Improvements in Devices for Preventing the Refilling of Bottles.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 22nd June, 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Devices for Preventing the Refilling of Bottles.
I, VICTOR BÉLANGER, of 500 Tremont Street, Boston, in the County of Suffolk
and State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Inventor, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The present invention relates to devices for preventing the refilling of bottles,
the same serving as a protection for proprietors of particular brands of liquids
against the refilling of their bottles with an inferior article.
The particular object of the present invention is to prevent the refilling of a
bottle by exhausting the air therefrom and submerging it in the liquid, which would
of course result in the filling of the bottle with such liquid in the absence of a
preventative.
The accompanying drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 1 shows a sectional view of the device in the neck of a bottle with the
bottle represented in an upright position.
Fig. 2 shows a similar section with the bottle represented as inverted and
containing some of the original liquid.
Fig. 3 shows a similar view with the bottle empty.
Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the anti-refilling device and a portion of the neck of
the bottle.
Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the anti-refilling device detached.
Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional views on the lines 6-6 and 7-7 respectively, of
Fig. 5.
The letter, a, designates the neck of a bottle of ordinary shape, except that on
the interior of the neck near its inner end there may be formed a number of
small depressions, a', as shown in Fig. 4, by indenting the soft glass in the process
of manufacture, or the neck of the bottle may be of the ordinary construction as
shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. An ordinary cork, b, is used in the outer end of the neck,
as usual.
The casing, c, of the anti-refilling device is substantially tubular in form and
fits tightly within the neck of the bottle, the said casing carrying a cork
packing-ring, c', below a flange, c2, and the said ring being crowded into the
The cork
depressions, a¹, so that the casing cannot be pulled out of the neck.
packing-ring, c', projects into the depressions, a', so as to effectually prevent pushing
the casing into the bottle. Instead of the depression the casing may be held in the
neck of the bottle by frictional contact between the cork and said neck, the cork
being made of such a size that it must be forced in under sufficient pressure to
practically prevent its displacement when in the position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
Screw-threads on the exterior of the casing serve as means for securing said casing
to the cork packing-ring.
Beyond the flange, c, there is a head, c³, smaller in diameter than the neck of the
bottle, and formed in its sides with a large opening, c. The top of the head is
closed over as shown.
The interior diameter of the tube lessens as it recedes from the head, c³, and the
tapering surface, c, together with the inside bottom-face, c', of the head, c³, forms
valve-seat which it is to be noted faces outwardly.
It is to be observed that a considerable portion of the casing, e', projects inward
beyond the ring, c', and into the body of the bottle. This portion of the casing

page_text: increases in diameter as it extends inward and its interior surface, c³, constitutes a
valve-seat which it is to be noted faces inward, and hence in the opposite direction
to the valve-seat, c-c". Orifices, c', are made through the casing at the valve-
seat, c, and they provide means of communication between the bottle and the
interior of the tube.
The inside edge of the lower end of the casing is beveled to form a seat, d¹.
A flanged frusto-conical valve, e, preferably made of cork occupies the outer
portion of the tubular casing, and by inward movement comes to bear on the
seat, c, thereby closing communication between the tubular casing, c, and the bottle-
neck. When moved outward against the top of the head, c³, against the seat c', said
valve opens communication between the tube and the neck. This valve is
introduced into the head, e, through the opening, c. On the top of this valve is
secured a disc, 5, preferably of glass, (although any counter-weight may be used), to
act as a weight when the bottle is inverted, that will tend to draw the valve, f,
down to its seat, as shown in Fig. 3, to prevent it from filling when liquid has been
poured out. The valves, e and f, are connected together by any suitable means,
preferably a thread of cat-gut. The end of this thread is secured to the rigid arm
or projection of the ball-weight, h, by means of a flexible connection, h, such as a
chain or cat-gut, see Figs. 2 and 3, so that when the bottle is inverted this may take
the form shown in said figs., and the weight of valve f may compel this connection
to act as a spring to help force the valve, e, away from its seat, (see Fig. 3). When
the bottle is tilted the arm or projection h³ fulcrums on the edge of the cup d' as
shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1.
When the bottle stands upright the parts appear as in Fig. 1, the valve, e,
being seated and the valve, j, unseated. It is apparent that under this condition
no liquid can be introduced into the bottle. Nor can this be accomplished by
turning the bottle on one side, for then the connection, h¹, would find a fulcrum in
the edge of the casing, and the weight would act through a leverage to hold the
valve, e, tightly closed. A to-and-fro movement of the bottle while on its side
would not destroy this function of the ball-weight.
When the bottle is inverted the ball can lodge in the seat, ¹, and then the
valve, e, opens and the liquid in the bottle can be poured out. As long as any
liquid remains in the bottle the cork-valve, f, will float above the orifices, c', so as
not to obstruct the flow of the liquid. When the bottle is empty this valve, f,
drops to its seat, c³, and closes the orifices, c', and air-exhausting ineans applied to
the neck cannot draw air from the bottle but will only tend to more tightly seat the
valve.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. An anti-refilling device for bottles comprising a casing fitting in the neck of the
bottle and formed with interior valve-seats facing in opposite directions; a weighted
valve adapted to seat inwardly against the outer valve-seat; and a float-valve
adapted to seat outwardly against the inner valve-seat.
2. An anti-refilling device for bottles comprising a casing fitting in the neck of
the bottle and formed with interior valve-seats facing in opposite directions; a valve.
adapted to seat inwardly against the outer valve-seat; a float-valve adapted to seat
outwardly against the inner valve-seat; a flexible connection between the two
valves; and a weight joined to them by a flexible connection.
3. An anti-refilling device for bottles, the same comprising a casing fitting in the
bottle-neck and having a flaring end-portion or cup projecting into the body of the
bottle, the said casing being formed with two interior valve-seats facing in opposite
directions; a valve for the outer seat; a float-valve for the inner seat; a flexible
connection between the valves; and a ball-weight joined by a flexible connection
with the float-valve and having an arm adapted to find a fulcrum in the edge of the
cup, substantially as described.

page_text: 4. In an anti-refilling device for bottles, the combination of a casing fitting
tightly in the neck of the bottle and having an internal valve-seat and openings
on opposite sides of the same, and formed with a flaring inner end-portion or cup
which projects inward beyond the neck of the bottle; a valve arranged in
conjunction with said seat and having an attached chain or like flexible device on
the inner side; and a ball-weight having a rigid arm or projection attached to the
said chain, said ball being beyond the inner end of the casing and adapted to lodge
in the cup when the bottle is inverted and to roll out of the same when the bottle
is turned on one side, and the chain or flexible connection being of a length to
cause the rigid arm of the ball to find a fulcrum in the edge of the cup.
Dated this 14th day of January 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.