Method of making a candle

• US 7,546,668 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2005
• Issued: 06/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Candles And Supplies.com, Inc.
• Original Assignee: John Strelnieks
• Inventors: Strelnieks, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Cozart; Jermie E
• Application Number:
  US11/177,834
• Publication Number:
  US 20060006582A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 294/28, 294/58, 295/271, 295/272, 295/57, 431/289, 431/297, 264/275, 249/91, 249/93
• US Class Current: 29/428
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 67/241 Moulding wax
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49885 with coating before or during assembling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4998 Combined manufacture including applying or shaping of fluent material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49982 Coating

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for making decorative candles include a peg mounted to a mold. A tube with an expanded midsection between an open end and a closed end is mounted onto the peg to form a sealed connection. Candle matter, such as liquid wax, is poured into the mold. After the candle hardens sufficiently, the candle with the tube mounted therein is removed from the mold. A handle is inserted into the tube and forms an expansion seal with the midsection. The handle is attached to a rack wherein the user rotates the candle about its longitudinal axis and/or rotates the rack about its horizontal axis. Candle shaping tools may be attached to the rack and/or held by a carver, and are used to shape the candle. The handle is removed from the tube and a wick and fuel are inserted into the tube. The fuel burns while the candle remains intact.

Claims

1. A method of making a candle, comprising:

providing a candle mold having one or more walls attached to a base and a peg attached to the base within the one or more walls;

mounting a tube with an expanded midsection onto said peg, wherein said tube includes an open end and a closed end;

forming a sealed connection between said open end of said tube and said peg;

placing a quantity of candle matter into said mold to contact said tube;

removing said candle matter with said tube within said candle matter from said mold;

inserting a handle into said tube; and

forming a connection between said handle and said tube sufficiently tight to enable holding said candle matter by said handle.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising connecting said handle with said candle matter to a candle carving rack.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

rotating said candle carving rack substantially about a horizontal axis of said carving rack.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said rack includes:

at least one sidepiece;

at least one crosspiece connected with said at least one sidepiece to form a frame, said frame being configured to demountably retain a candle shaping tool, said at least one crosspiece being configured to demountably and rotatably retain said candle;

a base configured for reversibly mounting said frame.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said base is adapted for rotation of said frame, said frame and said base having an included angle of between about 45 degrees and about 90 degrees.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

cutting said candle matter with a blade.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forming at least one mark on said candle matter with a marking tool.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

rotating said handle about a longitudinal axis to expose said candle matter to a candle shaping tool.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

heating at least a portion of said candle matter with a heating element.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adding a quantity of fuel into said tube, and placing a wick holder made of a heat-resistant material, said wick holder having a wick connected thereto, into said tube.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

said walls and said base are configured to receive and retain said quantity of candle matter;

said peg having a first end and an opposite second end, said first end being positioned within said one or more walls;

said tube sized to removably mount onto said peg; and

said forming said sealed connection occurs between said open end of said tube and first end of said peg.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein said handle includes a shaft having a first end that is radially expandable and a second end, and further comprising inserting said handle into said tube and expanding said first end radially into contact with said candle matter.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said handle includes a nut proximate to said second end, a disc proximate to said first end, and a bolt extending from said nut to said disc, and wherein said expanding includes turning said nut to cause the distance between said nut and said disc to decrease.

14. A method of making a candle, comprising:

providing a candle mold having one or more walls attached to a base and a peg attached to the base within the one or more walls;

mounting a tube onto said peg, wherein said tube includes an open end and a closed end;

forming a sealed connection between said open end of said tube and said peg;

placing a quantity of candle matter into said mold to contact said tube; and

removing said candle matter with said tube within said candle matter from said mold.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising heating at least a portion of said candle matter with a heating element.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

adding a quantity of fuel into said tube, and placing a wick holder made of a heat-resistant material, said wick holder having a wick connected thereto, into said tube.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising connecting a handle with said tube to enable holding said candle matter by said handle.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising rotating said handle about a longitudinal axis to expose said candle matter to a candle shaping tool.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said handle has an end and a hanger proximate said end.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said handle includes a shaft having a first end that is radially expandable and a second end, and further comprising inserting said handle into said tube and expanding said first end radially into contact with said candle matter.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said handle includes a nut proximate to said second end, a disc proximate to said first end, and a bolt extending from said nut to said disc, and wherein said expanding includes turning said nut to cause the distance between said nut and said disc to decrease.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein said candle matter includes an internal bulge, and said expanding includes expanding said first end into said bulge.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising connecting said handle with said candle matter to a candle carving rack.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said rack includes:

at least one sidepiece;

at least one crosspiece connected with said at least one sidepiece to form a frame, said frame being configured to demountably retain a candle shaping tool, said at least one crosspiece being configured to demountably and rotatably retain said candle matter;

a base configured for reversibly mounting said frame.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said base is adapted for rotation of said frame, said frame and said base having an included angle of between about 45 degrees and about 90 degrees.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein said rack includes a marking strip attached to said at least one sidepiece.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein said marking strip includes at least one guide element for marking said candle matter.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein said at least one crosspiece is configured to receive a candle holder.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein said candle shaping tool is one of a marking tool configured to form at least one mark on said candle matter and a cutting tool configured to cut said candle matter.