IMPROVEMENTS IN COAL BOXES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, SAMUEL LANGLEY, of the firm of Langley Smyth and Company, of
129 Horseley Fields, Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, hardware
merchants and factors, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for,
IMPROVEMENTS IN COAL BOXES, to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object to provide means for carrying the small tongs
(usually called coal-box tongs, in distinction from the larger tongs) upon the coal
box, so as to avoid the inconvenience and untidyness incidental to laying thom
upon the fender as is usually done.
According to this invention, brackets are formed out from the back of the pillars
or vertical parts supporting the cross bar of the coal-box handle, and such pillars
are forked at their upper ends so that one leg of the small tongs may lie within the
forks, crosswise of the box. The hinder prong or horn of each fork is curved or
slanted backwards, and rises to a sufficient height so that when the tongs are
placed in the position already indicated the other or upper leg thereof lies back
against the upper ends of the hinder prongs or horns. The front horn of each fork
is preferably shorter than the hinder horn so as to facilitate placing the tongs in
the forks.
The brackets above-described are not necessarily carried in the manner described,
but may be fixed direct upon the top of the box, or at one side thereof, or in any
convenient position, and may be modified as the circumstances may require.
The tongs are prevented from slipping in the brackets, as the coal box is moved,
by means of collars or projections on the legs.
· The tongs may be readily lifted from and replaced within the brackets; and this
arrangement for holding the tongs is very neat and tidy.

page_text: Improvements in Coal Boxes.
I, SAMUEL LANGLEY, of the firm of Langley Smyth and Company, of
129 Horseley Fields, Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford, hard ware
merchants and factors, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for,
IMPROVEMENTS IN COAL BOXES, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings and the letters of reference
marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This invention has for its object to provide means for carrying the small tongs
(usually called coal-box tongs in distinction from the larger tongs) upon the coal
box, so as to avoid the inconvenience and untidiness incidental to laying them upon
the fender, as is usually done.
According to this invention, brackets are carried out from the back of the pillars
or vertical parts supporting the cross-bar of the coal box handle, and such brackets
are forked at their upper ends so that one leg of the small tongs may lie within the
forks, crosswise of the box. The hinder prong or horn of each fork is curved or
slanted backwards, and rises to a sufficient height so that when the tongs are
placed in the position already indicated, the other or upper leg thereof lies back
against the upper ends of the hinder prongs or horns. The front horn of each fork
is, preferably, shorter than the hinder born, so as to facilitate placing the tongs in
the forks.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the upper part of a coal box, having the above-
mentioned brackets carried out from the pillars of the handle thereof. The legs of
the tongs are shewn in section in their position within the brackets. Figure 2 is a
plan of figure 1, shewing the tongs in position within the brackets. Figure 3 is
a side elevation, on a smaller scale, of a coal box, shewing the position of the
brackets for the tongs in relation to the whole outline of the box. The tongs are
omitted in this figure.
Similar letters of reference throughout these views indicate corresponding parts.
A is an ordinary, coal box. B is the handle thereof, carried upon pillars OC.
DD are brackets carried out from the pillars CC. E is a pair of small tongs
carried within the brackets D D. Each bracket is forked at its upper end into two
horns or prongs a and b. The lower leg c of the tonga lies within the fork, as shown
best by figure 1. The upper leg d' rests against the hinder prongs bb, which are
formed slanting or curved backwards, and of sufficient height for this purpose. The
front prongs a a are shorter than the hinder prongs b b so as to facilitate placing
the tongs in position. The collars d d etc. upon the legs of the tongs prevent them
from slipping in the brackets as the coal box is moved.
6
The tongs may be readily lifted from and replaced within the brackets; and this
arrangement for holding the tongs is very neat and tidy.
The brackets above described may be formed with, or fixed to, the pillars CC.
They are not, however, necessarily carried in the manner described, though such is

page_text: preferred, but may be fixed direct upon the top of the box, or at one side thereof,
or in any convenient position, and may be modified as the circumstances may
require,
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that
what I claim is
1. Brackets attached to any convenient part of a coal box, substantially as and
for the purpose herein described, and shewn by the drawings herewith.
2. The brackets D D upon the pillars or vertical parts supporting the handle of
a coal box, substantially as and for the purpose herein described, and shewn by the
drawings herowith.