Abstract:
A plastic hand held candle holder having an integral body made from polypropylene which includes a tubular handle having a closed end, an open end and a cup extending upwardly from the open end of the handle. A plurality of elongate ridges extend longitudinally along the interior of the handle. These ridges hold the stem of a candle in a stationary position in the holder.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to candle holders and more particularly to a hand held candle holder used to catch melted wax flowing down along the stem of the candle. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     Hand held candle holders are commonly used during candle light services. During such services, a person holds a lighted candle in the candle holder. The lighted candle burns continuously throughout the service. As the candle burns, the candle wax melts and drips down from the stem of the candle. A shield catches the hot wax and protects the person holding the candle from being burned by the wax. 
     A typical conventional hand held candle holder consists of a flat, circular cardboard disc having a centrally located aperture. The candle is inserted through the aperture, and the disc is slidably positioned along the candle body to a location which allows the disc to collect dripping wax. 
     However, the circular disc has no means for gripping the body of the candle as it burns. The disc is free to move along the length of the candle body. Such movement may occur when the person holding the candle contacts the circular disc. The disc may also displace under the weight of the solidified wax which dripped down onto the face of the circular disc. As a result of the movement of the disc, the person holding the candle is at greater risk of being contacted by the dripping liquid wax. Melted wax may leak down between the disc and candle. 
     Also, because the cardboard candle holder is flat, the wax may flow off of the face of the holder prior to solidifying. This may occur when the disc is tilted slightly from the horizontal. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a molded plastic candle holder having an integral body consisting of a concave circumferential cup or shield and a tapered closed tubular handle. The stem of a candle is placed into the handle and a plurality of elongate ridges on the interior wall of the handle wedge into the wax body of the candle stem and hold the candle in a stationary upright position, eliminating movement of the candle relative to the holder during burning. As the candle is burned, the wax accumulates within the recess of the hollow concave shield. The hollow shape of the shield assures that melted wax is retained in the shield even if the candle is tilted from the vertical position. Also, since the candle is maintained in a fixed position in the center of the holder, all of the wax drips down the body of the candle and collects within the shield. 
     The tapered handle of the candle holder allows individual candle holders to be stacked on top of one another when they are not in use. The candle holder is preferably molded from polypropylene plastic. Candle wax does not stick to polypropylene plastic. Hardened candle wax is easily removed from the holder prior to stacking the candle holder. 
     Gussets located at the outside junction between the shield and the handle add strength to the candle holder necessary during the manufacture of the holder. The gussets prevent the inversion of the cup when the candle holder is ejected from plastic molding tooling. When the candle holder is ejected from the molding tooling, the ejectors apply pressure on the interior of the shield to push the shield and handle from the male mold part. The gussets prevent the handle from inverting during ejection from the male mold part in the handle. 
     Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, of which there are two sheets and one embodiment. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view of a candle holder and candle; 
     FIG. 2 is a top view of the candle holder; and 
     FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along line A--A of FIG. 2. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Candle holder 10 has an integral molded plastic body consisting of a hollow semi-spherical cup 12 and a tapered hollow tubular handle 14 extending outwardly from the bottom of the cup. The tubular handle has an open end joining the cup and a closed end away from the cup. The stem of candle 30 is inserted through the cup and into the open end of the handle as indicated in FIG. 3. 
     Cup 12 has an interior surface 26 and an exterior surface 28. Opening 36 leading into the handle is located along the central axis of cup 12 at a location at the bottom of surface 26. 
     The walls of handle 14 join the perimeter of hole 36 at the bottom of cup 12, and taper downward and inward until joining at closed end 34 to seal the hollow handle. When the candle is placed in the candle holder, the stem of the candle is inserted through hole 36 into interior 24 of handle 14. The stem is moved into the handle 24 until it contacts and is wedged against the interior walls of the handle. The interior cross section at the top of the tapered handle is larger than the cross section of the stem of the candle and the interior cross section of the bottom of the handle is smaller than the cross section of the stem of the candle. 
     Sharp edged elongate triangular ridges 20 extend downward along interior wall of handle 14. In the present candle holder there are three ridges located along the walls of the handle. However, the candle holder may include a different number of ridges if desired. These ridges are located to engage the edges of the candle inserted in the candle holder. The ridges are arranged equidistantly along the handle to assure capture of the stem. 
     Each ridge 18 has a triangularly shaped top surface 20 and a pair of sidewalls 22 which intersect at a sharp edge. Top surface 20 of each ridge 18 extends downwardly and inwardly from a location along the edge of hole 36. This orientation is shown in FIG. 2. Surfaces 20 guide the stem into the handle. Each ridge 18 extends downwardly and inwardly along the tapered handle 14 a distance equal to approximately one-third the length of the handle. 
     When a candle stem is inserted through hole 36 and into the handle, the ridges pierce the wax body of candle 30. Insertion of the candle wedges the stem into the handle so that the ridges pierce the candle and secure the candle in the holder. As shown in FIG. 3, the candle can be inserted within the opening in the handle so that the entire length of each ridge is forced into the stem, forming a tight friction fit holding the candle in the holder. 
     When the candle has been inserted into handle 14, and is lighted, the wax begins to melt. The melted wax runs down the candle body and accumulates along the floor surface 26 of cup 12. 
     If the entire candle is burned during one service, the cup recess 40 is sufficiently deep so that it will retain all of the candle wax. After the candle flame is extinguished, any remaining unmelted portion of the candle body is easily removed from within the opening of the handle. 
     Candle holders 10 may then be efficiently stored by stacking individual holders on top of each other. This is done by inserting the handle of one candle holder into the opening within the handle of the adjacent candle holder. Many holders can be stacked together and stored between uses. 
     The candle holder is manufactured using conventional plastic molding apparatus (not shown). The candle holder is preferably molded from polypropylene. Candle wax does not adhere to this type of plastic material. Moreover, the polypropylene is pliable so that when the wax hardens in the cup, the cup can be flexed, causing the wax to loosen from the bottom of the cup and can be easily removed. 
     Gussets 16 bridge the intersection between the cup wall 28 and the handle and provide support to the cup during the molding process. There are four triangularly shaped gussets in the present candle holder. The gussets are arranged equidistantly so that each gusset is separated by 90 degrees from each adjacent gusset. These gussets provide support to the cups so that during the molding process, when the candle holder is ejected from the mold, the handle will not invert from its present orientation. 
     Contact pads 32 are formed on floor surface 26 of the cup and are located on the floor of the cup at specific locations where ejector pins (not shown) of the molding apparatus contact the cup and eject the candle holder from the mold. Four contact pads are provided in the present candle holder. These pads are arranged equidistantly along the floor of the cup so that each pad is separated by 90 degrees from each adjacent pad. 
     While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is understood that this is capable of modification, and I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details set forth, but desire to avail myself of such changes and alterations as fall within the purview of the following claims.