Automatic candle snuffer

Abstract

The automatic candle snuffer is a mechanical timer driven device that extinguishes a candle in a jar after a user selectable time interval. A clamp mounts the candle snuffer to the mouth of the jar. The snuffing mechanism is a spring driven gear housing shaped to cover the mouth of the jar in the closed position, but which rotates around a stationary pin to uncover the jar. The gear housing contains a spring-driven timer, which drives a plurality of gears. Rotating the upper portion of the gear housing relative to the lower portion winds a timing spring, while rotating the entire housing around the pivot pin uncovers the mouth of the jar and winds a return spring. When the timer spring is unwound, a release mechanism frees the gear housing allowing the return spring to rotate the gear housing until the mouth of the jar is covered.

1 . An automatic candle snuffer, comprising: 
 a clamp adapted for mounting to a mouth of ajar housing a candle;    a gear housing having an upper housing and a lower housing disposed beneath the lower housing, the gear housing being dimensioned and configured for covering the mouth of the jar in a closed position;    a stationary pin attached to the clamp, the stationary pin having an upper portion extending through the lower gear housing and a stationary gear attached to the upper portion;    a first gear train disposed within the gear housing having a gear engaging the stationary gear on the upper portion of the stationary pin;    a return spring mounted to the first gear train, the return spring being a spiral spring wound by rotation of the upper and lower gear housing on the stationary pin to uncover the mouth of the jar;    a second gear train disposed within the gear housing and attached to the upper gear housing, rotation of the upper gear housing relative to the lower gear housing actuating the second gear train;    a timer spring mounted to the second gear train, the timer spring being a spiral spring wound by rotation of the upper gear housing relative to the lower gear housing;    an escape mechanism engaging the first gear train for holding the return spring in the wound position;    a release mechanism attached to the second gear train, the release mechanism being pivotally mounted to disengage the escape mechanism when the timer spring is unwound so that the return spring unwinds to actuate the first gear train, rotating the gear housing about the stationary pin to cover the mouth of the jar.    
   
   
       2 . The automatic candle snuffer according to  claim 1 , further comprising a reset pin extending through the gear housing, the reset pin being coupled to the escape mechanism so that pressing the reset pin disengages the escape mechanism, thereby unwinding the return spring to rotate the first gear train in order to rotate the gear housing to the cover the mouth of the jar.  
   
   
       3 . The automatic candle snuffer of  claim 1 , wherein said clamp comprises: 
 a pair of curved jaws adapted for engaging the mouth of the jar;    a torsion spring connected to the jaws, the spring biasing the jaws together to grip opposing sides of the mouth of the jar; and    finger grips extending from the jaws, the torsion spring being disposed between the finger grips.    
   
   
       4 . An automated candle snuffer, comprising; 
 a candle shade having a slot defined therein, the slot having a latching detent at one end of the slot, the candle shade being adapted for mounting to a mouth of ajar housing a candle;    a lever slidably engaging the slot, the lever attached to a first spring biased to return the lever to an unlatched position at the end of the slot opposite from the latching detent;    a first gear connected to the lever;    at least one second gear engaging the first gear;    a lid adapted for covering the mouth of the jar;    an arm connecting the lid to the at least one second gear whereby moving the lever to the latched position the rotates the first and second gear moving the arm to move the lid to uncover the jar and whereby moving the lever to the unlatched position the first and second gear moving the arm to move the lid to cover the jar;    a gearbox having a mainspring and a gear train connected to the mainspring;    means for winding the mainspring;    a release mechanism attached to the gear train operable to move the reset lever out of the latching detent when the mainspring is unwound, rotating the lid to the closed position covering the mouth of the jar in order to extinguish the candle in the jar.    
   
   
       5 . The automated candle snuffer of  claim 4 , wherein the candle shade is made of ceramic material.  
   
   
       6 . The automated candle snuffer of  claim 4  wherein, the lid comprises two plates having complimentary shapes adapted to cover the mouth of the jar, and said at least one second gear comprises two gears, each of the two gears being attached to one of the plates, respectively, wherein the two gears rotate the two complementary plates towards each other to close the mouth of the jar in the closed position.  
   
   
       7 . The automated candle snuffer of  claim 6 , wherein the plates are semicircular plates.  
   
   
       8 . The automated candle snuffer of  claim 4 , wherein the lid comprises a one-piece disk for covering the mouth of the jar.  
   
   
       9 . An apparatus for extinguishing a candle in a container comprising: 
 means for securing the apparatus to a mouth of the container;    a cover adapted for covering the mouth of the container;    spring-driven timer means for gradually rotating the cover between an open position uncovering the mouth of the container and a closed position covering the mouth of the container after a selected time interval.    
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said cover comprises a pair of complementary members, the complementary members being rotated to abut each other in the closed position in order to cover the mouth of the container.