c1878-1880s
Drawings from Boyds Patent Application 15th October 1878.
William Boyd was manager of the Melbourne Glass Bottle Works for a short time in the late 1870s. During this period he did put his name to at least two patents that were used by the glass works. As can be seen below, Boyd signed over his rights to the patent within a very short time to the owners of the Glass Works – Alfred Felton and Frederick Grimwade – presumably when Boyd left the business.
This particular one is a rare bottle known only by a few complete examples today. The fact that Felton and Grimwade provided the alteration in 1880 (shown below) suggests that they did make this bottle for at least a couple of years. It should be noted that Alfred Felton had also taken out a patent over what collectors know as “Horner’s Patent” metal cap in Victoria. The Horner’s patent caps work under a similar principle to Boyd’s patent but were simply wired under the lip and didn’t require a special bottle of their own.
Boyd’s Patent application 15th October 1878
To all to whom these presents shall come I, William Boyd1 of Graham Street, Beach, Emerald Hill in the colony of Victoria Manager of the Melbourne Glass Bottle Works Send Greeting. Whereas I am desirous of obtaining Royal Letters Patent for securing unto me Her Majesty’s Special License that I my executors administrators and assigns and such others as I or they should at any time agree with and no others should and lawfully might from time to time and at all times during the term of fourteen years to be computed from the day on which this instrument shall be left at the office of the Registrar General make use exercise and vend within the Colony of Victoria and its dependencies an Invention for
“An Improvement in the stoppering of Aerated Water Bottles and the method of making such improvements”.
And in order to obtain said Letters Patent I must by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed and must also enter into the covenant hereinafter contained. Now know ye that the nature of the said invention and the manner in which the same is to be performed is particularly described and ascertained in and by the following Statement (that is to say).
My Invention consists of a capsule made of tin, brass or other metal shaped as per drawing marked C, having a ledge projecting inside which capsule is placed over the neck of the bottle the part with the ledge coming below the ring; such ledge is then pressed into a socket or groove made on the neck just below the ring as per drawing marked A thus effecting a tight fit round the outside of the mouth and neck of the bottle and firmly pressing down and retaining in its place a washer of indiarubber, cork or other material placed on a ledge marked L inside the mouth of the bottle. I also claim the method of making the socket or groove on the outside and the ledge on the inside of the neck of the bottle. Now I claim as my invention
1. The capsule made of tin, brass or other material having a ledge at the bottom thereof projecting inside and which is fitted on the neck of the bottle by squeezing or pressing the capsule on that part which comes below the ring on the neck and thus forcing the ledge into a socket or groove made below the ring.
2. The making of a socket or groove on the outside of the neck of the bottle just below the ring into which the ledge on the capsule is squeezed or pressed.
3. The making of a ledge just inside the mouth of the bottle for the purpose of holding a washer of indiarubber, cork or other materials.
4. I also claim the method of making the aforesaid socket or groove on the outside and ledge on the inside of the neck of the bottle namely by the use of a pair of shears as shown on drawing having 1st two bits marked B. at the bottom which when the neck of the bottle is being put on come under the ring and make the socket or groove on the outside; 2nd a plug placed inside of the said bits which plug when the neck of the bottle is being put on fits inside the neck and forms the ledge on the inside thereof.
And I do hereby covenant for myself my heirs executors and administrators with Her Majesty her heirs and successors that I believe the said invention to be a new invention as to the public use and exercise thereof and that I do not know or believe that any other person than myself is the true and first inventor of the said invention and that I will not deposit these presents at the office of the Registrar General with any such knowledge or belief as last aforesaid. In witness whereof I the said William Boyd have hereunto set my hand and seal this fifteenth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy eight. Witness Jas Boyes, Solr Melbourne William Boyd.
1: NSW Application. Alfred Felton and Frederick Sheppard Grimwade, both of 35 Flinders-lane West, Melbourne, Victoria, Wholesale Chemists, the assignees of William Boyd appear as applicants.
Specification: 1 Sheet
Drawings: 1 Sheet
Deposited 15th October 1878
One model
Letters patent have been granted in this case.
Boyd’s Patent Alteration 16th January 1880
Disclaimer and Memorandum of Alteration of the specification of our invention entitled
“An improvement in the stoppering of aerated water bottles and the method of making such improvement” for which Letters Patent No 2583 and dated the fifteenth day of October, One tousand eight hundred and seventy eight were granted to one William Boyd of Graham Street, Beach, Emerald Hill, near the City of Melbourne, in the colony of Victoria, Manager of the Melbourne Galss Bottle Works. And which said Letters Patent were assigned to Alfred Felton and Frederick Sheppard Grimwade, both of Flinders Lane West, in the City of Melbourne, Wholesale Chemists and Druggists, by Deed dated the twentieth day of October, One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine, duly entered on the “Register of Proprietors” of Patents in this Colony.
We disclaim everything in the specification and drawings of the above invention except the improvement in the stoppering of aerated water bottles, as shown by the model originally deposited with the said specification.
We therefore alter the title to:
“An improvement in the stoppering of aerated water bottles”
We alter the description of this improvement and make it as follows:
This invention consists of a novel construction of capsule applied in a peculiar way in the stoppering of aerated water bottles. It is made of tin, brass, or other metal and instead of covering the whole of the mouth as in ordinary capsules it sits on the rim, and on an india rubber washer let into a recess just inside such rim, leaving an orifice as large or very nearly as large as the mouth of the bottle, for the contents to be poured out. On the outside it reaches just below the shoulder formed by the neck of the bottle, underneath which it is pressed into a socket or groove made just below the ring so as to give it a firm grip and thus enable it to resist the outward pressure of the stopper against the india rubber washer.
We claim as our improvement in the stoppering of aerated water bottles: –
The capsule made of tin, brass, or other material fitted on the neck of the bottle by squeezing or pressing such capsule into a socket or groove made just below the ring as shown on the neck of the model originally deposited herein marked 2583.
In witness whereof we the said Alfred Felton and Frederick Sheppard Grimwade have hereto set our hands and seals.
Alfred Felton
F. S. Grimwade
Let the above disclaimer and memorandum of alteration in the title and specification be entered and filed with the specification of the invention to which it relates
(Signed) Bryan O’Loghlin
Attorney General
16th January 1880
