IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR STOPPERING BOTTLES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Theodore Grace, of Bristol, in the County of
Gloucester, for the Invention of "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR STOPPERING
BOTTLES."
Sealed the 7th January 1870, and dated the 3rd August 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Theodore Grace at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd August 1869.
I, THEODORE GRACE, of Bristol, in the County of Gloucester, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR
STOPPERING BOTTLES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the construction and arrangement of
apparatus for stoppering bottles whereby perfect air tightness is ensured
combined with great facility in withdrawing the liquid contained in the
bottles.
A tube or valve composed of india-rubber or other suitable material
is inserted in or on the neck of the bottle, the lower end of such tube

page_text: or valve being contracted by preference into a V or conical form, and
having therein a slit or slits constituting a valve, which in its normal
state is closed or will become so from the pressure from within. The
valve is opened by means of a key or spindle, which is inserted in the
tube or valve either from the exterior of the bottle or otherwise, and
which is actuated by external pressure, or by turning the same partially
or entirely round; or the tube may project beyond the top of the neck
of the bottle, in which case the valve may be opened by the application
of simple pressure without any necessity for employing a key. When a
key or spindle is used the same is provided with suitable perforations or
apertures for the emission of the liquid. The valve when in its normal
state is kept closed by the elasticity of the material of which it is com-
posed, either with or without the assistance of the pressure of the liquid
or air or gas contained in the bottle.
It is manifest that this Invention is applicable not only to stoppering
battles but also other onelocous racontroles for holding lionide
SPECIFICATION in pursuance, of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Theodore Grace in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 18th January 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THEODORE
GRACE, of Bristol, in the County of Gloucester, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Third day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Theodore Grace, Her special licence
that I, the said Theodore Grace, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Theodore Grace, my executors,
'administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR STOPPERING BOTTLES," upon the condition (amongst others)

page_text: that I, the said Theodore Grace, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters.
Patent..
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Theodore Grace, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to, the annexed Drawings, and
to the figures and letters. marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention consists in the construction and arrangement of
apparatus for stoppering bottles whereby perfect air tightness is ensured
combined with great facility in withdrawing the liquid contained in the
bottles to which the apparatus is applied.
A tube or valve composed of india-rubber or other suitable material
is inserted in or on the neck of the bottle, the lower end of such tube
or valve being contracted by preference into a V or conical form, and
having a slit or slits. in the lower part thereof, constituting a valve
which in its normal state is closed or will become closed by the pressure
from within. This valve is opened by means of a key or spindle, which
is inserted in the tube or valve either from the exterior of the bottle or
otherwise, and which is actuated by external pressure, or by turning the
same partially or entirely round, or by both such operations combined;
or the tube may project beyond the top of the neck of the bottle, in
which case the valve may be opened by the application of simple
pressure without any necessity for employing a key. When a key or
spindle is used the same is provided with suitable perforations or
apertures for the emission of the liquid. The valve when in its normal
stated is kept closed by the elasticity of the material of which it is com-
posed, either with or without the pressure of the liquid or air or gas
contained in the bottle; for it may be observed this Invention, although
especially applicable to bottles containing liquids charged with gas or
air, is also applicable to bottles containing "still" liquids.
I should here mention that this Invention is applicable not only
to stoppering bottles, but also other analogous receptacles for holding
liquids.

page_text: I will now refer to the annexed Drawings, from which the nature of
my said Invention will be more clearly understood.
Figure 1 is a sectional view of a bottle shewing the valve when closed;
and Figure 2 shews the valve open.
A is the bottle; B is the valve or stopper, which is placed either in or
upon the neck of the bottle. The key C is pushed into the valve, which
opens at D. The key C may be made to turn round in a lateral
direction or as may be desired. The action of the valve is as follows:-
The small end of the key C opens the valve at D in the first instance to
a small extent. This in the case of gaseous or aërated liquids liberates
a portion of the gas or air contained in the bottle, when the valve may
be more fully opened by the continued pressure or lateral turning of the
key C, or in the case of "still" liquids the key C may be turned round
laterally either with or without any downward pressure.
The principle embraced by my said Invention may be applied to
stoppers which have the valve retained in a closed state by the pressure
of the gas or air. In such cases the valves are frequently inoperative by
reason of the pressure of the gas or air being so great as to prevent the
valve being forced downwards by the hand. Such an arrangement is
shewn in Figure 3 in the annexed Drawings, in which A represents
the bottle; B, the stopper; and at D or at some other convenient part of
the stopper a small valve or aperture is made, which is capable of
being opened by external pressure so as to liberate a portion of the gas
or air, thereby removing a portion of the pressure upon the main
valve or stopper, and allowing the same to be readily pressed or to fall
downwards, and the contents of the bottle to be removed.
A similar arrangement may also be applied to stoppers which open
outwardly. A small valve or aperture is arranged in some convenient
part of the stopper, which valve or aperture is opened by outward
pressure so as to liberate a portion of the air or gas previously to the
stopper being removed. Such an arrangement is shewn at Figure 4 in
the annexed Drawings. A represents the bottle; B, the stopper; and
at C or some other convenient point of the stopper a small valve or
aperture is placed, and which is opened as previously described.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which it is to be performed, I would observe in
conclusion that what I consider novel and original, and therefore claim
as constituting the Invention secured to me by the said herein-before

page_text: in part recited Letters Patent is, the combination and arrangement of
parts and mechanism substantially as and for the purposes herein-before
described and set forth, or any mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Theodore Grace, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of January, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
THEODORE GRACE. (L.S.)