Bottle corks: types, manufacture and application. Bottles with a cork stopper

Cork, in the form in which it is known now, appeared in the 17th century, along with a bottle of glass. Before that, it was also used, but in isolated cases. Most often, the packaging was clogged with rags or pieces of wood, which resulted in spoilage and deterioration of taste. Unlike a tree, the cork does not swell very much, but with a correctly processed treatment, the taste of the drink and the smell do not deteriorate.

General information

Bottle closures differ in shape and design. In the manufacturing process, special components are added, which improve the protective function and act as an exclusive sign for the quality of drinks.

The cork for a bottle of wine is tightly inserted into the neck of the container, retains its properties for a long time and is a product of natural origin, like a good quality drink. Cork is made long and difficult. Initially, the bark of the cork oak is removed when the age of the tree is approximately 30 years. This material is not used in production, since the wine bottle caps are manufactured only after 3 removals. The second layer grows for about 10 more years. The technology of production is several consecutive stages: semi-annual drying, careful selection, washing and treatment with disinfectant solution.

Classification by material of manufacture

Cork bottles are different. It all depends on many factors, of which the purpose and material of manufacture are distinguished. The most common types of traffic jams:

• Cortical;
• Plastic;
• Metal;
• Rubber;
• Of foil;
• Synthetic;
• Glass.

Corks for wine bottles are cortical (found among some types of champagne). Bottles of plastic with soft drinks are clogged with plastic plugs, and containers with mineral water and beer are closed with metal covers. In the pharmaceutical industry, rubber products are used. Many medical preparations are blocked with stoppers from foil.

Synthetic plugs based on polyethylene differ in that they do not allow moisture to escape and are easily pulled out with a corkscrew. The quality of these products may vary, the best in this category are considered silicone. The advantages of glass stoppers are the simplicity of opening and closing, an interesting appearance. Specialists recommend using them for wine, which is not designed for long storage.

Separation of structural features

Bottle corks are also micro-granular, screwed and roughened. Microgranulated has a homogeneous structure, high elasticity and elasticity. The production technology is quite new: food glue and a waxy substance of organic origin (extracted from the cork tree) are added to cortical granules of a size not exceeding half a millimeter . The whole process takes place under high pressure.

The screw plug has a negligible cost, excludes the risk of developing a cork disease, but it is not strong enough. It is made of aluminum alloys and synthetic gasket. Bottles with a cork stopper can often be found in beauty shops and on the stalls with olive oil. Good tightness and the possibility of repeated use of a rope stopper among the rest.

Production features

The cork is well compressed, and due to this property it can be pushed into the neck of the bottle, where it tightly presses against the walls of the vessel due to its elasticity. This is achieved by thorough impregnation of the material and by heating with steam (digestion). If the cork dries, it will become stiff. In production, it is pushed through the tube into the neck.

In order to protect the material from the effects of liquids in the bottle, it is treated with paraffin at high temperatures. The cork begins to harden when cooled, so it is kneaded in a special press to return the elastic structure.

Production of wine stoppers

Bottle closures made from natural materials are an ideal way of capping, characterized by aesthetics. The product is resistant to the effects of temperature, it is light, well passes the right amount of air, does not lend itself to rotting. A regular natural cork can last about 50 years.

Production begins with the moment when it is removed by cutting the layer from the tree. The bark is stored in special rooms for one year, after which it undergoes high temperature treatment. Then it is cut into plates and sent to sorting. From the plates, stripes are made, followed by a refinement of the plugs of a cylindrical shape. The standard length is from 2.5 to 7 cm. It is believed that the longer the length, the greater the price of the drink.

The next stage of processing is grinding the cylinders to ensure a perfectly smooth surface. After that, the product is bleached and soaked using wax. The final step is to burn out the branded inscription on the cork or press under pressure. Often, sulfuric anhydride is added to the bottle for the purpose of preserving the drink.

Bugle cork

Often you can find square bottles with a cork stopper, which are produced by many manufacturers with the purpose of long and proper storage of various liquids. In most cases, the container is made of glass. As a rule, it is small in volume, which is ideal for home storage of salad dressings and olive oil. Litrovye glass bottles with the plug of the type in question are used for bottling lemonades, liquors, tinctures, etc. For beautiful containers in the style of "vintage", the neck of which is widened, a rope stopper is a great way to keep fresh, for example milk.

Bugle plugs consist of a cap made of high quality and safe plastic, and a stainless steel wire holder with chrome plating. These reusable products allow you to keep the freshness of drinks in the bottle for a long time.

Advantages of a rope stopper

Bug products are widely used for clogging vessels, while ensuring high tightness and reliability of packaging. Using these bottle caps, you can be sure of the usability and preservation of the properties of the drink. Reuse allows significant savings.

Bugle plugs are a worthy alternative to products of natural origin. For wine this species is rarely used, because, according to experts, the wine bottle loses its centuries-old aesthetic appearance. However, aspects in the field of ecology and economy in the future, perhaps, will supplant the classical notions of bottlenecking options.