Improvements in Machines for Moulding Hollow Candles.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 15th Aug., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Moulding Hollow Candles.
I, LEOPOLD SEMMLER of 15 Franzensglacis Brunn, Moravia, in the Empire of
Austro-Hungary, Gentleman, 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 :-—
The object of this invention is to improve the machines and devices hitherto
used for moulding hollow candles. The accompanying drawings illustrate one
form of candle moulding machine embodying these improvements though the
invention will obviously apply as well to other similar machines.
In the drawings Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a machine for moulding or casting
hollow candles and Fig. 2 is a front view thereof. The remaining figures are
detail views to which reference will be made in the course of this Specification.
Like letters refer to like parts in all figures.
In the manufacture of hollow candles the main difficulty is the correct centering
of the core pieces as no provision is made in machines of this description hitherto
known whereby the cores of the candles which are being cast may be reliably
retained in the centre. To effect this a method of primitive simplicity is generally
resorted to which consists in keeping the core pins within the holes of a previously
cast candle K as is apparent from Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The core-pins (sometimes
termed "forks" being arranged in series of two) are designated in these figures by
the letter a. It will be readily understood that this method of centering is liable
to prove futile in many cases, hence the large amount of waste material collected
in manufactories of hollow candles. The present invention effectually disposes of
this difficulty. Above the mould-case (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) in which the candles are
cast are hinged two covers or flaps cc (Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6) extending all along the
machine. These covers are provided with semi-circular recesses exactly facing
each other in such a manner that when the covers on either side are turned down
(Figs. 3 and 6) they meet and their coinciding recesses by their junction form
circular openings (Fig. 6). These circular openings are made to take up their
position exactly above the centres of the moulds and they are somewhat a tight fit
upon the core pins a which are thus accurately and securely centered. According
as the two recessed covers are pressed closer together or loosened, the core pieces a
will assume a more or less exact central position so that a reliable means is
obtained for adjusting the thickness of the material around the central opening
of the candle. Instead of hinges other equivalent devices may be used and
instead of providing one continuous cover on each side of the machine a series
of wings or plates may be pivotted or suitably attached. The advantage of such
an arrangement in the manufacture of hollow candles K provided with truncated
bases as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 will be readily appreciated when it is
remembered how thin generally the material becomes towards the contracted or
truncated portion, which circumstance causes the candle to be spoilt and converted
into waste material by the slightest irregularity in the centering of the core bars.
With a special view to the continuous commercial production of hollow candles
with truncated bases a further improvement has been devised, which consists in the
employment of conical moulds A made of two or more parts for casting the said
bases. A mould of this description is shown in Figs. 7 and 8 being specially
intended for candles with a serrated base. It will however be understood that
it is immaterial as regards the principle of my invention whether the whole or
The
part of the candle is or is not provided with serrations or other ornaments.
conical moulds are fitted into the main moulds Fig. 3 without it being necessary to
.

page_text: remove the core-pieces a as it has been hitherto after each casting owing to the
employment of conical moulds made in one piece.
As the candles shrink within the moulds and thereby lose their support the
conical moulds are detached from the candles at the same time as the core-pieces
are being withdrawn. To prevent however the removal of the cones, while the
candles are being moved out of the casting apparatus I provide the latter with a
lifting arrangement the object of which is to prevent the said conical bases from
being broken off in the act of withdrawing the candles from the moulds as it has
been hitherto found that the candles by contracting within the moulds remain quite
unsupported within the same, so that in withdrawing the core bars a the truncated
bases are generally broken off.
Hollow candles with truncated bases are obtained by means of this machine in
the following manner;-
Before moulding, warm water or steam is introduced into the mould case b so as
to heat the moulds. The wicks are then passed into the moulds, the conical
moulds A. adjusted in position and the core-pieces centered after which the candles
are cast in the usual way. After the casting cold water is admitted into the case b
to promote the solidification of the candles and when these are sufficiently hard the
loosening of the core-pieces and of the candles is commenced. The loosening of
the core-pieces a secured to or upon the carriage G is effected in the following
manner;
2
By means of a number of gear-wheels and of the mitre wheels. provided on
the shaft wand on the screw-spindles & these spindles are rotated and in
turning move downwardly the core-carriage G with the core-pieces a. After
cooling, as aforesaid the candles contract i.e. become somewhat shorter so that their
points are no longer supported by the caps provided on the tubes r.
The candles therefore hang loosely with their points downwards and it will be
understood that in this position they are liable to break off the truncated bases
even in being simply removed from the mould and still more so during the with-
drawal of the core-pieces. It is to prevent this breakage that the lifting mechanism
mentioned above has been devised. This mechanism consists of a horizontal shaft d
upon which are rigidly secured two worms s; it further comprises two spindles e
and f on which are secured worm wheels s and on the lower ends of which are
provided screw-threads so that by means of a screw-but they operate each a lever
arm H H. These lever arms H and H' are adapted to raise each by means of a
pin the lower carriage G¹ together with the tubes r screwed therein which tubes
with their caps (constituting the moulds for the candle-points) then rise sufficiently
to firmly support as before the shortened candles; when the core-pieces a may be
drawn out of the latter without any danger of their breaking off their bases. When
the core-pieces are loosened the head formed by the superfluous material is cut off
and the candles are raised out of their moulds by means of gear-wheels the racks g
and the carriage G and the tubes being maintained during this operation by a
clamping device k which may consist of plates p drawn or pressed against by cams
or eccentrics u carried on the shafts k¹ and turned by means of lever handles k.
Underneath the carriage G' is arranged the spool on which are wound the wicks.
These pass through the tubes r and these tubes are themselves guided by the parts
of the core-pieces a which are screwed into the carriage G being as aforesaid
provided with moulds for the candle-points.
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. In a machine for the manufacture of hollow candles a centering arrangement
situated above the mould case and consisting of two or more covers plates or the
like such as c c suitably recessed for the purpose of centrally pressing the core-pieces
or pins a substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In a machine for the manufacture of hollow candles the employment of

page_text: truncated moulds such as A composed of two or more parts for the purpose of
forming the truncated base portions of the candles.
3. In a machine for the manufacture of hollow candles the arrangement of a
lifting mechanism to prevent the truncated portions of the candles from being
broken off when the candles are forced out of the moulds whereby through the
medium of levers such as H H¹ and suitable spindles the core carriage G¹ is lifted
thus affording a firm support for the candles and preventing the conical portions
from being torn away substantially as described.
Dated this 5th day of December 1890.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.