Infinity Jars Product Spotlight: Screw Top Jars

Origin of Screw Tops

Glass bottles and jars are much older than people think they are. The glass bottle has been around for about three thousand years. During the second century B.C., the Romans made glass bottles using metal blowpipes and tongs. They used cork, wooden bottle stoppers, glass stoppers or small stones rolled in tar as a stopper.

At the time this was fancy, but not very good for preserving food. They didn't have a proper system to seal the top of a bottle or jar. The process was cumbersome and complicated. In 1809, Napoleon offered 10,000 francs to any man who could come up with an idea to assure delivery of wholesome food to the soldiers. This was necessary for a large army and would definitely give a competitive edge over its enemy. As a result, Nicholas Appert, a French chef, introduced the concept of preserving food hermetically and won Napoleon's challenge. However, canning and preserving didn’t become popular immediately. People were still searching for better container options and during the Civil War home canning became popular. People used crude glass and earthenware vessels sealed with corks, plugs or parchment at the time of the Civil War and although it didn't work well all the time, it was far better than using tin cans and soldering them closed, causing horrible aftertaste.

During the middle of the 19th Century the use of glass jars and bottles rose which encouraged the development of different types of bottle closures. This was mainly because of the discovery of Louis Pasteur in 1861. He discovered that microorganisms in un-sterilized food were responsible for food spoilage. Before his discovery, the common belief was that air caused spoilage and hermetic sealing of food and removal of air prevented spoilage. With this discovery scientists, food preparers and manufacturers began to develop more reliable means of food preservation.

James Spartt from Cincinnati, Ohio invented the first groove-ring wax sealer in 1854. Before that, the only option for preserving food was to solder tin cans. He used a tin can with a screw cap as the primary seal followed by a wax seal over the edge of the cap. The tin affected the taste of the contents of the jar and the hunt for a perfect jar was still on.The current screw top cap was not invented in one attempt. Before screw top, there were glass, metal, cork, spring stopper and wax seal or cap. The screw cap was first invented in 1856 and had a cork disk attached to seal glass jars.

Later in 1855, Robert Arthur patented his glass groove-ring wax sealer. It did not find much success because it was bulky, heavy, expensive and could not be used over and over again. Opening this jar was especially difficult because a user had to chip the hard wax away or melt the wax of the jar. Imagine how hard it was to keep food from spoiling! It was the time of the American agriculture revolution and people still had trouble preserving their food for future use.

Finally, in 1858, John L Mason patented his first glass container with twist cap technology where a disappearing thread molded into the neck of the jar and was topped off with a zinc lid with rubber seal. He also invented the fist screw top saltshaker during that time. Mason's invention was revolutionary. The U.S. Government issued Mason a patent on November 30, 1858, for his invention. In 1872 the U.S. Patent Office extended the patent for seven years, moving its expiration date to November 30, 1879. Continuous advancements in the area of fruit jar production helped Mason’s jars to become very successful and widely used. When the patent expired in 1879, various glass manufacturers legally began making jars similar to Mason’s. To take advantage of the popularity of Mason’s jars, these manufacturers put wording on their jars to show they were being manufactured according to Mason’s Patent.

In the early 1880s, William Charles Ball and his brothers started making wood jacketed tin cans for storing oil, lard and paint. In 1883, they started making glass jars. Their success was due to the mass production and distribution of the glass jars. They took over the smaller companies and obtained the license for an automatic bottle-making machine when they took over the Greenfield Fruit Jar and Bottle Co, reducing their labor costs and increasing production exponentially.

In later years, many different types of lids for jars and bottles were developed. Some of them can still be seen today. The need for the Mason jar and canning home grown food was dramatically reduced because of the food industry. Now you can go to any corner shop or supermarket and find canned foods that don’t need hermetic sealing done at home.

Infinity Jars’ line is the latest evolution in glass storage. Our jars utilize the same screw top technology used worldwide but the secret is UV glass. What sets Infinity Jars apart from all other jars is that it blocks out all harmful visible light rays while selectively allowing infrared and UV-A rays to pass. Keep your dried food or dried herbs in Infinity Jars and you will see the difference. Your herbs will stay fresh for ages and will have optimum aroma and taste. Today aluminum and plastic lids have replaced most of the traditional screw tops on glass and plastic beverage containers. Infinity Jars use BPA-free plastic lids with polyurethane liners to ensure the seal is watertight, light proof and scent proof.

Infinity Jars Screw Top Dimensions

Here are the complete dimensions for all of our screw top style jars:

• 1 Liter
• Largest screw top jar we sell
• Liquid Capacity: 1 L (33.2 oz)
• Height: 8" (20.32 cm)
• Diameter: 3.75" (9.525 cm)
• Opening of Mouth: 3" (7.62 cm)
• Weight: 1.8 lb (.82 kg)

• 500 ml
• Liquid Capacity: 500 ml (16.9 fl oz)
• Height: 6.3" (16.5 cm)
• Diameter: 3" (7.6 cm)
• Opening of Mouth: 2.5" (6.35 cm)
• Weight: 1.2 lb (.54 kg)

• 400 ml
• Liquid Capacity: 400 ml (13.52 fl oz)
• Height: 5.24” (13.31 cm)
• Diameter: 2.99” (7.6 cm)
• Opening of Mouth: 2.25” (5.72 cm)
• Weight: 12.35 oz (350 grams)

• 250 ml
• Liquid Capacity: 250 ml (8.4 fl oz)
• Height: 3.9" (9.9 cm)
• Diameter: 3" (7.6 cm)
• Opening of Mouth: 2.3" (5.8 cm)
• Weight: 13 oz (368.54 grams)

• 150 ml TALL
• Liquid Capacity: 150 ml (5.07 fl oz)
• Height: 3.85” (9.78 cm)
• Diameter: 2.24” (5.7 cm)
• Opening of Mouth: 1.69” (4.29 cm)
• Weight: 5.64 oz (160 gram)

• 100 ml
• Liquid Capacity: 100 ml (3.4 fl oz)
• Height: 2.17” (5.51 cm)
• Diameter: 2.56” (6.5 cm)
• Opening of Mouth: 1.87” (4.75 cm)
• Weight: 5.1 oz (144.6 grams)

• 100 ml TALL
• Liquid Capacity: 100 ml (3.4 fl oz)
• Height: 3.9" (9.91 cm)
• Diameter: 1.8" (4.6 cm)
• Opening of Mouth: 1.4" (3.56 cm)
• Weight: 5 oz (141.75 grams)

• 50 ml
• Liquid Capacity: 50 ml (1.7 fl oz)
• Height: 1.9"( 4.8 cm)
• Diameter: 2.1" (5.6 cm)
• Opening of Mouth: 1.5" (3.4 cm)
• Weight: 3.3 oz (93.55 gram)

• 50 ml TALL
• Liquid Capacity: 50 ml (1.7 fl oz)
• Height: 2.25” (5.7 cm)
• Diameter: 1.89” (4.8 cm)
• Opening of Mouth: 1.38” (3.5 cm)
• Weight: 3.6 oz (102.1 gram)

• 30 ml
• Liquid Capacity: 30 ml (1 fl oz)
• Height: 1.54” (3.91 cm)
• Diameter: 2.13” (5.41 cm)
• Opening of Mouth: 1.5” (3.8 cm)
• Weight: 3.22 oz (91.28 gram)

• 15 ml
• Liquid Capacity: 15 ml (.5 fl oz)
• Height: 1.1" ( 2.8 cm)
• Diameter: 1.4" (3.5 cm)
• Opening of Mouth: 1.1" (2.8 cm)
• Weight: 2 oz (56.7 gram)

• 5 ml
• Liquid Capacity: 5 ml liquid (.17 fl oz)
• Height: 1.1" (2.8 cm)
• Diameter: 1.4" (3.5 cm)
• Opening of Mouth: 1.1" (2.8 cm)
• Weight: 1.4 oz (39.69 gram)

Screw Top Suggested Uses

Screw top jars are so popular because of their incredible versatility. The majority of your household jar needs can be fulfilled by screw top jars. Long term or short term, screw top jars are perfect for day-to-day use.

Infinity Jars are your best friend to keep everything fresh 24 hours a day. Starting the day with a cup of your favorite tea or coffee? The screw top jar is perfect for keeping your tea or coffee beans fresh and flavorful. Hosting a dinner party at your house? Infinity Jars screw top jars keep herbs and spices in pristine condition, make your food extra tasty, and fit the décor of any home. Baking a birthday cake for a loved one? Infinity Jars screw top jars are the best for your baking soda, sugar, flour or other baking supplies. In practice, the opportunities are limitless.

DIY projects are great for spending quality time with your loved ones. From homemade jelly to essential oil infused bath salt, everything can benefit from Infinity Jars Ultraviolet Glass technology. The jars keep everything airtight, scent proof and have a unique premium look.Essential oils have been used for thousands of years in various cultures for medicinal and health purposes. Essential oils with healing properties have gained popularity because of their natural medical properties and lack of negative side effects. However, some essential oils can be expensive. Why take chances with your expensive essential oils? Use Infinity Jars to protect those essential oils as the advanced ultraviolet glass keeps harmful rays out, preserving and rejuvenating your pure and natural organic essential oils for a long time.

Does your kitchen need a bit of updating? The obsidian look of Infinity Jars will compliment any kitchen counter or cabinet and provide that perfect modern chic look.

Plastic jars are wasteful and lead to a number of health issues for food storage. You can wash and reuse Infinity Jars screw top jars, thus making a smaller carbon footprint. With Infinity Jars, you will enjoy a healthy lifestyle and a premium quality storage solution.

Conclusion

The screw top jars have limitless applications and make life easier beyond belief. Infinity Jars not only keep stored goods fresh for 6+ months, but also are very stylish, well built and last for ages. Do you have ideas or questions about how to you use Infinity Jars’ screw top jars? Use the comment section and let us know.

Reference:

1. Milner, M 2004, FRUIT JARS... A History Worth Remembering, Johnson City, TN. Available from: Bottles and Extras. [02 April 2016]
2. Hinson, D 1996, A Primer on Fruit Jars, Southampton, PA. Available from: Bottles and Extras. [02 April 2016]
3. Creswick, A 1995, The Fruit Jar Works, Volumes I & II. Published by Douglas M. Leybourne, Jr. N. Muskegon, Michigan.
4. Leybourne, D 1993, The Red Book of Fruit Jars No. 7. Published by Douglas M. Leybourne, Jr. N. Muskegon,