Improvements in Stoppers for Bottles, Jars, and the like.
Year: 1888

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stoppers for Bottles, Jars, and the like.
THOMAS SUTCLIFFE Stopper Manufacturer Pleasant Grove York Road Kings
Cross London Middlesex 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 for its object improvements in Stoppers for Bottles Jars and the
like. The stopper consists of an head and stem. The head is made similar to an
ordinary tin canister lid, this has a similar lid, but a shade smaller in dimensions
placed inside it, which is inverted. The stem which is also made of tin has a shoulder.
This shoulder rests on the inverted inside cap and the edge of the outer cap is turned
under on the shoulder fastening all the three parts together. A Closing Washer of
cork or other pliable material is then fastened round the stem and a disc of cork is
fastened on the bottom covering the whole of the stem making it equal in all respects
to a solid cork bung.
My Invention has for its object improvements in Stoppers for Bottles Jars and the
like and is applicable to stoppers which are made of tin or other metal, with a ring or
strip of any pliable material to act as a Closing Washer. In order to enable this
invention to be fully understood I will proceed to describe the same by reference to
the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1. is a top view of the head of the stopper.
Fig. 2. is a side view of the head of the stopper.
Fig. 3. is a side view of the bottom part of the stopper showing the stem C and the
shoulder D.
view of another shaned bottom part of the stopper (before the

page_text: edge Lis turned over on the top of the cap B.) which instead of being left at the
shoulder D is carried up vertically forming a cup, inside this cup I place a thin disc K
which is made of strong metal, this disc K rests on the shoulder D. (this disc is to
strengthen the stopper). A cap B. is then placed on the disc K inside the cup. This
cap B. forms the top-side of the stopper.
Fig. 5. is a sectional view of the stopper with all the parts complete before the edge F
is turned under on to the shoulder 1).
Fig. 6 is a side view of another stopper (the stem of which has the bottom cut out)
showing the vertical slits H in the stem.
Firstly The outer part A of the head of the stopper as shown at Figs. 1 & 2 which is
made cup shape or in the shape of a canister lid is stamped out to any required size, inside
this lid or cap A I place another lid which is made a shade smaller than the outer
cap A. so that the two together form an hollow box. This is the head of the stopper.
I then make a bottom part with a shoulder D and a stem C as shown at Fig. 3. this
shoulder part is made in size so that it just fits into the larger cup A.
I then place
the flat shoulder D of the bottom part on the top of the inside cap which is inverted.
If required I fasten the parts together with solder or cement but gives preference to
squeezing the parts together under pressure. The outside cap A which is deeper at
the sides than the inside cap is therefore left with the edge as shown at Fig. 5
protruding under the shoulder D. This edge is afterwards turned under and pressed
down on to the shoulder D. It will thus be seen that the inside cap or disc or ring
takes a good part of the pressure which is put on the edge, and keeps the shoulder
from being pressed inward when the stopper is being pressed into the bottle mouth.
Also I can get a better head by using this cap or disc or ring because they assist me
in getting a square edge which when milled can be gripped more firmly by the hand
than any other shape. In the place of the inverted inside cap I can use a disc or
ring of any hard material but I give the preference to the inverted tin-cap owing to
its cheapness.
I also make another shaped bottom part with a shoulder D as shown at Fig. 6. the stem
of which has the bottom cut out leaving the part of the stem only that takes the closing
washer. I can cut vertical slits in this stem which will allow the stem to give when
it is put into the mouth of the bottle with the washer on. This hollow stem with head
can be used for making my Patent Stopper as described in Specification No. 13,947
Dated Nov. 16th 1885, as shown at Fig. 3 accompanying that specification. I also
use this stopper without a washer I make a suitably shaped bottle mouth to receive it.
I can also press inside the stem of this stopper a dise of cork or other pliable material
which will give as the stem is being pressed into the mouth of the bottle and will
press the sides of the tin stem out against the inside of the bottle mouth making the
stopper hold in the mouth very tightly. This stopper is specially adapted for the
confectionary trade only requiring to be pressed into the bottle mouth. I can use this
metal head and stem for my Patent Stopper instead of the wooden head and stem as
described in Specification No. 6745 Dated May 5th 1888 and I can press composition
round the stem to form a screw stopper. I also make a screw stopper of tin or other
metal after the same manner as the stoppers here-in-before described. The stem of
the stopper being hollow but without a hole through.
The closing washer which is a strip of cork or other pliable material is then
fastened round the stem of the stopper, and I can fasten a thin layer of cork at the
bottom of the stem making it then equal in all respects to a solid cork bung, so that
in using these pieces of cork in the manner described I produce a cheap and sub-
stantial metal and cork stopper combined, at a very little extra cost of a solid cork
bung, but my stopper can be used over and over again where a bung cannot.
I can make my Patent Stopper as described in Specification No. 6745 Dated
May 5th 1888 with a wooden head and stem as shown at Fig. 3 accompanying that
specification with a strip of cork round the stem and a thin disc of cork at the bottom.
This gives me a stopper which is as sweet as a solid cork bung, but a great deal more
⚫ serviceable.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. The manner in which the stopper is put together with an inverted 'cap inside to
take the pressure as here-in-before described.
2. The bottom part of the stopper being covered with the pieces of cork making it
equal in all respects to a solid cork bung.
3. The improved means here-in-before described and represented in the drawings
of closing or stoppering Bottles Jars or other receptacles.
Datad this 8th day of Santambar 1888