Grant Patent to Clunette Man - New Bottle Cap

Jack N. Powell, who operates the general store at Clunette, has been granted a patent on a self-opening cap for beer and soda pop bottles which he is demonstrating in the accompanying picture.

Reference to Powell's production is made in Frederick Othman's column on page 4 of today's Times-Union. Othman comments, "Jack N. Powell has produced the self-opening cap for beer and soda pop bottles. It has a built-in lever. Lift this with your finger and off comes the cap."

Powell, who is 26 years of age, operates the Clunette store with his wife. They have two children. He said today that his next effort will be to find a beverage company to manufacture the bottle cap. Powell will be remembered as having played on the Atwood high school basketball team about eight years ago.

According to word received from the U. S. Patent Office in Washington, D. C. application by Powell for the patent was filed on July 23, 1951. He received notice that the patent was granted yesterday.

Powell said his self-opening cap was designed to do away with bottle openers.

Describes Cap
"The circular bottle cap works on a simple basis," Powell said. "It has a tab on the side of the cap which is used to lift up with the use only of fingers. This causes a portion of the cap to split and the flanges of the cap to kick out and away from their holding on one edge. The it just slips off the top of the bottle by lifting the tab. It splits a portion of the cap, and all you have to do is slip the cap off," he concluded.

At the present time Powell does not have any of the bottle caps on hand. However, he can make one in a hurry, and in fact did so late yesterday afternoon for the convenience of the Times-Union photographer.

"All I need now is to find a company to manufacture the bottle caps," Powell said.

Warsaw Times-Union Wednesday June 7, 1955

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Jack N. Powell, 26-year-old Clunette General store operator who two days ago received word that he had been granted a patent for a self-opening bottle cap, today was hoping that he may have the same success with a portable ice-fishing shelter.

Powell, who is married and the father of two children, said he has a patent pending on the portable ice-fishing shelter which is complete with steel runners, a seat, three walls and a roof.

"Its big selling point," Powell said, "is that it folds up into a three-inch wide suitcase."

Powell, former Atwood high school basketball player, applied for his bottle cap patent in 1951 after reading a magazine article which said if anyone could invent a self-opening bottle cap which was usable, the inventor would soon be writing checks in seven figures.

Powell said he doesn't know about that "checks in seven figures" business. Right now he is hoping to sell or license the invention to some soft drink or beer company. In the meantime he figures to earn his "bread and butter" from his general store at Clunette, as well as with his sign painting, plumbing and carpentry work.

The bottle cap is the same as the traditional cap on pop or beer bottles. It merely added an inch-long tab, which the user lifts with his fingers, and the whole cap comes off, all in one motion.

Warsaw Times-Union, Thursday, June 2, 1955

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