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A driving force in the ongoing development and

improvement of gas cylinders was Robert Hunter

Campbell of Edmonton, England. One of his early

patent applications for a "Closure for Gas-Containers"

was filed with the United States Patent Office on April

22, 1910 (Patent No. 986,135). Of his invention he

writes:

My invention relates to containers, or capsules, for

compressed, or liquefied gas which is liberated from

the containers by piercing a closure, and the object of

my invention is to provide containers of the kind

commonly known as "sparklets" with improved and

very simple and economical closing means which will enable the container body to be

used repeatedly with facility and economy.

There it was - a trade name being used in generic terms much like tissues being called

"Kleenex" and colas ordered as "Coke." By this early stage, Sparklets had indeed

become a household word.

During the next two decades Campbell obtained

several patents for improvements to capsules. One of

the most significant was when he teamed up with

Harry Rudston Read and submitted on March 24, 1919

and application for "Improvements in and relating to

Syphon Fittings and the like." These two Sparklets

engineers developed a system for automatic extraction

of the capsule in order to extend the life of seals.

Read already had several Swiss patents to his credit

including one granted to him and Kenneth Murray in

1904 for a syphon.

In 1932 Campbell and Sparklets Limited applied for an unusual patent, "Improvements in

Dental Spraying Apparatus." This type of apparatus was used to apply a medicament

dentifrice or other solution by using the gas cartridge syphoning system similar to those

used in soda syphons. Again the container is noted with "…of the kind commonly

known under the Registered Trade Mark 'Sparklet'."