Today in 1904, US Patent 763973 A was issued, an invention of Michael Joseph Flynn and Dennis John Flynn, for their “Bottle.” There’s no Abstract, although in the description it includes this summary:
The subject of this invention is a bottle which while designed more particularly for containing beer and like beverages may be utilized for other liquids; and the principal object of the invention is to practically prevent to a considerable extent the improper reuse of the bottle.
With the above and other purposes in view the novel bottle comprises a mouth portion containing a main or pouring opening and a small auxiliary passage or passages, both the pouring-opening and the auxiliary passage or passages all being designed to be closed by a single metal cap having a crimped engaging flange, which type of cap is in vogue at the present time. In using my improved bottle upon the removal of the cap the liquid contents can be poured from the bottle through the main opening, the auxiliary passage or passages serving under such condition as a venting provision. Manifestly after such employment of the bottle it will be unserviceable for further use in connection with an ordinary cork, because when the latter is inserted within the main opening the open character of the auxiliary passage or passages will preclude the service of the bottle with carbonated or charged liquids, besides presenting the additional disadvantage of not completely closing the bottle. Corks of special shapes, including upper lateral flanges, might be resorted to; but such would add considerably to the expense and difficulty of using the bottle, and hence constitute obstacles that would ordinarily deter the improper reuse of the bottle.
