BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a candlestand installed
before God or Buddha.
When visiting shrines or temples, or during
Buddhist services or rituals, it is an ordinary practice
to offer light by standing lighted candles on a
candlestand installed before the altar.
As such a candlestand, there is known one in which
a plurality of pins are provided at intervals on shelves
or one in which a single pin is provided on a stand.
In such a candlestand, molten wax produced when a
candle erected on a pin burns sticks to the outer
periphery of the pin. The wax stuck may grow every time a
light is offered, so that it becomes impossible to stand
a candle. Also, the wax makes it impossible to stably
support a candle, and there is a fear that a lighted
candle may fall and start a fire if a light is offered
indoors.
Such molten wax can be removed relatively easily
while the pin is not oxidized and corroded. But when the
pin is corroded, sticking force of the molten wax to the
pin is so strong that it cannot be removed easily.
An object of this invention is to provide a
candlestand in which a candle can be always stably and
reliably stood and can be safely and reliably put out
spontaneously by preventing molten wax from sticking to
the pin.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to this invention, there is provided a
candlestand comprising a plurality of shelves, a water
dish on the each shelf for containing water, each water
dish having a bottom plate, and a pin mounted on the
bottom plate of the water dish for supporting a candle.
In the candlestand having this structure, water is
stored in the water dishes to such an extent that the
pins are almost immersed therein. In such a state, when
a lighted candle is stood on a pin, the candle will
gradually shorten by burning, and when the flame reaches
the surface of the water, the candle will be
spontaneously put out by the water. Otherwise, by water
absorption due to capillary action of the candlewick, the
flame is spontaneously put out. After putting out, the
candle end remains on the pin.
Until the candle spontaneously goes out, molten
wax produced by burning flows down the outer periphery of
the candle. Until the flame spontaneously goes out, the
pin is covered by the candle, so that molten wax will
never stick to the surface of the pin.
Thus, by removing the candle end remaining on the
pin, the pin appears with no molten wax stuck. Thus the
pin can reliably and stably hold the next candle.
The water dishes may be cup-shaped ones supported
on each shelf at intervals, or may be one having such a
length as to extend the entire length of each shelf. In
the latter case, a plurality of pins are provided on the
water dish at longitudinal intervals.
According to the present invention, there is also
provided a candlestand comprising a support stand, a water
dish mounted on the support stand for containing water,
the water dish having a pin for supporting a candle so
that the bottom of a candle supported on the pin will be
immersed in the water in the water dish.
In this candlestand, too, it is possible to safely
and reliably put out a lighted candle spontaneously with
the water stored in each water dish, and to reliably
prevent molten wax from sticking to the outer periphery
of the pin. Thus, it is possible to always stably
support a lighted candle and thus to prevent a fire due to
the fall of a candle.
According to the invention, there is also provided
a candlestand comprising a support formed with a recess
for storing water, and a pin stand placed on a support
portion provided in the recess so as to be taken out
through an open top of the recess, the pin stand having a
pin for supporting a candle so that the bottom of a
candle stood on the pin will be immersed in the water in
the recess.
In this arrangement, too, it is possible to safely
and reliably put out a lighted candle spontaneously with
the water stored in the recess. Since the pin stand is
detachable, it is possible to easily wash the support and
the pin stand.
In the candlestand according to this invention,
between the support and the pin stand, a temporary locking
mechanism for temporarily locking the pin stand placed on
the support portion is provided. Thus it is possible to
prevent an accident that when the water is drained by
inclining the support, the pin stand comes off and falls,
so that someone is stuck with the pin on the pin stand and
hurt.
The temporary locking mechanism may be structured
such that a pin hole opening at the outer periphery is
formed, an engaging element having a rounded tip and
received in the pin stand, the rounded tip received in a
pin hole formed in the outer periphery of the pin stand,
a spring for biasing the engaging element in such a
direction as to protrude from the pin hole, and an annular
groove formed in the inner periphery of the support to
receive the tip of the engaging element.
Otherwise, a permanent magnet may be mounted to
one of the bottom surface of the pin stand and the opposed
surface of the support portion and a magnetic member may
be provided on the other so as to magnetically attracted
toward each other.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other features and objects of the present
invention will become apparent from the following
description made with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a first
embodiment of the candlestand according to this invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional side view of the
same; Fig. 3A is a sectional view showing a candle in a
lighted state; Fig. 3B is a sectional view showing the candle in
an extinguished state; Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing another
example of a shelf and water dishes of the candlestand; Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional front view showing
a second embodiment of the candlestand according to this
invention; Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional front view showing
a third embodiment; Fig. 7A is a partial enlarged sectional view of
the candlestand of Fig. 6; and Fig. 7B is a sectional view along line VII-VII of
Fig. 7A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Hereinbelow, the embodiments of this invention
will be described based on the drawings. Figs. 1-3 show
the first embodiment of the candlestand according to this
invention. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a holder 1 has a
pair of side frames 2. Each side frame 2 includes a
supporting crosspiece 3 inclined downwardly. A plurality
of shelves 4 are provided in tiers between the right and
left supporting crosspieces 3.
On each shelf 4, a water dish 5 is mounted. The
water dishes 5 have substantially the same length as the
shelves 4.
The water dish 5 may be detachably supported on
the shelf 4, or may be fixed to it. If they are fixed to
the shelves 4, a drain hole that can be closed by a plug
is preferably formed in the bottom of each water dish 5
so that water stored therein can be drained through the
drain hole.
As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, a pin plate 6 having
such a length as to extend from one end of each dish 5 to
the other end is detachably placed in each water dish 5.
A plurality of pins 7 which taper in the longitudinal
direction toward their tips are provided at intervals on
the top surface of each pin plate 6.
The candlestand of the first embodiment is
structured as described above. Before lighting candles,
water is put in the water dishes 5 to such a level that
the pins 7 are almost underwater.
A lighted candle A stood on the pin 7 gradually
shortens as it burns, and when its length becomes short
enough to reach the surface of the water, the flame of the
candle A is spontaneously put out by the water. Otherwise,
during burning of the candle, the candlewick absorbs
water in the water dish 5 due to capillary action and gets
wet, so that the flame will go out spontaneously.
Until the candle A spontaneously goes out, molten
wax produced due to burning flows down the outer periphery
of the candle, while the pin 7 is covered by the candle
until it goes out spontaneously. Thus, molten wax will
never stick to the surface of the pin 7.
When the flame of the candles A goes out
spontaneously, as shown in Fig. 3B, a candle end B
substantially retaining the original shape remains on the
pin 7. By removing the candle end e.g. with fingers, the
pin 7 appears with no wax stuck. Thus, it can hold the
next candle reliably.
In the first embodiment shown in Figs. 1-3, on
each shelf 4, which comprises a pipe, a water dish 5
extending over the entire length of the shelf 4 is mounted.
But the shelves 4 and the water dishes 5 are not
restricted thereto. For example, as shown in Fig. 4, the
shelves 4 may be in the form of flat bars and cup-shaped
water dishes 5' may be mounted on each shelf 4 at
intervals. In this case, a pin 7 is provided in each
water dish 5'.
The pins 7 may be directly fixed to the bottoms of
the water dishes 5 or 5' e.g. by brazing.
Fig. 5 shows the second embodiment of the
candlestand according to this invention. This embodiment
is a candlestand to be placed e.g. in a household Buddhist
altar. A water dish 11 is mounted on a support stand 10.
A pin 12 for supporting a candle A is provided in the
water dish 11. The dish 11 may be placed on the support
stand 10 or may be integral with it.
In the candlestand having this structure, too,
water is put in the water dish 11 so that the bottom end
of a lighted candle stood on the pin 12 is immersed in the
water and the flame of the candle will be spontaneously
put out by the water.
With this candlestand, too, it is possible to
prevent molten wax from sticking to the outer periphery of
the pin 12, stably support the candle, and reliably
prevent breakout of a fire due to the fall of the candle.
Figs. 6 and 7 show the third embodiment of the
candlestand according to this invention. As shown, an
open-topped recess 21 is formed in the top of a support 20.
The recess 21 is a stepped tapered hole. A pin stand 23
is placed on a step 22 as a support.
The outer periphery of the pin stand 23 is a
tapered surface complementary to the inner surface of the
support 20. On its top surface, a pin 24 for supporting
a candle A is provided.
Between the support 20 and the pin stand 23, a
temporary locking mechanism 25 for temporarily locking
the pin stand 23 placed on the step 22 is provided.
The temporary locking mechanism 25 comprises a
recess 26 in the pin stand 23 at its bottom surface, and
a pair of pin holes 27 extending through the pin stand 23
from opposed positions of its outer peripheral surface to
the recess 26. A flanged engaging element 28 having its
tip rounded is mounted in each pin hole 27. Between the
pair of engaging elements 28, a spring 29 biasing the
respective engaging elements 28 in such directions as to
protrude from the pin holes 27 outwardly is provided to
temporarily lock the pin stand 23 by holding the engaging
elements 28 in an annular groove 30 formed in the inner
periphery of the support 20.
In the candlestand having such a structure, too,
water is stored in the recess 21 so that the bottom end
of a lighted candle A stood on the pin 24 is immersed in
the water. Thus, the water spontaneously puts out the
flame of the candle A and prevents molten wax from
sticking to the outer periphery of the pin 24.
As shown in the third embodiment, by providing the
temporary locking mechanism 25 for temporarily locking
the pin stand 23 placed on the step 22, it is possible to
prevent an accident that when the water is drained by
inclining the support 20, the pin stand 23 comes off and
falls, so that someone is stuck and hurt with the pin 24
on the pin stand 23.
When the pin stand 23 is raised, engagement
between the engaging elements 28 and the groove 30 is
released, so that it is possible to take out the pin stand
23 upwardly. Thus, it is possible to easily wash the
support 20 and the pin stand 23.
In the third embodiment, the step 22 on the inner
periphery of the recess 21 is the support portion. But
the recess 21 may have a truncated conical shape so that
its bottom serves as the support portion.
As described above, according to this invention, a
lighted candle stood on the pin can be safely and
reliably put out spontaneously by the water in the water
dishes or the recess. Until it is spontaneously put out,
the pin is covered by the candle, so that it is possible
to substantially perfectly prevent molten wax produced by
the burning of the candle from sticking to the surface of
the pin. Thus, by removing the candle end remaining on
the pin, the pin appears with no molten wax attaching, so
that it is always possible to stably and reliably support
the candle. Thus, it is possible to prevent breakout of
a fire due to the fall of a lighted candle.