AN IMPROVED DEVICE FOR HOLDING A SHADE OR GLOBE ON A CANDLE
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Hascine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"AN IMPROVED DEVICE FOR HOLDING A SHADE OR GLOBE ON A CANDLE."
A communication from abroad by Arthur William Crockett, of the City and
State of New York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert-Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 14th March 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED DEVICE FOR HOLDING A
SHADE OR GLOBE ON A CANDLE." [A communication from abroad by Arthur
William Crockett, of the City and State of New York, United States of America.]
This Invention relates to a device or arrangement of devices designed to be
placed on or attached to an ordinary candle to carry a shade or globe in such a
manner that the said shade or globe will follow down with the candle as it burns
away, the whole being arranged in a simple, convenient, and inexpensive
manner.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a cap to be placed over
the upper or wick end of the candle, which cap may be struck up or otherwise
conveniently constructed. There is a disc in this cap having an opening slightly
less in diameter than the diameter of the candle. A plate is placed on the bottom
of the candle, and there are two springs, which may be composed of india-rubber,
each of which is attached respectively to the aforesaid cap and plate by means of
books on the sides of the cap and hooks on arms extending up from the plate.
The said springs are placed on opposite sides of the candle so as to bring an equal
pressure on the cap, and cause its disc to press evenly on the candle top as it
burns away, and as the cap moves down towards the base of the candle. An arm
connected to the shade is inserted into a socket in the cap.

page_text: When a globe is used its downwardly projecting flange has a socket provided in
it. This socket fits over the sockets in the cap until the flange rests on a bead or
projection made on the lower edge of the cap; the bead forms a stop to such
flange. As the candle burns away the cap with its attached shade or globe, as the
case may be, will follow down towards the base of the candle, always shading its
light.
This Invention forms an ornament, not only for dinner and supper tables, but
also for the centre of a boquet, or vase or basket of flowers. Another advantage of
my improvement is the avoidance of the guttering or irregular wasting off of the
candle; this usually takes place in large rooms or in places where there are strong
currents of air. It also avoids the scattering and sputtering of the hot wax,
paraffine, or other substances of which the candles are composed, and prevents such
substances being deposited on the garments of guests, or in the drapery and
furniture of the room, or upon the carpets or other objects.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th September 1881..
‹
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED DEVICE FOR HOLDING A
SHADE OR GLOBE ON A CANDLE." A communication from abroad by Arthur
William Crockett, of the City and State of New York, United States of America.
This Invention relates to an improved device or arrangement of devices designed
to be placed on or.attached to an ordinary candle to carry a shade or globe in such
a manner that the said shade or globe will descend as the candle burns away, the
whole being arranged in a simple, convenient, and inexpensive manner.
In the accompanying Drawing,—
Figure 1 is a front view shewing a candle having my improvements connected
therewith, and provided, with a shade.
Figure 2 is a similar view with a portion of a globe attached thereto, the
candle shewn being broken away just below the cap of the device, and
Figure 3 is a longitudinal central section thereof with the shade or globe
removed.
a represents the candle and b a cap placed over the upper or wick end of the
same, which cap may be struck up or otherwise conveniently constructed; c is
the top of the said cap, having an opening slightly less in diameter than the
candle; d is a plate placed on the bottom of the said candle; and e, e', are two
springs, which in the example shewn are composed of india rubber. Each of the
springs is attached to the cap 6 and plate d by means of the hooks f, f¹, on the
sides of the cap, and the hooks fü, fl, on the arms g, g¹, extending up from
the plate d. The said springs are placed on opposite sides of the candle so as to
bring an equal pressure on the cap, and cause its top to press evenly on the top of
the candle as the latter burns away, and as the said cap moves down towards the
base of the candle. An arm h supporting a shade i is inserted in sockets j, j,
on one side of the cap b, as shewn in Figure 1. When a globe is employed (as
shown in Figure 2), its downwardly projecting flange k has a socket 7 provided in it.
This socket fits over the sockets j, j, until the flange k rests on a bead or pro-
jection m formed on the lower edge of the cap b, the said bead forming a stop for
such flange.
It will be readily understood that as the candle burns away (see Figure 3) the
cap with its attached shade or globe, as the case may be, will follow down towards
the base of the candle, always shading its light.
The said Invention forms an ornament, not only for dinner and supper tables,
but also for the centre of a bouquet, vase, or basket of flowers. An advantage of
my improved device is the avoidance of the guttering or irregular wasting of the
candle, which usually takes place in large rooms or in places where there are strong
currents of air; it also avoids the scattering and sputtering of the hot wax,
paraffine, or other substances of which candles are composed, and prevents such
substances being deposited on the garments of guests, or on the drapery, carpets,
and furniture of the room, or on other objects.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,―
The combination of the cap with the plate having arms attached thereto, the
•

page_text: said cap and arms having hooks connected by springs, by means of which the cap
with its attached shade or globe is drawn down towards the plate as the candle
burns away, substantially as above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.