IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STOPPERING BOTTLES
Year: 1873

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Daniel Brown at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 4th Sep-
tember 1878.
I, DANIEL BROWN, of Henry Street, Bath, in the County of Somerset,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for “IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR STOPPERING BOTTLES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to certain improvements upon an Invention
for "An Improved Apparatus for Stoppering Bottles," for which
Letters Patent were duly granted to Francisco Prudencio and Joseph
Francis Cotterell, bearing date the 23rd day of April, in the year of
our Lord 1872, No. 975. In such apparatus. a bridge, formed either
of a single narrow strip of metal or other suitable material, or of
three or more strips diverging from a centro piece, is placed over
the upper end of the neck of the bottle, the ends of the strip or

page_text: strips which project beyond the sides of the bottle being turned down
over the neck thereof and fastened by means of wire or any other
suitable contrivance. A hole is made in the centre of the strip, or
in the centre piece from which the strips diverge, through which is
passed a rod or piston of metal or other suitable material provided
at its upper end with a cap, and at its lower extremity, by preference,
with a screw thread. Two metallic collars or washers, having between.
them one or more india-rubber collars or washers of larger diameter
than the interior of the neck of the bottle, are fastened on to the
lower extremity of the rod or piston. When the bottle is empty the
washers at the lower end of the rod or piston hang just a little below
the lower part of the neck of the bottle, and the cap on the other
extremity of the rod or piston rests upon the metallic bridge, but when
the bottle is filled or partially filled with gaseous liquid the india-
rubber washers aro forced against the inside of the neck of the bottle
by the action of the gas, thus effectually preventing the escape of
the liquid, the cap on the end of the rod or piston projecting a little
above the metallic bridge. When it is desired to open the bottle the
rod or piston is pressed downwards, thus forcing the india-rubber
washers from the neck of the bottle, and allowing the liquid to be
poured out.
"
.
In the present Invention a ring, tube, or cup is attached to or
otherwise placed immediately-under-the-bridge-so-as. to occupy a
position within the interior of the neck of the bottle. A rod or
piston, provided at the upper end with a cap, is passed through the
bridge and ring, tube, or cup, a washer or washers of metal or other
suitable material, with a washer or washers of india-rubber (which
may if desired be protected with a cork washer), being fastened on
to the lower extremity thereof. The ring, tube, or cup forms a stop
to the washers, the whole apparatus being retained within the neck a
of the bottle when the latter is filled or partially filled with gaseous
liquid. The washers at the end of the rod or piston only pass below
the neck of the bottle when the latter is empty, or when the rod or
piston is pressed downwards to allow of the escape of the liquid. In
this arrangement the india-rubber washers are not necessarily so stout;
and are of less dimensions than when used without the addition of the
ring, tubo, or cup, as in the said "Invention of the said Francisco

page_text: Prudencio and Joseph Francis Cotterell, and the whole apparatus can
be readily removed for the purpose of cleansing the bottles.
This Invention is applicable to stoppering bottles containing all kinds
of liquids, whether gaseous or otherwise, in connection with which india-
rubber or cork washers can be employed.