Improved Means for Holding Candles.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Mar., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Jan., 1891-Accepted, 28th Feb., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Holding Candles.
I, WILLIAM PERKINS, of 1, Sherborne Lane, King William Street, in the
County of London, Mining Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to means whereby candles may be supported in an upright
position whilst floating in water or other liquid of higher specific gravity than
themselves.
According to this invention I construct a floating guide made of wood, papier
mache, cork, corticine or other buoyant material or a hollow float of metal, so as to
support in water or other liquid employed a short tube having a larger diameter
than the candle to be burned.
This float may be placed in an ordinary glass tumbler or other vessel containing
water or other liquid, the candle is then dropped through the tube and being of
less specific gravity than the water or other liquid it floats therein and the tube in
the float serves to keep it in an upright position.
The water in the vessel may be pure or may be mixed with scent or a disinfectant
or its specific gravity may be increased by the addition of salt &c. &c.
I propose to utilize the surface, outer edge or other part of the float or tube or
both for advertising purposes.
The buoyant material of which the float is made may be pierced to the necessary
diameter to allow the candle free play instead of inserting a tube, if desired.
In order to adapt this invention in the form of a candle stick or candle holder,
I take a tube made of a suitable material and slightly larger than the diameter of
the candle to be burned. I seal the bottom of this tube and affix thereto a foot or
base to stand upon and at the top of the tube (which should be about the length of
the candle to be burned or a little longer) I fix or form a reservoir with an opening
at the top. The object of this reservoir is to receive and hold the water displaced
from the tube when the candle is inserted and to return the same to the tube as the
consumption of the candle proceeds.
In order to maintain the candle at or above the level of the top of the reservoir
I insert a long cork or sealed hollow tube or any buoyant substance into the tube
before putting in the candle.
In order to operate this safety candle holder it is only necessary to fill the tube
with water and then place the candle on the float and allow it to sink as far as it
will, it will be found that the candle having a less specific gravity than the water
and being rendered still more buoyant by the aforesaid float it will rise a little
above the top of the reservoir and as it is consumed the water in the reservoir
descends into the tube and maintains the candle at about a constant height, thus
the whole arrangement is self acting and automatic.
As the candle is only projecting slightly above the top of the reservoir and is
entirely surrounded by and floating in water it follows that if there is any sweating
or guttering of the candle when being carried about the grease falls into the water
in the reservoir.
It is not absolutely necessary to make use of the float in connection with the.

page_text: candle stick or holder particularly where the top reservoir is shallow as in that
case the supply of air to support the combustion of the candle is sufficient.
The top of the reservoir may be fitted with a cap or cover with a hole in the top
sufficiently large to allow the candle to be consumed but not large enough to allow
it to pass through. The float in the water forces the candle up to the aperture in
the cap or cover and maintains it there in the same way as a spring would do.
Dated this 22nd day of March 1890.
BROWNE & Co.,
59 & 60, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agents for Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Holding Candles.
I, WILLIAM PERKINS, of 1, Sherborne Lane, King William Street, in the
County of London, Mining Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to means whereby candles may be supported in an upright
position whilst floating in water or other liquid of higher specific gravity than
themselves.
According to this invention I construct a floating guide made of wood, papier
mache, cork, corticine or other buoyant material or a hollow float of metal so
as to support in water or other liquid employed a short tube having a larger
diameter than the candle to be burned.
This float may be placed in an ordinary glass tumbler or other vessel con-
taining water or other liquid the candle is then dropped through the tube and
being of less specific gravity than the water or other liquid it floats therein and
the tube in the float serves to keep it in an upright position the water in the vessel
may be pure or may be mixed with scent or a disinfectant or its specific gravity
may be increased by the addition of salt &c. &c.
propose to utilize the surface outer edge or other part of the float or tube or
both for advertising purposes.
The buoyant material of which the float is made may be pierced to the necessary
diameter to allow the candle free play instead of inserting a tube if desired.
In order to adapt this invention in the form of a candle stick or candle holder I
take a tube made of a suitable material and slightly larger than the diameter of the
candle to be burned. I seal the bottom of this tube and affix thereto a foot or base
to stand upon and at the top of the tube (which should be about the length of the
candle to be burned or a little longer) I fix or form a reservoir with an opening at
the top, the object of this reservoir is to receive and hold the water displaced from
the tube when the candle is inserted and to return the same to the tube as the
consumption of the candle proceeds.
In order to maintain the candle at or above the level of the top of the reservoir
I insert a long cork or sealed hollow tube or any buoyant substance into the tube
before putting in the candle.
In order to operate this safety candle holder it is only necessary to fill the tube
with water and then place the candle on the float and allow it to sink as far as
it will, it will be found that the candle having a less specific gravity than the water
and being rendered still more buoyant by the aforesaid float it will rise a little
above the top of the reservoir and as it is consumed the water in the reservoir
descends into the tube and maintains the candle at about a constant height thus the
whole arrangement is self-acting and automatic. As the candle is only projecting
slightly above the top of the reservoir and is entirely surrounded by and floating in
water it follows that if there is any sweating or guttering of the candle when being
carried about the grease falls into the water in the reservoir.
And in order that my said invention may be better understood I will now proceed

page_text: to describe the same with reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings in
which :-
Figs. 1, 2 and 3 shew illustrations of candlesticks constructed according to this
invention with candles therein.
Fig. 4 shews my improved candle holder with candle supported in an ordinary
glass tumbler.
Figs. 5 and 6 shew my floating guides with candles and having advertisements
on such guides.
Fig. 7 shews detached view of float with candle therein and similar to the floats
shewn in candlesticks at Figs. 1, 2 and 3.
Similar letters denote the same parts in all the figures.
A. shews float. B. candle. C. Figs. 5 and 6 tube made of metal or other
suitable material. D. Figs. 1, 2 and 3 shews water reservoir made to form a
candlestick.
It will be seen the top D¹ in this case is made cup shaped so that any grease that
runs from the candle may be caught therein.
The float must be made of such a length that the candle as it burns shall always
be kept above the top of the open cup D¹.
The dotted line in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 shows the water level. The float A. shown
in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 consists of a thin metal tube sealed at both ends but having
a small portion e. of the tube extending beyond the top disc in which the
candle is held and as the candle burns the float rises thus keeping the candle
always above the top of the cup D'. The float A. in this case is kept in
position by means of the hollow stem f. In the case of the floats shown at
Figs. 5 and 6 the candle is simply passed loosely through the tube C. so as to
hold it (the candle) in a vertical position, and this description of float may be
put in an ordinary glass tumbler and the candle burnt therein as shewn in Fig. 4.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood
that I am aware of the Specification of Letters Patent granted to Edward Gwinnell
Stidder No. 18633 of 1889 and I lay no claim to anything described and claimed
therein, and I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In means as hereinbefore described for holding candles the float A substantially
as described and shewn in the drawings.
11. The improved means for holding candles substantially as described and shewn
in the drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of January 1890.
BROWNE & Co.,
60, Chancery Lane, Agents for Applicant.