The crown cork, the first form of crimped bottle cap, was invented by Charles Robert Spencer. Mr. Spencer was a machinist working in the machine shop owned by William Painter in Baltimore. The company owner - Mr Painter - applied for and received the patent. Later, the invention was sold to another company. The company which began mass production was originally called the Bottle Seal Company, but it changed its name with the almost immediate success of the crown cork to the Crown Cork and Seal Company. It still informally goes by that name, but is officially Crown Holdings. Crown corks are similar to the Pilfer proof caps, as usage of both products is to seal the bottle.
