the
teeth of the spring ratchet. As the movement of the revolving frame continues
the screw stopper is removed from the bottle by the screw stopper remover as
above described. As the bottle holder and bottle pass on round the central pillar
the syrup pump forces the syrup into the bottle, and the aerated water in the valve
and snift valves are operated by their cams and the bottle partly filled with aerated
water and the air snifted out by the snift valve and as the bottle passes on it is
filled up with aerated water and the snift valve again opened as described in my

page_text: prior Specification above referred to. The screw stopper holder spindle is then by
the stationary cam turned in the opposite direction as stated above thus screwing
the stopper firmly into the bottle. The bottle holder plunger or slide and the
compressor are then raised very slightly so as to ease the pressure of the ratchet
teeth from the ratchet slide and then the said slide is oasily pushed back by the
upright slide passing over the stationary cam so as to allow the bottle holder to
fall for the filled and stoppered bottle to be removed and replaced by another
bottle.
In another arrangement of my invention instead of the bottle holder or bottle
holders being arranged to revolve round a central pillar so that the various moving
parts are operated by passing over stationary cams I arrange for the bottle holder
to remain stationary and for the various moving parts to be operated by cams on
one or more revolving cam shafts suitably supported by the framework of the
machine.
I apply parts of my said invention to machinery for unstoppering filling and
re-stoppering screw stoppered bottles with beer stout or other fermented liquids
similarly as above described with reference to machinery for filling screw stoppered
aerated water bottles but I dispense with the syrup pump and all the valves above
referred to except the snift valve and the valve for controlling the supply of the
beer stout or other fermented liquid to the bottles.
Dated this 18th day of October 1894.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.
New or Improved Machinery for Un-stoppering, Filling, and
Re-stoppering Screw Stoppered Bottles.
1, EDWARD SAMUEL CHAVASSE, of Holt, near Worcester, in the County of
Worcester, late of Ombersley, near Worcester, aforesaid, Aerated Water Engineer,
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 consists of the hereindescribed new or improved machinery for
unstoppering, filling and re-stoppering screw stoppered bottles. My invention is
applicable more particularly for filling bottles with aerated liquids but my said
invention can be modified so as to be applicable for filling screw stoppered bottles
with beer stout or other fermented liquids.
I will describe my invention by referring to the accompanying drawings on
which
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a machine constructed according to my invention
for unstoppering, filling and re-stoppering screw stoppered bottles ;
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of a part of the same on an enlarged scale;
Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation and Fig. 4 is a plan of the top part or
stationary cam plate of the said machine shewing the various cams and toothed
segments;
Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate details of the said machine separately;
Fig. 7 shews on an enlarged scale that part of the said machine which makes
the joint round the bottle neck and grips the screw stopper to remove it from and
replace it in the bottle;
Figs. 8 and 9 shew parts of the screw stopper holder separately;
Fig. 10 is an elevation and Fig. 11 is a plan of the base of the said machine;
Fig. 12 is a side elevation of a portion of the said machine but with part of the
same slightly modified;

page_text: Fig. 13 is a sectional elevation of a slightly modified form of the said machine.
The same letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding parts in all the
figures.
According to one arrangement (see Figs. 1 to 11 both inclusive) of carrying out
my invention provide a machine which with certain exceptions as hereinafter
described is similar to the machine for filling and corking bottles described in the
Specification in connection with my Letters Patent No. 19838 of A.D. 1893, that
is to say, the said machine consists of a framework which by means of a bevel
wheel and pinion e' or other gearing is arranged to revolve round the central
pillar A carried by the base a¹ the said frame-work consisting of a disc like bottom
plate B connected by upright stretchers C1 C2 to a stay plate D near the top of the
pillar A the said frame-work carrying one, two, three or more sets of bottle
holding appliances (the machine shewn on my drawing is provided with two sets
of bottle holding appliances) with the corresponding syrup pumps O valve boxes K
and snifting appliances arranged and operated by stationary cams on the stationary
cam plate J as described in my prior Specification above referred to except that 1
provide means as hereinafter described for removing the screw stopper from the
empty bottle whilst the bottle is held by the bottle holder and for replacing the
screw stopper in the bottle when the bottle is filled and I also construct and
arrange the bottle holder as hereinafter described so as to hold the screw stoppered
bottle and make a perfect joint round the neck of the bottle whilst the stopper is
being removed from the bottle and the bottle filled and the stopper re-screwed into
the bottle which owing to the fact that the screw stopper covers the top of the
bottle neck could not be done by the bottle holder described in the Specification
in connection with my application for Letters Patent No. 19838 of A.D. 1893 above
referred to.
In my present machine (as illustrated by Figs. I to 11 both inclusive) the upper
portion of the plunger or slide on which the bottle F stands is made with a
downwardly projecting shank g which fits and is free to slide to and fro in
a sleeve which is also free to move up and down in the cylinder or vertical
guide G which is fixed to the bottom plate B of the revolving frame. The said
sleeve ¹ forms the lower portion of what I will call the compressor R (shewn
separately by Fig. 5) which is continued upwardly above the top part 9 of the
plunger and terminates as a collar which bears against an indiarubber ring S in
the fixed socket 1 of the valve box K in which socket the upper part f¹ of the neck
of the bottle F enters. When the machine is at work the stationary cam e (see
Figs. 10 and 11) which acts upon the lower spring portion g¹ of the bottle holder
first raises this spring portion g' and the upper part go of the bottle holder so as to
lift the bottle F and its screw stopper t a short distance through the indiarubber
ring S and force the stopper t into what I call the screw stopper remover U herein-
after described, the bottle holder g g being retained in this position and released
at the proper time by the sliding spring ratchet 98 as in the machine described in
my said prior Specification. The said stationary cam e is so shaped as to then
raise the lower part gl of the bottle holder a little higher until the said lower part
comes into contact with the bottom of the sleeve of the compressor R and
raises the compressor R slightly so as to cause the top end of the compressor R
to compress the indiarubber ring S tightly round the neck f¹ of the bottle F thus
making an air tight joint to prevent the escape of gas or liquid whilst the screw
stopper t is being removed, the bottle filled and snifted, and the screw stopper t
re-screwed into the bottle. The compressor R is maintained in its highest position
compressing the indiarubber ring S as above described by means of extra teeth g¹³
formed on the sliding spring ratchety above described.
8
The screw stopper remover U is arranged as follows:-Projecting from the
upper part of the fixed socket ¹ in which is situated the rubber ring for making
the joint round the bottle neck as stated above, there is a vertical spindle
which is concentric with the bottle holder g' y and fixed socket and projects
through an air tight stuffing box in the top of the socket k¹ and is continued

page_text: upwardly as far as the stationary top cam plate J of the machine, the top end of
the spindle u being furnished with a small spur pinion which will afford means
for turning the spindle u. One portion of the spindle u¹ has a screw thread u³ cut
on it of the same pitch as the thread of the screw stopper t this screwed part ³ of
the spindle working in a screwed boss or nut which is carried by the revolving
frame-work B CCD of the machine so that when the spindle u¹ is turned axially
it will by virtue of the screw either be moved up or down. Fixed to the bottom
of the spindle u' within the fixed socket part of the valve box K I provide a
clutch made with jaws u shewn separately by Fig. 8 adapted to grip the screw
stopper t, that is to say, the jaws u u of the said clutch are together circular on
the outside and inside, the inside being slightly bell-mouthed as shewn so as to
allow of the screw stopper t being forced into the jaws, and the jaws are closed by
an indiarubber or other spring ring u' so as to grip the screw stopper and turn the
same when the spindle u of the stopper holder is turned in the working of the
machine as hereinafter described. The lower part of the spindle u¹ is made with
side projecting pips us u which take into the holes in the jaws u. The
spindle is tubular and contains an inner spindle u¹¹ which is free to slide up and
down therein. The bottom end of this inner spindle u" is tapered and the inside.
of the jaws are at u¹ made to correspond therewith, so that when the inner
spindle is pushed down its lower end will open the jaws to release the stopper.
This inner spindle is pushed down at the proper time by passing under the
stationary cam fixed to the cam plate J and is raised again by the squeezing
together of the jaws uu by the rubber ring 7. The indiarubber washer ul in the
jaws prevents the top of the stopper being damaged thereby. At certain portions
of the top stationary cam plate J there are stationary toothed segments ji j³ ³ so
arranged that when the frame-work B C C D revolves one of these stationary
toothed segments namely j¹ made with external teeth will at the proper time first
act upon one side of the toothed pinion u³ on the top of the spindle u' and cause the
spindle to revolve through a certain space in one direction so as to unscrew and
remove the screw stopper from the bottle, then when the bottle has been filled as
hereinafter described the toothed pinion 2 of the spindle comes in contact with
the other toothed segment j' made with internal teeth which act upon the other side:
of the toothed pinion u' and turn the spindle w' in the opposite direction screwing
the stopper t again into the filled bottle.
The machine operates as follows:-The machine having been set in motion the
framework B C CD and parts carried thereby revolving in the direction indicated
by the arrow in Fig. 4 round the central pillar A the operator stands in front of the
machine and when the bottle holder comes opposite to him a screw stoppered
bottle with its screw stopper t is placed neck upwards in the bottle holder and
as the framework revolves the slide or plunger g' at the bottom of the bottle holder
in passing over the stationary came forces the bottle Fup so that the stopper t
and the upper part of the neck pass through the indiarubber ring S in the fixed
socket and the stopper t is forced into the clutch uu° of the stopper remover the
bottle holder g g being held in this position by the ratchet slide engaging with
the teeth on the bottle plunger g or slide as above described. As the upward
movement of the bottom party of the bottle holder continues, it comes into contact
with the bottom end of the sleeve r¹ of the compressor R and compresses the india-
rubber ring S in the fixed socket k' tightly round the neck of the bottle F thus
making an air tight joint as stated above and the compressor R is maintained in this
position by the extra teeth 9" of the spring ratchet engaging with the teeth
formed on the sleeve r'. As the movement of the revolving frame B C¹ CD.
continues, the screw stopper t is removed from the bottle F by the screw-
stopper remover U as above described. As the bottle holder and bottle
pass on round the central pillar A the syrup pump O forces the syrup into
the bottle, and the aerated water valve and snift valve are operated by their
cams and the bottle partly filled with aerated water and the air snifted out by the
snift valve and as the bottle passes on it is filled up with aerated water and the snift

page_text: valve again opened all as described in my prior Specification above referred to.
The screw stopper holder spindle u¹ is then by the stationary toothed segment*
engaging with the pinion u turned in the opposite direction as stated above thus
screwing the stopper t firmly into the bottle. When the pinion has moved past
the toothed segment the top of the inner spindle " is by passing the stationary
cam u forced downwardly so that its lower end will force the jaws u u³ of the clut h
apart so as to free them from the screw stopper t and then the pinion on passing
the toothed segment is turned through a small angle so as to be raised slightly
and thus be entirely free of the screw stopper.
At the same time the bottle holder
plunger or slide y' and the compressor R are raised very slightly by passing over
the cam so as to ease the pressure of the teeth of the ratchet 98 from the slides g
and and then the said ratchet slide 8 is easily pushed back by the upright
slide passing over the stationary cam thus freeing the slide 9 and
compressor R and allowing the bottle holder g to fall and also allowing the
compressor R to move down far enough for the rubber ring S to expand free of the
bottle neck so that the filled and stoppered bottle can be removed and replaced by
another bottle.
Instead of the compressor R being operated by the spring slide g¹ and retained
in its highest position by the ratchet slide g as above described, the compressor R
may be operated and held up by other means such for instance as shewn by Fig. 12
where the compressor R is raised and at the proper time allowed to move down as
above described by means of the lever V which turns on a fulcrum vl and is forked
at its end 2 so as to engage under the lower part of the compressor R. The
other end of the lever V is operated on by the push rod W the lower end of
which fits in an eye in the end of the lever V and the upper end of the push
rod W takes in a hole w¹ in the top plate D the extreme top of the push rod W
being pressed by the spring w against the stationary can which is fixed on the
cam plate J so that when the machine is at work as above described this cam w
will operate the push rod W and the lever V and raise the compressor R at the
proper time to compress the indiarubber ring S round the neck of the bottle and
also allow the compressor R to move down slightly at the proper time so that the
ring S can expand and free the bottle as above described.
In another arrangement of my invention instead of the bottle holder or bottle
holders being arranged to revolve round a central pillar so that the various moving
parts are operated by passing over stationary cams I arrange for the bottle holder
to remain stationary and for the various moving parts to be operated by cams on
one or more revolving cam shafts suitably supported by the framework of the
machine. This modification of my said invention is illustrated by Fig. 13 which
represents the machine in sectional elevation. It will be seen that in this case
those parts namely the bottom plate B, upright stays C¹ C' and top plate D and
the bottle holders and syrup pumps and stopper remover U and other parts
which in the machine herein before described revolved round the pillar A are in
this machine shewn by Fig. 13 stationary as the bottom plate B is fixed by the
brackets a² to the base a. The pillar A. and the top cam plate J which is fixed
thereto are caused to revolve by the bevel wheel b¹ being fixed to the pillar. Thus
the cams and toothed segments on the cam plate J impart the same movements to
the syrup pump and valves and the stopper remover U as in the machine first herein
described. Y is a revolving cam plate fixed on the pillar A below the bottom
plate B and made with the cams ₁e above described for operating the bottom
part g of the bottle holder and the slide g10 so as to impart the same movement to
those parts as in the machine first herein described and shewn by Figs. 1 to 11 both
inclusive.
1 construct machinery for unstoppering filling and re-stoppering screw stoppered
bottles with beer stout and other fermented liquids similarly as above described
with reference to machinery for filling screw stoppered aerated water bottles but as
in the bottle filling and corking machine described in my Specification above
referred to for beer stout and other fermented liquids, I dispense with the syrup

page_text: pump and all the valves above referred to except the snift valve and the valve for
controlling the supply of the beer stout or other fermented liquid to the bottles.
The accompanying drawings illustrate what I consider to be the best ways of
carrying my said invention into practice but it is to be understood that my
invention is not limited to the precise details shewn as it will be evident that these
may be modified somewhat without departing from the nature of my invention.
It is to be understood that the parts of the machines which I have not described
are similar to corresponding parts which I have described in my prior Specification
No. 19838 of A.D. 1893 and therefore these parts require no description here.
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 machine for unstoppering filling and re-stoppering screw stoppered bottles,.
provided with a framework adapted to revolve round a vertical pillar, said:
framework carrying one or more spring bottle holders each adapted to press against
the bottom of the bottle and hold the top of the same in an indiarubber ring
contained in a socket carried by said framework and to release the pressure on the
bottle when filled, said framework having also one or more compressors adapted to
press the indiarubber ring round the neck of the bottle and to release said ring,
and also a syrup pump or syrup pumps each provided with a valve box and valves
adapted to control the supply of syrup and aerated water through the said socket
to the bottle and the escape of air or gas therefrom, the said socket or each of the
said sockets carrying a screw stopper remover adapted to grip the stopper and turn
in one direction and unscrew the stopper from the bottle and also to turn in the
other direction and screw the stopper into the bottle and release the stopper, the
said moving parts which are carried by the revolving framework being operated,.
by passing over stationary cams, in the manner and for the purposes substantially
as bereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 1 to 12 of the accompanying
drawings.
2. A machine for unstoppering and filling screw stoppered bottles with beer
stout or other liquids and re-stoppering the same, provided with a framework
adapted to revolve round a vertical pillar said framework carrying one or more
spring bottle holders each adapted to press against the bottom of the bottle and
hold the top of the same in an indiarubber ring contained in a socket carried by
said framework and to release the pressure on the bottle when filled, said framework
having also one or more compressors adapted to press the indiarubber ring round
the neck of the bottle and to release said ring, and also a valve box and valves
adapted to control the supply of liquid through the said socket to the bottle and
the escape of air therefrom, the said socket or each of the said sockets carrying a
screw stopper remover adapted to grip the stopper and turn in oue direction and
unscrew the stopper from the bottle and also to turn in the other direction and
screw the stopper into the bottle and release the stopper, the said maving parts
which are carried by the revolving framework being operated by passing over-
stationary cams, in the manner and for the purposes substantially as herein before
described with reference to Fig. 1 to 12 of the accompanying drawings.
3. In a machine for unstoppering filling and re-stoppering screw stoppered
bottles the combination, with the socket in which the neck of the bottle is held by
the pressure on an iudiarubber ring round the same, of the mechanism herein
described for gripping the screw stopper turning and unscrewing the stopper from
the bottle and re-screwing the stopper into the bottle and finally releasing the
stopper, substantially as set forth.
4. In a machine for unstoppering filling and re-stoppering screw stoppered
bottles the combination, with the socket in which the neck of the bottle is held by
the pressure on an indiarubber ring round the same, of the mechanism herein.
described for compressing the said indiarubber ring and for gripping the screw

page_text: stopper turning and unscrewing the stopper from the bottle and re-screwing the
stopper iuto the bottle and finally releasing the stopper substantially as set forth.
5. In a machine for unstoppering filling and re-stoppering screw stoppered
bottles the combination, with the socket in which the neck of the bottle is held by
the pressure on an indiarubber ring round the same, of the mechanism herein
described for pressing the bottle into the said indiarubber ring compressing the
indiarubber ring round the bottle neck and gripping the screw stopper turning and
unscrewing the same from the bottle and re-screwing the stopper into the bottle
and finally releasing the stopper and the pressure on the indiarubber ring,
substantially as set forth.
6. The improved machine for unstoppering filling and re-stoppering screw
stoppered bottles constructed arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated by Figs. 1 to 11 both inclusive.
7. The improved macbine for unstoppering filling and re-stoppering screw
stoppered bottles constructed arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to Fig. 12 of the accompanying drawings.
8. The improved machine for unstoppering filling and re-stoppering screw'
stoppered bottles constructed arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore
described with reference to Fig. 13 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 16th day of ugust 1895.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.