US516342A - Automatic plate-lifter - Google Patents

Description

"(No Model.)

G. W. BEST. AUTOMATIC PLATE LIFTER.

No. 516,342. PatentedMar. 13,-1894.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE l/V. BEST, OF MORRISTOWN, VERMONT.

AUTOMATIC PLATE-LIFTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 516,342, dated March 13, 1894.

I Application filed May 16,1893. Serial No. 474,405- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:v I

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. BEST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Morristown, in the county of Lamoille and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Plate-Lifters; andI do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention consists in a new and improved wire plate lifter, which is especially designed for lifting hot pie-plates and removing them from the stove or oven, and which is so constructed that its slide or movable part will automatically lock the plate in the holder and render it impossible for the plate to slip or to be accidentally dropped.

My invention will be hereinafter fully described and claimed. 7

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my novel plate lifter. Fig. 2isa side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a top plan View.

Referring to the several parts by their designating numerals:'The main part or body of my automatic plate lifter is formed of a single piece of wire, of sufficient diameter, to give it the requisite strength, which is bent to form a convenient oval handle, 2, and the wire is then twisted upon itself at the inner end of this handle, at 3, thus adding greatly tothe strength of the article. The side- pieces 1, 1, of the body diverge slightly towardtheir free ends, and are there curved down and inward, forming the hooks 4, 4.

5 indicates the adjustable slide, which is formed of a single piece of spring wire,curve d centrally at its outer end to form the depending finger-piece 6, which extends down between the side-pieces 1 of the lifter; the slidewire being coiled into spirals on each side at the upper end of this finger-piece, forming bearings, 7, 7, which fit snugly and slide upon the sides 1 of the main body. The slide-wire extends up from these bearing-spirals, and is then coiled in the spring-coils 8, 8; which lie in planes at right-angles to the bearing-spirals; the wire then extending down and curving out below'the side-pieces 1 forming shoulders 9, 9, which bear against the underside of said parts 1, when the free ends of the slide are bent downwardly and slightly rearward, and then forward and slightly outward at rightangles, forming the hooks 10, 10;

In using this lifter, the slide having been drawn back by the finger-piece, 6, the main hooks 4, 4, are passed over the far edge of the pie plate, when the slide is slid up until its hooks 10, 10, engage under the near side or edge of the plate. The lifter is then raised by its handle, and the plate carried to the desired spot. As the slide meets the plate, and its end-hooks are pushed, by pressing forward the finger-piece 6, under the plate, this movement of the slightly inclined free ends of the slide-hooks draws the slide-shoulders!) down below the side- pieces 1, 1, thus compressing or coiling tighter the upper spring-coils 8; and the upward pressure exerted by these spring-coils on the slide-hooks will automatically lock the slide to the plate, thus firmly looking or securing the plate in the lifter, and rendering it impossible for it to slip or be accidentally dropped. The slide can be easily freed from the plate and slid back by pressing forward the spring-coils 8 with the thumb and drawing back the finger-piece 6 with the forefinger.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and advantages of my automatic plate lifter will be clearly understood. It will be seen that as the slide is slid forward it gradually draws the hooked outer ends 4,4, nearer together, thus automatically adjusting the lifter to any size of plate which it is desired to lift; while the slide, as above described, automatically locks the plate in the lifter and retains it until released by hand.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

In a plate lifter, the combination with a body having sidepieces each provided with a hooked extremity to engage the plate on one side thereof, of a slide consisting of a piece the same, said hooks being adapted to engage of spring wire having loops bent at its oppothe opposite side of the plate, substantially site sides said loops being adapted to engage as set forth.

the side pieces of the body, the central por- In testimony whereoflaffix my signature in 5 tion of said slide between said loops being presence of two witnesses.

bent down below the said side pieces and the ends of said slide being bent up between the GEORGE BEST side pieces above the plane thereof and hav- Witnesses:

ing their extremities bent down between said WARREN F. SHELDON,

[0 side pieces and provided with hooks below FRANK L. BURR.

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