Improved Fire Tongs.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Oct., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 16th July, 1900-Accepted, 25th Aug., 1900
Improved Fire Tongs.
I, GEORGE WILLIAM CHURCHER, of High Street, Bishop's Waltham, in the
County of Hants, Cabinet Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:
According to my invention the jaws of the tongs are pivoted to one end of a
long handle which may be advantageously formed of a metal rod bent to the
required shape the jaws being jointed to the two ends of the said rod.
Longitudinally in the said handle is a sliding bar one end of which, near that
part of the handle which is grasped by the user, is formed with an eye or loop
to receive a finger or fingers ior moving the said bar whilst the other end of the
said bar is connected with the jaws in such a manner that when the bar is moved
downwards toward the jaws the latter are opened and when drawn upwards
within the handle are closed together. The gripping ends of the jaws may be
formed with points or teeth or otherwise suitably roughened to permit a piece
of coal or other object, held between them from slipping away.
Dated the 24th day of October 1899.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Fire Tongs.
I, GEORGE WILLIAM CHURCHER, of High Street, Bishop's Waltham, in the
County of Hants, Cabinet Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
According to my invention the jaws of the tongs are pivoted to one end of a
long handle which may be advantageously formed of a metal rod bent to the
required shape, the jaws being jointed to the two ends of the said rod.
Longitudinally in the said handle is a sliding bar one end of which, near that
part of the handle which is grasped by the user, is formed with an eye or loop
or a grip for moving the said bar whilst the other end of the bar is connected
with the jaws in such a manner that when the bar is moved downwards toward
the jaws the latter are opened and when drawn upwards within the handle are
closed together. The gripping ends of the jaws may be formed with points or
teeth or otherwise suitably roughened to prevent a piece of coal or other object
held between them from slipping away.
To enable the invention to be fully understood I will describe it by reference
to the accompanying drawing, in which:-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of fire tongs constructed according to my inven
tion, the jaws of the said tongs being shewn closed:
.
71

page_text: Figure 2 is an elevation at right angles to Figure 1:
Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 Figure 1; and
Figure 4 is an elevation similar to Figure 1 but shewing the jaws of the tongs
opened.
a is the metal rod which is bent to an elongated U shape to form the handle,
it being provided at the bend with a grip or handle proper a¹ by means of which
the tongs can be grasped. b, bare the two jaws, the said two jaws being formed
upon the ends of the arms c, c of bell-crank levers which are pivoted at c', c² to
the ends of the U-shaped handle a, the other arms d, d of the said levers being
pivoted at d¹ to the lower end of the sliding bar e. This sliding bar is arranged
longitudinally in the said handle and is provided at its upper end, that is to say,
at the end nearest the handle a¹ with an eye or loop f which is formed at its
side with curved guides f¹, f1 (see Figure 3) which engage the inner sides of the
legs a, a forming the handle.
With this arrangement when the tongs are grasped and a finger or fingers
inserted in the eye or loop f, the said loop can be pushed downwards so as to
push the pivot d downwards and thereby open the arms c, c of the jaws b, b to
the position shewn in Figure 4 so that a piece of coal or other object can be
grasped between the jaws, the necessary grip being obtained by pulling back
the slide loop f. The movement of the pivot downwards is permitted by the
spring in the arms a, which under the pressure of the rod e move slightly
outwards until the pivot has passed the horizontal plane of the pivots c¹, c¹.
This spring in the arms a, a normally holds the jaws 6, b in the closed position
shewn in Figure 1.
The jaws b, b may be provided with teeth b¹, b¹ as clearly shewn or they may
be otherwise suitably roughened or provided with points to prevent the piece of
coal grasped between them from slipping away.
Instead of forming the upper end of the bar e with an eye f which moves in
guides between the legs a, a, as above described, I can dispense with the handle a¹
and extend the bar e through a hole in the bend of the legs a, a and form the
projecting end of the bar as a grip or handle by means of which it can be
manipulated.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim
ia:.
1. Fire tongs comprising a handle consisting of an elongated U-shaped rod
to the ends of which are pivoted jaws and of a rod longitudinally disposed in
the said handle and connected with the jaws in such a manner that by operating
the said rod the jaws can be opened and closed, substantially as herein before
described.
2. In fire tongs, the arrangement of a U-shaped metal rod to the ends of which
are pivoted bell crank levers, one arm of each lever carrying a jaw and the
other arm being pivoted to one end of a rod mounted longitudinally in the
U-shaped handle and having at its other end an eye or loop adapted to slide in
the said handle, substantially as hereinbefore described.
'
3. Fire tongs consisting of the parts constructed, arranged and operating,
substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawing.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant.