An Improved Stopper for Bottles Containing Aerated or Gaseous Liquids.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Aug., 1891-Accepted, 19th Sept., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Stopper for Bottles Containing Aerated or Gaseous
Liquids.
We, WILLIAM MURRAY of No. 2 Stanley Street, Richmond near Melbourne
in the Colony of Victoria, Commercial Traveller, and ROBERT HARRISON of
Spring Street Fitzroy near Melbourne aforesaid Aerated Water Manufacturer 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:
This invention has been designed for the purpose of providing a stopper for
bottles containing aërated or gaseous liquids, by which any part of the contents of
such bottles may be withdrawn from time to time when the bottles are inverted, so
as to enable them to be used as substitutes for what are commonly called " Siphon
Bottles."
It consists of a stopper having two main features. The one is a spring valve
which opens and closes the entrance to a passage by which the contents of the
bottle can escape or be withdrawn when sufficient pressure is used to open such
valve and the bottle is inverted; and the other is some means by which such
stoppers can be firmly held in position in the bottles. The means which we prefer
consist of a screw thread on the outer face of such stoppers to screw into a
corresponding screw thread in the neck of the bottles.
Secondary features of our invention consist :-
:―
First. In making the top or exposed surface of our stoppers in a spherical form,
so as to give as little hold as possible in order to prevent their withdrawal from the
bottle except by means of the key prepared for that purpose.
Second. In making the spindle of the spring valve screw threaded at its lower
extremity to receive a nut by which the wear, either of the valve or of the springs,
may be taken up.
Third. In making a recess in the centre of the top of the stopper of such a size
as to receive the head or knob on the upper end of the valve spindle so as to
prevent as far as possible the entrance of dust in this direction, and
Fourth. In providing two or more small holes in the top of such stopper for the
reception of the points or ends of a key by which the stopper may be screwed into
or out of the bottle.
Referring to the accompanying drawings:
:-
Figure 1 is a central vertical section of our stopper fitted into the neck of an
aërated water bottle and drawn to a scale of about twice full size in order to better
illustrate the construction of both stopper and bottle.
Figure 2 is a plan of our stopper shewing the outlet hole for the liquor, and two
holes for the reception of a key for screwing and unscrewing it.
Figure 3 is a separate view of the spring valve and spindle shewn in Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a view of the key used for screwing and unscrewing our stopper.
Figure 5 is a view illustrating the manner of employing a bottle fitted with one
of our improved stoppers.
Similar letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
A represents the body of our improved stopper, and B the valve which closes
against a seating in the interior of said stopper so as to cut off communication from
the interior of the bottle through the escape passage b. The stopper A is
preferably secured within the neck of the bottle by forming screw threads on the
latter and by providing corresponding threads on the former, although as herein-
before described, any means which will answer the purpose can be employed for

page_text: effecting this object. The valve B is sided as shewn at b', and is screwed upon a
screw-threaded rod or spindle 62 to enable any wear to be taken up either in said
valve or in its seating, whilst at the same time it enables any variation in the
strength of the spring C to be compensated for, said spring being, as shewn,
arranged around the upper part of the spindle between the head or knob c
thereon and a shoulder c¹ provided in the body of the stopper.
The top or exposed surface a of our stopper is made in a spherical form in order to
prevent its being unscrewed except by means of the key D shewn in Figure 4
the prongs
d of which are adapted to fit into corresponding holes d' (Figure 2) in
the stopper A, thus enabling said stopper to be screwed tightly into and unscrewed
from the bottle. The head on the upper end of the valve spindle 62 is fitted into
a recess c² the botton of which forms the shoulder c' above referred to, and said
head or knob projects only a short distance above the top of the stopper, thus being
less in the way than it otherwise would be, and owing to its fitting comparatively
closely within the recess, c² prevents the entrance of dust at that point.
It will be obvious that our improved stopper possesses many advantages over
those which have heretofore been in use in bottles containing aërated or gaseous
liquids, it being simple, inexpensive, and not easily removed from the bottle by
unauthorised persons, whilst at the same time it allows of any quantity of the
contained liquor being easily withdrawn from time to time as it is required.
It is needful however to observe that the bottle must be turned upside down (as
shewn in Figure 5) before the spring valve is opened, as otherwise the gas would
escape and not the liquid, so that in using bottles fitted with our stopper, it is
needful first to invert the bottle and then to press on the head or knob c so as to
open the valve when the liquid will force its way through the passage b, and
discharge itself into any vessel provided for its reception. Immediately the pressure
is withdrawn from the knob the valve will close by the action of the spring, so that
it is evident that any part or the whole of the contents of the bottle can be with-
drawn as required.
Bottles fitted with our stoppers have a great advantage over Siphon Bottles
by reason of their having no projecting spout or lever handle outside, and no tube
inside.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. Our improved stopper for bottles containing aërated or gaseous liquids,
having a spring valve (such as B), adapted to open and close the entrance to a
passage (such as ) leading directly into the bottle (and without the ordinary
siphon tube), by which the contents of the bottle can escape, or be withdrawn,
and provided with some suitable means by which such stopper can be firmly held
in position in the bottle, preferably such as are herein described, and illustrated
in our drawings.
2. Our improved stopper for bottles containing aërated or gaseous liquids,
having a spring valve (such as B), adapted to open and close the entrance to a
passage (such as 6) leading directly into the bottle (and without the ordinary
siphon tube), by which the contents of the bottle can escape or be withdrawn, and
provided with some suitable means by which such stopper can be firmly held in
position in the bottle, preferably such as are herein described, and illustrated in
our drawings, said valve being sided (as at 6') and fitted upon a screw-threaded
spindle, provided with a spring (such as C), whose tendency is to always keep said
valve closed, the upper surface of said stopper being spherical as shewn and
provided with two or more holes (such as (¹), to enable it to be screwed and
unscrewed by means of a key, a knob or head (such as c) being provided on
the upper end of said spindle, and fitted into a recess formed in the body of the
stopper, the whole being constructed and arranged substantially as and for the

page_text: purposes herein described and explained and as illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this Thirteenth day of July One thousand Eight hundred and
mutty-E
WM. MURRAY.
ROBT. HARRISON.
By G. F. Redfern & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, their Agents.