Improvements relating to the Corking or Stoppering of Bottles and the like.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Oct., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 12th July, 1900-Accepted, 22nd Sept., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Corking or Stoppering of Bottles
and the like.
I, MAX GOTTLIEB KRUSE, of 3 and 4 Hopfenmarkt, Hamburg, in the Empire
of Germany, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
The ordinary method for the corking of bottles and other vessels consists in
causing the usually damp cork to be compressed in a cork-press to the internal
diameter of or even to a smaller diameter than the mouth of the vessel whereupon
it is pushed by a plunger into the bottle-mouth or other vessel and allowed to
expand thus enabling it to form a tight joint owing to its pressure against the
inner surface of the bottle or other vessel, such joint being all the more perfect
the longer and thicker the cork is.
The disadvantages of this method have been generally felt. First of all the
compression of the damp cork in the cork-press causes a brown-flowery liquid to
be expressed from the cork at the lower end of the latter, said liquid dropping
into the contents of the vessel and thus contaminating the same. Moreover
the long and firmly compressed cork which presses with considerable force against
the surface of the bottle-mouth or other vessel can only be withdrawn by means
of special tools such as a cork screw or the like. When the corkscrew passes
through the lower end of the cork small particles thereof become torn off and
fall into the vessel while furthermore on drawing the cork it often breaks and at
times even causes the breaking of the bottle-neck and injuries to the band.
These disadvantages have led in numerous instances to the adoption of the so
called rubber stoppers in preference to corks notwithstanding certain advantages
possessed by the cork such as being odourless and tasteless, its resistance to most
liquids and gases and so on.
Now according to this invention the above mentioned disadvantages of the
ordinary cork stoppers are obviated and a good joint obtained without having to
boil the corks to softness and allowing even the use of unsteeped corks while
furthermore the cork can be removed by hand and without the aid of tools.
The improved method consists in effecting a compression of the cork in its
axial direction by high pressure upon an appropriate bearing surface provided at
the mouth of the bottle or other vessel and, with the pressure still on, to secure
the cork in position in its compressed condition by suitable means.
In carrying my invention into practice the mouth of the bottle or other vessel
is formed with a bearing surface upon which the cork is compressed in an axial
direction, the bearing surface being for example of conical form. The cork is
placed upon this cone-shaped bearing surface and after having been provided
with a disc or cap of metal or the like forming a sufficient resistance to the
plunger-head of any convenient press the cork is then compressed to the required
extent by operating a lever or the like. The plunger is then kept in its depressed
position until the compressed cork has been suitably secured by appropriate
ments

page_text: This may be effected by hooks hinged to the bottle-neck and adapted to hook
over the cork or better over the cap. The cap may be formed with appropriate
recesses or notches to facilitate the application and retention of the hooks.
In some cases I employ a metal band which is placed over the cork before com-
pression, the ends of the said band being bent downwardly against the bottle
neck into longitudinal recesses and inserted in a wire ring which is well secured
to the head of the bottle. The cork is then compressed upon its bearing surface
by the action of the plunger and finally the ends of the metal band, while
pressure upon the cork is kept constant, are bent upwardly from the ring.
A convenient press for corking consists mainly of a frame, a movable plunger
and operating lever which latter after having been depressed may be retained
in that position between the forked arms of an upright by inserting a pin
through the holes of the lever and the fork and thus enables the attendant to
secure the cork. The plunger is raised by the action of a spring.
Obviously the pressure applied for compressing the cork may be varied to suit
any requirement so that even hard and dry corks can be easily compressed to
any desired extent. This rotary compression of the cork ensures a perfectly
tight joint in all cases.
After unfastening the wire or band which can be done by hand without incon-
venience, the cork falls off its seat partly owing to its own expansion and partly
through pressure which may exist in the interior of the bottle.
Dated this 14th day of October 1899.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings London. W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements relating to the Corking or Stoppering of Bottles
and the like.
I, MAX GOTTLIEB KRUSE, of 3 and 4 Hopfenmarkt, Hamburg, in the Empire
of Germany, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
The ordinary method for the corking of bottles jars and other vessels consists
in causing the usually damp cork to be compressed in a cork-press to the internal
diameter of or even to a smaller diameter than the mouth of the vessel whereupon
it is pushed by a plunger into the bottle mouth or other vessel and allowed to
expand, thus enabling it to form a tight joint owing to its pressure against 'the
inner surface of the bottle or other vessel, such joint being all the more perfect
the longer and thicker the cork is.
The disadvantages of this method have been generally felt. First of all the
compression of the damp cork in the cork-press causes a brown-flowery liquid to
be expressed from the cork at the lower end of the latter, said liquid dropping
into the contents of the vessel and thus contaminating the same. Moreover the
long and firmly compressed cork which presses with considerable force against
the surface of the bottle-mouth or other vessel can only be withdrawn by means
of special tools such as a cork-screw or the like.
When the corkscrew passes through the lower end of the cork- small particles
thereof become torn off and fall into the vessel while furthermore on drawing
the cork it often breaks and at times even causes the breaking of the bottle-
neck and injuries to the hand.

page_text: These disadvantages have led in numerous instances to the adoption of the so
called rubber stoppers in preference to corks notwithstanding certain advantages
possessed by the cork such as being odourless and tasteless, its resistance to most
liquids and gases and so on.
Now according to this invention the above mentioned disadvantages of the
ordinary cork stoppers are obviated and a good joint obtained without having to
boil the corks to softness and allowing even the use of unsteeped corks, while
furthermore the cork can be removed by hand and without the aid of tools.
The improved method consists in effecting a compression of the 'cork in its
axial direction by high pressure upon an appropriate bearing surface provided
at the mouth of the bottle or other vessel and, with the pressure still on, to
secure the cork in position in its compressed condition by suitable means.
In order that my invention may be more fully understood I will now proceed
to describe the same in detail and for that purpose reference is taken to the
accompanying sheet of drawings on which;-
Figure 1 is a vertical section through the mouth of a bottle provided with a
bearing surface, upon which rests the cork to be compressed by a die or plunger-
head;
Figure 2 is a similar view showing the cork in position in a compressed state
and secured therein by suitable means:
Figure 3 is a similar view to Figure 1 showing a modification of the means for
securing the cork in position;
Figure 4 is an elevation of Figure 3, the cork being compressed and secured
in this compressed state;
Figure 5 illustrates a corking press for compressing the corks.
The mouth of the bottle jar or other vessel A is formed with a bearing surface a
upon which the cork is compressed in an axial direction, the bearing surface
being for example of conical form. The cork is placed upon this cone-shaped
bearing surface a and after having been provided or covered with a disc or cap c
of metal or the like forming a sufficient resistance to the plunger head d of any
convenient press the cork is then compressed to the required extent by operating
the said plunger by means of a lever or the like to be described later on. The
plunger is then kept in its depressed position until the compressed cork bhas
been suitably secured by appropriate means (Figure 2).
This may be effected by hooks e (Figures 1 and 2) hinged to the bottle-neck
and adapted to hook over the cork or better over the cap c. The cap may be
formed with appropriate recesses or notches, not shown in the drawings, to
facilitate the application and retention of the said hooks e.
In some cases I employ a metal band f (Figures 3 and 4) which is placed over
the cork before compression, the ends of the said band being bent downwardly
against the bottle neck into longitudinal recesses therein and passed through a
wire ring or the like, which is well secured to the head of the bottle (see
Figure 3). The cork is then compressed upon its bearing surface by the action
of the plunger and finally the ends of the metal band f, while the pressure is still
upon the cork, the bent upwardly from the ring, as shown in Figure 4.
A convenient press for corking consists, mainly of a frame m, a movable
plunger d and operating lever k which latter after having been depressed may be
retained in that position between the forked arms of an upright by inserting
a pin through the holes and of the forked upright and the lever respectively
and thus enable the attendant to secure the cork. The plunger is raised by
the action of a spring i.
Obviously the pressure applied for compressing the cork may be varied to suit
any requirement so that even hard and dry corks can be easily compressed to any
desired extent. This great compression of the cork ensures a perfectly tight
joint in all cases.
After unfastening the locking hooks or locking-wire or band, which may be
done by hand without inconvenience, the cork falls off its seat partly owing to

page_text: its own expansion and partly through pressure which may exist in the interior
of the bottle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
:
The improved method of corking or stoppering bottles, jars and the like which
consists in compressing the cork in its axial direction by high pressure upon an
appropriate bearing surface provided at the mouth of the bottle or the like and
in securing the cork in position in its compressed condition by suitable means,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 12th day of July 1900..
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London. W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.