Local Inventor Gets Patent

Decatur, Illinois, February 11, 1930 - Almost three years ago, on February 24, 1927, Decatur resident Leonard Gray filed for a patent on his wall mounted bottle opener. He has now received patent number 1,746,393 from the United States Patent Office.

Gray says, "Experience has shown that people, especially in hotel room, when they desire to open a bottle, make use of the door jambs and furniture, thus causing considerable damage which it is impossible for the hotel proprietor to keep track of." In his patent claims he states "...should the bottle be corked instead of being capped, the tortional extractor is screwed into the cork when the bottle may be grasped with both hands, thus doubling the available power required to extract the cork."

Gray's product has a Clough type finger ring corkscrew attached to a slot in a casting above the cap lifter. The corkscrew / cap lifter is secured to the wall by two screws. Gray's patent is produced by the Walrus Manufacturing Company. Walrus is best known for its soda fountain equipment.

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Yesterday's "What's this?" Answer

A close-up of the cap lifter spot on Leonard Gray's patent where the corkscrew finger ring fits into the casting.

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