Improvements in Preserve-glasses, Fruit-jars, and the like.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 13th July, 1891-Accepted, 22nd Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Preserve-glasses, Fruit-jars, and the like.
A communication to me from abroad by Dr. ALFRED STELZNER, of Wiesbaden,
Prussia.
1, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to an improved preserve-glass, fruit jar or similar receptacle
for preserving fruit, vegetables or other substances, and the purpose of the invention
is to provide a reliable and permanently air-tight sealing of the glass, or jar, which
preserves the fruit or other contents for any length of time, and which can be
opened without destroying the glass or jar.
Many stoppering and sealing devices for preserve-glasses and jars have been
constructed with a view to attain the object in view, but notwithstanding, a demand
exists, as before for a convenient means for preserving fruit and vegetables for
household purposes, all the stoppering and scaling devices hitherto used either fail
to provide the perfect and absolute tightness required, or they are not practicable
for household use and the jar is destroyed, when the scaling is removed.
The improved fruit jar is intended to overcome the objections hitherto
existing.
The glass or jar preferably of cylindrical shape, though any other form may be
employed, and of any suitable size and material, has a peculiar shape at its upper
portion or mouth to receive an inside lid and an outside lid, as hereinafter
described.
In the face of the upper circular rim of the glass or jar, a groove is formed and
another circular groove is formed in the outside surface of the glass or jar, near
the upper end of the same. A little below the said second groove a shoulder or
collar is formed on the glass all round.
The following is the process for filling and sealing the glass or jar. While filling the
fruit or material to be preserved into the glass or jar, together with the fluid and all
ingredients and additions belonging to it, or after having filled the jar up to nearly the
top, the groove in the face of the rim is filled with the fluid of the preserved matter
and on the said rim is placed a flat circular inside lid to cover the said groove.
Over the said inner lid and the rim of the glass or jar is then spread a disk of
suitable fabric or of pig's bladder or other suitable material the said disc being
made tight on the lid by drawing its projecting Hange or edge downward on the
glass. An india rubber ring is then pressed over the said disc in an expanded
state, so that it contracts and forces the adjacent portion of the disc tightly into the
groove to keep it strongly secured therein by elastic pressure.
The outside lid preferably of a slightly tapering shape and with a corrugated
inside surface is then placed over the top of the glass or jar, and by a slight
pressure it is forced to compress the india rubber ring into the groove. The india
rubber engages with the corrugated inside surface of the lid and maintains the same
in position, while the lid, by its engaging the rubber forms a tight joint round the
groove.
To lift the outside lid from the glass or jar only a moderate force need be
employed, and the lid will be free from the adhesion of the rubber. Between the
two lids a small space should be left to provide play for the outside lid in adapting
the same to the india rubber ring.
The glass or jar is now sealed not only by a double joint but also by a double
fluid seal, as will be hereinafter explained. In this state the glass or jar is

page_text: placed into a water bath, proper means being employed to guard the glass or jar
from cracking and falling in the bath, while being boiled. The boiling heat as is
well known, destroys all germs and mustiness contained in the jar.
The vapours developed by the boiling heat inside the glass or jar will when
condensed help to fill up the groove if the same should not be sufficiently filled
before, and also to seal the capillary interstice between the inside surface of the
glass and the adjacent surface of the inside lid, the said condensed vapours will
further condense in the wider interstice between the outside lid, the outside surface
of the glass, and the rubber ring. The fabric covering the inside lid will absorb as
much fluid as it can hold, if it has not previously been saturated with diluted
salicylic acid or other antiseptic material. The boiling heat will also destroy all
germs and septic matter contained in the space between the two lids and owing to
this, the fluid contained in the groove and maintained therein by capillarity, forming
an inside fluid-seal by its molecular action, will not be subject to any deterioration
or mustiness, nor to evaporation and by this means the contents of the glass or jar
are perfectly secured against any undue influence from outside.
To prevent the outside lid or cap from being opened or lifted wrongfully and
without the knowledge of the owner a cord may be laid around the glass and
secured below the shoulder and the lower flange of the lid a knot having been
formed by the two ends of the said cord, the free extremities are then scaled to the
glass or united by a lead seal.
Dated this 13th day of October 1890
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Preserve Glasses, Fruit Jars, and the like.
A communication to me from Dr. ALFRED STELZNER, of Wiesbaden, in the
Empire of Germany.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
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 and accompanying drawing, that is to say :-
This invention relates to an improved preserve glass, fruit jar or similar
receptacle for preserving fruit, vegetable or other substances, and the object of the
invention is to provide a reliable and permanently airtight sealing of the glass, or
jar, which preserves the fruit or other contents for any length of time, and which
can be opened without destroying the glass or jar.
Many stoppering and sealing devices for preserve glasses and jars have been
constructed with a view to attain the object required, but notwithstanding these, a
demand exists, as before, for a convenient means for preserving fruit and vegetables
for household purposes, as all the stoppering and sealing devices hitherto used
either fail to provide the perfect and absolute tightness required, or they are not
practicable for household use and the jar is destroyed, when the sealing is
removed.
The improved jar which forms the subject of the present invention is intended to
overcome the objections hitherto existing.
The accompanying drawing is in illustration of the invention.
The glass or jar A, preferably of cylindrical shape, though any other form may
be employed, and of any suitable size and material, has a peculiar shape at its upper
portion or mouth, to receive an inside lid and an outside lid, as hereinafter
described.
In the face of the upper, circular rim of the glass or jar A, a groover is formed

page_text: and another circular groove h is formed in the outside surface of the glass or jar,
near the upper end of the same. A little below the said groove a shoulder or
collar a is formed on the glass all round.
The following is the process for filling and sealing the glass or jar.
While filling the fruit or material to be preserved into the glass or jar, together
with the fluid and all ingredients and additions belonging to it, or after having
filled the jar up to nearly the top, the groover in the face of the rim is filled with
the fluid of the preserved matter and on the said rim is placed a flat, circular inside
lid d to cover the said groove r. Over the said inner lid d and the rim of the glass
or jar is then spread a disc g of suitable fabric or of pig's bladder or other suitable
material, the said disc g being made tight on the lid by drawing its projecting flange
or edge downward on the glass. An india rubber ring is then passed over the
said disc g so that the said ring k in an expanded state, contracts and forces the
adjacent portion of the disc g tightly into the groove h so as to keep it strongly
secured therein by elastic pressure.
The outside lid d preferably of a slightly tapering shape and with a corrugated
surface, inside its flange, is then placed over the top of the glass or jar, and by a
slight pressure it is forced to compress the india rubber ring k into the groove h.
The india rubber engages with the corrugated inside surface of the lid and maintains
the same in position, while the lid, by its engaging with the rubber, forms a tight
joint round the groove h.
To lift the outside lid d¹ from the glass or jar A only a moderate force need be
employed, and the lid will then be free from the adhesion of the rubber. Between
the two lids d and d' a small space should be left to provide play for the outside lid
in adapting the same to the india rubber ring.
The glass or jar is now sealed not only by a double joint but also by a fluid seal,
as will be hereinafter explained. In this state the glass or jar is placed into a
water bath, proper means being employed to guard the glass or jar from cracking
and falling in the bath, while being boiled.
The boiling heat, as is well known, destroys all germs and mustiness contained in
the jar.
The vapours developed by the boiling heat inside the glass or jar, will, when
condensed, help to fill up the groover, if the same should not be sufficiently filled
before, and also to seal the capillary interstice between the inside surface of the
glass and the adjacent surface of the inside lid d. The fabric g covering the inside
lid d, will absorb as much fluid as it can hold if it has not previously been saturated
with diluted salicylic acid or other antiseptic material.
The boiling heat will also destroy all germs and septic matter contained in the
space between the two lids d and d', and owing to this, the fluid contained in the
groove and maintained therein by capillarity, forming an inside fluid-seal by
molecular action, will not be subject to any deterioration or mustiness, nor to
evaporation, and by this means the contents of the glass or jar are perfectly secured
against any injurious influence from outside.
To prevent the outside cap or lid d¹ from being opened or lifted wrongfully and
without the knowledge of the owner, a cord may be laid around the glass and
secured by the shoulder a and the lower flange of the lid d' and a knot having
been formed by the two ends of the said cord, the free extremities are then sealed
to the glass or united by a lead seal.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
ion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is:-
A preserve glass or fruit jar provided with means for closing it air tight such
means consisting of a circular groove h formed in the upper, outside surface of the
glass or jar, a circular groover provided in the top face of the rim of the glass or
ar, the said groove being intended to be filled up with fluid matter, an inside
idd covering the said groove r, a disc g of cloth or other suitable material

page_text: stretched tightly over the lid d and projecting round the same, an india rubber
ring, forcing the projecting flange of the disc g into the groove and an outside
lid or cap d forcing the ring into the groove by its inner corrugated surface,
substantially as and for the purpose described and shewn.
Dated this 13th day of July 1891.
EDWARDS & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.