US2536873A

US2536873A - Household tongs for cleaning wads

Info

Publication number: US2536873A
Application number: US27028A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harry R Culp
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1948-05-14
Filing date: 1948-05-14
Publication date: 1951-01-02
Anticipated expiration: 1968-01-02

Description

Jan. 2, 1951 CULP 2,536,873

HOUSEHOLD TONGS FOR CLEANING WADS Filed May 14, 1948 Fig. 1 Fig. 2.

INVENTOR.

Harrg \2. Culp BY $21 K.

i atentecl Jan. 2, 1951 UN [TE D STAT ES i-PATENT F- 1". r 2,536,873 :HQUSEHOIID fI'ONGS FORCLEANING WAES Harry-R. Culp, Miami, Fla.

-Application May 14, 1948',"Serial Nd.27',028

.1.- Claim.

household tengs. .=and,- more particularly, to a kitchen appliance having utility in the cleaning and scrubbing of pots,..pans,= and the like, by gripping the wad of steel wool or other abrasive material to prevent soiling or injury to the hands.

An object of the invention is to provide household tongs which may be readily and conveniently applied to the cleaning material and disengaged therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a kitchen appliance of the character and for the purposes described which will be simple in construction and economical in manufacture.

A further object is to provide household tongs which will positively grip the wad of cleaning material and be capable of convenient manipulation in use.

Other objects will be discerned from the description of the invention hereinafter set forth.

According to the invention, the household tongs are formed from a single, unitary strip of sheet material, looped in the mid-portion thereof so as to return the free ends of the strip upon each other to define a pair of juxtaposed, complementary jaws adapted to grip a wad of cleaning material therebetween.

The looped strip is pinned or joined near the free ends thereof to provide a handle portion and a contractible jaw portion, and a swivable clamp is pivoted about the jointure thus effected whereby to overlie and clamp the jaw portion in gripping relation with the cleaning wad held therebetween.

The invention is exemplified by a household tongs shown in the accompanying drawing, in which the views are as follows:

Fig. l is a perspective of the tongs with jaws in contracted position; and

Fig. 2 an elevation thereof with jaws in ex panded position.

The household tongs are formed from a single strip of suitable material which may be spring metal or one of the plastic substances.

The strip is bent in the mid-portion thereof, as at i, and the free ends looped to return 180 degrees upon each other to form a handle comprising the side members 2.

The side members 2 are conjoined near the free ends thereof to form a spring-point region from which these members are outwardly extended to define a pair of complementary.

' concavo-convex gripping members presenting 'the -:concave sides Tthereof i'toward :thericleaning wad held therebetween, *to .a thereby':rprovidetsa relatively: greatersgripping areaaagainst i the wa'd.

The jaws .are sserr'atecl along "the peripheries .thereof. as at ii ".to. facilitate lthe positivezengagement of the jaws with the cleaning wad gripped therebetween.

At their outer extremities, the jaws are beveled substantially, as at 6, to permit the tongs to be manipulated at an angle to the surface being cleaned without unduly straining thegrip of the user, as will be understood.

Clasping the side members 2 in the springpoint region thereof and pivotably connected thereto, as at 3, is an oscillatory clamp 1, formed from a single piece of sheet materialand bent to overlie the inner ends or shoulders B of the jaws. The clamp l is terminated along an outer edge thereof in a cylindrical flange 9 which is engageable by the thumb of the user to pivot the clamp in relation to the jaws 4, so as to oscillate the jaws between their open and closed positions.

It will be understood that the jaws 4 are preformed so as to spring normally outwardly, being restrained in their closed position about the cleaning wad by the clamp I.

By this construction, the clamp has embodied therewith a clasp member for the restriction of the side members 2 in conjuncture, and the clasp is operable as a hinge whereon the clamp has pivotal movement in the oscillation thereof in relation to the jaws 4. By virtue of the conjoined spring-point region formed in the side members, the jaws are normally expanded. Their contraction to seize the wad, of cleaning material and to maintain gripping relation therewith is effected by a relatively slight pressure exerted by the users thumb against flange 9 of the clamp. Thus, the device eliminates any gripping action which a user might otherwise be required to exert to force the jaws together so as to seize the wad and maintain the jaws in gripping relation therewith thereby minimizing hand fatigue and facilitating the convenient manipulation of the tongs. Further,

' the assembly of the clamp structure with the side members in pivotal relation thereto and the pinching together of the side members in conjuncture may be accomplished in a single machine operation.

The invention thus provides an appliance for hold a wad of steel wool or like abrasive cleaning material, which is simple and economical in construction and eflicient in use.

Of course, the invention is susceptible of var 3 ious minor changes in design and arrangement without departing from the scope thereof.

Having thus described the invention and the manner of its employment, what I claim as new and seek to secure by Letters Patent is:

A pair of household tongs formed from a single strip bent in the mid-portion thereof to define a loop having a pair of spaced side members terminating at their free ends in a pair of complementary, outwardly-sprung jaws and conjoining rearwardly of said jaws to form a spring-point region therefor, an oscillatory clamp engageable with said jaws for the contraction thereof to grip a wad of cleaning material therebetween, said clamp including a hingeable clasp formed integrally therewith and embracing said side members in the spring-point region thereof to restrict said side members in conjuncture and forming a hinge for the oscillatory movement of said clamp, a cylindrical flange formed integrally with said clamp and disposed transversely thereof to facilitate the engagement of said clamp by the thumb of the user, and said jaws having serrated peripheral edges and a beveled contact edge formed along one side thereof at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said tongs.

HARRY R. CULP.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 460,018 Kolstad Sept. 22, 1891 759,668 Carlsen May 10, 1904 796,510 Hann Aug. 8, 1905 900,625 Wallis Oct. 6, 1908 1,289,325 Wake Dec. 31, 1918 1,417,619 Male May 30, 1922 1,456,321 McGuire May 22, 1923 2,042,985 Gardella June 2, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 170,012 Switzerland Sept. 1, 1934