HutchBook.comJoseph A. Stukey Bottle Stopper
Joseph A.
Stukey’s patent application was filed January 8, 1892 and specified:
I, Joseph A Stukey…of…Columbus…Ohio, have invented a
certain new and useful Improvement in Bottle-Stoppers…and has particular
relation to that class of bottle-stoppers which are adapted for use with
bottles containing carbonated liquids and wherein a double wire stem or
shank is made to support a flexible stopper-disk between two rigid
buttons.
The object of my invention are to provide a stopper of
this class of superior construction and arrangement, to form integral
with the stopper-disk holding-buttons a casing for the doubling-point of
the wire shank, and in forming said casing not only greatly increase the
strength and durability of the stopper, but produce thereby a form of
knob or projection at the inner end of said wire shank or stem which
will greatly facilitate the withdrawal of the stopper through the
bottle-neck when the stopper has been reversed within said bottle…
Figure 1 represents in elevation a bottle closed by my
improved stopper. Fig. 2 is
a detail view, in elevation, of said stopper.
Fig. 3 is a central sectional view of the stopper shown in Fig.
2. Fig. 4 is an inner end
view of the stopper. Fig. 5
is a view in elevation of the tool employed in withdrawing the stopper
from the bottle, and Fig. 6 is a similar view of the tool employed in
restoring the stopper to the closed position shown in full lines in Fig.
1…
In case it is desired to gain access to the bottle for
the purpose of cleaning the operation of removing the stopper entirely
from connection with the bottle has been as follows: The stopper has
been pressed completely within the bottle-body and the bottle so
manipulated as to cause the stopper to be reversed or turned end for end
within the bottle. In this
position it is customary to withdraw the stopper from the bottle by
engaging the loop a2 of the
wire with a suitable hook and drawing the stopper through the
bottle-neck. The formation
of the short bends necessary to produce the loop
a2 has resulted in weakening
the wire to such extent that the latter often breaks at the
doubling-point when submitted to the strain imparted thereto when the
same is drawn through the bottle-neck.
This difficulty I have remedied by incasing the doubling point or
loop and forming the same into a ball-shaped body, which may be easily
grasped by the jaws f’ of
suitable pliers…
In drawing the stopper back to the closed position
shown in Fig. 1…I employ the tool shown in Fig. 6.
In using this tool the hook end
s thereof is engaged with the
crossed stopper-hooks a4.
Comments:
National
Bottlers’ Gazette advertising copy for
Joseph A. Stukey’s “Patent Perfect Spring Bottle Stopper” declared his
stopper was “The Finest Soda Bottle Stopper In The World” and
“Guaranteed Pure Block Tin.”
Stukey’s stoppers sold for $2.50 per gross.
The extent of Stukey’s marketing success is unknown.
Special thanks to David Graci, author of
Soda and Beer BOTTLE
CLOSURES 1850 – 1910, for providing the patent number for
this little known stopper.