Apparatuses and methods for automatically extinguishing a flame

Abstract

An apparatus for snuffing a candle or other element in a container. A base fits the container and includes shutter(s) for covering an opening. A shutter operator may include an arm preventing the shutter(s) from covering the opening when the arm is locked, and causing the shutter(s) to cover the opening when the arm unlocked. The shutter operator includes a closer for unlocking the arm, and may include a closing facilitator such as a spring for moving the arm to close the shutters. A timer may time a selectable period. An activation plate may respond to expiration of the period by activating the closer to unlock the arm. The apparatus may include timer marks. A time indicator may move relative to the marks to indicate time remaining and/or expired. The apparatus may include an opener for opening shutter(s) regardless of the selected period and/or without setting an expiration period.

1 . An apparatus for snuffing a candle in a container after a period, comprising: 
 a base covering an open part of the container,    the base including at least a shutter for substantially covering an opening in the base,    the base including a shutter operator for causing the shutter to substantially cover the base opening; 
 the shutter operator including an arm connected to the shutter, the arm preventing the shutter from covering the base opening when the arm is locked, and the arm causing the shutter to substantially cover the base opening when the arm is unlocked, and  
 the shutter operator including a closer for unlocking of the arm, thereby causing the shutter to substantially cover the base opening;  
   a timer for timing a period; and    an activation plate that responds to expiration of the period by activating the closer to unlock the arm,    whereby the timer may be set to time the period upon whose expiration the activation plate activates the closer of the shutter operator to unlock the arm, thereby causing the shutter to substantially cover the base opening and causing the snuffing of the candle in the container.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the shutter operator comprises a closing facilitator to facilitate moving the arm when it is unlocked to facilitate closing of the shutter.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the closing facilitator comprises a spring.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an opener for opening the shutter.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the opener is operative to open the shutter by moving the arm into a locked position.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the timer is operative to time the period as a selected period from one of a plurality of periods.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  further comprising a time indicator for setting the selected period.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the base comprises a plurality of timer marks corresponding respectively to the plurality of periods; and 
 wherein the time indicator is operative to move with respect to the plurality of timer marks to indicate an amount of time with respect to the selected period.    
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the closer is operative to unlock the arm in response to an unlock action other than the activation by the activation plate.  
   
   
       10 . An apparatus allowing for selective extinguishment of a burning element in a vessel, comprising: 
 a housing having an opening;    at least a shutter disposed to substantially close the opening in the housing; and    a release operative to cause the shutter to close,    whereby activating the release causes the shutter to substantially close the opening in the housing thereby extinguishing the burning of the element in the vessel.    
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the release comprises: 
 an actuator connected to the shutter; and    a release pin operative in response to activation to cause the actuator to cause the shutter to close.    
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the actuator comprises: 
 an actuator arm connected to the shutter;    a holder to hold the actuator arm so that the actuator arm causes the shutter to be at least partially open; and    the actuator arm being operative to release itself from the holder in response to the causation of the release pin,    whereby the release of the actuator arm from the holder causes the actuator arm to cause the shutter to close.    
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the actuator comprises: 
 a closing facilitator connected to the housing and to the actuator arm, and responsive to the release of the actuator arm from the holder to facilitate the actuator arm in causing the shutter to close.    
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 a timer for timing a period of time, and    the release being responsive to expiration of the period of time to cause the shutter to close,    whereby setting the timer for the period of time causes the release to cause the shutter after the expiration of the period of time.    
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising an activation plate responsive to the expiration of the period of time to activate the release pin to cause the actuator to cause the shutter to close.  
   
   
       16 . An apparatus for extinguishing a burning fuel source in a holder after a selectable period of time, comprising: 
 shutters in a frame with the frame being sized to fit the holder so as to substantially block air entering the holder when the shutters are substantially closed in the frame;    a timer for timing a selectable period of time; and    a mechanism for substantially closing the shutters in response to expiration of the selectable period of time, thereby causing the extinguishing of the burning fuel source.    
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the timer comprises settings for a respective plurality of periods of time; and 
 wherein the timer responds to a selection of a setting for a period of time by timing the period of time corresponding to the selected setting as the selectable period of time.    
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the mechanism for substantially closing the shutters is operative to close the shutters without regard to the expiration of the selectable period of time.  
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the mechanism for substantially closing the shutters is operative to open the shutters if they are closed.