US599798A - Joseph schneible - Google Patents

Description

3 (No Model.)

J. SGHNEIBLEL v METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SAT'URATING GORKS- I No. 599,7

Patented Mar. 1, 1898.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH SCHNEIBLE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SATU-RATING CORKS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 599,798, dated March 1, 1898.

Application filed December 11, 1896. Serial No. 615,273. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH SCHNEIBLE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of New York, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Treating Corks for Bottling, 850., of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

This invention relatesto the treatment of corks preparatory to their use in closing the mouths of bottles and for other purposes.

It is well known that ordinary dry corks as they come from the cutterv are not easily inserted in the mouths of bottles when it is necessary to have them fit very tightly within the bottle-mouths, and, moreover, that such corks sometimes permit the passage through them of gas or air, especially when the bottles to which they are applied are kept in an upright position and the corks are not moistened by the liquid in the bottles. Up to the present time it has been sought to overcome these difficulties in various ways, as by steaming the corks, or by boiling them, or soaking them in water or in other liquid; but these various methods leave much to be desired in the condition of the cork after treatment. The corks are softened and made pliable for the time being by the application of heat, but the effectis quickly lost, the life of the cork is apt to be taken out by boiling, the corks quickly dry out in use, and whatever substance is applied to the corks effects the surface only and does not penetrate through the body of the cork I have sought by my invention to provide for such treatment of corks as to make them more pliable, to fill the pores, and to prevent drying out even if the bottles or other receptacles to which the corks are applied are allowed to stand upright.

In practicing my invention the corks are placed in a suitable vessel, together with a proper quantity of the material or substance with which the corks areto be treated, and a partial vacuum is produced therein. This causes the material, which is naturally of a fluid character, to penetrate the corks through and through, filling the pores thereof so that the corks are saturated therewith. The material which I prefer to employ for the treatment of the corks is glycerin, which renders the corks sufficiently soft and pliable and preserves them indefinitely in that condition, while it has no injurious efiect upon the liquids which may be contained in the bottles. It is desirable also. to mix with the glycerin or other liquid a small proportion of some suitable antiseptic, such as salicylic acid, to preserve the cork from mold, 850.

I have found that the most convenient and ment above referred to can be carried out with many different forms of apparatus and that so far as the method is concerned the invention is not to be restricted to any particular form of apparatus; but in order to illustrate fully a practical application of my invention I have shown one form of appara tus well adapted for the practice of the method in the accompanying drawing, which represents such an apparatus partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal section.'

V In the apparatus shown in the drawing the tank A or vessel in which the corks are to be treated is supported by suitable standards B B and is preferably adapted to be rotated in bearings in said standard, the central shaft 0 by which the vessel is supported being provided with fast and loose pulleys D and D to receive a driving-belt. The shaft 0 is tubular, is provided within the vessel A with several lateral openings 0, and is adapted to be connected, through a'suitable stuffingbox 0, with a steam-pipe E, the latter having a suitable valve e to control the admission of steam. A vacuum and pressure-gage 6 may be applied to the tubular shaft 0 or to the steam-pipe E. The vessel A is provided with a hand-hole and cover, as at F, 'so that the corks can be readily introduced and removed and the vessel itself tightly closed, and there are also provided suitable means by which the glycerin or other substance can be introduced into the vessel at the proper time. For this purpose I may conveniently employ an oil-cup G, which has a cover 9 and a stop-cock g in the stem by which it is connected to the vessel. In proximity to the vessel A, preferably above the same, is supported a water pipe II, which is provided with a series of perforations h h, through which streams of water can be directed upon the vessel A, and with a suitable valve 7b to control the supply of water.

In the use of the apparatus above described and in the practice of my invention steam is first introduced into the drum or vessel A until the same is thoroughly heated. lhen the corks are introduced, the cover of the handhole is replaced, and the drum or vessel is rotated until the corks are well heated. Then the proper quantity of glycerin or other substances with which the cup G has been filled is admitted by turning the stop-cock g, the steam-valve e is closed, and water is admitted through the pipe H, the drum or vessel being rotated meanwhile. The rapid cooling of the vessel and its contents and the consequent condensation of the steam therein produces a partial vacuum within thevessel, which causes the glycerin therein to penetrate the corks through and through. After the vessel and its contents have been cooled down the partial vacuum is destroyed by opening the vent or cook a, which is provided for the purpose and for the further purpose of draining off the water of condensation, the cover of the hand-1101c is moved, and the corks are withdrawn in condition for use.

Vith this apparatus corks can be treated rapidly in considerable quantities, and it is found that the corks treated are very soft and pliable, are thoroughly saturated with the glycerin or whatever material may be used for the purpose, and are easily inserted into the bottles. Glycerin is found to give very satisfactory results when employed as 'the material with which the corks are to be saturated, especially if its tendency to gather moisture and to mold is offset by the admixture of a small proportion of some antiseptic, such as salicylic acid; but it will be obvious that other substances may be employed, as well as that the method can be carried out independently of the apparatus herein shown and described.

I claim as my invention 1. The method of preparing corks which consists in heating the corks in a vessel, introducing glycerin into the vessel, closing the vessel, and cooling the vessel and its contents while the Vessel is closed, whereby a partial vacuum is produced.

2. An apparatus for treating corks comprising a closed vessel having an opening through which the corks can be introduced and a cover therefor, means to rotate said vessel, a connection whereby steam can be supplied to said vessel, a valve to control said connection, an independent closed receptacle connected to said receptacle, a valve to control the connection between said receptacle and said vessel, a vent-cock for said vessel and means to cool said vessel.

3. An apparatus for treating corks comprising a drum and means to rotate the same, said drum having an opening for the introduction of corks and a cover therefor, a connection whereby steam can be supplied to said drum, a valve to control said connection, and a perforated water-pipe supported in proximity to said vessel.

This specification signed and witnessed this 5th day of December, A. D. 1896.

J OSEPII SOIINEIBLE.

In presence of A. N. JESBERA, W. B. GREELEY.

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