Improvements in or relating to Bottles or similar Vessels.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 15th Feb., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Bottles or similar Vessels.
I, JOHN MORGAN RICHARDS, of 46 Holborn Viaduct, London, in the County
of London, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (communicated
to me by Henry Kingsbury Terry of Chamber of Commerce Building, Richmond,
Virginia, U.S.A.) and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates particularly to improvements in that class of bottles having
non-refilling stoppers, and it primarily has for its object to provide a bottle or a
similar vessel having automatic shifting valve or stopper devices, which when the
bottle is held with its neck uppermost will close off the outlet, and which when the
bottle is tilted will shift to allow the contents thereof to freely flow out.
It has also for its object to provide such valve devices which can be fitted to or
formed with the bottle without materially increasing the cost of manufacture
thereof.
My invention consists in such novel construction and peculiar combination of
parts as will hereinafter be first described in detail and then specifically pointed
out in the appended claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in
which
Figure 1. is a vertical section of the neck portion of a bottle with my improve-
ments applied.
Figure 2. is a similar view showing such bottle neck inverted, the valve being in
its open position.
Figure 3. is a sectional view of the neck portion of a bottle showing the keeper
or back seat for the valve formed of metal showing the manner in which such
keeper is forced in position.
Figure 4. is a similar view showing the keeper seated in its operative position.
Figure 5. is a horizontal section on the line 5-5 Figure 1.
Figure 6. is a perspective view of the keeper and valve detached, and
Figure 7. is a detail view of the intermediate or supplemental keeper hereinafter
specifically referred to.
Referring to the accompanying drawing, A. indicates the neck of the bottle
which has at its throat a contracted portion formed with a tapering valve seat B.
in which is fitted a tapering, preferably conical valve C. the top or base of which
is hollowed or concave as at c and formed with a series of projecting portions el cl
for a purpose presently explained.
D. indicates the keeper, which as well as the valve C. in the preferred
construction, is of glass, and is formed in the manner most clearly shown in.
Figures 1 and 6. by reference to which it will be seen the same consists of an
annular ring or base portion d of a diameter equal that of that portion of the
bottle neck to which it is fitted, an upper cap or hood portion d' of a less diameter
than the ring d, but large enough to extend over the liquid passage d' such hood d
having a pair of diametrically oppositely projecting members d, which connect
with post or side members d projected up from the ring d, the outer faces
forming practically extensions of the peripheral face of the same ring, such
posts a diverging slightly from the base upward when made to fit a tapering
bottle neck.
By making the outer faces of the posts as flush with the outer face of the ring d,
the keeper will be held to snugly fit the bottle neck. and afford ample binding

page_text: surface against the inside of the neck of the bottle which surface is secured by
cement or otherwise to the neck, at a point above the valve as shown most clearly
in Figure 1.
By forming the cap or hood d' of a less diameter than the ring d, allows for a
free passage of the liquid when the bottle is turned up as in Figure 2. in which the
direction of the flow of liquid is indicated by the arrow.
It will be noticed by referring to the aforesaid figure when the bottle is tilted
the projections c¹ of the valve will seat against the under face of the base or ring of
the keeper.
By forming such valve base as described, passages c* are provided when such
valve seats against the aforesaid ring.
When the keeper is made of metal the hood portion is formed with fingers d
made of spring metal, which when inserted in place in the neck as shown in
Figure 3. will bend back, and when forced down to the position shown in
Figure 4, will spread and seat in an annular groove a* formed in the neck of
the bottle and thereby lock such keeper to the bottle and prevents it being
withdrawn.
By constructing the valve devices as described, it will be noticed that when the
bottle is held with its neck upward the valve will drop into its seat and thereby
close off entrance to the bottle.
By making the top or base of such valve hollowed out, should the bottle be
tilted and the valve moved sidewise, the liquid poured into the neck will enter
against the hollow base of such valve and assist in forcing it to its seat.
To hold the valve C. to its seat when the bottle is held with its neck uppermost
and to prevent it being raised from the seat by jarring the bottle or tapping it from
below, a supplemental keeper M. is provided which is held between the valve seat
and the keeper D. and consists of a split ring M' and a flexible screen like body N.
secured thereto, as most clearly shown in Figure 7.
This keeper, it will be noticed by reference to Figures 1 and 2 is so disposed
between the valve C. and keeper D. that the weight of the fabric N. will normally
bear down on the valve and cause it to hold to its seat against any jarring action."
When the bottle is tilted to discharge the liquid, the weight of the valve,
augmented by the pressure of the liquid within the bottle, will cause the fabric to
bulge out as shown in Figure 2. and allow for a free exit of the contents of such
bottle.
By connecting the fabric N. to a split ring, it follows, that such ring can be
quickly fitted in place in the neck of the bottle.
It will be noticed by reference to Figures 1 and 2, the valve and the liquid
passage in the keeper are so arranged relatively, that any liquid poured into the
neck will be deflected directly into the hollow top of such valve, and thereby further
assist by the feed or impact force against such valve, to hold it (the valve) against
its scat.
From the foregoing it will be observed that by the construction shown, a
simple and effective valve device or bottle stopper is provided which can be
added to the bottle without materially increasing the cost of its manufacture, and
which can be attached thereto without the use of any specially constructed attaching
mechanism.
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 bottle having a neck formed with a contracted valve seat at its lower end,
a keeper having a central or liquid passage, a gravity valve fitting in the valve
seat having its upper end concaved and disposed directly under the discharge end
of the passage in the keeper, said keeper having a horizontal portion held above
the upper end of its passage, of a less diameter than the corresponding neck
portion of the bottle, but greater than the diameter of the aforesaid passage, all

page_text: arranged substantially as shown whereby the liquid poured into the neck will pass
from the sides of the neck into the passage in the keeper and pass out directly
against the top of the valve, as hereinbefore set forth.
2. As an improvement in bottles, the combination with a bottle neck having a
contracted opening at the bottom forming a valve seat, a gravity valve held on such
seat, said neck having an annular groove at a point above the valve, of a keeper,
having a tubular like body, and spring metal lateral fingers, adapted when the
keeper is forced in the neck to spread out in engagement with the said groove, all
arranged substantially as shown and for the purposes described.
3. As an improvement in non-refilling bottles, the combination with a bottle
having a tapering valve seat at the lower end of the neck, and an annular groove
at a point above the said seat, and a tapering gravity valve held on the said seat,
hollowed out on its rear or top face, of a keeper having a tubular body terminating
at the base in an annular ring d having projections d', a cap plate having radial
spring metal fingers adapted to engage the annular groove, said cap plate held over
the tubular body all arranged substantially as shown and described.
4. In a non-refilling bottle, the combination with the bottle having its neck
formed with a contracted valve seat, the gravity valve held therein and a stationary
keeper held above the valve, of a supplemental keeper held between the valve and
fixed keeper, having a flexible portion adapted to bulge outward when the bottle
is tilted to discharge the liquid and to press down against the valve when the bottle
is held to its normal or upright position as and for the purposes described.
5. The combination with the bottle having its neck formed with a contracted
valve seat, the gravity valve C. held therein, and the keeper D. all arranged as
shown, of a supplemental keeper M. consisting of a spring ring member and a
central flexible portion N. all arranged substantially as and for the purposes
described.
6. The combination with a bottle neck having a contracted throat having a
valve seat, and a gravity valve held therein, of a keeper having a central passage
an annular ring or base surrounding such passage a cap or hood held over such
passage, and supporting portions connecting such hood to the ring or base, said
posts having their outer faces made flush with the periphery of the ring, all
substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 10th day of January 1896.
J. E. EVANS-JACKSON & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.