IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Nathan Thompson, of the City of Brooklyn,
and State of New York, in the United States of America, but at
present of 35, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex,
Marine Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS FOR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Nathan Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 1st October 1873.
I, NATHAN THOMPSON, of the City of Brooklyn, and State of New
York, in the United States of America, but at present of 35, South-
ampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Marine Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
Means for Stopping Bottles aND OTHER SIMILAR HOLLOW ARTICLES," to be as

page_text: cap of stopper, to nt over the neck of the bottle, and in the head of this
cap I place a disc of cork or other suitable impermeable material as is
well understood.
In the cylindrical part of the cap I form two holes or slots on each
side thereof, and in the neck of the bottle I form a recess extending all
round the neck or only on each side thereof parallel to each other.
In the latter case the cap and the neck are also so formed by the aid
of projections fitting corresponding recesses as to accurately adjust the
holes in the cap to the recesses in the neck of the bottle.
In connection with the holes or slots in the cap, and the recess or
recesses in the neck of the bottle or other similar article, I employ a
locking piece or staple which is formed of two arms or bolts connected
together at one end by a bow piece closely or approximately fitting the
outside of the cap or cover.
The arms or bolts of the staple may be formed with parallel edges or
one or both edges may be inclined. Thus when the cap is placed in
proper position on the neck of the bottle or other article, the holes in
the cap, and the recess or recesses in the neck of the bottle or other
article, will come into a line with each other so as to enable the staple
or locking piece to be inserted therein, and thereby securely hold the
cap in position. If desired the recesses in the neck of the bottle or other
similar article may also be inclined.
When using inclines either on the staple or locking piece, or in the
recesses on the neck, the staple or locking piece as it is driven into
position will act to draw the cap or stopper forcibly down on to the neck
of the bottle or other article.
In some cases my improvements may be used as a capsule in combi-
nation with an ordinary cork, or the head of the cap may be provided
with a hole the cap being held firmly down on to the neck of the bottle
or other similar receptacle by the means before described with india-
rubber or other suitable packing between the parts. In this latter case
the head of the cap around the hole, as also the packing, project some-
what over the opening in the neck of the bottle or other similar article,
and a ball or other suitable internal stopper is used in connection there-

page_text: with, by which means the internal stopper may be readily inserted and
removed from the bottle or other similar article.
If desired the bow of the staple or locking piece may be fastened to
the can by a wire or other suitable fastening meana
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Nathan Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 31st March 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, NATHAN
THOMPSON, of the City of Brooklyn, and State of New York, in the
United States of America, but at present of 35, Southampton Buildings,
in the County of Middlesex, Marine Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Nathan Thompson, Her special license
that I, the said Nathan Thompson, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Nathan Thompson, 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 MEANS FOR STOPPING BOTTLES AND OTHER SIMILAR HOLLOW
ARTICLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Nathan
Thompson, 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 Nathan Thompson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say:
:-
The Invention has for its object improvements in means for stopping
bottles and other similar hollow articles whereby a cheap, rapid, and
efficient stopping means is obtained. For this purpose I form a hollow 5
cap or stopper to fit over the neck of the bottle, and in the head of this
cap I place a disc of cork or other suitable impermeable material, as is
well understood.
In the cylindrical part of the cap I form two holes or slots on each
side thereof, and in the neck of the bottle I form a recess extending all 1
round the neck or only on each side thereof parallel to each other.
In the latter case the cap and the neck are also so formed by the aid
of projections fitting corresponding recesses as to accurately adjust the
holes in the cap to the recesses in the neck of the bottle.
In connection with the holes or slots in the cap and the recess or 1
recesses in the neck of the bottle or other similar article, I employ a
locking piece or staple which is formed of two arms or bolts connected
together at one end by a bow piece closely or approximately fitting the
outside of the cap or cover.
The arms or bolts of the staple may be formed with parallel edges or 2
one or both edges may be inclined. Thus when the cap is placed in
proper position on the neck of the bottle or other article, the holes in
the cap and the recess or recesses in the neck of the bottle or other
article will come into a line with each other so as to enable the staple or
locking piece to be inserted therein and thereby securely hold the cap in 2
position. If desired the recesses in the neck of the bottle or other
similar article may also be inclined.
When using inclines either on the staple or locking piece, or in the
recesses on the neck, the staple or locking piece as it is driven into
position will act to draw the cap or stopper forcibly down on to the neck 3
of the bottle or other article.
In some cases my improvements may be used as a capsule in combi-
nation with an ordinary cork, or the head of the cap may be provided
with a hole, the cap being held firmly down on to the neck of the bottle
or other similar receptacle by the means before described, with india- 31
rubber or other suitable packing between the parts. In this latter case the

page_text: head of the cap around the hole, as also the packing, projects somewhat
over the opening in the neck of the bottle or other similar article, and a
ball or other suitable internal stopper is used in connection therewith,.
by which means the internal stopper may be readily inserted and
removed from the bottle or other similar article.
If desired the bow of the staple or locking piece may be fastened to
according to my Invention.
Figure 4 is a sectional plan and Figure 5 is an elevation of the cap or
stopper separately.
Figure 6 is a plan and Figure 7 is an edge view of the staple formed
fastening or locking means separately.
*. And Figure 8 is a plan, Figure 9 is a vertical section, and Figure 10
is a side elevation of the neck of a bottle separately.
a is the cap or stopper which is formed hollow to fit over the neck
of the bottle or other similar hollow article to which it is to be applied,
and is provided with a disc of cork or other suitable impermeable
material as is well understood.
In the cylindrical part of the cap or stopper a I form two holes or
slots a¹ on each side thereof, and in the neck b of the bottle or other
similar hollow article I form a recess b', which may extend all round
the neck or only on each side thereof as shown in the Drawings, such
recesses being parallel to each other.
In the latter case the neck of the bottle or other similar hollow article
is formed with a recess 6º, and the cylindrical part of the cap or
stopper a is formed with a corresponding indent or projection a³ to fit
such recess, so as accurately to adjust the holes or slots a¹ in the cap or.
stopper a to the recesses 6' in the neck of the article to be stopped, but.

page_text: if a continuous recess ¹ be employed around the neck b the recess b₁
therein and the indent or projection a³ in the cap or stopper a will not be
required. The arrangement shewn in the Drawing is, however, that
which I prefer to employ.
In connection with the holes or slots a¹ in the cap or stopper a, and
with the recess or recesses b¹ in the neck b of the bottle or other similar
hollow article, I employ a locking piece or staple c, which is formed as
shown of two arms or bolts connected together at one end by a bow piece
closely or approximately fitting the exterior of the cap or stopper a.
Thus when the cap or stopper a is placed in proper position and pressed
down on the neck 6 of the bottle or other article, so as to compress the
packing material between the two parts, and bring the holes or slots a¹
in the cap a, and the recess or recesses b¹ in the neck b, into a line with
each other. The staple or locking piece o is inserted therein, and thereby
securely holds the cap or stopper a in position.
The arms or bolts of the staple or locking piece c may be formed as
shown with parallel edges, or one or both edges may be inclined, and
if desired, the recesses 61 in the neck 6 of the bottle or other article may
also be inclined.
When using inclines on the staple or locking piece c, or in the
recesses b¹ on the neck b, or on both, the staple or locking piece c as it is
driven into position will act to draw the cap or stopper a forcibly down
on to the neck of the bottle or other similar article.
In some cases my improvements may be used as a capsule in combi-
nation with an ordinary cork, or the head of the cap may be formed as a
shown at Figure 11, in which case the cap or stopper is formed with a
hole in the top thereof, the cap being held firmly down on to the neck
of the bottle or other receptacle by the means before described, and
having india-rubber or other suitable packing between the parts. In
this case the head of the cap or stopper a around the hole, as also the a
packing, project somewhat over the opening in the neck of the bottle or
other similar article, and a ball d or other suitable internal stopper is
used in connection therewith, by which means the internal stopper may
be readily inserted and removed from the bottle or other similar article.
If desired the bow of the staple or locking piece o may be fastened to 3
the cap a by a wire or other suitable fastening means as will be well
understood.

page_text: Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the mode
in which I carry the same into effect, I would have it understood that
what I claim as my improvements in means for stopping bottles and other
similar hollow articles is,-
First. Forming the caps or stoppers with holes or slots a¹ therein to
receive a staple or locking piece c acting in combination therewith, and
with a recess or recesses 6' in the neck of the bottle to hold the cap or
stopper a firmly on to the neck of the bottle or other article to be stopped.
And, secondly. I claim the mode of adapting my Invention to be
employed in combination with internal stoppers, substantially as herein.
shown and described with respect to Figure 11 of the accompanying
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Nathan Thompson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four.