US689059A - Hose-tongs. - Google Patents

Description

Patented De. IZ, IQDI. J. A. BHITTUN.

HOSE TUNES (Application-filed June 20, 1901.)

(No Model.)

Jmes L/.

551g W3 "l @immag- UNITED rares arent JAMES A. BRITTON, OF BETHLEIIEM, PENNSYLVANIA.

HOSE=TONGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 689,059, dated December 17, 1901.

Application i'lled Jnne 20,1901. Serial No. 65,329. (No modeld To LZZ whom, it may concern,.-

Beit known that I, JAMES A. BRITTON, of Bethlehem, in the county of Northampton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hose- Tongs; and I do hereby declare the following to bea 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.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in hose-tongs, being particularly designed for use of firemen in cleaning and reeling hose after use at a fire.

The invention has for its object the production of a simple and inexpensive tool by means of which firemen may, after a iire, conveniently grasp and draw a section of hose along the street to the hose-carriage to be washed and reeled, whereby a saving of time and labor is secured and the necessity of the clothing coming in contact with the muddy and soiled hose is avoided.

A further object is to provide a combination-tool which will comprise many advantages to a fire-department in point of utility and durability and cheapness.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of my improved hose-tongs, showing method of supporting same upon hosecarriage. Fig. 2 is a similar View showing tongs open ready to grasp a hose-section. Fig. 3 is an edge View.

Referring to the drawings, 10 1l designate two fiat metal bars pivotally connected at 12 and having an outwardly curved or flared portion 13, forming when united an approximate Y. Extending from the lower ends of bars 10 and 1l and in opposite directions to each other are the curved members 14E intermediate. of its end and the pivotal connection 15, designed to encircle a hose, said members having their ends outwardly flared and pointed, as indicated at 16. From the face of member 14 projects a boss or enlargement 17, in which is formed a bore 18, designed to receive the lug of a hose-coupling, whereby the latter may be tightened or loosened, as desired.

The upper ends of bars 10 1l are enlarged, as indicated at 19, and provided with openings 20, shaped to receive the nut upon a firehydrant, whereby the same can be readily and quickly opened when desired. Above each enlargement 19 is located the handle 21,.

which is preferably provided with a Wrapping 22 of leather, rubber tape, or the like to protect the hands, said covering being made waterproof by a coating of any suitable varnish. If desired, the curved members 14 15 may also be provided with a similar covering to prevent injury to hose.

The operation of my improved tongs is obvious. They are carried upon the fire apparatus in any suitable manner, and upon arrival at a lire the wrench portion 19 is readily available to open the fire-hydrant and turn on the water, while the curved member 1a and its boss or enlargement 17 serve as a Spanner to couple oruncouple any section of hose. After a fire the hose can be readily grasped by the curved members 14 15, which are operated through the medium of the handles 21, and conveyed to the hose-carriage. It is 0bvious also that my improved tongs are useful for handling the hose for any other purpose which may become necessary,.such as washing, and that the wrench-openings 2O may be of anystandard size. Anotheradvantage lies in the fact that the contiguous faces of the bars 10 11 are in frictional contact, so that no exertion is required to hold the tongs in engagement with the hose after they are once closed, and yet by curving the said bars outward a space is formed whereby the hands of the operator may readily pass each other in opening and closing the tongs. It will also be noted in this connection that when the tongs are closed the handles come directly opposite each other, whereby but one hand will be required to carry the' same.

From what has been said it will be observed that I have produced a simple and inexpensive combination-tool which possesses many points of advantage.

I claim as my invention- 1. The herein-described hosetongs cornprising two bars pivotally connected together, said bars being curved outwardly in opposite directions above their pivotal connection, and then extended parallel to each other to form a space between their contiguous faces, handles formed with the upper ends of said bars, opposite curved members formed with the lower ends of said bars, and a perforated boss or enlargement formed on the inner face of one of said curved members intermediate of its end and the point of pivotal connection of said bars, substantially as set forth. A

2. The herein-describedhose-tongs comprising two bars pivotally connected together, handles formed on the upper ends of said bars, opposite curved members extending from the lower ends of said bars, and a perforated boss or enlargement formed on the inner face of one of said curved members intermediateof its end and the point of pivotal connection of said bars, substantially as set forth.

3. The herein-described hose-tongs oomlower ends of said bars, a protectiugr-wrappingv for each of said handles and said curved bars, and a coating of waterproof material for said wrappings substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES A. BRITTON.

Vitnesses:

GEO. L. BAUM, WILLIAM J. FINK.

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