Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Extinguishing Candles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Aug., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 9th May, 1890-Accepted, 14th June, 1890
Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Extinguishing
Candles.
I, ALFRED MELLOR, of Otterhead, in the County of Devon, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to apparatus whereby when a candle is burnt down a certain
distance it is automatically extinguished.
According to one form of the apparatus which I employ, I mount a two armed lever
preferably constructed of wire upon a pivot fixed in a sleeve encircling the candle or
candlestick and upon which it is free to revolve. The lower arm of this lever is
weighted and to the end of the other or upper arm is attached a plate at or nearly at
right angles thereto towards the candle of suitable shape to forin an extinguisher,
which is also preferably hinged to allow of a little play up and down. The upper lever
is bent or formed of such a shape that when the weighted arm of this lever is in its
raised position the outer point of the extinguisher plate bears against the side of the
candle. On the candle burning down to the point where the extinguisher rests against
it, owing to the weight at the other end of the lever the extinguisher is caused to
move, sliding gradually over the top of the candle in an inclined upward direction and
when it has reached a certain point falls down thereon thus extinguishing the flame.
The sleeve on which the lever is mounted is constructed so as to be adjustable to a
higher or lower height so as to extinguish the candle in a shorter or longer time or in
order to attain the same result the upper lever can be constructed so as to be lengthened
or shortened, the longer the arm is made the sooner the candle is automatically
extinguished.
According to another construction of the apparatus I hinge to opposite sides of a
ring which freely encircles the candle two quarter segments of hemispheres which in
their closed position form a cap or extinguisher and which are weighted at their inner
lower corners. To the inside of the one or both segments I fix a projecting arm or
spring which extends a little beyond the plane of the hemisphere. In operating with
this apparatus the segments are opened and the ring passed over the candle until it
rests upon the top of the candlestick.
The two segments are then partly closed until the projecting arm or spring
attached to the inside of the one or both segments rests against the candle, preventing
its further closure, in which condition it is retained by the weighted corners.
When the candle burns down to the point where this arm or spring rest against,
the arm or spring having nothing to bear against leaves the two segments free to
close in obedience to the weight at their corners thus causing the candle to be
extinguished. In order to make the two segments fall together I form the one
segment with a projecting pin which fits into a groove in the other segment. In this
case it is only necessary to have a projecting arm from one of the segments bearing
against the candle.

page_text: COMPINIE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Automatically Extinguishing
Candles.
I, ALFRED MELLOR of Otterhead in the County of Devon, Gentleman do hereby
déclare 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 apparatus applicable to a candle or candlestick, so
arranged than when the candle is burnt down a certain distance it is automatically
extinguished.
Fig. 1 is a plan of one form of the apparatus applicable to a candle, Fig. 2 is a side.
view shewing its condition while the candle is burning and Fig. 3 shews it having
extinguished the candle.
Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are similar views shewing a modified arrangement of the apparatus
applied to a candlestick. In all these figures similar parts are as far as possible
indicated by corresponding letters of reference. Upon a clamping ring A which can
be slid to any desired position upon the candle, or on the candlestick itself as shewn in
Figs. 5 and 6, is pivotted a bent wire B constituting a lever, the one arm of which is
loaded by a weight C, and the other arm of which carries a hood D, which, as shewn
in Fig. 1, 2 and 3 is fixed to the wire B, but which, as shewn in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 can
be slid along the wire B. From the front of the hood D project two prongs E E
the distance between the points of which is somewhat less than the diameter of the
candle, so that when the hood D is drawn back as shewn in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, the
prongs E rest against the sides of the candle and so retain the hood in its backward
position. When the candle burns so far down that the material of the candle
against which the prongs E bear becomes too soft to withstand their pressure, the
weight C causes the hood D suddenly to advance to the position indicated in Figs. 3, 4
and 6 extinguishing the light and covering the wick.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I claim:
Apparatus applicable to a candle or candlestick, wherein a hood adjustable in
position and carried on a loaded lever, is held back by prongs projecting from it and
bearing against the body of the candle, until the candle burns down so far that
the bearing of the prongs gives way, and the hood is flung over the top of the candle,
substantially as described.
Dated this 9th day of Nov 1800