Improvements in Fire-irons.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Fire-irons.
We, ROBERT G. Cox and ALBERT H. HARVEY, Inventors, both of Urich, Mo.,
U.S.A., do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to fire-irons of that class used in connection with domestic
fire-places; and it has for its object the provision of fire-irons which can be com-
bined in such manner as to be used for other purposes beyond that to which they
are put when employed singly for instance, the shovel, when combined with
the poker, can be used as and serve to dispense with tongs, and the combined
utensil will be found especially useful for preventing a shovel full of coal or
fire from falling when being carried from one place to another. A further object
of the invention is to provide an improved construction of such utensils.
By this invention, the handle of the shovel is provided with a cross-pin and the
poker has a bifurcated hook which is adapted to engage the projecting ends of the
pin and work thereon after the manner of a hinge. A flat spring is secured to
the poker adjacent to the hook and bears against the handle of the shovel with a
tendency to raise or depress-as may be arranged the point of the poker which
rests over the shovel and is flattened and otherwise suitably shaped to hold the
contents of the shovel firmly without being too wide to use conveniently as a
poker. If preferred, the cross-pin may be in the poker and the hook on the
shovel handle. Moreover, the handle of the shovel may be diametrically slotted
or apertured to permit the poker to be passed therethrough and its cross-pin made
to engage suitable recesses formed in the sides of the aperture. The spring is
preferably secured to the shovel handle near to the aperture.
P. R. J. WILLIS,
Agent for Applicants.
We, ROBERT G. Cox and ALBERT H. HARVEY, Inventors, both of Urich, Mo.,
U.S.A., 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:
This invention relates to fire-irons and more especially to such implements
employed for domestic purposes, and has for its object to provide a form of con-
struction whereby such implements may be used in combination to serve a
purpose additional to those for which they are suited when used separately.

page_text: Reference being had to the drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of fire-irons embodying our invention, and
shewn in combination; Fig. 2 shews details, enlarged, of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a
side elevational view of a modified form of our invention.
A indicates a scoop or shovel, of any ordinary form, having attached thereto a
handle B which, adjacent to its outer extremity is provided with bifurcated
slotted lugs C. D indicates a poker, preferably tapered towards one extremity
as at E and laterally flattened at the tapered portion, and adjacent to its other
extremity provided with a cross-pin F supported on a projecting lug. When it
is required to use the shovel and poker in combination, to serve the purpose of
tongs, the pin F on the poker D) is entered through the bifurcations in the lugs C
and works as a hinge in the slots in the said lugs. If deemed preferable, a
spring G may be secured to the shovel-bar B, acting outwardly on the poker D
as shewn, such spring being stamped so as to permit of side lugs G¹ being flanged
upwardly, and into which the poker D may he sprung and thereby retained. It
will be obvious that, without departing from the spirit of our invention the
locations of the lugs, cross-pin and spring may be changed and formed on or
attached to alternatively the handle B or poker D, or the spring G may be so
placed as to force the implements into normal contact.
In the modified form of our invention shewn in Fig. 3 the handle B of the
shovel adjacent the scoop A is enlarged as at B and vertically slotted as at Be,
and in the side walls formed by said slot bifurcated slots B³ are formed. The
poker D is provided adjacent to its tapered end with a cross-pin Fl. When it
is desired to use the implements in combination the poker D is turned sideways
to permit of its flattened extremity and the pin F1 passing through the slot B²
and then being turned flat the pin F1 is entered into the bifurcated slots B³ and
forms a hinge therewith. If preferred a spring may also be used in conjunction
with this second form of our invention.
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) The combination of a shovel and a poker, having, on the handle portion of
the one, bifurcated slotted lugs, on the handle portion of the other a cross-pin
adapted to enter the said bifurcated slotted lugs and form therewith a, hinge-
joint, and on one of the handle portions a spring adapted to engage the other
handle portion and open or close the extremities of the implements as may be
desired. substantially as described.
3'
(2) The combination of a shovel and a poker, the handle portion of the shovel
having a vertical longitudinally extending slot and bifurcated slotted openings
in the walls of the said slot, the handle portion of the poker adjacent to the
point having a cross pin, adapted, when the poker is passed through the said
slot in the handle portion of the said shovel, to engage and form a hinge-joint
with the bifurcated slotted openings in the walls of the said slot, substantially as
. described.
Dated this 13th dar of June 1900