IMPROVEMENTS IN INTERNAL STOPPERS FOR AERATED WATER BOTTLES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Peter Barrie and William Samson, Aerated Water Manu-
facturers, Dundee, in the County of Forfar, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN INTERNAL STOPPERS FOR AERATED WATER BOTTLES."
ealed the 28th July 1876, and dated the 5th February 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Peter Barrie and William
Samson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th February
1876.
PETER BARRIE and WILLIAM SAMSON, Aërated Water Manufacturers, Dundee,
in the County of Forfar. "IMPROVEMENTS IN INTERNAL STOPPERS FOR AERATED
WATER BOTTLES."
Our Invention relates to improvements in internal stoppers for aerated water
bottles.
Our improved stopper is so constructed as to float perpendicularly in the bottle,
and to stopper the bottle by means of the gas when the bottle is filled up with
aërated water from the machine in the usual way.
It frequently happens in charging bottles from the machine with aërated water
where internal floating stoppers such as those presently known or in use are used
that the bottom end of the stopper turns upward, and when this takes place the
inverted stopper, froin its construction, instead of shutting or stoppering the bottle
flies out of it. Another disadvantage in existing floating stoppers is that they are
not balanced to float perpendicularly and do not rise properly into the neck of the
bottle.
Another disadvantage in existing floating stoppers is that these are usually made
of a greater length than the internal width of the bottle, and project over the
mouth of the bottle when full, and in consequence bottles so stoppered cannot be
handled or packed with the same facility as those corked externally in the ordinary
way.
Our improved internal stopper obviates these disadvantages while it is at the
same time more durable and much less complex, and less expensive in construction
than any floating internal stopper at present in use.
Our improved floating internal stopper is constructed exteriorly of hard wood,
lignum vitae being by preference employed, but the outer case or exterior part may
also be constructed of any suitable metal, and is in the form of a case or box in
I Davina Cll

page_text: which a piece of cork wood or other suitable light substance is fitted or encased.
Such outer case or exterior part has an indented groove or ring round the base in
which is fitted an india-rubber ring or washer.
The stopper (except as regards its indented ring and washer) is made of a uni-
form thickness like a common cork for a bottle, and is of such a length that when
in the bottle among the water the stopper floats perpendicularly with its base
downwards, and on the bottle being filled from the machine in the ordinary way
the stopper is driven up with the force of the aerated water, and thus self-stoppers
the bottle, the light end of the stopper entering the neck of the bottle first, but
the stopper being so constructed that if by accident the other end should enter
first it will as effectually stopper the bottle without flying out, the object of the
balance being to secure that the stopper should enter the bottle endlong and not
sideways. The bottle when full can be opened in the usual way by pressing down
the stopper.
In order to insert our improved stopper in the bottle the india-rubber ring or
washer is stretched out at one end until the other is flush or level with the indented
ring on the stopper, when it is thereupon twisted and lapped over the end of the
stopper and pushed into the bottle. When it enters the bottle it regains its position
and ever afterwards keeps it.
Our improved stopper does not require to be longer than or even so long as the
internal width or diameter of the bottle, and it is made of such a length as not to
overtop the neck or mouth of the bottle when filled, thus allowing of the
bottles when full to be handled and packed with the same facility as the ordinary
aerated water bottles externally corked at present in use, without accidentally
allowing the contents to escape.
Our improved stopper can also be used for any ordinary acrated water bottle. No
special form of bottle neck or internal aid to hold the stopper in its place being
necessary.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Peter Barrie and William Samson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd August 1876.
PETER BARRIE and WILLIAM SAMSON, Aürated Water Manufacturers, Dundee,
in the County of Forfar. "IMPROVEMENTS IN INTERNAL STOPPERS FOR AERATED
WATER BOTTLES."
Our Invention relates to improvements in internal stoppers for aërated water
bottles.
Our improved stopper is so constructed as to float perpendicularly in the bottle,
and to stopper the bottle by means of the gas when the bottle is filled up with
nerated water from the machine in the usual way.
It frequently happens in charging bottles from the machine with aërated water
where internal floating stoppers such as those presently known or in use are used
that the bottom end of the stopper turns upward, and when this takes place the
inverted stopper from its construction instead of shutting or stoppering the bottle
flies out of it. Another disadvantage in existing floating stoppers is that they are
not balanced to float perpendicularly, and do not rise properly into the neck of the
bottle.
Another disadvantage in existing floating stoppers is that these are usually made
of a greater length than the internal width of the bottle, and project over the
mouth of the bottle when full, and in consequence bottles so stoppered cannot be
handled or packed with the saine facility as those corked externally.
Our improved internal stopper obviates these disadvantages while it is at same
time more durable, and much less complex, and less expensive in construction than
any floating internal stopper at present in use.

page_text: Our improved floating internal stopper may be constructed exteriorly of hard
wood, such as lignum vitae, with a hole or cavity in the side or top of the upper
part of the stopper in which a piece of cork wood or other suitable light substance
is fitted or encased, and with an indented groove or ring round the base or lower
part of the stopper in which indented groove or ring is fitted an india-rubber ring
or washer.
Our improved floating internal stopper may also be constructed of any other
suitable substance or material than wood and may be made either with or without
the use of the cork according to the nature of the substance used, for instance, if
vulcanite or gutta percha be used the cork in that case is dispensed with, and the
place of the cork is made hollow, and filled with air.
The stopper (except as regards its indented ring or washer) is made of a uniform
thickness, like a common cork for a bottle, and is of such a length that when in the
bottle among the water the stopper floats perpendicularly with its base downwards,
and on the bottle being filled froin the machine in the ordinary way the stopper is
drven up with the force of the aerated water and thus self-stoppers the bottle, the
light end of the stopper entering the neck of the bottle first, but the stopper being
so constructed that if by accident the other end should enter first it will as effec-
tually stopper the bottle without flying out, the object of the balance being to
secure that the stopper should enter the neck of the bottle endlong and not sideways.
The bottle when full can be opened in the usual way by pressing down the stopper.
In order further to explain the nature and construction of our said Invention,
and how it is to be performed, we refer to the annexed Drawings.
Figure 1 is an elevation; Figure 2, a plan; and Figure 3, a section of our im-
proved internal stopper; is the exterior frame of the stopper, constructed of
lignum vitae or other suitable material, wherein is enclosed a piece of cork wood b
or other light material at the top or through the side of the stopper, and in the case
of the stopper being vulcanite or other such substance, b is the hollow part filled
with air. Figure 3 shows the groove or ring C, wherein is fitted the india-rubber
ring or washer d.
Figure 4 shews a bottle stoppered with our improved stopper in the process of
being emptied of its contents, the stopper, owing to its construction as above
described, being so balanced as to float perpendicularly on its base e in the aërated
water in the bottle.
Our improved stopper does not require to be longer than or even so long as the
internal width or diameter of the bottle, and it is made of such a length as not to
overtop the neck or mouth of the bottle when filled, thus allowing the bottles when
full to be handled and packed with the same facility as the ordinary aërated
water bottles externally corked at present in use, and without accidentally allowing.
the contents to escape.
Our improved stopper can also be used for any ordinary aërated water bottle, no
special form of bottle neck or internal aid to hold the stopper in its place being
necessary.
Figure 5 shews an ordinary aerated water bottle charged or filled with aërated
water, and thereby self-stoppered as before described with our improved internal
stopper, the top of the improved stopper being lower than the mouth of the bottle,
thereby enabling the bottles when full to be packed and handled with perfect safety
and ease, and without the chance of the stopper being accidentally driven in and the
contents spilt.
In order to insert our improved stopper in the bottle the india-rubber ring or
washer is stretched out at one end until the other is flush or level with the indented
ring on the stopper, when the ring or washer is thereupon twisted and lapped over
the end of the stopper and pushed into the bottle. When it enters the bottle it
regains its position and ever afterwards keeps it.
Having thus described our Invention and the manner in which our internal
stopper is constructed and used we do not claim as novel the use of any of the
materials employed in the construction of our improved stopper, but we claim the

page_text: construction and combination of parts to form our improved stopper, and the use
thereof, substantially as and for the purposes herein-before described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Peter Barric and William Samson have here-
unto set our hands and seals, this First day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
PETER BARRIE.
(L.S.)
WILLIAM SAMSON. (L.S.)