Improvements in Candle Sticks.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Aug., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 4th May, 1893-Accepted, 8th July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Candle Sticks.
I, ROBERT HENRY HEPBURN of Parliament Mansions, Victoria Street,
Westminster, London, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The priminary object of this invention is to construct holders for gripping
candles, and like illuminants, which are safe and adjustable and allow of the candle
being burnt to the lowest limits without the waste attending holding attachments of
ordinary candle sticks.
I hold candles firmly and in an adjustable manner by attaching or fixing upon the
candle stick boss or usual socket seat for the candle a gripper of pincers or tongs or
vice form, one leg of which may be fixed and be a part of the candle seat, the
other leg or arm or relieving handle of the pincers I make loose working upon
a pivot.
The gripping or clutching ends I make with file or like teeth to securely grasp
the candle, and to the leg or relieving handle or other convenient part I place a
spring of sufficient strength to maintain the candle within the grasp of the pincers,
or the pincers or vice may be adjusted by means of a thumb screw, or both legs or
arms may be loose working upon a pivot or by other suitable means.
The seat I attach by a snug on the under part of the candle seat, which I fasten
with a nut or cottor or it may be soldered or rivetted.
The holder or pincers may be made in duplex form to hold a pair of candles
where greater illumipation is required for reading and other purposes.
In like manner the pincers may be applied to bracket candle sticks, and where
ornamentation is required the human hand or similar members of the animal world
may be employed. In the case of the hand the thumb may be utilised as a lever to
grasp the candle acting against a gripping seat provided on the forefinger or other
fingers of the hand. It is obvious the pivot or like arrangement and spring, or a
variable adjusting screw may be attached as convenience may direct.
I also make candle holders to grip firmly and adjustably by employing a spring
bolt attached in one piece or separately with the candle seat, and opposite the
adjustable bolt is a fixed snug against which the gripping end of the spring bolt
presses the candle.
Sometimes I employ a socket in which the rim or body part of the socket is
provided with set pins to screw up against the candle to secure it in position. The
socket being fastened underneath the stick by a stud and nut.
In the case of taper ended candles the socket may have screw thread on the rim
at the top of the socket over which I fit a female adjustable nut or other suitable
fastening, and in the centre thereof I make an opening to pass freely over the body
of the candle. Within the nut a step is formed to press upon the candle shoulder
which firmly and securely fixes the candle in position.
But I prefer to reverse the ordinary taper on the end of the candle, and pass the
body through from the bottom end of the socket into a tapered chamber corre-
sponding to the taper end of the candle. At the base of the candle below the taper
parts of the candle and chamber I provide a recess into which I fit an adjustable
nut to secure the candle within the said chamber.
.
Or the candle with the reversed taper may be placed in the socket from its top
end by providing a corresponding tapered chamber within the adjustable nut having
a central opening or hole through which to pass the candle. The nut engaging
with the screw thread provided in the recess part of the socket. The nut or
Bocket may be provided with a lip or cup to catch the drops or runnings of the candle.

page_text: I fix candles in ordinary sticks by attaching to the plain end of the candle a
coiled strip of steel or other suitable metal, preferably hardened to give gripping
power, or it may be further strengthened by corrugations. The inner coil in
which the candle end fits I, rough, jag or edge to assist in grasping the candle. I
insert the steel coil into the socket which in uncoiling expands and firmly fixes
itself within the socket.
Thus the coiling of paper round candle ends, and the danger attending the use of
inflammable material is avoided.
By another part of my invention I strengthen and economically construct the
body part of candle sticks by forming a ridge or channel at the edges of the body
sufficiently high to also form a tray to receive the droppings and waste of the
candle. The central pedestal for the candle seat may be also ridged, into which I
may fix the candle socket.
When a heavy candle stick body is necessary to prevent accidents by upsetting I
fix a metal rim within the ridge or channel, which I retain in position by flanging
the lower body edge over the metal rim.
Or the body edge at the base may be lipped or cupped inwards or outwards, and
a metal rim inserted within the lip or cup, and held in place by flanging the edge of
the rim.
In some cases I provide a draw within the body part of the candle stick to store
candles and matches, which is a useful combination for offices, and especially for
sick rooms, and nurses who have night attendance on the sick.
I make the body part of candle sticks of tin plate, black plate or other suitable
metal, which I prefer to stamp in one piece, or they may be partly stamped and
partly built up.
Thus I am able to utilise thin sheets of metal, and yet obtain strength with
cheapness of construction.
DL:
Ր .
1000
R. H. HEPBURN.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Candle Sticks.
1, ROBERT HENRY HEPBURN of Parliament Mansions, Victoria Street,
Westminster, London, Engineer, 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 primary object of this invention is to construct holders for gripping
candles and like illuminants, which shall be safe and automatically adjustable to
candles of various diameters and will allow of the candle being burnt to the
lowest limits without the waste attending the holding attachments of ordinary
candlesticks.
According to the first part of my invention I attach or fix upon the candle
stick, boss or usual socket seat for the candle, a gripper of pincers or tongs form,
one leg of which may be fixed and be a part of the candle seat, while the other
leg or arm is loose working upon a pivot. Preferably however both legs or
arms are loose and work upon a pivot. The gripping or clutching ends I make
with file or like teeth to securely grasp the candle and I fit the movable leg or
each of the legs when both are movable with a spring of sufficient strength to
maintain the candle within the grasp of the pincers.
The socket seat I attach to the body of the candle stick preferably by a snug
on the under part of the candle seat, which 1 fasten with a nut or collar, or it may
be soldered or rivetted; and I provide the socket seat with a cup to catch the
drops or runnings of the candle.
The holder or pincers may be made in duplex form to hold a pair of candles
where greater illumination is required for reading and other purposes.

page_text: In like manner the pincers may be applied to bracket candlesticks.
The next part of my invention has reference to sticks or holders for taper
ended candles. For these candles I make the socket with a screw thread on the
rim over which I fit an adjustable nut or other suitable fastening, and in the centre
of this nut I make an opening to pass freely over the body of the candle body.
Within the nut a step is formed to press upon the candle shoulder which firmly
and securely fixes the candle in position.
I prefer however to reverse the ordinary taper on the end of the candle and in
this case I pass the body of the candle through the socket from the bottom end of
same into a tapered chamber corresponding to the taper end of the candle. At
the base of the candle below the taper part of the candle and chamber I provide
a recess into which I fit an adjustable nut to secure the candle within the said
chamber.
Or the candle with the reversed taper may be placed in the socket from its top
end by providing a corresponding tapered chamber within the adjustable nut
having a central opening or hole through which to pass the candle, the nut
engaging with the screw thread provided in the recess part of the socket.
The nut or socket may be provided with a lip or cup to catch the drops or
runnings of the candle.
Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings represent a candle holder con-
structed according to the first part of my invention in its preferred form.
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the candle holder, the grippers being seen in
elevation. Figure 2 is a plan of the holder showing the grippers holding a candle
of comparatively large diameter, being the largest size for which it is intended.
Figure 3 is a plan showing them holding a candle of medium diameter and
Figure 4 a plan showing them holding a candle of small diameter. All the three
sized candles are indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1. The base and handle of
the holder are omitted in Figures 3 and 4. Figure 5 is a section of the gripper
jaws on the line -x of Figure 2 and Figure 6 a section of the gripper tails on
the line y y of Figure 2.
seat c.
a is the base of the candle holder and b the handle of same. c is a seat for the
candle; the interior of this seat is made conical and preferably somewhat stepped
as seen in Figure 1 in order to provide a good support for the ends of candles of
various diameters. d is a grease tray or cup preferably formed in a piece with the
The tray d is secured to the base a by means of a screw threaded snug e
passed through a hole in the centre of the base a and then screwed up tight by
means of a winged nut f. g is a washer interposed between this nut and the under
side of the base a. Or the tray d and base a may be in one piece. On the tray d
is a pillar secured by a nut i and serving to carry the two grippers which
have lugs m to fit on the pillar to which they are pivotally held by the screw o.
n is a spring tending to push the tails p p of the grippers apart and thereby to
press the grippers towards each other. It will be seen that the gripper k has two
approximately A-shaped teeth q g' at a certain distance apart and that the
gripper has teeth all along its gripping or nipping face. A line drawn from the
tooth q to the tooth g' forms the base of an isosceles triangle as indicated in dots
in Figures 2, 3 and 4 the apex of which is in the gripper 1, and the position of
the apex will vary according to the distance between the grippers as determined by
the diameter of the candle, and as will be clearly understood on reference to
Figures 2, 3 and 4 in which the several sized candles ¹² and the corresponding
positions of the grippers are seen. The result is that no matter what is the
diameter of the candle it is always nipped at three points viz.-by the two
teeth of the gripper k and by one tooth, or sometimes two adjoining teeth of
the gripper . This triangular grip is always ensured and holds the candle in a
safer and more certain manner than when grippers are made either plain or with
teeth all along their gripping face, unless indeed they are made and used for
candles of one given diameter. This "triangular grip" and the way of obtaining
it do not however constitute part of the present invention although they are the
r

page_text: best means with which I am acquainted for carrying out the invention. They are
embodied in a subsequent application for Patent dated 15th February 1893,
No. 3373. The grippers are preferably formed with longitudinal grooves $ 8
(Figure 5) so as to divide each tooth into an upper and lower part; this gives
the teeth better hold because by thus dividing them and reducing their depth they
are better enabled to enter a little into the substance of the candles. The tails p p
of the grippers are preferably grooved as seen at tt, Figure 6, to prevent the
spring n slipping out of place. When it is required to clean the candle holder
the grippers are made to swivel as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 4 so as to
allow the seat c and tray d to be more readily got at.
Figure 7 is a vertical section and Figure 8 a plan of a candle holder with
grippers and having teeth the same respectively as the grippers k and of the
holder shown in Figures 1 to 6, but with the gripper k fixed to the candle seat c.
Figure 9 is a plan showing the same candle holder holding a candle ² of smaller
diameter than that indicated at r Figure 8. It will be seen that the spring n is
fitted between the movable gripper and a continuation of the handle b.
Figure 10 is a plan showing a candle holder (without its base) differing from that
shown in Figures 1 to 6 in the form of the grippers. Figure 11 is a similar view
showing the gripper without teeth and with its outer end turned inwards so as
to form the nipping point as indicated in the figure.
C, and a grease
The combination comprising the pair of grippers k 1, a candle seat
tray d, is not limited to the employment of grippers having teeth of the peculiar
arrangement above described, as my invention comprises the combination of the
candle seat and grease tray with a pair of grippers such as those described and
shown whether such grippers have plain gripping faces or gripping faces formed
with teeth of any suitable kind.
In applying this part of my invention to existing candlesticks the ordinary socket
of the candlestick can be plugged with cork or other suitable material and the
snug e be secured therein by screwing or otherwise.
Figures 12, 13, 14 and 15 illustrate by way of example some of the useful
applications of this part of my invention. Figures 12 and 13 show its application
to brackets adapted to be secured to a window, wall or other surface by suction or
otherwise. Figure 14 shows its application to a hanging or suspended holder and
Figure 15 to a telescopic hanging duplex or double holder.
The next part of my invention, which relates to the construction of holders for
firmly and securely holding candles the ends of which are tapered or have a reverse
taper, is illustrated in Figures 16 to 19.
Figure 16 represents in vertical section a holder for a taper ended candle. a is
the base of the holder and c is the candle socket fixed thereto, this socket being
made tapered to correspond with the tapered end of the candle r. The rim or
upper part of the socket is formed with an external screw thread u. t is a nut
adapted to screw on the screw u and having an opening in the centre to enable it to
pass freely over the candle when the candle is in the socket. The nut o has a flange
or step w to press on the shoulder x of the candle as shown. It is only necessary
when the candle is placed in the socket to slip the nut down the candle and then
screw it upon the screw u until the flange w presses against the shoulder r.
d is a
grease cup carried by the nut v. Figure 17 represents a holder the same as that
shown in Figure 16, except that the socket c is not so deep and the nut vis
correspondingly altered.
Figure 18 represents in vertical section a holder for a candle the end of which
has a reversed taper, that is to say the reverse of the ordinary taper shown in
Figures 16 and 17. In this holder the body of the candle is pushed through the
bottom of the base a until its end fits into the corresponding socket c fixed to
the base; the lower end of this socket is in the form of a nut into which, after the
insertion of the candle, is screwed a screw plug u; y is a finger piece for rotating
this plug.
Figure 19 represents in vertical section another holder for receiving a candle

page_text: having a reversed taper end. In this case the end of the candle is placed in the
socket or seat c which has an external screw u, then the nut v is slipped over the
candle and screwed upon the screw u until the flange w presses upon the tapered
part of the candle.
.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a candle holder the combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of
a seat or socket for the lower end of the candle and of a pair of candle grippers
such as are herein before described, the said grippers or one of them being capable
of swivelling or pivotting on a vertical axis, for the purpose set forth.
2. In a candle holder the combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth of a
seat or socket for the lower end of the candle, a pair of candle grippers such as are
hereinbefore described, and a grease tray or cup around the said seat or socket.
3. The construction of holders for taper ended candles substantially as herein-
before described and represented in Figures 16 and 17.
4. The construction of holders for reversed taper ended candles, substantially as
hereinbefore described and represented in Figure 18.
5. The construction of holders for reversed taper ended candles, substantially as
hereinbefore described and represented in Figure 19.
Dated this 4th dow of M.- 100
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agent.