Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Aug., 1897-Accepted, 25th Sept., 1897
A communication from DARIUS TENNET PHILLIPS, of Michigan Avenue Hotel,
Michigan Boulevard, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America, Inventor.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 111 Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:
The object of this invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive bottle
stopper either as an inserted or integral part of the bottle, and which, while
permitting original contents of the bottle to be readily poured, will prevent
refilling of the bottle and thus operate as an effective safeguard against the sur-
reptitious use of the bottle a second time without such injury to the parts as will
lead to easy detection.
In the drawing-
Figure 1 is a broken section of the neck-portion of a bottle provided with a
stopper of one preferred construction, and showing the valve mechanism open to
permit the contents of the bottle to be poured out; Figure 2, a sectional view of
the stopper alone, the valve mechanism being in the position which it will assume
when attempt is made to refill the bottle; Figure 3, a top-plan view of the shell
of the stopper; Figures 4 and 5 plan-views of separate shell members which fit
together to form the stopper shell; Figures 6 and 7 face-views of the shell mem-
bers; Figure 8 a plan,-section of the stopper shell taken on line 8 of Figure 1;
and Figure 9, a view the same as Figure 1, but showing a construction in which
the neck of the bottle itself forms the stopper shell, the valve mechanism being
properly closed as when no attempt has been made to refill the bottle, and showing,
furthermore, valve closing mechanism which does not invoive the use of a spring.
In the construction shown in Figures 1 to 8, A is the shell of the stopper con-
sisting of two separate members t and t¹ formed of transparent glass. The tops s
of the members have outlet openings s¹ through them, and are formed with pro-
jecting flanges which overlap when the members are fitted together. In the
tops are sockets 3, which when the members are fitted together form a central
opening. Each shell member is provided with inner segmental ribs or baffles r
which may be disposed as shown, and inward projecting flanges r at their lower or
inner ends. B is a ring of preferably resilient material, such as cork, having
the central opening p and an outer circumferential socket to receive the annular
flange r¹. The ring B forms a valve seat. Fitting the opening is an internally
upper and
threaded sleeve C, having upper and lower flanges which embrace the
D is a stem having a
lower surfaces of the top s to render the collar fixed.
threaded shank portion n which fits and works through the sleeve C, and a reduced

page_text: smooth end portion n', carrying a main valve D¹.
On the outer end of the stem D
is a disk or handle D2. By turning the disk D2 the valve D¹ may be opened and
closed. On the stem is a fixed collar D³ which turns with the stem. The stem,
disk D and collar 13 may be of tempered steel or other suitable metal, while the
valve D may be of glass and cemented to the stem. On the stem .below. the
collar D³ is a collar or piece D formed of material which will readily absorb liquid
and expand under such absorption: It is preferred to form the collar I) of
sponge which when dry will be held in fixed relation to the collar D³ by its engage-
ment with the lower portion of the threaded part n, but which when it absorbs
liquid will expand and release itself from the threads of the stem. - Confined
between the collars D³ and D is a spring 15. E is a supplemental valve, cup-
shaped in cross section and having the cylindrical portion m which fits around and
slides over the valve D¹, and a top m¹ provided with a central opening through
which the reduced part n¹ of the stem passes. On the supplemental valve E is a
cylindrical extension E, which fits within the baffles r, to slide vertically, and
extends loosely over the collar D³, forming a chamber about the. absorbent
material D and spring D5. In the chamber wall or cylinder El are one or more
small openings 7.
The stopper is placed in the neck of the bottle after the latter, has been filled
with the liquid it is intended to contain. The shell A being formed of separate
members may be fitted closely together or somewhat apart, to conform to bottle-
necks of different internal diameters. The shell is secured in place with a cement
which will hold it securely against all danger of removal without breaking either
the bottle or stopper-shell. The seat B of cork, or the like, is crowded into place,
and when the main valve D¹ is screwed down to the seat as shown in Figure 9, the
liquid contents are effectively corked.
To pour liquid from the bottle the disk D2 is turned to raise the valve from its
seat, as shown in Figure 1, when by inclining the bottle the liquid will flow out
through the opening 2, passage in the shell between the baffles, and the outlets s¹.
As the passage through the stopper is of larger area than the port p, the liquid
flows freely past the cylinder E¹ without any of it entering the chamber, which
contains the absorbent material, through the openings or between the collar D³
and surrounding cylinder wall. Thus the bottle may be emptied, by pouring the
liquid at intervals or in one operation, without danger of causing the supplemental
valve to close. If however when the bottle is emptied any attempt is made to refill
it, part of the liquid running toward the port p, through the stopper passage, will
pass between the collar D³ and surrounding cylindrical wall, and part will be
deflected by the baffles into the openings 1, so that liquid will quickly enter the
chamber in the cylindrical extension and be absorbed by the sponge, or other
absorbent material employed, to an extent sufficient to cause the latter to swell
and release itself from the screw-thread on the stem. When the absorbent material
is thus freed, the spring D5 expands forcing the said material and supplemental
valve in the direction of the seat B, as shown in Figure 2, thus effectively closing
the port p and preventing the possibility of filling the bottle or of pouring out any
of the liquid which it may have received.
The disk D, top s, and baffles effective." prevent any tampering with the supple-
mental valve by the insertion of a wire or other implement, and any displacement
or breakage of parts may be easily detected through the transparent neck and shell;
The absorbent material is crowded into place and by engaging the screw-thread
and bearing against the wall of the chamber, it prevents independent movement
of the supplemental valve with relation to the main valve except only when the
material expands under the absorption of moisture.
In the construction shown in Figure 9, the seat B is upon a shoulder blown
or moulded in the bottle-neck, and a perforated metal or other cap al is firmly
secured in the mouth of the bottle through which the stem D works. A haffle ris
also provided which with the disk D2 and can effectively prevent tampering with
the supplemental valve. This figure also shows a construction wherein the

page_text: spring D is dispensed with, a larger quantity or piece of absorbent material D
being employed in the cylindrical extension or chamber, which in absorbing liquid,
when an attempt is made to refill the Jottle, will swell sufficiently to press the
supplemental valve to the seat. By employing a larger piece of the absorbent
material in the stopper shown in Figure 1, the spring 15 may be dispensed with;
and in the construction shown in Figure 9, a spring may be employed, if desired.
The construction is not to be limited to the details shown, as it may be variously
modified without departing from the spirit of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said in-
vention, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner
the same is to de performed, I declare that what I claim is:-
1-In a bottle-stopper, the combination with a liquid discharge valve and its
seat, and an outlet passage for liquid leading from the valve seat through the
stopper, of a chamber adjacent to the passage and communicating therewith,
material, expansive under absorption of liquid, confined in said chamber, and
acting when expanded to cause seating of the valve so that the bottle can not be
refilled.
2-In a bottle-stopper, the combination with a liquid discharge valve and its
seat, and an outlet passage for liquid leading from the valve seat through the
stopper, of a chamber adjacent to and communicating with the passage, a spring
in the chamber for closing the valve, material, expansive under absorption of
liquid, confined in said chamber and operating to hold the spring out of action,
and acting when expanded to release the spring, whereby the valve is closed and
refilling of the bottle is prevented.
3-In a bottle-stopper, ne combination of a valve seat having an opening through
it for the passage of liquid, an outlet passage from said seat through the stopper,
a main valve, a stem on said valve with means for screwing it in and out to seat
and unseat the main valve, a supplemental valve in the passage, a chamber thereoa
communicating with the passage through the stopper, a collar on the stem in the
chamber, and material, expansive under absorption of liquid, confined in sai.l
chamber, and operating when expanded to cause the supplemental valve to be
pressed away from the collar and be seated to prevent refilling of the bottle.
4 In a bottle-stopper, the combination of a seat B, main valve D¹, main valve
stem D, handle D2 on the stem, a threaded bearing for the stem at the mouth of
the stopper through which the stem may be screwed to seat and unseat the valve D',
a collar D on the stem, a supplemental valve E capable of moving past the valve Di
and of seating to close the passage through the stopper, a chamber E¹ at the
supplemental valve surrounding the collar D³ and in open communication with the
passage through the stopper, and material, expansive under absorption of liquid,
confined in said chamber, and operating when expanded to cause seating of the
supplemental valve and prevent refilling of the bottle.
5 In a bottle-stopper, the combination of a valve seat having an opening
through it for the passage of liquid, an outlet passage from said seat through the
stopper, a main valve a stem on said valve with means for screwing it in and out
to seat and unseat the main valve, a supplemental valve in the passage, a chamber
thereon communicating with the passage through the stopper, a collar on the stem
in the chamber, baffles in the passage operating to prevent tampering with the
supplemental valve, and material, expansive under absorption of liquid, confined
in said chamber, and operating when expanded to cause the supplemental valve
to be pressed away from the collar and to be seated to prevent refilling of the
bottle.
6 In a bottle-stopper, the combination of a shell formed of separate members
relatively adjustable to fit bottle necks of different sizes, a valve seat at the inner
end of the stopper, an outlet for liquid leading from the valve seat through th
stopper, a chamber adjacent to and communicating with said passage, a valve at

page_text: said seat, and material, expansive under absorption of liquid, confined in said
chamber, and acting when expanded to cause seating of the valve.
Dated this 23rd day of August 1897
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.