Patent ID: 7665786

Claim:
A tongs unit comprising: first and second legs pivotally joined about a pivot axis at a proximal end of the unit, each leg having a respective thickness dimension defined between substantially flat planar inwardly facing and outwardly facing surfaces; and at least one resilient member defined in at least said first leg for engaging said second leg and applying a bias force between said legs to urge the legs toward an open pivot position from which said legs can be pivotally forced together toward a closed gripping position by an external force applied in opposition to the bias force; said resilient member residing entirely within the thickness dimension of said first leg in the absence do said external force; said first and second legs having a storage pivot position in which said bias force is removed from between said legs and said outwardly facing surfaces of said legs abut one another along substantially their entire lengths in flush substantially planar contact, said storage pivot position being pivotally displaced from said closed gripping position by approximately 360°; wherein the outwardly facing surfaces of said legs in said storage pivot position are flat and substantially planar to permit stacking of plural tongs units in flush contact.