IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STOPPERING OF BOTTLES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR ADAPTING BOTTLES THERETO.”
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Frederick Wood, of Number 10, Langdon Street,
Sheffield, in the County of York, Engineer, and John Wilkinson, of Swinton,
in the said County of York, Glass Bottle Manufacturer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STOPPERING OF BOTTLES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR
ADAPTING BOTTLES THERETO.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Frederick Wood and
John Wilkinson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 20th
January 1879.
CHARLES FREDERICK WOOD, of Number 10, Langdon Street, Sheffield, in the
County of York, Engineer, and JOHN WILKINSON, of Swinton, in the said County
of York, Glass Bottle Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STOPPERING OF
BOTTLES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR ADAPTING BOTTLES THERETO."
Our Invention relates to the stoppering of bottles by means of stoppers combined
with elastic packing material, such as caoutchouc or cork, and to the apparatus by
which the mouths of bottles are adapted to receive such stoppers.
In the neck of the bottle, just under the ring or lip which surrounds its mouth,
we form an oval, or a flattened, or preferably a squared part, by suitably shaping
the neck of the mould in which the bottle is blown, the object of such part being
to prevent the turning round of parts of the stoppers which we will presently
describe. Also above the part of the neck thus altered from the usual round figuro
wo form a circular groove or recess to receive the elastic packing which renders the
stoppering tight. In one form of stopper which we apply to a bottlo thus prepared
there is a bolt with a head which is squared or shaped to enter freely the squared
or flattened part of the bottle neck, but not to turn round therein.
The shank of
this bolt extends up beyond the mouth of the bottle and is screw threaded at its
upper end, on which is screwed a nut in the form of a plug. Between the head of
the bolt and the plug is placed a ring of caoutchouc or such like elastic packing
material with a loose washer between it and the plug. The stopper being inserted

page_text: in the bottle, the plug is turned round, and as the bolt is prevented from turning
this has the effect of screwing the plug towards the bolt head, squeezing the
packing ring and forcing it outwards into the groove or recess in the throat of
the bottle, thus rendering the stoppering tight. According to a modified form of
this stopper the plug is made with a screwed nipple projecting down from it to
screw into a nut which is placed in the squared or flattened part of the bottle neck.
When this construction is adopted, the packing ring may be of cork laid in the
recess of the bottle throat and remaining permanently there, the plug being coned
to enter the interior of the ring and squeeze it as it is screwed in. The packing
ring in this case serves to retain the nut in its place. As another modification the
nut and the squared or flattened part of the bottle neck may be dispensed with,
portions of the internal screw threads being formed in the mouth of the bottle just
above the packing ring, and the plug being made with corresponding portions of
screw threads which enter the threads on the bottle; or the portions of threads on
the plug may be simply two projecting wings sloped on their upper faces which can
bo inserted by two notches at the bottle mouth so as to enter the circular groove of
the bottle above the packing ring and to bo turned round therein, their sloping
faces acting as portions of screws to tighten the plug in the ring. Plugs made as
above described with sloping rings may have their ends capped with caoutchouc,
which being pressed against a shoulder forming a seat in the bottle neck makes a
tight joint. Further, a bolt being employed, as in the arrangement first described,
it may pass through the plug without scrowing, a separate nut being screwed on its
projecting end and the plug being prevented from turning by projections on the
under side of its flange entering notches provided at the bottle mouth. This
arrangement may be modified by substituting for the screwed bolt stem and its nut
a stem with a collar, under which is a nut that bears on inclines on the top of the
plug, or the upper end of the bolt may be made with an eye to receive a cross pin
on which is mounted a cam shaped handle. By turning this handle downwards in
either direction the plug is pressed downwards, or the bolt is drawn upwards so as
to give compression to the packing ring. For preparing the mouths of bottles to
receive stoppers such as we have described we apply to the spring tongs usually
employed for shaping these mouths certain fittings of the following description :-
Instead of having in the centre of the tongs the usual fixed mandril which enters
the bottle mouth and serves to centre the tongs, we mount the end part of this
mandril on an axis so that it is free to revolve on the central stem of the tongs, and
we shape it to suit the square or flattened part of the bottle neck, so that when it
is inserted and the bottle is turned round to receive its shaping from the action of
the tongs this part of the mandril turns round with it. In order to form the
internal groove near the bottle mouth we provide two sliding dogs shaped to the
desired form of the groove and fit them in slots in the fixed part of the mandril so
that they can be protruded therefrom for forming the groove, or retracted quite
within the slots when the mandril is introduced into the bottle neck or withdrawn
therefrom. In order to effect the protrusion and retraction of those dogs we provide
n disc which is mounted on the axis of the mandril so that it can revolve against a
fixed plate just above the dogs. In this disc there are cut two cam-shaped slots in
which engage studs projecting from the two dogs, and two pins on the disc are
connected by slotted bars to the two shanks of the tongs. The slots in these bars
are so formed with transverse and longitudinal parts that when the shanks of the
tongs are pressed together so as to give the shape to the external ring of the bottle
mouth the disc is at the same time by the action of the transverse parts of the slots
turned partly round, causing the protrusion of the dogs within the bottle neck so
as to form the internal groove theroin; but when the dogs are fully protruded the
pins of the disc escape into longitudinal parts of the slots, and then the further
approach of the shanks of the tongs has no effect in turning the disc. On letting
the tongs spring apart the disc is turned backwards and the dogs are thereby
retracted so that the mandril can be withdrawn from the bottle mouth. In order

page_text: to make the notches at the bottle mouth to receive the wings of the plug or the
projections that prevent the plug from turning, as above described, in reference to
some of the forms of stoppers, we fit on the mandril of the tongs, just above the
sliding dogs, a ring with wings projecting from it of the shape required for the
notches in the bottle mouth. These wings are pressed into the soft glass of the bottle
when the tongs are applied, and form the required indentations, and when the bottle
is turned round to be shaped by the tongs, the winged ring being free to revolve on
the mandril, turns along with the bottle. In cases where there are notches entering
the internal groove from the bottle mouth, the dogs of the tongs may be fixtures as
they can be entered and withdrawn by these notches.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Frederick Wood and John Wilkinson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 15th July 1879.
CHARLES FREDERICK WOOD, of Number 10, Langdon Street, Sheffield, in the
County of York, Engineer, and JOHN WILKINSON, of Swinton, in the said County
of York, Glass Bottle Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE STOPPERING OF
BOTTLES, AND IN APPARATUS FOR ADAPTING BOTTLES THERETO."
Our Invention relates to the stoppering of bottles by means of stoppers combined
with elastic packing material, such as caoutchouc or cork, and to the apparatus by
which the mouths of bottles are adapted to receive such stoppers.
In the neck of the bottle just under the ring or lip which surrounds its mouth
we form an oval or a flattened or preferably a squared part by suitably shaping the
neck of the mould in which the bottle is blown, the object of such part being to
prevent the turning round of parts of the stoppers, which we will presently describe.
Also above the part of the neck thus altered from the usual round figure we form a
circular groove or recess to receive the elastic packing which renders the stoppering
tight. In one form of stopper which we apply to a bottle thus prepared there is a
bolt with a head, which is squared or shaped to enter freely the squared or flattened
part of the bottle neck, but not to turn round therein. The shank of this bolt
extends up beyond the mouth of the bottle, and is screw threaded at its upper end,
on which is screwed a nut in the form of a plug. Between the head of the bolt
and the plug is placed a ring of caoutchouc or such like elastic packing material, with a
loose washer between it and the plug. The stopper being inserted in the bottle the
plug is turned round, and as the bolt is prevented from turning this has the effect of
screwing the plug towards the bolt head, squeezing the packing ring, and forcing it
outwards into the groove or recess in the throat of the bottle, thus rendering the
stoppering tight. According to a modified form of this stopper the plug is made
with a screwed nipple projecting down from it to scrow into a nut which is placed
in the squared or flattened part of the bottle neck. When this construction is
adopted the packing ring may be of cork laid in the recess of the bottle throat and
remaining permanently there, the plug being coned to enter the interior of the ring
and squeeze it as it is screwed in. The packing ring in this case serves to retain
the nut in its place. As another modification the nut and the squared or flattened
part of the bottle neck may be dispensed with, portions of internal screw threads
being formed in the mouth of the bottlo just above the packing ring, and the plug
being made with corresponding portions of screw threads, which enter the threads
of the bottle, or the portions of threads on the plug may be simply two projecting
wings sloped on their upper faces, which can be inserted by two notches at the
bottlo mouth so as to enter the circular groove of the bottle above the packing ring
and to be turned round therein, their sloping faces acting as portions of screws to
tighten the plug in the ring. Plugs made as above described with sloping wings
may have their ends capped with caoutchouc, which being pressed against a shoulder
forms a seat in the bottle neck and makes a tight joint. Further, a bolt being
employed as in the arrangement just described it may pass through the plug without
screwing, a separate nut being screwed on its projecting end, and the plug being
prevented from turning by projections on the under side of its flango entering
notches provided at the bottle mouth. This arrangement may be modified by
substituting for the screwed bolt stem and its nut a stem with a collar, under which
is a nut that bears on inclines on the top of the plug, or the upper end of the bolt
may be made with an eye to receive a cross pin, on which is mounted a cain shaped
handle. By turning this handle downwards in either direction the plug is pressed
downwards or the bolt is drawn upwards so as to give compression to the packing
ring. For preparing the mouths of bottles to receive stoppers such as we have
described we apply to the spring tongs usually employed for shaping these mouths

page_text: certain fittings of the following description. Instead of having in the centre of the
tongs the usual fixed mandril, which enters the bottle mouth and serves to centre
the tongs, we mount the end part of this mandril on an axis so that it is free to
revolve on the central stem of the tongs, and we shape it to suit the square or
flattened part of the bottle neck, so that when it is inserted and the bottle is turned
round to receive its shaping from the action of the tongs this part of the mandril
turns round with it. In order to form the internal groove near the bottle mouth
we provide two sliding dogs, shaped to the desired form of the groove, and fit them
in slots in the fixed part of the mandril so that they can be protruded therefrom for
forming the groove, or retracted quite within the slots when the mandril is intro-
duced into the bottle neck or withdrawn therefrom. In order to effect the protru-
sion and retraction of these dogs we provide a disc, which is mounted on the axis
of the mandril, so that it can revolve against a fixed plate just above the dogs. In
this case there are cut two cam shaped slots, in which engage studs projecting from
the two dogs, and two pins on the disc are connected by slotted bars to the two
shanks of the tongs. The slots in these bars are so formed with transverse and
longitudinal parts that when the shanks of the tongs are pressed together so as to
give tho shape to the external ring of the bottle mouth, the disc is at the same
time by the action of the transverse parts of the slots turned partly round, causing
the protrusion of the dogs within the bottle neck so as to form the internal groove
therein, but when the dogs are fully protruded the pins of the disc escape into
longitudinal parts of the slots, and then the farther approach of the shanks of the
tongs has no effect in turning the disc. On letting the tongs spring apart the disc
is turned backwards and the dogs are thereby retracted, so that the mandril can be
withdrawn from the bottle mouth. In order to make the notches at the bottle
mouth to receive the wings of the plug or the projections that prevent the plug
from turning as above described in reference to some of the forms of stoppers, we
fit on the mandril of the tongs just above the sliding dogs a ring with wings
projecting from it of the shape required for the notches in the bottle mouth. These
wings are pressed into the soft glass of the bottle when the tongs are applied, and
form the required indentations, and when the bottle is turned round to be shaped
by the tongs, the winged ring being free to revolve on the mandril, turns along with
the bottle. In cases where there are notches entering the internal groove from the
bottle mouth, the dogs of the tongs may be fixtures, as they can be entered and
withdrawn by these notches.
Fig. 1 represents a vertical section of the mouth of a bottle with a stopper
according to our Invention applied thereto. The interior of the bottle mouth is by
the use of the tool hereafter described made with its lower part at A squared
internally, as shewn by the sectional plan, Fig. 2. Instead of making this part of
the hole square, as shewn, it might be made polygonal or of other suitable form
other than circular, so that the head B of a screw cannot turn round therein. The
stopper consists of the screw B and its nut C with a washer D of elastic material,
such as caoutchouc, interposed between the nut C and the head of the screw B, a
metal washer E being placed between the nut and the elastic material to prevent
the latter from being twisted by the turning round of the nut. The bottle mouth
is made with a circular internal groove or recess to receive the bulge of the washer D
when it is compressed by turning the nut C on the screw B, and when the washer
is sufficiently bulged in this manner the stopper is kept in place and makes a tight
closure of the bottle by the hold of D in the recess surrounding its edge. Fig. 3
shews a modified arrangement in which the screw F projects downwards from the
coned head H of the stopper, and is screwed into a nut G let into the squared part
of the bottle mouth. In this case an elastic ring I of cork, caoutchouc, or such like
material is let into a circular recess within the bottle mouth, and the coned head H,
when forced into this ring by screwing, renders the closure tight. A washer K

page_text: may with advantago be interposed between the clastic ring and the nut G to keep
the latter steadily in its place, and cover the joint between it and the side of tho
bottle. According to the arrangement shewn in section at Fig. 4, and in plan at
Fig. 4, the bottle mouth is mado with a circular recess A with two notches a, a',
extending up to the edge of the mouth. The stopper B is made with two inclined
wings b projecting on opposite sides and with an elastic washer C. The stopper
being pushed in the wings b descend the notches a till they come down to the
level of the recess A, wherein on turning the stopper partly round they take hold
with a screwliko action. This construction may be modified as shewn in Fig. 5 by
the addition of a caoutchouc nipple D on the end of the plug so as to render the
closure of the bottle more tight in cases where the contents exert pressure as when
they are aerated. The internal pressure causes the nipple D to bulge laterally
against the interior of the bottle neck. According to the construction shewn in
Fig. 6, the stopper consists of a lower part A, with a stem a passing through the
upper part B, and also through an elastic washer C_interposed between the two
parts. On the end of the stem a is pivotted a handle D, camshaped round the eye,
so that when it is depressed on either side the eccentric cam edge bearing on the
face of the upper part B of the stopper causes the lower part A to be drawn up,
compressing the washer C, and bulging it out into a circular recess, which may be
of triangular section, as shewn. In Fig. 7 is shewn an arrangement of stopper,
which may be considered a modification of that shewn in Fig. 1; in this arrange-
ment an elastic washer C is squeezed between the faces of A and B. The lower
part A has a stem passing up through a hole in B, and swivel jointed to a handle F,
on the lower face of which are two rounded projections e. The upper surface of B
is made with two inclines, so that when the handle F is turned partly round its
projections e moving up the slopes on B act as a screw to draw A up towards B,
compressing the washer C, and causing it to bulge out into the groove in the bottle
neck. Figs. 8, 9, 10, and 11 shew various sections of bottle mouths as they can be
formed by the use of the tool about to be described so as to suit stoppers of known
kinds, to which wo make no claim; Fig. 11 is a side view; and Fig. 12, a plan
looking from below of the tongs or tool which we employ for shaping externally
and internally the mouths of bottles to suit stoppers of the kinds above described
and of other known kinds. A, A, are the two limbs of the tongs connected as
usual by the spring bow B, and terminating as usual in the jaws C, C, which give
the external shape to the head of the bottle, which, while in a plastic condition, is
turned round between the jaws while they are caused to approach as indicated by
the dotted lines C¹, C¹. To the bow B is attached a central stem D. A disc E is
by means of a fork e and screw collar e' attached to the stem D. On the upper
face of the disc E is another disc F mounted free to turn thereon. The disc F has
projecting up from it two pins f, f, which work in transversely slotted holes
respectively in plates G, G, that are linked to the limbs A, A. The plates G, G,
have also longitudinally slotted holes embracing the stem D which serves as a guido
for them laterally. One of the plates G overlaps the other, and the two are
guided vertically between the disc F and the collar H on the stem D. The disc F
is made with two cam slots through it, in which work pins h, h, projecting upwards
from two sliding dogs H, H, that are fitted to slide in a transverse slot in the part
of the stem D below the disc E. The stem D terminates in a pin part d, on which
is fitted a nipple K that is free to turn on the pin, but is prevented from being
drawn off it by a small screw k screwed into the end of d. The dogs H may be
varied in profile to suit the required form of the interior of the bottle mouth, and
the revolving nipple K may be square, polygonal, or of other form externally. In
operating with this tool the head of the bottle in a plastic state is introduced
between the jaws C, C, the mandril K being inserted in the bottle mouth. The
bottle being then turned round while the jaws C, C, are caused to approach each
other by compressing the limbs A, A; the head of the bottle is moulded externally
in the usual way. At the same time as the limbs A, A, are brought towards each
other the plates G, G, acting on the pins ƒ, ƒ, cause the disc F to turn partly round

page_text: on the central stem D. The cam slots of the disc acting on the pins h, h, push them
outwards, causing the dogs H, H, to be protruded from the mandril, and these
while the bottle is turned round form the internal groove or recess in the bottle
mouth. In order to steady the dogs H, H, in their sliding movement we prefer to
make them overlap each other as shown in the sectional plan Fig. 13. If the
bottle should have a portion of its throat square, polygonal, or of section other than
circular, fitted by the part K of the mandril, this part being free to revolve permits
the bottle to be turned round for shaping. When the shaping externally by the
jaws C, C, and internally by the dogs H, H, is completed, the limbs A, A, of the
tongs are allowed to expand, and this causing the dogs H, H, to be drawn back
within the body of the inandril leaves the bottle free to be removed. In cases
where the internal groove or recess at the mouth of the bottle is made with open
notches, as in the construction shewn in Figs. 4, 4, and 5, the sliding dogs H, H,
are dispensed with, the mandril being in that case made as shewn in Fig. 14. D is
the central stem of the tongs; and E, the disc plate fixed thereon, having free to
turn on it a collar L with two fixed dogs l, l, to form the notches at the mouth of
the bottle. The lower part M of the mandril is fixed, and has projecting from it
two studs m acting as fixed dogs to form the groove or recess.
The collar L being
turned to such a position that the dogs and m are in line with one another, as
shewn in Fig. 14, the bottle head in a plastic state is pushed on to the mandril
against the disc E. The bottle then being turned round, while the jaws of the tongs
grasp it externally the collar L turns with it whilst the dogs m form the recess all
round the interior. When the bottle mouth is sufficiently moulded it is turned
until and m are again brought into coincidence when the bottle can be withdrawn,
the dogs m passing freely through the notches formed by l.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, we claim.
First. The construction of stopper herein described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2
of the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The modified construction of stopper described with reference to Fig. 3.
Third. The construction of stopper described with reference to Figs. 4, 4ª,
and 5.
Fourth. The construction of stopper described with reference to Fig. 7.
Fifth. Mounting on an axis part of the mandril of the tongs employed to mould
the mouths of bottles, so that it can turn with the bottle when the throat or mouth
is of other than circular shape.
Sixth. Effecting the protrusion and retraction of the dogs employed to mould
the internal recess of a bottle mouth by means of a disc having cam slots acting on
the dogs when the said disc is turned partly round by the movement of sliding
plates linked to the limbs of the tongs as herein described with reference to Figs. 11
and 12 of the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Wilkinson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twelfth day of July, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy nine.
JOHN WILKINSON. (L.S.)