Improved Implement for Use in Supplying Fuel to Fire-places and for similar Purposes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Apr., 1899-Accepted, 13th May, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
+
Improved Implement for Use in Supplying Fuel to Fire-places and
for similar Purposes.
I, EUGEN TÜKÖRY VON ALGYEST, of 11, Bräunerstrasse,, Vienna I. in the Empire
of Austria, Gentleman, 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 devices heretofore constructed for use in connection with fireplaces, such as
coal shovels, fire irons and the like, do not properly fulfill the conditions for which
they are intended, and owing to the irregular sizes and shapes of the lumps of coal
it is often impossible, even after repeated and noisy attempts, to get hold of the
coal. Moreover the ordinary fire and coal tongs are so difficult to manage that
it is preferred to leave them altogether unused. The shovels are of a form as to
prevent their being entered into the store of coals and this leads to the work of
picking up coals and supplying the fire and of opening and closing the fire door,
being mostly carried out by the hands notwithstanding their becoming soiled
and burnt thereby.
Now this invention relates to hand tongs or devices for firing purposes by
which the aforesaid disadvantages are entirely obviated and which permit of
picking up the coals without noise, without fear of dropping them and also without
hindrance on account of their form, size and position and especially without soiling
the hands, while the utensil is equally handy for opening or closing the fire door
and for holding other hot articles for domestic use and also firewood without danger
to the hands.
The device consists broadly of two jaws or claws, working on a hinge, of suitable
material, preferably metal, and provided at its inner faces with teeth or points for
gripping the material, and with pockets on the outer faces for the insertion therein
of the fingers and thumb respectively so that the device is held in the hand in
the manner of a glove.
In the accompanying drawing.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved device and
Figure 2 shows an edge view thereof as well as the manner of using it.
The two jaws a, which may be of any desired shape and decorated in any
appropriate manner, are by preference slightly curved and are connected by
means of a hinge joint b. On their outer edges or periphery they are formed or
provided with teeth points or other projections which if desired may be also
listributed over the inner surfaces and which serve in gripping and retaining the
objects to be handled.
One of these jaws is provided on its outer surface with a pocket for the
insertion of the thumb, while the other jaw is furnished with a pocket f for the
insertion of the fingers, so that the device can be easily held in the hand.
Obviously the jaws follow the movement of the thumb and fingers and in accord-
ance therewith either open or close as may be required for either gripping or for
releasing the piece of coal or other object. A further advantage of this device is

page_text: that it occupies considerably less space than the devices usually employed for
the same purpose.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim
is--
01°
A hand implement for picking up fuel for firing purposes or other articles, of
domestic use, when in a hot state, said device consisting of two hinged jaws pro-
vided on their inner sides with suitable gripping and retaining projections
teeth while on their outer sides they are furnished with pockets for the insertion
of the thumb and finger respectively so as to enable the device to be carried m
the hand.
Dated this 1st day of Amril 1899
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co..
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.