stretched or not..7up

[SODAPOPBOB]

P.S. If I understand the soft drink bottle filling process accurately, the bottles are lined up on a conveyor and then syrup is added, followed by adding water and carbonation, and then capped. But because the syrup test bottles only hold a couple of ounces, then how did they prevent the water and carbonation from being added to a bottle designed to only hold a couple of ounces of syrup? Did someone remove the test bottle before it got to the water and carbonation stage?

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

And what, if anything, does this tell us? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Coca-Cola-Syrup-Test-Bottle-Coke-Premix-Clear-Single-White-Band-11-3-4-/251705793083?nma=true&si=WDxRGzHuMFguM6FyhPc1c46PhP8%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557 [attachment=Coca Cola Syrup Te...h Instructions.jpg] [attachment=Coca Cola Syrup Te...structions (2).jpg]

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

And what about these test kits? What, if anything, do they tell us?
http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/vintage-fountain-soda-pop-test-kit-443522784

(Sellers Description)

"This is a vintage test kit for beverage bottling. Called the perfect testing outfit put out by Liquid Carbonic Corporation Chicago Illinois. I'm assuming it is used for the testing of soda or beer. The level of carbonation and sugar and syrup levels too maybe. I couldn't find out much about this kit. According to the manual it appears to be complete with: gas volume tester, hydrometer jar, hydrometer, 4 ounce graduate, finished drink tester, thermometer with case, and gas volume tester scale and syrup and drink calculator. The hydrometer has been broke but could be glued back for display. Purchased in 1950 from the American Brewers Supply Co by Miller Bottling Co Marietta Ohio in the amount of $40. Comes in a case that has a hinge broke and some wear. The instructions and all the paperwork is here too. Again I don't know much about this so feel free to ask questions and I will answer best I can."

[attachment=Syrup Test Kit.jpg]

 

[iggyworf]

Great work again Bob. The coke 'test' bottle you gave a link to, could it be for larger volume bottles?That test kit is very cool. But looks like it could have been used in the lab or away from the bottling facility. Or used in the facility as well I guess. But it seems like they would take samples and pour them into those vials for testing.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

iggy There is one thing I feel certain about the so called 'syrup test bottles' which is, there's no way they were intended to go through the entire bottle filling process. If that happened they would overflow with water and carbonation and make a huge mess within the filling machinery. Which in turn would not provide an accurate syrup sample if it also had water and/or carbonation added to it. Of course, this doesn't explain the wood sleeves which appear to be designed to hold the bottle upright so as to properly allow it to go through the filling machine. Or were the wood sleeves intended to protect the bottle during shipping? But if that was the case, then why leave the neck and base exposed?

 

[iggyworf]

I agree with; the test bottles did not go all the way thru the line. Someone or a mechanism took them out before the other ingredients. Also agree that the wooden sleeves helped them go smoothly thru the line. But this is the first time a seen one of those sleeves. I have seen these test bottles before. I hope to get that 7up one.

 

[iggyworf]

Here is some interesting ones, found on flea bay. The first one is very interesting. Either coca cola or generic. most of them seem to come from Owens Illinois.After checking the sold listings. All seem to be coca cola's. found no other brands.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Leather-SOFT-DRINK-CARBONATION-Test-Sleeves-Used-in-the-1950s-1960s-/201478551012?hash=item2ee90eb5e4:g:Sh8AAOSwbqpT1VGc

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Set-of-3-Coca-Cola-Syrup-Testing-Bottles-Chattanooga-/131665777607?hash=item1ea7e453c7:g:k~0AAOSwTapV4wi3

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-antique-ORIGINAL-FACTORY-32-OZ-COCA-COLA-SYRUP-TEST-BOTTLE-ETCHED-QC-12-78-/131664043537?hash=item1ea7c9de11:g:q9oAAOSwAKxWW5Q~

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-COCA-COLA-SYRUP-TESTING-BOTTLE-/151902154086?hash=item235e12ed66:g:Y68AAOSw7FRWXiis

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

iggy I came across some of those links and on the second-to-last one the bottle is etched with QC, which I'm assuming is for Quality Control. But just what type of quality control its referring to I'm not sure. And even though it is tagged as having something to do with 32 ounces, its obviously not a 32 ounce bottle, which suggest it was probably intended to measure a sample for a regular 32 ounce bottle. But even with that said, why do the majority of the listings for these types of sample bottles refer to them as "Test" bottles and not "Measuring" bottles? Notice the bottle on this link is dated 1968. I find it hard to believe they still needed to "measure" the amount of syrup being put into each bottle as late as 1968, especially when you take into account the filling machinery at that time was surely advanced enough to put an accurate amount of syrup into each bottle. I'm strongly leaning toward the possibility that these so called "test" bottles were intended to be sent to a laboratory for analysis. http://www.ebay.com/itm/COCA-COLA-SYRUP-TEST-BOTTLE-7-3-4-TALL-/371441190103?nma=true&si=WDxRGzHuMFguM6FyhPc1c46PhP8%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

P.S. My "Laboratory Theory" doesn't mean the test bottles did not go through the filling machinery. I'm thinking they did go through the machinery first, but were not for measuring but were for later testing.

 

[SODAPOPBOB]

In other words ... I'm thinking the test bottles were filled with a certain amount of syrup and then sent to a laboratory to determine the percentage of sugar vs. the percentage of flavoring vs. the percentage of water, etc. Thus maintaining the proper flavor for the regular bottles to be filled with.