1 commonly called "Coke-gripes."
Year: 1886

page_text: 1
commonly called "Coke-gripes."
"
I THOMAS NICHOLAS ROBSON of Newbottle in the County of Durham, Black-
smith, do, hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
My invention consists of the following improvements viz:-
1st Instead of the back piece and socket for handle being made separate and
then welded or rivetted together, as is the ordinary method, I cut the socket and
the back piece out of one piece of steel and then form the socket to receive the
handle.
:
2nd I set the back piece at right angles to the socket and to the face of the
prongs and make it of such depth as is necessary to receive and secure the prongs
according to my method, which depth prevents the coke from passing over the
back of "gripe."
:
3rd Instead of securing the prongs into the back piece by simply passing them
each through a hole and rivetting over I provide in the back piece a double row.
of holes each prong passing from its point through one of the lower row of
holes and then being secured either by a stud formed upon it passing through the
upper hole in back piece and then rivetted over or by-as I prefer a rivet being
passed through a flat head formed on it and through the hole in back piece and
then rivetted.
The advantages of these modes of construction are
1st That no welding nor rivetting is required between the socket and back
piece.
2nd The position of the back piece and the method of securing the prongs
therein allows the rivetting of the latter with great ease upon the back of the
anvil and any one or more of the prongs, if broken or worn, can be easily replaced
by a new prong the rivetting being as conveniently done as when the "gripe" is
first being made.
3rd There is no liability to the prongs of working loose, as each has a double
support in the back piece first in the lower hole and then, being held firmly against
the back piece, by being rivetted through the upper hole, the weight of the coke
being lifted tending to keep the prongs secure in their attachment to back piece

page_text: while the strain upon them is received at their strongest part and does not come
direct on the rivetted junction with back piece where ordinary "gripes" invariably
work loose or break and are very difficult to repair.
4th The whole of the "gripe," socket, back piece and prongs being made of
steel, without any welding it is stronger, more convenient to handle and what is
most important lighter than the ordinary "gripes" and will better bear the wear
and tear to which such implements are subject.
On the accompanying drawings I have shewn by full sized illustrations the
construction of the various parts as I propose to carry out my invention in practical
application from which the details will be readily understood as well as the points
of difference from the ordinary "gripes."
Figure 1 shews a sectional side elevation of a "Coke-gripe" made according to
my invention and Figure 2 a back view looking in direction of the arrow in
Figure 1.
A is the back piece formed with the socket B out of one piece of steel and
having punched in it 2 rows of holes C and D the former of which are of the
same section as the roots of the prongs E and the others are round to receive
a rivet. Each prong E (the root ends only of which are shewn) is curved upward
to the back plate A and has formed upon it a flat head F The mode of insertion
of the prongs is shewn by dotted lines on Figure 1, the point entering the hole C
in back plate the prong slides through, the curved part following, till the head F
comes against the back plate when a rivet G is inserted and the back plate being
placed on an anvil the rivet is "clunk" over as shewn by the full lines. An
alternative plan of fixing the prongs E into the back plate A is shewn by
Figures 3 and 4 the prong being formed with a projecting pin or stud G formed
on the flat head F which passing through the hole D is "clunk" over on the anvil
in the same way as a rivet but I prefer the rivet as being better if a prong becomes
loose, as a new rivet only is required.
:
"
Figures 5 and 6 shew the ordinary mode of fixing the prongs F of "gripes
into the back plate A by simply rivetting each prong through, which cannot be
efficiently done without the use of a vice or other special holding tool, even in the
first instance, and when a worn or broken prong has to be replaced it is still more
difficult and the rivetting besides soon gets loose in the back plate involving
generally a new prong.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. In Coke shovels or "gripes" forming the back piece, to receive the prongs,
and the socket, for handle, in one piece without welding or rivetting substantially
as described and shewn.
Second. The construction of Coke shovels or "gripes" with the back piece and
socket formed out of one piece, without welding or rivetting and the prongs
inserted into the back piece through one set of holes and rivetted thereto through
a second set of holes substantially as shewn and described.
Dated this 24th day of March 1886.