Patent ID: 7637547

Claim:
Pair of serving tongs ( 10 ), comprising: two tong limbs ( 12 , 14 ) having front ends and rear ends which are connected to each other in a manner such that they can pivot relative to each other about a fixed pivot axis ( 15 ) and are designed at their front ends ( 12 a , 14 a ) for grasping food products, a spring ( 18 ) in order to prestress the tong limbs ( 12 , 14 ) into an open position of the pair of serving tongs ( 10 ), and a locking mechanism ( 20 ) arranged at their rear ends behind the pivot axis when viewed down a longitudinal axis of said tongs from said front ends in order to lock the tong limbs ( 12 , 14 ) counter to the prestress of the spring ( 18 ) in a closed position of the pair of serving tongs ( 10 ), wherein the first tong limb ( 12 ) comprises an elongated hole ( 22 ) in which a locking pin ( 24 ) is moveably guided, and wherein a locking cam ( 26 ) is provided on the second tong limb ( 14 ) and, in the locked closed position of the pair of serving tongs ( 10 ), comes into contact with the locking pin ( 24 ), and wherein said locking pin slides under the action of gravitational force in said elongated hole when pivoted into an essentially vertical position with the tong limbs close to each other, wherein a locking of the tong limbs ( 12 , 14 ) takes place by simple pivoting of the pair of serving tongs ( 10 ) into an essentially vertical position with the front ends of the tong limbs close to each other and pointing upwards and wherein unlocking of the tong limbs ( 12 , 14 ) takes place by simple pivoting of the pair of serving tongs ( 10 ) into an essentially vertical position with the tong limbs close to each other and the front ends pointing downwards.