US1121783A - Tongs. - Google Patents

Description

G. A. WILLIAMS.

TONGS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30, 1914.

1,121,783. Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

2 SHEETS-8HEBT 1.

I G. A. WILLIAMS.

TONGS.

APPLICATION TILED JULY 30, 1914. 1,121 ,783. Patented Dec.22,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

CLARENCE A. WILLIAMS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TONGS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

Application filed July so, 1914. Serial no. 854,044.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE A. VVIL- LIAMS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tongs, and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in grappling tongs similar in construction to the device shown in my copending application for grappling tongs filed March 26, 191%, Serial No. 827,256. It has been found in practice that this particular type of tongs; towit, one embracing three grappling levers or hooks, has been difiicult to operate, owing to the fouling of the chains or cables connected to the upper or actuating ends of the respective tong levers. Another difficulty has been experienced in releasing the tongs from an object, particularly where the object has been lowered into a position under water, but a difficulty I propose to obviate in the present construction hereinafter described.

It is another important feature of the present invention to prevent the respective tong levers from swin in inwardlv an excessive amount, that is, with the hook portions crossing one another, thereby making the opening of the tongs a difficult matter, and oftentimes resulting in serious entanglement of the actuating cables or chains supporting the same.

It is an object of this invention to construct grappling tongs capable of engaging an object at three points, and with the upper or actuating ends of the tongs interconnected by means of chains, so attached to a hoisting chain or block as to equalize the load upon the various tong levers.

It is also an object of this invention to construct a device for grappling and lifting objects by engaging the objects at more than two points, and provided with equalizing means for causing an even distribution of the stress, causing the various grappling members to be applied with equal force.

It is also an important object of this invention to construct three way grappling tongs wherein mechanisms are provided for positively disengagingthe tongs from an object after the object has been placed into position, together with means connected thereto to prevent any tendency of the respective tong levers to be sprung away from one another when grappling an irregular object.

It is also an object of this invention to construct grappling tongs consisting of three tong levers pivotally connected to one another, one intermediate the other two, and with the outer two bent to diverge from one another both at their upper and lower ends, such arrangement of the upper ends acting to prevent fouling of the actuating cables attached thereto when said tongs swing toward closing position.

It is furthermore an important object of this invention to construct grappling tongs consisting of three pivoted tong levers wherein means are provided for preventing the tongs from closing into position with the hook ends thereof meeting or overlapping one another.

It is finally an object of this invention to construct an improved form of grappling tongs embodying a number of important features for obviating the numerous objections heretofore found in devices of this character.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a. conventional perspective view showing tongs embodying the principles of my invent on in grappling position upon an object. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the tongs. Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of an obiect showing tongs embodying the principles of my invention attached thereon. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary detail section taken on line 55 of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail. section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 8. Fig. 7 is a detail of the connection between the lifting cable hook and the actuating chains connected on the upper ends of the tong levers As shown in the drawings: The device consists of three tong levers denoted respectively by the reference numerals 1, 2. and 3, and each is curved inwardly at its lower end to form a hook, the hooks of the different levers being denoted bv the reference numerals 4-, 5, and 6, respectivelv. Said levers are all pivotallv connected at the same point upon a. thimble 7. through which extends a pintle bolt 8, with Washers 9, engaged beneath the heads thereof at each end bearing a ainst the outer tong levers 2 and 3. As clearly shown in fa, the respective outer tong levers 2 and 3, are angled to diverge outwardly at both their upper and lower ends respectively, so that the respective hooks l, 5, and 6, on the lower ends of said tong levers are widely separated from one another, thus permitting a large area of an object to be inclosed thereby in grappling. This permits the object to be securely held in a stable manner when lifted, and it may be moved about and placed in position with great accuracy. The purpose of bending the upper ends of said respective tong levers 2 and 8, outwardly, is to prevent the same swinging into close relation with the upper end of the lever 1, so that the adjusting means on the respective ends of said le vers are prevented from becoming entangled with one another.

An integral upwardly directed extension 10, is formed on each of the outer edges of the respective hook members, thus providing a slot into which a vertically disposed link of a fastening chain 11, looped around the object after the tongs grapple thereon, may be engaged, thus holding the tongs upon the object. Due to the narrow width of the slot afforded by the extension 1.0, said fastening chain 11, is not permitted to slide therethrough and thereby shift its position on the object. Upon some irregular objects there is a tendency for one of the tongs, either 2 or 3, as the case may be, to be sprung inwardly or away from the other an abnormal amount when the tongs forced. into grappling position upon the object, and to prevent such an occurrence, a supplementary connecting chain 12, is connected through apertures to the hoolr members 5 and 6. Other means can be substituted for said chain 12, as for instance a link or pipe member pivotally connected at its ends to said respective hook members, and in such an arrangement of course the link would be capable of withstanding compression in the event of any tendency to spring the lower ends of the tongs 2 and 3, toward one another. However, such a variation in construction comes well within the scope of my invention, and the particular construction of the connecting means may be varied to suit the purpose.

In order to limit the closing movement of the respective tong levers of the device, a block 13, is secured upon the inner edge of the upper end of the lever :1, above the pivotal connection th reef, and extends outwardly on each side thereof a sullicient amount to bear against the respective upper ends of the levers 2 and 3, when the same move inwardly, as for instance at times when the device is not engaged upon an object. The actuating supporting means for said tongs consists of a chain, one extremity ll, of which is connected to the upper end of the tong lever 2, and the other extremity 15, of which is connected to the upper end of the tong lever 3, and a small pulley or block 16, is loosely connected in the upper end of the tong lever 1, and receives the looped end of said attaching chain therethrough. A short chain 17, has one of its ends linked to one of the links of the extremity 15, of the attaching chain, and its other end is provided with an enlarged link or ring 18, through which the extremity 14:, of said attaching chain slidably engages. Said short chain 17, is releasably engaged by a hook 19, ecured upon the end of an elevating cable 20, which is trained through a block 21, mounted on the upper end of a derrick boom or other device 22, and then led to a suitable Windlass or other mechanism for taking up thereon.

For the purpose of disengaging the respective hoolrs 4-, 5, and 6, from an object, as for instance when the same has been placed in position under water and fore dihicult to reach, three cables 93, are provided, all connected at their upper ends to a cable 24:, which is trained over a pulley on the derrick boom 22, adjacent said block 21, so that when said cables 23, are tensioned, they serve to pull the tong lever hoolrs outwardly away from the object. if course at this time the tension on the cable 90, is relieved to permit separation of the upper ends of said tong leversv The operation is as follows: When it is desired to engage the tongs upon an object the cable 20, is slackened, and the cables tensioned, thereby extending the tongs and permitting the same to engage around the object, after which of course said cables 93, are slackened, and the cable 20, taken T he tension on the cable 20. causes an inward pull upon the upper ends of the tones to tighten the hooked lower ends thereof upon the object, and, for very heavy objects when this has been accomplished, a ing chain 11, is looped around the object. Said fastening chain engages within the cesses formed by the lug extension 10, on each of the hook members, so that the hook members are held positively in engagement with the object even though tension on the cable 20, is removed. Due to the peculiar chain connection between the upper ends of the tong levers, that is, with one length of chain connected to the levers 2 and 3, and trained through a block connected to the lever 1, and with another short length of chain linked to one extremity of said chain, and slidably engaged upon the other extremity thereof, and receiving the hoolr 19, of the lifting cable 20, therethrough, an equalizing effect is thereby gained. Thus equal distribution of is effected all of the tong levers, the same being applied with equal force upon the object to be lifted, thereby insuring stability of the suspended article which greatly facilitates careful manipulation of the same. Due to the fact that the upper ends of the respective tong levers 2 and 3, diverge from one another, it is apparent that when the tongs swing toward closed position, there is no possibility of the chain extremities 14 and 15, becoming fouled with one another or with other parts of the device. Then, too, the block 13, secured upon the upper end of the tong lever l, prevents a closing movement of the tong levers beyond a certain point, an eX- ceedingly objectionable feature in other devices of this kind. lhe connecting chain 12, between the hooks 5 and 6, of the tong levers 2 and 3, acts to prevent an abnormal divergence thereof when a particularly irregular object is grappled, and, as already pointed out, it is well within the scope of this invention to substitute a link member in place of said chain 12, which would act as a compression member in resisting any tendency of the tong members to spring toward one another, although this latter condition of afiairs does not often occur.

Numerous other details of construction and arrangement of the parts will readily suggest themselves to one familiar with this type of devices, but I do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described a plurality of grappling tongs pivotally connected to one another, mechanisms limiting the closing movement thereof, and actuating means for the upper ends of said tongs acting to equalize the force of application on the respective tongs when the same are in operation in lifting an object.

2. In a device of the class described the combination with a plurality of pivotallv connected tongs, of equalizing means connecting the upper ends thereof for actuation,

and mechanism associated with one of said tongs to limit the closing movement of all thereof.

3. In a device of the class described the combination with a plurality of pivotally connected tong levers, of equalizing means connecting the upper ends thereof comprising a length of chain connected to the ends of two of said levers, a block loosely connected on the end of another of said levers and through which said chain is trained, and a short length of chain linked to said first mentioned chain at one point, and slidably engaged thereon at another point whereby tension applied on said last mentioned chain serves to distribute the force of application equally among said respective tongs.

4. In a device of the class described a tong lever, a pair of tong levers pivotally connected on each side thereof with the upper and lower ends of said latter tong levers diverging from one another, and connecting actuating and equalizing mechanisms connected to the upper ends of all of said tong levers to lift the levers and force the same into close engagement with an object to be lifted.

5. In a device of the class described pivotally connected tong levers, certain ones thereof bent outwardly both at their upper and lower ends so that the respective upper ends of said tong levers diverge from one another and similarly the lower ends thereof, means connecting the diverging lower ends of said tong levers to prevent excessive separation thereof, and actuating means connected to the upper ends of all of said tong levers acting to equalize the force of application of a load thereto.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES W. HILLs, Jr., FRANK K. HUnsoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 0! Patents, Washington, I). G.

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