US2067731A - Method of producing sealed crystal layers in bottles - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 12, 1937. F. PRocHAzKA 2,067,731

METHOD OF PRODUCING SEALED CRYSTAL LAYERS IN BOTTLES Filed Nov. 16, 1935 Teununw 'In fen Z'or4 FfQpH ProchZ Hd y ,Ulf/- Patented Jan. 12,1937

UNITED STATES PATENT DFFICE RIETHOD 0F PRODUCING SEALED CRYSTAL l LAYERS IN BOTTLES 4 Claims.

My invention is directed to a novel method or process of forming a crystal coated surface upon the inner surfaces of transparent containers such as bottles or the like which are particularly adapted for use in the sale of whiskies known as rock and rye in combination with means and methods for vbinding said crystals together and coating the exposed surfaces thereof with a substance such as parain or its known equivalents, which substances are impervious to whiskey or other liquid and which have no undesirable reaction in contact therewith.

Heretofore it has been known in the art of rectiiication and. manufacture of liquors that crystals may be formed and caused to adhere to some extent to the inner surface of a glass bottle, and such crystal formation has to a considerable extent beenrpracticed with the undesirable result that the liquids placed into the bottle (where whiskies or liqueurs are not fully saturated with sugar and sugar syrup), will absorb or dissolve the crystals formed in the bottle. As stated, the past practice for many years has failed to evolve a method and means to eliminate either the dissolution of the crystals formed on the bottle wall, or the undesirable action of the liquid in breaking the bond or adhering tendency of the crystals themselves to the bottle wall which have resulted in the disappearance or falling down to the bottom of the bottle of the crystal formation on the inner surface of the bottle. Furthermore, recent demands in the trade indicate desire for so-called rock and rye whiskey which is of a sugar syrup content considerably less than the fully saturated rock and rye known in the past, and in many instances, for a whiskey of relatively high alcoholic content with lower sugar syrup content. A fur- I ther demand is for a package for such product which will show for long periods of time the proper crystal formation visible through the glass walls. With heretofore known methods fulllment of these demands is impossible for reasons heretofore stated.

Accordingly, it is an important object of my invention to provide a method and process consisting of a combination of stepsof not only form- A further object of my invention is the provision of a transparent container such as a bottle for liquors of relatively high alcoholic content having adjacent the inner surface thereof iirst a layer of syrup; thence thereupon a layer of sugar crystals of various irregular sizes and shapes and thence a layer of a water impervious composition such as parafn or its known equivalents which will protect the crystal layer from the action of the liquid contents and hold said crystal 'layer in proper position to present a desirable uniformly crystallized inner surface for the bottle plainly visible from the outside.

Other and further objects of my invention will be apparent from the following description and lslaims.

This invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawing and hereinafter more fully described.

On the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational and partially cross sectional view of a typical glass bottle container with parts broken away to show the inner layers formed along the inside wall.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing a segment of the bottle wall with only a coating of syrup applied thereto.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing in cross section a typical view of the container wall after the application of crystals.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing a cross section of the iinished superposed layers.

Referring to the drawing, the reference numeral ill indicates a bottle which may be of any convenient size or shape and preferably made of clear glass having its upper end terminating in a suitable neck which has thereon a threadingly engaged screw cap II.

The first step in the practice of my invention is to pour into a glass container a suicient amount of sugar syrup of substantially gluey consistency sufficient to be distributed upon the entire inner surface of the bottle by proper rotation and movement of the bottle, the surplus syrup not adhering to the walls being preferably poured off. This step forms a relatively thin syrup layer I2, as shown in the enlarged fragmentary view of Fig. 2.

The next step is to apply and evenly distribute sugar crystals upon the entire inner surface so that the same adhere and contact the gluey syrup coating i2. I have found this can be satisfactorily performed by placing into the bottle approximately two ounces of sugar crystals or preferably crystal rock candy in a form sufficiently broken and divided so that the same do not vary too greatly in size, and being preferably of a size within the ranges indicated in the enlarged fragmentary view in Fig. 3. In the drawing, the reference numeral I3 indicates the rock candy crystals, which after being placed in the bottle are caused to be substantially evenly distributed upon the entire inner syrup coating I2 by rotation and movement of the bottle. The bottle with the syrup coating and adherent crystals is then set aside and allowed to dry and harden for a period of about two weeks, after which time the syrup is relatively hard and the crystals dry.

The next step consists of applying and evenly distributinga paraffin coating to the entire interior surfaces of both the crystals I3 and so much of the syrup coating I2 as may remain exposed between the various adjacent crystals. I found that this may be satisfactorily applied by pouring into the bottle a sulcient quantity, preferably a full bottle, of hot melted parailin preferably at a temperature of between :and 170 F. When the hot thin parailln comes in contact with the inner surfaces of the crystals I3 and such exposed surfaces of the syrup coating l2 as may remain between the various crystals, the parafn immediately begins to harden around such crystals and between the same and thereby the crystals I3 are completely surrounded and sealed with semi-hard -paramn to form the sealing coating I4 indicated in the enlarged cross sectional view of Fig. 4, this coating I4 iillling up entirely the various irregularly shaped spaces between the crystals as well as adhering to all the exposed surfaces of the crystals which project from the syrup coating I2. While this is going on and while the main part of the hot parailin is still liquid, I drain the bottle of the liquid paraln, thereby leaving the crystals I 3 completely enveloped and sealed within the coating I4 which upon further setting will harden to the normal hardness of dry paraffin. It will be understood that this parain coating I4 acts to hold the crystals in the position which they have `taken when coming in contact with the syrup coating to thereby prevent dislodgement and falling of the same to the bottom of the bottle as well as forming a liquid impervious coating about the crystal surfaces. As indicated in Figs. 1 and 4 the inner surface of the parailln coating I4 is quite irregular in shape due to the various sizes, shapes and degree of projection of the various crystals.

The paraiin and syrup coatings or liners formed as above indicated with the contained crystals readily produce a semi-transparent package, namely of sufficient transparency to see the normally darker whiskey contents of the bottle. To a viewer of the exterior of the bottle the crystals are quite bright and have their normal appearance, this producing a very desirable appearing package which produces the crystal-coated wall and package. 'I'he glass container, to the inner walls of which rock candy crystals have been applied in the manner aforedescribed, will last an indenite length of time and the crystals will not, without manual force, break away or fall to the alcoholic content or proportion of the liquor.

as a whole, and likewise eliminates the possibility of any change in the sugar or sugar syrup content of the whiskey which also has been a heretofore unsolved difliculty where crystals were dissolved by the liquid contents.

I am aware that numerous details of construction may be varied and likewise that various steps of the process 'may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I therefore do not desire to limit the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention;

1. In a process of coating the interior of a liquid container, the steps of lrst applying to the interior of the container a syrup of gluey consistency in a relatively thin layer; thence placing sugar crystals into said bottle and distributing same over substantially the entire inner surface so that the same will adhere to said syrup; allowing the syrup and crystals to dry and harden; and thence applying molten parailln to the inner surfaces of said crystal coating and allowing said paran to harden.

2. The process of forming adjacent superposed layers of sugar crystals and paraffin upon the inv terior of a bottle consisting of placing into the bottle syrup of a gluey consistency, pouring the excess syrup therefrom; thence applying sugar crystals to substantially the entire inner surface of said bottle and in contact with said syrup; and thence sealing said crystals in said bottle and together by applying melted paraiiin thereto and allowing said paraiiin to solidify.

3. The process of forming adjacent superposed layers of sugar crystals and paraffin upon the interior of a bottle consisting of placing into the bottle syrup of a gluey consistency, pouring the excess syrup therefrom; thence applying sugar crystals to substantially the entire inner surface of said bottle and in contact with said syrup; thence placing hot parailin into said bottle and allowing it to stand a. relatively short time and thence pouring the surplus paraiiin from within the bottle, thereby permitting the paraffin to form a semi-solid coating over said crystal layer.

4. In a process of coating the interior of a liquid container, the steps of rst applying to the interior of the container 'a syrup of gluey consistency in a relatively thin layer; thence placing sugar crystals into said bottle and distributing same over substantially the entire inner surface so that the same will adhere to said syrup; and thence applying molten parailn of approximately 160 to F. to the inner surfaces of said crystal coating and allowing said applied materials to harden.

FRANK PROCHAZKA.

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