Improvements in or relating to Bottles, Jars, and similar Vessels.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 15th May, 1896-Accepted, 27th June, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Bottles, Jars, and similar Vessels.
I, RICHARD SEARING SEAMAN, resident of Ovington Corner Fourth Avenue, in
the City of Brooklyn, County of Kings, and State of New York, United States of
America, Physician and Surgeon, 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:-
The object of this invention is to provide a jug, jar or similar vessel with a
stopper and attachments which are connected therewith and with the neck or with
the body portion of the vessel, which are so constructed and arranged that when
the vessel has once been filled and said attachment applied it cannot be emptied of
its contents without leaving proof of the fact, or without the destruction thereof;
the object of this arrangement being to provide means whereby the vessel cannot be
fraudulently filled, or refilled with an article which is pretended to be the same as
that which the vessel originally contained.
In the drawing forming part thereof, I have shown my invention applied to a
bottle, and said invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which
the accompanying drawing forms a part, in which :-
Fig. 1, is a central vertical section of the upper part of a bottle, and the neck
thereof, provided with my improvement;
Fig. 2, is a plan view of the neck;
Fig. 3, is a section thereof on the line 3-3;
Fig. 4, is a view similar to Fig. 1, at right angles thereto;
Fig. 5, is a central vertical section of the neck of a bottle showing a modified
form of construction, and
Fig. 6, a side view thereof.
In the practice of my invention, I provide a bottle A, having a neck B, the upper
portion thereof, or that portion which is designed to receive the stopper, being
irregular in form as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the inner walls of the neck being adapted
to receive a peculiarly constructed stopper which can only be inserted when held in
a certain position.
As shown in the drawing, the inner walls of the neck consists of a segmental
portion b, two inclined straight sides b2, which connect with the sides of the
segmental portion b, and a straight side 63, opposite the segmental or curved
portion b.
Formed in the straight inner side 63 of the neck opposite the curved side b, is a
vertical slot C, in which is placed a keeper D, the sides of which are curved
inwardly as shown at d, in Fig. 3, so as to form guides or ways, and mounted
in said keeper is a sliding plate E in which is formed a slot E 2.
I also employ a stopper F, the sides of which are formed to correspond with the
sides b, b2 and 63, of the neck and secured to the shorter side thereof which
corresponds with the side 63, of the neck is a plate spring G, the lower end of
which is provided with a hook g, which is adapted to enter the slot E 2, in the
sliding plate E, and the plate spring G, is secured to the stopper in any desired
manner, but preferably by a band y 2, and a screw or other device g 3.
Formed in the side of the bottle A, is a circular counter sunk chainber H, the inner
wall of which is provided with an outwardly directed shoulder 2 through which
is formed a port or opening which is adapted to be closed by a plug or stopper K,
provided with a central bore k, and mounted on the outwardly directed shoulder h 2
is a cap L, over which is placed a plate M.

page_text: I also provide a rod O, which is adapted to be passed through the plug or
stopper K, or the central bore k formed therein, and the outer end of which is
provided with an arm O 2, and the inner end thereof with a book O 3, which is
adapted to engage with a slot formed in the lower end of the sliding plate E, and
to throw said plate downwardly as hereinafter described.
In practice I prefer to place upon the plate M, a trade mark, or the name of the
proprietor or manufacturer of the contents of the bottle, and as an additional
protection may also place on a part of the trade mark, or the name of the
proprietor or the manufacturer of the contents of the bottle upon said plate and the
rest upon the cap L.
The operation of this form of construction will be readily understood from
the foregoing description when taken in connection with the accompanying
drawing.
In assembling the parts, the plug K, which may be composed of any desired
material, and provided with a rod O, is secured in place, as shown in Fig. 4. The
bottle is then filled with the desired contents, after which the stopper Fis inserted
into the vessel, and in this operation the hook g, at the lower end of the plate
spring G, will enter the slot E2 in the sliding plate E.
The rod O is then manipulated by means of the arm O 2, formed thereon, so as to
cause the hook O 3 to enter the slot or hole in the lower end of the plate E, and
the hook O 3 is then turned downwardly so as to draw the plate E into its lowest
position, by which operation the stopper F will be securely locked in place, and
cannot be removed, except as hereinafter described.
The cap L is then secured in position, by cement or otherwise, after which the
plate M is secured in place thereover.
When it is desired to empty the bottle or discharge a portion of its contents, the
plate M must be first removed, after which the cap L must be removed and this
can only be done by the destruction of said cap, and after the cap L has been
removed the rod O may be manipulated so as to release the lower end of the plate E,
and the stopper F may then be withdrawn far enough to admit of the disconnection
of the spring G with the upper end of the plate E.
The arrangement of the trade mark or other information upon the plate M, and
the cap I, may be such that the removal of the plate M will be proof of the fact
that the bottle has been once filled and emptied, and in this event destruction of the
cap L will not be necessary, and the plate M may be composed of such metal that
the removal thereof would destroy the same, and that of course, would produce the
same result; or in other words, the destruction of the plate M would be proof of the
fact that the bottle has once been used.
In Figs. 5 and 6, I have shown a modified form of construction, in which the
neck B, and the stopper F, are of the same form as hereinbefore described. In
this form of construction, I form in the neck B a port or opening S, which is
adapted to be closed by a plug S2, in the center of which is an opening which the
hook at the lower end of the spring G is adapted to enter, and placed over the
plug S 2, when the latter is in position is a plate M, which is similar to that
hereinbefore described, and in each case the plate M is preferably countersunk, and
in each case, is also provided with a trade mark, or other information, as herein-
before described.
In this form of construction, when the bottle is filled and the stopper F, inserted
and forced into the desired position, the hook at the lower end of the spring G, will
enter the central opening in the plug S 2, and the stopper will be secured in place
and can only be removed by the removal or destruction of the plate M.
It will thus be seen that I accomplish the object of my invention by means of
a device which is simple in construction and operation and one which is well adapted
to accomplish the result for which it is intended, while being also comparatively
inexpensive.
It will also be apparert that changes in the modification of the construction
herein described, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention,

page_text: or sacrificing its advantages, and I therefore reserve the right to make all such
changes in the modification of the construction herein shown and described, as fairly
come within the scope of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A bottle or other vessel provided with a neck, the inner walls at the upper
end thereof being irregular in form, or many sided, a stopper which is similar in
form, and provided with a spring which is secured thereto, and means which operate
in connection with said spring for holding said stopper in position, substantially as
shown and described.
2. A bottle provided with a neck, the upper end of which is irregular in form, or
many sided, a stopper which is similar in form, a spring connected with one
side thereof, the lower end of which is provided with a hook, and means connected
with the side of the neck of the bottle and adapted to operate in connection with
said hook for holding said stopper in the neck, substantially as shown and
described.
3. A bottle provided with a neck, a stopper which is adapted to be secured
therein, a spring connected with one side of said stopper, and provided with a hook
at its lower end, a vertically movable plate or bar having a slot in its upper end
into which said hook is adapted to enter, and means adapted to connect with the
lower end of said plate or bar and passing through the side of the bottle, for
operating the same, substantially as shown and described.
4. A bottle provided with a neck, a stopper which is adapted to be secured
therein, a spring conrected with one side of said stopper, and provided with a hook
at its lower end, a vertically movable plate or bar having a slot in its upper end
into which said hook is adapted to enter, and means adapted to connect with the
lower end of the said plate or bar passing through the side of the bottle for operating
the same, said means consisting of a plug which is adapted to close a port or
opening formed in the side of the bottle through which passes a rod having a hook
at its inner end, and which is adapted to operate in connection with the lower end of
said plate or bar, substantially as shown and described.
5. A bottle provided with a neck, a stopper which is adapted to be secured
therein, a spring connected with one side of said stopper, and provided with a hook
at its lower end, a vertically movable plate or bar having a slot in its upper end
into which said hook is adapted to enter, and means adapted to connect with the
lower end of said plate or bar and passing through the side of the bottle, for
operating the same, said means consisting of a plug which is adapted to close a port
or opening formed in the side of the bottle through which passes a rod having a
hook at its inner end, and which is adapted to operate in connection with the lower
end of said plate or bar, the side of the bottle being also provided with a counter-sunk,
circular chamber which is provided centrally with a shoulder or projection through
which said plug passes and a hook which is adapted to be secured in position over
said shoulder or projection, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 14th day of May 1896.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.