US 3,944,104 AGranted

Threaded wine bottle stopper

AssigneeConsumers Glass Company Limited

InventorsWilliam Bruce Watson, Vernon James Graves

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Abstract

A threaded bottle stopper for controlling the release of pressurized gases from a bottle is disclosed. The threaded bottle stopper is used in conjunction with an externally threaded bottle neck and comprises a cap having an internally threaded annular skirt depending downwardly therefrom and a tubular body portion extending downwardly from and integral with the underside of the cap. The outside diameter of the tubular body portion is such to permit insertion thereof within a neck bore of a bottle. The continuous thread on the annular skirt engages a continuous thread on the neck of the bottle where rotation of the threaded stopper in both directions moves the tubular body portion respectively into and out of the neck bore of the bottle. The bottle stopper is provided with means for sealing the discharge opening of the bottle neck. The tubular body portion of the stopper has gas release means on the outside surface thereof for controlling the release of pressurized gases from the bottle by providing at least one open-ended tortuous channel through which the pressurized gases pass before escaping to the atmosphere. The gas release means releases pressurized gases from the bottle while the threaded stopper engages the threaded bottle neck. The threaded bottle stopper provides a mechanical means for removing a stopper from a bottle containing carbonated beverages where the release of pressurized gases is controlled to preclude spillage and ejection of the stopper at a high velocity when the bottle is opened.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A threaded bottle stopper for engaging an externally threaded bottle neck to provide a controlled release of pressurized gases from a bottle, comprising:

a cap having a disc portion with an annular skirt depending downwardly therefrom;
a tubular body portion extending downwardly from and integral with the underside of said disc portion, the outside diameter of said tubular body portion being less than the inside diameter of said annular skirt where the longitudinal axis of said tubular body portion is coincident with the longitudinal axis of said annular skirt;
an annular space being defined between the outside surface of said tubular body portion and the inside surface of said annular skirt;
a continuous thread on the inside surface of said annular skirt;
the outside diameter of said tubular body portion being such to permit insertion of said tubular body portion in a bottle neck bore;
said continuous thread on said annular skirt adapted to engage a continuous external thread on a neck of a bottle whereby rotation of said threaded bottle stopper about its longitudinal axis in both directions moves said tubular body portion respectively into and out of the neck bore of the bottle;
said bottle stopper having means for sealing the discharge opening of the bottle neck;
said tubular body portion having gas release means on the outside surface thereof for controlling the release of pressurized gases from a bottle by providing at least one open-ended tortuous channel through which the pressurized gases pass before escaping to the atmosphere;
said gas release means releasing pressurized gases from the bottle while said continuous thread on said annular skirt engages the external thread of the externally threaded bottle neck and subsequent to a breaking of said means for sealing the discharge opening of the bottle neck upon rotation of said threaded bottle stopper in the respective direction.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.