US2704616A - Valved bottle stopper - Google Patents

Description

March 22, 1955 G. F. PlNsuTl 2,704,615

VALVED BOTTLE STOPPER Filed ont. 24, 195o nventor l'as'eppe F Pmsuf Gttorneg United States Patent O VALVED BOTTLE STOPPER Giuseppe F. Pinsuti, New York, N. Y.

Application October 24, 1950, Serial No. 191,763

13 Claims. (Cl. 21S-22) This invention relates to bottle stoppers and particularly to that type of such stoppers as is fixed wholly with in a bottle neck to prevent tampering with the stopper or removal thereof, and to prevent refilling the bottle.

The invention contemplates the provision of a bottle stopper which permits the contents of a bottle to which it is applied to be readily dispensed While sealing the bottle against the inflow thereinto and past the stopper of liquid, whether or not under pressure or under vacuum or otherwise and regardless of the position in which the bottle is held.

The invention further contemplates the provision of a stopper valve float operated by a movable weighty member normally to maintain the valve port closed, but permitting the port to be opened automatically by gravity during dispensing, the float closing the port when it is attempted to refill the bottle.

The invention further contemplates the provision of suitable projection-guarded passages in the stopper for the discharge of dispensed liquid, whereby access to the valve by instruments or the like in attempts to remove the valve-closing element from its seat are adequately preiflelrted and the valve cannot be tampered with success- The invention further contemplates the provision of a stopper valve which normally leaks enough to prevent the formation of a partial vacuum in the bottle during and after dispensing liquid, but which becomes tightly and properly closed when enough liquid enters the stopper to float a bouyant part of the valve in an attempt to refill the bottle.

The invention further contemplates the provision of movable valve parts and of guide means therefor, which means guide the valve parts to move toward the seat of the valve when the bottle is tilted past the horizontal and thereby lessens the distance through which the valve parts must move into the valve-closing positions thereof.

The invention further contemplates the provision of a simple, economical and efficient bottle stopper protecting the contents of the bottle, easily inserted into the bottle neck after the bottle is filled and then being so tightly held as to be rmly fixed therein against removal intact, and having valve parts therein automatically moving longitudinally into and out of valve-closing position on the manipulation of the bottle and which permit pouring for dispensing but prevent inflow of liquid under pressure from the outside or under vacuum inside of the bottle so that the bottle cannot be refilled.

The various objects of the invention will be clear from the description which follows and from the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the stopper as it appears applied to a bottle neck.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the stopper.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the stopper taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is an elevational disassembled or exploded view of the stopper showing particularly the shapes and locations of the dispensing grooves or channels and the projecting guards for the side dispensing openings in the body member, and showing also the various parts cooperating with the body member.

Fig. 5 is a developed view of the surface of the body member showing half of said surface and one form of the dispensing grooves or passages therein.

Fig. 6 is a similar view of a modified arrangement of the passages.

Patented Mar. 22, 1955 ICC Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the rigid backing element for the flexible valve washer.

Fig. S is a similar view of one form of the flexible valve Washer showing the breather holes therein.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional View of the stopper showing a modified form of the breather means for the stopper valve.

In the practical embodiment of the invention shown by way of example, the preferably hard and rigid main body member 10 is made hollow and open at its bottom end and substantially closed at its upper end. A plurality of spaced side openings or passages 11 extend through the wall of the member and communicate with the relatively large interior passage 12 and with exterior generally longitudinal dispensing grooves 13, 14 and 15 in the outer surface of the member and extending to the extreme upper end of said member as best seen in Fig. 2. The member 1f) is preferably made of porcelain or the like and at its open lower end, is preferably partly closed by the encompassing sleeve 16 of resilient, compressible and flexible material such as cork, suitable plastic or the like. Said sleeve comprises a hollow cylindrical wall 17 having an inner surface fitted to the lower part of the body member and an outer surface tightly and frictionally fitted into the bottle neck 18, the sleeve terminating at its lower end in the inwardly extending valve seat 19 having the relatively large valve port 20 therein.

Since the inner surface of the bottle neck usually tapers downwardly and inwardly to a slight extent, the upper part of the member 10 is similarly tapered so that it fits the bottle neck quite snugly when the stopper is forced downwardly into the neck until the sleeve 16 is compressed and hugs the neck tightly. When the stopper is fixed to the bottle after the bottle is lled, the top of the stopper becomes arranged slightly below the top of the bottle to make tampering with the stopper more difficult. The upper edge of the sleeve engages the lower edge of the circumferential flange 21 of the body member. The lower edge of said member rests optionally on a ring filler or spacer, which may be omitted if desired. Said filler 22 is interposed between the body member and the flexible washer 23 having the central opening 24 therein and preferably made of compressible material such as leather or the like. The washer 23 is backed by the rigid backing member 25 resting on the valve seat 19 and preferably of suitable metal, having a central opening therein as 26 of greater diameter than the opening 24 of the flexible washer and of lesser diameter than that of the valve port 20. The inner peripheral edge portion 27 of the member 25 is bent downwardly and inwardly to a sufficient extent normally to extend slightly past and to expose the small breather or vent piercings or holes 28 in the washer 23. Obviously, said breather or vent holes become closed off when the inner overhanging edge of the washer 23 is depressed in any manner on to the tapering part 27 of the rigid member 25, as when liquid under pressure is forced into the interior passage 12 and exerts downward pressure on the washer in a manner and for the purpose which will be more fully explained hereinafter. While some air may displace and replace the dispensed liquid in the bottle during a pouring operation by entering the bottle through the opening 24 of the flexible washer and the port 20, air also enters through the breather holes at that time and also after the bottle is restored to its upright position, so that proper venting and dispensing is at all times assured. Since the valve normally leaks air to the interior of the bottle, the valve cannot become locked by reason of the creation of a partial vacuum within the bottle as a consequence of dispensing part of the contents.

The moving parts of the automatically operating valve are important features of the invention. As shown, said parts include a float 30 illustrated as in the form of a light-weight ball of suitable plastic material of low specific gravity and lighter than alcohol, and which may be further lightened by a hole as 31 therein, the hole being stopped or partly filled with a suitable cork filler or stopper 32. As shown in Figs. l and 4, the outer end of the filler is spherical, continuous with and of the same radius as the outer surface of the float 30, whereby the rotated position of the ball at the washer opening 24 is immaterial, as the end of the plug seals the opening in precisely the same way as any other part of the float surface. The other movable part of the valve is also preferably in the form of a ball as 33, smaller than the ball 30 and of relatively high specific gravity, greater than that of alcohol or water, and so weighty that it Weighs or forces the float 30 down toward the valve seat even when the interior passage 12 is filled with liquid in which the ball 30 normally would float. Both balls 30 and 33 move longitudinally in the passage 12 under the influence of gravity when the bottle is tilted sufficiently, and the ball 30 also moves by reason of its bcuyancy when any attempt is made to insert liquid into the bottle through the interior passage 12 by way of the grooves 13, 14, 15 and the side openings 11.

To guide the balls in their movement and to insure that the ball 33 remains at all times between the ball 30 and the top surface of the passage 12, spaced inwardly projecting ribs as 35 extend from the inner wall of the passage and in a generally longitudinal direction, being arranged to alternate with the openings 11 as best seen in Fig. 3. The upper parts 36 of the ribs and 37 of the passage 12 at the points between the openings 11 are inclined upwardly and inwardly, thereby causing the ball 33 to slide downwardly toward the valve seat as the bottle is tilted from an upright position toward the horizontal. Such movement of the ball 33 causes movement of the float ball 30 and forces the latter against the washer 23 to permit the float ball to seal the port 20 and the opening 24. In positions of the bottle between the horizontal and inverted positions, which is the normal pouring position, dispensing movement of the liquid contents of the bottle is such that the ball 30 cannot float in the liquid nor close the valve port. However, if the bottle is immersed in liquid such as alcohol or spirits in such position, the ball 30 floats in the liquid entering the passage 12 and closes the valve against the entry of liquid into the bottle, past the valve.

The upper part of the dispensing groove 13 may be vertical as shown while the lower part 41 thereof follows the shape of the projecting arched guard 40 which is designed to contact With the inner surface of the bottle neck (Fig. l). Since the guard 40 extends around the top and sides of the side opening 11, it protects said opening from the insertion thereinto of a tool, wire or other instrument in any attempt to reach the float ball and remove said ball from the valve seat. The intermediate part 42 of the groove 13 is preferably inclined in a direction different from that of the part 41 to make it more difficult, if not impossible, to insert an instrument into the passage 12 through the groove and opening 11. The groove 15 is shaped similarly to the groove 13, the lower part thereof being inclined in a different direction, and the groove 14 may merge into the grooves 13 and 15 and is arranged above the arch guard 40. The projection 43 between the grooves 13 and 14, and the projection 44 between the grooves 14 and 15 are about the same length and width, but are pointed at the lower ends thereof to connect the grooves therebetween. Similarly, the projection 45 between the grooves 15 and 13 is widened at some points and narrowed at others to curve the adjacent grooves.

In the form shown n Fig. 6, the projections 46, 47 and 48 outwardly of and between the grooves are of different widths, but as in the form shown in Fig. 5, the outermost surfaces of the projections fit snugly and even quite tightly against the inner surface of the bottle neck. By inclining the end edges of the projections, the lower parts of the groove therebetween are inclined to divert a tool inserted in a groove and cooperate with the guard 40 in preventing access to the interior of the passage 12.

In that form of the invention shown in Fig. 9, the sleeve 50 is made of a flexible and resilient plastic material, having the rounded valve seat 51, the backing member 25 being omitted and the leather washer 52 being such that the upper surface thereof is quite irregular or rough. The venting pin holes 28 are therefore omitted, dependence being had on the air leakage between the oat ball 30 and the inner peripheral rough portion 53 of the washer to prevent the creation of a partial vacuum therein or of a vacuum lock which might undesirably hold the oat ball in sealing position to the valve seat. The leather washer being compressible, any slight additional pressure on the float ball is sufficient to make a close and air sealing contact between the ball 30 and the inner periphery of the washer. Such pressure would be created by liquid forced under pressure into the passage 12 in an attempt to refill the bottle, thereby insuring an airtight seal at the washer opening, during such refilling attempt.

In operation, when the originally filled and stoppered bottle is tilted to pouring position, the balls 30 and 33 drop away from the valve seat 19 to the closed end of the passage 12 and open the valve port 20. Liquid is therefore dispensed through the side openings 11 and the communicating grooves 13, 14, 15 or the like, out of the bottle. At the same time, air enters the bottle through the port 20 and the venting pin holes 28 or past the rough surface of the washer 52 as the case may be. If sufficient air enters at this time, dispensing flow of liquid does not decrease; if not, the bottle is stood upright for a short time to complete the venting operation and to release any partial vacuum which may have been created.

Should it be attempted to refill the bottle while it is upright, the weight of the ball 33 overcomes the tendency of the float ball 30 to rise and not only maintains the float on the valve seat, but presses on the oat under the weight of the liquid the excess amount which is sufficient to seal the vent holes or the edge of the washer. If the inflowing liquid is put under pressure, the above action is accentuated, the excess pressure insuring sealing of the port 20.

Should the bottle be tilted to a position between the vertical and horizontal, the ball 33 rides down on the inclined surface 37 of the passage top and forces the oat ball and the washer 23 against the valve seat to seal the valve port against the tendency of the ball 30 to float. If the bottle is tilted to a position between the horizontal and an inverted position, the float ball 30 rises in the liquid within the passage 12 and seals the valve. The creation of a vacuum within the bottle or the use of pressure on inflowing liquid merely aids the sealing action described.

It will therefore be seen that I have provided a long sought solution to the problem of making a bottle stopper adequately preventing refilling of the bottle and readily fixed wholly in the neck thereof, while allowing easy dispensing without danger of creating a vacuum lock in the valve, and that I have provided a stopper well designed to meet the severe requirements of commercial use.

While I have shown and described certain specific forms of the invention, various obvious changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a bottle stopper, a hollow body member open at the lower end thereof and closed at the upper end thereof and having a substantially cylindrical wall provided with circumferentially spaced dispensing openings communicating with the interior of the member, a circumferentially arranged continuous flange outstanding from the outer surface of the wall immediately below the dispensing openings, the lower edges and the lower parts of the side edges of said openings being straight and the tops and upper parts of said side edges being semi-circular, a semi-circular projection in the form of an overhead arch outstanding from the outer surface of the wall at the semi-circular edges of the openings and guarding the opening through an angle of substantially a first vertically elongated upright projection outstanding from the outer surface of the Wall between and in spaced relation to adjacent dispensing openings, the first projections alternating with the openings and extending from the upper end of the member to a point adjacent the flange and below the arches, the lower end of each first projection tapering downwardly and inwardly, a pair of vertically elongated upright second projections shorter than the first projections outstanding from the outer surface of the wall between the first projections and above each of the arches, each of said second projections being in spaced relation to the adjacent first, second and semi-circular projections and terminating substantially in a point at the lower end thereof said point being below the tops of the arches, the spaces between the adjacent projections and between the ends of the projections and the outstanding flange constituting passages for liquid dispensed through the dispensing openings, means having a valve port therein partly closing the lower end of the member, and port-closing means within the member and movable therein into and out of a valve-closing position.

2. The bottle stopper of claim 1, the valve port means comprising a sleeve of resilient compressible material having an inner cylindrical surface in frictional fitted engagement with the outer surface of the wall of the member and having an outer surface adapted frictionally to engage the inner surface of a bottle necl'c, and an integral bottom on the sleeve inwardly overhanging the inner surface of the sleeve and extending inwardly past the inner surface of the wall of the member to form an annular support for a valve member, said bottom having a central opening therein constituting the valve port..

3. The bottle stopper of claim 2, the port closing means comprising a buoyant ball, the ball having a radial hole therein closed at one end and open at the other end, and a plug of buoyant material closing said open end of the hole and having an outermost spherical exposed end surface continuous with and of the saine radius as that of the surface of the ball wherebyall parts of the surface of the ball, including the spherical surface of the plug exercise the valve-closing function thereof with equal efficiency.

4. The bottle stopper of claim 2, the port closing means comprising a pair of balls within the member, one of the balls being buoyant and the other ball being nonbuoyant, a flexible annular washer having a central opening therein of lesser diameter than that of the bouyant ball and of the valve port, said washer being arranged below the lower end of the body member and above the upper end of the sleeve bottom, the washer having auxiliary air passages therein adjacent the inner periphery of the washer, extending downwardly from the upper surface of the washer toward the lower surface thereof and providing air-vents not normally closed by the bouyant ball, said spaces being sealed by the buoyant ball upon pressure put on the buoyant ball toward the valve port suicient to compress against said ball that part of the upper surface of the washer surrounding said spaces.

5. In a bottle stopper, a hollow body member open at the lower end thereof and closed at the upper .end thereof and having a substantially cylindrical wall provided with spaced dispensing openings communicating with the interior of the member, means having a valve port therein partly closing the lower open end of the member, said means comprising a flexible compressible washer having a central opening therethrough, a valve seat for the washer a central valve port therethrough of greater diameter than that of the opening of the washer, whereby the inner peripheral part of the washer inwardly overhangs the port, and a buoyant ball of larger diameter than that of the port within and movable axially of the member, said peripheral part of the washer having auxiliary venting passages therein extending downwardly from the upper surface of the washer through the material of the washer toward the lower surface of the washer and constituting an auxiliary venting valve not normally closed by the ball, said auxiliary valve being closed by the ball upon pressure on the ball toward the valve port suiiicient to compress against the ball the upper surface of the washer around said auxiliary valve.

6. The bottle stopper of claim 5, the venting passages of the washer being in the form of depressions in the upper surface of the washer, said upper surface being irregular and rough.

7. The bottle stopper of claim 5, the venting passages of the washer being in the form of breather perforations completely through the washer.

In a bottle stopper, a hollow body member open at the lower end thereof and closed at the upper end thereof and having a wall provided with circumferentially spaced dispensing openings communicating with the interior of the member, spaced projections on the outside of and integral with the member guarding the openings, a one-piece sleeve of resilient compressible material fitted to the member and extending from a point below the openings to a point below the open end of the member, the outer diameter of the sleeve being normally greater than that of the projections until the sleeve is fitted into a bottle neck into which the projections fit snugly, an integral bottom on the sleeve constituting valve seat inwardly overhanging the inner surfaces of the sleeve and of the wall of the member and having a central opening therein of lesser diameter than that of the inner surfaces of said wall and constituting a valve port, and port-closing means comprising a flexible washer below the lower end of the member and above the valve seat and cornpressed therebetween, the washer having a central opening therein of lesser diameter than that of the seat, the washer having venting air passages therein around the inner periphery thereof surrounding the opening therein, a buoyant ball in and movable relatively to the member and arranged to 'close and open the opening in the washer and also to close and open the air passages, and la; lron-buoyant ball in the member above the buoyant 9. The bottle stopper of claim 8, the buoyant ball being non-brittle and having a radial hole therein closed at one end and open at the other end thereof, and a filler of buoyant material closing the open end of the hole and having an end spherical surface continuous with the remaining outer surface of the ball and of the same radius as that of said outer surface.

l0. The bottle stopper of claim 9, the air passages being in the form of perforations completely through the inner peripheral portion of the washer and normally arranged underneath the buoyant ball, and a rigid disc-like member between the washer and the bottom of the sleeve, said rigid member having an opening therein of lesser diameter than that of the opening in the washer.

ll. The bottle stopper of claim 9, the air passages being depressions in the upper surface of and partway through the washer, said upper surface being irregular'and rough and normally in imperfect sealing relation to the buoyant ball.

12. In a bottle stopper, a hollow body member having an interior passage therein, said member having spaced dispensing passages therethrough communicating with 'the interior passage, a float movable within the member to open and to close the interior passage, an auxiliary weighty float-operated member movable longitudinally ,within the interior passage and assisting the float to close said pas sage, the float being a ball of one diameter and the floatoperated member being a ball of a different diameter, the wall of the interior passage having an opening therein bounded by a semi-circular top, the dispensing passages being in the form of upright grooves in the outer surface of the body member, said grooves having inclined lower parts extending to said opening, a semi-circular guard projection in the grooves around the semi-circular top of the opening and preventing access to the opening, from the upper parts of the grooves, upright partitions between the grooves, the lower edges of the partitions being inclined in the general direction of the guard projection,V the body member being open at the lower end thereof and having a circumferential flange thereon below said opening, a compressible sleeve engaging the under side of the flange and adapted frictionally to fit into the neck of a bottle, said sleeve having an annular inwardly extending wall below the body member and having a valve port therein and constituting a compressible valve seat, a flexible washer having an opening therein of lesser diameter than that of the float and of the valve port and normally closed by the float and having breather perforations therethrough in outward spaced relation to and small relatively to the opening of the washer, and a rigid member between the washer and the seat having an opening therein concentric with and larger than the opening of the washer and having a depressed inner periphery thereon surrounding the opening therein and being normally in downward spaced relation to the normally unsupported and movable annular inner peripheral portion of the washer surrounding the opening of the washer, said inner periphery of the rigid member closing the breather perforations of the washer when the float is pressed against the washer to close the opening of the washer and to move the inner peripheral portion of said washer downwardly into contact with the depressed inner periphery of said member.

13. The stopper of claim l2, the washer being of leather and the rigid member being of metal.

References Cited in the file of this patent j UNITED STATES PATENTS 609,271

(Other references on following page) 7 UNITED STATES PATENTS Dryfoos June 11, 1912 Hill Nov. 12, 1912 p Pnsuti Sept. 9, 1930

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