IMPROVEMENTS IN INTERNAL STOPPERS FOR ALL KINDS OF BOTTLES."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Thomas King, of the Town and County of the
Town of Nottingham, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN INTERNAL
STOPPERS FOR ALL KINDS OF BOTTLES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Thomas King at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th July 1881.
ALFRED THOMAS KING, of the the Town and County of the Town of
Nottingham. "IMPROVEMENTS IN. INTERNAL STOPPERS FOR ALL KINDS OF
BOTTLES."
My improvements consist in constructing a stopper having a central plunger of
wood, ivory, china, or other suitable material provided with a disc or button at
each end, either of which may be secured on or form part of the plunger; the disks
may be either square edged, conical, or other suitable shape; a plunger so con-
structed has one end passed through a hole in the centre of an india-rubber washer
suitably shaped at its edge. A second modification of internal stopper consists of a
plunger as before described, having one end passed through a bobbin or double
flanged cylinder, upon which an india-rubber washer of suitable shape is placed.
Other modifications of stoppers consist of combinations of the above described
parts made of shapes suitable to the orifices they are to stop. In either case these
stoppers may be employed in bottling still or aerated liquids, and to displace the
stopper it is only necessary to push down either the central plunger or its
surrounding bobbin according to the construction of the stopper. A slight pressure
effects this against a great internal pressure, and allows the gas in aerated liquid to
escape when the stopper drops inside the bottle or for still liquids. I form the
plunger of such a shape that when it is pressed down the surrounding washer will
contract so that it can be withdrawn from the bottle.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alfred Thomas King in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 16th
January 1882.
ALFRED THOMAS KING, of the Town and County of the Town of Nottingham.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN INTERNAL STOPPERS FOR ALL KINDS OF BOTTLES."
My improvements consist in constructing a stopper having a central plunger of
wood, ivory, china, or other suitable material provided with a disc or button at
each end, either of which may be secured on or form part of the plunger; the disc
may be either square edged, conical, or other suitable shape. A plunger so con-
structed has one end passed through a hole in the centre of an india-rubber washer
suitably shaped at its edge. A second modification of internal stopper consists of
a plunger as before described, having one end passed through a bobbin or double
flanged cylinder upon which an india-rubber washer of suitable shape is placed.
Other modifications of stoppers consist of combinations of the above described
parts made of shapes suitable to the orifices they are to stop. In either case these
stoppers may be employed in bottling still or aerated liquids, and to displace the
stopper it is only necessary to push down either the central plunger or its
surrounding bobbin according to the construction of the stopper.
A slight pressure effects this against a great internal pressure, and allows the
gas in aërated liquid to escape when the stopper drops inside the bottle; or for
still liquids I form the plunger of such a shape that when it is pressed down the
surrounding washer will contract so that it can be withdrawn from the bottle.
Figures 1 to 9 represent eight varieties of my improved internal stoppers.
The first modification consists in constructing a stopper, shewn in section at
Figures 5 and 8; the one shewn at Figure 5 may be employed for a short necked
bottle, and the one shewn at Figure 8 for a long necked bottle.
Each stopper consists of a central plunger A, of wood, ivory, porcelain, ebonite,
earthenware, glass, or other suitable material; the stem of the plunger is provided
at each end with a disc or button, or other suitably shaped enlargement which
may be either secured on the stem, or they may form part of the plunger. A
plunger so constructed has one end passed through a hole in the centre of an india-
rubber washer C suitably shaped at its edge, and varying in size according to the
shape of the interior of the neck of the bottle it is intended to stop. A stopper so
constructed when in a bottle containing nerated or fermented liquor has the lower
disc driven close up to the washer C by the pressure within the bottle, the washer C
taking the form of that portion of the interior of the bottle neck upon which it is
forcibly pressed, thereby effectually stoppering the bottle. To unstop the bottle it
is only necessary to press down the plunger A, say with the fore finger, a very
slight pressure of which suffices, the gas or air contained in the bottle under
pressure then escapes, and the stopper drops instantly inside to the bottom of the
bottle. A bottle containing still liquids may be stopped from the outside by
employing a stopper of the shape shewn at Figure S, the stopper being inserted in
the neck of the bottle until the india-rubber washer passes below the narrow part
of the neck of the bottle, then upon the plunger A being forcibly pulled upwards
the conical bottom part will expand the washer C and effectually stopper the
bottle. The bottle being instantly unstopped by a slight pressure downwards on
the plunger the washer C contracts and the air escapes, the stopper falls as before

page_text: described, or may be withdrawn. A second modification of internal stopper is
shewn in section of divers shapes at Figures 1, 2, 4, and 6, each of which consists
of a plunger A, as before described, but having one end passed through a bobbin or
double flanged cylinder B, also of wood, ivory, porcelain, ebonite, earthenware,
glass, or other suitable material; upon the bobbin or cylinder B an india-rubber
washer C of suitable shape is placed; the lower end of the plunger may be provided
with a disc or button, as described in the first modification, or it may have a neck
cut in it, as shewn at Figures 1, 2, 4, and 6; in either case it is provided with one
thin washer D, as shewn at Figures 1 and 4, or two thin washers D, as shewn at
Figures 2 and 6, either of which effectually closes or stops the hole in the bobbin
or double flanged cylinder. When the stopper is employed in a bottle containing
aërated or fermented liquor, the internal pressure forces the washer C onto the
interior of the neck of the bottle, thus effectually closing or stoppering it.
The unstoppering being effected by a downward pressure of the plunger, as
before described.
When two washers D are employed, as the stopper is forced into position by the
internal pressure, the uppermost washer is forcibly pressed quite flat up to the
lower side of the bobbin B, and the lower washer slightly curls downwards over
the upper edge of the lower disc, button, or bottom of the neck of the plunger,
thus forming a more effectual seal or stop than if one washer only is employed.
A third modification of internal stopper is shewn in section at Figure 3, and
consists of a plunger A, the stem of which is passed through a bobbin B flanged at
the top and conical at the bottom; the upper end of the plunger is then provided
with a disc, button, or other suitable shaped enlargement securely fixed on it to
prevent its withdrawal from the bobbin. A suitable shaped washer or cylinder C
of india-rubber is placed on the bottom of the stem of the plunger, the lower disc
or button of which by the internal pressure within the bottle forces the washer or
cylinder C up the coned end of the bobbin, thus expanding the washer and forcibly
pressing its outer side into the interior of the neck of the bottle. This form of
stopper may be employed to stop bottles containing fermented or still liquids by
simply pressing down the plunger and pushing the washer C onto it, then inserting
the stopper into the neck of the bottle to be stopped, and by holding down the
bobbin B and pulling up the plunger A the rubber C will be forcibly pressed into
the neck of the bottle and effectually stop it, the unstopping being effected as
before described.
A fourth modification of internal stopper is shewn in section at Figure 9. This
stopper may be employed in wide necked bottles, in bottles having a flange or
shoulder on the interior of the neck, or in bottles having a recess in the neck to
contain an india-rubber ring E; in either case the stopper consists of a plunger A
of a suitable shape and of the materials described in the first modification, provided
with one or two washers D, but having the stem of the plunger passed through a
perforated sphere or semi-sphere B either of india-rubber or of the materials
described in the first modification, which is by the internal pressure in the bottle
forcibly pressed up into the neck of the bottle, or onto the flange or shoulder
within the neck, or up to the rubber ring E before described; the unstopping of
the bottle being effected by a slight downward pressure of the plunger.
The whole of the stoppers above described are weighted with block tin, as
shewn by the dotted lines in the upper part of the plungers A, at Figures 1
and 2.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that I claim,-
First. The construction and employment of a perforated stopper having a double
disced plunger sliding in the perforation.
Second. The construction and employment of a perforated stopper provided with
washer C and having a single or double disced plunger sliding in the perforation,
the single disced plunger being provided at its lower end with a washer or

page_text: washers D, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the Drawings
annexed for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof,' I, the said Alfred Thomas King, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of January, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
Witness,
H. W. GOUGH,,C.E.,.
Nottingham.
ALFRED THOMAS KING. (L.S.)