876 FEDERAL REPORTER. �consista of a stem having thereon secured or formed a cup- shaped valve, opening upward, of gutta percha, or other elastic or yielding substance, so constructed that it can be brought into close contact with a suitable bearing surface or seat on the interior of the neck of the bottle. The position of the valve on the stem is such as to allow the upper end of the stem, or knob of the stopper, to protrude a short distance beyond the mouth of the bottle when the valve is in its seat. The bottle is opened by pressure, or a blow with the hand upon the protruding knob, the stopper falling down into the bottle. The stem is of such a length that the stopper can- not turn over in the bottle, but must always present itself right end foremost to the^n^eck of the bottle. The manner of closing the bottle is.to invert it, when the stopper f ails into the neck — the valve ;resting in its seat. When the bot- tle ccntains aerated lijjuid, :,the upward pressure of the gas seats the valve tightly and k,eeps the bottle , closed. But, inrbottling,stillliquids,. the valve is brought ti^tly into its seat by puUing the protrudi^og k^^ob of the stopper,, and the eompression of the valveyjn i^h& tapering portion of the neck yfiil iijsure the retention ,pf the stopper when the bottle is turned np again. �In bis specification the inyentor states that he prefers to ift^ike the valve (as: sho^ji in ;tiie drawings) conic^l,, vith the upper end hoUow, and to proyide the interior of the neck of the bottle with a shoulder, "for in this form of valve and seat the stopper is readily forced down through the neck, but in being forced up against its seat or shoulder, the valve, c, will be bulged or upse,t,;4nlj cannot be forced ont." Other forms of valve, it is stated, may be used. "The valve, c, and neck of the bottle should,, feowever, be so shaped (even when the shoulder, x, is employed) that the former will be com- pressed in the taper portion of the neck before it comes against the shoulder, in order to create friction sufficient to prevent the falling in of the stopper when still liquors are contained in the bottle. " �The claims of this patent are in these words: "Firstly, the employment in combination with a bottle, having the interior ��� �
