The Virtual Corkscrew Museum's Daily Newspaper


Wednesday, March 12, 2003

News Index


Sommer's Designs

Newark, New Jersey, March 12, 1912 - John L. Sommer got a new United States patent for his bottle opener design. The cap lifter has been assigned Design Patent Number 42,305. The 3 1/4" long bottle opener depicts a stag handle corkscrew at the top and a foaming glass of beer at the bottom.

The square hole is a "Prest-O-Lite" key for opening the valve on gas lamps on running boards of automobiles.

Sommer also received a patent today for a bottle opener in the shape of a fancy Lady's boot (Design Patent No. 42,306). Earlier patents by Sommer include a cap lifter with sliding cigar opener in 1909 (No. 936,678), a cap lifter shaped like a fish (D41,894), and a cap lifter shaped like an automobile (D41,895) The fish and the automobile shapes were patented last year.

Sommer's manufacturing company in Newark produces the openers. They are sold to a number of firms with advertising on them.


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©2003 Don Bull, Editor

The Virtual Corkscrew Museum