Improvements relating to the Stoppering or Closing of Jars, Bottles, and other Vessels.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Nov., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 29th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 31st Mar., 1894
Improvements relating to the Stoppering or Closing of Jars, Bottles,
and other Vessels.
1, THOMAS BURBIDGE, of 91 Vassall Road, Brixton, in the County of Surrey,
Brewer's Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in the stoppering or closing of jars, bottles.
and other vessels.
The object of my said invention is to provide means whereby jars, bottles and the
like can be hermetically closed and air excluded from the contents thereof.
According to my invention I form the mouth of the jar or bottle with a plane
surface preferably of glass, in the case of glass vessels this may be done by grinding
the top edge of the said vessel. For closing the vessel I provide a plate preferably
of glass with a plane surface which is applied tightly against the plane at the
mouth of the vessel. The said plate is kept in position by any suitable means.
Iu
the case of jars I very often use an elastic band which is approximately the same
size as the top of the jar, other means such as clamps or the like may of course be
easily devised suited for various descriptions of vessels. When an elastic band is
used as above described the surfaces of the covering plate and the mouth of the
bottle need not necessarily fit very tightly as the contraction of the band round.
the edge of the cover plate makes a sufficiently airtight joint for very many
purposes.
I sometimes provide bottles which are to contain liquid, with a glass plate
permanently closing the mouth of the same. The said plate is plane on its upper
or outer surface and is pierced with a suitable orifice which is preferably not in the
centre of the plate. The glass plate which forms the stopper is placed on the top
of the plate attached to the bottle, and the surfaces of the plates which are in
contact being plane, no liquid can then escape from the bottle; the upper plate is
taken off when it is desired to pour out the contents of the bottle.
To avoid the necessity of removing the upper plate altogether I very often pierce
the same with a hole which can be made to coincide with the hole in the fixed
plate when it is desired to open the bottle. When the two plates are circular the
holes are made excentric and the same distance from the centre in each and the
upper plate is secured to the bottle in such a manner that it can be rotated on
the top of the fixed plate until the holes are coincident when the bottle will be open.
One method of securing the top plate in position is by rivetting it to the bottom
plate at the centre or I may provide the following device. The bottle neck is
formed with an externally projecting collar or fillet near the top and a spiral spring
surrounding the neck of the bottle bears at its upper end against the bottom of said
collar or fillet. The loose top plate is placed on the fixed plate and a flanged ring
large enough to enclose both plates is slipped on to the top of said plate, the bottom
of the flanged ring is then secured to the lowest turn of the spiral spring thereby
compressing said spring against the collar on the neck of the bottle. The stress in
the spring causes the flanged ring to press the loose plate tightly against the fixed
plate but said loose plate is however able to be turned by a kuob or the like so as
to bring its hole into coincidence with the hole in the fixed plate when desired.
In cases where the nature of the contents of the vessel is such as will stand heat,
I preferably heat the vessel before closing it, the pressure of the atmosphere outside,

page_text: when the vessel is cool then assists in pressing the loose plate against the plane face
of the mouth of the vessel or against the fixed plate attached thereto.
Bottles, jars and the like stoppered according to this invention will be found to
preserve their contents for a considerable length of time, moreover owing to the
nature of the stoppering device said contents do not come into contact with any
cork or membrane or the like by which their flavour might be injured.
Dated thin 11th d
Amber 1902
THOMAS BURBIDGE.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements relating to the Stoppering or Closing of Jars, Bottles,
and other Vessels.
I, THOMAS BURBIDGE, of 91 Vassall Road, Brixton, in the County of Surrey,
Brewer's Manager, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in the stoppering or closing of jars, bottles,
and other vessels.
The object of my said invention is to provide means whereby jars, bottles, and
the like, can be hermetically closed and air excluded from the contents thereof.
According to my invention I form the mouth of the jar or bottle with a plane
surface preferably of glass; in the case of glass vessels this may be done by grinding
the top edge of the said vessel. For closing the vessel 1 provide a plate, preferably
of glass, with a plane surface which is applied tightly against the plane at the
mouth of the vessel. The said plate is kept in position by any suitable means, such
for example as those hereinafter described, which form part of my invention.
In order that my said invention may be clearly understood I will now proceed to
describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein
Figure 1 is a view half in vertical central section, half in elevation, of the neck
of a bottle fitted with one form of my improved stoppering-appliance,
Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 are similar views showing alternative arrangements,
Figure 6 is a sectional plan on the line X X of Figure 5, and
Figure 7 is a plan of a detail of the said Figure 5.
Like reference-letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
With reference first to Figure 1, A is the neck of a bottle, provided with a plane
annular surface at A'. B is a plate, preferably of glass, with a plane face which
is applied tightly against the plane A at the mouth of the vessel. This plate can
be kept in position by any suitable means. In the case of jars I very often use an
elastic band C which is approximately the same size as the top of the jar, and is
placed thereon as shown to embrace the edges of the neck A and plate B.
an elastic band is thus used the surfaces of the plate B and the mouth of the bottle
need not fit very closely, as the contraction of the band round the edge of the said
plate B makes a sufficiently air-tight joint for very many purposes. For the band I
may substitute clamps or any other suitable devices to keep the plate in place.
When
The bottle-neck shown in Figure 2 is screw-threaded at A. D is a collar screw-
threaded to engage with the said threaded portion A2 of the neck and flanged
at D¹ so that when screwed into place it retains the plate B in proper position.
In the modification illustrated in Figure 3, which illustrates a mode of stoppering
sometimes provided for bottles which are to contain liquid, E is a glass plate integral
with the neck and having a plane outer surface. This plate E is pierced with an
orifice E' which, preferably, is not in the centre of the plate. The plate B is

page_text: placed on the top of the plate E, and the surfaces of the plates which are in
contact being plane, no liquid can then escape from the bottle. The upper plate is
taken off or otherwise displaced when the contents of the bottle are to be poured
out.
I may employ as a retaining device for the plate B any of the retaining devices
hereinbefore referred to.
To avoid the necessity for removing the upper plate B altogether I can pierce
the same with an orifice B' as in the modification illustrated in Figure 4, which
can be made to coincide with the orifice E¹ in the fixed plate E when the bottle is
to be opened.
When the plates B and E are circular, the orifices which can be of any suitable
shape, are made eccentric and the same distance from the centre in each plate (see
Fig. 6 for example), and the upper plate B is secured upon the bottle by any
suitable means, in such a manner that it can be rotated on the top of the fixed plate
until the orifices B' and E' coincide, when the bottle will be open.
One method of securing the top plate in position is illustrated in Figure 4
wherein the plate B is connected centrally to the plate E by the thumb-screw F.
As an alternative, I may employ the devices illustrated in Figures 5, 6, and 7,
wherein the plate B connected to the ring G which is screw-threaded to engage
with the upper end of a screw-threaded collar H, flanged inward at H¹. I is a
ring in two sections (see Figure 7) which is received in a groove E' in the exterior
of the neck so as to project therefrom. Jis a spring which is compressed between
the flange H' and the projecting parts of the ring I, so that it will act to maintain
a downward pull on the collar H and also, through the said collar, on the ring G,
which will keep the plate B against the fixed plate E. The plate B can be
fixed to the ring G, in which case the plate B, ring G and collar H are all turned
together, to open the bottle; or the ring G may be separate from the plate B, in
which case the latter can be provided with a knob or other means whereby it may
be turned within the ring G.
In some cases where the nature of the contents of the vessel is such as will stand
heat, I preferably heat the vessel before closing it; the pressure of the atmosphere
outside when the vessel is cool then assists in pressing the loose plate against the
plane face of the mouth of the vessel or against the fixed plate attached thereto.
Bottles, jars, and the like, stoppered according to this invention will be found
to preserve their contents for a considerable length of time; moreover owing to
the nature of the stoppering device said contents do not come into contact with any
cork or membrane or the like by which their flavour might be injured.
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. The combination with a bottle, jar, or the like, having a plane surface at its
mouth, of a stoppering-plate to lie close against the said plane surface, substantially
as herein before described, for the purpose specified.
2. The combination with a bottle, jar, or the like, having a plane surface at its
mouth, of a stoppering-plate to lie close against the said plane surface, and an
elastic retaining ring, substantially as hereinbefore described, for the purpose
specified.
3. The combination with a bottle, jar, or the like having a plane surface at its
mouth, of a stoppering-plate to lie close against the said plane surface, a screw-
threaded neck portion, and a retaining-collar to engage the said screw-threaded
portion and the stoppering-plate, substantially as hereinbefore described, for the
purpose specified.
4. In a bottle, jar, or the like, the combination with a perforated plate integral
with the neck thereof and having a plane outer face, of a plate movable upon the
said plane face, with or without retaining devices, substantially as hereinbefore
described, for the purposes specified.

page_text: 5. In a bottle, jar, or the like, the combination with a perforated plate integral
with the neck thereof and having a plane outer face, of a plate pivoted upon the
said plane face, substantially as hereinbefore described, for the purposes specified.
6. In a bottle, jar, or the like, the combination with a perforated plate integral
with the neck thereof, and having a plane outer face, of a plate rotatable upon the.
said plane face, and a spring, bearing against the neck or' a projection therefrom
and against a collar connected with or bearing upon the rotatable plate,
substantially as hereinbefore described, for the purpose specified.
7. Bottles, jars, or the like, and appurtenances therefor, constructed and arranged
substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings,
for the purposes specified.
Dated this 29th day of January 1894
HASELTINE, LAKE,
Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.