Improvements in Drip Catchers for Candles.
Year: 1895

page_text: COMI LEID DIEUNICATION.
Improvements in Drip Catchers for Candles.
I, ALBERT WILLIAM FOSTER, of Gray Street, Lincoln, Grocer, 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 drip catchers for candles, and is designed to render the
same more efficient than heretofore for the purpose for which they are intended.
To this end I construct the drip catcher of an annular piece of thin sheet metal
or other material, having a turned up rim at its outer circumference and a central
aperture for the candle to pass through. The drip catcher is secured in close
proximity to the lighted end of the candle, and the turned up rim serves very.
effectually to retain any drippings that may run off the candle.
To secure the drip catcher in position, and to render it adjustable, it may be
provided with a pair of spring clips adapted to embrace the candle, and also
serving to catch and retain any droppings, or the drip catcher may be secured to a
collar or sleeve adapted to slide up and down on a stem or rod fixed vertically at
the side of the candle.
And in order that my invention may be more readily understood, I will proceed
to describe the same by aid of the accompanying drawings, in which
Fig. 1, is a plan of one form of my improved drip catcher, Fig. 2 is an underside
view, and Fig. 3 is a vertical central section thereof,
Figs. 4 and 5 show different forms of drip catcher,
Fig. 6 shows the drip catcher illustrated in Figs. 1, and 3 in use.
Fig. 7 shows a drip catcher adjustable on a vertical stem or rod.
Referring more particularly to Figs. 1 to 3, a is the annular drip catcher, having
the turned up rim a', and the central aperture a² for the candle.
This drip
catcher is conical or inclined as shown more clearly in Fig. 3, to cause any grease
or droppings to flow towards the turned up rim a. are the spring clips with
which the drip catcher is provided for the purpose of holding and adjusting it on
the candle. They are bent outwardly or flared round their upper edges at band
fit closely under the drip catcher so as to arrest any matters that may trickle down
the candle through the aperture a². The clips are provided with finger pieces 62
for operating them and are pivoted on a pin 3 secured in the drip catcher and
passing through legs on the said clips. A spring 6, preferably of wire coiled
round the pin 6 serves to press the clips together.
The application of this form of drip catcher to a candle is shown more clearly
in Fig. 6 from which it will be seen that owing to the proximity of the drip
catcher to the lighted end of the candle it is practically impossible for any
droppings to miss it, the degree of inclination required to be given to the
candle for this to happen being far in excess of anything likely to occur in
ordinary use.
The drip catcher instead of being conical may be curved or dished as shown
in Fig. 4, or may simply consist of an annular disc with turned up rim a¹ as in
Fig. 5. In fact any convenient form may be adopted so long as the rim a¹ is
retained.
In the arrangement shown in Fig. 7 the drip catcher remains as before but in
place of the clips it is secured to or provided with a collar c adapted to slide with
a certain amount of friction upon a vertical stem or rod d so that the drip catcher

page_text: can be placed at any desired height. The stem or rod d is fixed to the lip of the
candlestick by means of clips or fingers d' at its lower end or otherwise and
instead of being formed with a single piece it may be formed in sections capable of
sliding one upon the other like the stem of a candle shade.
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 :-
(1.) A drip catcher for candles consisting of an annular piece or plate, of conical
dished plane, or of other suitable shape, having a turned up rim to retain grease
and droppings, and adapted to be held in position by a pair of spring clips with
outwardly turned upper edges also to retain grease and droppings substantially as
described with reference to annexed drawings.
(2.) The modified arrangement in which the spring clips are dispensed with in
immediate juxtaposition with the candle and the drip catcher, the whole device
being secured to the candlestick at base of rod d' substantially as described with
reference to the drawings.
Dated this 9th day of January 1895.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.