Improvements in Apparatus for Keeping Bottled Wine and other Liquids on Draught.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Oct., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 31st Aug., 1899-Accepted, 7th Oct., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Keeping Bottled Wine and other
Liquids on Draught.
i
THOMAS MESSENGER, Paris House, Dover Kent, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for enabling
champagne and other wines or liquids contained in bottles (or other similar
receptacles hereinafter called bottle or bottles) to be kept on draught in such
a manner as to keep the bottle sealed against the admission of air and prevent
the escape of the wine (or liquid) or the gases generated by or incorporated with
it and at the same time admit of its expulsion from the bottle by the pressure
of such gases or its flow by gravitation being controlled so that it may be drawn
or served from the bottle at such intervals and in such quantities as may be
required.
In carrying my invention into practice I arrange the bottle in a suitably
formed, swing frame arranged at one end (hereinafter called the top end) with a
regulating screw provided with a handle or hand wheel (hereinafter called the
regulating wheel) while the bottom end of the said frame is arranged or formed
with a suitable rest or ring for receiving and holding a combination of parts for
sustaining and sealing the bottle and conducting the wine or liquid from it
as hereinafter mentioned such combination of parts being hereinafter called the
fountain.
The fountain is formed with a recess preferably of circular form and of
suitable section to receive an elastic ring composed preferably of cork hereinafter
called the valve ring the hollow or the hole through the valve is provided with
a suitably formed plug hereinafter called the valve plug which plug is so formed
as to pass into the neck or outlet aperture of the bottle and guide it into or hold
it in proper relation with the valve ring which ring is formed or approximately
formed to the shape or contour of the surface of the top part of the neck of the
bottle or that part of the bottle contacting with it so as to conform to such
surface with an elastic pressure when the bottle is screwed down or forced upon
it as hereinafter mentioned the aforesaid recess is also formed so as to receive a
shield formed with a hole for the passage of the neck of the bottle so that the
shield surrounds the neck of the bottle and rests upon or within the recess in
such a manner as to check or prevent the escape of the wine or other fluid passing
from the bottle and insure or assist the direction to a suitably formed spout or
channel formed or connected with the fountain which channel is formed or
arranged in such relation to the valve ring and plug and the neck of the bottle
as to conduct the wine issuing from the bottle and direct its discharge from the
fountain which is also formed so as to rest in upon or be held by the aforesaid rest
or ring arranged at or in connection with the bottom of the spring frame.
The whole combination of spring frame, regulating screw, and fountain as
aforesaid is mounted on two pillars or other suitable supports (arranged on a
suitable stand) with which the frame is connected by trunnions or other suitable
bearings in such a manner as to admit of its carrying the bottle and being swung
round or set upside down or held in any desired position by a suitable catch or
other device arranged in combination with it or any part of its supports or
stand.

page_text: The shield is held in position by a spring so formed and arranged between it
and the bottle (when the bottle is in position in the swing frame) as to be in such
spring contact with the neck (or other suitable part) of the bottle and the shield
as to hold the shield in position by its pressure and at the same time thrust the
bottle on to the regulating screw and lift it from the valve ring and plug (herein-
after called the valve) as the regulating screw is turned in the direction for releasing
the mouth or outlet of the bottle from the valve as hereinafter mentioned.
The operation is as follows:---The swing frame being set upside down so as to
be in position for receiving the uncorked wine bottle which is placed in the frame
with its bottom resting on a suitable plate or rest arranged on the regulating screw
while the spring and shield are placed on or over its neck and its mouth or outlet
presented to the valve when the regulating screw is turned so as to force the
bottle up to the valve until its mouth is in such contact with it as to prevent the
escape of the wine or gas contained therein the frame is then swung round so
as to invert the bottle and place it and the fountain and regulating screw in
position for drawing off the wine which is effected by turning the regulating
screw so as to relax its pressure on the bottle until the gas rising to and acting
on the surface of the wine (through the inversion of the bottle) forces it out
between the mouth of the bottle and the valve from which it is conducted and
discharged from the fountain by the channel aforesaid in quantities according to
the operation of the regulating screw as aforesaid.
In drawing still and other wine flowing from the bottle by gravity only the
regulating screw is drawn back or its pressure relaxed until the spring (aforesaid)
thrusting on the shield lifts the bottle such a distance from the valve as to
admit of the flow of the wine between the mouth of the bottle and the valve
from which it is conducted and discharged from the fountain in quantities
according to the operation or regulation of the regulating screw aforesaid.
The shield and spring instead of being passed over the neck of the bottle as
aforesaid may be made in two or more parts arranged around the neck of the
bottle after it is inverted such parts being held in position by a suitable spring
being thrust between them and the bottle in such a manner as to hold them in
position and at the same time admit of the spring lifting the bottle when the
regulating screw is drawn back or its pressure relaxed as aforesaid.
Any space between the neck of the bottle and the shield may be closed by any
suitable elastic packing or preferably by a rubber ring (placed on the neck of
the bottles) of circular or other section having a tendency to roll down the incline
or curve of the neck of the bottle and so press on the shield. The swing frame
may be arranged or adapted so as to swing on a bracket or other required form
of support.
Dated this 29th day of October 1898.
Improvements in Apparatus for Keeping Bottled Wine and other
Liquids on Draught.
THOMAS MESSENGER, Paris House, Dover Kent, Engineer, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement: -
My invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for enabling
champagne and other wines or liquids contained in bottles (or other similar
receptacles hereinafter called bottle or bottles) to be kept on draught in such
a manner as to keep the bottle sealed against the admission of air and prevent

page_text: the escape of the wine (or liquid) or the gases generated by or incorporated with
it and at the same time admit of its expulsion from the bottle by the pressure
of such gases or its flow by gravitation being controlled as that it may be drawn
or served from the bottle at such intervals and in such quantities as may be
required.
In carrying my invention into practice I arrange the bottle A in a suitably
formed swing frame B arranged at one end (hereinafter called the top end)
with a regulating screw C provided with a handle or hand wheel D (hereinafter
called the regulating wheel) while the bottom end of the said frame is arranged
or formed with a suitable rest or ring E for receiving and holding a combination
of parts for sustaining and sealing the bottle and conducting the wine or liquid
from it as hereinafter mentioned such combination of parts being hereinafter
called the fountain.
The fountain is formed with a recess preferably of circular form and of
suitable section to receive an elastic ring composed preferably of cork hereinafter
called the valve ring F the hollow or the hole through the valve is provided with
a suitably formed plug hereinafter called the valve plug G which plug is so
formed as to pass into the neck, mouth or outlet aperture of the bottle and guide it
into or hold it in proper relation with the valve ring which ring is formed or
approximately formed to the shape or contour of the surface of the top part of the
neck of the bottle or that part of the bottle contacting with it so as to conform
to such surface with an elastic pressure when the bottle is screwed down or forced
upon it as hereinafter mentioned the aforesaid recess is also formed so as to receive
a shield H formed with a hole for the passage of the neck of the bottle so that the
shield surrounds the neck of the bottle and rests upon or within the recess in such
a manner as to check or prevent the escape of the wine or other fluid passing
from the bottle and insure or assist the direction to a suitably formed spout or
channel I formed or connected with the fountain which channel is formed or
arranged in such relation to the valve ring and plug and the neck of the bottle as
to conduct the wine issuing from the bottle and direct its discharge from the
fountain which is also formed so as to rest in upon or be held by the aforesaid
rest or ring E arranged at or in connection with the bottom of the spring
frame.
The whole combination of spring frame B regulating screw C and fountain as
aforesaid is mounted on two pillars J or other suitable supports (arranged on a
suitable stand) with which the frame is connected by trunnions or other suitable
bearings in such a manner as to admit of its carrying the bottle and being swung
round or set upside down or held in any desired position by a suitable catch or
other device arranged in combination with it or any part of its supports or
stand.
The shield is held in position by a spring K so formed and arranged between it
and the bottle A (when the bottle is in position in the swing frame) as to be in
such spring contact with the neck (or other suitable part) of the bottle and the
shield H as to hold the shield in position by its pressure and at the same time
thrust the bottle on to the regulating screw C and lift it from the valve ring F
and plug G (hereinafter called the valve) as the regulating screw is turned in the
direction for releasing the mouth or outlet of the bottle from the valve as
hereinafter mentioned.
The operation is as follows:-
-
The swing frame being set upside down so, as to be in position for receiving
the uncorked wine bottle which is placed in the frame with its bottom resting
on a suitable plate or rest L arranged on the regulating screw while the spring K
and shield H are placed on or over its neck and its mouth or outlet presented to the
valve when the regulating screw is turned so as to force the bottle up to the valve
until its mouth is in such contact with it as to prevent the escape of the wine or
gas contained therein the frame is then swung round so as to invert the bottle
and place it and the fountain and regulating screw in position for drawing off the

page_text: wine which is effected by turning the regulating screw so as to relax its pressure
on the bottle until the gas rising to and acting on the surface of the wine (through
the inversion of the bottle) forces it out between the mouth of the bottle and
the valve from which it is conducted and discharged from the fountain by. the
channel I aforesaid in quantities according to the operation of the regulating
screw as aforesaid..
In drawing still and other wine flowing from the bottle by gravity only. the
regulating screw is drawn back or its pressure relaxed until the spring K (afore-
said) thrusting on the shield lifts the bottle such a distance from the valve as to
admit of the flow. of the wine between the mouth of the. bottle and the valve
from which it is conducted and discharged from the fountain. in quantities
according to the operation or regulation of the regulating screw aforesaid. . :
The shield and spring instead of being passed over the neck of the bottle.as
aforesaid may be made in two or more parts arranged around the neck of the
bottle after it is inverted such parts being held in position by a suitable spring
being thrust between them and the bottle in such a manner as. to hold them in
position and at the same time admit of the spring lifting the bottle when the
regulating screw is drawn back or its pressure relaxed as aforesaid.
:
Any space between the neck of the bottle and the shield may be closed. by
any suitable elastic packing or preferably by a rubber ring M (placed on the
neek of the bottle) of circular or other section having a tendency to roll down the
incline or curve of the neck of the bottle and so press on the shield. The swing
frame may be arranged or adapted so as to swing on a bracket or other required
form of supports.
Having now particularly described and 'ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
Firstly I claim the arrangement and combination of the parts forming- the
fountain so as to admit of its retaining in or discharging the wine or liquid
from the bottle according to the pressure forcing its mouth (or neck) on the
valve or the regulation of the mouth to or from it-substantially in the manner
and for the purposes herein described and shown by Fig. 1 and 2 Sheets 1 and 2
of the drawing hereto annexed.
Secondly I claim the arrangement and combination of the parts forming the
fountain with the swing frame regulating screw; and pillars or supports by which
the swing frame is carried substantially in the manner and for the purposes
herein described and shown by Fig. 1 and 2. Sheets 1 and 2 of the drawings
hereto annexed.
Thirdly I claim the arrangements of the spring K so as to act in combination
with the fountain and the bottle substantially in the manner and for the purposes
herein described and shown by Fig. 1 and 2 Sheets 1 and 2 of the drawings hereto
annexed.
.
A
Fourthly I claim the arrangement of the elastic ring M so as to act in combina-
tion with the fountain and the bottle substantially in the manner and for the
purposes herein described and shown by Fig. Sheet 1 of the drawings hereto
annexed.
.....
Lastly I claim the improved arrangement and combination of mechanism
and parts for controlling the flow of wines or liquids from a bottle or vessel
substantially in the manner herein described and shown by Fig. 1 and 2 of the
drawings hereto annexed.