IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES, JARS, AND OTHER VESSELS.
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by William John Brewer at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st October 1883.
WILLIAM JOHN BREWER, of 23 Rood Lane, in the City of London, Civil
Engineer, "IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES, JARS, AND OTHER
VESSELS.
"
My invention relates to a novel construction of stopper for Bottles, Jars, and
similar vessels. It is designed to produce an efficient, simple, and air-tight stopper,
which can be drawn without the aid of a cork screw; which may, if desired, be
locked;
and which will adapt itself within certain limits to varying diameters of
neck.
My invention is constructed in two alternative forms.
In the first the stopper is in two parts:-A cup and a plug. The cup is formed
of elastic or semi-elastic material, such as india rubber or leather, and is in the
form of a cone which will accomodate itself within the limits of its exterior
conicity to varying diameters of orifice. This cup is inserted first in the orifice,
and then into its interior is forced the plug of hard material which expands
the cup into water tight contact with the wall of the orifice. This plug may
conveniently be screw-threaded so as to bite into the substance of the cup, and
retain its position unaided, and it is then provided with a milled head to
facilitate rotation. The bottom of the cup is domed or coned upwardly, so that
when the bottom of the plug presses on the roof of the dome or cone (which may be
provided with a projection) the sides are forced outwards against the wall of the
orifice, and this action is materially reinforced where the contents of the bottle
give off expansive gases by their entering the dome. Where it is desired to lock
the stopper, the milled head is dispensed with, and the rotation to withdraw is
applied by means of a key with two or more teeth fitting into holes on the top or
in the sides of the plug. An alternative method of locking is by means of a strap
or wire, hinged to a collar round the bottle neck, and passing over the top of the
stopper to engage with a clasp on the opposite side of the collar, where it is
locked by means of a screw controlled by a suitable key. The screw being
dispensed with, and a stirrup on the strap engaging with a projection on the
collar in place of the clasp, this device may be used to hold the stopper down
simply, without locking.

page_text: The plug, which may be hollow, and the cup are shackled by a wire passing
through their bottoms, and attached underneath to a plate seating in the summit
of the dome. When the plug is withdrawn, the pull through the shackle and
plate in the summit of the dome tends to collapse same, and counteract tho
expansive pressure of the gases.
In my second modification, my stopper is constructed of one piece, and this
piece, fitting into the orifice of the vessel to be stopped, is provided, as before,
with an upwardly domed bottom to allow of expansive pressure. In the summit
of the dome is a plate, as before, attached to a shackle; which may be attached
above to a loop, or may consist of a doubled wire with ends soldered on the plato
and its loop projecting above the stopper to allow of attachment or hold for
withdrawal of the stopper. This shackle may be replaced by a rod encased at its
upper part in a coned casing, and screwing over or on to a threaded rod rigid with
the washer or plate, so that the cone may be forced into the stopper, and caused
to expand it more tight by rotation of the rod.
This form may be fitted with collar and strap to lock or hold as specified in
relation to my first named form.
The cone or dome may be lined with any suitable tasteless material.