IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR OPENING FILLING AND CLOSING EXTERNALLY STOPPERED BOTTLES
Year: 1884

page_text: We, JOHN HENRY HAMILTON, of Vernon Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, and CESAR FREEMAN COHEN and SAMUEL FREEMAN COHEN, trading
together under the firm of Cohen Brothers, of 438 Caledonian Road in the County
aforesaid, Mineral Water Manufacturers, dó hereby declare the nature of said
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR OPENING FILLING AND CLOSING
EXTERNALLY STOPPERED BOTTLES, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in machines for opening filling and
closing bottles, and is specially adapted to those bottles which are closed by an
external stopper, having a metallic lid hinged to a link, secured to the neck of the
bottle, and held in a closed position by a moveable catch, also secured to the neck of
the bottle. The metallic lid has usually a projecting piece or button, attached to its
under side on which is a ring of rubber, which entering the neck of the bottle, forms
an air tight joint.
On
For the purposes of opening, filling and closing such bottles, the improved
machine is provided with a metal mouth piece, having a recess on its lower side, the
said recess being in plan cither of the shape of a circle, or of a sector. On its under
side, this recess is covered by a metal plate having an opening sufficiently large to
admit the neck of the bottle, with the stopper either closed or partially closed.
the under side of this plate a rubber ring bears, the opening in which is also
large enough to allow the neck of the bottle, with the stopper on, to pass through
it. This ring is so made and inserted that it may be tightly compressed around
the neck of the bottle, by moveable pieces of metal, or by other means, bearing on
its outer circumference; or the ring may be made in halves so as to open and close
more easily.
In the recess above mentioned, a metal block or piece, of circular or of sector
shape in plan, is fitted; if sector shaped, it includes a smaller angle than the sector-
shaped recess in the mouth piece, so that this sector-shaped piece may be capable
of being oscillated, in the recess in the mouth piece, about a vertical pivot, attached
to or cast on the sector shaped piece, and passing through a stuffing box in the top
of the mouth piece. A handle is attached to the upper end of the pivot by means of
which the circular or sector-shaped piece may be actuated. On the under side
of the sector-shaped piece is a groove, into which the top of the moveable catch of
[671

page_text: the stopper enters, when the neck of the bottle is pushed up vertically through the
rubber ring and metal plate. This groove is so shaped that it acts as a cam, and
when the sector-shaped piece is partly turned round it throws off the moveable
catch, and leaves the metallic lid, with its attached button, free to lift. This
lid is now lifted by a further movement of the sector shaped-piece, whereby the
projecting piece of the lid which, at first, was under the catch, passes into a spiral
groove, also cut in the sector-shaped piece, and travelling up this groove the lid is
caused to open until a sufficient space is left between the button on the lid, and the
inside of the neck of the bottle, for the entry of the liquid and gas with which the
bottle is to be filled. When the lid reaches this height the motion of the sector-
shaped piece is stopped, and a valve opened which allows the liquid to pass down
through a hole in the pivot, and through a passage or channel in the sector-shaped
piece, this passage or channel opening, at one end, into this hole, and at the other
end opposite the opening left between the button and the neck of the bottle. This
filling valve may be so made that the motion of the sector-shaped piece opens it
against the action of a spring, or otherwise. A snift or safety valve on the top of
the mouthpiece may be opened by a movement of the sector, or by an independent
handle, or otherwise.
When the bottle is sufficiently full the sector-shaped piece is moved in the reverse
direction, and the spiral groove causes the lid to close. Just as the projection on
the lid leaves the groove an inclined piece on the sector shaped-piece comes over the
lid and presses it quite down, and at this point the outer side of the groove (in
which the top of the catch rests) acting as a cam, presses this catch over the
projecting part of the lid and the operation is complete; the pressure on the rubber
ring is then released and the bottle withdrawn.
In order that the downward pressure of the incline on the sector shaped piece
may be sufficient to close the stopper, the bottle is supported on a block, capable of
being noved in a vertical direction, by means of a treadle, or otherwise. The
move tent of this block may be made to compress the rubber ring around the neck
of the bottle, or this may be done by a separate handle.
Instead of the inclined piece for completing the closure of the stopper, there may
be provided a vertical rod passing through the top of the mouth piece, with its
lower end resting on the top of the lid of the stopper upon which it may be caused
to press independently of the motion of the sector-shaped piece. Or the sector-
shaped piece itself may be so made as to be capable of receiving a vertical motion
independent of the horizontal oscillation.
Instead of the cam-shaped groove for throwing the catch off, or on, the former
operation may be performed by a wedge-shaped piece, attached to the sector-shaped
piece, the thin edge of which wedge piece, by the movement of the sector-shaped
piece passes between the neck of the bottle and the catch, and forces the said catch
outwards, or away from the bottle; and the latter operation may be effected by
another projecting piece attached to the sector-shaped piece which forces the catch
back again towards the bottle when the sector-shaped piece is in another position.
If the bottles be put into the machine with the catch disengaged, the lid may be
lifted sufficiently to allow the passage of the liquid by causing a projection on the
mouth piece to press on the eye formning the hinge of the lid.
Date : 10th
1001

page_text: We, JOHN HENRY HAMILTON, of Vernon Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, and CAESAR FREEMAN COHEN, and SAMUEL FREEMAN COHEN, trading
together under the firm of Cohen Brothers, of 438, Caledonian Road in the County
aforesaid, Mineral Water Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of said
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR OPENING, FILLING AND CLOSING
EXTERNALLY STOPPERED BOTTLES, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures
marked thereon, that is to say :—
Our Invention relates to improvements in machines for opening, filling and
closing bottles, and is specially adapted to those bottles which are closed by an
external stopper, having a metallic lid hinged to a link secured to the neck of the
bottle, and held in a closed position by a moveable catch, also secured to the neck
of the bottle. The metallic lid has usually a projecting piece or button, attached
to its under side on which is a ring of rubber, which, entering the neck of the bottle,
forms an air tight joint..
For the purposes of opening, filling and closing such bottles we provide the
improved machine with a metal mouth-piece, having a recess on its lower side, the
said recess being, in plan, either of the shape of a circle or of a sector. On its
under side, this recess is covered by a metal plate having an opening sufficiently
large to admit the neck of the bottle, with the stopper, either closed or partially
closed. On the under side of this plate a rubber ring bears, the opening in which
is also large enough to allow the neck of the bottle, with the stopper on, to pass
through it. This ring is so made and inserted that it may be tightly compressed
around the neck of the bottle, by moveable pieces of metal, or by other means,
bearing on its outer circumference; or the ring may be made in halves so as to
open and close more easily.
In the recess above mentioned we fit a metal block or piece, of circular or of
sector shape in plan, hereinafter called sector only. This sector includes a smaller
angle than the sector-shaped recess in the mouth-piece, so that it may be capable of
being oscillated in such recess about a vertical pivot, attached to or cast on the
sector, and passing through a stuffing box in the top of the mouth piece. A handle
is attached to the upper end of the pivot by means of which the sector or the
circular piece may be actuated. On the under side of the sector is a groove, into
which the top of the moveable catch of the stopper enters, when the neck of the
bottle is pushed up vertically through the rubber ring and metal plate. This
groove is so shaped that it acts as a cam, and when the sector is partly turned
round it throws off the moveable catch, and leaves the metallic lid, with its
attached button, free to lift. This lid is now lifted by a further movement of the
sector, whereby the projecting piece of the lid, which, at first was under the catch,
passes into a spiral groove, also cut in the sector and travelling up this groove the
lid is caused to open until a sufficient space is left between the button on the lid,
and the inside of the neck of the bottle, for the entry of the liquid and gas with
which the bottle is to be filled. When the lid reaches this height the motion of
the sector is stopped, and a valve opened which allows the liquid to pass down
through a hole in the pivot, and through a passage or channel in the sector, this
passage or channel opening, at one end, into this hole, and at the other end,
opposite the opening left between the button and the neck of the bottle. This
filling valve may be so made that the motion of the sector opens it against the

page_text: action of a spring or otherwise. A snift or safety valve on the top of the mouth-
piece may be opened by a movement of the sector, or by an independent handle, or
otherwise.
When the bottle is sufficiently full the sector is moved in the reverse direction,
and the spiral groove causes the lid to close. Just as the projection on the lid
leaves the groove an inclined piece on the sector comes over the lid and presses it
quite down, and at this point the outer side of the groove (in which the top of the
catch rests) acting as a cam presses this catch over the projecting part of the lid
and the operation is complete; the pressure on the rubber ring then released and
the bottle withdrawn.
In order that the downward pressure of the incline on the sector may be sufficient
to close the stopper, the bottle is supported on a block or table, capable of being
moved in a vertical direction, by means of a treadle, or otherwise. The movement
of this block may be made to compress the rubber ring around the neck of the
bottle, or this may be done by a separate handle.
Instead of the inclined piece for completing the closure of the stopper, there may
be provided a vertical rod passing through the top of the mouth-piece, with its
lower end resting on the top of the lid of the stopper, upon which it may be caused
to press independently of the motion of the sector. Or the sector itself may be so
made as to be capable of receiving a vertical motion independently of the horizontal
oscillation.
Instead of the cam-shaped groove for throwing the catch off, or on, the former
operation may be performed by a wedge-shaped piece attached to the sector, the
thin edge of which wedge piece, by the movement of the sector passes between
the neck of the bottle and the catch, and forces the said catch outwards, or away
from the bottle; and the latter operation may be effected by another projecting
piece attached to the sector which forces the catch back again towards the bottle
when the sector is in another position.
If the bottles be put into the machine with the catch disengaged the lid may be
lifted sufficiently to allow the passage of the liquid by causing a projection on the
mouth piece to press on the eye forming the hinge of the lid.
And in order that our Invention may be fully understood we proceed to describe
the same with reference to the accompanying drawings.
'
.
Fig. 1, is a sectional elevation of a portion-of-the-machine-or apparatus-shewing
the mouth-piece, the sector, and the rubber ring, which surrounds the neck of the
bottle.
Fig. 2 is a similar view but the sector is in a different position and shews the
rubber ring closed around the neck of the bottle.
Fig. 3 is also a similar view but with the sector in another position and shewing
the filling valve, support for bottle, and part of framework.
Fig. 4, is a plan of the under side of Fig. 2.
Fig. 5, is a plan of the under side of the sector.
Fig. 6, is a section of the mouth piece and sector taken on the line x x of Fig. 2.
Fig. 7 is a section of the sector on the line y, y, of Fig. 6.
The same letters of reference indicate similar parts in all the figures.
A, is the mouth-piece, B, the sector, C, the metal plate, D the rubber ring, E the
sliding pieces into which this ring is fitted. F is a metal ring with cam projections
bearing against the sliding pieces E, E. In figs. 1, 2 and 3, the bottle to be filled
is shewn in position, and the stopper shewn is a typical one, but the machine may
be applied to the opening filling and closing of bottles provided with any similar
stopper.
The operations of opening, filling and closing are performed in the following
manneri

page_text: The neck of the bottle is passed upwards through the rubber ring D and through
the opening Cx, in the plate C, the moveable catch of the stopper entering the
groove a, and the top of the lid pressing upwards against the projection b on the
sector B. A block of wood, or table, Z, is now raised, by means of a treadle, in
the usual manner, and supports the bottle during the operations of opening, filling
and closing. The metal ring F is now partly rotated by means of a lever handle f.
The cam-shaped projections e, e, on the ring F (shewn by dotted lines in fig. 4)
bear on the pieces E, E, and force them together and close the rubber ring D tightly
around the neck of the bottle. The lower face of the flange g, on the ring F, has
also projections which force this ring upwards, thereby pressing the rubber tightly
against the metal plate C and forming an air tight joint between the neck of the
bottle and the rubber, and between the latter and the plate C. The sector is now
partially rotated by means of the handle H (Fig. 3), the cam shaped groove a, a,
(Figs. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7) throws the catch off the projection on the lid and leaves the
latter free to lift. A further movement of the sector brings the end of a wedge-
shaped piece c (Figs. 2, 3, 5 and 7) under this projection, as seen in Fig. 2, and by
the continued motion of the sector the lid is lifted, the projection on it passing up
the groove d, till it reaches the position shewn in fig. 3. The end of the sector
now comes against the end of the recess in the mouth-piece, and its motion is
stopped, the filling valve G being opened, at the same time by its stem coming into
contact with the projection k, as shewn in Figs. 3. The liquid, with which the
bottle is to be filled, now rushes from the supply pipe I through the passages p, p',
and enters between the stopper and the orifice in the neck of the bottle. When
the bottle is sufficiently full the sector is moved in the opposite direction to its
former movement, the projecting part of the lid passing down the groove d, till the
lid lies loosely on the top of the bottle when the projection b, passes over it,
pressing it down tightly, the catch is then pressed over the projecting part by the
action of the groove a, a.
The stopper is now closed, as in Fig. 1, and the rubber ring is released by
moving back the handle fattached to the ring F, and the bottle is withdrawn.
Another bottle is inserted and opened, filled and closed in the same manner.
It is better that the rubber ring D, should be made in halves so as to open and
close more easily. The pins h, h, attached to the sliding pieces E, E, and sliding in
eccentric slots j in the ring F, serve to draw the halves asunder.
As in practice it may be found inconvenient to have the various parts of the
sector rubbing on the lid of the bottle and its catch, the following arrangement,
which will obviate this inconvenience, may be advantageously adopted.
Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation, taken through the mouth-piece, etc. and shewing
the bottle just after being inserted.
Fig. 9, is a similar view, but shews the sector in its other extreme position and
the rubber ring tightened around the neck of the bottle.
Fig. 11 is a plan of the bottom of the mouth-piece and sector, with the plate C
removed.
Fig. 12 is a plan of the top of this plate with the pivotted pieces hinged to it,
and hereinafter described.
The sector is substantially the same as that described previously and shewn in
figs. 1, 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7, but instead of its pressing directly on the top of the
stopper, it presses on a piece of metal N, which can oscillate about a centre 1,
somewhat below the hinge of the lid, as shewn in figs. 8 and 9. A spring S,
fig. 12, serves to keep this piece N against the under surface of the sector. Another
piece M, capable of oscillating about a centre q, fig. 12, in a horizontal plane, has
a groove or recess cut on its under side into which the moveable catch of the
stopper enters, instead of entering the groove a, a, as in figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5. This
piece M has a projecting piece m on its upper surface, which enters a groove,
similar to a, a, and thus the movement of the catch is the same as if its upper end
entered this groove. As the outward motion of the piece M is limited by the walls
of the recess in the mouth-piece, the outer boundary of the groove may be cut

page_text: away except at the part where it is required to press the catch home, as shewn in
figures 8, 9 and 11. Or the outer boundary of the groove may be cut away
entirely and the piece M pressed inwards by a spring.
Figs. 8, 9 and 10 shew an alternative method of tightening up the rubber ring
to that above described.
A truncated conical split ring E is provided which can be moved upwards and
downwards inside the hollow cone K, by means of a handle and levers which are
connected to the metal ring F, on the top of which the split ring E rests and to
which it is attached, in such a manner that, the halves of the ring E can slide
along the top of the ring F approaching to or receding from one another but
partaking of any upward or downward movement of the ring F. When this ring
is raised the halves of the rubber ring D moving up the hollow cone K, are pressed
together and, at the same time, the top of this ring is pressed against the lower
surface of the plate C, an air tight joint being thus made. Pins t, attached to the
halves of the ring E, and passing through slots v in the cone K, serve to draw these
halves apart on the descent of the ring F..
In the above description the piece B is described and is also shewn in the
drawings as being a sector, but it may be made circular and either oscillate about
its pivot as does the sector, or revolve completely and by suitably shaping its under
side it may be made to open, fill and close a bottle twice every revolution, or once
enly, or other number of times, as may be found convenient.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of our said invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is :-
1. In machines for opening, filling and closing externally stoppered bottles, the
construction and use of a metal block of circular or sector shape, capable of
revolving or oscillating in a recess in a mouth piece, and having on its under side
cam surfaces so shaped that by one movement of the said block the moveable catch
is thrown off the projection on the lid of the stopper, and the latter raised, and by
the next movement the lid is depressed and closed and the catch pressed over the
projection on it, substantially as described and as shewn with reference to the
drawings.
2. The means substantially as herein described for tightening the rubber ring
around the neck of the bottle, and as shewn in the drawings:
3. The general arrangement and combination of parts constituting the improve-
ments in machines for opening filling and closing externally stoppered bottles,
substantially as described and as shewn with reference to the drawings.
15