Flip-top

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The top of a flip-top bottle Swing-top bottle.JPG
The top of a flip-top bottle
Breaking the seal on a Flip-top Benutzung eines Bierbugels.gif
Breaking the seal on a Flip-top

A flip-top, swing-top, lightning toggle, or Quillfeldt stopper (after the inventor, Charles de Quillfeldt) is a type of bail closure frequently used for bottles containing carbonated beverages, such as beer or mineral water. The mouth of the bottle is sealed by a stopper, usually made of porcelain or plastic, fitted with a rubber gasket and held in place by a permanently attached wire bail. The bottle can be opened and resealed repeatedly without the use of a bottle opener, with the wires acting in the same way as a latch clamp. The flip-top was the dominant method of sealing beer and mineral water bottles prior to the invention of the crown cork

Contents

History

Prior to the creation of the flip-top bottle, bottles were often made from blown glass and sealed with a cork, which was difficult to open by hand and often unreliable, particularly for carbonated beverages such as mineral water or beer.

"Bail" closure Peppers in glas.jpg
"Bail" closure

A precursor to the flip-top, the "bail" or "Kilner" closure was invented in 1859, where a lid with gasket was held by a wire harness and sealed by a separate set of wires.

Examples of flip-top bottles Buegel03BuegelGruen10ltr.JPG
Examples of flip-top bottles

The first flip-top closure was created by Charles de Quillfeldt in the United States, who filed for a patent on 30 November 1874. [1] [2] The rights were purchased by Henry W. Putnam who adapted the design for use on fruit jars. He received a patent 25 April 1882, called "Trademark Lightning" and the jars became known as the lightning jars. [3] Several other varieties have been developed. [4]

Many homebrewers prefer flip-top bottles, since they are easy to close after filling, and negate the need of a separate capping device.

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bottle</span> Narrow-necked container

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Soda siphon</span> Device used to store and dispense carbonated beverages

The soda siphon, also known as the seltzer bottle, siphon seltzer bottle, or just siphon) is a device for storing and dispensing carbonated beverages while maintaining the internal pressure, thereby preventing it from going flat. The carbonated beverage is dispensed using the internal pressure of the bottle, so the setup is not a true siphon in its operation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Closure (wine bottle)</span> Term for stoppers used to seal wine bottles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Muselet</span> Wire cage to secure corked bottles of carbonated beverages

A muselet is a wire cage that fits over the cork of a bottle of champagne, sparkling wine or beer to prevent the cork from emerging under the pressure of the carbonated contents. It derives its name from the French museler, to muzzle. The muselet often has a metal cap incorporated in the design which may show the drink maker's emblem. They are normally covered by a metal foil envelope. Muselets are also known as wirehoods or Champagne wires.

Henry William Putnam (1825–1915) was an American businessman, inventor, manufacturer, and philanthropist born in Essex, New York, and who later lived in Cleveland, Ohio, Bennington, Vermont, Escondido, California, and San Diego, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Farrow and Jackson</span> London engineering, manufacturing and distribution company

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References

  1. US 158406,de Quillfedlt, Charles,"Improvement in Bottle-Stoppers",published 1875-01-05
  2. Putnam and another v. von Hofe. 10 February 1881 in: Federal Reporter, Nr. 6, pp. 897-902
  3. "Lightning jars"- Retrieved 2017-09-08
  4. US 603724,Broome, Lewis H.,"Bottle-Stopper",published 1898-05-10

Further reading