An Improved Fireiron.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 19th June, 1899-Accepted, 23rd Sept., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Fireiron.
We, GRIFFITH THOMAS LAWSON, of No. 528, Collins Street, Melbourne, in the
Colony of Victoria, Australia, Merchant, and ALBERT ANDREW PITT, of Mary
Street, St. Kilda, in the Colony of Victoria, Australia, Engineer, 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:-
The fireirons usually employed consist of a poker and tongs. We have devised
a combination utensil or fireiron which is adapted for use both as a poker and
as tongs according to the desire of the person employing it. By our invention
the cost of a set of fireirons is thus reduced while at the same time it provides
a fireiron more convenient for ordinary use.
In order to make the invention clear we will now refer to the accompanying
sheet of drawings, in which
Figure 1 shows a side view of our fireiron in its closed position.
Figure 2 a plan of same,
"t
"
Figure 3 a similar view to Figure 1 but in its open position.
Figure 4 shows a section taken on line "A-A"(Fig. 1.)
In these drawings "a, represent two bars or rods which are preferably
semi-circular in section see Figure 4 but may be hexagonal or of other section:
The meeting faces of these rods are arranged to lie closely against one another.
Each rod has a circular portion "" which is bored and rebated and is extended
to form a handle "c," the circular rebated portions being arranged to lie within
one another and being held together by a headed pin "d" so forming a hinge
which will allow of the radiation of the rods, the pin being held in position by
a block washer " e, screw nut rivet or the like. The handles aforesaid have flat
meeting faces and have bevelled portions "f" at the edges of the meeting faces;
these bevelled cuts prevent the flesh of the hand being caught between the faces
when employing the fireiron and also provide a means for forcing open the fire
iron when it is desired to use it as tongs.
"
A portion "g" of the rods are preferably squared near their ends and their
ends more or less dull pointed.
The fireiron (as represented in Fig. 1) will thus form a circular rod when
closed and although in two main pieces will for all practical purposes form a
single rod or bar usuable as a poker in the ordinary manner and which is readily
convertable into fire tongs by forcing apart the handles so as to cause the opposite
ends to open for use in the ordinary manner as tongs.
We do not confine ourselves to any particular section for the rod or handles
or to the exact construction of the hinge; but we desire it to be understood that
the hinge at "" should be of a broad description so as to afford a very strong
construction at that point to keep the members a in true line with one
another.
22

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
1. A fireiron consisting of-
Two rods hinged together and having extensions beyond the hinge forming
handles. The said rods and handles having meeting faces arranged to lie close
together substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
2. A fireiron consisting of-
Two rods having circular rebated portions connected by a rivetted or screwed
pin and having extensions forming handles, the said rods and handles having
plain meeting faces arranged to lie close together, the edges of the meeting faces
of the handles being bevelled or cut away substantially as herein described and
as illustrated upon the accompanying sheet of drawings.
Dated this 10th day of June 1800
MARKS & CLERK,
18, Southampton Buildings, London. W.C.,
13, Temple Street, Birmingham, and 25, Cross Street, Manchester,
Agents,