VOL. 9, NO. 7
EXTRACTING FROZEN STOPPERS
1267
TWO SIMPLE METHODS FOR EXTRACTING FROZEN STOPPERS C. ALLEN SLOAT AND AUSTIN E. DIEHL, GETTYSBURG COLLEGE, GETTYSBURG, PA.
A number of methods have been proposed for the removal of frozen stoppers. The most satisfactory method consists of applying an upward force to the stopper itself. In this paper the authors describe two very simple ways of doing this. In method 1 (see Figure 1) the bottle with the frozen stopper is placed upon a support and a ring is fastened over it to hold i t in place. A soft iron wire is then fastened around the stopper so as to exert an even pull. The wire is then attached to the movable jaw of a Bunsen clamp. The upward pull is applied by screwing up the clamp. If the stopper is badly frozen, a gentle tapping on each side will help to loosen it. In method 2 use is made of a Ford valve-lifter FIGURE 1 such as can be purchased a t any auto supply store for about a quarter. To prepare it for use as a stopper-remover that will fit around the stoppers of all the ordinary sized bottles, the openings are ground down to a wide V-shape, the larger one below and the smaller one on top. It is also desirable to grind down the contact surfaces of the jaws so that they may come as close together as possible. The instrument is used as indicated in Figure 2 by simply inserting the jaws between the bottle top and the stopper and FIGURE 2 applying pressure. To prevent accidents it is best to grasp the stopper with a folded towel.
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