IMPROVEMENTS IN TONGS FOR SCREWING PIPES AND TUBES
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles William Rowley Rickards, of 28,
New Cut, Blackfriars Road, in the County of Surrey, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TONGS FOR SCREWING PIPES AND
TUBES."
New Cut, Blackfriars Road, in the County of Surrey, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TONGS FOR SCREWING PIPES AND
TUBES."
Scaled the 12th January 1853, and dated the 1st October 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles William
Rowley Rickards at the office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with his petition, on the 1st October 1852.
I, CHARLES WILLIAM ROWLEY RICKARDS, of 28, New Cut, Black-
friars Road, in the County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TONGS FOR SCREWING PIPES AND
TUBES" to be as follows:--
This Invention consists of constructing tongs for screwing gas and
other pipes or tubes, the same pair of tongs being capable of screwing
different sizes of tubes, by reason of the length of one of the limbs being
made adjustable, and caused to work through a slot in the other limb.
The adjusting limb is provided with a spring jaw, which gives way in
the return movement, and holds the pipe or tube fast in the other jaw
in the forward movement.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Charles William Rowley Rickards, in the Great
Seal Patent Office, on the 30th March 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
CHARLES WILLIAM ROWLEY RICKARDS, of 28, New Cut, Blackfriars
Road, in the County of Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty, Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the First day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the sixteenth year of
Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Charles William Rowley Rickards, Her special licence, that
I, the said Charles William. Rowley Rickards, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles. William
Rowley Rickards, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TONGS FOR SCREWING PIPES AND TUBES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles William
Rowley Rickards, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office, within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles William Rowley Richards,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
My Invention consists of constructing tongs for screwing gas and
other pipes or tubes, the same pair of tongs being capable of screwing
different sizes of tubes or pipes, by reason of the length of one of the

page_text: limbs being made adjustable, and caused to work through a slot in the
other limb. The adjusting .limb is provided with a spring jaw, which
gives way in the return movement, and holds the pipe or tube fast in
the other jaw. in the forward movement. And in order that my Inven-
tion may be most fully understood, and readily carried into effect, I will
proceed to describe the means pursued, by me.
L
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1, shows a side view of a pair of tongs constructed according
to my Invention. Figure 2, shows the moveable and adjustable limb
of the tongs separately; a, is the moveable limb; b, is the limb through
which the moveable limb works, there being a slot through the moveable
limb for that purpose. The moveable limb a, is composed of two parts,
a, a', the part a, being the handle; the part a', being the jaw, which is
affixed to, but moves on an axis at the end of the part a, by reason of a
pin joint a², and the part a', is kept in position by the spring a. The
instrument shown is suitable for tubes or pipes of the respective sizes
of one inch, three eighths of an inch, and half an inch; and the mark
on the limb b, indicates the point to which the moveable limb is to be
set by the screw nut when the tongs are to be used for those sizes
respectively. At the end of the linib b, is formed a fork b', into which
the stem of the adjusting screw nut enters, as is shown, and the adjust-
ment of the moveable limb a, for a particular size of pipe or tube is
obtained by turning the nut a', in one or other direction; and in taking
hold of a pipe or tube by these tongs, the moveable limb a, is moved
out of the fork b', and the hooked end of the limb b, is placed on the
pipe or tube, and then the nut on the limb a, is placed in the fork b¹;
and the holding of the pipe in one direction will be sufficient, and on
the return movement the moveable jaw will give way.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I would have it understood, that I do not
confine myself to the precise details shown and described, so long as the
peculiar character of the Invention as herein explained be retained;

page_text: but what I claim is the mode herein described of combining the parts
of tongs for screwing pipes and tubes.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles William Rowley Rickards,
have hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of
March in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-three.
CHARLES WILLIAM ROWLEY RICKARD. (L.S.)
Witness, S. CARPMAEL.