US1814107A

US1814107A - Rail tongs

Info

Publication number: US1814107A
Application number: US411240A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frederick F Zavatkay
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1929-12-03
Filing date: 1929-12-03
Publication date: 1931-07-14
Anticipated expiration: 1948-07-14

Description

lily 14, 1931. F. F. ZAV\ATKA-Y RAIL TONGS Filed Dec. 3. 1929 j -INVENTOR & ATTORNEY Patented July 14, 1931 UNITED STATES FREDERICK F. ZAVATKAY, OF WIN STED, CONNECTICUT RAIL TON GS Application filed December 3, 1929. Serial No. 411.240.

This invention relates to rail tongs of the type employed for the handling of rails in railway installation and trackwork. A primary object of the present improvements is .l to provide an improved tong construction of a design adapted for more safely handling 7 the rail than heretofore. 7

To this end the tongs of the present invention are provided with spring or resilient means for engaging with the rail so as to retain the supported rail and tong in proper relative position and thereby eliminate danger of slipping or releasing of the effective grip on the rail and the chance of injury to the worker incident thereto. The foregoing and other features and advantages of my present improvements will be more fully understood byreference to the accompanying drawings wherein like ref sponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings:.

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation showing an approved embodiment of the features of my present invention wherein the tongs are formed for use with a suitable crane.

Fig. 2 is a similar and partial view showing a desirable modification of the jaw portion in accordance with a further feature of my invention.

The improved rail gripping tongs of the present invention comprises the two bar or lever members 1 and 2 arranged in crossed over relation and connected by the transverse pivot pin or bolt 3 having threaded on one end a securing nut 4 suitably slotted to be engaged by the cotter pin 5 passed through an aperture in the bolt end portion in the manner well understood. The upper ends of the arms or levers 1 and 2, as shown in full lines, may be formed with the eyelets 7 for connection with suitable flexible means, chain links 8 as here shown connected to a lifting ring 9, adapted for connection with the lifting hook of a hoisting apparatus or crane. The device may be likewise formed as a manually operated tool in which case the levers at their upper end portions have outwardly bent handle extensions as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 which conforms to erence characters are applied to the corre-.

the general type of lever arrangement commonlyemployed in railroad use.

The lower endportions of the levers or bars are formed with the jaw" portions 10a'nd 11 of hooked contour below the plane of the pivot center and of a formto jointly provide a pocket for the reception of a rail head and with theinwardly extending lower end portions ofthe jaws having inner. surfaces.

conforming to the contour of the rail fishing during handling thereof. To this end, each of the levers is countersunk at its lower and inner side portion to receive the flattened upper securing portion of a. leaf spring 12 having a curved and tapered lower end portion '13 positioned for engagement with the upper surface of therail head as shown- The pocket formed by the jaw members for the reception of the rail head portions is suitably enlarged vertically and laterally so as to allow clearance for the accommodation of rail heads of differ-en.- rail section and as will be readily understood; the curved end portions of the springs 13 will have a normal position determining that upon closing of the jaws upon the rail section the springs will 5 be compressed or moved upwardly and in consequence exert a holding pressure upon the rail. This will be effected automatically by reason of the engagement of the angular-' ly disposed surface 14 of the jaw with the fishing surface of the rail head which upon tightening of thejaws of the tongs causes a relative raising of the rail head with relation to the aw members.

The aw portions as shown, may desirably 9 be laterally I enlarged proportionate to the width of the coacting lever and spring with the upper inner surface 15 thereof curved and spaced to provide clearance for the spring of the adjacent lever portion.

In ,Fig. 2, there is disclosed a desirable modified form of my invention conforming generally to the structure as hereinabove described but wherein the jaw members are formed integrally with depending supplemental jaws or hooks16 which by reason of their greater spaced relation to the pivot center are adapted for engagement with the base flange portions of the rails thereby facilitating handling of the rails from inverted position.

There is accordingly provided a simple and eflicient tong or rail gripping device form-atively adapted for handling of rails of varied section while by reason of the action of the springs they are firmly secured and retained withrelation tongs so as to materially reduce danger of slipping and result ing injury .to the workers.

While I have shown and described approved structural embodiments of my invention, it will be understood that varied modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as definedin the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim 1. A gripping tong device of theicharacter described comprising pivotally connected levers having gripping jaw portions at their lower end portions, said jaws being formedto jointly provide a pocket adapted to'receive the head portion of a rail and a leaf spring attached to one of the levers and havinga curved lower end portion positioned within the pocket for engagement with the :upper surface of the rail head for retaining of the effective hold thereon.

2. A gripping tong device of the-character described comprising pivotally connected le-' vers having gripping jaw portions attheir lower ends, said jaws being formed jointly to provide a pocket adapted to receive *the head portion of a rail, leaf springs attached to the side portions of the levers and 'having curved lower end portions positioned within the pocket for engagement with the rail head for retaining of the effective'hold thereon.

3. A gripping tong device of the character described comprising pivotally connected levers having gripping jaw portions at their lower ends disposed to opposite sides of the pivot center, said jaws being formed jointly to provide a pocket adapted to receive the head portion of a rail and being formed with dependingsupplemental jaw portions adapted 1for engagement with the base flange of a rai Signedat Winsted in the county of Litchfield and State of Connecticut this 20th dav 0f June A. D. 1929.

FREDERICK F. ZAVATKAY.