An Improved Method of Extracting Liquid Contents from a Bottle or like Vessel and Means therefor.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Dec., 1899
Complete Specification Lett, 18th Apr., 1900-Accepted, 4th Aug., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Extracting Liquid Contents from a Bottle or
like Vessel and Means therefor.
I, EDWARD HERCULES WHITING, of No. 50, Grove Park, Denmark Hill, Camber-
well, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved method of extracting liquid contents
from a bottle or like vessel and means therefor. The main object of the inven-
tion is to provide a handy means for dispensing small quantities of spirits and
other drinks such as are sold retail in public houses and other places, direct
from the bottle, so as to place on draught the contents of bottles which are
usually kept temporarily corked..
According to my invention an ordinary syphon tube which may be advan-
tageously made of glass and preferably clear or transparent, is fitted with a
valve of peculiar construction. This valve is fitted to the longer leg of the
syphon and at the lower end thereof. It may be constructed in its simplest
form as follows:-The lower end of the longer branch or leg of the syphon is
connected by a short piece of india-rubber tube, or other suitable flexible and
resilient liquid-proof material, to a short piece of hard tubing, preferably of
the same material as the syphon and of the same size bore. It will be understood
that the ends of the said rubber tube extend a little way on the tubes which they
connect. Over each of these ends is cemented or otherwise fixed a block pre-
ferably cylindrical and advantageously of cork; an ordinary beer-bottle cork cut
in halves transversely would provide the two. A closely coiled helical spring
connects these two blocks together and consequently the syphon with the small
piece of tube of the same material. The said blocks are provided simply to
form a means for the attachment of the helical spring the said spring being
coiled tightly for a few convolutions at each end around the blocks. Thus the
syphon and the additional piece of tube are connected one with the other by a
flexible joint; constituted by the helical spring and the piece of soft rubber tube
which bridge across the space between them.
The helical spring is so arranged as to normally keep the rubber tube within
it bent, thus forming a "kink" in the said rubber tube. This kink closes the
tube at this point so that neither liquids nor air can pass through, and thus the
whole contrivance forms a kind of pinch-cock valve which is normally closed.
I will now proceed to describe its use and action:-The bottle whose con-
tents are required to be placed on draught, is first uncorked in the usual way
and in the place of this cork is inserted a soft plug, advantageously of cork,
with a central bore completely through it from end to end. The short leg of
the syphon is inserted through this bore in the cork or plug until the end of
the said leg reaches the bottom of the bottle or thereabouts. Then open the
valve by simply pulling downwards the short piece of hard tube against the
contractive action of the spring, thereby extending the said spring and also
out of the latter so that its
the piece of rubber tube and taking the "kink
is now unobstructed. Thereupon, some of the contents of the bottle.
passage

page_text: will rise in the short leg of the syphon, until it arrives at a height somewhat
above that of the level of the liquid in the bottle. Now close the valve again by
releasing the hand from it and withdraw the syphon from the bottle and reverse
it, that is, turn it upside down in the hands so that the bend will now be at the
bottom, then open the valve again as before, and thereupon the liquid in the
syphon will adjust itself to the same level in both legs. Close the valve again
and replace the syphon in the bottle and the contents of the latter will then be
on draught as desired, that is, may be drawn off as and when required by simply
opening the valve by pulling downwards the piece of hard tube below the valve;
the closure of the valve being effected automatically by the contraction of the
helical spring when the pulling force is released.
These syphons may be used separately or two or more of them may be con-
nected together by one or more transverse bars to afford them more support, and
render them more rigid, or two or more of these syphons may be so connected
together side by side that two or more of them may be inserted in one and the
same bottle, so that as many assistants can be drawing the contents at the same
time. In the event of more than two syphons being inserted in say an ordinary
wine bottle, no cork or plug will be necessary in the mouth of the bottle.
Instead of the tap or valve tube, that is to say, the piece of hard glass or
other hard tube immediately below the valve proper, having a through way or
longitudinal bore completely through it, its lower end may be closed and holes
provided in the side of the tube at a more or less height above the lower
extremity. The object of this is to provide against any sediment which may be
at the bottom of the bottle or other vessel, getting drawn into the syphon or
obstructing its draught.
When the syphon is fitted in the neck of the bottle through a plug, cork or
cap of any kind, care must be taken to make it only loosely fitting, or if tightly
fitting at the periphery the syphon tube may fit easily in the bore of the plug:
or again, if it be found desirable for the plug to fit the neck of the bottle tightly
and also the syphon to fit firmly in the bore of the plug, then holes may be
pierced through the plug, or same may be made of some suitable resilient
porous material, say spongy rubber, in order that the air may enter and replace
the contents drawn off, so that the proper air pressure may be maintained.
I will now proceed to describe a modification of the above most simple form of
the invention, which modification will be found more particularly valuable for
taking up any slack in the flexible rubber valve tube proper, and also as a means
for keeping the said valve open when a considerable quantity of liquid is to be
drawn off, without necessitating the holding of the valve open by hand all the
while, as will be understood would be necessary in the former construction.
According to this modification, the helical wire spring or its equivalent is
only arranged at the lower end immediately below the valve proper, whilst
between it and the tube of the syphon is a hollow chamber preferably of oval
form, its major axis coinciding with the axis of the syphon tube. On each end
of this hollow bulb is formed a collar, the lower one of said collars is con-
nected to the upper end of the helical spring, and the upper one is screw-
threaded internally, and screws on to the lower end of the longer arm or leg of
the syphon said lower end being provided with an externally screw-threaded
ferrule to engage it. Thus, by the more or less screwing of the bulb on to
the syphon a certain amount of adjustment can be effected, that is to say the
extent of the bend in the rubber tube may be so adjusted that it may form a
complete kink, when of course the valve would be quite closed against the
passage of a liquid or any medium between this state and the full-open one may
be brought about and maintained by this means of adjustment; in other words
the valve may be held closed or more or less open to any extent without the
necessity of holding it open by hand. Also, any slackness that may occur in the
rubber tube through frequent stretching may be made up for by simply screwing
the bulb further up the stem of the syphon.

page_text: A still further modification and one which obviates the necessity of removing
the cork of a bottle or even the capsule which may cover it, is as follows:-
The shorter leg of a syphon constructed as above described is brought to a
sharp point say lance-shaped, that is triangular in cross-section the sides being
preferably fullered, or hollow-ground, so as to present cutting edges as well
as a sharp point at the extremity in order that said point shall be able to
pierce a cork easily; or instead of these sharp edges and point, a spiral or
Screw-like termination may be given to the said end of the syphon leg. Holes
must be made in the end of the leg. to admit the liquid into the syphon.
A syphon thus constructed will be able to bore its way through both cork
and capsule and of course the fit of the syphon leg in the cork will be an
air-tight one.
Instead of the sharpened and pointed or screw-like end being made integral
with or fixed to the end of the syphon leg as above described, it may be a
separate piece pointed at one end and shouldered down at the other so that a
short length of it will fit loosely in the end of the syphon leg in which it will
be inserted up to the said shoulder and after having pierced the cork, will
drop away from the syphon into the bottle, leaving the bore of the syphon leg
entirely unobstructed.
The
I will now proceed to describe the operation of this modification, assuming it
is desired to place on draught the contents of a corked and capsuled bottle
without removing either the cork or the capsule. In the first place it may be
mentioned that the air between the surface of the contents of a corked. bottle
and the cork itself is always under a certain amount of compression due to the
insertion of the cork. This fact, I take advantage of as will be seen.
shorter leg of the syphon bearing the sharp end is first thrust through both
cork and capsule, but not far enough to reach the contents: the compressed
air in the bottle then immediately rushes into the syphon and is stopped from
passing out through its other extremity by the valve there. The air is thus
imprisoned between the surface of the contents of the bottle and the said valve
in the syphon; and if the separate piercing point has been used, the same will
have dropped away from the syphon to the bottom of the bottle. The syphon
is then thrust further through the cork and into the bottle till it nearly reaches
the bottom thereof, whereupon the contents is on draught, and to draw some
off. it is only necessary to open the valve in the longer leg to release the im-
prisoned air which on rushing out relieves the pressure on the surface of the
liquid and thus enables the same to pass upwards and so through the syphon, its
passage being of course controlled by the valve or tap, as desired.
Dated the 6th day of December 1899.
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
Agents for the Applicant.
An Improved Method of Extracting Liquid Contents from a Bottle or
like Vessel and Means therefor.
I. EDWARD HERCULES WHITING, of No. 50, Grove Park, Denmark Hill, Camber-
well, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
This invention relates to an improved method of extracting liquid contents
from a bottle or like vessel and means therefor. The main object of the inven-
tion is to provide a handy means for dispensing small quantities of spirits and

page_text: other drinks such as are sold retail in public houses and other places, direct from
the bottle, so as to place on draught the contents of bottles which are usually
kept temporarily corked.
I will now proceed to describe my invention, reference being made to the
accompanying drawings which are to be taken as part of this specification and
read therewith in whichi
Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of one form of kinked-tube valve or
tap made according to the present invention, the tap being closed;
Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section of a modified form of valve or iap;
Figure 1 is the syphon tube provided with grooves for air-vents.
Figure 2 is the syphon tube provided with tubes for air-vents and also has
the cork piercer fitted in one end and the tap on the other.
Figure 3 is a side view of the syphon tube shewn in Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a cross-section on line 4-4 of Figure 2.
Figure 5 is a cross-section on line 5-5 of Figure 2.
°
Figure 6 is a front elevation of the tap fitted at the end of the longer leg of
the syphon said leg being shewn broken off for convenience.
Figure 7 is a vertical section of a bottle provided with the syphon shewn in
Figure 2 as fitted ready for use.
Figure 8 is a transverse section taken just above the cork in Figure 7, but
assuming the syphon tube, Figure 1, to be the one in the bottle.
Figure 9 is a front elevation partly in section of a modified form of the
kinked-tube tap and adjoining parts of the syphon, the tap being open.
Figure 10 is a side elevation partly in section of Figure 9 shewing the tap
closed.
Figure 11 is a side elevation of the tap shewn in Figures 9 and 10.
According to my invention in one modification and which is shewn in
Figure 1 of the drawings thereof, an ordinary syphon tube which may be
advantageously made of glass and preferably clear or transparent, is fitted with
a valve of peculiar construction. This valve is fitted to the longer leg of the
syphon and at the lower end thereof. It may be constructed in its simplest form
as follows: The lower end of the longer branch or leg of the syphon bis con-
nected by a short piece of india-rubber tube .r, or other suitable flexible and
resilient liquid-proof material, to a short piece of hard tubing 10, preferably of
the same material as the syphon and of the same size bore. It will be understood
that the ends of the said rubber tube extend a little way on the tubes b and w
which they connect. Over each of these ends is cemented or otherwise fixed a
block m preferably cylindrical and advantageously of cork: an ordinary beer-
bottle cork cut in halves transversely would provide the two. A closely coiled
helical spring connects these two blocks together and consequently the syphon
with the small piece of tube of the same material. The said blocks are pro-
vided simply to form a means for the attachment of the helical spring; the said
spring being coiled tightly for a few convolutions at each end around the
blocks m.
Thus the syphon and the additional piece of tube c are connected one
with the other by a flexible joint; constituted by the helical spring n and the
piece of soft rubber tube which bridge across the space between them.
The helical spring is so arranged as to normally keep the rubber tuber
within it bent, thus forming a kink" in the said rubber tube. This kink
closes the tube at this point so that neither liquids nor air can pass through,
and thus the whole contrivance forms a kind of pinch-cock valve which is
normally closed.
<
I will now proceed to describe its use and action:-The bottle whose con-
tents are required to be placed on draught, is first uncorked in the usual way
and in the place of this cork is inserted a soft plug, advantageously of cork,
with a central bore completely through it from end to end. The short leg a
of the syphon is inserted through this bore in the cork or plug until the end
of the said leg reaches the bottom of the bottle or thereabouts. Then open the

page_text: valve by simply pulling downwards the short piece of hard tube w against the
contractive action of the spring n, thereby extending the said spring and
straightening the piece of rubber tube thus taking the "kink" out of the
latter so that its passage is now unobstructed. Thereupon, some of the con-
tents of the bottle will rise in the short leg of the syphon, until it arrives at a
height somewhat above that of the level of the liquid in the bottle. Now
close the valve again by releasing the hand from it and withdraw the syphon
from the bottle and reverse it, that is, turn it upside down in the hands so that
the bend will now be at the bottom, then open the valve again as before, and
thereupon the liquid in the syphon will adjust itself to the same level in both
legs. Close the valve again and replace the syphon in the bottle and the con-
tents of the latter will then be on draught as desired, that is, may be drawn off
as and when required by simply opening the valve by pulling downwards the
piece of hard tube below the valve; the closure of the valve being effected
automatically by the contraction of the helical spring n when the pulling force
is released.
The end of the shorter leg of the syphon may be closed and holes provided in
the side of the tube, at a greater or less height above the lower extremity. The
object of this is to provide against any sediment which may be at the bottom of
the bottle or other vessel, getting drawn into the syphon or obstructing its
draught.
When the syphon is fitted in the neck of the bottle through a
plug, cork or cap of any kind, care must be taken to make it only
loosely fitting, or if tightly fitting at the periphery the syphon tube may fit
casily in the bore of the plug or again, if it be found desirable for the plug
to fit the neck of the bottle tightly and also the syphon to fit firmly in the bore
of the plug, then holes may be pierced through the plug, or same may be made
of some suitable resilient porous material, say spongey rubber, in order that the
air may enter and replace the contents drawn off, so that the proper air pressure
may be maintained.
I will now proceed to describe a further modification of the above most
simple form of the invention, which modification will be found more particu-
larly valuable for taking up any slack in the flexible rubber valve tube proper,
and also as a means for keeping-the said valve open when a considerable quantity
of liquid is to be drawn off. without necessitating the holding of the valve open
by hand all the time, as will be understood would be necessary in the former
construction. This device is illustrated in Figure 1 of the drawings.
According to this modification, the helical wire spring n¹ or its equivalent is
only arranged at the lower end immediately below the valve proper, whilst
between it and the tube of the syphon is a hollow chamber preferably of oval
form its major axis coinciding with the axis of the syphon tube. On each
end of this hollow bulb is formed a collar 2, the lower one of said collars. is
connected to the upper end of the helical spring, and the upper one is screw-
threaded internally, and screws on to the lower end of the longer arm or leg
of the syphon b said lower end being provided with an externally screw-threaded
ferrule to engage it. Thus, by the more or less screwing of the bulb on to the
syphon a certain amount of adjustment can be effected, that is to say the extent
of the bend in the rubber tuber may be so adjusted that it may form a com-
plete kink, when of course the valve would be quite closed against the passage
of a liquid, or any medium between this state and the full open one may be
brought about and maintained by this means of adjustment: in other words the
valve may be held closed or more or less open to any extent without the necessity
of holding it open by hand. Also, any slackness that may occur in the rubber
tube through frequent stretching may be made up for by simply screwing the
bulb further up the stem of the syphon.
A still further modification and one which obviates the necessity of removing
the cork of a bottle or even the capsule which may cover it, is as follows: -

page_text: 34
The shorter leg of a syphon constructed as above described is brought to a
sharp point say lance-shaped, that is, triangular in cross-section, the sides being
preferably fullered or hollow-ground so as to present cutting edges as well
as a sharp point at the extremity in order that said pointed end shall be able
to pierce a cork easily; or instead of these sharp edges and point a spiral or
screw-like termination may be given to the said end of the syphon leg. Holes
must be made in the sides near the end of the leg to admit the liquid into the
syphon.
A syphon thus constructed will be able to bore its way through both cork and.
capsule and of course the fit of the syphon leg in the cork will be an air tight
one.
In this modification instead of the sharpened and pointed or the screw-like end
being made integral with or fixed to the end of the syphon leg a as above
described, it may be a separate piece preferably in the form of a cork-screw,
pointed at one end c, and shouldered down at the other end in the manner for
example shewn at d. The shouldered-down portion or tang is preferably
squared as shewn and the end of the syphon tube and the mouth of the tap in
which it fits has a similarly formed socket. The object of this square fitting
being to prevent the screw portion from turning in its socket in the syphon
and tap. This cork-screw device fits the said socket loosely enough for it to
drop out unless held in. It is shewn in Figure 2, in position in the end of the
syphon and in Figure 7 separate from the syphon and resting upright at the
bottom of the bottle. The syphon tube is provided with a vent fixed or formed
thereon instead of venting the cork as was described with reference to the
former modifications. This vent may be formed by simply grooving the sides
of the syphon tube as shewn at e, Figures 1" and 8, and it may be provided
with an additional band or casing surrounding it, or it may consist of one or
more pieces of very small tube embedded in the thickness or substance of the
syphon tube such as shewn at f in Figure 7, or, as at g in Figures 2, 3 and 5,
soldered, brazed, or otherwise fixed or formed on the exterior of the syphon tube.
The modification shewn in Figure 7 is to be preferred as it offers less resistance to
the passage of the syphon tube through the cork.
The cap which replaces the kinked tube above described on the end of the
leg of the syphon, is an ordinary conical-plug cock, but is specially provided
with an additional milled-edged thumb disc h, in order that the tap may be
operated from either side and with either hand.
Figures 9, 10, and 11 illustrate a further modification of tap. This modifica-
tion is a combination of the kinked tube tap and the turn-plug type. It con-
sists of a casing i, and has also a turn-plug j turning therein which latter
however need not be conical. Through the plug is made a hole through which
passes the flexible rubber tube a, one end of which latter is fixed on to the end
of the leg of the syphon, and the other end on to the short piece of glass
or other suitable hard tube w. In Figure 9 the soft rubber tube is straight
and therefore the tap is in the open position: in Figure 10 it will be seen the
said tube is doubly bent, this being the closed position of the tap which it
will be readily understood is brought about by simply turning either of the
thumb-discs or h¹. To keep the tap normally in the closed position against
the tension of the rubber tube, a small spring such as is fixed to the casing,
and a bridge-piece 7, fixed rigidly to the turn-plug so as to turn therewith.
When the said plug is turned the bridge-piece comes in contact with the spring
and by the application of slight force may be sprung over the nose of the said
spring, which latter thereby becomes temporarily slightly bent, and, tending
to straighten itself, exerts just sufficient pressure against the bridge-piece 7 to
hold the same and consequently, the attached plug i, as desired
I will now proceed to describe the operation of this modification, assuming
it is desired to place on drauglit the contents of a corked and capsuled bottle
without removing either the cork or the capsule. In the first place it may be

page_text: mentioned that the air between the surface of the contents of a corked bottle,
and the cork itself is always under a certain amount of compression due to the
insertion of the cork. This fact, I take advantage of as will be seen. The
lenger leg of the syphon having the tap attached is used as a handle to the
corkscrew, is first thrust or screwed as the case may be, half through the cork and
capsule.
The shorter end of the syphon is then employed to complete the transit of
the corkscrew through the cork and capsule until it drops out of the syphon
into the contents of the bottle as shown in Figure 7.
Now reverse the bottle, that is turn it upside down. Turn the tap on and
thrust the syphon further through the cork and into the contents of the bottle
till it reaches the bottom thereof, whereupon the syphon charges itself and is
retained there by turning the tap off before reversing the bottle, whereupon the
air escapes through the vent and the contents is on draught, and to draw some
off it is only necessary to open the valve on the longer leg to release the
imprisoned air in the syphon which on rushing out relieves the pressure on the
surface of the liquid and thus enables the same to pass upwards and so through
the syphon, its passage being of course controlled by the valve or tap as desired.
The bore of the mouth of the tap shewn in Figures 2, 6 and 7 may be made
square and adapted to fit over the square end of the piercing instrument so that
the tap in combination with the piercing instrument may be employed alone
without the syphon tube to screw or thrust the piercing instrument partly through
the cork; this being a provision to avoid twisting the syphon, which would be
apt to occur if the syphon tube were employed to screw or thrust the piercing
instrument entirely through the cork.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A tap or valve consisting of a tube of flexible material and a closely coiled
helical spring normally to keep the said tube kinked, twisted and therefore
closed substantially as described.
2. A tap or valve consisting of a tube of flexible material a closely coiled helical
spring normally to keep the said tube kinked, twisted and therefore closed, and
an adjustable union coupling for regulating the amount of bend, kink or twist
substantially as described.
3. An apparatus for extracting liquid contents from a bottle or like vessel
without removing either the cork or capsule, consisting of the combination with
the cork or stopper of the vessel, of a syphon tube provided on the shorter leg
near to the bend with a vent, a tap or valve at the end of the longer leg, and a
corkscrew or other piercing instrument fitting loosely in the end of the shorter
or longer leg, substantially as described and set forth.
4. In an instrument for extracting liquid contents from a bottle or like vessel
without removing either the cork or capsule, consisting of the combination of a
syphon having a vent on its shorter leg near to the bend and a corkscrew or
other piercing instrument fitting loosely in the end of either leg, the combina-
tion with the longer leg of the syphon of a tap consisting of a body in the form
of a union coupling, a spindle passing transversely revolubly there-through, a
hole through said spindle, a piece of hard tube and an elastic tube connecting the
piece of hard tube with the end of the said leg of the syphon and passing
through said hole, substantially as described and set forth.
Tatad this 10th of
1000
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.