IMPROVEMENTS IN CORKS OB STOPPERS FOR CLOSING BOTTLES AND JARS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Graham, of Oxford Street, in the County
of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CORKS OB
STOPPERS FOR CLOSING BOTTLES AND JARS."
Sealed the 21st July 1868, and dated the 4th February 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Graham at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 4th February 1868.
I, PETER GRAHAM, of Oxford Street, in the County of Middlesex,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN CORKS OR STOPPERS FOR CLOSING BOTTLES AND JARS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in corks or stoppers
for closing bottles and jars, and consists in combining with wooden
corks or stoppers (such as are described in the Specification of a
Patent granted to Nathan Thompson, and dated 1st January 1866,
No. 3,) caps or capsules, made by preference of tin plate, raised so as
to cover the top of the cork or stopper, and to fit to its circumference
for a short distance down, then to have a flange standing out all

page_text: round with on its edge a cylindrical rim turned downwards. The flange
when the cork or stopper is in its place rests on the top of the neck
or mouth of the bottle or jar, and the rim laps over it, so as both to
give an ornamental finish to the cork or stopper and to protect it from
the attacks of insects. The cap or capsule is fixed to the cork or
stopper either by indenting it on its cylindrical sides, or by cement, or
both methods of securing the cap or capsule may be simultaneously
resorted to.
Similar caps or capsules may also be combined with the improved cork
or stopper described in the Specification of a Patent granted to me and
another, and dated the 11th of October 1867, No. 2860. The caps or
capsules may also be combined with other corks or stoppers.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Peter Graham in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 4th August 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PETER
GRAHAM, of Oxford Street, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the
thirty-first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Peter Graham, Her special licence
that I, the said Peter Graham, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Peter Graham, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS
IN CORKS OR STOPPERS FOR CLOSING BOTTLES AND JARS," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Peter Graham, 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

page_text: 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 Peter Graham, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in corks or stoppers
for closing bottles and jars, and consists in combining with wooden
corks or stoppers (such as are described in the Specification of a Patent
granted to Nathan Thompson, and dated 1st January 1866, No. 3,) caps
or capsules, made by preference of tin plate, raised so as to cover the top
of the cork or stopper and to fit to its circumference for a short distance
down, then to have a flange standing out all round with on its edge
a cylindrical rim turned downwards. The flange when the cork or
stopper is in its place rests on the top of the neck or mouth of the
bottle or jar, and the rim laps over it, so as both to give an ornamental
finish to the cork or stopper, and to protect it from the attacks of
insects. The cap or capsule is fixed to the cork or stopper either by
indenting it on its cylindrical sides, or by cement, or both methods of
securing the cap or capsule may be simultaneously resorted to.
Similar caps or capsules may also be combined with the improved
cork or stopper described in the Specification of a Patent granted to me
and another, and dated the 11th of October 1867, No. 2860. The caps
or capsules may also be combined with other corks or stoppers.
Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawings hereunto annexed show a side view
and section of a cork or stopper, such as is described in the Specification
of the previous Patent above mentioned granted to me and another,
and having combined with it a metallic cap or capsule, as above
described. The stem of the cork or stopper is of wood, the lower end
being coated or covered with cork; the upper end of the wooden stem
is enlarged to fit or nearly fit the mouth of the bottle or vessel to
which the stopper is to be applied, and to the top of this enlarged
end of the stem is applied the metallic capsule a, which is first stamped
in dies to the form shown, and is then applied to the top of the wooden
stem of the stopper, and is by preference secured thereto by notching
in the metal at intervals around that part of the capsule which fits
against the sides of the top of the stopper. This notching or bending in

page_text: of the capsule may conveniently be effected by a tool made to press the
sides in upon the wooden top. In place, however, of the cap being
thus secured to the top of the stopper, it might be secured thereto by
cement.
At Figures 3 and 4 are shown a side view and section of a stopper
similar to that above described, but which is of a size suitable for being
applied to the mouth of an earthenware jar. The disc or flange a' of
the capsule is to rest on the top of the mouth of the bottle or jar, whilst
the cylindrical rim a laps closely over and against it.
Figures 5 and 6 show similar views of a stopper which only differs
from those above described in that the head of the wooden stem in
place of being of a diameter to enter the mouth of the bottle or vessel,
is made to fit against the top thereof; the sides of the capsules fit
against the sides of the head of the wooden stem; they also project
downwards below this head, so that they may lap over and fit against
the sides of the mouth of the bottle or jar to which the stopper is
to be applied. The sides of the capsule are by preference closed
upon the sides of the head of the stopper by a tool made to press all
round the side and press the metal inwards, and thus tighten the
hold of the capsule upon the wood.
In witness whereof, I, the said Peter Graham, have hereunto set
my hand and scal, this Fourth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand cight hundred and sixty-eight.
PETER GRAHAM. (L.S.)