IMPROVEMENTS IN CANDLESTICKS
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert Brown, of Camden Road, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CANDLESTICKS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert Brown at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th June 1876.
ROBERT BROWN, of Camden Road, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CANDLESTICKS."
My Invention of improvements in candlesticks is more particularly applicable to
what are generally known as flat candlesticks or chamber candlesticks, but it is also.
applicable to other kinds of candlesticks.
In my improved candlestick the upper part of the stem or the socket to hold the
candle is made loose and is capable of being slidden up and down on the stationary
lower part, so that when the movable socket is raised into the highest position the
candle will be properly supported therein. In this idea there is no novelty, teles-
copic or sliding candlesticks with movable sockets having been made before; but in
my improved candlestick the socket is made in a peculiar manner, there being a
notch made in the movable or sliding part, and a pin or stud fixed in the stationary
part of the stem for the purpose of forming a stop or guide to prevent the movable
part from being turned round too far, and also to prevent the socket from being
accidentally pulled off when it is at its highest position. The fixed part of the stem
is provided with a pointed spike or pin on which the end of the candle is thrust to
hold the latter steady. The more perfectly to insure this result the spike or pin is
placed excentrically on the end of the stem, and this end is placed at a slight incline,
therefore when the candle is inserted in the socket the spike will enter at some
part of the end, which is a little beyond the centre, so that by turning round the
candle on the spike or pin its side will be jammed against the side of the socket, and
will therefore be held tightly in position. Moreover, when the candle is so turned
on the pin or spike, and is pushed down on to the inclined upper end of the stem, it
will be held still more firmly thereon.
Another improvement consists in adapting to the movable socket a horizontal
cam piece which is mounted on a stud and projects through an opening in the side
of the socket, so that it can be made to bear laterally against the side of the candle,
and thereby hold it steady in the socket. By these means the socket will be mado
[Price 6d.]

page_text: capable of receiving candles of different thicknesses, and will securely hold without
any extraneous wedges or paper any candle that can be placed in the socket.
As a modification of this device in which the cam piece requires to be moved by
the finger in order to cause it to bear against the side of the candle, I sometimes
adapt to the movable stem or socket a vertical rod or wire, which is provided at its
upper end with a horizontal curved piece which is capable of being projected into
the socket through an opening made for the purpose. At the lower end of the
vertical rod or wire there is a short projecting arm, which as the movable socket is
turned round (when at its elevated position) is brought against a fixed projecting
stud on the lower part of the stem. By this means the vertical rod or wire is
turned round and the curved arm at the top is thrust into the socket and made to
bear against the side of the candle and hold the same steady in the socket whatever
may be its diameter or thickness. At the same time the short projecting arm
below by passing against and under the fixed stud on the lower or stationary part
of the stem will prevent the movable socket or upper part from being accidentally
detached from the lower part. It will thus be seen that this latter clamping device
acts automatically when the movable socket is turned round to secure it in its
elevated position.
From the above explanation it will be understood that the essential features of
my Invention are:-1st. Clamping the candle in its socket and thereby holding the
candle (whatever may be its size) in its place by means of a movable device
adapted to the socket; and 2nd. Placing a pin or pointed spike excentrically on the
inclined end of the fixed stem; and 3rd. So constructing the several parts of the stem
that the movable part will be securely held in place and prevented from becoming
accidentally detached from the fixed part of the stem.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Robert Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th December
1876.
ROBERT BROWN, of Camden Road, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CANDLESTICKS."
My Invention of "Improvements in Candlesticks" is more particularly applicable
to what are generally known as flat candlesticks or chamber candlesticks, but it is
also applicable to other kinds of candlesticks.
In my improved candlestick the upper part of the stem or the socket to hold the
candle is made loose and is capable of being slidden up and down on the stationary
lower part, so that when the moveable socket is raised into the highest position the
candle will be properly supported therein. In this idea there is no novelty, teles-
copic or sliding candlesticks with moveable sockets having been made before; but in
my improved candlestick the socket is made in a peculiar manner, there being a
notch made in the moveable or sliding part, and a pin or stud fixed in the stationary
or fixed part of the stem for the purpose of forming a stop or guide to prevent the
inoveable part from being turned round too far, and also to prevent the socket from
being accidentally pulled off when it is at its highest position. The fixed part of
the stem is provided with a pointed spike or pin on which the end of the candle is
thrust to hold the latter steady. The more perfectly to ensure this result the spike
or pin is placed excentrically on the end of the stem, and this end is constructed
with a slightly inclined surface.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 represents in elevation a flat candlestick
constructed according to my Invention. Fig. 2 is another elevation of the stem or
socket part of the candlestick.
In Fig. 1 the moveable socket a is represented in its elevated position, and in
Fig. 2 the same part is represented in its lower position; Fig. 3 is a plan view of
the socket as seen from above and showing the stationary stem b with the spike c

page_text: (to receive the end of the candle) fixed excentrically thereon. When the candle d>
Figures 1 and 2, and indicated by dots in the plan view, Fig. 3, is inserted in the
socket, the spike c will enter at some part of the end, which is a little beyond the
centre, so that by turning round the candle d on the spike or pin c its side will
be jammed against the side of the socket, as shewn in the Figures, and will therefore .
be held tightly in position in the socket. Moreover, when the candle d is so turned
on the pin or spike c, and is pushed down on to the inclined upper end of the stem b,
as shown by dots in Figures 1 and 2, it will be held still more firmly on the
fixed stem.
Another improvement which is shewn in the partial elevation, Fig. 4, and plan
view, Fig. 5, consists in adapting to the moveable socket a, a horizontal cam piece e,
which is mounted on a stud e¹ and projects through an opening in the side of the
moveable socket a, so that the cam piece e can be made to bear laterally against the
side of the candle d, and thereby hold it steadily in the socket. By these means
the socket a will be made capable of receiving candles of different thicknesses, and
will securely hold without any extraneous wedges or paper any candle that can be
placed in the socket. It will be seen on referring to Figures 1 and 4 that at the
lower path of the moveable socket a there is a notch f, and in the side of the fixed
part of the stem b there is a projecting pin g, which forms a stop or guide which
will prevent the moveable part a (when raised into its elevated position, as shown
in the Drawings) from being turned round too far. When the pin f enters the
notch g it will also hold the moveable socket securely and prevent it from being
pulled off even if the candlestick should be lifted up by taking hold of the upper
part or moveable socket, as is sometimes the case.
At Figures 6, 7, and 8 I have shown a modification of the clamping device
described in reference to Figures and 5 for holding the candle in the socket.
Instead of the cam piece e which is moved by the finger in order to cause it to
bear against the side of the candle, I sometimes adapt to the moveable stem or socket
a a vertical rod or wire h, which is provided at its upper end with a horizontal
curved piece h¹ which is capable of being projected into the socket through an
opening made therein for the purpose, as shown at Figures 6 and 8. At the lower
end of the vertical rod or wire h there is a short projecting arm h³, which as the
moveable socket a is turned round (when at its elevated position) is brought against
a fixed projecting stud i on the lower or fixed part of the stem, as shown at
Figures 6 and 7. By this means the vertical rod or wire is turned round, and the
curved arm at the top is thrust through the opening in the socket a and is made
to bear against the side of the candle and hold the same steady in the socket
whatever may be its diameter or thickness. At the same time the short projecting
arm below by passing against and under the fixed stud i on the lower or
stationary part b of the stem will prevent the moveable socket or upper part a
from being accidentally detached from the lower part. It will thus be seen that
this latter clamping device acts automatically when the moveable socket a is turned
round to secure it in its elevated position. The candle may be clamped in the
socket by means of a wedge piece fixed on the top of the extinguisher.
wedge piece is passed up through a notch made in the socket, as shewn at Figs. 4ª,
4b, and 40.
The
Although for the sake of economy I prefer to construct my improved candlestick
of metal, as shewn in the Drawing, it will be evident that my improvements may
also be advantageously applied to candlesticks in which the pan and stem or part
thereof are made of earthenware, and the moveable or sliding socket of metal, as
shewn at Fig. 4a. I do not therefore intend to limit myself to the material of which
the candlesticks are to be made, but having described my Invention of improve-
ments in candlesticks, and having explained the manner of carrying the same into
effect, I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid―
First. The combination of a sliding or moveable socket (provided with a notch at
its lower part) with a projecting pin or stud fixed in the stationary part of the stem,
as and for the purposes herein set forth.

page_text: Second. Placing excentrically on the inclined end of the fixed stem a vertical
pin or pointed spike, as and for the purpose herein set forth.
Third. Clamping the candle in its socket and thereby holding the candle (what-
ever may be its diameter) in its place by means of a curved cam piece or other
equivalent device adapted to the moveable socket, as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert Brown, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, the Twenty Twenty-eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.
K. BROWN. (LS.)