AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND AP- 'PARATUS FOR STOPPING OR CLOSING BOTTLES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Netherwood, of Huddersfield, in the County of
1.
York, Woollen Cord Cutter, and Benjamin Shaw, of the same place, Botanic
Porter Manufacturer, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND AP-
'PARATUS FOR STOPPING OR CLOSING BOTTLES."
"
Sealed the 28th March 1877, and dated the 12th January 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Netherwood and
Benjamin Shaw at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th
January 1877:
:
...
1
.
WILLIAM NETHERWOOD, of Huddersfield, in the County of York, Woollen'
Cord Cutter, and BENJAMIN SHAW, of the same place, Botanic Porter Manufacturer.
"AN. IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR STOPPING OR CLOSING BOTTLES."
This Invention consists in closing the mouth of the bottle by means, of a round
ball or plug of india-rubber, or cork, or wood coated with india-rubber. Whatever
substance is employed it must be light enough to float on the liquid. contained in
the bottle. The bottle may be of ordinary" shape, with a taper neck, or may be
specially constructed, as herein-after described. To close a bottle, it is first filled
with liquid to a short distance up the neck, so as to bring the floating stopper into
the wide part of the said neck: A curved flattened wire is then inserted, for a few
inches below the stopper, and on being withdrawn it brings the said stopper with a
rolling motion into the narrow part of the neck, where it remains firmly wedged
until displaced by the introduction of a pusher from the outside.
-
416
Bottles made specially for this method of stopping are shaped as follows:-The
neck is made wider than usual at the lowest part, which tapers rather quickly, for
about half the length of the neck. Beyond this point the neck is straight for a
short distance, and at the narrowest part terminates in a ledge or twitch. The
upper part of the neck is bell-mouthed! The middle portion is for the reception,of,
the stopper when the bottle is closed, and the lower portion by means of ribs,

page_text: grooves, or projections therein, retains the stopper when the bottle is opened, and
allows a free passage of air and liquid through the spaces between the ribs.
i
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Netherwood and Benjamin Shaw in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 12th July 1877.
WILLIAM NETHERWOOD, of Huddersfield, in the County of York, Woollen Cord
Cutter, and BENJAMIN SHAW, of the same place, Botanic Porter Manufacturer.
"AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR STOPPING OR CLOSING BOTTLES."
This Invention relates to bottles for containing non-aerated or fermented liquids,
and consists in closing the mouth of the bottle by means of a round ball or plug of
india-rubber, or cork, or wood coated with india-rubber. Whatever substance is
employed it must be light enough to float on the liquid contained in the bottle.
The bottle may be of ordinary shape, with a taper neck, or may be specially con-
structed, as herein-after described. To close the bottle, it is first filled with liquid
to a short distance up the neck, so as to bring the floating stopper into the wide
part of the said neck. A curved flattened wire is then inserted for a few inches
below the stopper, and on being withdrawn it brings the said stopper with a rolling
motion into the narrow part of the neck, where it remains firmly wedged until
displaced by the introduction of a pusher from the outside.
Bottles made specially for this method of stopping are shaped as follows:-The
neck is made wider than usual at the lowest parts, which taper rather quickly for
about half the length of the neck. Beyond this point the neck is straight for a
short distance, and at the narrowest part terminates in a ledge or twitch. The
upper part of the neck is bell-mouthed. The middle portion is for the reception of
the stopper when the bottle is closed; and the lower portion, by means of ribs,
grooves, or projections therein, retains the stopper when the bottle is opened, and
allows a free passage of air and liquid through the spaces between the ribs.
In the accompanying Drawings, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 are views of
bottles of the most advantageous construction. All these bottles, it will be observed,
have a narrow mouth-piece A, below which the area of the neck is considerably
enlarged, the enlargements consisting of channels or grooves B. These channels
may be of various shapes, provided their construction is such that when the stopper
C is pushed into the middle of the neck, as seen in Figs. 6 and 8, the liquid may
flow out on one side, and the air enter on the other. Although bottles constructed in
accordance with any of the Figures herein referred to may be used, yet we prefer
the square necked bottle, shewn in Figs. 9 and 10, which is simple in construction
and neat in appearance.
.
Fig. 10 illustrates the method of closing the bottle. The operator holds the
bottle in one hand, inserts the bent flattened wire with the other hand until the
point is a few inches below the stopper, then pressing the wire firmly against the
stopper, he withdraws the wire, and in so doing rolls the ball upwards into the
narrow part of the neck, where it remains firmly. wedged. The ball being elastic,
allows the flat wire to be withdrawn, after it is prevented by the narrowness of the
neck from moving further with the wire. It is immaterial whether the ball enters
the narrow part of the neck, as seen in Figs. 1 and 7, or remains on the edge thereof,
as in Figs. 3 and 5, as the opening is securely closed in either case.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, and the manner in which the
same is carried into practice, we would have it understood that we claim as our
Invention,
Firstly. The use of a suitably shaped instrument for "rolling" the stopper towards
the mouth of the bottle, and thereby closing the same, as herein shewn and described.

page_text: Secondly. The method of and apparatus for stopping or closing bottles, herein
shewn and described.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Netherwood and Benjamin Shaw,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Sixth day of July, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
WILLIAM NETHERWOOD. (LS.)
BENJAMIN SHAW.
(L.S.)