ROVEMENTS IN STOPPERING AND COVERING BOTTLES, JARS, POTS, AND OTHER SIMILAR VESSELS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Barthélemy Martin, of 10+, Rue St. Maur, Paris, France,
Civil Engineer, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERING AND
COVERING BOTTLES, JARS, POTS, AND OTHER SIMILAR VESSELS." A communi-
cation from Charles Maré, of Nantes, France aforesaid.
Sealed the 15th October 1878, and dated the 27th April 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Barthélemy Martin at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th April 1878.
BARTHÉLEMY MARTIN, of 104, Rue St. Maur, Paris, France, Civil Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERING AND COVERING BOTTLES, JARS, POTS, AND OTHER
SIMILAR VESSELS." A communication from Charles Maré, of Nantes, France afore-
said.
This Invention relates to a new or improved method of stoppering and covering
bottles, jars, pots, or other similar vessels made of glass, stone, or other material,
suitable for the preserving of alimentary products, such as sardines, fruits, or
vegetables.
The Invention consists of a cap made of soft metal, such as tin, placed freely on
the neck of the bottle or vessel covered thereby. On and round the said cap is
tightly fixed or compressed a slightly conical ring or circle made of tinned iron,
which presses the cap against the neck of the bottle or vessel, thus forming a
stoppering or covering, very tight, and at the same time very strong. The said
ring or circle is formed of a plain band of tinned iron, and the ends thereof are soft-
soldered together.
When the bottle or vessel is to be opened and the stoppering or covering removed,
it is sufficient to separate the soldered ends of the ring, either with a knife or any

page_text: other instrument adapted for the purpose. Should there exist in the edges of the
said glass bottles or vessels any defects or flaws a little sticking varnish may be
added on the rim of the tin cap.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Barthélemy Martin in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 18th October
1878.
BARTHÉLEMY MARTIN, of 104, Rue St. Maur, Paris, France, Civil Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERING AND COVERING BOTTLES, JARS, POTS, AND OTHER
SIMILAR VESSELS." A communication from Charles Maré, of Nantes, France aforesaid.
This Invention relates to improved means of hermetically closing all kinds of
bottles, jars, pots, and other vessels of metal, glass, earthenware, or other material,
more especially those intended to contain preserved food.
According to this Invention a cap or cover of tin plate (tinned iron), tin, india-
rubber, parchment, or other suitable material is placed over the mouth of the vessel,
and a metallic hoop or band forcibly applied thereon so as to firmly compress the
sides of the cover upon the mouth of the bottle or other vessel, and thus ensure a
perfectly tight closure.
In order to render the binding hoop still more effective the mouth of the vessel
may be made of slightly conical or truncated pyramidal form externally, upon
which a hoop of cylindrical or prismatic form is forced, and thereby caused to
assume the taper form of the mouth of the vessel, the edges of the cap or cover
being very tightly clamped between the two. In this case, to prevent the binding
hoop or band from becoming loose by slipping upwards, its lower edge is turned
down under the shoulder formed on the mouth of the vessel, whereby it is effectually
prevented from slipping or being forced off by the internal pressure during the
boiling, to which the contents may be subjected.
The mouths, instead of being of truncated, conical, or pyramidal form externally,
may be cylindrical or prismatic, the binding hoop or band being in this case in the form
of a frustum of a cone or pyramid, is forced over the cap, and made by the pressure
to assume the exact form, whether cylindrical or otherwise, of the mouth, thereby
binding the cap tightly thereon. The lower edge of the hoop or band may be
turned down under the shoulder on the rim as before when it is intended that the
contents of the vessels should undergo boiling.
When in the case of glass vessels being used the necks, instead of being quite
smooth, present the fins or feathers left from the mould, a suitable varnish or
cement may be applied in order to obtain a perfectly tight joint between it and the
cap or cover. This defect will however in any case be obviated by the application
of the hoop or band of this Invention, which suffices of itself to ensure a tight
closure.
One great advantage of this method of closing bottles, &c., consists in the facility
it affords for opening them without injuring the cap or cover, which, once the

page_text: binding hoop or band is removed becomes, especially when made of soft material, a
loose cover, readily removed and replaced.
The binding hoop or band may be made of tin plate, and have several holes
punched in the ends to form an additional hold for the solder; the hoop or band is
easily detached from the vessel by inserting the blade of a knife at the joint and
forcing it off, leaving the cap adhering to the bottle, from which however it may be
removed by the hand or by making the end of the hoop to project beyond the joint
sufficiently to enable it to be seized between the fingers and thumb; the band can be
readily stripped off without other aid.
As the above mode of closing bottles, &c., is applicable to glass vessels, jars of
this material may be used for putting up all kinds of preserved alimentary sub-
stances. The transparency of the jars permits the consumer to examine the quality,
or at least the appearance, of the goods before purchasing. Glass jars may also be
utilised when empty, whereas tins are useless.
Another important advantage is that the vessels may be completely filled, which
is of great importance as regards the preservation of the contents.
It will be readily understood that this mode of closing is applicable not only to
bottles, jars, and other vessels used to contain alimentary substances, whether pre-
served by boiling or not, but may also be employed with advantage in other cases
where it is desired to obtain an hermetically tight cover capable of being easily
opened without damaging it. Such a cover is particularly useful for closing vessels
containing pharmaceutical preparations and perfumery.
In order to facilitate the explanation of the Invention I have represented it in
the accompanying Drawings applied to a bottle with a conical and a cylindrical
lip respectively. The Drawings show also in addition the two operations of
unclosing by breaking the joint of the binding hoop and removing the cover thus
released.
Figure 1 is a section of a capsule a of soft metal, such as tin, for example, or
other substance, as before mentioned; Figure 2 shows in elevation a portion of a
vessel b to be closed on this system. The rim c is slightly conical, and the cap,
which is cylindrical and of a diameter equal to the smaller diameter of the rim o,
requires to be forced upon the rim by pressure so as to stretch it over the rim, as
shown in section at Figure 3. Figure 4 is a section of a hoop d of hard metal,
such as tin plate, for example; Figure 5 shows a section of the vessel with the cap
and hoop secured thereon by the latter being turned down under the edge of the
rim. The hoop d also being cylindrical and of a diameter equal only to the
smaller diameter of the conical rin requires to be splayed by the pressure with
which it is applied, so that the cap a is firmly clamped between the hoop and the
rim, thus ensuring an hermetic closure. The hoop d is secured by being turned
underneath the shoulder at certain points of its circumference, as shown at c.
Figure 6 is a plan of Figure 5.
Figure 7 is a section of a conical cap intended for application on a cylindrical
rim e, as shown in Figure 8; Figure 9 shows the same applied.
Figure 10 is an elevation of the coned hoop, whose larger diameter only equals
that of the rim, so that it requires to be stretched over the rim, and so brought to
a cylindrical form in order to secure the cap between it and the rim c, as shown in
Figures 11 and 12.
Figures 13 and 14 show plan and section of a cylindrical cap or cover; Figure 15,
the binding hoop in the flat, and Figure 16 in edge view. g are perforations at the
ends, which are applied one on the other when the hoop is bent into form, and solder
then run in the holes in order to bind or rivet the ends together.
To unstopper the vessel it is simply necessary, as shown in Figure 17, to force
open with a knife the joint of the hoop, which is not soldered externally, or the
joint may be ripped open by hand in the manner before mentioned, after which the
cap may be readily removed, as shown in Figure 18, in an undamaged condition,
and used as an ordinary cover..

page_text: The hoop may be forced upon the cap by any suitable means, as, for example, by
means of a hammer.
Having described the nature of the Invention and the manner of performing the
same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is, the improved means of stopping or closing
bottles, jars, and other vessels herein shown and described, consisting in the employ-
ment in combination of a cap covering the mouth of the vessel, and of a binding or
clamping hoop or band applied over and securing the sides of the cap so as to make
a tight closure, as herein set forth, whether the said hoop be turned down under
the shoulder on the rim or not.
In witness whereof, I, the said Barthélemy Martin, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirtieth day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
BARTHELEMY MARTIN. (L.S.)