What is the story ro reason behind Torpedo bottles shape?

[B.T]

I have to admit total ignorance when it comes to bottles. I detect for coins , relics and gold and when I come across a bottle I happily snap it up to add to my small collection of them. I am still waiting to find a Torpedo bottle, only ever came across bits of them, but have always wondered why they were made that shape.

 

[DukeOBass]

They contained soda or mineral water. They were made that way to keep the cork wet and swelled. If a cork dries out it won't take much pressure building up inside the bottle to blow it out and spill the contents. You will also notice that the glass is thick to prevent the bottle from exploding under pressure.

 

[mattockman]

This is off the hip for me cause I have read somewhere that they where made to travel in ships and laid horizontal in racks to keep the corks wet so they did not dry out......the same way wine is stored.......... I think?

 

[mattockman]

n/t

 

[Golden]

They used to make soda water bottle frames for these types of bottles, known as Torpedos or dump sodas over here. You could buy cork extractors, bit like your bottle openers today, an instrument used for extracting the corks from the interior of bottle. Some had a chain attached the length of the bottle, which allowed the cork to fall inside, then pull up into the neck and seal the bottle again. But back to the bottle, Duke's right in that the bottles would be stored on their sides to keep the cork moist and avoid the problem of the contents being ruined due to gas escaping through a cracked, dry cork. You should be able to pick up a few bottle collecting books from a good bookstore, or try the net. Australia has some great books that apply to both Aussie and English bottles.
HH Golden

 

[B.T]

Thanks for the replies. I thought they might have been Irish bottle designs , sorry couldnt resist that one.