IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES, JARS, AND SUCH LIKE VESSELS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Eustace Gardiner, of No. 149, High Street,
Peckham, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES, JARS, AND SUCH LIKE VESSELS."
Sealed the 26th September 1879, and dated the 18th April 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Eustace Gardiner
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th April 1879.
WILLIAM EUSTACE GARDINER, of No. 149, High Street, Peckham, in the County
of Surrey.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES, JARS, AND SUCH LIKE
VESSELS."
My Invention relates to means of stoppering bottles, jars, and such like vessels,
for which purpose I construct a stopper in the following manner :-On the neck of
the bottle or vessel I fix a metal ring or cylinder, from the upper edge of which
project two or more wings or partial flanges, sloped on their under sides, and also
an ear to form a hinge joint. To this ear I joint a cap, which can turn on it as a
hinge, so as to fold over and cover the mouth of the bottle or vessel, or to fold back,
leaving the mouth open. On a stud in the centre of this cap I fit a piece that can turn
freely thereon, as on an axis, this piece having two or more hooks projecting down
from it, so as to engage under the sloped wings of the ring or cylinder first men-
tioned. The cap has fitted in it a plug of cork, caoutchouc, or other elastic material,
or it may be an unyielding plug, a ring of cork, caoutchouc, or the like being
secured in the mouth of the bottle or vessel. For the purpose of stoppering the
cap is folded on its hinge over the mouth; the piece with the hooks is then turned
partly round, and the hooks being thus advanced under the sloping wings of the
ring or cylinder, have a wedging or screw like action, which causes the cap to be
pressed firmly down, making an air tight joint by the pressure on the elastic material.
For unstoppering, the piece with the hooks is turned backwards till the hooks are
free from the sloped wings, whereupon the cap can be folded back on its hinge,
leaving the mouth open. One hooked piece engaging under one wing will in many
cases suffice to keep the stopper tight, but when the bottle or vessel contains aerated
liquids, it is generally preferable to employ two or more hooks uniformly spaced
round the mouth.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Eustace Gardiner in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th October 1879.
WILLIAM EUSTACE GARDINER, of No. 149, High Street, Peckham, in the County
of Surrey.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN STOPPERS FOR BOTTLES, JARS, AND SUCH LIKE
VESSELS."
My Invention relates to means of stoppering bottles, jars, and such like vessels, for
which purpose I construct a stopper in the following manner :-On the neck of the
bottle or vessel I fix a metal ring or cylinder, from the upper edge of which project
two or more wings or partial flanges, sloped on their undersides, and also an ear to
form a hinge joint. To this car I joint a cap, which can turn on it as a hinge, so as
to fold over and cover the mouth of the bottle or vessel, or to fold back, leaving the
mouth open.
On a stud in the centre of this cap I fit a piece that can turn freely
thereon as on an axis, this piece having two or more hooks projecting down from it,
so as to engage under the sloped wings of the ring or cylinder first mentioned. The
cap has fitted in it a plug of cork, caoutchouc, or other elastic material, or it may
be an unyielding plug, a ring of cork, caoutchouc, or the like being secured in the
mouth of the bottle or vessel. For the purpose of stoppering the cap is folded on
its hinge over the mouth; the piece with the hooks is then turned partly round,
and the hooks being thus advanced under the sloping wings of the ring or cylinder,
have a wedging or screw like action, which causes the cap to be pressed firmly
down, making an air tight joint by the pressure on the elastic material. For
unstopping, the piece with the hooks is turned backwards till the hooks are free
from the sloped wings, whereupon the cap can be folded back on its hinge, leaving
the mouth open.
One hooked piece engaging under one wing-will in many cases
suffice to keep the stopper tight, but when the bottle or vessel contains nerated
liquids it is generally preferable to employ two or more hooks uniformly spaced
round the mouth.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 represents a side view, and Fig. 2 a front view of the mouth of a bottle
closed by a stopper according to my Invention; Fig. 3 is a vertical section; and
Fig. 4, a plan. On the exterior of the bottle mouth is secured a metal ring A,
which in the first place, being of nearly cylindrical form, is passed over the pro-
jecting lip of the bottle, and then has its under edge squeezed or spun inwards, so
as to hold firmly under the said lip, a layer of any suitable cement being preferably
interposed between the metal and the glass, so as to give the ring A a firm bedding.
On the ring A there is an eye B for the hinge of the stopper, and two flanges C, C,
inclined on their under sides. To the eye B is loosely hinged a cap or cover D,
having projecting down from it a boss E, surrounded by a taper ring F of caoutchouc,
cork, or other elastic material, forming a compressible plug to fit the taper mouth
of the bottle. It is of advantage to make the upper portion F of this elastic ring
of caoutchouc, with a small ring of cork under it, the cork ring being presented
next to the liquid contents of the bottle, which might be of such nature as to act
or be acted on by caoutchouc. On the cap D is centrally pivotted a crosshead or
piece G, having two wings, with their under lips g turned inwards, so as to catch
under the inclines C. For stoppering the bottle the cap D is folded over on its
hinge, so that its elastic boss is inserted into the bottle mouth; the crosshead G is
then turned partly round by the fingers and thumb applied to its wings, and its lips
9, 9, being thus caught under and moved along the inclines C, have a screw or wedge
like action, clamping the cap firmly down and tightening the elastic boss in the
mouth of the bottle. For unstoppering the crosshead G is turned backwards till
its lips g, g, are clear of the inclines C, whereupon the stopper can be folded back
on its hinge B, as indicated by the dotted lines D' in Fig. 3.

page_text: For vessels such as jars, having large mouths, there may be more than two of
the inclines C, and a corresponding number of wings to the crosshead G, each wing
having its under lip g to catch under one of the inclines C. The plug of the stopper
may be of metal or other unyielding material, made in taper forin to squeeze into
a cask or other elastic ring H bedded in a recess of the bottle mouth, as shown in
Fig. 5.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I make no general claim
to securing the stoppers of bottles or jars by means of a crosshead that can be
turned round, so that lips thereof catch under inclines on the head of the vessel, but
I claim in respect of stoppers for bottles, jars, and such like vessels, the combination
of a metal ring secured to the head of the vessel, and having on it inclined projec-
tions or flanges, with a cap or cover and plug loosely hinged to the ring, and having
pivotted on it a crosshead, with lips to catch under the inclines of the ring, substan-
tially as herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Willian Eustace Gardiner, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Seventh day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
W. E. GARDINER. (L.S.)