US1737614A

US1737614A - Lifting tongs

Info

Publication number: US1737614A
Application number: US178569A
Authority: US
Inventors: Peck Frank Guy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1927-03-26
Filing date: 1927-03-26
Publication date: 1929-12-03
Anticipated expiration: 1946-12-03

Description

Dec. 3, 1929. F. G. PECK 1,737,614

LIFTING TONGS Filed March 26. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet l 2 mi/4M ATTORNEY l im/gI-INTOR 3, 1929. F. G. PECK LIFTING TONGS Filed March 26. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 0' INVENTOR ATTORNEY F. G. PECK LIFTING TONGS Dec. .3, 1929.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 26. 1927 INVENTOR BY W 7 6 M A ITORNEY Patented Dec. 3, 1929 UNITED- STATES PATENT O -FICE LIFTING TONGS Application filed March. 26, 1927. Serial No. 178,569.

) or grab. is provided. which may be adapted to lift a; bale of paper or the like,.the weight of the load sulilcing to-providethenecessary clamping force. The grab is; so; designed that itv will clamp a bale or other article withoutmutilating. it and yet in. such manner that all danger ofthe load. slipping from the grab is; obviated. Furthermore, the tongs or grab: is suitahly reinforced; and so arranged that it is: impossible for the. entire loadi to. benca-rri'ed by, onepart of the device only which action may result-in theebreakage of the grab. Lmaddition, a catcher locking device may. be provided. to; hold; the. jaws. in an. open position.

According-to the-invention the device may besso arranged. thatmere lifting ofthe grab causes: it. toiclamp. the load and removal of the lifting forcereleasesthe loadz. Furthermore,thegrabmay besomlesigned that, when the lifting force is removed, the weight. of the grab on the bale or otherarti'cle-causes.the grab to assume its full. open position in which position it; may be automatically locked. by the catch. When the grab is infull open positionand is placed; overabale or. similar article to be lifted,.the catch may bereleased causing: the jaws of the grab, to assume a clamping position in. readiness to clamp the bale ween; lifting force is appliedi.

Vanious other featuresand. advantages of. the invention will be apparent from the following particular description and from an inspection ofthe accompanying drawings.

'lie. invention also 1 consists in certain new and original features of constnuction. and combinations of: partshereinafter set; forth and: claimed.

Although: the noveli featuresiwhich are: believed to becharacteristic of: this invention willbe particularly. pointed out; in the claims appended-hereto, the invention: itself, asto its: objects and: advantagemthe mode of its operation andthe manner. of its organization may be better understood by referring to.=the following description taken in connection with: the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof,in which Fig, 1. shows aperspective of the tongs in partially opened position.

Fig. 2- is: a side elevation of the tongs in partially opened position, and

3 is a side elevation of the t'ongsin its full open position,. showing the tongs: in position over a bale to. be lifted before; the catch is. released.

Referring tothe drawing, the tongs may comprise a pair of jaws, l and 2: each jaw comprising a plurality of spaced. clamping members.3,.th.eclamping members of onejaw being disposed in crossed relations to those of the other jaw. Each clamping member ct one. jaw forms a; pair-with itscooperating clamping member ofthe; other jaw. The clamping. members 3 of the: jaws have their lower ends-Bturned inat-oward: each other as shown in. Figs; 1 and; 2;, The:

jaws

1 and 2 each have. an angle iron. 6. connecting the lower ends 5" of the clamping members,.the flanges of. the. angle: irons: being disposed on the-inside and ends-respectively ofthe clamping members; Suitable angle corner pieces 7 may. be providedfor rigidly connecting the angle irons 6 tor the: clamping: members 3.

Each atv'has rigidly. connecting its clamping members 3: a. strengthening rod; 8,. the strengthening rod being disposed in collars 35 forming parts of connectors. 10. The clamping'meinbers3 are disposedrin channels in the connectors andzsuitably secured thereto. Suitable pins on rivets may connect the strengthening rod Stand the:collars 9.

At: theupper ends of theclamping'memhers 3:1nay be providedcCnnectorsll having channelsin whiclrthe clamping members are disposed, rivets or pins: being provided to rigidly secure the clamping members-to the connectors Tlieconnectors 11 arefurthermore provided with collars-12 through which are passed. pivot rods 13,:these rodsalsopassing' t'liru lioles30. in the clamping members 3 andibeing fixedly pinned-to thecollars 12.

At: the crossing points of'the' clamping members on the two jaws are provided connectors: lithaving channels. in which the clamping members :3 1 are disposed; thecollars 15 of the connectors of each pair of clamping members being disposed in close relation. A fulcrum rod 16 is provided threading the collars 15, the fulcrum rod being provided with cotter pins, or the like, to prevent longitudinal displacement. It will be appreciated that the fulcrum rod 16 allows the

jaws

1 and 2 to pivot with respect to each other.

Suspended by a suitable cable 17 from a crane or other suitable support (not shown) is an eye 18 which has a collar 19 in which is disposed a suspension rod 20, positioning collars 21 being provided to fix the axial position of the eye 18.

Disposed at the ends of the suspension rod 20 are pairs of links 22 connecting with the pivot rods 13, each link 22 comprising a shank 23 with a connector 2 1 at each end, the connectors having channels in which the shank 23 is disposed and collars 25 fitting over the suspension rod 20 and pivot rod 13 respectively. The shanks 23 have holes in their ends thru which the rods 13 and 20 pass to provide additional strength. Suitable devices such as cotter pins and washers 26 are provided to the longitudinal positions of the links 22 on the rods.

In order to hold the tongs in open position suitable catch devices may be provided. Two catch devices are shown for purpose of illustration and for purpose of safety, but it will be understood that only one may be used or, if desired, they may be omitted'entirely.

One of the catch devices comprises a hook 31 threaded on the suspension rod 20 and having its axial position fixed by the positioning collars 21. A suitable eye bolt 32 is screw threaded into the hook and has a wire 33 secured thereto extending to the operator. It will be seen that, when the tongs is moved to its full open position, as shown in Fig. 3, the rounded bottom on the hook wili engage the fulcrum rod 16 and the fulcrum rod will become automatically hooked in the hook, the hook assuming a normal po- 1 sition by gravity.

The other catch device comprises a pair of spaced catch members 35 made of T-irons and having secured thereto connectors 36 having collars 37 threaded on one of the pivot rods 13. The ends of the catch members 35 have holes in which pivot rod 13 is disposed to provide additional strength. A suitable cross angle iron 38 connects the catch members at their free ends. At the free ends of the catch members 35 the vertical flange is cutaway to provide a notch 39 so that, when the tongs is placed in full open position, the notch will engage with other pivot rod, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. A suitable wire 40 extends from the cross member to the operatorso that the catch'may be disengaged when desired.

In operation, when the tongs is once placed in full open position with the catches engaged, it may be operated by a single workman. The tongs will be brought down over a bale or other article it is desired to lift to the position shown in Fig. 3. The catches will then be released by pulling the wires and the jaws will fall and rest upon the bale. When lifting force is applied to the tongs,

- this force cause the jaws to grip the bale securely so that it may be lifted and moved to the desired position. When it is desired to lower the bale, the bale is lowered to the floor and as soon as the weight is removed from the tongs, the jaws will release their hold on the bale. Further lowering of the tongs causes them to assume their full open position on top of the bale. The catches are then automatically engaged. The tongs is now ready to lift another article. If desired, both catches may be omitted and the device operated by the aid of a man at the tongs who will open it to engage a bale. Thus it will be seen that a tongs is provided that may be made fully automatic or semi-automatic, as desired. Suitable provision is made for lifting a bale of paper or similar material with out mutilating the bale. Furthermore, suitable provision is made for strengthening tongs so that they will not easily be broken, even though abused in use. The parts are made rugged and the tongs is comparatively inexpensive to make.

While certain novel features of the invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention.

l/Vhat is claimed is:

1. A lifting tongs comprising a pair of jaws, each jaw comprising a clamping mem ber disposed in crossed relation to the clamping member of the other jaw, a pivot connecting said clamping members, a suspension member, links pivotally connecting said suspension member and respectively said clamping members, and means including a hook for allowing said suspension member and pivot to hook together to hold said jaws in open position.

2. A lifting tongs comprising a pair of jaws, each jaw comprising aclamping member disposed in a crossed relation to the clamping member of the other jaw, a pivot conmeeting said clamping members, a suspension member, links pivoted to said suspension member, second and third pivots connecting said links and respectively said clamping members, a catch device pivoted to said second pivot and having a catch for engaging said third pivot when said jaws are in open position.

3. A lifting tongs comprising a pair of jaws, each jaw comprising a plurality of spaced clamping members, the clamping members of one jaw being disposed in crossed relation to those of the other jaw to form pairs, clamping members of each jaw having their lower ends turned in to face the other jaw when said jaws are in closed position, each jaw having an angle iron embracing the inside and lower end of said members, a fulcrum rod traversing all said members and being disposed above the crossing point and between said jaws, each jaw having a strengthening rod connecting its clamping members between said fulcurm rod and angle iron and disposed on the outside of said members, each jaw having a pivot rod connecting the upper ends of its clamping members, a suspension rod, a pair of links pivotally connected to said suspension rod at each end, one link of each pair connecting the upper pivot rod of one j aw,the other link of each pair connecting the upper pivot rod of the other jaw, a hook catch pivotally connected to said suspension rod and adapted to hook said fulcurm rod, a catch frame made up of a pair of spaced catch members pivoted to one of said pivot rods and connected by a cross member, said catch members having notches for engaging said other pivot rod.

4. A lifting tongs comprising a pair of jaws, each jaw comprising a plurality of spaced clamping members, the clamping members of one jaw being disposed in crossed relation to those of the other jaw, to form pairs, clamping members of each jaw having their lower ends turned in to face the other jaw when said jaws are in closed position, each jaw having a cross member connecting the lower ends of said members, a fulcurm rod traversing all said members at the crossing point, each jaw having a strengthening mem ber connecting the members thereof between said fulcrum rod and cross members, each jaw having a pivot member connecting the upper ends of its clamping members, a suspension rod, a pair of links pivotally connected to said suspension rod at each end, one link of each pair connecting the upper pivot rod of one jaw, the other link of each pair connecting the upper pivot rod of the other jaw.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK GUY PECK.