15

Morton's Lever

From the September 4, 1869 issue of the

Scientific American

:

―

Improved Cork

Extractor. Our engraving shows a

simple and powerful implement for

extracting corks from bottles, patented

Jan. 14, 1868, by James Morton, of

Philadelphia. It consists of three bars

pivoted together, which, together with

the corkscrew, constitute the entire

apparatus. One of the bars has a socket

or cap at its lower end, which is placed

on and around the nose of the bottle.

Near the upper end of this first post or

bar is pivoted the end of the second bar,

near the middle of which the third bar is

pivoted. The second and third bars have

handles at their outer ends, and at the inner end of the third bar is a hook. This hook

engages with the corkscrew in the manner delineated in the engraving, and by forcing

the handles together or pressing them downward, the cork can be easily extracted. The

instrument is equally adapted to extracting corks on which rings or hooks are already

formed so that no corkscrew is needed. For further particulars address James Morton,

912 South Eighth Street, Philadelphia, Pa.

‖

Compare the

Scientific American's

engraving to the Morton's patent drawing shown

below.