Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Oct., 1890-Accepted, 29th Nov., 1890

page_text: the wall of the throat will so retard the edges that the disc will invariably assume a
downward convexity. When the disc has passed through the throat 2 into the mouth
of the bottle its resiliency causes it to expand into the groove b from which it
cannot be expelled by the internal pressure distributed evenly over its convex
surface.
To force the disc down through the tapered throat 2 a collapsable plunger or
piston is employed. A collapsable plunger is desirable, because it is necessary that
it shall pass through the smaller end of the throat 2 and if it does not also fill said
throat at the larger end there is liability that the edge of disc will be squeezed
between the plunger and the throat. A satisfactory plunger 3 is made by slitting a
tube of proper size, i.e. having a diameter equal to the larger end of the throat 2.
The slits are say eight in number and they extend a sufficient distance to make the
plunger fingers thus formed long enough to possess the desired degree of elasticity.
Such a plunger is shown in longitudinal section in Figure 8 and in elevation in
Figure 5.
The dise B being laid upon the upper end of the throat 2 the plunger 3 is caused
to descend. The slitted end of said plunger engages the disc all round at its extreme
edge and forces it bodily down through said throat, the end of the plunger following
down the taper of the throat collapsing as it goes. and following the disc until it
rests in the groove b.
1.
In the machine shown in the drawings the plunger 3 is attached to a yoke 4
which is attached at its ends to side rods 5, 5, the lower ends of which are
connected with a yoke 6 provided with a treadle 8 to which the operator's foot
may be applied to depress the plunger and a strong spring 7 to raise it again
after having been depressed. This is the essential apparatus whereby the stoppers
are inserted in the bottle, and it includes all that is necessary when the bottles
contain still liquids or those which become effervescent after being stoppered.
For liquids which are effervescent at the time of bottling, and which are therefore
bottled under pressure, additional devices are required.
In that case another yoke is provided with a headstock 49 in which the
throat piece 2 is carried and for convenience the yoke 9 is mounted on the same
guide rods 5, 5 which carry yoke 4. The rods 5, however pass freely through
said yoke, their relative movement being limited in one direction by the shoulders 10
on the rods 5, and in the other direction by engagement with yoke 4.
A strong spring 12 is introduced in the headstock 49 to keep the yoke 9
normally in contact with shoulders 10 or the weight of yoke 9 and its attachment
may in some cases be sufficient to keep yoke 9 down against the shoulders 10.
The effect of this is to make both yokes operative by the same treadle. A bottle
having been put in position, depression of the treadle 8 brings both yokes down
together, the throat piece 2 and yoke 9 are arrested when the former encounters the
bottle, but the spring 12 then yields, and yoke 4 with the plunger 3 continues to
descend until the stopper has been forced into position in the bottle mouth.
At the proper moment that is when the stopper has been forced exactly to the
right distance, the plunger is arrested by the engagement of the yokes 4 and 9, and
this point of arrest is correctly ascertained and determined by proper adjustment.
For the proper protection of the spring 12 and plunger 3 there is provided at the
middle of the yoke 4 a hollow cylindrical hood 13 to the top of which the plunger
is rigidly secured. There is also provided at the middle of yoke 9 a cylindrical
sleeve 14 which constitutes the upper end of the headstock 49. It enters and slides
within said hood. The plunger 3 and spring 12 are enclosed, concealed and protected
by this telescopic case 13-14 and the downward motion of yoke and plunger is
gauged and cushioned by a rubber ring protected by a ring of brass 20 and washers
of thin metal for adjustment.
The pump or other means for conveying liquid under pressure to the machine is
coupled to the inlet pipe 15 and the flow into and through said inlet is controlled
by a proper valve, not shown, but convenient to the operator's hand.
The liquid to be passed into the bottle passes from the inlet 15 to the annular

page_text: chamber 16 and thence through the ports 17 into the throat 2 and down into the
bottle, the stopper B having previously been forced into 'the upper end of the
throat down nearly to the ports as shown in Figure 8 so as to prevent the escape
of liquid upward through the throat.
The ports 17 in the throat are made highly oblique as shown so that the stopper will
slide easily over such ports. The throat 2 is made cylindrical at the place where the
ports 17 enter so that the stoppers may pass over said ports without suffering any
additional compression and consequently abrasion.
At the bottom of throat 2 there is an elastic gasket 18 to close around the bottle
head. It is necessary however that the bottle shall come into contact with the throat
piece because the descent of the plunger into the bottle neck must be gauged quite
exactly in order that the stopper disc may be pushed fully into its seat but not forced
down past the shoulder d at the lower side of the groove b. Therefore the gasket 18
is made thin and undercut as at 22. This makes the gasket more yielding so as to
accommodate varying sizes of bottle heads. Gas and liquid which may pass behind
this thin edge will tend to make it close the more tightly around the bottle head.
When bottling fluids under pressure it is required that the connection between the
bottle and the source of supply shall be practically air tight. To this end the disc B
is forced part way down the throat 2 to close the same at the top while the gasket 18
closes it below when in contact with the bottle as shown in Figures 4, 6, 8. Under
these conditions fluid will pass into the bottle A until the air therein has been
compressed and the pressure in the bottle has become equal to the pressure of
service.
I
There will still remain the original quantity of air in the bottle and it is necessary
to permit this to escape. This is called snifting.
To accomplish it, it is necessary to open the escape way suddenly and close it
again quickly, so that the confined air will escape with a rush before the effervescent
liquid has time to overflow. In that way the smallest possible quantity of liquid
will be blown out with the air. If the confined air is permitted to escape slowly the
liquid under pressure will escape with it. It is advisable to snift by slightly and
momentarily raising the throat piece from the top of the bottle, and permitting the
air to escape in that way. The quantity of fluid lost in that way is material and has
been estimated at about 10%. All such waste is prevented by a snifting valve and
duct which will convey the washing fluid to a bottle properly located and next in order
for filling so that the fluid escaping in snifting one bottle enters another placed
alongside of it.
It is to be understood that the use of the method for saving the snift by
discharging it into the next bottle to be filled is not limited to the bottling machine
herein described, because it is evident this part of the invention is also adapted to
ordinary corking or bottling machines. To this end a lateral port 23 is made which
communicates with the chamber 16 by the passage 24, and said port is closed with
valve 25. The yoke 9 is provided with a laterally extending lug 26 to the extremity
of which is pivotted one arm of the lever 27 conveniently made T shape with the
handle end extended parallel with the inlet pipe 15 and the free arm in engagement
with the valve 25. The handle end is then at a poin close to the inlet valve or pump
so that the same hand which manages one may manage the other also. This leaves
one hand free to handle the bottles and disc stoppers.
The snifting passage communicates with a short nozzle 28 (Figure 6) which dis-
charges downward into a second bottle placed below it for that purpose, and to
properly centre said bottle a bell 29 is attached to the headstock 49 concentric with
said nozzle, so that as the yoke is brought down, if the bottle does not stand exactly
central as to the nozzle, its head will be pushed over by the bell toward its centre so
that it will receive the snift from the nozzle 28.
An opening 30 is made in the side of the headstock 49 immediately at the upper
end of the throat piece 2 through which the disc B may be pushed by the finger.
When the plunger descends it passes by this opening and as the stopper descends past
the ports 17 the small quantity of fluid remaining in the pipe 15 between said ports

page_text: '
and inlet valve under service pressure will be thrown out and upward through the
throat and outward through the opening 30. if the same should be open. To prevent
this and cause said expelled water to pass upward into the tube 14 and hood 13 a
sleeve 31 (Figure 8) is placed around the lower end of the plunger 3 and the
extremities of the plunger fingers are made with shoulders 32 to engage the lower
end of said sleeve and pull it up when the plunger rises out of the throat 2. A
spring 34 serves to keep the sleeve down upon said shoulders until arrested by contact
with the top of the throat piece 2 when the plunger descends as shown in Figure 8.
The expelled fluid which is thrown up into the hood 13 is at liberty to escape
through a channel 35 behind said sleeve into a duct which communicates with the
snift nozzle, so that all the waste fluid is saved and at the same time splashing from
the opening 30 is prevented.
The snift valve is held to its seat by means of a spring 36 which bears upon the
lever 27 and the tension of said spring may be changed at will by a screw so that
the pressure on the valve 25 shall exceed the service pressure.
As herein before stated it is necessary to bring the lower end of the throat piece
down in contact with the bottle, and to prevent breakage of bottles by the sudden
contact of metal and glass the cushion 19 is provided protected by a metal plate 20 in
the top of the hood 13 and a similar cushion or rubber ring 37 is placed below the
bottle, in a recess in the bottling table, and covered with a metal plate the surface of
which is flush with the top of said table. These cushions afford adequate elasticity
and prevent cracking the glass when the downward thrust of the plunger is suddenly
arrested by contact of the top of the cylinder or headstock with the interior of
the hood.
To facilitate the handling of the bottles a U shape gauge 38 the diameter inside
being a little greater than the diameter of the bottles which are being filled and the
length of the arms being about two of such diameters. The exterior. edge of said
gauge has three notches to engage the same number of pins 39 set in the table and these
pins hold the gauge accurately in place and permit its ready removal. When bottles
of different sizes are used, as half pints, pints or quarts, different gauges 38 are used
each being adapted to bottles of a particular size. But the exterior edges which
engage the pins 39 may be the same in all. This gauge not only centres the
bottle under the throat, but also guides the second bottle under the snifting nozzle.
Bottles of different diameters require corresponding changes in the position of
the bell 29 and snift nozzle 28. These parts are therefore mounted eccentrically
on a circular plate 40 which is secured in a corresponding recess and may rotate
therein, to move said nozzle and bell toward or away from the throat piece 2.
The throat piece 2 is made of bronze with a facing of steel at the lower end
for durability where it comes in contact with the glass of the bottle and it is made
to be readily removable for repairs or replacement with another.
To construct a compact and convenient bottling machine I make the base and
pillar in one hollow casting of iron 40 having near the bottom a fulcrum place
for the treadle 8 and at the top two vertical sleeve guides 41 for the side rods 5.
The yoke 6 and spring 7 are therefore enclosed and concealed within said pillar.
To make the table adjustable to accommodate bottles of different heights there is
provided a hood 42 the open end of which fits over and slides upon the upper
part of the column 40. The closed end constitutes the bottling table. It is provided
with two holes through which the guides 41 pass and act as guides for said hood
and with a recess the rubber ring 37 and its protecting plate 50.
The hood 42 is supported upon the upper elbow of the rod 43 which passes through
an adjusting screw wheel 44 located between two lugs cast on the pillar 40 and
having its edge projecting through a slot in the side of said pillar to be accessible
to the hand for the adjustinent up or down of the hood 42.
A set screw 45 serves to hold the hood tightly when it has reached the proper
height.
The shelves 46 serve to hold the empty bottles on one hand and the filled bottles
on the other, they are rigidly attached to the hood and go up or down with it.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In a machine for inserting elastic disc stoppers the tapering throat 2 combined
with a collapsible plunger.
2. In a machine for inserting elastic disc stoppers a tapering throat 2 combined
with plunger 3 slitted longitudinally to enable it to collapse as it passes through
said throat.
3. In a machine for inserting élastic disc stoppers a tapering throat 2 a collapsible
plunger and a stop to limit the movement of said plunger as to the amount. of
its protrusion from said throat..
4. Combined with a bottle A provided with an internal groove 6 in the mouth
which has an inwardly inclined circular surface for the abutment of the edge of an
arched disc stopper a tapering throat 2 for causing the stopper to assume the arched
form, a collapsible plunger, and a stop connected with the same whereby when said
throat rests upon said bottle the plunger will be arrested when it has entered the
bottle the exact distance required to deliver the stopper in said groove.
5. In a machine for inserting disc stoppers, a tapering throat 2 mounted in a
carriage capable of reciprocating in the line of the bottle's axis, a collapsible plunger
mounted on a carriage capable of reciprocating in the same plane, a spring to
keep said carriages normally separated and a stop to limit the approach of said
carriages to each other.
6. The combination in a bottling machine of a table and operative treadle, the
side rods 5 connected with said treadle, the yoke 4 rigidly fastened to said rods, the
yoke 9 mounted to slide on said rods with stops 10 to limit the motion in one
direction a tapering throat 2 in the headstock 49 attached to yoke 9 and a collapsible
plunger 3 attached to yoke 4 substantially as set forth.
.7. The combination in a bottling machine for inserting disc stoppers of a tapering
throat piece 2 adapted to make hard contact with the bottle top, of a plunger to
force the stopper through said throat, an elastic cushion stop to arrest the motion
of the plunger without hard shock, and a cushion 37 beneath the bottle.
8. In combination in a bottling machine adapted to fill bottles with effervescing
liquids a tapering throat 2 having inlet ports 17, a collapsible plunger 3, a cut off
sleeve 31 and a gasket whereby the escape of said liquid is prevented substantially
as described.
9. In combination in a machine for bottling effervescing liquids a tapering
throat 2 having ports 17 mounted in a headstock 49 provided with an opening 30
and a tubular sleeve 14, a hood 13 fitted to slide over said sleeve, a plunger mounted
in said hood 13, a cut off sleeve 31 to close said opening 30 and a gasket 18 made
yielding so as to close around the neck of the bottle while still permitting the throat
piece to make contact with the bottle as set forth.
10. In a machine for bottling effervescing liquids a filling head having an inlet
for the liquid and provided with an elastic gasket adapted to fit the mouth of the
bottle a snift passage leading from said inlet, a snift valve controlling said passage
and a snift discharge provided with a centering bell or hood whereby it is adapted to
deliver the snift into a second bottle as the first is filled.
11. The combination with the filling duct and nozzle of a snift passage leading
therefrom, a valve for controlling the same, and a snift nozzle or discharge adjustable
relative to the first nozzle to accomodate different diameters of bottles substantially as
set forth.
:
12. The tapered throat piece provided with a lateral flange near its lower end, and
made cylindrical externally at its upper end, and provided with ports 17, at its
middle combined with a headstock 49 having a recess fitted to receive said cylindrical
end and said flange and constitute an annular chamber 16 between them and a liquid
inlet 15 discharging into said chamber.
13. The combination with the main bottling throat the liquid ducts and the plunger
•

page_text: of the snift valve 25 the passage 23 and nozzle 28 combined with a centering bell 29
for the purpose of centering the bottle mouth as to the nozzle 28.
14. In a bottling machine the combination with the main bottle filling devices of
the snift passage 23 nozzle 28 and bell 29 and an eccentric plate 40" whereon said
bell is mounted for adjustment by revolution of said plate.
15. In combination with the inlet pipe 15 and its controlling valve the snift
passage 23 and snift valve 25 the valve lever 27 extended to a point in immediate
proximity with the said controlling valve of the inlet 15 whereby both of said valves
may be operated by one hand and the other left free to handle the bottles and stoppers
substantially as set forth.
1
16. In a bottling machine the hollow pillar 40 provided with the tubular guides 41
at the top, the guide rods 5 carrying the yokes 4 and 9 at their top and the treadle 8
to operate the same, combined with movable hood 42 to constitute a bottling table
adjustable as to height.
17. The hollow pillow 40 provided with tubular guides 41 the rods 5, 5, connected
at top with the yokes 4 and 9 and at the bottom with the yoke 6 the treadle 8 and
retracting spring 7 combined with the hood 42 adjustable as to height on said
pillar.
18. The hollow pillar 40 with guides for the said rods 5, 5, the yokes 4 and 9
connected with said rods and carrying the fluid inlet and stopper inserting devices,
combined with the hood 42 and the adjustable supporting rod 43 engaging said hood
at its centre.
19. The combination in a bottling machine of a supporting pillar 40 a table 42, an
operative treadle and the side rods 5, 5 with the yoke 4 rigidly fastened to said rods,
the yoke 9 and headstock 49 mounted to slide on said rods, stops to limit their motion,
a tapering throat 2 attached to said headstock a collapsible plunger attached to
said yoke 4 and retracting springs 12 and 34 and sleeve 31 substantially as set
forth.
20. In combination with a bottling maching adapted to fill bottles with effervescing
liquids a tapering throat 2 having inlet ports 17, a collapsible plunger 3 and a cut off
sleeve 31 whereby the escape of liquid is prevented.
21. In combination in a machine for bottling effervescing liquids, a tapering
throat 2 having ports 17 a headstock 49 wherein said throat and ports are located a
lateral opening 30 to permit the stoppers to be inserted a plunger to force the stopper
through said throat and a sleeve 31 to close said stopper opening against the escape
of liquid when said stopper has moved past said ports.
22. In a bottling machine the combination with the main bottle filling devices of
the snift 'passage 23 valve 25 and the nozzle 28 and bell 29 adjustable as to distance
from the throat 2 substantially as described.
23. In a bottling machine for effervescing beverages the bottle filling mechanism,
a waste or snift duct a controlling valve for the same, a nozzle for discharging the
waste combined with a holder by said nozzle for maintaining a second bottle in close
proximity to the bottle being filled and under said nozzle whereby the waste is
discharged into said second bottle substantially as set forth.
Dated this 20th der of October 1800
AYRTON & THOMAS,
Agents for the Applicant.