AN IMPROVED STOPPER FOR BOTTLES, JARS, · AND OTHER SIMILAR VESSELS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Farrow, of the Firm of Farrow & Jackson, of
Great Tower Street, in the City of London, Wine and Spirit Merchants'
Engineers, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED STOPPER FOR BOTTLES, JARS,
· AND OTHER SIMILAR VESSELS."
Sealed the 19th July 1878, and dated the 26th April 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Farrow at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 26th April 1878.
CHARLES FARROW, of the Firm of Farrow & Jackson, of Great Tower Street, in
"AN IMPROVED
the City of London, Wine and Spirit Merchants' Engineers.
STOPPER FOR BOTTLES, JARS, AND OTHER SIMILAR VESSELS."
This Invention consists in the construction of an improved stopper, specially
applicable for closing bottles containing gaseous or effervescent liquids, but also
applicable for closing bottles or vessels containing non-gaseous or still liquids, jars
for containing fruit, and similar vessels; the main object of the improvements being
to construct such stoppers so that they may be easily and quickly applied to or
removed from the bottles or other vessels, at the same time that the stopper shall
be adjustable, and consequently suitable for bottles of different sizes.
In carrying out my Invention 1 employ conical or other suitably-shaped stopper
of vulcanized india-rubber, cork, or other suitable elastic material fixed to the
lower end of a screwed stem working in a metal cap, and adjustable by means of a
screw nut. I employ two clips, each consisting of a curved band, connected by
means of twisted wire or other suitable springs to the herein-before described
metal cap.
To apply a stopper of this construction to a bottle it is merely necessary to pass
the clips over the top of the neck and the said clips will catch under the ring of the
neck and be firmly held in that position by their springs so as to draw down or

page_text: press the elastic stopper into the mouth of the bottle, and firmly and securely close
it. To remove the stopper the said clips are drawn apart and the stopper can then
be withdrawn.
To adjust the stopper to bottles of different forms the herein-before described
screw nut is employed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Farrow in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 25th October
1878.
CHARLES FARROW, of the Firm of Farrow and Jackson, of Great Tower Street,
in the City of London, Wine and Spirit Merchants' Engineers. "AN IMPROVED
STOPPER FOR BOTTLES, JARS, AND OTHER SIMILAR VESSELS."
This Invention consists in the construction of an improved stopper, specially
applicable for closing bottles containing gaseous or effervescent liquids, but also
applicable for closing bottles or vessels containing non-gaseous or still liquids, jars
for containing fruit, and similar vessels; the main object of the improvements being
to construct such stoppers so that they may be easily and quickly applied to or
removed from the bottles or other vessels, at the same time that the stopper shall
be adjustable and consequently suitable for bottles of different sizes.
But to make my Invention better understood I will proceed to describe the same
by reference to the accompanying Drawing, in the several Figures of which similar
letters are used to represent similar parts.
Figure 1 is an elevation shewing one arrangement of my improved stopper as
applied to the neck of an ordinary wine bottle, the stopper being closed; Figure 2,
similar view, the stopper being open; Figure 3, section of Figure 2.
The improved stopper consists of two clips a, a, made of metal, fashioned in the
form of a bridge so as to fit over the mouth of the bottle A, the ends 6 of the clips a
being bent inwards so as to take under the projecting ring c on the neck of the
bottle A, the inner ends being cut in the form of a curve, as shewn at d, Figure 4
(which is a detached perspective view of the bridge), so as the better to adapt
themselves to the shape of the neck of the bottle. In the centre of the bridge I fix
a metal boss e, cut with a female screw, in which works a screwed spindle f with a
milled head or button g at the top for turning the same; the lower end of the
spindle is plain and passes through the conical stopper i, made of cork, india-rubber,
or other suitable elastic material, the said spindle turning freely in the stopper i,
the button j holding the stopper on the spindle.
To apply a stopper of this construction to a bottle the curved ends 6 of the clips
or bridge a are slipped under the ring c of the neck of the bottle A, the stopper i
being in its raised position, as shewn in Figures 2 and 3; then to close the bottle
it is merely necessary to turn the head g of the screwed spindle fand the stopper i
will be propelled into the mouth of the bottle so as to effectually close the same, as

page_text: shewn in Figure 1. To open the stopper it is merely necessary to turn the spindle f
in the opposite direction.
Figures 5, 6, and 7 shew similar views to Figures 1, 2, and 3, the only difference
in the construction of the stopper being that instead of the screwed spindle f
turning as herein-before described I employ a nut k attached loosely to the boss e,
so that by turning the nut & the screwed spindle f working in it is made to travel
up or down, and the stopper i raised from or propelled into the mouth of the bottle A.
as required.
In Figures 8, 9, and 10 it will be seen that I employ a spiral spring / as the
power to propel the stopper i. In this case the screwed spindle moves loosely in
the boss e, and the nut and spindle ƒ are used only to control the action of the
spring 7 so as to keep the stopper i clear of the bottle while the clips a are slipped
under the ring c in the neck of the bottle A, as shewn in Figure 9.
Figures 11, 12, and 13 shew similar views of a stopper in which I employ a
spiral spring, as in the last-described arrangement, and substitute for the screwed
spindle and nut k to control the spring a spindle m, provided with a stub or
key n, which works in a slotted tube o. This spindle m being drawn up, as shewn
in Figures 2 and 3, the stub n is caught in a notch p on the top of the tube, as in
a bayonet fastening, and the stopper i is thus kept clear of the bottle until the
clips a are under the ring c, when a touch of the finger is sufficient to release the
stub n and allow the stopper i to be propelled by the spring into the mouth of
the bottle. Instead of the spiral spring herein-before described any other suitable
spring may be employed.
In some cases the lower ends d, d, of the clips may be hinged to a collar fitted on
the neck of the bottle so that the stopper may be turned down when it is desired
to pour out the contents of the bottle.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the best means with
which I am acquainted for carrying the same into effect, what I claim is,-
Firstly. The general arrangement and construction of stoppers for bottles, jars,
and other similar vessels, operating substantially as herein-before described, and
represented in the accompanying Drawing.
Secondly. The combination of the herein-before described clips for catching hold
of the ring of the neck of the bottle, with a suitably-shaped stopper, propelled into
the neck of the bottle either by means of a screw or a spring, substantially as
herein-before described, and represented in the accompanying Drawing.
Thirdly. The manner in which the stopper held back while the clips are affixed
to the bottle either by means of a screw and nut arrrangement or a bayonet
fastening, as herein-before described, and represented in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Farrow, have hereto set my hand and
seal, this Twenty-fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-eight.
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