IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERING BOTTLES
Year: 1884

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
WO PATRICK FAGAN of Stanley Works, Carver Street Sheffield, Horn
Merchant, HENRY BAGNALL, of 54 Allen Street, Sheffield, Handle and Scale
Cutter and SAMUEL SKERRITT, of 181 Devonshire Street, Sheffield, Ornamental
Iron Worker, all in the County of York, do hereby declare the nature of our
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERING BOTTLES," and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
This invention consists of a stopper made of Horn, or other equivalent substance
but preferably of Horn.
The part of the stopper which is inserted into the neck of the bottle, is made
round and may be parallel or taper, having a button or disc shaped head or top,
which may be milled or beaded on the edge, for the convenience of holding and
turning it, at a suitable distance below the head of the stopper, are enlargements or
projections partaking of the form of a segment, or segments of a worm or screw,
made to fit corresponding grooves or recesses, within the neck of the bottle, so that
when the stopper is entered and turned, it can he made to go into, or out of the
bottle; Immediately under the head or top of the stopper, is stretched a ring
or washer of india rubber, cork, or other equivalent substance and of sufficient
thickness and elasticity, to make a tight joint when compressed between the stopper
and the mouth of the neck of the bottle, by the stopper being turned or screwed
down, thereby preventing any leakage or escape of the contents of the bottle.
When used for bottles containing liquids or fluids under pressure, the stopper is
made with a vent, by which the pressure can be reduced by allowing the air or gas
to escape, before the stopper is removed from the bottle.
For this purpose a hole is made longitudinally through the centre of the stopper
and countersunk at both ends, into this hole a loosely fitting spindle or vent peg, is
placed, having a button or cone shaped head to prevent its slipping through the
hole, and also serving to press the vent peg down, when required to liberate the
gas or air; at the other end of the vent peg, which projects through the lower end
of the stopper, a recess is inade into which an elastic ring or washer of india rubber
or other equivalent substance is stretched, the extreme end of the peg being
rivetted over or made button shaped, to prevent the ring or washer being
forced off.
When the pressure within the bottle forces the vent peg up against the bottom
or lower end of the stopper the ring or washer closes the vent orifice in the stopper

page_text: and when the top end of the vent peg is pressed down the orifice is reopened and
the gas is liberated; the top end of the vent peg is made long enough to rise in the
top recess or countersink of the stopper, to be flush, or level, or nearly so, with the
top so that it may not be accidentally forced down by coming in contact with
other bottles in packing, or in carriage, or in other ways.
Stoppers constructed as herein described, become tighter and less likely to leak as
the pressure within the bottle is increased.
The recess or countersink in the top of the stopper may be made large enough
and deep enough to receive the end of a pipe or tube through which the bottle
may be filled under pressure; the liquid or Buid passing through the vent orifice
into the bottle.
When the bottle has been thus filled, or partly filled, the vent peg with the
washer attached will be forced up, by the pressure within the bottle, and
automatically close the vent orifice, as already described.
The accompanying Drawings illustrate our invention as applied in stoppering
bottles.
Figure 1, is an elevation representing the stopper without a vent, which can be
used for bottles containing liquids or fluids which though not necessarily under
pressure, require to be kept Air and water tight.
Figure 2 is an elevation representing the stopper as fitted with the vent.
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of the same.
Figure 4 is a plan looking on to the head or top of the same.
Figure 5 is a cross section of the same through the line A. B.
The following is an explanation of the letters of Reference on the foregoing
Drawings.
A. is the head or top of the stopper.
B. is the body of the stopper which goes into the neck of the bottle.
C. c. are the enlargements or projections made to fit the corresponding grooves or
recesses within the neck of the bottle.
D. is the elastic ring or washer under the head or top of the stopper.
E. is the loosely fitting spindle or vent peg.
F. is an elastic ring or washer on the bottom of the vent peg.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
1, making the improved stoppers herein described of horn.
2, Forming the stopper with enlargements or projections partaking of the nature
of a segment or segments of a worm or screw, such enlargements or projectious
being placed at a convenient distance below the head of the stopper to fit
corresponding grooves or recesses in the neck of the Bottle as herein described.
3, Constructing stoppers used for bottles containing liquids or fluids under
pressure with a vent by which the pressure can be reduced by allowing the air or
gas to escape, before the stopper is removed from the bottle, substantially as
herein before described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings as shewn in
Figures 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
RICHARD HEBER RADFORD,
Agent for the Applicants.