US835822A - Stopper for bottles or other receptacles. - Google Patents

Description

No. 835,822. i PATENTED NOV. 13.1906. I L. GANUGGI-GANGBLLIERLA. CAPPBLLETTI' 6L S. CANTINI. STOPPBR FOR lBO'ITLES' 0R OTHER lRECEPTAGLES.

APPLICATION lFI'LED JAN.18, 1905.

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UNITED STATESv PATENT OFFICE.

LIONELLO GANUCOI-CANCELLIERI, ANOHISE CAPPELLETTI, AND SILVIO OANTINI, OF FLORENCE, ITALY.

STOPFER FOR BOTTLES OR OTHER RECEPTACLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 1906.

Application led January 18, 1905. Serial No. 241,658.

To @llink/0m, it may concern:

Be it known that we, LIONELLO GANUCCI- CANCELLIERI, ANoHIsE CAPPELLETTI, and SILVIO OANTINI, subjects of the King of Italy, residing at Florence, Italy, have invented new and useful Improvements in Stoppers for Bottles or other Receptacles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved stopper for bottles or other receptacles for liquids, the object of which is to prevent su ch receptacles when once emptied from being refilled or to prevent their being totally or partially emptied without any trace of the original stoppering remaining.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a vertical section of a stopper. Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of the stopper. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of a bottle-neck. Fig 5 is a horizontal section of a bottle-neck. Fig. 6 is a vertical section of a stopper provided with non-reiillable means. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the stopper shown in Fig. 6 as applied to a bottle. Fig. 8 is a section on line y of Fig. 6, and Fig. 9 is a section on line w z of Fig. 6.

This stopper or capsule," as it may be called, may be formed either in glass or metal and is open at one end, by which it is applied to the receptacles, while it is closed at the opposite end and may be broken open (at the time when theliquid is being poured out) when it is desired to attain the first object. Seeing that the essential object of this invention is that of preserving the absolute purity of all liquid products, either by rendering it impossible to imitate the exterior form of the means for stoppering the receptacles without by the act leaving indisputable proof of the fraud committed or by protecting the liquids from all temptation to withdraw same from the receptacles or to substitute others, we will first describe, as the most important feature or principle, the system by which this stopper is connected to the receptacles in such a way that no matter what artifice is resorted to one can never detach it without breaking it and without thereby producing evidence that the receptacle has been tampered with. We will therefore describe the lower and open part of the stopper7 by means of which it is attached to the receptacle. This part (shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3) is of cylindrical form or slightly conical, and this in relation to the form of the ,receptacles with which it is desired to employ the stopper, and is formed at its lower end with an interior circular uniform groove a, which at three equidistant points from each other is enlarged in such a way that it forms three hemispherical cavities b, in which three small glass spherical balls c can be introduced. After selecting the stopper of the size adapted to the neck of the receptacle to which it is to be applied the three small balls c are introduced into the cavities b, and by making use, if necessary, of a small strip of paper they may be held immovable until the stopper has been applied to the neck of the receptacle, after which the small strip of paper is withdrawn and the stopper is-thus secured. The following is the reason why it can no longer be detached: The balls c, which are free to leave the cavities b and enter a kind of circular ring, (which is formed by the groove a of the stopper and by the diminished diameter below the collar with which the necks of ordinary bottles are provided,) are constantly falling to the lowest point of this ring, and this by gravitation, said three small balls therefore never being capable of entering at the same time into their respective cavities. Either one or the other or more than one together will prevent in the most absolute manner the stopper from being withdrawn from the receptacle to which it is already applied. This lower part of the stopper, by means of which the connection of the stopper itself to the receptacle is effected, may be simply completed by the top closed wall or cover d, as shown in Fig. l,

and in this case it naturally follows that if I one tries to remove the liquid from the receptacle closed with such a stopper it is necessary to break the stopper, and if one attempts to again place the bottle in use containing a falsified liquid it is necessary to manufacture a stopper which is also false. The hermetic closing of a receptacle provided with this stopper may be effected by means of cement introduced between the neck and the stopper itself. When 1t is desired to adopt this system for the application of Stoppers to receptacles without a collar, it is necessary to employ a special receptacle constructed in such a waythat they have the outlet formed IOO IOS

in the neck, in the thickness of which are provided three cavities e, communicating with each other by means of a circular groove When this latter is made to correspond with the other groove a of the stopper, they will form the usual ring, in which the small spheres c can move freely. An example of this form of construction is shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

It has been already stated that one of the objects of the invention is that of preventing receptacles which have once been emptied from being refilled. In this case the lower part of the stopper, corresponding with the system already described for the connection of the stopper to the receptacle, is completed by an upper part, which, in order to facilitate description, we will divide into two parts. The first part or extreme ripper part (see Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9) has the form of an S and has at each of its inward bends a horizontal diaphragm g g', which closes about three-quarters of the outlet-orifice. The second part, which comes immediately below, terminates in a cylinder h, which changes into a truncated cone '11. This cone forms an angle to the perpendicular, which enables the phenomena to be hereinafter described to take place and, if the vertical is considered, the axis of the stopper held vertically, it has been ascertained that an angle of forty-five degrees is the best in practice. In the wall of the truncated cone there are eight interruptions or breaks lc 7d, &c., equidistant from each other and which present kinds of grooves if viewed from the exterior or swellings or pro- -iections if viewed from the interior. rlhese breaks have for object to prevent a movable sphere l from entirely obstructing the pas* sage between this second part and the first part of S form. This second part contains two movable pieces of glass-that is to say, there is the solid sphere l and a hollow float m of cylindrical form provided with four small external wings n 'n' n n and with a slight depression in its base.

We will now proceed to describe the operationvof the stopper. ln order to facilitate the description, we will suppose that the stopper, a suitable size of which has been chosen, has been applied to a receptacle of bottle form, as is shown in Fig. 7. The following is therefore what occurs: lf the bottle is tilted to the necessary extent, the sphere Z will be caused to bear upon the eight swellings 7 c, Sac., of the truncated cone, thus permitting the float fm to move from its seat constituted by the orifice in the bottle and to allow the liquid to fiow out. Let us now consider how the apparatus operates under varying circumstances in which refilling is attempted. An infinity of inclinations may certainly be imparted to the bottles while attempting to refill same; but the cases really differing are four in numberthat is to say- Case No. 1, when the bottle is held in a vertical position: In this case the fioat m on account of its weight and that of the sphere which is above it has its base firmly applied against its seat and prevents anything being introduced. It is necessary to note in this case, as also for those which follow7 that experience has demonstrated that if for Ascientific reasons, if not for a commercial object, which is not absolutely necessary, it is desired to attain a perfect and absolute hermetical closing it will suffice topolish the lower base o of the fioat m and the opening p of the bottle which serves as its seat by means of emery. One might even, if desired, place between the lower surface of the float and the orifice p of the bottle a sheet of elastic material or other substance, with the object of insuring a perfect closure.

Second case, when the axis of the bottle is horizontal: In this case the float remains applied to its seat and cannot move away therefrom on account of the sphere Z, which bears on the swellings ic of the truncated cone and which can only be displaced by running up an inclined plane without there being any power impelling it to effect this movement. As above stated, it has been found that the most suitable inclination of the plane is fortyfive degrees.

4Third case, when the axis of the bottle forms an angle of forty-five degrees or slightly larger angle to the horizontal, (the top being pointed downward,) and consequently the truncated cone is in a horizontal plane or very slightly inclined: In this casethe sphere l falls down, and byits displacement it permits the float m to move from its seat, leaving the orifice of the bottle open. Now supposing that it is attempted to introduce liquids by placing the bottle in communication with another filled receptacle at a higher level by means of any suitable conduit, the following phenomenon would result: The sphere would remain immovable; but as soon as the fioat comes in contact with the liquid it is compelled to fioat, and consequently to move upward in front of the liquid and arrive on its seat in advance thereof, thus again closing the orifice of the bottle.

Fourth case, when the bottle is inverted: In this case the phenomenon described in the preceding case is accentuated, because the fioat will present a larger contact-surface to the liquid which it is attempted to introduce. All cases of exterior pressure (immersion in a liquid, force-pumps, &c.,) would only serve the purpose of compelling the float to close the receptacle with greater force. It is necessary to particularly remark that even by creating a vacuum in the receptacle the phenomena above set forth will be even still further accentuated. Y

The advantage will therefore be evident of basing the operation of the apparatus on the TOO IIO

absolutely novel and original employment of a float and of suppressing in such apparatus all kinds of valves, Which remain inert in contact With liquids and Which do not sulice to resist the great differences of pressure Which can be produced by making use of a forcepump. It is necessary to add that the diaphragms g g serve to prevent in the most effectual manner the introduction of no matter what form of implement, even if lieXible, and thus guaranteeing the float from any illicit displacement Which may be attempted from the exterior, and that the ioat may for each special case be made heavier or lighter and calibrated, therefore, for` all kinds of liquids.

Finally, as hereinbefore stated, in this improved stopper We have a complete apparatus Which serves to prevent the receptacles to Which it is applied from being refilled after having been emptied, and if the parts 1 and 2 are suppressed and We suppose it closed by the Wall or cover d immediately above its point of connection it may be employed more simply for attaining the object that the receptacles When once filled by the. producer can no longer in any Way be emptied Without breaking the original stopper, Which could not be replaced by any other Without clearly l establishing fraud.

vWhat We claim as our invention is- 1. ln combination With a bottle and stopper, one of said parts having an annular groove therein and hemispherical recesses communicating with said groove, spherical bodies in said groove and means on the other part engaging With said bodies, substantially as described.

2. A bottle having an annular groove in its neck and hemispherical recesses communicating with said groove, spherical bodies in said grooves, a stopper fitting over said neck and means on the stopper engaging the bodies.

3. A bottle having an annular groove in its neck and hemispherical recesses communicating With the groove, spherical bodies in said groove, a stopper, means carried thereby for engaging With the said bodies and nonrefillable means carried by said stopper.

4. In combination with a bottle, a stopper itting over the neck of the same, means for permanently securing the stopper to the bottle, said stopper having an S-shaped passage in its upper end and a chamber 7L immediately above the mouth of the bottle, a conical portion connecting said chamber With the S-shaped passage, ribs on said conical portion, a iioat in the chamber h adapted to close the mouth of the bottle and a spherical body Z in said chamber above the iloat, substantially as described.

5. In combination With a bottle, a stopper permanently connected to the neck thereof, said stopper forming a chamber h immediately above the mouth of the bottle, a lioat and Weight in said chamber, the upper part of the stopper being contracted so as to prevent the Weight and oat from being removed and projections g, g in the contracted part of the stopper, substantially as described.

In Witness whereof We have hereunto set our hands in presence of t'Wo Witnesses.

LIONELLO GANUCGI-OANCELLIERI. ANCHISE CAPPELLETTI. SILVIO CANTINI.

Witnesses:

SPiRITo BERNARDY, JAY ARLYXHE ZAMMERI.

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