Improvements in and relating to the Closing of Jars and other Receptacles.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Feb., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 24th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 24th Dec., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Closing of Jars and other
Receptacles.
We, FREDERICK JOYNSON, Chemical Engineer, and WILLIAM HARRISON,
Mechanical Engineer, both of 77, Boswell Street, Lodge Lane, Liverpool, in the
County of Lancashire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
Our invention relates to the closing of jars and other receptacles intended to
contain preserved provisions and so forth in vacuum, wherein the cover is held on
by the force of the vacuum and released by its destruction.
Our improvements comprise a novel construction of jar month and cover and
ready means for destroying the vacuum when required, and an appliance for
facilitating the process of closing.
In constructing the jar or receptacle, between the usual shoulder and the top rim
we form a plain cylindrical surface or neck through which is formed a hole having
an internal shoulder giving two diameters. We provide a rubber plug to fit the
outer and larger diameter, and a suitable metallic clip or clasp with tongue and
slot, or clamp or other tightening and fixing device to fit around the said plain
cylindrical neck over and securing the said rubber plug. The top rim has au
annular groove moulded in its surface for the reception of a rubber ring washer,
and the sides of the face inside and outside of the washer groove may either be
level or of different heights. The cover has an annular projection adapted to press
upon the rim washer, and it may have a similar ring projection of suitable depth
fitting within the jar mouth and the cover, and constructed to suit the form of the
top rim.
In closing the jar, the rubber plug (which is preferably faced with silver foil
next the contents) having been first inserted in the neck hole and the clip placed
around the plain surface, tightened up, and secured, the cover with the pressure
adjusting appliance hereinafter referred to are then placed in position and the
contained air expelled by heat or otherwise between rim and cover; the vacuum is
then formed by cooling and secures the cover.
When the jar is to be opened it is only necessary to remove the clip and rubber
plug beneath same and the vacuum is instantly destroyed.
For holding the cover with adjustable pressure during the closing process we
provide an appliance adapted to the jar mouth consisting of a bridge piece with
two or more adjustable spring holding clips adapted to catch beneath the top rim.
The bridge piece is formed and fitted centrally with a screwed operating out
through which passes the shank of a pressure plate adapted to fit upon the jar
cover, a spring of suitable kind and strength being interposed between said plate
and nut, or the adjusting spring device may be equivalently arranged or adapted to
operate.
By this simple appliance any required pressure can be applied to the cover of
the jar.
Dated this 24th day of February 1896

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Closing of Jars and other
Receptacles.
We, FREDERICK JOYNSON, Chemical Engineer, of Heatherlea, Penketh,
Warrington, and WILLIAM HARRISON, Mechanical Engineer, of 196, Palgate
Lane, Warrington, both in the County of Lancashire, both formerly of 77, Boswell
Street, Lodge Lane, Liverpool, in the County of Lancashire, 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:-
Our invention relates to the closing of jars and other receptacles intended to
contain preserved provisions and so forth in vacuum, wherein the cover is held on
by the force of the vacuum and released by its destruction.
Our improvements comprise a novel construction of jar mouth and cover, and
ready means for destruction of the vacuum when required, and an appliance for
facilitating the process of closing and for adjusting and controlling internal
pressure with safety during the cooking process.
We will fully describe our invention in reference to the accompanying drawings,
in which
Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are sections of the upper parts of jars and their covers
showing slightly varied constructions of same.
Fig. 6 shows in sectional elevation our appliance for facilitating the process of
closing jars and controlling pressure applied to the upper part of a jar; and
Fig. 7 is a plan of the pressure plate of the above appliance.
In constructing the jar or receptacle A, between the usual shoulder a and the top
rim 6 of the jar we form a plain cylindrical surface or neck B through which is
formed a hole c having an internal shoulder c¹ giving two diameters, or equivalent
a coned hole may be used. For this hole we provide a rubber plug c² shaped to
fit into the outer or larger diameter, or into the cone, and also a metallic clip or
clamp or other suitable tightening and fixing device and adapted to be fixed around
the said cylindrical neck B over and to secure the said rubber plug c²; or we may
in some cases fix the plug to the inner side of the clip.
To make a good and air-tight joint between the jar and its cover we mould the
top rim with an annular outer groove or shoulder d forming a seat for the
reception of a rubber ring washer d'; it is immaterial whether the sides of the mouth
inside or outside of the washer groove or shoulder d are level as in Figs. 2 and 4,
or of different heights as in Figs. 1, 3 and 5. The cover has an annular down-
wardly projecting ring e adapted to fit upon the said groove or shoulder and press
upon the ring washer d', and it may also have a similar ring projection e¹ (Fig. 4)
of suitable depth fitting within the jar mouth. The cover is always however
constructed to suit the form of the top rim as shown for example in the figures.
Our novel appliance for holding the cover with adjustable pressure during the
closing process and facilitating same is shown in Fig. 6. It consists of a bridge
piece M with two or more adjustable spring holding clips m m adapted to catch
beneath the top rim b as shown, or it may be in some cases beneath the base of the
jar. The bridge piece M is formed and fitted centrally with a screwed operating
nut N through which passes the shank O of a pressure plate P, shown in plan in
Fig. 7. This plate is adapted to fit upon the jar cover, a spring R of suitable
kind and strength being interposed between the said plate P and nut N, or the
adjusting spring device may be equivalently arranged or adapted to operate. By
this simple appliance any required pressure can be applied to the cover of the jar,

page_text: and hence the pressure within the jar during the heating and cooking process can
be regulated at will and with perfect safety.
In closing the jar the rubber plug c (which is preferably faced with silver foil
next the contents) whether it be fixed to the clip or separate therefrom is first.
inserted in the hole c and the clip C is then placed in position and tightened up and
secured. Then the cover and pressure adjusting appliance above referred to are
placed in their positions upon the jar and the cooking process may then be proceeded
with in the usual manner. It is best to slack the nut N to allow any steam or
vapour to escape, and after a time it should be tightened up, any over pressure
generated in the jar due to too high temperature being safely released by virtue of
the spring R, the appliance acting in effect not only as a regulator of temperature
and pressure, but as a safety valve as required.
The cooking being completed, vacuum is produced by cold immersion or in other
suitable manner, and the cover being thus secured the pressure appliance is removed.
When the jar is to be opened it is only necessary to remove the clip C and rubber
plug c beneath same, and pressure being equalised vacuum is destroyed, and the
cover ceases to be held on.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven--
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. For the efficient closing of jars such as above referred to, constructing the
mouth and cover and disposing the jointing washer between same substantially as
specified, and forming a plain cylindrical surface around the neck pierced with a
hole for the reception of a well-fitting rubber plug temporarily held therein
air-tight by a circumferential clip, as and for the purposes herein set forth.
2. The use for the purposes set forth of an adjustable pressure appliance con-
structed and adapted to operate as herein described so that the contents of the jar
during the cooking and closing process can be raised with safety to any desired.
temperature and pressure.
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