Improvements in Apparatus Connected with Filling and Corking. Bottles.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Nov., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Aug., 1889-Accepted, 5th Oct., 1889
Improvements in Apparatus Connected with Filling and Corking.
”
Bottles.
I, DENNIS WICKHAM, of The Star Brewery, Ware, Hertfordshire, Brewer and
Manufacturer of Mineral Waters, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
'
This invention relates to certain improvements in or connected with apparatus or
machines for charging bottles with liquids also for charging them with gaseous fluids
and for corking said bottles.
The apparatus or machine consists of a standard, to which is affixed a receptacle or
basket, into which a bottle neck can be inserted by a treadle or other appliance, the
entrance to the bottle receiver being furnished with an india rubber, or other cushion
to make the bottle air tight when the bottle is pressed into it.
The upper portion of the; bottle receiver is provided with a screw gland, or stuffing
box and a pipe like piston slides therein, said pipe being in connection with a supply
pipe from a cask, tank, or reservoir containing the liquid to be bottled and from
which it flows by gravity or by pressure.
The piston like pipe is connected to a block containing a tap or valve, which is.
opened during a descending motion of a rack for charging purposes, said rack being
held between guide plates for true up and down motion.
The rack is geared into by a quadrant worked by crank handle and the axle of
the quadrant carries a disc to which a link or appliance is connected for giving
an oscillatory motion to a bell crank, one arm of which carries a curved plunger
which enters a side nozzle or aperture of the basket or bottle receiver, said nozzle
or aperture being first provided with a cork which the plunger drives home into the
bottle neck.
On the rack is a cam plate, which when the rack descends, presses against a
valve stem and opens a valve by which a supply of gas is first admitted into the bottle
previous to the entry of the liquid which is effected by its tap lever riding against
another cam plate when the rack has travelled a little farther, the liquid entering the
bottle near the lower part through the pipe like piston so that it is not disturbed by
the presence of the gas already within the bottle.
The position of the quadrant in connection with the rack is such that the link or
appliance for operating the plunger first forces the cork which has been placed in the
side nozzle or aperture a slight distance down the nozzle or aperture to make it gas
tight and when the crank handle (which has a reciprocating circular motion) is
operated, the link or appliance only passes sufficient distance over the centre of the
disc to which it is connected for the plunger to enter the nozzle or aperture but when
the crank handle is reversed in its travel for withdrawing the tube like piston out of
the bottle the plunger is driven into the nozzle or aperture again and to a greater
distance to force, the cork home into the bottle neck the supply of gas and of liquid
having been just previously shut off by the uprising of the rack.
The plunger is curved and is an important feature in this invention when used in
connection with the side nozzle or aperture which is also curved, the bottle receiver
having a closed top, within which the liquid supply piston like pipe is fitted. This
combination is applicable to bottling machines generally.
The length of cork to be driven into the bottle by the plunger is adjusted or
governed by a movable bracket.
Dated this 22nd day of November 1888.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus Connected with Filling and Corking
Bottles.
I, DENNIS WICKHAM of The Star Brewery, Ware, Hertfordshire, Brewer, and
Manufacturer of Mineral Waters, 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 certain improvements in or connected with apparatus or
machines, for charging bottles with liquids, also for charging them with gaseous fluids,
and for corking said bottles.
The apparatus or machine, which I show in the annexed drawings, Figure 1, consists
of a standard A to which is affixed a receptacle, or basket B into which a bottle neck
can be inserted by a treadle C, or other appliance, the entrance to bottle receiver being
furnished with an india rubber, or other cushion D Figure 2, to make the bottle
air tight when the bottle is pressed into it.
The upper portion of the bottle receiver B is provided with a screw gland, or stuffing
box E, and a piston like pipe F slides therein, said pipe F being in connection with a
supply pipe from a cask, tank, or reservoir containing the liquid to be bottled and from
which it flows by gravity, or by pressure.
The piston like pipe F is connected to a block G in connection with a tap or valve H
which is opened during a descending motion of a rack I for charging purposes, said
rack being held between guide plates J, J, for true up and down motion.
The rack is geared into by a quadrant K worked by crank handle L and the axle of
the quadrant carries a disc M to which a link or appliance N is connected for giving
an oscillatory circular motion to a bell crank P one arm of which carries a curved
plunger which enters a side nozzle, or aperture R of the basket, or bottle receiver B,
said nozzle, or aperture being first provided with a cork S which the plunger drives
home into the bottle neck.
On the rack is a cam plate T, which when the rack descends, presses against a
valve stem U and opens a valve by which a supply of gas is first admitted into the
bottle, previous to the entry of the liquid which is effected by its tap lever riding
against another cam plate V, or a pin thereon when the rack has travelled a little
farther, the liquid entering the bottle near the lower part through the pipe like piston F,
so that it is not disturbed by the presence of the gas already within the bottle. The
cam plates T and V are adjustable to suit long and short bottles.
The position of the quadrant K in connection with the rack I, is such that the link,
or appliance for operating the plunger Q first forces the cork which has been placed
in the side nozzle, or aperture, a slight distance down the nozzle, or aperture, as
seen at Figure 2, to make it gas tight, and when the crank handle L (which has a
reciprocating circular motion) is operated, the link or appliance N only passes a sufficient
distance over the centre of the disc M to which it is connected for the plunger to enter
the nozzle, or aperture R, but when the crank handle L is reversed in its travel for
withdrawing the tube like piston F out of the bottle, the plunger is driven into the
nozzle, or aperture again, and to a greater distance, to force the cork home into the
bottle neck, the supply of gas and of liquid having been just previously shut off by
the uprising of the rack 1.
The plunger Qis curved and is an important feature in this invention when used
in connection with the side nozzle, or aperture R which is also curved, the bottle
receiver having a closed top within which which the liquid supplying piston like
pipe F is fitted. This combination is applicable to bottling machines generally.
The length of cork to be driven into the bottle by the plunger is adjusted or
governed by a movable bracket.
The treadle C, when a bottle is placed in the cup W is lifted into position for being
filled. The cup W is adjustable as to height to suit pint or quart bottles by the
pinch nut ✗ and sleeve Y on the stem Z.

page_text: When the rack is lifted its full height it comes into contact with and compresses
the spring I, a catch a, see Figure 3, suddenly passing from the back of the upright
into position for the rack to rest upon, the teeth of the rack and quadrant being
disengaged so that the quadrant can continue its travel for operating the plunger to
force the cork home. On the return of the handle L it strikes against the lever 6 of
the catch a and withdraws said catch, the teeth of the rack and quadrant re-engaging
ready for lowering the supply pipe into a fresh bottle which has in the interim
been placed in position.
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. The apparatus for filling bottles with fluids and liquids or liquid only, and for
corking such filled bottles, the apparatus acting substantially in the manner described
and as shewn by the annexed drawings.
2. Forming the bottle neck receiver B with a curved branch opening-as a cork
accepter-and for. the passage of a segmental plunger or cork driver, as described
with reference to the annexed drawings.
The word day o
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said D. Wickham.
H. GARDNER,
166, Fleet Street, London, Agent for the said D. Wickham.