TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention concerns an automatic candle snuffer comprising a sleeve or suchlike arranged so as to clip on the candle, a lid which is pivotally attached to the sleeve together with a spring element to swing the lid in over the candle flame and snuff it out when the candle has burnt down to the candle snuffer.

BACKGROUND ART

The Swedish patent specification No 2053 shows an automatic candle snuffer as in the introduction. The candle snuffer according to this patent specification has a lid which is only connected with the spring element during the time the candle is burning and the lid is in a swung-out position from the candle. When the candle has burnt down to the level at which the extinction is in question, the candle breaks contact with the spring element so that the lid falls down, partly through its own weight, over the candle flame. The candle snuffer according to the patent specification also comprises a relatively large number of components, which makes the production of the candle snuffer more expensive.

The Swedish patent specification No 6204 shows a candle snuffer which works on a different principle from the one given in the introduction above. In this candle snuffer two spring-loaded clamping devices are brought to bear against the wick of the candle on the occasion of extinction. The Swedish patent specification No 7310725-2 shows a candle snuffer with spring elements which are also brought into contact with the wick of the candle on the occasion of extinction.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

The aim of the current invention is to obtain a candle snuffer which is simpler and safer than the known candle snuffers. The candle snuffer according to the invention comprises a sleeve or similar arranged so as to clip on the candle, a lid which is pivotally

attached to the sleeve and also a spring element to swing the lid in over the candle flame and extinguish it when the candle has burnt down to the candle snuffer. The candle snuffer according to the invention is characterised by the fact that the lid shows on one side an exten¬ sion in the form of a spike or similar arranged to bear against the side of the candle and mainly pointing upwards, at the same time as the lid is pointing from ourwards in a mainly downward direction under tension from the spring so that, when the candle has burnt down to the level of the said spike or similar, the spike is released, whereupon the lid swings round under the influence of the spring and extinguishes the flame.

According to a first embodiment the sleeve shows an open, circular cross section in a plane at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the candle, so arranged that the sleeve has two sides which can be brought to bear against the candle through the sleeve being clipped on at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the candle. The candle snuffer according to the invention thus shows only three components, which consist of the sleeve, the lid and the spring element.

A second embodiment is characterised by the fact that the spike, when the spring is not tensioned and the lid is swung in over the sleeve or over the candle, extends outwards and downwards and that the snuffer is arranged to be fitted to the candle by the sleeve being pushed on to the candle from above, whereby the spike guarantees through bearing against the side of the candle that the spring is automatically tensioned if this has not already been done by the user. For the spike to get a good grip against the side of the candle it is preferably pointed, and in order to make it easier to press the snuffer on to the candle from above, the sleeve is suitably flared at the bottom. This embodiment of the invention has in relation to the previous embodiment the advantage that the snuffer cannot be pushed on to the candle without the spring being tensioned or being already tensioned when the snuffer is fitted to the candle.

Further advantages and characteristics of the invention will become clear from the two embodiments of the same.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS In the following description of a couple of embodiments reference will be made to the enclosed drawings in which

Fig. 1 shows the candle snuffer according to a first embodiment of the invention in the same direction as the axis of swing of the lid, i.e. in a direction towards the edge of the lid,

Fig. 2 shows the candle snuffer according to Fig. 1 in a direction perpendicular to the axis of swing, i.e. perpendicular to the plane of the lid,

Fig. 3 constitutes a perspective view of a candle snuffer according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 4 shows the same candle snuffer fitted to the candle, and

Fig. 5 shows how the lid of the candle snuffer has been swung in over the candle and extinguished this.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The candle snuffer according to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 comprises a sleeve 1, which shows an open cross section in a plane at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the candle, whereby the sleeve 1 has two sides 2 which can be brought to bear on the candle by the sleeve being clipped on at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the candle. At its end pointing upwards towards the candle flame the sleeve is fitted with two attachments 3, which consist of sheet metal tabs parallel to each other which project outwards from the longitudi¬ nal direction of the candle. The attachments 3 have holes 4 arranged along a common axis which is at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the candle. A mainly circular and slightly curved lid 5 is fitted with a first trunnion 6 and a second trunnion 7 which extend

along a common line at a distance from the side of the lid 5. The trunnions are fitted in the corresponding holes 4 in the attachments 3 on the sleeve 1. A spike 8 extends from the lid at right angles to the trunnions 6 and 7 in an extension through the centre of the lid 5. The spike 8 is connected with a spring 9, which is coiled round the first trunnion 6 and whose other end is inserted in an eye 10, which is stamped in the sleeve 1 so it projects from the outer covering surface on the sleeve 1.

When the candle is lit and the candle snuffer according to the examples is fitted to the candle, the spring 9 is in tensioned position owing to the fact that the lid 5 was pushed downwards in contact with the sleeve 1 so that the spike 8 is pointing upwards towards the candle flame and is bearing against the side of the candle. When the candle has burnt down so that its edge passes the point of application of the spike 8 the latter is released, whereby " the lid 5 is brought through the effect of the spring 9 to turn approximately 270° to a position in which the lid covers the top .of __. the candle and with it the candle wick. The lid is thus in a position with its concave side facing the candle wick. Through the fact that the lid 5 bears against the candle wick and the top surface of the candle, the candle flame is extinguished.

The embodiment according to Fig. 3-5 has the same general construction as the previous embodiment. All details 1-9 (and possibly also 10) have their corresponding feature in the earlier embodiment. They have therefore been given the same reference designations as in Fig. 1 and 2 but with the addition of ' . Since the general construction is the same as in the previous embodiment, the general construction is not repeated here but you are referred instead to the description above.

However, there is an important difference between the two embodiments, which has to do with the shape of the spike 8'. According to this second embodiment the spike 8' is bent slightly downwards when the lid 5' has assumed a horizontal position above the sleeve 1' . In addition the spike 8' is pointed. Another difference in relation to the earlier embodiment is that the sleeve 1' is flared at the bottom. The flare

has been designated 11. The intension is that the candle snuffer in acccordance with the second example is pushed on to the candle from on top, which is facilitated by the flaring. This pushing on to the candle from on top presuppposes, however, that the spring 9' is tensioned. Should this not be the case, the spike 8' fastens with its point in the side of the candle and forces the lid 5' to rotate with the trunnions 6' and 7' rotating about a half revolution in the holes ¹ in the attachments 3' while at the same time tensioning the spring 9'. When the candle snuffer is brought further down on the candle. The spike 8' slides with its outside against the side of the candle, Fig. 4. The triggering of the snuffer occurs in the same way as in the previous example, but with the lid 5' in this case turning through the effect of the spring 9' only about 180° to the position which is shown in Fig. 5, in which the lid 5' covers the top of the candle and with - it the candle wick, with the lid 5' positioned with its concave side facing the candle wick.