US824913A - Bottle-stopper. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED JULY 3 INVENTOR'.

LTamasT f Uummfi,

J. M. GUMMING.

BOTTLE STOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.16. 190s.

UNITED STA'I.ES

PATENT OFFICE.

BOTTLE-STOPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3 1906.

Application filed ua y 16,1906. Serial No. 296.261.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES M. CUMMING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Stoppers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention has reference generally to improvements in stoppers for bottles; and the invention relates more particularly to a novel form of stopper and a locking mechanism connected therewith which can be brought in holding or locked engagement with a portion of the bottle when the stopper is inserted in the mouth of the bottle, t arrangement of the parts of the locking mechanism being such that the stopper can not be withdrawn from the mouth of the bottle except by the proper person provided with a key for the manipulation of the looking mechanism.

The principal object of my present invention is to provide a simple, neat, and easilymanipulated stopper which is to be inserted in the ordinary manner in the mouth of the bottle, but when once inserted is immediately secured in its non-removable position to prevent tampering with the contents of the bottle or to avoid accidents by mistaking the poisonous contents of the bottle for the non-poisonous contents of another bottle.

In other words, the purpose of the invention is to provide a positive safeguard against removal of the stopper from the mouth of the bottle except by the person entrusted with the key for actuating the lockin mechanism with which the stop er is provi ed.

Other objects of t 's invention not at this time more particularly mentioned will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the same.

The invention consists, primarily, in the novel stopper and locking mechanism combined therewith hereinafter set forth; and, furthermore, this invention consists in the novel arrangements and combinations of the devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction of the same, all of which will be hereinafter more fully set forth and then finally embodied in the clauses of the claim which are appended to and which. form an essential part of this specification.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional representation of the neck and mouth portion of a bottle and an elevation of a stopper made according to the principles of my present invention; and Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the said parts, both of said views showing the locking mechanism with which the stopper is provided in its locked or holding engagement with an inner annular recess withln the neck of the bottle. Fig. 3 is a section similar to that shown in Fig. 2, but illustrating the locking mechanism in its unlocked relation with the said annular recess when actuated by means of a key; and Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section of the stopper, taken on line 4 4 in- Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrow X. Fig. 5 is a view of a key which is used for the manipulation of the locking mechanism shown in said Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the said above-described views to indicate correspondin parts.

Referring now to are said drawings, the reference character 1 indicates the neck portion of any suitable bottle with which my novel form of combined stopper and locking mechanism is to be used. One form of such stopper is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the same comprising a suitably-shaped hollow or chambered stopper-body 2, which is Lpreferably provided with a closed bottom 3.

urrounding the outer cylindrical surface and the bottom 3 of said stopper-body 2, 9

which is preferably made of metal or other suitable hard material, is a covering or shell 4, made of cork, rubber, or other suitable resilient material, adapted to be brought in contact with the irmer surface of the neck and mouth of the usual forms of bottles. The upper marginal edge portion of said covering or shell 4 is fitted, preferably, against an annular shoulder or offset .5 of the said stop er-body 2, the latter then being preferab y formed with a contracted neck portion 6, which is formed with an open and outwardly-flaring portion or mouth 7 for the insertion and proper arrangement of the parts wi thin the hollow or chambered stopllC per. This 0 en and outwardly-flaring portion or mout after the mechanism has been assembled is made to receive a semispherical or other suitably-shaped ea or cover, as 8, which is rigidly fixed in p ace against removal from the stopper-body by means of pins 9 or any other well-known fastening means.

, Pivotally arranged upon pins 10,- held in suitably-disposed ears or lugs 11, preferably within the contracted neck portion 6 of the stopper, are oscillating arms 12, each arm 12 being provided at its lower part with a holding member or bolt 13, each member or bolt 13 being made'with a chamfered or inclined edge 14. When in their normal initial ositions, a spring 15, supported upon stu s or lugs 16 upon the lower ortions of said arms 12, causes the opposite y-projecting holding members or bolts 13 to be forced in opposite and outward directions immediately into and through the oppositely located and reg istering openings or holes 17 and 18 in the stopper-body 2 and the covering or shell 4, respectively, in the manner clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The upper portions of the said arms 12 extend into the chamber formed by the mouth 7 and the cap or cover 8, being respectively located in close proximity to each other and upon opposite sides of a key-receiving stem or 0st 19, said stem extending across the sai chambered portion andterminating directly back of a suitable keyhole 20, as clearly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. When the said arms 12 and their parts are in their normal initial positions, (indicated in said Fi 2 of the drawings the stopper can be reafily inserted in the mouth of the neck of the bottle, the chamfered or inclined ed es 14 of the bolts-or holding portions 13 readily riding over the edge of the mouth of the bottle and becoming depressed while passing downwardly within the neck of the bottle until an annular depression 21 within the neck is reached, into which the holding members or bolts 13 are immediately forced by the action of the spring 15, and whereby the stopper is locked in its closing position within the neck of the bottle against removal therefrom until the two arms 12 and their parts are brought into the positions shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings by the insertion of a key, as 22, (see Fig. 5,) into the keyhole 20 and upon the stem or post 19. When the key is turned in the usual manner, its tongues 23 are rotated between the upper and closely-located end portions of the arms 12 and in en agement therewith, thereby moving said end portions farther apart, and consequently withdrawing the holding members or bolts 13 from their locking or holding engagement with the annular recess or depression 21, bringing the parts in the positions shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings,-and the stopper can then be easily withdrawn from the mouth of the bottle. Assoon as the key is removed the parts assame their normal initial positions, (indicated in said Fig. 2,) when the stopper is once more ready for use in closing the mouth and neck of the bottle.

To provide a safeguard against using any form of key for the manipulation of the looking mechanism of the stopper, the key 22 is provided with several variously disposed tongues 23, havin the spaces 24 between them, and within t 1e cover or cap 8 is a baffie-plate 25, which is made in its edge with suitably-formed slots 26 and tongues 27, which correspond with the tongues 23 and intermediate spaces 24 of the key 22, so as not to interfere with the turning of the key, but will serve as a means to prevent a person using any other key for the manipulation of the arms 12 of the locking mechanism which is concealed within the body of the stopper.

From the foregoin description of my present invention it wil? be-clearly seen that I have devised a simply-constructed stopper and lockin mechanism which can be used a with a bott e in the usual manner, but can be withdrawn only by the person carrying the right key, so as to avoid the stealing of or the tampering with the contents of the bottle, or when used with bottles containing poisonous matter it minimizes the danger of making mistakes, which would otherwise result in serious consequences.

I claim- 1. A chambered stop er for bottles, comprising a stopper-body ormed withbolt-receiving opemngs, a contracted neck, an open and outwardly-flaring portion, a cap or cover on said outwardly-flaring portion, means for rigidly securing said cap or cover upon said outwardly-flaring portion, said outwardlyextending portion bein provided with a keyhole, a pair of pivotugs in the said contracted neck, an arm pivotally connected with each lug, a bolt upon each arm extending into a bolt-receiving opening, a sprin arranged between the lower portions of sai arms, and a key-receiving means between the upper portions of said arms for the reception of a key for actuating said arms, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The herein described stopper for bottles, comprising a stopper-body having a closed bottom and an annular shoulder, a resilient covering or shell surrounding said body and its bottom, said body and covering being provided with registering boltreceiving openings, a contracted neck, an open and outwardly-flaring portion, a cap or cover on said outwardly-flaring portion, means for rigidly securing said cap or cover upon said outwardly-flaring ortion, said outwardly-extending portion ein provided with a keyhole, a pair of pivotugs in said contracted neck, an arm pivotally connected with each lug, abolt upon each arm extending into the In testimony that I claim the invention registering bolt-receiving openings of said set forth above I have hereunto set my hand 10 itopper-bgdyl and covering, asprliing arrangad this 1 1th day of January, 1906.

etween t e ower ortionso sai arms, an a 5 key-receiving mea ris between the upper or- JAMES CUMMING' tions of said arms for the reception of a ey Witnesses: for actuating said arms, substantially as and JOHN M. MILLER, for the purposes set forth. I P. C. DOWNING.

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