IMPROVEMENTS IN TONGS OR PLIERS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Haddan, of the Firm of Herbert and
Company, Solicitors of Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster,
Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TONGS OR PLIERS."
A communication from abroad by William Lee Lay, of Oil City, State of
Pennsylvania, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert John Haddan at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th September 1878.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Solicitors of
Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TONGS OR PLIERS." A communication from abroad by William Lee
Lay, of Oil City, State of Pennsylvania, United States of America.
The improvements consist in fitting into the jaw of tongs or pliers, intended more
especially for pipe or rod tongs, of a removable bit made of metal, preferably
steel, with sharp equal corners, so that when one edge is worn the bit can be with-
drawn and turned and a new edge presented, and when all the edges are worn they
can be re-sharpened, or a new bit inserted at little expense.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Herbert John Haddan in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th
March 1879.
HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert and Company, Solicitors of
Patents, of 67, Strand, in the City of Westminster, Civil Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS
IN TONGS OR PLIERS." A communication from abroad by William Lee Lay, of
Oil City, State of Pennsylvania, United States of. America.
The improvements consist in fitting into the jaw of tongs or pliers, intended more
especially for pipe or rod tongs, of a removable bit made of metal, preferably steel,
with sharp equal corners, so that when one edge is worn the bit can be withdrawn
and turned and a new edge presented, and when all the edges are worn they can be
resharpened, or a new bit inserted at little expense. The Drawing annexed repre-
sents a perspective view of the improvements. The Invention consists both in the
shape of the bit and in the preparation of the jaw of the tongs for its reception.
Said bit is made in the form of a frustrum of a pyramid, as shown at C. Its two
ends should be similar, and all the angles of its ends equal. It should be a little
longer than the width of the jaw of the tongs. In the Drawing it is shown as
square in cross section, and this is probably its best form, but it may be made with
three, four, or even more edges. This bit Ċ should be made of hardened steel, as it
is intended to slightly bite into the pipe to which it is applied. The groove in the
tongs for the reception of the bit is made tapering, so that the said bit C can be
tightly driven into it. It should be made so that the smaller end of the bit C
should project but very little if at all beyond the jaw. If it should project too far
the bit would be liable to be accidentally, knocked out, and as a resharpening of the
bit diminishes its size, it would project still farther each time it is repaired. The
bit C being tapering, it is necessary that more metal be cut from the jaws of the
tongs on one side than on the other, and the side of the jaw which has the larger
end of the groove should be strengthened at b¹ by metal, to compensate for the
metal cut away in the groove in such side more than on the other, and by reason of
such re-inforcement, said jaw is not squared across as ordinary tongs, but the side
which contains the larger end of said groove projects above the other side. More
than one of these bits may be inserted if desired in either jaw, or both jaws of the
tongs, but it is recommended that the bit C be inserted in the jaw B, and not in the
jaw A. In this Specification the best manner of applying the Invention is intended
to be shown, but it is not rigidly confined to the manner described. The taper of
the bit is about 5°, but it can be made more or less as desired. I claim, a bit for.
insertion in the jaws of pipe tongs, shaped with equal angles at all its biting edges,
so as to enable it to be turned and a different edge presented as one is worn, and
made with a taper so as to be firmly driven into a proper groove in the jaws made
for its reception, or a movable bit of any shape, substantially as shown and'
described.
In witness whereof, I, tlie said Herbert John Haddan, have hereunto set my,
hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of March, A.D. 1879.
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