IMPROVEMENTS IN FORKS OR TONGS CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR DOMESTIC PURPOSES.
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert John Allison, of 41 Southampton Buildings,
Holborn, in the County of Middlesex for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FORKS OR TONGS CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR DOMESTIC PURPOSES. A com-
munication to him from abroad by Roswell Willard Turner, of Boston,
Massachusetts United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert John Allison at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th November 1882.
HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of 41 Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the
County of Middlesex, "IMPROVEMENTS IN FORKS OR TONGS CHIEFLY DESIGNED
FOR DOMESTIC PURPOSES "
a communication to me from abroad by Roswell Willard
Turner, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America,
This invention relates to that class of implements designed for culinary or other
domestic uses, and provided with jaws by which various articles may be grasped
and removed, as for instance, olives, pickles or fruit from a bottle or jar; hot coals
or cinders from a fire; or vegetables, meat or other articles of food from a pot in
which they are cooked. And this invention consists in a tube enclosing a rod
surrounded by a spiral spring in combination with a pair of toggle arms connected
with a pair of jaws for operating the same; and this invention also consists in
providing said tube with a collar or projection which serves as a stop for the finger
and thumb to abut against to prevent their slipping on the tube when pressure is
applied to advance the rod to open the jaws.
According to one arrangement the cylindrical tube has a collar secured to its
lower end. The upper ends of the pair of jaws, each consisting of a series of
curved tines or prongs are pivoted to the collar at points diametrically opposite.
Extending transversely across the inner side of each jaw and secured to oppositely
located bent portions thereof is a small rod to which is pivoted the lower end of
one of a pair of toggle arms, the upper ends of these arms being pivoted to the
lower end of a cylindrical rod extending up within the tube, which latter serves as
D...All

page_text: a handle. The upper end of this rod is reduced in diameter or turned down smaller,
this reduced portion being surrounded by a spiral spring, the bottom thereof
resting on a collar secured inside the tube, and the top of the spring abutting
against the underside of a sleeve provided with an enlarged head, the sleeve being
held in place upon the rod by upsetting or rivetting its upper end thereover, and
being free to slide on the outside of the upper end of the tube on the application of
pressure exerted by the finger against the resistance of the spring. The spring is
prevented from displacing this sleeve from the tube by the upper end of the large
portion of the rod striking against the collar inside the tube. When the head of
the sleeve is pressed upon by the finger or palm of the hand, the rod is pushed so
as to advance its lower portion out from the mouth of the tube, carrying with it
the toggle arms which are thus caused to separate from each other and approach a
straight line, whereby the pair of tined or pronged jaws are made to open in a
position ready to catch over the article which it is desired to lift, the removal of
the pressure on the head of the sleeve releasing the spring and causing the rod
to return into the tube, thus bringing the toggle arms into their original position
and causing the jaws to grasp firmly the article, which can then be lifted and
transported to the desired place. A cylindrical collar or projection is located on the
outside of the tube at such distance from the head of the sleeve as to afford a
convenient hold or stop for the finger and thumb when pressure is applied to
depress the sliding sleeve whereby the slipping incident to a tube of even diameter
(having a smooth exterior) is entirely avoided.
In a modification of this invention the toggle arms instead of being secured to
the lower end of the central rod, are pivoted at their upper ends to a collar secured
to the lower end of the tube, the lower ends of the toggle arms being pivoted to
the upper outwardly projecting ends of the two jaws which are pivoted together
'by a transverse pin extending between their turned down portions, the pin serving
as the fulcrum on which the jaws open and close; these changes however, to wit
the different arrangement of the toggle arms, the form of the jaws and the manner
of connecting the latter with the tube and the central rod are but modifications of
construction tributary to the general features described in the first portion of this
specification.
The within described implement is adapted for various domestic and other uses,
and in its application thereto, the length and diameter of the tube, and its enclosed
rod, the length of the toggle arms, as well as the curvature and size of the jaws may
be readily changed, and the tines of the jaws may be omitted if desired without
departing from the spirit of this invention. An implement of sufficient size con-
structed as described will answer as a good substitute for the ordinary fire-tongs.
The upper end of the tube may be closed and provided with longitudinal slots
diametrically opposite for the passage of a cross bar or handle resting on and for
the purpose of compressing the spring.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Herbert John Allison in the Great Seal Patent Office on the '
9th May 1883.
HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of 41 Southampton Buildings, Holborn, in the County
of Middlesex, "IMPROVEMENTS IN FORKS OR TONGS CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR
DOMESTIC PURPOSES a communication to ne from abroad by Roswell Willard
Turner, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America,
"
This invention relates to that class of implements designed for culinary or other
domestic uses, and provided with jaws by which various articles may be grasped
and removed, as for instance, olives, pickles or fruit from a bottle or jar; hot coals
or cinders from a fire; or vegetables, meat or other articles of food from a pot in
which they are cooked. And this invention consists in a tube enclosing a rod
surrounded by a spiral spring in combination with a pair of toggle-arins connected
with a pair of jaws for operating the same; and this invention also consists in
providing said tube with a collar or projection which serves as a stop for the finger
and thumb to abut against to prevent their slipping on the tube when pressure is
applied to advance the rod to open the jaws.
Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device constructed
in accordance with this invention, the pressure of the fore finger being applied to
open its jaws.
Figure 2 is a central vertical section through the same, the jaws being closed.
Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line x, x, of Fig 2.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a modification of this invention.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal section through the centre of the same.
Figure 6 is a transverse section on the line y, y, of Fig 5.
In Figs 1, 2 and 3 of the said drawings A represents a cylindrical tube having a .
collar a secured to its lower end. BB are a pair of jaws each consisting of a series
of curved tines or prongs b, the upper ends of the jaws being pivoted to the collar a
at points c diametrically opposite. Extending transversely across the inner side
of each jaw and secured to oppositely located bent portions & thereof is a small
rode (Fig 3), to which is pivoted the lower end of one of a pair of toggle-
arms C C, the upper ends of these arms being pivoted at f to the lower end of a
cylindrical rod D extending up within the tube A, which latter serves as a handle.
The upper end of this rod is reduced in diameter or turned down smaller from g
to h, this reduced portion being surrounded by a spiral spring k, the bottom thereof
resting on a collar i secured inside the tube and the top of the spring abutting
against the underside of a sleeve Z provided with an enlarged head m, the sleeve
being held in place upon the rod by upsetting or rivetting its upper end thereover,
and being free to slide on the outside of the upper end of the tube on the appli-
cation of pressure exerted by the finger (Fig 1) against the resistance of the
spring k. The spring is prevented from displacing this sleeve from the tube by the
upper end of the large portion of the rod striking against the collar i. When
the head of the sleeve is pressed upon by the finger or palm of the hand, the rod is
pushed in the direction of the arrow so as to advance its lower portion out from
the mouth of the tube, carrying with it the toggle-arms C C, which are thus caused
to separate from each other and approach a straight line, whereby the pair of tined
or pronged jaws are made to open in a position ready to catch over the article which
it is desired to lift, the removal of the pressure on the head of the sleeve releasing the
spring and causing the rod to return into the tube, thus bringing the toggle-arms
into their original position and causing the jaws to grasp firmly the article, which

page_text: In the
can then be lifted and transported to the desired place. n is a cylindrical collar or
projection located on the outside of the tube A at such distance from the head of
the sleeve as to afford a convenient hold or stop for the finger and thumb when
pressure is applied to depress the sliding sleeve whereby the slipping incident to a
tube of even diameter (having a smooth exterior) is entirely avoided.
modification of this invention as shown in Figs 4, 5 and 6 the toggle-arms CC
instead of being secured to the lower end of the central rod D, are pivoted at their
upper ends to a collar p secured to the lower end of the tube A, the lower ends of
the toggle-arms being pivoted to the upper outwardly projecting ends of the two
jaws BB which are pivoted together by a transverse pin r extending between
their turned down portions 8, the pin serving as the fulcrum on which the jaws
open and close, these changes, however, to wit the different arrangement of the
toggle-arms, the form of the jaws and the manner of connecting the latter with the
tube and the central rod are but modifications of construction tributary to the
general features described in the first portion of this specification and shown in
Figs 1, 2 and 3. The within described implement is adapted for various domestic
and other uses, and in its application thereto, the length and diameter of the tube,
and its enclosed rod, the length of the toggle-arms, as well as the curvature and
size of the jaws may be readily changed, and the tines of the jaws may be omitted
if desired without departing from the spirit of this invention.
An implement of sufficient size constructed as described will answer as a good
substitute for the ordinary fire-tongs. The upper end of the tube may be closed
and provided with longitudinal slots diametrically opposite for the passage of a
cross bar or handle resting on and for the purpose of compressing the spring.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of
'carrying the same into effect I wish it to be understood that what I claim is:-
First. The tube A, rod D, spiral spring k, and a device for compressing the same,
in combination with the toggle-arms CC and jaws BB substantially as and for the
purpose described.
Second. The tube A with the jaws B B pivoted to its lower end and with the
sleeve made to slide over its upper end, in combination with the rod D connected
with the jaws BB by the toggle-arms C C, the rod being depressed against the
resistance of the spiral spring k, as and for the purpose set forth and shown in
Figs 1, 2 and 3.
Third. The toggle-arms C C arranged as described for connecting the upper ends
of the jaws B B with the lower end of the tube A, in combination with the central
rod D having its lower end secured to the fulcrum r of the jaws and with its
upper end surrounded by a spiral spring k and attached to a tubular sleeve /
made to slide over the upper end of the tube as and for the purpose specified, see
Figs 4, 5 and 6.
Fourth. The collar or projection n on the outside of the tube A, in combination
with the sleeve l, rod I, spiral spring k, toggle-arms C C and jaws B. B, constructed
to operate substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert John Allison have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this 9th day of May in the year of Our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty-three.
HERBERT. J. ALLISON (L.S.)