Improvements in Candlesticks.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 19th June, 1896-Accepted, 19th June, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Candlesticks.
I, FRIEDRICH WILHELM STEINENBÖHMER, of Iserlohn, Westfalia, Germany
Manufacturer, 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 improvements in candlesticks, and it has for its object to
facilitate the insertion of a fresh candle into the tube, to simplify and to render
safe this operation, to allow easy inspection of the interior of the tube of the
candlestick and to prevent the running of liquid stearine or other candle-stuff
into the interior of the tube and to exclude any soiling or staining of the hands
or other objects by drops of liquid material; another object of this invention is
to prevent the candle from being thrown out of the tube by the pressure of the
spring when the top-cap should happen accidentally to be unlocked and to procure
a means indicating always the length of the candle which remains still unburnt
in the tube; further it is the object to secure economy in candles by making this
candlestick fit to burn up the candle in it without any residue to the last trace of
material and lastly constructing it for easy attachment of a shade if desired to
use one.
The accompanying drawing illustrates this invention and shows in:
Fig. 1 an elevation and outside view of the candlestick.
Fig. 2 a vertical section of part of the same;
Fig. 3 a vertical section of the top-part; with a candle nearly burnt up;
Fig. 4 a vertical section showing a modification of closing the cap by the candle-
bearer;
Fig. 5 a perspective view showing the top-cap opened;
Fig. 6 a part of an elevation of the top of candlestick provided with a removable
shade-holder or screen-holder;
Fig. 7 a part of the top of the candle-stick with a shade-holder seen at right angle
to Fig. 6.
The candlestick is composed of a base A of dish-shape, in the centre of which
stands the tubular candle-holder B with an interior helical spring C and of a cap D
fixed to the top of the latter and supporting the candle on its top, its upper truncated
conical part forms a tight joint like a valve in the cone N¹ of the cover M.
The tube B has longitudinal slots E, E' cut in its opposite sides, serving as guides
for the ends of a pin F with little knobs F, F, which is fixed in the cap D. In
pushing down these knobs the spring C will be pressed into the bottom of the tube B
where the pin F can be turned sideways to enter the horizontal notches G and G at
the lower end of the slots E' and E respectively, to lock the spring C in its compressed
state.
A flange H at the top of the tube B has at its underside a suitable projection J, on
which is hinged the cover M, having a conical cap N open at the top; the rim L of the
cover M covers the outer edge of flange H and is secured thereto by a thumbscrew or
rivet K. The cover M at its under side may be provided with a socket M' to allow a
rod T with a square lower end to be stuck into it, in order to hold a shade or a screen
on the ring S at the upper end of rod T, said ring standing concentrically above the
cap N in suitable height. In this case the flange H of the tube B is cut out as shown

page_text: at X Fig. 5 in dot and dash lines, to let pass the socket M¹ when opening and closing
the cover.
The cap N of the cover M'is concentric with the tube B below it, and the interior
border of the open top has a rim O projecting inwardly; and the upper slightly
conical interior of the cap N forming a continuation of a more conical part N with
its larger diameter at the base; the top part of cap D, held on the upper end of
spring C is of corresponding conical shape, fitting exactly into the conical base N¹ of
the cover, when there is no candle in the tube, or when it is burnt up, so that a
tight, valve-like seat is formed in N'.
The candle is inserted into the tube in the following way: The spring C having
been compressed by pushing the cap D down and the pin F having been secured
in the notches G, G of the vertical slots E, E', the lock K is opened and the
cover M turned back on its hinge J, then the candle is stuck into the tube to
rest upon the top of cap D; the cover M is then shut, the lock K secured and
then the pin F is turned out of the notches G, G₁ and the candle allowed to be
lifted by the spring and to take a bearing against the inner rim O of N by the
pressure of the spring C.
When the candle is burning the great metal surface of cover M and cap N N¹
with rim L, cools efficiently the top end of the candle, so that it will not burn
too quickly and have not more of it melting away than is necessary to feed its
wick; by this way a running down of molten candle-stuff over the rim O is
avoided.
When the candle approaches its end in burning down, the spring. C having
continuously pushed it upwards against rim O, the conical top of cap D finally
comes into position Fig. 3, where it can be seen that the cap D is tightly closing
the lower space of cover M or cap N N' by its conical (or also, if chosen, hemispherical)
upper part, being pressed firmly up by spring C. The last short end of the candle
may then burn away completely, without a drop of molten stuff being able to find its
way down into tube B or over rim O down on the outer parts of the candlestick.
When accidentally, during the candle's burning, the lock K should get open, the
pressure of the spring cannot throw the candle out of the tube, because the candle,
being embraced by the cover. M with bush or cap-part N, see Fig. 2, prevents the
latter from opening totally on its hinge J, but allows only a slight lifting, as may be
easily understood in comparing Fig. 5 and Fig. 2; the candle itself forms a brake,
jamming itself between cap and tube; owing to the cap D being of a certain length,
the same effect will take place if the lock K should get open when the candle is
nearly burnt up, as in Fig. 3; the cap D then acting in the same way like the candle,
as described.
A modification of the cap D and cover M is shown in Fig. 4. In place of the
cones N and N of cover M, the latter has a projecting lower rim P at the base,
which engages into a circular groove Q on the upper border of the top-cap D¹ of the
spring C, and so forms a tight joint between the cap and the cover M, so that no
molten candle-stuff can flow down into the tube.
The length of candle left to be burnt is always seen by the position of the knobs F¹ F¹
on the vertical slits E E'.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
I declare, that what I claim is :
1. In a candle-stick in combination with a tube B having vertical slots E E' on
opposite sides, ending at the bottom in horizontal notches G', a spiral spring C carrying
at its top a cap D conical at its upper part and being secured to the spring by a pin B
passing through the same and the cap and across the tube B, with its ends projecting
out of the slots E E' and provided with knobs F' so that it may be turned radially
into the horizonta! notches G' and held there securely against the upward pressure
of the spring; a cover M hinged to the flange H of tube B and locked thereto by a
thumb screw K, said cover being surmounted by a conical cap N N¹ with inwardly
projecting rim O at top so that the candle, when the pin is released from the

page_text: notches G, will be pressed upwards by the spring, its top bearing against the rim O
and when burnt short, the conical top of cap D will be seated against the inside of
cap N N' like a cone valve and form a tight joint.
2. In a candlestick as specified in Claim One, forming the top cap D¹ of spring C
cylindrically with a groove Q which when the candle is burnt short and the cap
pressed upwards engages with the projecting edge P of the cap of cover M to form
a cylindrical valve seat.
3. In combination with a candle-stick as specified in Claims One and Two a
socket M¹ connected to the flange of cover M to receive a rod T carrying a ring S
to serve as support for a shade or screen, the whole as set forth and for the purpose
specified.
CT1000
FRIEDRICH WILHELM STEINENBÖHMER,
Per Karl J. Mayer,
Agent.