Improved Devices for Extracting Sediment from Liquors containe in Bottles or similar Vessels.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 13th May, 1891-Accepted, 20th June. 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Devices for Extracting Sediment from Liquors containe
in Bottles or similar Vessels.
FREDERICK WILLIAM LEVIERGE of No. 7 Clayton Terrace Archway Road
Upper Holloway in the County of Middlesex Engineer do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows :—
I affix to a suitable bottle stopper a chamber sufficiently large to contain the
sediment to be extracted. The said chamber has only one opening which com-
municates with the interior of the bottle there being a corresponding opening in
the stopper to which the said chamber is affixed. A solid ball or sphere is placed
inside the chamber the mouth of which is somewhat contracted by the insertion of
an india rubber ring or washer so that the ball or sphere cannot escape but shall
rest on the said contracted opening when the mouth of the chamber is placed in a
downward direction thus acting as a valve and closing the mouth of the chamber.
The method of securing or trapping the sediment is as follows.
Supposing the bottle containing the liquid charged with sediment to be properly
closed by a stopper to which a chamber as above described is affixed 1 then stack
or place the bottle neck downwards. In this position the solid ball or sphere falls
away from the mouth of the chamber and rests inside thereof thus allowing the
sediment to gravitate to the interior of the chamber when the bottle has remained
in the inverted position a sufficient time it can be reversed & placed in its natural
position base downwards when the sphere or ball immediately falls on the mouth of
the chamber thus acting as a valve & imprisoning the sediment contained therein
the stopper including the chamber can now be removed from the bottle & the
clear liquid decanted.
My second improvement consists in a chamber which is affixed to the bottle stopper,
this chamber has an opening at each end the lower opening which is placed nearest
to the neck of the bottle is fitted with a ring of india rubber or other suitable
material a spindle or rod fitted with a disc or other shaped enlargement at one end
& having a short piece of flexible tube attached near the other end, is passed
through the lower opening of chamber until the disc or other enlargement presses
against the rubber ring which is fixed to the lower opening of the chamber, the
other end of the spindle with rubber tube attached will then have passed through
the upper opening of the chamber the projecting rubber tube is then drawn tightly
over a ball or nipple which surrounds the upper opening of the chamber leaving the
rod or spindle projecting beyond the said nipple it will be now seen that if the
projecting spindle is pressed the disc or enlargement on the other end of spindle
will be forced away from its position against the rubber ring or washer fixed to the
lower opening of the chamber thus opening the mouth of the chamber & allowing
the sediment to be precipitated therein it will also be seen that on the pressure
being removed from the projecting spindle the rubber tube to which it is attached
will react & cause the disc to return to its position against the rubber ring thus
acting as a valve & securing the sediment contained in the chamber.
The method of using this invention is as follows.
Supposing the bottle containing the liquid charged with sediment to be properly
I stack
closed with a stopper to which the chamber as above described is affixed.
or place the bottle neck downwards the weight of the bottle resting on the afore-
said projecting spindle which is this forced into the chamber the disc on the other
end of spindle thus moving away from its position against the rubber ring attached
to the mouth of chamber thus leaving the chamber open & allowing the sediment
to precipitate therein when the bottle has rested in the inverted position a sufficient

page_text: time the bottle can be reversed & the pressure on the projecting spindle being
removed the reaction of the rubber tube to which the spindle is attached causes the
disc to immediately return to its position against the rubber ring or washer thus
acting as a valve & securing the whole of the sediment contained in the chamber.
August 14th 1890.
FREDERICK WILLIAM LEVIERGE.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Devices for Extracting Sediment from Liquors contained
in Bottles or similar Vessels.
1, FREDERICK WILLIAM LEVIERGE of No. 7 Clayton Terrace, Archway
Road Upper Holloway, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to he performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to certain improved devices for retaining sediment and
extracting the same from liquors contained in bottles, and the essential feature
thereof consists in the provision of a chamber or receptacle which may form part
of, or be attached to, any suitable stopper or closing device, said receptacle being
open to the neck of said bottle when in an inverted position, and closed when said
bottle is placed upright, both conditions being fulfilled by the employment of a
spherical valve hereinafter to be fully described.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood, I have appended the
accompanying sheet of drawings in which
Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of the approved form of the device, in
which the whole forms part of, and is combined with, a stopper or closer.
Figure 2 is an elevation of the same, with a slight modification of the shape of
the chamber or receptacle and which is capable of being used as an external
stopper or closer, or a similar device may be applied and attached to any suitable
stopper or closer, for the purpose of retaining and collecting sediment.
Figures 3 and 4 represent, diagrammatically, the respective positions of a bottle
to which the device according to my invention has been applied, during the
operations of collecting and retaining the sediment.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.
In carrying my invention into effect I employ a chamber or receptacle A, which
forms part of, or is affixed to a stopper or closer B, said chamber being of sufficient
capacity to retain the whole of the sediment of the liquor contained in the bottle
to which it is applied. A single opening ID communicates with the interior of said
bottle through the stopper or closer, and a solid sphere or ball C rests by gravity
upon said opening when the bottle or stopper is vertically placed with the stoppered
end uppermost, and acts as a valve or seal when in such a position. I prefer to
construct the orifice or passage D so that the ball or sphere C may be freely passed
through when expanded by heat or the like, and yet act as an effective seal by
closing said orifice when this is of its normal dimensions. I do not, however,
confine myself to this or any especial method of or means for, enclosing the sphere
or ball within the chamber A. The manner in which the device as above
described is used is as follows, that is to say —
Referring to the diagrammatic sketches Figures 3 and 4; a bottle E is filled
with liquor which contains more or less matter in the shape of sediment which may
be precipitated, or may settle in the course of time, and said bottle E is securely
closed by a stopper or closer B, to which a chamber A is attached, or may form
part thereof.
In the upright position as shewn by Figure 3, the sphere or ball C
closes the opening or orifice D, but when the bottle E is inverted as shewn by
Figure 4, in stacking or by being placed in suitable racks or holders, the sphere or
ball C falls away from said orifice D, and rests at the bottom of the chamber A.
In this position said chamber becomes filled with the liquid contained in the bottle,

page_text: and the sediment and precipitated matter collects therein by the natural action of
gravitation. When the bottle is again inverted, as in Figure 3, the sphere or
ball C closes the orifice D and traps or retains the sediment or precipitate, and the
clear liquor may be freely poured out when the stopper B is removed, and said
sediment or precipitate remains in A until it is poured out by angularly tilting the
stopper or the chamber, or it may be washed out by any of the known and
approved methods.
may in certain cases employ a modification of the foregoing device or con-
trivance, in which a chamber is attached to, or may form part of, the stopper of a
bottle, and an opening provided at each end. To the opening nearest to the neck
of the bottle fit a ring or washer of india rubber or other resilient material.
I also pass a rod or spindle through the chamber and attach a disc, plate or
enlargement to the lower end thereof, and a piece of flexible tube to the upper
end, through which the spindle freely passes. The disc or enlargement being
pressed tightly upon the resilient washer herein before referred to, the rubber or
other flexible tube is drawn tightly over and attached to a nozzle or nipple
upon the outer surface of the chamber, so that the tension thereof may cause
the lower orifice of the chamber to be closed by the disc or enlargement. In
using this modified arrangement, I cause the weight of the bottle to impinge
upon the projecting end of the spindle when stacking or while remaining upon
a rack or stand. The disc or enlargement is thus forced away from the orifice
of the chamber or receptacle and the sediment or precipitate gravitates and
collects therein in the manner hereinbefore described. When the bottle is
removed from the rack or stand, and the pressure upon the projecting end of
the spindle is relieved, the tension of the flexible elastic tube causes the disc or
the like to again close the orifice and trap or retain the sediment so that the
clear liquor may be decanted when the stopper is removed.
Therefore, according to my invention provide a receptacle for sediment or
precipitates, which may form part of, or may be attached to a stopper or closer
of any suitable type; and an automatic valve or the like traps or retains said
sediment and enables the clear liquor to be decanted or poured out without waste
or loss of time.
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 ;-
First. The construction and use of a chamber or receptacle A, forming part of,
or attached to the stopper or closer of a bottle, with a ball or spherical valve C
substantially as and for the purposes herein described with reference to the
appended drawings.
Second. The combination of a chamber or receptacle A for the collection and
retention of sediment, with a ball or valve C, and a bottle E substantially as
herein described and shewn by the drawings.
Third. The construction and use of a bottle stopper or closer to which is fitted
or attached a chamber A and ball or valve C substantially as and for the purposes
herein described with reference to the drawings.
Dated this 8th day of May 1891.
FREDK. WALKER,
11, Furnival Street, Holborn, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.