Abstract: Apparatus and method for removing a stopper from a bottle having an internal pressure greater than the ambient pressure surrounding the bottle, e.g. a champagne bottle. At least one generally vertical edge of the apparatus is placed in a generally vertical groove in the periphery of the stopper, in some cases cutting the groove simultaneously as it is moved downward over the stopper. The apparatus is then oscillated or rotated, whereupon the internal pressure in the bottle can overcome the sliding friction between the stopper and the bottle. The apparatus is also adapted to control the stopper, once expelled.

Abstract: A cutting device for cutting material covering wine bottle necks comprising cutters defining at least three cutting surfaces and a frame carrying the cutters. The frame has an axis and positions the cutters such that the cutting surfaces are radially spaced from the axis, aligned transversely in the axis and circumferentially spread with the angular displacement between each cutting surface and the two adjacent cutting surfaces less than 180.degree., whereby, upon rotation of the frame about the axis by an amount less than 180.degree., the cutting surfaces respectively define contiguous arcs of a common circle. The frame further permits the cutting surfaces to so define a plurality of such common circles of different diameters.

Abstract: An apparatus for removing corks from bottles is adapted to allow for automatic ejection of the cork from the apparatus, after the cork has been withdrawn from the bottle, by reverse rotation of the corkscrew. The apparatus comprises a corkscrew having a first helical section with a first outer diameter and a second helical section disposed below the first section and with a second outer diameter greater than the first outer diameter so that an upwardly directed screw shoulder is formed between the sections. A handle is fixed to the upper end of the corkscrew. The corkscrew is longitudinally movable with respect to a guide frame therefor. The guideframe includes stops for abutting the top of a bottle and spacers extending upwardly from the stops and defining a cork receiving space for receipt of a cork as it is withdrawn from a bottle by the apparatus. Catches are connected to the spacers, and disposed in the cork receiving space, the catches being engageable with a cork to prevent rotation thereof.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for removing a stopper from a bottle having an internal pressure greater than the ambient pressure surrounding the bottle, e.g. a champagne bottle. At least one generally vertical edge of the apparatus is placed in a generally vertical groove in the periphery of the stopper, in some cases cutting the groove simultaneously as it is moved downward over the stopper. The apparatus is then oscillated or rotated, whereupon the internal pressure in the bottle can overcome the sliding friction between the stopper and the bottle. The apparatus is also adapted to control the stopper, once expelled.

Abstract: Apparatus for extracting a cork from a bottle comprises a movable portion, a handle, and a holder. The movable portion includes a helical corkscrew. The handle includes at least one elongate arm and is associated with the movable portion such that the arm may extend radially outwardly with respect to the corkscrew in an operating position of the handle. The arm has a restraining formation disposed distal the corkscrew in the operating position and adapted to engage a human finger and restrain it against movement radially outwardly. The holder is engageable with a bottle and defines an opening for receipt of a cork as it emerges from the bottle. The holder has a guide which allows rotational and longitudinal movement of the movable portion relative to the holder whereby the corkscrew can be driven downwardly into the cork and to a lowered position with respect to the holder upon rotation of the movable portion in a first direction.

Abstract: The invention pertains to an apparatus for extracting a cork from a bottle comprising a cork-engaging member, including a corkscrew, and a holder for aligning and guiding the corkscrew, via its own diameter, with respect to the bottle. The corkscrew itself is improved by the provision of an outer layer of friction reducing material such as a tetrafluoroethylene or other suitable plastic. Additionally, the tip portion of the corkscrew is formed in an improved manner which prevents fragments of cork from breaking off and falling into the bottle even though the screw is driven completely through the cork. Also disclosed is an improved method of making such a corkscrew.

Abstract: The invention comprises a cork extractor including a corkscrew and a guide receiving the corkscrew and permitting longitudinal and rotative movement of the corkscrew. A bottle-engaging device is connected to the guide for positioning the guide and corkscrew in generally coaxial alignment with the neck of the bottle, and this device includes a stop for limiting downward movement of the guide with respect to the bottle. Spacers interconnect the guide and the bottle-engaging device to space the guide upwardly from the bottle-engaging device. The spacers also define an opening for receipt of the cork as it emerges from the bottle. The invention further includes catches adjacent the spacers in the opening engageable with the cork as it emerges from the bottle to prevent rotation of the cork. An abutment carried by the corkscrew limits downward movement of the corkscrew with respect to the guide.

Abstract: The invention pertains to an apparatus for extracting a cork from a bottle comprising a cork-engaging member, including a corkscrew, and a holder for aligning and guiding the corkscrew, via its own diameter, with respect to the bottle. The corkscrew itself is improved by the provision of an outer layer of friction reducing material such as a tetrafluoroethylene or other suitable plastic. Additionally, the tip portion of the corkscrew is formed in an improved manner which prevents fragments of cork from breaking off and falling into the bottle even though the screw is driven completely through the cork. Also disclosed is an improved method of making such a corkscrew.

Abstract: The invention pertains to an apparatus for extracting a cork from a bottle comprising a cork-engaging member, including a corkscrew, and a holder for aligning and guiding the corkscrew, via its own diameter, with respect to the bottle. The cork-engaging member is completely removable from the holder for independent use, and to permit the corkscrew point to be used to sever the metal foil, which covers the bottle top, and both the holder and cork engaging member to be more easily cleaned. The holder includes a plurality of longitudinally extending circumferentially spaced, radially deflectable gripping elements connected to and spaced downwardly from a guide which receives the corkscrew, and are all approximately equally resiliently biased to a normal unflexed radial position. One embodiment is capable of two alternative modes of operation. The corkscrew itself is improved by the provision of an outer layer of friction reducing material.

Abstract: Apparatus for extracting a cork from a bottle comprising a corkscrew rotatably mounted on a carrier, the carrier in turn being mounted for longitudinal reciprocation on a frame. The apparatus further includes a control nut having a screw passage positioned to receive the corkscrew and configured to mate with the configuration of the corkscrew whereby, upon longitudinal movement of the corkscrew in the screw passage, rotational movement will be imparted to the corkscrew. A latch, engageable and releasable independently of the force of gravity is provided for releasably latching the control nut to the frame to restrain relative longitudinal movement therebetween. Relative rotation between the control nut and the frame is also prevented. A bottle-engaging assembly is connected to the frame for positioning a bottle with respect to the frame in longitudinal alignment with the screw passage.

Abstract: There is disclosed a convertible bag assembly comprising a bag body and a carrier in the form of a closed loop. The carrier includes a pair of handle segments and a pair of flexible support segments adjoining the handle segments in alternating end-to-end relation. The support segments are slidably carried by the bag body for movement of the carrier member between a first position in which the handle segments are retained in relatively close proximity to the bag body and a second position in which the handle segments may be extended upwardly from the first position.

Abstract: There is disclosed an annular blowout preventer having a packer which is surrounded by an annulus of resilient material, and an operating system which includes means for longitudinally compressing the outer annulus in order to constrict its inner circumference and thereby move the packer from an expanded position, in which it opens the bore through a housing in which the packer and outer annulus are received, to a constricted position in which it closes the bore by sealing about a pipe in the bore or upon itself.

Abstract: There is disclosed an annular blowout preventer having a packer comprising an annulus of resilient material which is movable from an open bore position to a constricted, closed bore position by means which include links arranged to exert a force on the packer having a radially inwardly directed component which increases with the force required to seal the packer about successively smaller pipes.

Abstract: There is disclosed a valve having means for providing a secondary stem seal in the event the primary packing for the stem is destroyed by heat.

Abstract: A lubricated valve in which both seal rings which seal between a seat body and a wall of a recess in the flowway through the valve body to form a lubricant chamber between them are preloaded into sealing engagement by means including at least one washer type spring arranged within the lubricant chamber.