US3192803A

US3192803A - Cork ejector with pressurized liquid propellant

Info

Publication number: US3192803A
Application number: US355685A
Authority: US
Inventors: George J Federighi
Original assignee: STERO CHEMICAL Mfg CO
Current assignee: STERO CHEMICAL Mfg CO
Priority date: 1964-03-30
Filing date: 1964-03-30
Publication date: 1965-07-06
Anticipated expiration: 1982-07-06

Description

July-6, 1965 G. J. FEDERIGHI 3,192,803

CORK EJECTOR WITH PRESSURIZED LIQUID PROPELLANT Filed March so, 1964 IEIEI: 'L :5 IE; En TIE: Q:

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INVENTOR.

GEORGE J. FEDERIGHI BY secwv ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,192,863 CGRK EJECTUR WITH FRESSURIZED LIQUID PROPELLANT George .I. Federighi, llBelvedere, Calif. Stero Chemical Mtg. Co., 713-1331 St, San Francisco, Calif.) Filed Mar. 30, I964, Ser. No. 355,685 1 Claim. (Cl. til-3.2)

The present invention relates to improvements in a cork ejector with pressurized liquid propellant, and has particular reference to improvements over my United States Patent No. 3,085,454, dated April 16, 1963, and entitled Pressurized Device for Uncorking Bottles.

In the above-identified patent, a tubular holder slidably receives a container which encloses a pressurized nontoxic gas, the holder having a needle that is made to be pushed through a cork in a bottle. The needle communicates with an outlet tube of the container to receive gas therefrom, and when the container is pushed inwardly relative to the holder, valve means are opened so that the gas will be conveyed to the interior of the bottle below the cork so as to lift the latter. When the container is released from manual pressure of the operator, the valve means are automatically closed to cut off further outflow of the gas.

However, it has been found that in some instances the corks are dry and porous, and the gas would escape upwardly through the corks without lifting the corks out of the bottles.

Accordingly, it is proposed in this invention to provide a cork ejector in which a pressurized liquid propellant is injected into the bottle below the cork. As the liquid propellant enters the low pressure area in the bottle, the expansion force of the liquid is so great as to assure the cork in being blown out by a sudden thrust or impact, but without breaking the bottle. This requires less liquid than if gas were used.

Moreover, the pressurized device shown in the aboveidentified patent requires a dip tube, which is entirely omitted in the present cork ejector, thereby reducing the cost of manufacturing.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification continues, and the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claim.

Drawing For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary view of a corked bottle, partially in section, and disclosing my cork ejector with pressurized liquid propellant in operative position for ejecting a cork from the bottle;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the cork ejector, the dispensing valve means being shown in closed position;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken through the valve dispensing means, the latter being closed as in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2, but showing the pressurized container in elevation, and with the container moved into a position so as to open the valve dispensing means; and

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view on an enlarged 3,1913% Patented July 5, 1965 Detailed description Referring now to the drawing in detail, I have shown a bottle A containing liquid 10, the neck 11 of this bottle having a cork 12 pressed thereiuto. It will be noted that my cork ejector comprises two main components: a Y

tubular holder B and a pressurized container C.

As clearly shown in FIGURES 2 and 4, the tubular holder B defines a bore 14 and a base 15. The pressurized the base 15 from below. This needle projects below the base so that it may be pushed through the cork 12, as v shown in FIGURE 1.

In its structural details, the pressurized container C has a short tubular fitting 17 mounted on its rim 18 and held in place by a cap IQ that is crimped to the rim of the container (see FIGURES 2 and 4). Also, the container is provided with an outlet tube 20 that projects upwardly into a chamber 21 formed in the fitting 17. The outlet tube 20 is slidable inwar ly and outwardly relative to the fitting 17, and the holder B guides the container C in vertical movement of the latter so as to prevent the outlet tube 26 from being bent laterally.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the needle 16 communicates with the outlet tube 26 so as to receive a pressurized liquid propellant in the manner hereinafter described. It will be seen that an O ring 22 is provided in the fitting 16a and through which the lower end of the outlet tube V 20 may be telescoped with a liquid-tight fit to thus preclude escapement of the liquid propellant into the bore 14 of the holder B.

The container C encloses a pressurized liquid propellant 23 which is available on the market at the present time. This liquid has sufi'icient pressure to expel or raise l the cork 12 relative to the bottle A, but is of the low pressure type so as to preclude bursting of the bottle A. For

example, Freon made by du Pont may be used, since it is non-toxic and non-medicated.

The pressurized liquid propellant 23 will be forced into the chamber 21 of the tubular fitting through an opening 24 formed in the latter.

The container C is provided with a normally closed container.

the tube 20. This gasket is resilient and is clamped in place between the cap 19 and the lower end of the fit- I ting 17.

A compression spring 29 is mounted in the chamber 21 so as to surround the upper section of the outlet tube 20, and the bottom of this spring bears against an annular flange 30 that is formed on the exterior of the outlet tube (see FIGURES 3 and 5). This arrangement is such that the spring 29 urges the outlet tube 24 downwardly until the opening 28 is sealed by the gasket 27 (see FIGURES 2 and 3). At this time, the dispensing valve means D are closed.

It will be noted that the base 15 has a tube-receiving socket 31a into which the lower end of the outlet tube extends, and this socket is aligned with the bore of the fitting 16a into which the tubular needle 16 extends. The fitting 1654 has a shoulder 31 therein disposed at about the top of the needle (see FIGURE 2). The lower end of the outlet tube bears against this shoulder when the container C is pushed inwardly of the holder B to a predetermined position (see FIGURE 2). At this time the valve means D are closed.

Moreover, a tubular needle 16 has its upper end i However, the shoulder 31 is disposed to slide the outlet tube 20 inwardly of the container C to unseat the valve means D when the container C is pushed further into the holder B beyond this predetermined position (see FIG- URE 4). As clearly shown in FIGURE 5, the opening 28 is uncovered by the gasket 27, when the valve means D are opened. This will permit the pressurized liquid propellant 23 to flow downwardly through the tubular needle 16, where this liquid will flow through ports 32 formed in the lower end of the needle, with this outflow of the pressurized liquid propellant passing into the interior of the bottle A below the cork 12.

When the liquid propellant 23 changes from a liquid to a gas, it expands as much as 260 times. As the liquid propellant enters the low pressure area 33 in the bottle A between the liquid contents 1t and the cork 12, the liquid propellant will immediately and suddenly expand, and the expansion force is so great as to blow the cork out of the bottle with a sudden thrust or impact, without any of it escaping through the cork, even though the latter may be dry or porous.

It is important to note that the valve dispensing means D are operable by a movement of the container C to control outflow of the liquid propellant 23 from the container and into the bottle. The container C has an upper end 34 that projects above the top of the tubular holder B so that this upper end is exposed for being depressed by an operator so as to open the valve means D. The entire device may be readily grasped in one hand of the operator and the holder B guides the pressurized container C when the operator applies downward force by a thumb or finger of the same hand, while the other hand is used for grasping the bottle A.

As clearly shown in FIGURES 3 and 5, the outlet tube 20 has a wall 35 at its upper end forming a closure thereover. Thus the liquid propellant 23 must pass through the opening 28 in order to flow through the outlet tube 20 and into the tubular needle 16, and the opening 28 must be uncovered by the gasket 27 before the liquid propellant can enter the outlet tube.

The relatively short tubular fitting 17 through which the liquid propellant is conveyed is arranged near thebottom of the container C so that substantially all of the liquid 23 may be dispensed from the container, and no dip tube is required.

It will be apparent that the container C is guided by the bore 14 of the holder B for straight axial movements,

whereby the outlet tube 2% will not be bent laterally during the reciprocating movements of the container. Moreover, the container C with its outlet tube and valve means D is withdrawable as a unit, whereby a replacement container and its outlet tube and valve means may be inserted into the holder, or the withdrawn container may be recharged with pressurized liquid propellant and then reinserted into the holder.

I claim:

In a cork ejector with pressurized liquid propellant:

(a) a tubular holder defining a bore and a base, the latter having a tube-receiving socket and a shoulder associated with the socket;

(b) a container enclosing a pressurized liquid propellant that is non-medicated and non-toxic;

(c) the container being slidably disposed in the bore of the holder, and being movable toward and away from the base;

(d) a tubular needle having an upper end anchored to the base and projecting below the latter, and being made to be pushed through a cork in a bottle containing liquid;

(e) the container being provided with an outlet tube for discharge of the propellant;

(f) the outlet tube removably projecting into the tubereceiving socket;

(g) the needle communicating with the outlet tube to receive the liquid propellant therefrom, and being made to convey the liquid propellant to the interior of the bottle to eject the cork with a sudden thrust or impact, when the liquid propellant expands in the interior of the bottle below the cork;

(h) the outlet tube being slidable inwardly and outwardly relative to the container;

(i) a normally closed dispensing valve means sealing the outlet tube against escapement of the liquid propellent from the container;

(j) the valve means being arranged to be unseated, when the outlet tube is moved inwardly relative to the container;

(k) the lower end of the outlet tube bearing against the shoulder, when the container is pushed inwardly of the holder to a predetermined position, and the shoulder urging the outlet tube inwardly of the container to unseat the valve means, when the container is pushed further into the holder beyond this predetermined position;

(l) the outlet tube communicating with the lower part of the container to receive the liquid propellant therefrom, when the valve means are opened, and the needle extends downwardly through the cork;

(m) and the container being provided with a short fitting in the lower end of the container and extending only a short distancewithin the container and including an opening therein placing the liquid propellant directly in communication with the valve means.

ReferencesCited by the Examiner UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 3,085,454 4/63 Federighi 813.2

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

JAMES L. JONES, JR., Examiner.