Improvement in Closing-devices for Bottles and other Vessels.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application; 22nd Aug., 1892--Accepted, 24th Sept., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Closing-devices for Bottles and other Vessels.
I, AUGUST WILHELM SCHROEDTER, of 83 Potsdamer Strasse, Berlin, Kingdom
f Prussia, German Empire, Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
ion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
scertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to a closing-device for bottles and other vessels, and consists
n constructing the said device in such a manner, that it may be manipulated easily
and without any notable effort, yet will afford a very reliable and air-tight closure
of the bottle or other vessel.
My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a sectional central elevation of my improved closing-device.
Fig. 2 a front elevation of the same.
Fig. 3 a top view of the same.
Fig. 4 is a central sectional elevation of a modification.
Fig. 5 a front elevation of the same.
Fig. 6 a top view of the same.
Fig. 7 shows a modified means for guiding the closing cap k.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
In carrying my invention into effect, I construct the device firstly of a stirrup a
made of two metallic pieces hinged to one another at b. The end-portions or
arms cc' of the stirrup a (parallel in the closed position, see Fig. 1) are of unequal
length, and the longer arm c is bent at its lower end so as to form an eye e, through
which I pass the wire f, drawn around the neck of the bottle, so that the position
of the eye e is a fixed one. The shorter arm c¹ is provided at its lower end with
a nose fitting into a slot h of the tongue i pivoted by means of the wire passing
through an appropriate eye. The stirrup a is provided in its center with a hole
having a female thread for a screw j. The point of the latter is passed through a
cylindrical sheet-metal cap k, and upset so as to prevent the screw and cap from
separating. The cap is furnished with two lateral offsets guided by means of
slots d provided in the arms c c'. The interior of cap k is filled with a number
of packing-discs m, the undermost of which preferably consists of cork.
g
The operation of the device is as follows: In order to stop a bottle, the screw j
The latter is then turned
is turned so as to raise the cap k close to the stirrup a.
around the hinge e, till the cap is directly above the mouth of the bottle. The
nose g on the arm c¹ is then in such a position as to allow the sloth of the tongue i
to be easily pushed thereover. Hereafter the screw j is turned in the contrary
direction, thereby raising the stirrup a, as the cap k rests on the mouth of the bottle
and therefore cannot move downwards. As soon as the nose g (moving together
with the stirrup a) reaches the end of the sloth, the upward motion of the stirrup a
is arrested, and when turning the screw j farther on, the cork disc m will be forcibly
pressed on the mouth of the bottle and thus effect a completely air-tight closure.
In order to open the bottle, the same manipulations are performed in reverse
order.
In the modification illustrated by Figs. 4-6 I have replaced the screw j by a
lever which is passed through a slot n of the stirrup a and provided with an
I have shown a hexagonal
irregular polygonal head o of increased thickness.
head, but I do not confine myself to this particular shape. The operation of this
modified form of construction is but slightly different from that before described.
After having brought the slot h of the tongue i over the nose g of the arm c', the
lever is turned from the position shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 4 into that

page_text: represented in full lines, whereby the distance between the stirrup a and the cap k
is increased, and the cork disc m pressed on the mouth of the bottle.
The modification illustrated by Fig. 7 relates to the construction of the stirrup a
and to the guidance of the cap k. The stirrup a is made of one piece with its
arms ac, provided with slots d for the guidance of the cap k by means of the
lateral offsets l.
The stirrup a is hinged at b to the arm c, secured by means of the wire f, as
described.
The advantage of this modification is that the offsets remain in the guiding
slots d even when the stirrup a is completely inverted.
Though I have described my improved closing-device as applied for stopping a
bottle, I do not confine myself to this particular use, but wish to state expressly
that my invention may be employed for closing vessels of various kinds. The
hereinbefore described device will be especially advantageous for liquids or
beverages containing gases, for instance carbonic acid, absorbed under pressure,
such as soda-water, sparkling wines, and the like.
As a characteristic and essential feature of my invention, I will mention that the
closing operation is performed in two periods or steps, the first consisting merely in
bringing the cap
over the mouth of the bottle and locking the stirrup a by means
of the tongue i, and the second in forcibly pressing the cap k with its cork disc m
on the mouth of the bottle.
k
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 closing-device for bottles and other vessels, consisting in the combination of
the following parts, viz.: a stirrup and a tongue each adapted to be hinged with
one end on the neck of the vessel, and their free ends adapted to be interlocked; a
cap containing a cushion of a suitable packing material, adapted to be placed
between the mouth of the vessel and the stirrup, and guided along the latter;
and means for pressing the cap on the mouth of the vessel, for the purpose set
forth.
2. A closing-device for bottles and other vessels, consisting in the combination
of the following parts, viz.: a stirrup and a tongue each adapted to be hinged with
one end on the neck of the vessel, and their free ends adapted to be interlocked by
means of a nose and a slot respectively; a cap containing a cushion of a suitable
packing material, adapted to be placed between the mouth of the vessel and the
stirrup, and guided along the latter; and means for pressing the cap on the mouth
of the vessel, for the purpose set forth.
3. A closing-device for bottles and other vessels, consisting in the combination,
with the stirrup a having an arm c hinged at b, and provided with a slot and an 4
eye e, the arm c', provided with a slot d and a nose g, the tongue i having a slot h,
and the wire passing through and securing the tongue i and arm c, of the cap k,
having offsets 1, the cork-disc m and means for pressing the latter on the mouth
of the vessel, for the purpose set forth.
4. A closing-device for bottles and other vessels, consisting in the combination, 4
with the stirrup a having an arm e hinged at b, and provided with a slot d and an
eye e, the arm c¹ provided with a slot d and a nose g, the tongue i having a slot h,
and the wire passing through and securing the tongue i and arm c, of the cap k,
having offsets 1, the cork-disc m and the screw j, substantially as shown and
described with reference to Figs. 1–3 in the accompanying drawings, and for the 5
purpose set forth.
5. A closing-device for bottles and other vessels, consisting in the combination,
with the stirrup a having a slot n and an arm c hinged at band provided with a
slot d and an eye e, the arm c¹, provided with a slot and a nose g, the tongue i
having a sloth, and the wire f passing through and securing the tongue i and arm c,
of the cap k, having offsets 1, the cork-disc m, and the lever j', having an irregular

page_text: polygonal head o, substantially as shown and described with reference to Figs. 4-6
in the accompanying drawings, and for the purpose set forth.
6. In a closing-device of the kind described the modified construction illus-
trated by Fig. 7 in the accompanying drawings and described with reference
thereto, consisting in making the stirrup a of one piece with its arms c¹ and a³,
which are provided with slots d, and hinging the stirrup at 6 to the arm c secured
by means of a wire f passing through its ere e, for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 22nd day of August 1892.
AUGUST WILHELM SCHROEDTER,
By Geo. H. Rayner,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.