IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN STOPPERING BOTTING WAVING INTERNAL STORPEDO "
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Varley, of Charterhouse Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED
IN STOPPERING BOTTING WAVING INTERNAL STORPEDO "
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Varley at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th June 1880.
JOHN VARLEY, of Charterhouse Buildings, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN STOPPERING BOTTLES HAVING
INTERNAL STOPPERS."
My Invention relates to improvements in the method of stoppering bottles
provided with internal stoppers, and in apparatus therefor whereby the stoppers
are brought or conducted to their seat in the neck of the bottle in the operation of
filling in a position suitable for their adjustment in the mouth of the bottle
whether a floating or sinkable stopper be used.
I have found in practice that flat or disc stoppers, such as are described in the
Specification of Letters Patent granted to Henry Barrett, and dated the Thirtieth
day of September, One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine, No. 3935, are
liable, when falling into their seat, to rest in a vertical position or edgewise in the
neck of the bottle, which is a great objection to this class of stopper.
By my improvements this objection is obviated, and I am enabled to bring the
stopper to its seat in a simple manner.
For this purpose, in the case in which the filling or charging apparatus is
provided with an air tube or rod; the upper end of this rod is provided with a cup
or dished end. The bottle to be filled is placed in the filling apparatus of ordinary
construction, and the air tube or rod is passed into the bottle, and the hereinbefore
described cup or dished end will receive the stopper and retain it in a flat position
while the bottle is being filled, and on its being withdrawn it will leave the stopper
properly placed in its seat in the neck of the bottle.
A modification of this construction of apparatus consists of a flanged thimble or
collar connected to a spring, or to a tube, or to any other suitable holder, through
which thimble or collar passes the air pipe, the top of which is fitted with a small
spherical or other suitably shaped projection. The bottle to be filled is placed in

page_text: the filling machine, the flanged thimble or collar is then passed a short distance
into the mouth of the bottle, and the air rod is pushed forward into the bottle;
the stopper will thus be caused to stand in a vertical position in the side of the
neck of the bottle. If the air rod be now withdrawn from the bottle the projection
on its end will press against the stopper, and thus overturn it, and the stopper will
fall onto the hereinbefore described thimble or collar, which, being withdrawn from
the mouth will allow the stopper to fall flat into its seat in the neck. In some cases
the flanged thimble or collar may be dispensed with, and the stopper allowed to
rest upon the shoulder in the neck of the bottle, but I prefer the foriner method as
being much more effective. Or in cases in which an air tube is not required for
the filling operation I may use the flanged thimble or collar alone. In this case
the end of the thimble or collar may be formed somewhat conical to assist in
bringing the stopper to its seat. The thimble or collar may be withdrawn before the
bottle is removed from the inachine, or the bottle may be lifted up from it, but in
either case the stopper will lie flat on its seat.
Another modification of my improvements consists in the employment of a pipe
or tube (which may serve as the inlet pipe for the liquid) of a diameter slightly
less than the opening of the mouth of the bottle and open at one end, which
opening receives the stopper in a similar manner to that described in the construction
of apparatus first herein before described.
In the centre of this pipe or tube is fitted the ordinary air pipe. The larger
or inlet pipe is provided with openings near the end to allow of the admission
of the liquid into the bottle, and the air pipe is connected with an escape valve
near the other end of the tube.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said John Varley in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th December 1880.
JOHN VARLEY, of Charterhouse Buildings, in the County of Middlesex.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN STOPPERING BOTTLES HAVING
INTERNAL STOPPERS."
My Invention relates to improvements in or applicable to apparatus to be used
in stoppering bottles provided with internal stoppers, whereby the stoppers are
brought or conducted to their seat in the neck of the bottle in the operation of
filling in a position suitable for their adjustment in the mouth of the bottle whether
a floating or sinkable stopper be used.
I have found in practice that flat or disc stoppers, such as are described in the
Specification of Letters Patent granted to Henry Barrett, and dated Thirtieth
September, One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine, No. 3935, are liable,
when falling into their seat, to rest in a vertical position or edgewise in the neck of
the bottle.
This arises from the fact that while filling a bottle with aërated water the disc
stopper is from the pressure driven about inside the bottle, and in order to como
into its place in the neck it has to fall or settle down in the neck and on to its
seat, so as to form a joint, which shall keep the bottle closed air-tight; now a
stopper such as the disc stopper will not always fall into a proper position or
properly adjust itself on its seat in the neck. Now my improvements have for
object to provide means for more effectually bringing the stopper to its seat in the
mouth of the bottle when using a stopper which, owing to its shape cannot be
depended upon for adjusting itself.
But to make my Invention better understood, I will proceed to describe the same
by reference to the accompanying Drawing.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation shewing one arrangement I employ in the case
in which the filling or charging apparatus is provided with the ordinary air tube
or rod. The upper end of this rod a is provided with a cup or dished end b. The
bottle B to be filled is placed in the cup or socket D of the filling apparatus, which
is of ordinary construction, and the said air tube or rod a is passed into the bottle,
and the cup or dished end b coming against the stopper C will raise it and retain
it in a flat position, as shewn, while the bottle is being filled, and on the rod a being
withdrawn, it will leave the stopper C properly placed on its seat a¹ in the neck of
the bottle, as shewn in dotted lines.
In a modification of this arrangement shewn in the sectional elevation at Figure 2,
the rod a may be placed within a larger tube or hollow rod c, in which case the
rod c forms the outlet for the air, while the inner or smaller tube a is provided at
its upper end with a seating d of india rubber (of a size to allow it to pass in and
out of the bottle), the tube a being open to the atmosphere. If the double rod be
passed into the bottle B to be stoppered, the disc stopper C will at once fall flat
upon the india rubber seating d, and is thus in a suitable position to be placed on
the seating a¹ in the neck; the rod a with the stopper thereon should be raised to
a suitable height within the bottle, the bottle B is then filled, the air escaping
therefrom down the outer tube c, while the disc stopper C will be firmly held on
the rubber seating & at the end of the open tube a, by the force of the gas acting
upon the disc in the same way as if the disc were already placed upon its seating a
in the neck of the bottle. When the bottle is filled, the rods a and c are lowered
and passed out of the bottle, leaving the disc stopper C on its seat a' in the neck.
Although I have described the outer tube c as that by which the air in the bottle

page_text: may escape, it will be understood that the tube a may be made to serve as the air
tube, and the tube c as the retaining tube.
A suitable valve may if necessary be adapted to the air tube as usual, or a simple
outlet for the air may be provided.
A modification of the construction of apparatus herein before described, as shewn
in Figure 3, which represents the neck A of a bottle fitting in the ordinary socket
or cup D of the filling machine; a is the air tube which I provide with a small
spherical or other suitably shaped projection f; g is a metal thimble, collar, or tube
fitting and working in the socket D, and acted upon by the spring h, so as to cause
the tube g to pass up into the bottle, so that it will extend above the rubber ring or
seat a¹ in the neck of the bottle; the object of this thimble or tube g is that it shall
present an even surface for the disc stopper C to fall or rest upon, thus keeping the
disc from the ring a¹ until it is placed thereon by the knob or projection f at the
upper end of the tube a. The Drawing shews the disc in the act of falling over on
to the top of the tube a after the bottle has been filled in the usual way. This
action of the disc takes place while the tube a is descending, and a slight check is
given to this tube a by the projection f, thereon coming against the flange g¹ in the
tube g, and in being lowered, it draws down with it the tube g until the neck A of
the bottle is left clear, and the disc is left flat on the ring or seating a¹. I would
observe that when the disc falls off the top of the tube a, in introducing this tube
into the bottle, it falls edgewise, and remains on its edge between one side of the
neck A and the tube a, and the small knob f (which may be screwed on the top of
the tube a), being larger in diameter than the tube, tilts the disc first one way and
then the other, when it will fall on to the tube a, which is made flat on the top.
In order to prevent this knob from damaging either the bottle or the disc-stopper C,
I sometimes provide a flexible or yielding top for the tube a. This arrangement is
shewn in Figure 4, in which the knob or projection is attached to a coil of
wire j or otherwise, so arranged as to allow the knob to yield instead of forcing its
way past, and thus avoid risk of damaging the disc.
In some cases the flanged thimble or tube g may be dispensed with, and the
stopper allowed to rest upon the seating in the neck of the bottle, but I prefer the
former method as being more effective. Or in cases in which an air tube is not
required for the filling operation, I may use the flanged thimble or tube g alone. In
this case, the end of the thimble or tube g may be formed somewhat conical, as shewn
in Figure 5, to assist in bringing the stopper C to its seat a¹. The thimble or
tube g may be withdrawn before the bottle is removed from the machine, or the
bottle may be lifted up from it, but in either case the stopper will lie flat on its
scat.
The arrangement shewn in Figure 3a is similar to that shewn in Figure 3,
except that instead of the tube a bringing down the tube g as soon as the knob or
projection meets the top of the tube g, it in this case has to descend until it comes
against the flange g¹, which is formed lower down in the tube. This is in order to
allow the tube g to rest a short time while the tube a is still passing downwards,
and to allow the disc stopper time to settle down flat before it is brought on the
seating a¹ in the neck of the bottle.
In another modification, shewn in Figure 6, I place a metal disc k on the top of
the tube a, just large enough to pass into the neck of the bottle. In this case when
the rod is passed up into the bottle the disc stopper is at once brought into a
horizontal position and remains upon the disc k at the top of the tube until the
bottle has been filled; it is then lowered out of the bottle and the stopper will be
left on the seating in the neck.
Another modification of my improvements is shewn in Figure 7, in which the
tube a is fitted with a number of expanding arms n, n, which embrace the disc
stopper C, and keep it in position upon the top of the tube a while the bottle is
being filled, and while the tube is lowered down or out of the bottle. The top o
of the tube a in this case is moveable, and the two arms or projections and m

page_text: serve as a means of holding the disc up out of the way of the expanding arms n,
in order that these arms may be contracted or drawn together inwards at that
part of the neck of the bottle containing the india rubber ring or seating a'. This
contraction is effected by the arms n passing (when the tube a is lowered) through
the tube g placed in the socket D of the filling machine. The arms and m then
come in contact with the top of the tube g, and the moveable top o of the tube a
is thus caused to remain stationary while the lower part carrying the expanded
arms is continued to be drawn downwards; the disc stopper C will then be free of
the expanding arms n, and rests for a short space of time upon the top o of the
tube a, until the arms n have been drawn out of the way, leaving the disc free to
rest upon the seating so soon as the rod shall have been lowered sufficiently for
that purpose. This is effected by compressing the spring h, which will allow the
tube g to clear itself of the neck of the bottle. The object of these arms n is to
conduct the stopper C up and down the inside of the bottle and to render the
stopper little liable to fall into the neck of the bottle.
The arrangements hereinbefore described are such as are applicable when using
an upright machine, such as that known as Barrett's Patent machine, as described
in the Specification of Letters Patent, No. 2708, dated the Second day of September,
One thousand eight hundred and sixty eight. I will now describe the means I
employ for adjusting the stopper when using the machine known as Codd's Patent
machine, which differs from the former machine, inasmuch as in the former case
the bottle is filled while standing in an inverted upright position, while in the
latter case,
and in all so called turnover machines, the bottle is filled while lying
on its side, and is then turned so as to bring the bottle into an inverted position.
In this and in all such cases I employ an arrangement such as that shewn in
Figures 8, 9, and 10.
In this arrangement I pass a spindle a through a stuffing box r up through the
ordinary inlet pipe 8 of a turnover filling machine, and at the top of the spindle a
I fix a knob or a flat disc p of metal. q is a spring for holding down the spindle a
in its normal position, as shewn in Figure 8. The bottle is placed in the machine
on its side in the usual manner, as shewn in Figure 8, and filled; it is then turned
over as usual and the bottom brought upwards, as shown in Figures 9 and 10.
The disc stopper C will then fall into the neck of the bottle and will strike or full
on the metal disc p, as shewn in Figure 10, on the spindle a, and will settle down
flat on the top thereof, but in order to insure this action of the stopper I provide a
cam u, against which the end of the spindle a strikes while the bottle is being
turned, so that the cam will lift the spindle a or give it a sharp kick, which, should
the stopper be resting in an unsuitable position, will at once bring it into place,
and the bottle may then be taken out of the filling machine. Instead of a cam
any other suitable arrangement for lifting the spindle a may be employed.
In Figure 11 I shew an arrangement which may be adapted to either an upright
or turnover machine. The arrangement consists of a short light tube g working
freely in the socket D of the filling machine, and of such dimensions that it will
pass and fit into the neck of the bottle as far as the india-rubber ring a' therein,
and is there caused to stop by the projection v, with which it is provided coming
against the mouth of the bottle. Now when the bottle is being filled in either an
upright or a turnover machine the force of the water entering the bottle will press
the tube g up as far as the projection or stop v will allow it to go, and when the
bottle is full the supply of aërated liquid is shut off in the usual manner. The
disc stopper will then settle on the top of the tube, and will rest thereon flatwise
in proper position to be left on its seat, which will be effected so soon as the
tube g has descended below the ring or seating, which it will commence to do as
soon as the supply of liquid to the bottle has been cut off and the pressure on the
tube g removed.
Having thus described my said Invention, and the best means with which I am

page_text: acquainted for carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I
claim,
-
The improvements in or applicable to apparatus to be used in stoppering bottles
having internal stoppers, as hereinbefore described and represented in the accom-
panying Drawing, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Varley, have hereto set my hand and
scal, this Ninth day of November, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
JOHN VARLEY. (L.S.)