other Candle Holders.
Year: 1888

page_text: other Candle Holders.
I, ALFRED NIND HOPKINS, of the firm of J. H. Hopkins and Sons of Granville
Works, Birmingham in the County of Warwick, tinplate workers and japanners,
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 :-
This invention relates to nozzles employed in or with candlesticks or other candle
holders and which are fitted with adjustable clamps which may be moved inwards or
outwards to suit different sizes of candle and which hold the candle by being pressed
up thereagainst; and the object of the invention is to secure a firm hold around the
candle without cutting into it and rendering it liable to break or chip off at the bottom
where it is held.
In order that the invention may be readily understood I will describe the entire
apparatus in detail though its main features are similar to that of a nozzle heretofore
largely manufactured and sold by my said firm.
Referring to the drawings herewith, figure 1 is a plan looking down into a pan a;
figure 2 corresponds to figure 1, but shews clamps b in position within the pan a;
figure 3 is a section taken on line xx of figure 2, but with the clamps through part
of which the line passes omitted; figure 4 is a plan, as seen from the underside,
of the turning parts of the device, by which the clamps are operated; figure 5 is a
transverse section through the centre of the entire nozzle; figure 6 corresponds to
figure 2, but shews the slotted plate, hereinafter described, as in position in gear with
the clamps and figure 7 corresponds to figure 6, but shews the slotted plate as turned
and the clamps to have been thereby moved inwards. The same letters of reference
indicate corresponding parts throughout the views.
The pan a is formed with a socket a¹ which fits within the top of a candlestick or
other candle holder, and may, if desired, be permanently fixed therein; or, instead of
being carried within the top of a candlestick, it may itself form such top. When the
pan is desired to be readily removable from the candlestick, a projection c is formed

page_text: down the side of the socket and fits within a corresponding groove in the top of the
candlestick so as to prevent the pan from being turned therein. The pan is also
formed with a flange or rim d. Radiating grooves e are formed in the upper part of
the flange d. The clamps have each a part which lies upon the flange d and a
vertical part d¹, formed to a hollow curve towards the centre of the pan, which passes
down into the socket. A downwardly-projecting slide d is formed in the top of each
clamp to lie within the corresponding groove in the flange d, and a piece of metal is
turned up out of each downward projection d' at the back or outer end thereof to form
an upward lug d³, or a stud may be rivetted on the top of each clamp in lieu thereof.
A cap has an annular plate g, formed with excentric curved slots g¹ therethrough,
fitted tightly within the cap against a shoulder formed between a lesser and greater
diameter thereof (as shewn at figure 5). The larger diameter of the cap is passed
down over the flange d of the pan, and its lower edge is then spun in under an annular
plate which fits around the socket a¹ and bears up against the underside of the
radiating grooves formed in the flange d. The edge is spun in so as to leave
the cap and plate g free to be turned easily around the other parts of the nozzle.
When the parts are put together as described the lugs d³ (or rivetted studs in lieu
thereof) enter respectively within the slots g' of the plate g, in the manner shewn by
figure 6; and as the cap and plate g are together turned axially, in the direction of
the arrow a², the action of the slots g' moves inwards the clamps (as shewn by
figure 7) to grip the end of a candle previously inserted within the nozzle, and the
clamps are drawn outwards again by the reverse movement of the cap and slotted
plate. As the clamps are moved inwards and outwards they are guided in the radiating
slots; and they are prevented by such slots from being themselves turned within the
pan. The inner surfaces of the vertical parts d' of the clamps are roughened to give
them a firm grip or hold around the candle; and as it is preferred to form these (as
also the other parts of the device) of sheet metal the roughening is conveniently
effected by pressing or punching forward a number of small projections similar in
character to those of a grater.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
In a holdfast nozzle or sucket of the character and for the purpose described,
clamps having roughened holding surfaces substantially as described for the purpose
set forth.