US2208279A - Candlestick - Google Patents

Description

July 16, 1940. '.1. M. PowERs GANDLESTICK Filed Nov. 1o, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. JOHN M` POWERS July 16, 1940. J. M. POWERS 2,208,279

' GANDLESTIGK Filed Nov. 1o, 1957 2 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR.

J'HN M PWRS ATT NEY.

Patented July Y 16, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT YOFFICE.

, CANDLEsTIoK John M. Powers, Cleveland Heights, Ohio Application November 10,1937, serial No. 173,801 .1.5 claims. (o1. fst- 27) This invention relates to automatically actuated Candlesticks adapted for use upon church altars etc. Candlesticks of this type generally embody a tubular false candle housing constructed .and decorated to simulate a candle and mechanisrn within the' housing for automatically feeding an actual Candle upwardly within the housing against a suitable stop means .in such a fashion that the wick of the candle and the flame' arising therefrom extend above the upper end of the candle housing and produce the effect of a never shortening burning candle. As well known, proper burning of devices of the above described character, that is burning of a Candlestick with a proper flame and without running over of melted wax, depends entirelyupon length of the exposed end of the candle wick which controls the size of the flame and therewith the amount ofl wax melted kat the top of the candle, and on zoalignment of the flame with the axis ofthe candle body eifecting symmetrical heating and melting of the wax at the upper end of the candle. Presently known candles and Candlestick structures `do not satisfy these requirements for proper burning of a candle or candlestick, mainly, because these requirements oppose each other. Thus the length of the exposed wick end of a candle can be controlled only by specific wick construction giving the wick the tendency to bend 3o its upper end when burning, and bending of the wick end of a candle effects lateral shifting of the candle flame and therewith unsymmetrical` heating and melting of wax at the top of the candle. Such unsymmetrical heating of a canwith proper action of the feeding mechanism of the Candlestick by wax dripped upon the moving parts of such mechanism.

It is the primary object of this invention'to wholly obviate these drawbacks in present day Candlesticks by providing an automatically actuated Candlestick with a durable, stable, incombustible wick .structure which extends a short distance downwardly into the top of candle-like 45'wickless wax body, the latter being in a customary manner fed upwardly within a housing against an individual seating centering and stop means. Another object of the invention is the provision of an automatically actuated Candlestick with a stationary incombustible wick structure embodying a heat conducting base portion in-k` dle effects dripping of the candle and interferes combustible wick mounted on said base portion.

`A further object of the invention is the provision of an automatically actuated Candlestick with a stationary incom-bustible wick structure 5 embodying a heat conducting base portion having heat conducting supporting finger portions upwardly extended therefrom, an incoinbustible fibrous wick supported bysaid base portion and cap-like perforated cover vmeans. at thetop of 10 said wick.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of an automatically actuated candlestick with an incombustible wick structure including a wick of silicious, fibrous material such 15 as spun glass, the bers of which are mounted on a central post of heat conducting material.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of an automatically actuated candlestick with a specific Current and heat insulat- 20 ing axially bored top member carrying in its axial bore an individual heat conducting seating and sealing member for a Candle-like wax body, an incombustible wick structure including a silicious brous wick, and an electrical heating ele- 2" ment adjacent to said wick to effect electrical igniting of the wick by current sent through the electrical heating element.

With the above and other incidental objects inview, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combination oi parts, the essential elements oi' which are set forth in the appended claims; and a preferred form` of embodiment ofthe invention is hereinafter shown with reference to the drawings forming part of the specication.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vsectional view partly invelevation through an automatically actuated 40 candlestick with an ncombustible wick structurelattached thereto. i

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top view of the Candlestick shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional View 45 through' the upper portion of the can-dlestick, the section being taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional View on line 4--4 of Fig. l.

Fig'. 5 is a cross-sectional View on line 5-.5 50` of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional View on line 6-6 of Fig. 1.

Fig. '7 is a cross-sectional view on line 1 1 Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional View on line '8-8 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view on line 8 9 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 10 is a sectional view through the upper portion of the candlestick, the section being taken on line lil-I0 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 1l is an assembly View of the stationary wick structure.

Figs. l2 through 16 show the individual parts of the wick structure shown in Fig. 11; thus Fig. 12 is a sectional view through the cap,

Figs. 13 and 14 are side and cross-sectional views of the wick.

Fig. 15 is a Sectional View partly in elevation of the supporting cup for the wick and Fig. 16 is a sectional View partly in elevation of the supporting element for the supporting cup.

Referring now more particularly to the exemplied form of the candlestick shown in the drawings 2 designates a supporting base which seats in its recessed bore 3 a candle shifting mechanism 4. This mechanism embodies a stationary lower member 5 and a shiftable upper member 5 associated and coupled with said lower member by means of a pulley arrangement 1 mounted on a U-shaped guide post 8 of lower member 5. Upper member 6 slidably engages with its U- shaped post 9 the guide post 8 of lower member f 5, which post 9 supports at its upper end a candle supporting platform I0 including a guide pin II upwardly extended from the recessed central area I2 of said platform. Pin I I engages with the recess I4 in the lower end of a candlelike; wickless wax `body I5 and thus properly aligns the body I5 with the shifting mechanism. A counterweight I6, suspended from pulley wires or cords i1 of the pulley arrangement 1, forces member B and body I5 upwardly into engagement with a centering sealing and seating member i8 of a wick supporting cover structure I9, which latter is secured to a tubular, longitudinally slotted member 28 resting on lower portion 5 and sleeved into bore 3 of base 2. A tubular longitudinally Slotted skirting member 2l, decorated to simulate a candle, rotatably seats upon base 2 and thus permits ready access to the candle shifting mechanism when a slot 22 in member 2I is brought into alignment with a similar slot 23 in the tubular member 20.

Preferably, as shown', lower member 5 carries and supports two elongated small tubes 24 and 25, which tubes are arranged symmetrically within tubular member 20 and extend through the entire length of said member for a purpose later to be described.

The top endof tubular member 20 supports the top or cover structure i9, mounting a permanent wick structure 28. Cover lstructure I9 is made of heat and current insulating material such as fiber, glass, etc., and embodies a ring-shaped base portion 29, partly extended into tubular member 20 and seated with its flange 30 upon the upper edge 3I thereof, and a ring-shapedtop portion 32 rigidly secured to said base portion 29. Top portion 32 of cover structure I9 is provided with oppositely` arranged sleeve-like extensions, an upper extension 34 and a lower extension 35, which latter snugly ts the inside wall of bore 36 in base portion 29 when portions 29, 32 are assembled. Preferably, top portion 32 is recessed at its bottom face to form a ringshaped air circulating chamber 31 betweeny as-v sembled portions 29 and 32. Air inlet and outlet passages 38, 39 for. chamber 31 insurev proper circulation of air therethrough. The lower extension 35 on top portion 32 seats the centering sealing and seating member I8 and is countersunk to provide a circular stop shoulder 40 for said member, which is of double cone-shaped form and engages the candlelike, Wickless wax body I5 yieldingly forced toward said member by the shifting mechanism 4. Upper extension 34 of the cover structure I9 mounts the permanent wick structure 28. This structure embodies a tubular base and supporting portion 42 of heat conducting material having rigidly attached thereto two symmetrically arranged upwardly extended springing finger or arm portions 43, 44 which yieldingly engage a circular groove 45 in the bore 45 of upper extension 34 and securely suspend base and supporting portion 42 in the cover structure I9. The portion 42 of the wick structure carries a cup-shaped holder 41 of heat conducting material which embodies an integral downwardly extended stem 48 sleeved through the tubular base portion 42. The side and bottomwalls of the holder 41 are perforated as at 5U and, in addition, slotted as at 5I to facilitate entering of melted wax into the holder and packing material 52 arranged within said holder, which material tightly grips a wick 53 of spun glass 54 wound around and interengaged with a wire core 55. The top portion of wick 53 carries a cap or cover member 56 clamped to said wick and provided at its upper end with openings or slots 51. f

The wick 53 draws melted wax similar to cornmonly used candle wicks and feeds the necessary amount of wax to the flame of the Candlestick. In addition, the wick structure automatically controls the amount of wax melted at the top of thewax body I5 by means of the upwardly extended nger or arm portions 43, 44. These arm portions, when freely exposed, are directly heated by radiation from the Aflame of the wick 53 and transfer their heat through tubular portion 42 to the stem 48, which stem engages and is slightly extended into the wax rbody I5. The heat transferred to stem 48 effects melting of the waxy and does not effect direct melting of the wax body I5 except shortly after the Candlestick has been lit. In this case, when all wax on wick 53 has been burnt olf and the candle ame has moved downwardly to the holder 41, the upper portion of member I8 is fully exposed to the radiating heat of the flame and directly eiects melting of the wax body I5. At this time wax body I5 melts more rapidly and more wax is` melted than burnt by the flame. Consequently the melted `wax accumulates in the upper extension 34 and While slowly rising covers the member I8, the holder 41`r and part of-the nger portions 43, 44 until the melting of wax and its consumption by the flame are in equilibrium.-

In this state melted wax transfers'suii'cient heat to the sealing member I8 to soften the wax engaged therewith to permitv of inward shifting of the softened wax into the melting area controlled by stem 48 of the wick structure 28.

The described Candlestick which is entirely automatically actuated and self adjusting may readily be refilled with a new wax body when slots `22 and ZSin members 2| and 20 respectively are brought into alignment by rotation of member 2| and when platform lll is shifted downwardly without removal of the wax body l5 sticking to the sealing member I8. Such refilling and alignment of the reller with the stumps of the old body l5 is facilitated by recessing the bottom of each body l5 and pointing its top.

Candlesticks of the type described are well adapted for co-operation with devices for lighting and extinguishing same, as the arrangements of parts and the use of a cover member of insulating material for the Candlestick materially simpliiies the use of electrical lighting means and extinguishing means. Such construction of a candlestick .embodies the elongated small tubes 24, 225. The tube 24 is used to carry an insulated wire 58 with two current conducting leads 59, 59" and the tube 25 serves to carry a stream of air to a blow-out nozzle 60 when a rubber ball, not shown, or any other similar device connected to said pipe is suddenly compressed, as will be clearly understood from an inspection of the drawings. The lower ends of lead wires 59, 59. may be readily connected to a source of current, not shown, and the upper ends of said wire leads are connected by means of spring contact members B4 to a heating and igniting coil 65 partly surrounding the wick 53 to more rapidly effect melting, vaporizing and igniting of the vapors of the wax.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: i

l. In a Candlestick a housing, shifting means adapted to vertically shift a candle-like body within said housing, a substantially ring-shaped cover member for said housing, ring-shaped heat conducting means supported by said cover member and downwardly extended therefrom for stopping, centering and sealing a candle-like body when carried upwardly by said shifting means, and an incombustible wick structure axially extended through said cover member'and said stopping, centering and sealing member, said wick structure including heat conducting means mounting same on said cover member and extending said structure downwardly into said wax body for heat exchange therewith.

2. In a candlestick a housing, shifting means adapted to vertically shift a candle-like body within said housing, a substantially ring-shaped cover member of heat insulating material for said housing, ring-shaped heat conducting means mounted in said cover member and downwardly extended therefrom for stopping, centering and sealing a candle-like body when carried by said shifting means, and an incombustible wick structure axially extended through said cover member tended heat conducting arms arranged within said top member and downwardly extended heat conducting means extending fully through said top member.

4. A Candlestick as described in claim 1, wherein said incombustible wick structure embodies a heat conducting'base portion having upwardly inclined heat conducting means arranged within said cover member, and downwardly extended heat conducting means axially aligned with said cover member, and a wick portion of incombustible fibrous material supported by said base portion.

5. A Candlestick as prescribed in claim 1, wherein said incombustible wick structure embodies a heat conducting base portion having a cup-shaped perforated body with upwardly inclined flattened arm portions and a downwardly extended stein substantially axially alignedwith said cover member, and a wick portion of incombustible brous material supported in the perforated body of said base portion.

6. A Candlestick as described in claim 2,

wherein said incombustible wick structure embodies a heat conducting base portion adapted to centrally engage a candle-like wax body carried by and shifted by said shifting means upwardly against said ring-shaped stopping and centering means, and a wick portion of incombustible fibrous material mounted in said base portion, said wick portion including a heat conducting portion supporting said material.

7. A candlestick as described in claim 1, wherein said incombustible wick structure embodies a heat conducting base portion adapted to engage in heat exchanging contact with a candle-like, wickless wax body when shifted upwardly against said stopping, centering and sealing means, and a wick portion mounted in said base portion, said wick portion embodying a heat conducting member and spun glass engaged with and supported by said member.

8. A Candlestick as described in claim 1, wherein said incombustible wick structure embodies a heat conducting base portion arranged within said top member, a wick portion of incombustible fibrous material supported in` said base portion and perforated cap means secured to and covering the top end of said wick portion.

9. In a candlestick a tubular housing, a candlelike, wickless wax body within said housing, shifting means adapted to support and vertically shift said wax body, a substantially ring-shaped cover member of heat insulating material for said housing, ring-shaped means of heat conducting material mounted in said cover member for stopping upward movement of said body and centering and sealing the top end of said body with respect to said cover member, heat conducting supporting means for apermanent wick arranged centrally within said cover member, inclined upwardly extended attachment means on said supporting means for attaching same to said cover, downwardly extended heat transfer means adapted to engage the top of said wax body when shifted against said stopping means and al wick of incombustible fibrous material mounted in said supporting means and upwardly extended therefrom.

10. A Candlestick comprising a tubular housing, a candle-like wickless wax body within said housing, shiftable supporting means for said wax body adapted to vertically shift said body in said housing, a substantially ring-shaped cover member of heat insulating material for said housing, cone-'shaped ring means in said cover member adapted to stop upward movementl of said wax body and uid tightly seal its circumferential top edge to said cover member, a heat conducting cup-shaped, perforated supporting member mounted within said covermember and provided with upwardly and downwardly eX- tending heat transfer means, and an incombustible wick of fibrous material mounted in said cup-shaped supporting means, said upwardly ex-r tended heat transfer means being exposed to the flame of said wick when ignited and said downwardly extended heat transfer means being extended through said cone-shaped 'means for heat exchange contact with said candle-like, wickless Wax body. f

11. A Candlestick as described in claim 10, wherein the ring-shaped body of said cover member is chambered and provided with inlet and outlet passages to eiTect free air circulating through the chambered portion of said cover member.

12. In a Candlestick a tubular housing, a candle-like, wickless wax body within said housing, shifting means for supporting and vertically shifting said wax body, a substantially ring-r ated heating and igniting coil for igniting said wick structure, said heating coil being directly attached to said cover.

13. A candlestick as described in claim 12, wherein said wick structure includes a wick of brous incombustible material, and wherein the heating coil is vertically coiled partly around said wick.

14. An automatically actuated Candlestick as described in claim 3, wherein said heat conducting upwardly extended arms are made of springing material adapted to frictionally engage the inner wall of said ring-shaped top member for removably seating said wick structure in proper working position.

15. In a Candlestick a tubular housing, a ringshaped cover of insulating material secured to said housing, a restricted cone-shaped ring in the bottom portion of said cover, a carriage within said tubular housing capable of supporting a candle-like, wickless wax body between said cone-shaped ring and said carriage, means urging said carriage toward said cone-shaped ring, an incombustible wick structure supported by said cover member and extended centrally therethrough for heat exchange contact with a wickless wax body carried by said carriage, and an electric heating and ignition means directly secured to said cover and positioned adjacent to said wick structure for igniting the wax thereon when electric current is passed through said igniting means.`

JOHN M. POWERS.

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