Improvements in Bottle-stopper Fasteners.
Year: 1890

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by WILLIAM PAINTER, of Baltimore, in the State of
Maryland, United States of America, Manufacturer.]
Improvements in Bottle-stopper Fasteners.
We, THE BOTTLE SEAL COMPANY LIMITED of No. 8 Great Winchester Street in the
City of London, 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:-
This invention relates to fasteners for temporarily holding corks or other stoppers
in beer bottles while the beer in them is being steamed or pasteurized. Such devices
are commonly known as "Steaming Caps"; they are removed from the bottles after
the beer has been steamed and re-used on other bottles continuously.
Our fastener or steaming cap consists essentially of a stopper retaining part, and
two curved elastic bails adapted to span the bottle neck and engage with the shoulder
or under portion of the bottle head.
The lengths of bottle heads, and also the diameters of the necks immediately below
the heads vary considerably and we therefore make the locking-bails elastic in both
directions in order to meet these varying sizes. This elasticity is mainly secured by
making the bails of spring wire, and giving them a curved form whereby a sufficient
length of wire is brought into use to yield in both directions for the purpose stated.
For use with corks or stoppers which extend above or are flush with the bottle head
our fastener comprises a retaining portion adapted to lie across or over the mouth of
the bottle and two downwardly extending curved elastic bails of a configuration herein-
after more particularly described.
For use with stoppers the upper faces of which, when in place, lie below the edge
or lip of the bottle mouth, our fastener is provided with the additional feature of a
part extending downwards from said retaining portion at the centre of the same, and
adapted to enter the mouth of the bottle to a greater or less distance according to the
situation of the stopper. This downwardly extending part may be of various forms
such as a bend or bends formed in said retaining portion; or a projection or button
cast rigidly upon said portion, or journaled thereon, so that the bails may be capable
of oscillating relatively to the button; or said part may be of other suitable con-
struction.
When provided with such a downward bend or projection upon its retaining portion
as will properly engage or imbed itself in a stopper or cork of ordinary character
(extending above the bottle mouth) our fastener may be effectively employed, with
such additional feature in securing corks of said character.
When our fastener is especially designed for use with a stopper having at or near
its middle a projection or stud, by which it may be extracted, the said additional
downwardly extending part is divided or recessed so that it will enter the mouth of
the bottle and will not interfere with said projection or stud.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of a bottle having applied thereto a fastener
embodying our invention.
Figure 2 is a section of the same on line 2-2 Figure 1. ...
Figure 3 is a plan view of the same.
Figure 4 is a side view illustrating a fastener embodying our invention in a
different form and
Figure 5 is a plan of the same.
Referring to the drawings B indicates a bottle neck having the usual head b. The
bottle shown is also provided with the internal groove 6 for holding the disc stopper
or seal described in the Specification of British Letters Patent No. 11604 dated the

page_text: 29th day of September 1885. S indicates the stopper, in this instance one of the
character above referred to which lies below the lip of the bottle.
A indicates the retaining portion of the fastener preferably formed of stout spring
wire and adapted to lie across or over the mouth of the bottle and A¹ indicates the
downwardly extending curved elastic bails secured to or formed with the portion A.
By preference said bails are formed from the ends of the same piece of wire which
constitutes the part A. The bails A¹ are preferably so formed or bent as to have upon
their upper sides cam portions at which as the fastener is applied pass under the head b
with some little resistance.
As the bails advance to their final or locked position (from that shown in dotted
lines to that shown in full lines in Figure 1) this resistance decreases, and the
portions a springing slightly upwards effectively secure the fastener against accidental
backward (towards the right of Figure 1) displacement. Horizontal movement of
the fastener in the other direction is prevented by stops formed by the portions a of
the bails which when said bails have advanced to their locked position engage the sides
of the head b.
The extremities of the bails extend downwardly and also by preference a little
outwardly forming the parts a² by which the fastener may be operated to engage or
to disengage it, and also as guides between which the bottle neck enters as the
the fastener is applied.
At D is shown the downwardly extending part herein before referred to, carried by
the retaining portion A, and adapted to enter the mouth of the bottle. This part is
adapted, as shown best in Figure 2, to bear upon the upper face of the stopper and
effectually hold the same in place. It will be readily seen that by this means the disc
stopper or seal may be used with and effectively held in bottles which are not provided
with the groove b¹. When the stopper is provided with a central projection or stud
one form of which is indicated at s we divide or recess the part D as indicated at < or
in other equivalent manner so that the said projection s may not be interfered with.
When the part D is constructed as shown in Figure 4 being there formed by a bend
or bends of the part A the bends of the wire are so situated that the stud & will have
the desired space left for it.
In Figures 1 and 2 the part D is formed by a button preferably of metal. It may
be cast around the part A so as be rigid therewith or it may be journalled thereon.
In applying the fastener the part D is first placed within the bottle neck or mouth and
acts as a pivot or hinge about which the bails A¹ turn to engage, pass beneath, and
become locked under the head b.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. A bottle-stopper fastener comprising a retaining portion adapted to lie across or
over the mouth of a bottle and having a downward projection adapted to fit within and
form a bearing in said mouth and to rest upon a disc stopper and having two down-
wardly extending elastic arms with cam surfaces adapted to oscillate upon said bearing
and engage the underside of the head of the bottle or equivalent shoulder said
projection having a recess to receive an upward projection on such disc substantially
as set forth.
2. A bottle stopper fastener comprising a retaining portion having two downwardly
extending elastic arms and a projection or button journalled upon said retaining
portion adapted to enter within the bottle mouth and peripherally recessed to receive
a projection on a stopper-substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 20th day of October 1890.