US1453301A - Long-reach tongs - Google Patents

Description

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Application :tiled March all, 1922. Serial No. t'?.

To all 'who/m it may concern Be it lrnown that li, @scan lllrnnnnn, a citizen ot the United tltates, residing at Baltimore city, State oil lli/laryland, have invented. certain new and use-ful improvements in Longdteach Tongs, of which the tollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to handling devices and more specifically, it relates tol longreach tongs i i i @ne object oi this invention is to provide a device oi this character having aws that are spring-pressed into gripping engagement with an article to be gripped thereby.

vanother object is to provide a device of this character that is spring-pressed into theopen position when its gripping` engagement is released.

Another object is to provide a device of this character that automatically locks itself in the gripping engagement with an article.

Another object is to provide a device of this character that is: quickly and easily re leasable with the maximum ot convenience, by a simple pressure oi a thumb or linger, from the means that locks or detains it in the gripping relation. j

ri further object is to provide a device ot this character that automaticallyV retains its `grip on articles of diiterent widths, and provides tor increasing the pressure when necessary on account ci unusual. weight of `the article to be gripped or handled; also providing for decreasing or minimizing the required pressure where the article to be handled is comparatively li ght or fragile.

Another object to provide a device ot this character that is comparatively strong, durali-le, compact, and convenient to handle and operate.

Other objects and advantages will be pointed out or implied in the following details of description, `in connection with the accornpanying1 drawings in which: j

l is a longitudinal sectional. view through the device, portions: being broken j Yfrom its intermediate. and rear end portions` F 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the iront end portion, parts being broken away, the section being at right angles to that of l. Fig. 3 is a sec` tional detail view along the line ltr-lil, Fig. l.

lteterring to these drawings in detail, in which similar reference characters corre` spond to similar parts throughout the sev eral views ;-'li`he invention consists in the construction and arrangement or combination `of parts, as will now be fully described, in detail, as follows: i

i tubular body or reach is generally rejferred to by the numeral l, and is provided at its front end with a member 2 which in chicles a threaded socket 3 into which the body or length of pipe l is screwed. rlFhe member l also includes two spaced pivot bearings at the front ends ot two arms 4i, and two jaws or levers 5 are pivoted respectively to these arms it. Springs 6, prefer ably oi: the helical retractile type, are connected to the arms il: and aws 5 in such a manner that the jaws are thereby normally held open. These springs automatically return the jaws to the open position `when they are released from the automatic detaining means which will be described. rlihe inner ends of the jaws or levers 5 are lapped over one another and `connected to a linlr 7 by a pin-andslot connection, as shown at 8, and` the link 7 is connected to a retractile helical spring 9 which is preferably closewonnd and ot' very considerable strength or pulling power. A link or sliding actuating member l() is seated in a bearing 11, the latter being secured by any appropriate means in the tube or body l. rlhe member l() is serrated or notched at 12, and each notch provides a` shoiildery against which a detest i3 is adajiited to engage for holding the member 1 0 against the pressure of the spring to tension the latter and thus hold the jaws 5 in the closed or gripping position. ll-lecause oit the strength of the spring 9, the

. grip oi the jaws 5 will hold comparatively heavy articles, like cans or jars of 'fruit and vegetables, that is, when-t-he member l() is at o-r near its rearmost position; but oi course, the pressure or tensionl of this spring (and consequently ci the jaws) is compara-` tively slight when the member 10 is drawn only slightly rearward, especially if the article being lgripped is comparatively small or narrow. By engagement of the detent 13 withone ot the rearmost ,teeth or shoulders oi? the notches i2, the deviceV is automatically held in comparatively weak gripping engagement; but by the detent engaging one ci the foremost shoulders, the device is automatically 4held in a strong gripping engagement. The detent 13 is spring-presse by a spring 14C, through the medium ot' a handle or lever 15 which releases the memd no ber lO when suiiicient pressure is applied to the lever l5 in opposition to the spring let.

The rear end of the member l is connected to a link or rod 16 which is connected at its front end to a slide or plunger'l, prei'- erably by a screw-threaded connection 1S, so that by turning the member 17, the length of the connection between the members l? and 9 is shortened or lengthened for regulating the tension of the spring 9; and this adjustment can be accomplished by applying a screw-driver in the notch Q0 of the member i7 and turning the screw-driver. fr pair of links 2l are pivoted to the member l?, at 22; and the outer ends ot these links are pivoted respectively to a pair of handle members 23, at 2st; the front ends of the members 23 being pivotedto a pair or spaced pivotbearings '275 which are Yiornied on a collar 26; the latter being united with the vbody l or secured thereon by any appropri- The' body l is slotted at 2 to ate means. permit the links 21 to swing on their pivots when the members or links 23 are pressed towards the body l; tor it may be seen that the links 2l are at an obtuse angle to the *links 23, so that when these latter are pressed inwards, they cause the links 2l to push the plunger 17 rearward, thus pulling the meinbers that connect this plunger to the spring 9 and consequently extending and tensioning the latter so as to operate the jaws and yieldingly hold the latter in the clutching or clampingV relation.

A cushion/of rubber'or other appropriate material is shown at 28, to prevent injury to the floor and to the grappling` device when its 'rear end is placed on the floor while rcmoving the article it is clamping.

A spring of the helical compression type is shown at 29,'and the saine bears against a shoulder ot themember and aga-inst the bearing ll solas to assist the sprnigs 6 in returning the jaws to the normal or open position.

In adjusting the nieinber 17, described in the foregoing. the screw or pivot 22 must iirst be removed and the links disconnected, so that the member 17 can be rotated.

Itis 'noty intended to limit this invention to the enact details oi construction and arrangement shown and described. but chan may be made within the scope ot the inventive ideas as limplied and claimed.

wWhat I claim as my invention is:

ljIn a grapple, the combination of a pair ot vgripping jaws, a body on which said jaws are mounted, an actuating handle on said body, and means including an elast-ic ,aol

element connecting the handle to the jaws in such manner that the jaws can be both closed and yieldingly held closed by said handle and said means.

2. rEhe structure delined by claim l, and releasable dctaining means tor co-operating with the lirst said means to hold the jaws in the gripping position when the handle is released.

3. The structure defined by claim and means to return the jaws and handle and the ifirstsaid means to thc normal position when the handle is released.

4. The combination o'l a tubular body provided with spaced pivot bcarings at one end, gripping levers each pivoi'cd to one of `said bearings and including a jaw. a spring bctween said bearings. means operatively connecting said spring with both oi" said grip p i lerers and operable when tensioncd to close the jaws of the levers. a handle near the other end ot said tubular body, and means within the said tulnilar body connecting the handle to the said spring in such manner that the operation oi' the handle will co operate with the spring and with both of said j means so as to close the jaws ot said gripping levers.

5. The structure defined by claim means being provided to adjust the 'first said means for varying the tension ot said spring whilc holding the gripping jaws closed.

6. The combination of a tubular body provided with spaced pivot bciuings at one cud and with spaced pivot bearings near its other end. gripping levers pirotcd lo the said jaws respectively, an actuating elcnient slidably mounted in the first said cnd and provided with a shoulder. connecting means including a spring and connected to Said jaws and said actuating clement. a spring-presseddetcnt mounted ou said body and engageable with said shoulder for holding the spring and thus holding the grip ping levers yieldingly closed on an object being gripped. handle members pivotcd rc spectively to the second said bearings. and means operatively connecting said handles to said actuatingclement in a proper manner for causing the latter to move to the position for engaging its shoulder with Isaid detcnt.

7. The structure defined by claim 7. the last said means including a member slidably mounted in said tubular body. and a pair ol2 links pivotally connected to said slidably mounted member and pivotally connected to 'said handle members. substantially as shown.

ln testimony whereof l a liX mv signature.

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