Improvements in the Manufacture of Stoppers. for Bottles, Jars, and like Vessels.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Dec., 1886.
Complete Left, 20th Aug., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 20th Sept., 1887.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Stoppers. for Bottles, Jars,
and like Vessels.
I ALFRED KEMPSON, of 26 Mark Lane, in the city of London, Merchant do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is, to render air-tight any wood stopper whether it be a
screw stopper or other kind of stopper. Wood stoppers have hitherto been found
practically useless where absolute air-tightness is required except when Lignum vitæ
has been employed which wood has been found to partially succeed but the flavour
and supposed poisonous properties of that wood are so objectionable as to preclude its
use for bottles containing delicate liquids or solid substances.
In carrying out my invention I form a hole in the top of the stopper which hole
must be at least as large as the part of the stopper which enters the bottle and into
this hole I pour in a melted state a suitable impervious cement or composition which
effectually prevents any passage of air or gases from the vessel outwards, or from the
outer air into the vessel, through the pores of the wood. The hole may be extended
at a smaller circumference into the stem of the stopper which enters the bottle neck
and so reduce the liability for the wood to swell and stick in the bottle or burst
the neck.
In some cases I make the stopper in two parts placing a layer of cement between
them in the same line as the elastic washer which is upon the stopper or in the bottle
neck, this washer and the layer of cement forming a complete cover to the wood
which is in the bottle and keeping it from contact with the outer air.
Dated this 24th day of December 1886.
G. F. REDFERN,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Stoppers for Bottles, Jars,
and like Vessels.
I, ALFRED KEMPSON, of 26, Mark Lane, in the city of London, Merchant, 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
The object of my invention is to render air-tight any wood stopper whether it be a
screw stopper or other kind of stopper. Wood stoppers have hitherto been found
practically useless where absolute air-tightness is required' except when Lignum vitæ
has been employed which wood has been found to partially succeed but the flavour
and supposed poisonous properties of that wood are so objectionable as to proclude its
use for bottles containing delicate liquids or solid substances.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will refer to the
accompanying drawing in which figure is an elevation and figure 2 a vertical
section of a screw stopper made according to my invention; figure 3 is a section and
figure 4 a plan of a stopper partly_made.
In carrying out my invention I form a hole a, in the top of the wooden stopper as
shewn in figures 3 and 4, which hole a, must be at least as large as the part b, of the
stopper which enters the bottle and into this hole a, I pour in a melted stato a
suitable impervious cement or composition c, figure 2, which effectually prevents any
passage of air or gases from the vessel outwards, or from the outer air into the vessel,
through the pores of the wood. The hole a, may be extended at a smaller
circumference into the stem of the stopper which enters the bottle neck and so
reduce the liability for the wood to swell and stick in the bottle or burst
the neck.
d, is the usual india rubber washer; e, is a groove adapted to receive a wire
or string so as to allow the stopper to be connected to the bottle to prevent it
being lost.
In some cases I make the stopper in two parts placing a layer of cement between
them in the same line as the elastic washer which is upon the stopper or in the bottle
neck, this washer and the layer of cement forming a complete cover to that portion
of the stopper which is in the bottle and keeping it from contact with the outer air.
In this arrangement the head of the stopper may consist of a wooden disc hollowed on
the underside to receive the composition and the lower part or body of the stopper
may be made of cork in the form of a hollow cylinder which is filled with the
composition. When cork is used for the lower part of the stopper it will be obvious
that no elastic washer will be required.
By way of example I have illustrated my invention as applied to a screw stopper
suitable for closing a bottle with a screw-mouthed neck but it will be obvious that the
invention is equally applicable to screw and other stoppers for jars and other like
purposes.

page_text: 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. A compound stopper formed of wood and composition such as is herein described
whereby a layer of composition or cement covers the portion of the stopper which
enters the bottle so that in combination with the usual elastic washer the ingress of
air through the pores of the wood stopper to the contents of the bottle or other
vessel is prevented as also the egress of the gases from the vessel substantially as
described.
2. The manufacture and use of the improved bottle stopper hereinbefore described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
+, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant.