IMPROVEMENTS IN TONGS CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR DOMESTIC PURPOSES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake of the firm of Haseltine, Lake,
and Co. Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TONGS CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR DOMESTIC PURPOSES"
A communication to him from abroad by Alonzo Scott Adams, of Boston,
Massachusetts, United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 6th March 1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TONGS CHIEFLY DESIGNED
FOR DOMESTIC PURPOSES communicated to me from abroad by Alonzo Scott
Adams of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
"
This invention relates to improvements in tongs, more especially adapted for
light domestic use, of the class in which the tines or jaws are automatically closed
on any article to be picked up.
The said invention consists essentially of a hollow handle in which are enclosed
a rod controlled by a spring, and two sets of movable jaws, or the like, pivoted to
the handle and connected to the said enclosed rod.
The objects of the said Invention are to cause the two sets of jaws to separate
by depressing the enclosed rod and to approach each other to grasp and hold an
article between them when the rod is released, and to provide facilities for cleaning
the interior parts.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1, is a longitudinal section of a pair of tongs constructed according to
this invention showing the jaws held together by the spring.
Figure 2. is an elevation partly in section showing the enclosed rod depressed

page_text: Figure 3. is a sectional side view showing one of the jaws and that part of the
handle to which it is pivoted and
Figure 4, illustrates a modification wherein a spring formed from the rod and is
connected to the jaws.
Figure 5. illustrates a modified form of the link connections.
In Figures 1. 2. 4 and 5, one end of the pivot that joins the two parts of the
tongs is shown, that part of the handle in which the said end is mounted
being removed; in figure 3 both ends of this pivot are seen rivetted to the
hollow handle
The handle A (of any desired external design, and of a length best adapted to
the purposes for which the implement is intended) is made hollow to receive a
rod B. This rod B is preferably rolled from a rod nearly the size of the space of
the handle A so as to leave a part of the original size to serve as a guide. The end
of this rod receives the pivot b, which connects the lower end of the rod B to the
links d d pivoted to the arms d² d³ of the jaws D D¹. To give the requisite
bearing for the pivot b, when the rod is small, the end of the rod B is slotted
sufficiently to allow each part to be bent sidewise, to the form of a ring, I thereby
not only save drilling a hole but also get much more metal around the pivot.
A simple method of making the springs and causing them to serve as links for
connecting the enclosed rod to the arms of the jaws is illustrated in Figure 4 and
consists in dividing the end of a rod made of spring metal, into two parts, and
connecting these parts to the said arms of the jaws, or two flat springs may be
fastened to the end of the rod and connected as aforesaid.
The jaws D. D¹ may be of any desired construction. Obviously their size and
shape will vary for different purposes, as for instance, one jaw may be in the form
of a spoon and the other in the form of a large fork when used for salad, or both
may be large forks with wide spreading tines as in the ordinary asparagus forks.
The jaws are joined by a pivot d secured in the handle A and with their arms d³ d³
connected as above described to the rod B, form a pair of tongs.
The arms of the jaws and the links work through slots in the handle A. It is
obvious that when the rod B is pushed down the arms d² d³ will be forced apart,
and the points of the jaws separated, and when the rod B. is raised, these points
will be brought towards each other. The downward motion of the rod B is effected,
as desired, by pressing on its top, which projects above the handle A for that
purpose. The upward motion is effected by a spring b¹ enclosed in a receptacle b³,
which is screwed on to the top of the rod B and slides either inside or outside of
the handle A. A point or projection a is formed on the end of the handle A, which
point enters any small soft object, such as an olive, pickle or the like, which may
pass between the points of the jaws: A washer 63 through which the rod B moves,
rests on a shoulder 65 formed on the handle A; and supports the spring 6¹ and
receives its thrust. A pin 64 is secured to the rod B and moves in grooves on the
inside of the handle A. This pin prevents the rod B from turning when the
receptacle 6 is being screwed on, and keeps the links, the jaws and their pivots
free from the strain. The advantages arising from the above described manner
of attaching and securing the spring and its receptacle or the cap, when the spring
is made, as in Figure 4, are that all these parts can be readily removed thereby
allowing free access to the interior of the handle for the purpose of cleaning that
part when desired.
Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim
First. The combination substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a pair of jaws,
pivoted to a hollow handle, a rod passing through the said hollow handle, and
connected to the jaws, and a spring acting on the said rod with a tendency to keep
the jaws closed, as and for the purposes specified.
Second-In self-closing tongs, the actuating rod having a spring surrounding

page_text: its free end, in combination with a loose washer supporting one end of the spring,
and a cap or receptacle screwed on to the rod for enclosing the said spring and
supporting its other end, the said washer, spring, and cap being adapted to be
removed, substantially as, and for the purposes, setforth.
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this sixth day of March in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
W. ROB. LAKE (L.S.)