Improvements Applicable to Stoppers for Bottles, Jars, and the like.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Oct., 1889
Complete Specification Left. 19th Feb. 1890-Accented 5th Apr
1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements Applicable to Stoppers for Bottles, Jars, and the like.
I, GERARD COLLINGWOOD CLARK, of 4, Ashland Place, in the County of London
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in that class of stoppers described in my
Provisional Specification No. 10762, dated the 3rd of July 1889 and consisting of
a stem or body of suitable hard material with a groove near the lower end over which
stem was passed a ring or cylinder of cork or other suitable elastic material.
The object of my present improvements is to enable such stoppers to be withdrawn
from the bottles or jars to which they are applied in a simple and expeditious manner.
For this purpose the upper part of the stem or body of the stopper which projects
above the bottle is cut with a screw thread or its equivalent adapted to receive a
screwed ring or cap.
By this arrangement the stopper having been forced into the mouth of a bottle so
as to close the same in the usual manner can be easily withdrawn from the bottle by
screwing on the said screwed ring or cap, the turning of the under edge of which
against the top of the mouth of the bottle will raise the stopper in the neck so as to
allow it to be withdrawn.
In some cases the screwed ring or cap may be provided with a recess in the shoulder
for the purpose of receiving a suitable packing.
Dated the 21st day of October 1889.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements Applicable to Stoppers for Bottles, Jars, and the like.
I, GERARD COLLINGWOOD CLARK, of 4, Ashland Place, in the county of London,
Manufacturer, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in that class of stoppers described in my
Provisional Specification No. 10762 dated the 3rd of July 1889 and consisting
of a stem or body of suitable hard material, over which stem was passed a ring or
cylinder of cork or other suitable elastic material.
The object of my present improvements is to enable such stoppers to be with-
drawn from the bottles or jars to which they are applied in a simple and expeditious
manner.
For this purpose the stem or body of the stopper is cut with a screw thread or its
equivalent adapted to receive a screwed ring or cap.
By this arrangement the stopper, having been forced into the mouth of a bottle so
as to close the same in the usual manner, can be easily withdrawn from the bottle
by screwing on the said screwed ring or cap, the turning of the under edge of which
against the top of the mouth of the bottle will raise the stopper in the neck so as to
allow it to be withdrawn.
In some cases the screwed ring or cap may be provided with a recess for the purpose
of receiving a suitable packing.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe how it can
be carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawings,-
Figure 1 is an elevation illustrating one example of a stopper constructed according
to my invention; and

page_text: Figure 2 is a section of a screwed ring to be used in connection therewith.
Figure 3 is a vertical section of the neck of a bottle shewing the stopper and ring
applied thereto.
a is the screw thread cut on the stem or body b of the stopper at
the upper part thereof which projects above the mouth c of the bottle; d is the ring
or cylinder of cork or other suitable elastic material on the stem 6 of the stopper;
e is the screw thread of the ring f which screw thread is in this example a female
thread to adapt the ring to be screwed over the male screw a on the stopper.
It will be obvious that if the ring f be screwed over the stopper it will as soon as
it meets the top of the bottle mouth, as shewn in figure 3, commence to raise the
stopper in the bottle neck so as to allow it to be withdrawn.
Figure 4 is a similar view to figure 3 but shewing a screwed cap / provided with
a recess g for the purpose of receiving a suitable packing h. In this case the bottle
mouth is advantageously formed with a shoulder i to receive the lower edge of
the cap f.
Figure 5 is a similar view to figure 4 but shewing the screw-threaded cap f made
taper so as to enter the month c of the bottle, the interior of which is for this purpose
advantageously made of a curved conical form as shewn.
Figure 6 is a vertical section of a bottle-mouth c shewing my improved stopper:
formed with an internal or female screw thread a to receive a male screw threaded
stem e in the centre of the cap f for raising the stopper in the bottle mouth c, the
lower edge of the cap bearing upon the top of the mouth as shown. This arrange-
ment allows of the stopper being inserted with its top flush with the bottle mouth and
is especially suitable for use with wide mouthed bottles, jars and the like.
Figure 7 is a vertical section shewing my improved stopper and ring or cap
adapted to the mouth of a champagne-bottle, or other bottle submitted to great
internal pressure.
Figure 8 is an elevation taken at a right angle to figure 7.
In this case the screw-thread a is, as in the arrangements illustrated in figures 1
to 5, formed on the upper part of the stem or body b of the stopper projecting above
the bottle-mouth c but, in order to secure the stopper, I employ a metal clip or bale j
(shewn detached in side and edge views respectively at figures 9 and 10) made with
lips or flanges at its ends which take under the rim or shoulder k on the mouth of the
bottle, the cap or ring being formed as shewn so as to serve to keep the clip in
place. In order to withdraw the stopper the cap or ring f must, of course, first
be unscrewed and the clip or bale removed, and the cap can then be used to open
the bottle, by screwing it over the thread a in the reverse position to that shewn in
figure 7.
Figures 11 and 13 are similar views to figure 8 but showing the stopper arranged
to be used without a cap being permanently applied thereto, and illustrating the
modified forms of the clip or bale ; which I employ for this purpose. Figures 12
and 14 aro plans of the clips or bales shewn in figures 11 and 13 respectively.
The clip or bale illustrated in figures 11 and 12 is pivotted at 1, 1 to a spring jaw m
which embraces the neck of the bottle beneath the shoulder k and a groove n is formed
in the top of the stopper to receive and retain the clip or bale j. In order to open
the bottle the clip or bale having been removed a simple screwed ring such as that
illustrated in figure 2 can be used to loosen the stopper.
The clip or bale illustrated in figures 13 and 14 is provided with two spring
jaws m, m and is made of spring metal so as to allow of the jaws being sprung into
place beneath the shoulder of the bottle.
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. Providing bottle stoppers having a stem or body of hard material with a ring or
cylinder of elastic material thereon, with a screw thread or its equivalent designed to
engage with and to be operated upon by a screw-threaded ring or cap, substantially
as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.

page_text: 2. Ine improved stoppers and the means for withdrawing them from bottles
herein before described with reference to the various figures of the accompanying
drawings.
Dated the 19th day of February 1890.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.