Dripless candle

A non-drip candle is formed of three layers including a thick low melt point core and a thin outer confining high melt wax layer affixed to the core by a special intermediate layer. The intermediate layer formulation includes a paraffin candle wax in combination with a similar quantity of double pressed stearic acid and a high purity tallow acid in the range of 0.5 to 60% and preferably 5 to 10% by weight. A microcrystalline wax of about 5% increases the melt point and produces a smooth finish to the candle, and a resin of about 1% imparts hardness to the layer to permit processing. The candle burns with a shallow rim confining the wax pool about the wick and the multiple layer construction functions to practically instantaneously heal any breach in the rim as the result of deflection of the flame or physical engagement with the rim to establish a true dripless candle.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
This invention relates to a candle having means to minimize the dripping 
under various burning conditions. 
Candles are conventionally formed of paraffin wax of a petroleum 
derivative. The candles are generally formed by dipping or molding of the 
wax about an elongated wick. Although candles are made in many shapes and 
forms, a long, tapered candle is widely used for its grace and beauty. The 
prior art has long recognized the need of special formulations and methods 
to reduce or eliminate dripping of the candle as it burns. This is 
particularly true of the tapered candles, where the dipping along the 
sides detracts from the beauty of the candle. As the candle burns, the 
flame may create a cup about the wick. However, disturbance which causes 
the flame to move so as to approach or engage the cup will tend to disrupt 
the edge and create a break or opening therewith through which the melted 
wax may flow. Of course any other disruption of the cup edge, may create a 
similar opening for escape of the wax. Once such an edge opening is 
created, the flowing melted wax maintains the opening to create the 
undesirable dripping of the wax down the side of the candle. Such dripping 
is undesirable not only because of the reduced available burning and 
appearance but the hot wax may damage property or person. As noted, 
various suggestions have been made to reduce or eliminate such dripping. 
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,726,526 which issued Dec. 15, 1955 and U.S. 
Pat. No. 3,091,952 which issued June 4, 1963, disclose candles formed of a 
special composition for minimizing dripping of the candle. U.S. Pat. No. 
2,726,526 suggests a mixture of paraffin wax and a substituted phenolic 
compound without or with a stearic acid such as otherwise used in forming 
of various types of candles. As more fully discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 
3,091,952, others have suggested use of wax formulations of high melting 
characteristic and using a formulation also including Stearic acid. The 
burning characteristics are not particularly desirable, and furthermore 
the materials are expensive. Furthermore, under present day market and 
governmental regulations the high melt temperature materials are not 
readily available in sufficient quantity for mass production of such 
candles. 
As also noted in U.S. Pat. No. 3,091,952, others have suggested multiple 
composition candles, particularly in dipped formed candles, wherein the 
outer dips are made from a higher melt point formulations. The candle 
burns with a retention cup of the high melt outer layer which prevents the 
inner melted wax from dripping down along the candle and marring the 
beauty of the candle. U.S. Pat. No. 1,863,416, which issued June 14, 1932, 
discloses a multiple layer candle having an inner cellular core of a 
relatively low melting point wax and an outer shell of a higher melting 
point wax. The purpose is to create a deeper cup and prolong the burning 
life of the candle. Such a unit might also restrict dripping. The deep cup 
however creates a burn characteristic which is different from the 
conventional candle with a relatively shallow cup. 
Further, in such candles which have heretofore been produced, once the cup 
is broken, the melted wax which flows through the breaks, maintains the 
flow path. For example, a very common occurance may involve an air draft 
across the candle. The air draft deflects the flame laterally toward, and 
often into engagement with the rim or cup edge. Thus, the opening or 
closing of doors or windows in the room, or even movement of persons near 
the candle can readily create air movement sufficient to so deflect the 
flame. The intensity of the flame is such as to disrupt the rim, thereby 
initiating flow and drip, which then maintains itself. 
Thus, although various suggestions of single and multiple composition 
candles are available, there remains a need for an effective dripless 
candle in normal usage, and particularly such a candle which can be 
mass-produced at a commercially acceptable cost. 
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
The present invention is particularly directed to a non-drip candle of a 
multiple layered construction in which an outer confining layer is 
provided having a self-healing characteristic so as to maintain the 
non-drip characteristic even if the melt confining edge is momentarily 
disrupted. More particularly, the present invention provides an outer 
cup-defining outer layer structure having a flame retardant which 
functions to heal a break in the edge and thereby not only create but 
maintain the hot melted wax confining wall or rim. The formulation of the 
outer layer structure is such that the confining cup may be relatively 
shallow so as to maintain a most pleasing burning characteristic. In a 
particular unique embodiment of the invention, a thin outer high melt 
point layer is affixed to an inner low melt point core by a special 
intermediate layer. The intermediate layer formulation in particular in 
addition to the usual paraffin wax includes at least a small but 
significant amount of a high carbon chain distribution material, 
preferably C.sub.14-18. In particular, the inventor has found that a high 
purity tallow acid in the intermediate layer produces a self-healing 
characteristic which essentially prevents any drip during the burn of the 
candle. 
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the intermediate layer is 
formed of a formulation of conventional candle wax, the tallow acid and 
other candle material having enchancement properties. Thus, the 
formulation preferably includes a double pressed stearic acid which has a 
crystalline structure and imparts a simulated mechanical interface between 
the outer high melt point layer and the core. A microcrystalline wax 
increases the melt point with a long carbon chain for stability and 
produces a smooth finish to the candle. A resin is preferably added to 
impart hardness to the layer and the usual candle wax is used to dissolve 
the other ingredients and further improve the hardness after bonding. 
Although the several components all contribute to the quality of the candle 
and are considered of substantial significance to produce a candle of the 
high quality required by the inventor, various modifications may be made, 
if a lesser quality is acceptable. 
For optimum results, the ingredients are thoroughly mixed under a 
controlled temperature and maintained essentially in such condition to 
provide a bath into which the cool, fully formed inner core is dipped. 
Thus, although any forming means can be used, the inventor has found that 
the described dipping provides one particularly commercially practical 
method of carrying out the invention. 
The present invention thus provides an improved dripless candle which 
maintains the desired characteristic in all normal burning environments 
and which can be mass produced at a commercially practical and acceptable 
cost.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, a candle 1 is shown 
constructed in accordance with the teaching of the present invention. The 
candle 1 is shown with a well known dinner tapered design having a bottom 
base for mounting the candle in a decorative support, not shown, such as a 
candelabra. The candle 1 includes a central wick 2 which extends 
throughout the length of the candle 1, and particularly an inner core 3 of 
a relative low melt point candle wax. The thin outermost layer or shell 4 
of a high melt point candle wax is affixed to the inner core 3 by a thin 
intermediate layer 5 of a special formulation to produce a self-healing 
outer cup defining means, as presently described. Core 3 is substantially 
thicker than layers 4 and 5 and constitutes substantially the bulk of the 
candle. The core 3 is a conventional low melt point wax and when wick 2 is 
lit, the core 3 melts and burns relatively rapidly to maintain a flame 6, 
as shown in FIG. 2. The outer layer 4 and the intermediate layer 5 are 
formulated with a greater melt point and in the burning of the candle 1 
define a cup with an outer retaining wall or rim 7 which confines the 
melted core as a wax pool 8 about the burning wick 2. The layers 4 and 5 
may be quite thin and are selected to produce a relatively shallow cup to 
maximize the esthetic appearance of the burning candle 1. With the present 
invention, the burn cup is formed and maintained with a smooth rim edge 
which follows down with the burn to maintain an extremely pleasing 
appearance. Further, the upper edge or rim portion may burn with a 
distinct encircling halo appearing therein, which further contributes to 
the high quality appearance of the tapered candle. For example, in one 
embodiment, the core 3 had a diameter of about 26/32 inches, an outer 
color layer of about three mils thick and an intermediate layer of about 
1.5 mils thick. The layers 4 and 5 should generally be no thicker than 3 
mils in a preferred embodiment. The intermediate layer 5, as more fully 
developed hereinafter, is specially formulated to produce a self-healing 
and reforming of the wall or rim 7 if such rim 7 is physically disrupted 
so as to permit escape of the melted core wax 8. 
Thus, the wick 2 may be of any suitable material such as the widely used 
multiple strand cotton. The core 3 may similarly be any well known 
paraffin having a melting point on the order of 125.degree. F. (degrees 
fahrenheit). The core wax may, of course, be any suitable blend to promote 
proper burning at a desired rate, and the various manufacturers, of 
course, have various formulations. As the formulations of core 3 is only 
of significance in providing a desired burn rate and flame, no further 
description is given other than as deemed necessary to more clearly 
explain the illustrated embodiment. 
Similarly, the thin outermost layer 4 may be of any suitable or known high 
melt point wax, such as typically having a melt point of 135.degree. F. 
which is commercially available. The layer 4 may, of course, be specially 
formulated. 
Although the core wax and the outer cup-forming wax have melt points in low 
100 range, the flame is typically on the order of 700.degree. F. Thus, 
even a relatively momentary deflection of flame 6, such as shown in 
phantom in FIG. 2, will rapidly cause the rim 7 to burn away and create a 
break or opening 9 in the rim 7. Normally, such opening 9 permits the 
melted wax 8 to escape and drip along the side of candle 1, as at 10. In 
prior art candles, such drip would increase and move downwardly along the 
candle. 
In the present invention, the special intermediate layer 5 acts with the 
outer layer 4 to heal and close such opening 9 such as to prevent the 
continued elongated drop along the candle 1. The intermediate layer 5 thus 
serves to enhance the outer layer 4 as well as to serve as a support for 
such layer and establish a compatible bond to the core 3. 
More particularly, the intermediate layer 5 includes a wax similar to the 
core wax and a stearic acid formulation as the main bulk of the material 
to which a small, but particularly significant amount, of tallow acid has 
been added. The tallow acid, for optimum results with a true dripless 
burn, is a high purity tallow acid such as commercially available and 
known by the trademark Hystrene 7018. The high purity tallow acid 
particularly functions as a flame retardant which contributes to the 
formulation of the retaining cup and rim 7, but even more significantly 
serves to cause the rehealing of rim 7 should it be breached by any 
external force, whether flame or some other external mechanical force. 
A particularly satisfactory formulation which when applied to a 310 wax 
core has been found to produce a totally dripless candle consisted of the 
following percentages by weight. 
______________________________________ 
Commercial 
Source 
Percentage 
Material Composition 
(by trademark) 
______________________________________ 
39% Wax Low Melt (Lenox Candle 310) 
5% Yellow Microcrystalline Wax 
(Shell 400) 
50% Double Pressed Stearic Acid 
(Union Camp 1220) 
5% High Purity Tallow Acid 
(Hystrene 7018) 
1% Resin (Piccotex LC) 
______________________________________ 
The tallow acid as previously described is a particularly significant 
material. The tallow acid is a long carbon chain material, C.sub.14-18 
which has a flame retardant characteristic to promote the formation of the 
cup. In addition, the high purity tallow acid serves to cause the rim to 
heal itself in the event of any breech. 
The other materials are used and contribute to the desired formulation as 
follows. 
The wax provides the initial liquid medium for dissolving the several other 
ingredients as well as producing hardness after bonding of the outer layer 
thereto. The wax used was a standard core wax used by Lenox Candle of 
Oshkosh, Wis. The Lenox 310 wax used is a blend of different temperature 
waxes, such as a blend of a one hundred and twenty-five degree fahrenheit 
wax, a one hundred and fifty degree fahrenheit wax and a microcrystalline 
wax which is a long straight chain hydrocarbon, with the percentages by 
weights being in the range of seventy to eighty, twelve to twenty-two and 
five to nine which is formulated, and then in addition a stearic acid is 
added so as to equal about ten to twenty percent by weight of the combined 
blended wax, which blended wax establishes a melt point of substantially 
126.degree. F. Any candle wax with a uniform controlled burn can be used 
in the core, and therefore no further description thereof is given. 
The double pressed stearic acid deposits a crystalline structure between 
the core 3 and the outer layer 4 which imparts a simulated mechanical 
interface and coupling of core 3 and outer layer 4. Stearic acid, of 
course, also contributes in a relatively lesser measure to the flame 
retardant characteristic of such intermediate layer. The stearic acid 
should be substantially pure so as to prevent formation of peroxides which 
can turn the candle wax rancid. Thus, peroxides rapidly form from any 
available source and promote dripping and thus interfere with the purpose 
of this invention. This material is thus of substantial significance, but 
any other crystalline material having a flame retardant characteristic 
might also be used. For example, various other known acids which might be 
used include oleic acid, palmitic acid, myristic acid, lauric acid, caprie 
acid, coconut oil acid, marine oil acid, vegetable oil acid, food grade 
acid and stearyl alcohols and the like. 
The mirocrystalline wax is any suitable material used to impart a smooth 
finish to the thin outer layer as well as to produce a high melt point. 
Thus, the core 3 may have a surface with small, subtle imperfections or 
depressions such as drip marks in a candle core formed by dripping or 
knife marks in a machine formed candle core. The intermediate layer fills 
and smooths the same and thereby creates the outer smooth finish. The 
microcrystalline wax is also a long carbon chain material and provides 
stability to the intermediate layer material. The microcrystalline wax 
binds the molecules together so as to prevent cracking and/or blossoming 
of the outer layer. 
The resin is used to impart hardness to the layer upon cooling and any 
suitable resin may of course be used. Thus, the resin causes the candle 
surface to freeze or harden practically instantaneously upon removal from 
the dip so that the candle can be promptly processed in the bath of the 
outer layer material. 
Although the resin and microcrystalline wax contribute to the high quality 
of the finished dinner candle, such materials are the least critical and 
may be eliminated without distracting significantly from the non-drip 
character of the candle. 
In preparing the formulation, the several ingredients were successively 
added to a mixer 11 as shown in FIG. 3. The mixer 11 includes an 
open-topped tank 12 for holding the materials and a heater 13 adapted to 
raise and hold the formulation therein at a controlled temperature above 
the melting point of the several ingredients. Thus, a temperature of 
170.degree. F. was found to provide satisfactory results. A mixing element 
14 is rotatably mounted in the tank 12 and power driven by any suitable 
means to thoroughly mix the materials 15. The wax forms the principle 
carrier for dissolving the other ingredients. 
The formulation was formed by first melting the wax to produce a liquid 
bath and the other ingredients were then successively added as listed in 
the formulation. 
The thoroughly mixed hot liquid formulation was maintained at the 
controlled temperature and then pumped through a suitable line 16 to an 
insulated dipping tank 17, which included means to both heat and enter the 
formulation. 
The candle core 3 on the wick 2 was fully formed and cooled in a known 
manner and then dipped in the hot thoroughly mixed intermediate layer 
formulation. 
The coated core was allowed to cool and transferred to the final layer 
dipping station. The coated core is dipped in the usual manner to apply 
the thin outer layer 4 to the intermediate layer 5. 
Other formulations were similarly prepared and minimized the dripping 
characteristic. 
A second example which has been formulated and provided highly satisfactory 
results was 
______________________________________ 
Commercial 
Percentage 
Material Composition 
Source 
______________________________________ 
34% Wax (Lenox Candle 310) 
50% Double Pressed Stearic Acid 
(Union Camp 1220) 
10% High Purity Tallow Acid 
(Hystrene 7018) 
5% Yellow Microcrystalline Wax 
(Shell 400) 
1% Resin (Piccotex LC) 
______________________________________ 
As previously noted, the tallow acid or some other similar material is the 
most significant and in accordance with a significant and unique aspect of 
the invention is included in substantially the range of 0.5 to 60% by 
weight and preferably is substantially in the range of 5% to 10% by weight 
for optimum cost and performance. Thus the tallow acid supplied is to be 
sufficient to produce a proper retarding action. However, too great a 
percentage thereof will tend to snuff out the flame as the result of 
movement into the wax pool 8 and possible clogging of the wick. Further, 
if the quality standard is reduced, the inventor has found that other 
similar known flame retardant materials might be used to produce a 
substantially dripless candle. For example, the inventor has used a blend 
of forty-eight percent 310 wax, fifty percent double pressed stearic acid 
and two percent piccatex resin to form the intermediate bonding layer. A 
second similar formulation was used wherein the resin level was increased 
to three percent and the 310 wax reduced to forty-seven percent. The 
triple layered candle using such an intermediate layer operated with 
essentially no dripping, even under adverse conditions which deflected the 
flame into engagement with the rim. 
Although the intermediate layer components and particularly the tallow acid 
might be used directly within the outer layer or core, such usage would 
significantly detract from the quality of the candle. Thus, in the inner 
core 3 the materials would retard the burning characteristic with a 
reduced flame height and burn level. As a result, the wax pool would not 
be consumed at the desired rate and an overflow drip could be created. In 
the outermost layer the materials would impair the color stability as well 
as reduce the strength of the bond to the core and reduce the performance 
as a result of the dilution of materials. 
Although described applied to a dipping process for forming of a tapered 
dinner candle, the multiple layered candle with the unique intermediate 
layer can within the scope of this invention be otherwise formed, such as 
by spraying or flow coating. 
The present invention thus provides a substantial improvement and advance 
in the development of a drip-less candle and particularly a tapered dinner 
candle and the like wherein the esthetic considerations are of a primary 
significance. 
Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being 
within the scope of the following claims, particularly pointing out and 
distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.