IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOSING AND STOPPERING BOTTLES, JARS, AND OTHER SIMILAR VESSELS OR RECEPTACLES FOR CONTAINING PRESERVED SUBSTANCES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edgar Edmonds, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and
Company, of 166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CLOSING AND STOPPERING BOTTLES, JARS,
AND OTHER SIMILAR VESSELS OR RECEPTACLES FOR CONTAINING PRESERVED
SUBSTANCES." A communication from abroad by William Buckwell, of
Roecantica and Aspra Umbria, Italy.
Sealed the 17th June 1879, and dated the 19th December 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edgar Edmonds at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th December 1878.
VESSELS
EDGAR EDMONDS, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of
166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CLOSING AND STOPPERING BOTTLES, JARS, AND OTHER SIMILAR
OR
RECEPTACLES FOR CONTAINING PRESERVED SUBSTANCES." A communication from
abroad by William Buckwell, of Roecantica and Aspra Umbria, Italy.
The objects of this Invention are,-Firstly. The forming of covers, lids, and stop-
pers, so that with rings of caoutchouc or other elastic material they may be applied
to close vessels of glass, porcelain, metal, or other suitable materials, and secure
them air and vacuum tight, whereby any liquid or substance may be preserved or
stored fresh or with or without antiseptics.
The closing is applicable to other like purposes.
Secondly. The fixing and securing of covers, lids, and stoppers elastically,
obviating any cutting or breaking in closing or opening of the vessels, and pre-
venting breakage of one part by percussion against another part in the act of
closing or by packing or transport.
Thirdly. The forming of cases for more secure and quicker packing of the pre-
serving and storing vessels, which cases are adaptable for packing other vessels,
particularly cylindrical ones, such as bottles, cana, and other similar articles,
By this Invention the same perfect preserving and storing is effected as in metal·
071

page_text: cans, but without soldering and without any part being deteriorated or becoming
worthless.
Heretofore meat, fish, vegetables, and other fresh organic substances have been
preserved fresh in air and vacuum closed metal cans by soldering covers or lids
thereto and the like, and other substances with antiseptics have been preserved in
vessels of glass, porcelain, and other ware by covers, lids, or stoppers of cork rosined
or otherwise cemented or capsuled, with bladder, leather, metal, caoutchouc, or by
covers and stoppers rendered accurately fitting by grinding or by metal saucers
inverted as covers, pressing against a ring of caoutchouc outside the neck of the
vessels, or by corks well pressed in and covered with cement, and with a metal or
other saucer cemented over the same, with the cement filling the spaces between
saucer and neck of vessel, the cement being generally tallow and resin.
All these methods are less certain or perfect than the metal can, air, and vacuum
closed by solder, but metal cans are not generally suitable where antiseptics are
used, and contents often taste of the metal, while in the opening the cans are
destroyed and become nearly worthless or waste.
According to my Invention to vessels adapted to be used for storing or preserving
liquids I form the stoppers with a hexagonal or other formed hollow, with or with-
out a pin hole at bottom of hollow, leading to a channel across the underside of
stopper, and I use the same form of stoppers in covers or lids of vessels suitable for
any substances with or without liquids, the covers for which are formed of the
same material as the stoppers, preferably glass, by which contents of vessel may be
partially seen, and in the case of the vessel being glass a still better inspection of
the contents is insured, or the vessels may be made of porcelain or other ware, or
may be of metal with glass covers and stoppers, or for economy the stoppers and
covers may be of porcelain or other ware with glass vessels, and at the disadvantage
of contents being in the dark, both vessels and covers may be wholly of opaque
material like metal cans.
The vessels may be of any form or size, the mouth or aperture being cylindrical
and slightly tapered, one in twenty, more or less, and made as accurate as practicable
by moulds, dies, templates, and guages.
The aperture for stoppers should be uniform in size, as usual in making beer
bottles, having a rim to receive lug fastenings, and the same size aperture in covers
renders the same stoppers applicable, and one numbered size will always apply to
many different size vessels having this numbered aperture. The aperture for covers
may be of any size to the full or more than the full diameter of the vessel, but
sizes should increase by whole centimeters or 2 or more centimeters on diameter, so
that the covers of a particular numbered size will always fit.
In large vessels, full diameter, open or full mouthed plate glass covers may be
used, and also to metal cans, and the glass cover already described may be used to
metal cans. To sample medicine phials, travelling or toilet flasks or other vessels,
the stopper may be of glass, metal, or other material, and serve for a cup, and an
outside metal cap or cover will serve for a second cup, and give double security.
The fixing or securing of the covers, lids, and stoppers is obtained by means of
a ring of metal with lugs clipping under the rim of the mouth of the vessels, there
being chaces in the rim, and corresponding chaces in the flange of covers, lids, and
stoppers for the lugs, the stoppers and covers being sufficiently pressed down,
the lugs on the metal ring may be turned to go under the rim by com-
pressing the caoutchouc, or the top of the stoppers and covers may be inclined, then
by turning the ring the lugs will pass under the rim and give the pressure on the
caoutchouc, or without chaces a two lug fastener may be used to be simply passed
from the side to the centre over the stopper on the incline on top of the stopper or
while the stopper is pressed in without any incline.
Another fastener, and one I prefer, is to have a metal T, ring, with thin
metal hooks to clip under the rim of vessels, the other thinner end being bent over
the top of T ring. This fastening, like the others, bears elastically on stoppers and
covers.

page_text: The fastening of the covers in metal cans may be effected by like thin strips of
metal or part of the sides of the can bent over the top of a T ring.
In any of the fastenings made as herein before described it is obvious that any
tampering with the sealing of the pin-hole and fasteners would be detected.
Vessels inserted into a boiler may be steam jointed to a moderate pressure, the
same in covers of steam cooking vessels, by using the ring of caoutchouc in a groove
or channel affixed to or forming part of the vessel or cover and fastened by clips of
metal.
In using plain plate glass covers the T rings should form part of the fastening
with the metal hooks to clip under the rim of vessels, and on the cover being
pressed down on the caoutchouc (with or without a metal ring therein of stout
wire), the, thin end of the hooks to be bent over the top of T ring.
To extract the air when using plate glass covers a thin hollow wedge or flattened
small metal pipe (between two pieces of thin metal or surface coated with glycerine)
is inserted over the caoutchouc and under the glass. The vessel being quite full
or stored at 95° centigrade, the plate glass cover will press the air out in pressing
on the convexity of the liquid, or what little is not expelled will come out by the
hollow wedge or flattened small pipe when it is to be withdrawn, and the fastening
down completed air tight; on contraction by cooling there will be a vacuum, and
contents will be preserved. As essentially desirable in using glass, porcelain, and
other like ware or materials, partly or wholly secure, packing for transport is
necessary, more so than with metal vessels, and to effect this I recommend the
forming of rhomboid cases which will be found easier and quicker, packed with
greater security.
I will now describe a way of using the Invention,―
Firstly. Vessels for liquids, for example, wine or beer. The vessel being filled
as usual, the stopper, with the caoutchouc ring or rings is moistened by the liquid
or with glycerine, and a fastener or not applied to the stopper.
If vacuum or partial vacuum is desirable the contents of vessels should be
expanded to more or less fill the vessel to the stopper, and while thus expanded by
heat a plug of whalebone or hemp, stiffened or not, or cotton, or a short thorn, or
any fibrous material should be inserted into the pin hole to stand up in the bottom
of the hollow of the stopper, and should at once be sealed over, or the sealing may
be effected without any plug filling of the pin-hole, and the vessel will be as air
and vacuum tight as a metal one can be by soldering.
Secondly. Vessels for storing or preserving other substances than wholly liquid,
for example meat, fish, vegetables, fruit.
The vessel should be filled and contents expanded by heat (below boiling water)
say 95 to 98 degrees centigrade; the cover or lid is to be put on and pressed down
on the contents in the vessel filled up through the stopper aperture so that the
air may be expelled through the stopper hole. The stopper is then to be pressed in
to cause all the air to escape, and the contents to fill up to the pin hole; if not
quite full, steam may be generated to force the air out, and the pin hole must be
Bealed over with or without a plug being inserted.
Vessels filled and closed with a vacuum may be subjected to 105 degrees centi-
grade, which is found to be effective preservation of fresh meat, fish, and other
like substances. Of course this must be done in a steam tight boiler to the
requisite pressure to have uniform external pressure on the preserving and storing
vessels.
Stoppers, on removing of fastenings (only possible by breaking seal, if sealed),
will only require little force if the vessel is vacuum closed, by first opening the pin
hole, and if simply closed, as a bottle is corked, the stopper need not have a pin hole,
or the seal closing of it need not be removed; in opening nothing is destroyed, all is
re-usable, and the vessels are readily closed pro tem of using contents as perfect
as any accurate ground stoppered vessel, but without any liability of the stopper
becoming fixed to be difficult to remove.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edgar Edmonds in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th June
1879.
EDGAR EDMONDS, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of
166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
CLOSING AND STOPPERING BOTTLES, JARS, AND OTHER SIMILAR VESSELS
RECEPTACLES FOR CONTAINING PRESERVED SUBSTANCES." (A communication from
abroad by William Buckwell, of Roecantica and Aspra Umbria, Italy.)
The objects of this Invention are,-
OR
Firstly. The forming of covers, lids, and stoppers, so that with rings of caout-
chouc or other elastic material they may be applied to close vessels of glass,
porcelain, metal, or other suitable materials, and secure them air and vacuum tight
whereby any liquid or substance may be preserved or stored fresh or with or
without antiseptics. The closing is applicable to other like purposes.
Secondly. The fixing and securing of covers, lids, and stoppers elastically,
obviating any cutting or breaking in closing or opening of the vessels and pre-
venting breakage of one part by percussion against another part in the act of
closing or by packing or transport.
Thirdly. The forming of cases for more secure and quicker packing of the
preserving and storing vessels, which cases are adaptable for packing other vessels,
particularly cylindrical ones, such as bottles, cans, and other similar articles.
By this Invention the same perfect preserving and storing is effected as in metal
cans, but without soldering and without any part being deteriorated or becoming
worthless.
Heretofore meat, fish, vegetables, and other fresh organic substances have been
preserved fresh in air and vacuum closed metal cans by soldering covers or lids
thereto, and the like and other substances with antiseptics have been preserved in
vessels of glass, porcelain, and other ware by covers, lids, or stoppers of cork rosined
or otherwise cemented or capsuled with bladder, leather, metal, caoutchouc, or by
covers and stoppers rendered accurately fitting by grinding or by metal saucers
inverted as covers pressing against a ring of caoutchouc outside the neck of the
vessel, or by corks well pressed in and covered with cement and with a metal or other
saucer cemented over the same with the cement filling the space between saucer
and neck of vessel, the cement being generally tallow and resin.
All these methods are less certain or perfect than the metal can, air and vacuum
closed by solder, but metal cans are not generally suitable where antiseptics are
used, and contents often taste of the metal, while in the opening the cans are
destroyed and become nearly worthless or waste.
According to my Invention, which will be clearly understood by referring to the
annexed Drawings for vessels adapted to be used for storing or preserving liquids I
form the stoppers a with a hexagonal or other formed hollow b, with or without a
pin hole c at bottom of hollow leading to a channel or to channels d, d, across the
underside of stopper and cover, and I use the same form of stoppers in covers or
lids of vessels suitable for any substances with or without liquide, the covers for
which are formed of the same material as the stoppers, preferably glass, by which
contents of vessel may be partially seen, and in the case of the vessel being glass a
still better inspection of the contents is insured, or the vessels may be made of
porcelain or other ware, or may be of metal with glass covers and stoppers; or for
economy, the stoppers and covers may be of porcelain or other ware with glass
vessels, and at the disadvantage of contents being in the dark both vessels and
covers may be wholly of opaque material like metal cans.
Figure 3 shows the mode of stoppering vessels applicable for holding effervescing
liquids. The vessels may be of any form or size, and the mouth or aperture may
be cylindrical and slightly tapered one in twenty, more or less, and made as accurate
as practicable by moulds, dies, templates, and gauges.

page_text: The apertures for the stoppers should be uniform in size (as usual in making beer
bottles) having a rim e to receive lug fastening f, and the same size aperture in
covers renders the same stoppers applicable, and one numbered size will always
apply to many different size vessels having this numbered aperture.
The aperture
for covers may be of any size to the full or more than the full diameter of the
vessel, but sizes should increase by whole centimeters, or 2 or more centimeters on
diameter, so that the covers of a particular numbered size will always fit. In large.
vessels full diameter open or full mouthed plate glass covers may be used, and also
to metal cans, and the glass cover already described may be used to metal cans.
For example, medicine phials, travelling or toilet flasks or other vessels, the stopper
may be of glass, metal, or other material, and serve as seen in Figures 8 and 9 for a
cup g, and an outside metal cap or cover will serve for a second cup and give
double security.
The fixing or securing of the covers, lids, and stoppers is obtained by means of a
ring of metal i. Figure 10, with lugs j, clipping under the rim of the mouth of the
vessel, there being chaces k in the rim, corresponding chaces in the flange of the
cover, lid, and stopper for the lugs, as seen in Figure 10%. The stoppers and covers
being sufficiently pressed down the lugs on the metal ring may be turned to go
under the rim by compressing the caoutchouc m, or the top of stoppers and covers
may be inclined, then by turning the ring the lugs will pass under the rim and
give the pressure on the caoutchouc, or without chases a two lug fastener may be
used to be simply passed from the side to the centre over the stopper on the incline
on top of the stopper or while the stopper is pressed in without any incline, as seen
in Figure 1.
Another fastener, and one I prefer is to have, as seen in Figures 5, 11, and 12, a
metal ring n with thin metal hooks o at its lower end to clip under the rims of
vessels, the other thinner end being bent over the top of T ring. This fastening
like the others bears elastically on stoppers and covers. The fastening of the
covers in motal cans may be effected by like thin strips of metal, or part of the
sides of the can bent over the top of a T ring.
In any of the fastenings made as hereinbefore described it is obvious that
any tampering with the sealing of the pin hole and fasteners would be
detached.
Vessels inserted into a boiler may be steam jointed to a moderate pressure, the
same in covers of steam cooking vessels, by using the ring of caoutchouc m in a
groove or channel affixed to or forming part of the vessel or cover, and fastened by
clips of metal q. This arrangement is shown in Figures 13, 14, 15, and 16.
In using plain plate glass covers the T rings should form part of the fastening
with the metal hooks to clip under the rim of vessels, and on the cover being.
pressed down on the caoutchouc (with or without a metal ring therein of stout
wire) the thin ends of the hooks to be bent over the top of T ring.
Figure 17 shows a plate glass cover, which as will be seen is formed with a pin
hole in the centre, thus dispensing with the stopper a.
To extract the air when using plate glass covers a thin hollow wedge or flattened
small metal pipe (between two pieces of thin metal or surface coated with
glycerine) is inserted over the caoutchouc and under the glass. The vessel being
quite full or stored at 95° centigrade the plate glass cover will press the air out in
pressing on the convexity of the liquid, or what little is not expelled will come out
by the hollow wedge or flattened small pipe when it is to be withdrawn, and the
fastening down completed air tight; on contraction by cooling there will be a
vacuum, and contents will be preserved. As essentially desirable in using glass,
porcelain, and other like ware or materials, partly or wholly secure packing for
transport is necessary, more so than with metal vessels, and to effect this I recom-
mend the forming of rhomboid cases, which will be found easier and quicker packed
with greater security.
I will now describe a way of using the Invention,―
Firstly. Vessels for liquids, for example, wine or beer.—The vessel being filled as

page_text: usual, the stopper with the caoutchouc ring or rings is moistened by the liquid or
with glycerine, and a fastener applied or not to the stopper. If vacuum or partial
vacuum is desirable the contents of vessel should be expanded to more or less fill
the vessel to the stopper, and while thus expanded by heat a plug of whalebone, or
hemp, stiffened or not, or cotton, or a short thorn, or any fibrous material should be
inserted into the pin hole to stand up in the bottom of the hollow of the stopper,
and should at once be sealed over, or the sealing may be effected without any plug
filling of the pin hole, and the vessel will be as air and vacuum tight as a metal one
can be by soldering.
Secondly. Vessels for storing or preserving other substances than wholly liquid;
for example, meat, fish, vegetables, fruit.-The vessel should be filled and contents
expanded by heat (below boiling water) say 95 to 98 degrees centigrade, the cover or
lid is to be put on and pressed down on the contents in the vessel, which is filled up
through the stopper aperture so that the air may be expelled through the stopper
hole. The stopper is then to be pressed in to cause all the air to escape, and the
contents to fill up to the pin hole; if not quite full steam may be generated to force
the air out, and the pin hole must be sealed over with or without a plug being
inserted.
Vessels filled and closed with a vacuum may be subjected to 105 degrees centi-
grade, which is found to be effective preservation of fresh meat, fish, and other like
substances. Of course this must be done in a steam tight boiler to the requisite
pressure to have uniform external pressure on the preserving and storing vessels.
Stoppers, on removing of fastenings (only possible by breaking seal, if sealed),
will only require little force if the vessel is vacuum closed by first opening the pin
hole, and if simply closed as a bottle is corked the stopper need not have a pin
hole, or the seal closing of it need not be removed in opening, nothing is destroyed,
all is re-usable, and the vessels are readily closed pro tem. of using contents as
perfect as any accurate ground stoppered vessel, but without any liability of the
stopper becoming fixed so as to be difficult to remove.
Figures 18, 19, and 20 show a stopper secured by a ring or clip of metal with
lugs clipping under the rim e of the mouth of the vessel; and Figures 21, 22, and
23, a similar stopper secured by the metal T, ring n, and clips o, as seen in Figures
5, 10, and 11; Figure 24 is a stopper with an incline on the top.
And having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim as the Invention com-
municated to me by my foreign correspondent, the improvements in closing and
stoppering bottles, jars, and other similar vessels or receptacles for containing
preserved substances as herein before described and as shown in the annexed
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edgar Edmonds, have hereunto set my band
and seal, this Nineteenth day of June, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy nine
EDGAR EDMONDS. (L.S.)