Pressurized cork-removal apparatus for wine bottles and other containers

An apparatus for removing a stopper from a container of the type that uses gas under pressure to eject the stopper, said removal apparatus including:

• A. a first housing,
• B. valve body means in said first housing including a first end with an aperture therethrough and a second open end, said first end defining a valve seat at the inner surface thereof adjacent said aperture, said second end securing a gas cylinder to said valve body means,
• C. input port means mounted in said valve body means and spaced from said first and second ends of said valve body means for piercing a gas cylinder and conducting gas from the cylinder through an aperture in said input port means to a gas reservoir defined by said valve body means between said input port means and said first end,
• D. piston-driven valve means for controlling the flow of gas under pressure from the gas cylinder through the aperture in said first end of said valve body means, said piston-driven valve means having piston means disposed in said gas reservoir and actuator stem means extending from said piston means through the aperture in said first end of said valve body means thereby to guide said valve means between an open position and a sealing position,
• E. sealing means carried on said actuator stem means in said gas reservoir between said piston means and said valve seat means,
• F. means for providing a sliding seal between said actuator stem means and said valve body means, the input of said gas passage means being located between said piston means and said sliding seal means,
• G. actuator means for applying an opening force to said actuator stem means outside said gas reservoir for moving said valve means to an open position whereby gas passes from said reservoir through said valve body means, said valve means moving to the sealing position when the opening force from said actuator means terminates, gas pressure in said gas reservoir acting on said piston means for producing the sole force that displaces said valve means to the sealing position and produces a seal by forcing said piston means and said sealing means against said valve seat means,
• H. gas cylinder means including:
• i. a hollow cylinder for storing the gas under pressure with means for engaging said securing means,
• ii. an exit port for said gas including a seal formed there across prior to use of said cylinder,
• iii. a sealing member mounted to said cylinder means adjacent said exit port, said sealing member preventing the escape of gas from said cylinder means when said piercing means breaks exit said port seal,
• I. a second housing being detachably mounted to said first housing and including:
• i. a first portion surrounding the gas cylinder and communicating with said gas passages,
• ii. a transverse wall with a gas exit port therethrough,
• iii. pressure relief means for exhausting the volume around said cylinder,
• iv. hollow needle means connected at a first end to the exit port for passing through a stopper and conducting gas under pressure into the container through a second end of said needle means thereby to force the stopper out of the container,
• v. open-ended cylindrical cover means connected to said first end of said needle means and extending coaxially with said needle means, said cover means inclduing longitudinal slots formed therein,
• vi. disk means having a central aperture for receiving said needle means and inclduing means for engaging the slots in said cover,
• vii. capture means mounted to said cover means at the open end thereof to capture said disk means, the longitudinal dimension of said cover means and said capture means exceeding the length of said needle means,
• vii. spring means mounted in said cover and bringing said disk means toward said capture means, said capture means being positioned as said disk means normally covers the second end of said needle means.