Claims
- 1. A method for stoppering a bottle with pressurized, carbonated, water-based liquid contents; said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a bottle having a body portion; an elongated neck portion; and, a mouth portion; said neck portion having two relatively axially proximate, circumferential, squat, annular flanges spaced apart longitudinally of the neck and adjacent to the mouth;
- (b) providing a corking means having:
- (i) an elongated, generally circularly cylindrical stopper, insertable with frictional engagement into the mouth portion of the bottle;
- (ii) a head connected to the stopper;
- (iii) an annular, circumferential ring, dimensioned and shaped for reception between the two annular flanges of the bottle neck; said annular ring being positioned and spaced below the head as molded and being concentric with the stopper, said ring being below the head;
- (iv) a flexible, elongated tether having one end connected to the ring and the other end connected to the head; said tether being in a folded state as molded and having a length substantially greater than the distance between said one end and said other end; and
- (v) a plurality of short frangible bridges, circumferentially spaced apart of each other; said frangible bridges connecting the head to the ring;
- (vi) the stopper, head, ring, tether and bridges being integrally molded in one piece of elastomeric plastic;
- (c) inserting the stopper portion of the corking means into the mouth portion of the bottle with a die; and
- (d) thereafter forcing the annular ring portion of the corking means downwardly with a second die over the upper of the two annular flanges to a position between the two annular flanges of the bottle;
- whereby the frangible bridges hold the stopper and annular ring in proper position with respect to one another for insertion and reception respectively in and around the bottle neck; said frangible bridges breaking when the annular ring is forced into place between the flanges.
- 2. A method of stoppering a bottle with pressurized, carbonated, water-based liquid contents, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a bottle having a body portion, an elongated neck with a circumscribing integral flange and a mouth;
- (b) providing a corking means of a molded one-piece elastomeric plastic construction having
- (i) an elongated generally circularly cylindrical stopper, insertable with frictional engagement into the mouth of the bottle, and
- (ii) a head connected to the stopper,
- (iii) a ring positioned and spaced below the head as molded and being concentric with the stopper, said ring having an internal diameter slightly smaller than the external diameter of the flange,
- (iv) a flexible elongated tether having means for attaching a first portion of the tether to the ring below the mouth and means for attaching a second portion of the tether to the corking means,
- (v) a plurality of short frangible bridges integrally molded in one piece with the head and the ring, said bridges being circumferentially spaced from one another,
- (c) inserting the stopper into the mouth of the bottle,
- (d) the length of the intermediate portion of the tether between the first portion and the second portion being substantially greater than the distance between the points of attachment of the attaching means to the corking means and the bottle, and
- (e) thereafter forcing the ring downwardly over the annular flange, said ring expanding as it passes over the flange and constricting after it has passed over the flange, said bridges being broken when the ring is forced over the flange to free the ring from the stopper except for the connection therebetween effected by the folded tether while the stopper remains in the bottle,
- (f) a substantial part of the length of the intermediate portion being in folded condition and being maintained in that condition close to the bottle when assembled thereon whereby when the corking means is withdrawn from the bottle and starts to move rapidly away therefrom under the pressure of gas accumulated in the bottle, its flight from the bottle will be restrained to a short distance.
Parent Case Info
This is a division of application Ser. No. 223,894 filed Jan. 9, 1981 now abandoned for Method and Apparatus for Stoppering Modified Bottles with a One-piece Corking Means.
US Referenced Citations (11)
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
223894 |
Jan 1981 |
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