IMPROVEMENTS. IN CANDLESTICKS AND CANDLE HOLDERS
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Henry Dean and .George Alfred
Wheeler at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 6th February 1867.
We, HENRY DEAN and GEORGE ALFRED WHEELER, of Wood End, in the
County of Southampton, Surveyors, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS. IN CANDLESTICKS AND CANDLE HOLDERS," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists of improvements in candlesticks and candle holders,
whereby various sized candles can be firmly held without the need of scraping
the lower ends of the same when large, or of packing or surrounding the same
with paper when' small..
It consists of two parts, the first adapted for candles of all sizes' and descrip-
tions, and the second more particularly for composites, moulds, stearine,
paraffine, wax, and other candles of a similar kind.
The first part of the Invention consists in adapting to a candlestick of any
ordinary pattern a socket of rather larger dimensions than usual, having in the
interior thereof three or more springs made of strips of thin steel or other
metal fastened to the socket at one end, and bowed or curved inwards at the
centre so as to embrace and hold firm the smallest sized candle. . When a
candle of the largest size is introduced the springs expand and lie flush with
the inside of the socket, shallow.grooves or recesses being formed therein to
receive the springs. These springs can be made from one thin piece of pre-
pared steel as follows:-We take a piece of steel of about the depth of the

page_text: socket, and of a length about equal to the circumference of the same; in this,
at equal distances apart, we cut or stamp out three vertical tongues or springs,
each of which is fast by its upper end to the strip or piece, and free at its
lower end. We next bend these tongues or springs to the required curve, and
then bending the strip into the form of a cylinder with the springs inwards,
we insert it into the socket, where it can either be permanently fixed, or so
arranged as to be removable at pleasure; the springs can also be made in a
variety of other ways. The elevator for pushing up the candle when burnt
low in the socket is constructed of a disc of india-rubber or leather fixed between
two plates of metal, and fitting tightly in the socket to prevent any melted
tallow or composition, from running down inside the stick, the upper plate
being provided with three projecting pins or points to support the wick when
the tallow or composition is melted. It is moved as usual by means of a rod
in connection with a button or projection at the side or beneath the candlestick.
The second part of our Invention consists of a candlestick with the lower
part of any ordinary form or construction, and to the top is fixed (or fitted
so as to be removable at pleasure) a glass or metal cup of any suitable external
form, but made conical or tapered downwards internally, and having in the
interior thereof three or more sharp projecting flutes running vertically or in
a curved direction from top to bottom. Instead of the. cup being made to
taper gradually from top to bottom the interior of the cup may form three or
more cylindrical wells, gradually decreasing in diameter towards the bottom,
and still having the flutes or projections in the interior. By these arrange-
ments any sized candles, varying from the diameter of the cup at the top to
its diameter at the bottom, can be firmly held. In those cups made of glass
(which is the most approved material) the candle can be allowed to burn
entirely down without any obstruction to the light, and, if necessary, one or
two small air holes can be left at certain distances down the cup. These cups
can be made separately as candle holders, so arranged with a spring, or other-
wise as to fit into the socket of any candlestick, and they may be ornamented
in any suitable manner externally, and be provided with a rim.or. rims if
required.