US663335A - Non-refillable bottle. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Dec. 4, |900.

J. A. FOSTER.

(No Model.)

N univ,

ils-.irren Sfrarns JAMES A. FOSTER, OF TACOMA, WASHINGTON.

NONhREFlLLABLE BOTTLE.

SPECFCA'-ION forming part of Letters Patent No. 663,335, dated December 4, 1900.

Application filed July 13, 1899. Serial No. 723,744. (No model.) i

To a/ZZ wtont t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. FosTER, of Tacoma, in the county of Pierce, and in the State of vVashingtom have invented certain new and useful improvements in Non-Rehliable Bottles; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure l is a vertical section of the upper portion of a bottle embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a similar view, the bottle being inverted for pouring out its contents; Fig, 3, a horizont-al section on the line a; a; of Fig. l, Fig. 4, a detail view in perspective of the guard and one of its fastening springs or latches separated from each other, and Fig. 5 a side elevation of a guard having liquidpassages of a different form from those shown in Fig. 4.

Letters of like name and kind referto like parts in each of the figures.

The object of my invention is the provision of simple and inexpeusive,but Whollyefficient means for preventing the fraudulent refilling of bottles and like vessels; and to this end said invention consists in the guard and valve mechanism constructed substantially as hereinafter specified.

In the embodiment of my invention which I have selected for illustration I provide in a bottle-neck A, at the inner en d thereof, a contracted passage a., around the outer end of which is formed a valve-seat B, which is preferably ground and has a conical form. A conical valve C is provided that closes the passage a to the ingress of liquid, but permits egress of liquid from the bottle, being guided in its movements to and from the seat by wings c and c on its inner side, that enter the passage d, and a centrally-located stem cl on its outer side, whose outer end enters a central opening cl in a guard D in the bottleneck. Attached to the valve-stem is a cupformed device E,whose open end is adjacent to the valve, while its closed end is near the portion of the stem that enters the guardopening d, and between such closed end and the guard D is a hard-rubber or enameledsteel spiral spring F, that presses the valve yieldingly to its seat. The guard has a recess (ll in its inner end, into which a portion of the spring extends and fits snugly. When the bottle is inverted to pour out its contents, the

weight of the liquid on the inner side of the q seat until every drop of the bottles cont-ents is poured olf. The capacity of the cup is such that when full of liquid its weight overhalances the pressure of the spring. It is apparent that without the cup the spring would move and hold the valve toits seat before all of the liquid could pass out, such action of the spring taking effect as soon as the diminution of the quantity of liquid in the bottle should make the liquid-pressure on the valve unequal to the power of the spring. The open end of the cup is sufciently close to the valve as to form acontracted passage, so that it will be certain that the valve Will be seated before any liquid can run through from the cup into the passage a When the bottle is turned to pour the liquid out of the cup into the neck, as is done to get the liquid remaining in the cup. The valve, Whose seatengaging surface is ground, its wings, its stem, and the cup are all made of glass and molded in one piece.

The guard D closely fits the neck of the bottle at a point sufficiently below the neck thereof to permit the use of an ordinary cork orstopper, and it is secured in place by means of, preferably, two diametrically-opposite locking devices or latches G and G, each of which consists of a bowed spring-plate placed in a longitudinally-extending recess cl2 in the guard, with its ends engaging the respective ends of the recess, and a lug o: projection g between its ends engaging a cavity Ct' formed in the neck of the bottle. The two latches are diametrically opposite, and extending in line therewith diametrically across the outer end of the guard is a rather slight bar or rib d3, beneath which is a cavity d4 in the guard, Whose diameter is such that it leaves a thin wall adjacent to the outer ends of the latchrecesses. By breaking down the rib or bar,

which may be done by a proper tool because of its slight frangible character and the cavity beneath it, and by breaking away the thin walls the outer ends of the latches G and G may be exposed and rendered accessible, so

IOO

that they, and thus the guard, can be removed and the valve taken out to enable the bottle and valve to be used again, a new guard only, that costs but little, being required.

Irregular or tortuous passages d5 and d5 are provided in the side of the guard for the liquid, the form I p'refer being one composed of two non-alining longitudinally-extending portions starting from each end of the guard and connected between its ends by a transverse inclined portion. This form permits the ready iioW of the liquid, but absolutely prevents the insertion of a wire or the like past the guard. If desired, each groove may be given the V shape shown in Fig. 5.

In the use of my improvements the bottle,

without the guard and valve in place, is filled. The valve is now placed in the neck, being dropped to its seat. 'lhe guard, with the spiral spring held in the recess in its end and with the latches pressed into the respective recesses in the guard, is next forced into the neck until the outer end of the valve-stern enters its opening in the guard and the lugs of the latches spring into engagement with their respective cavities in the neck of the bottle.

The guard makes it impossible to tamper with the valve by means of a Wire, and it would be impossible to fill the bottle when the valve is held 0E its seat by the volume of liquid in its cup, for as soon as the liquid sought to be placed in the bottle should reach the valve the entire cup would thus be submerged or enveloped, and hence the spring would be free to act and the valve promptly seated.

Of course I do not limit myself to the details of construction shown and described, as these will vary, especially in suiting the device to bottles for various liquids.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl. In a bottle, the combination of a valve, aguard, and fastening means securing the guard to the bottle, the guard being readily frangible to give access to the fastening means, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a bottle, the combination of a valve, a guard, fastening means securing the guard to the bottle, and a frangible barrier adjacent to the fastening means, by Whose breakage access to the latter is afforded, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. In a bottle, the combination of a valve,

a guard, and fastening means securing the guard to the bottle, the guard having a cavity forming a thin frangible wall adjacent to the fastening means substantially as and `for the purpose described.

4. In a bottle, the combination of a valve,

a guard, and fastening means securing the guard to the bottle, the guard having a part closing a passage by which the fastening means can be removed, such part being connected to the guard by thin, readily-frangible Walls, and being capable of engagement through the neck of the bottle, substantially as and for the purpose described.

5. In a bottle, the combination of a valve, a guard, and fastening means securing the guard to the bottle, the guard having a bar whose ends close passages by which the fastening means can be removed, such bar being connected to the guard by thin, readily-frangible walls, and having a space formed thereunder, whereby it can be engaged by a hook inserted inthe neck of the bottle, substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. In a bottle, the combination of a valve, a cup attached to the Valve with its open end directed toward said valve, a spring tending to seat the valve, and a guard, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7.*In a bottle, the combination of a valve, a cup attached to the Valve with its open end adjacent to and partly closed by said valve, a spring tending to seat the valve, and a guard, substantially as and for the purpose described.

S. In a bottle, the combination of a valve, a cup attached to the valve, such cup having its end adjacent to and partly closed by said valve and having its lip close to the valve-seat when the valve is closed, a spring tending to close the valve, and a guard, substantially as and for the purpose described.

9. In a bottle, the combination of a valve, a cup attached to the valve with its open end adjacent to the valve, a guard, a valve-stem entering an openingin theguard, and aspring between the guard and the closed end of the cup, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 26th day of June, A. D. 1899.

JAMES A. FOSTER. Witnesses:

WV. L. SAoHsE, J. M. ASHTON.

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