Flip-top

The top of a flip-top bottle

A flip-top or swing-top is a type of closure frequently used for bottles containing carbonated beverages, such as beer or mineral water. The mouth of the bottle is sealed by a stopper, usually made of porcelain or plastic, fitted with a rubber O-ring and held in place by a set of wires. The bottle can be opened and resealed repeatedly and without the use of a bottle opener, with the wires acting in the same way as a latch clamp. The flip-top was the dominant method of sealing beer and mineral water bottles prior to the invention of the crown cork.

History

Prior to the creation of the flip-top bottle, bottles were often made from blown glass and sealed with a cork, which was difficult to open by hand and often unreliable, particularly for carbonated beverages such as mineral water or beer.

"Bail" closure

A precursor to the flip-top, the "bail" or "Kilner" closure was invented in 1859, where a lid with O-ring was held by a wire harness and sealed by a separate set of wires.

Examples of flip-top bottles

The first flip-top closure was created by Charles de Quillfeldt in the United States, who filed for a patent on 30 November 1874, receiving patent number 158406.^[1]

Gallery

• Various flip-top closures
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  Preserving jar with bail closure, opened and closed

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  Flip-top seal used for crown cork bottles

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  Flip-top beer bottles

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  Mini bottle of herbal liqueur

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  Old German Jerrycan

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  Footlocker with bail-style wire clasp

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  Aluminum flip-top bottle

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  Large beer bottle with flip-top

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  Unopened flip-top

See also

• Screw cap
• Crown cork

References

1. Putnam and another v. von Hofe. 10 February 1881 in: Federal Reporter, Nr. 6, pp. 897-902