Patent Publication Number: US-2009233251-A1

Title: Candle, a candle holder, a candle holding socket, a candelabrum and a method of making a candle

Description:
FIELD 
     The present invention is concerned with a candle and a method of making one. The invention is also concerned with a candle holding socket, a candle holder for holding a candle and a candelabrum for holding a number of candles. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Candles generally comprise a column of solid fuel with an internal wick rising longitudinally through it. The solid fuel is nearly always some form of wax, with paraffin wax being the most common. Candles made from gel, soy, beeswax, and vegetable products are also available. 
     To ignite a candle, a lit match or other flame being used to light the candle is brought into proximity with a top surface of the candle and the wick protruding from it. The heat from the flame first melts the solid fuel and the liquid fuel moves upward through the wick via capillary action. The liquid fuel is vaporised and burns to form the candle flame. The heat from the candle flame is sufficient to maintain this chain of events and is thus self-sustaining. 
     Candles both for private and public use are often supported in candelabra. These candelabra have found extensive use in Churches. The candelabra generally have a frame with a number of candle holding sockets mounted to it. 
     In a simple design of candelabra, removing the residual wax and wick after each candle has burned out has been performed by scraping and digging the residual wax out of each socket. This is a difficult and tedious chore. It can be imagined just how difficult and tedious this task would be in the case of a very large candelabrum with hundreds of candle holding sockets. The job of doing this in a church having a number of candelabra, each having candles being frequently changed is considerable and time consuming. 
     An advancement in the art for dealing with this problem of cleaning out each socket by hand has been proposed. Summarised, the advancement involves providing a hole in the base of each of the candle holding sockets and disposing a receptacle beneath the sockets. When the candle has burned down into the socket the wick and wax residue is allowed to drop through the hole and into the receptacle for collecting the waste. This known improvement will be described with reference to  FIGS. 1 to 3 . U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,530,288 and 679, 984 show examples of known prior art candelabrum with a hole in its candle holding sockets for allowing wax and wick candle residue to fall through. 
       FIGS. 1 to 3  show an example prior art candelabrum  2 . The candelabrum  2  provides a frame  4  supporting eight candle holding sockets  6 .  FIG. 2  gives a cross section along the dashed line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 . A candle  8  is shown consisting of a column of solid fuel  14 , almost exclusively some type of wax, and a wick  12  extending through its longitudinal axis. The candle sockets  6  can be seen to have a central hole in their base. 
       FIG. 2  shows candles  8  before the first time they have been lit and  FIG. 3  shows just one candle holding socket  6  and the state of the candle after it has been lit and where the burning of the candle  8  has progressed into the candle holding socket  6 . The idea behind the improved candle socket  6  is that as the candle burns down to its last dregs of wax and wick, the candle  8  above the hole  16  will be sufficiently molten to pass through the hole  16  in the base of the candle holding socket  6 , thereby leaving a clean socket  6  that is ready for receipt of a new candle. 
     The pan  10  is disposed beneath the sockets  6  so that after the wax and wick residue passes through the hole  16  it is collected in the pan  10 . Many candles  8  can burn and pass through the hole before the pan  10  itself needs to be cleaned. In the shown embodiment, the pan is partly filled with water to present the wax and wick residue with a cooling means so that it has solidified before it reaches the base of the pan  10 . This makes cleaning of the pan  10  easier as the wax and wick residue has not adhered to the base of the pan  10 . 
     The provision of candle holding sockets with holes has not entirely done away with the need for wax and wick residue to be cleaned from candle holding sockets. In a significant number of instances, the candle extinguishes itself before it is sufficiently molten to pass through the hole in the socket. One mechanism by which this is believed to occur is that as the candle burns down to its butt end, the wax about the wick is soft enough along the length of the wick that the wick wilts or bends. This wilting or bending of the wick causes the flame to extinguish. With reference to  FIG. 3 , the very end of the wick can be seen to have wilted, but this does not usually cause the flame to extinguish because the rest of the wick is still supported by the solid wax part of the candle. As the candle burns down to its dregs of wax and wick, this supporting effect is relinquished and the candle can be caused to extinguish itself as a result. If this occurs then the wax and wick residue does not become molten enough about the hole to pass through. Wax and wick residue are left in the bottom of the candle holding socket and must be cleaned out manually. 
     It can also happen that the candle becomes displaced from being disposed with its wick axis aligned with the hole in the base of the socket. In such an instance, the candle can burn down until its very bottom is molten without it being able to pass through the hole. Again the wick will topple over and wax and wick residue will be left in the bottom of the candle. 
     A further problem with prior art candelabra is that when the residue of wax and wick does successfully pass through the hole, they are mixed together in the collection receptacle making it difficult to re-use the wax. 
     SUMMARY 
     It is a first object of the present invention to provide a candle with improved resistance to self-extinguishing as described above. 
     To this end, the present invention provides a candle comprising a body of candle fuel with a wick extending longitudinally through the body, the candle is to be supported on a candle holding socket with a passage through the candle holding socket, the candle is characterised in that the candle comprises a root forming a butt end of the candle that is sized to pass through the passage, the root extending longitudinally in the passage away from the body, wherein a bottom portion of the wick is supported in the root. 
     Preferably, the passage through the candle holding socket includes a hole in a bottom of the candle holding socket and the root is to extend into the hole in the bottom of the candle holding socket. 
     The candle is to be supported on a candle holding socket, which may be a base of a candle holding socket, while the root extends into the hole. This means that the candle is such that it will interface with the socket at some point to allow it to be seated on the socket. The interface point is a position where as the candle burns to its bottom, a bottom layer will form there that is not yet sufficiently molten to pass through the hole, but is so molten that it does not provide sufficient support to, by itself, prevent the wick from falling over and self-extinguishing. The candle of the present invention, however, offers a root that supports a bottom portion of the wick in the root so as to prevent the wick from falling over when the candle is in this final stage condition. The root is sized to pass through the hole while the candle is supported on the base. Eventually, as the candle continues to burn, the bottom layer will become sufficiently molten to pass through the hole. The weight of the root will pull the molten bottom layer through the hole under gravity. As well as this pulling effect, the root also ensures that the candle is appropriately aligned with the passage. 
     The root is preferably made of candle fuel supporting the wick in the candle fuel of the root. This configuration can be advantageous for ease of manufacturing. It is also envisaged, however, that some other support structure could be provided about the bottom portion of the wick supported in the root, such as a metal casing for the bottom portion of the wick. 
     The root may be cylindrical in shape or it may define a frustum of a cone narrowing towards a bottom of the root. The root may even be in the shape of a cone with the point of the cone providing a bottom most point of the candle. 
     In one preferred embodiment, a bottom of the body of the candle is a base surface for being seated on a base of a candle holding socket. The base surface of the candle defines a surface that is to interface with a base surface of the candle socket. The base surface defines a border around the root and the root extends from the base surface. The base surface may be planar extending in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the candle. This preferred configuration allows the candle to be seated by its base surface on the base of a candle holding socket. 
     The candle is to be supported on the candle holding socket, thereby defining a point at which the candle interfaces with the candle holding socket. The root is a portion of the candle that is sized to pass through the passage through the candle holding socket. Preferably, the root extends into a hole in the candle holding socket and is thus sized to pass through the hole. It has been found that a root having a longitudinal extent of 2 mm or greater can be effective to sufficiently support the wick of the candle. It has also been found that in the case of the root being made of candle fuel that a suitable greatest cross-sectional dimension (e.g. a diameter in the case of a cylindrical or cone shaped root) of the root is 2 mm or greater for providing sufficient support and weight. 
     It is a second object of the invention to provide a candle socket with a passage through the socket where a candle supported on the base is able to consistently burn to a residual layer and pass through the passage. 
     Thus, a candle socket with the above described candle held in it is provided, the candle is as above and the candle socket has a passage through the candle socket, the candle is supported on the candle socket and the root extends longitudinally in the passage. Preferably, the passage includes a hole in a bottom of the candle holding socket and the root extends into the hole in the bottom of the candle holding socket. 
     Preferably, the candle socket comprises a base and the passage includes a hole through the base. The candle is supported on the base and the root extends into the hole. In another form, the candle socket could define the frustum of a cone with opposite ends of the cone being open to provide holes, with a bottom end of the socket being narrower than a top end. The candle is supported on a sidewall of such a candle holding socket. The narrow bottom defines a passage extending through the candle holding socket and the root is sized to pass through the passage. Preferably, the root extends longitudinally in and through the bottom hole. 
     The candle socket is preferably of a kind that has a sidewall extending along a sidewall of the body of the candle, where the sidewall extends from a base of the candle holding socket. 
     As the body of the candle burns down to its bottom, the wick remains upright and supported by the root as described above. In order for the candle to be supported on the candle holding socket, it must engage the base at some point along its longitudinal extent. The root extends in the passage through the socket. As the candle burns down, a bottom layer of candle fuel will form that is supported and seated on an interface between the candle holding socket and the candle. The root extends from the bottom layer. The root is able to pass through the passage through the candle holding socket. Thus, the bottom layer will fall through the socket under the weight of the root once it is sufficiently molten that it can no longer resist the pulling force. Accordingly, the root and residue consistently fall through the socket. The root has the effect of aligning the wick of the candle and the wax about the wick of the candle with the passage through the socket. It also has the effect of providing a weight derived pulling force to ensure that when the candle is burned down to a molten bottom layer of the candle, the bottom layer is pulled through the hole. Thus, there is further force pulling the candle remnants though the hole than if the root were not provided. 
     Preferably, a candle holder is provided that comprises the candle socket described above or a candelabrum comprising a plurality of the sockets, wherein the or each socket is associated with a collection receptacle arranged to receive candle residue falling from the hole. 
     The collection receptacle allows candle residue from a number of candles to be collected. The receptacle may be removed from association with the candle socket so that the receptacle can be occasionally cleaned. 
     It is a third object of the present invention to provide a candle holder having means for allowing residual candle fuel passing through a passage through a candle holding socket to be separated so that the candle fuel can be re-used. 
     Accordingly, a candle holder comprising a candle socket for holding a candle is provided or a candelabrum comprising a plurality of the sockets is provided, the or each socket having a passage through it for allowing residual wick and fuel of the candle to pass through the passage, wherein the or each candle socket is associated with a collection receptacle arranged to receive candle residue passing through the passage, the candle holder is characterised in that a filter is provided between the or each socket and the collection receptacle is for retaining wick material from the candle and allowing molten candle fuel from the candle to pass through the filter. 
     Preferably, the filter is in thermal contact with the candle socket. In an alternative embodiment, the candle holder comprises a heat source separate from the candle holder, for example a battery powered heat source, that is to heat the filter. 
     This structure is most preferred to be used with a socket and candle as discussed above where the root of the candle extends in the passage through the socket. In this arrangement, the root dropping from the socket can be caught by the filter. Thermal contact with the socket will mean that the filter can heat up and melt the solid fuel of the root from about the wick. Since the wick remnant will be relatively large, the filter will be able to more cleanly separate the candle fuel from the wick. 
     A candle held in the socket and supported on the socket will burn down to a bottom layer that is supported and seated on the socket with the root extending in the passage. Once the bottom layer is sufficiently molten that it can no longer hold itself on the base against the weight of the root, the residual candle and root passes through the socket only to be caught by the filter. Molten candle fuel will pass through the filter while any solid wick remnants are caught. The collection receptacle will receive candle fuel in a state separated from any wick remnants, thereby allowing a more straight-forward re-use of the candle fuel. In the preferred form, the filter is thermally connected to the base socket and will heat up so that wax held on its surface will melt and pass through or molten wax hitting its surface will remain molten and pass through. The filter has openings that are sufficiently small to catch the wick remnants. The candle fuel is collected in the receptacle for re-use. 
     It is a fourth object of the invention to provide a method of making a candle, where a wick of the candle remains sufficiently upstanding to resist self extinguishing as the candle burns down to a bottom layer supported on a candle holding socket. 
     A method of making a candle comprising a body of candle fuel and a wick extending longitudinally through the body, comprising making the body of candle fuel, providing the body with a root extending away from the body, wherein the candle so made is to be supported on a candle holding socket and the root is sized to pass through a passage through the candle holding socket and is to extend longitudinally in the passage away from the body, and providing the wick extending longitudinally through the body of the candle and into the root such that the wick is supported in the root. 
     The method can include pouring molten candle fuel into a mould that provides the candle body with the root. Another method would be to make the body of the candle and make the root of the candle and press the root onto a bottom of the body of the candle. Yet another method would be to make a column of candle fuel defining the candle and tool a bottom portion to define the root and the body of the candle. This could be done as the column is spinning about a central longitudinal axis of the column. 
     There is also disclosed a candle mould for moulding candle fuel of a candle, the candle mould is such that it forms candle fuel into a longitudinal column in the general shape of a candle to provide a candle body and characterised by the mould being such that it forms the column of candle fuel with a root extending longitudinally away from the candle body, wherein the candle so moulded is to be supported on a candle holding socket and the root is to extend into through a passage through the candle holding socket. 
     Preferred embodiments of the invention will be discussed in the following with reference to the figures. These embodiments serve to give example implementations of the core aspects of the invention discussed above. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  shows the prior art candelabrum discussed above. It is a view from above. 
         FIG. 2  shows a cross-section along the line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  shows a side cross section of a prior art candle holding socket. 
         FIG. 4  shows a side cross-section of a candle according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  shows a side cross-section of the candle mounted in a candle holding socket of a candle holder. 
         FIG. 6  shows a side cross-section of two candles mounted in respective candle holding sockets that are supported on a frame of a very simple candelabrum. 
         FIGS. 7A ,  7 B,  7 C and  7 D show side cross sectional views of candles mounted in candle holding sockets, each in alternative forms. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       FIG. 4  shows a candle  20  of the present disclosure. The candle  20  comprises a column of solid candle fuel providing a candle body  22  with a wick  24  extending longitudinally through the body  22 . The solid fuel is solidified wax that will burn when the wick  24  is lit. The candle  20  has a butt portion and an opposing top end  32 . A root  28  forms the butt end of the candle  20 . The root extends away from a bottom surface  26  of the body  22  of the candle  20 . The wick  24  extends with the root  28  beyond the bottom surface  26  of the candle  20 . The wick  24  protrudes from a top surface of the top end  32  of the candle  32 . The bottom surface  26  defines an annulus about the central root  28 . The bottom surface  26  and a bottom surface of the root  28  may be planar surfaces. It is envisaged that slightly curved bottom surfaces could also be provided. Thus, the body  22  has a part that can support the candle  20  and is of greater cross-sectional dimension than the root  28  of the body  22  of the candle  20  defines a base surface  26  that is to be supported on the base of a candle holding socket. 
     The root  28  is a cylindrical protrusion from the bottom surface that is made of solid fuel and part of the wick  24 . An interface between a bottom  25  of the body  22  of the candle and the root  28  can be imagined. This interface defines a boundary between the body of the candle  22  and a butt end of the candle  20  that is sized to be able to pass through a passage through a candle holding socket to form the root  28 . In the present embodiment, the root  28  is sized to pass into a hole formed in the base of a candle holding socket. The candle is sized not to pass through this hole, but instead be supported on the base of the candle holding socket. 
     A side view of a candle holder  36  is shown in  FIG. 5 . The candle holder  36  includes a single candle holding socket  34  having a hole  35  in a centre of its base. The root  28  is sized to pass into the hole  35 . A passage through the candle holding socket  34  includes the hole  35  and is shown by the dashed lines extending vertically from the hole  35 . In the shown embodiment, the root  28  extends longitudinally in the hole  35  and through to the other side. The base surface  26  of the body  22  of the candle  20  is seated on a base of the candle holding socket  34  to support the candle  20  thereon. The candle holding socket  34  includes a side wall upstanding from the base to define a cup shape for the receipt of a butt of the candle. 
     Attached to the socket  34  and disposed beneath it, with an upwards direction being defined along the line of the wick  24  to the top portion  32  of the candle  20 , is a filter  38  that is provided in the form of a metal wire mesh. The filter  38  has openings or pores that allow molten wax to pass through it, but which are small enough to catch a significant, at the least, amount of wick fibres. The filter  38  is arranged so that it catches candle residue passing through the hole  35  in the socket  34 . Direct connection between the filter  38  and the socket  34  provides thermal contact between them. Disposed beneath the wire mesh is a collection receptacle  40  arranged to receive molten wax passing through the hole  35  in a base of the candle holding socket  34  and subsequently through the filter  38 . The socket  34  is removably mounted on the collection receptacle  40 . The collection receptacle  40  may be partly filled with water to act as a cooling means. 
       FIG. 6  shows a side view of a candelabrum  44  of the type shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The candelabrum  44  has a number of candle holding sockets  34  mounted to its frame. Similar to the candle holder of  FIG. 5 , a filter layer  38  extends beneath the sockets so as to overlap the holes  35  in the sockets  34 . The filter layer  38  is attached to the sockets  34  to provide thermal contact points between them. Instead of a filter layer providing a filter for all of the sockets  34 , a thermally separate filter  38  can be associated with each socket  34 . The collection receptacle  40  is provided in the form of a collection pan upon which a frame supporting the sockets  34  is removably mounted. The receptacle  40  may be partly filled with a cooling means such as water. 
     The skilled reader will appreciate that the structure of the candle of the present disclosure can be moulded with a suitable mould form. Moulding candles is well known in the candle making art and it would not be burdensome for the skilled person to construct an appropriate mould to form the candle of the present disclosure. Another method would be to extrude a column of candle fuel and tool a portion of it to provide a candle body and a root. Alternatively, a candle body can be formed in ways known in the art and the candle root pressed onto it about a protruding wick. 
     The use and effects of the candle  20  of the present disclosure will now be described. The candle  20  is inserted with the butt portion  30  leading into a candle holding socket  34 . The root  28  is sized to pass through the hole  35  in a base of the socket  34  and extends longitudinally in the hole  35 . The root  28  and the hole  35  may loosely or firmly fit one another. The bottom surface  26  of the candle engages the base of the socket  34  and a sidewall of the socket engages a sidewall of the candle  20  to provide further structural support for the candle. The socket  34  may be one of a stand alone candle holder  36  as shown in  FIG. 5  or one of the plurality of sockets of a candelabrum  44  as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     The portion of the wick  24  protruding from a top surface of the top end  32  of the candle  20  is lit with a match for example. The candle  20  burns using the solid fuel of the candle body  22 . As the candle burns down to the bottom of the candle, a bottom layer of the candle body  22  will form. This bottom layer  22  is pulled by the weight of the root to pass through the hole  35 . The bottom layer will resist passing through the hole until the very end of use of the candle body  22  when it will be so molten that the weight of the root  28  overcomes any remaining support between the bottom layer of the body  22  and the base of the socket  34 . The candle  20  of the present disclosure allows the wick  24  to remain supported even as the bottom layer of the candle body  22  softens and melts because the depending root provides an annulus of solid fuel around it that structurally supports the root. The solid fuel of the root  28  supports the wick  24  as the candle  20  burns to the bottom surface  26 , thereby maintaining an upright configuration for enough of the wick  24  to prevent it falling over and extinguishing itself. As the candle  20  level reaches the bottom surface  26 , the bottom layer of the candle body will sufficiently melt at its interface with the base of the socket  34  that it will fall through the hole and the root  28  will fall from the hole  35  in the socket  34 . The weight of the root  28  provides a pulling force meaning that the remaining bottom layer of the body of the candle  22  is biased to pass through the hole  35 . The root  28  extends longitudinally in the hole  35  with the wick  24  of the candle  20  in the root. This provides an alignment between the hole  35  and the wick  24 , thereby resisting any displacement of the candle from a position above the hole  35  suitable to ensure the remaining portion consistently falls through the hole. 
     The final molten bottom layer of the candle  20  and the root  28  will fall, under gravity, so far as the filter  38 , which acts as a net catching any solid matter, such as wick remnant but also any candle fuel about the wick that is not molten, and allowing any molten candle fuel to pass through. The filter  38  thermally contacts the socket and thus is heated by the burning candle  20  before it fell through the hole  35 . This heating means that the molten candle fuel will not solidify on contact with the filter  38  and thus can pass through. Molten candle fuel has thus been separated from solid matter by the filter  38 . The collection receptacle  40  receives the molten candle fuel. 
     The socket  34  is empty of the previous candle  20  because of the unique candle structure of the present disclosure as described above. A replacement candle  20  can thus be fitted into the socket  34  as described above without the socket needing to be cleaned out first. The replacement candle  20  will, as the flame is encompassed by the socket  34 , start to heat the socket  34 . The heated socket  34  will transfer heat to the filter  38  and any solid fuel sitting on the filter will melt away, for example any solid fuel of the root that was about the wick and that was not molten as the previous candle residue fell from the hole  35 . The solid fuel of the previous candle&#39;s root will melt away from the wick of the root and pass through the filter  38  to be collected in the receptacle  40 . 
     The residual candle fuel collected in the receptacle  40  can be extracted. This extraction is easier if the solid fuel is not attached to the receptacle  40 , which makes the provision of cooling means in the receptacle advantageous as any molten solid fuel will have solidified before reaching the walls of the receptacle  40  and thus preventing the wax strongly bonding with these walls. In order to extract the collected candle fuel, the socket  34  is removed by lifting it, or a frame that it is attached to, off the receptacle  40  to enable access. The extracted candle fuel can be melted down and moulded into one or more new candles. The filter  38  may also be dismounted from attachment with the socket(s)  34  or frame supporting the sockets to allow remnant wicks to be removed. 
       FIGS. 7A to 7D  illustrate alternative forms of the candle  20  and candle socket  34  of the present disclosure. Just a butt portion of the candle  20  is shown in  FIGS. 7A and 7B  so as to concentrate on the aspects of these exemplary embodiments different from that disclosed in  FIGS. 4 to 6 . 
     The root  28  of  FIG. 7A  is provided as a cone extending from the body  22  of the candle  20 . The root  28  is a butt end of the candle  20  that is sized to pass through a passage through the candle holding socket  34 . The passage through the candle holding socket  34  includes the opening  35  in the base of the candle holding socket. The passage is defined by the cross-sectional extent of the hole  35  and extends longitudinally through the candle holding socket  34 . The root  28  of this embodiment extends longitudinally in the hole  35  and through the hole  35 . The root  28  is shown in an extended form for ease of illustration. It is to understood that a root of smaller longitudinal extent is contemplated, namely one of 2 mm or greater. 
     The cone shaped root  28  shown in  FIG. 7A  defines a tapered bottom to the candle  20 . The cone shaped root  28  is defined by a butt end sized to extend through the hole  35  in the candle holding socket  34 . The root  28  also provides an interface of the candle supported on a base of the candle holding socket  34  such that the candle  20  itself is supported on the base. As before, when the candle burns down it will form a bottom layer of candle fuel that is supported on the base of the candle holding socket  34 . Once the bottom layer is sufficiently molten, the weight of the root portion extending in the hole  35  in the candle holding socket  34  pulls the remaining bottom layer of the candle  20  through the hole  35 . 
       FIG. 7B  offers a similar construction to that of  FIG. 7A , but where the root  28  is formed as a frustum of a cone. The narrow portion of the frustum of a cone extends into and, in the shown configuration, through the hole  35  in the base of the candle holding socket  34 . Again, it is the root  28  that interfaces with the base of the candle holding socket  34 , rather than a base surface  26  of the candle body  22  as in  FIGS. 4 to 6 . 
       FIG. 7C  offers yet another embodiment of a candle  20  according to the present disclosure where the candle  20  is of the dimensions and shape of well known tea lights. The difference from the well known tea light type candles is that the candle  20  includes a root  28  extending from a candle body  22 . The candle  22  has an interface with the base of the candle holding socket  34  in the form of a planar base surface  26  of the candle seated on the base of the candle holding socket  34 . The candle holding socket is provided in the form of a glass cup with a side wall extending from a base of the socket  34  with a hole  35  provided in the base. The candle  20  fits in the cup such that the root  28  passes into the hole  35 . 
     Again, the root  28  appropriately positions the wick  24  in the cup so as to align the wick with the hole  35 . The weight of the root  28  biases any residue of candle and wick of the candle body  22  to pass through the hole  35  when it burns down to a final bottom layer. The wick  24  remains upstanding by way of the support provided by the root even as the body  22  of the candle burns down to form a semi molten thin layer of candle fuel supported on the base surface of the candle holding socket  34 . Once this bottom layer of candle fuel becomes sufficiently molten, it is pulled through the hole  35  by the weight of the root  28 . 
       FIG. 7D  shows yet another embodiment of the candle holding socket  34  and the candle  20  of the present disclosure. Here, the candle holding socket  34  is provided as a truncated cone extending inwardly in the downwards direction. Both ends of the truncated cone shaped candle holding socket  34  provides a hole. The smaller, bottom hole, provides a hole  35  through a bottom of the candle holding socket  34 . A passage through the candle socket  34  is defined in cross-sectional extent by the hole  35  and can be imagined to extend longitudinally through the candle holding socket  34  and through the opening  35 , as shown by the vertical dashed lines. The root  28  is defined as a butt end of the candle  20  that is sized to pass through the passage through the candle holding socket  34 . In the shown embodiment, the root  28  extends longitudinally through the hole  35  in the bottom of the candle holding socket  34 . The root  28  is provided in the form of a frustum of a cone. 
     The body  22  of the candle  20  is supported on the candle holding socket  34  where the sidewall of the socket is of a size so as to engage the candle body  22 . It is the root  28  that is dimensioned to pass through the passage through the socket  34  and thus extends longitudinally into the hole in the bottom of the socket  34 .