US809244A - Clothes-tongs. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTBD JAN. 2, 1906.

F. L. BLOMQUIST.

CLOTHES TONGS. APPLIOATION FI ED Amma, 1904.

INVENTOR frazzl'Lfi/omyazlri Br a v ATTORNEYS WITNESSES:- /Z Q UNiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 2, 1906.

Application filed April 18, 1904. Serial No. 203 734..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK LUDVIG BLOM- oolsn ag'citizenof the United States, and a resident of Sanders, in the county of Kootenai and State of Idaho, have invented new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Tongs, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in clothes-tongs; and the object of the invention, stated in general terms,is to provide a device of the character specified which is simple, light, strong, inexpensive, and durable and which may be more conveniently used in handling clothes in the process of washing than other devices of similar character now in use.

With the object above stated and others in view, as will hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the improved clothes-tongs hereinafter fully described andhaving the novel features thereof particularly pointed out in'the appended claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a view of the tongs in side elevation. Fig. 2 is an edge view of the tongs. Fig. 3 is a sectional view upon the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view on the plane of Fig. 3, showing the position of the tong-jaws when closed.

Referring to the drawings, 1 1 designate two similar jaw members, each of which is provided at its upper end with a shank portion 2 of substantially the same shape in cross-section as the jaw members and dis posed at a slight angle to the main portion of the jaw member and terminating in a shoulder 3. The shank portions 2 2 of the jaw members are rigidly connected by suitable fastenings, as by transverse fastening members 4, to form a round shank 5 for the tongs. The main portions of the two jaw members 1 1 diverge slightly from the shank of the tongs, as shown, so as to be normally spaced apart at the ends opposite the shank to receive clothes between them. Each of the jaw members 1 1 is preferably rounded on its outer surface and fiat upon its inner surface, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, and near the shoulders 3 3 the aw members are thinned by the formation of concavities 6 upon their inner surfaces, thus insuring sufficient flexibility of the jaw members near the shank of the tongs.

Substantially midway between their ends the jaw members 1 1 have the edges thereof rounded, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, for reasons that will hereinafter appear.

The tongs above described are preferably made of hard wood for the sake of lightness, though other materials may be employed. It is also preferable to make the-tongs of two pieces in the manner described and to connect the shank portions of the two jaw members in the manner shown to form the shank of the tongs.

As the tongs above described are extremely light, they may be conveniently manipulated with one hand to lift light articles of clothing from the boiler or washer, and the jaw members are sufficiently flexible in the thinned portions thereof near the shank of the tongs to enable the jaw members to be easily brought into gripping engagement with an article of clothing by the use of one hand only. In handling heavie'r'articles of clothing the tongs are manipulated with two hands, one hand grasping the shank and the other grasping the aw members of the tongs substantially midway between their ends, where the edges of the aw members are rounded. When manipulating the tongs to wind long garments around them, so that they may be conveniently lifted out of the washer or boiler, the rounded edges of the jaw members permit the turning of the tongs within the hands without any discomfort to the user of the tongs and without any interference with the rapid turning movement of the tongs.

The construction of the tongs without the use of springs, hinges, or the like to connect the j aw members 1s of special advantage in clothes-tongs, because the absence of hinges, springs, or other connecting devices makes it impossible for the tongs to catch in the garments handled and tear them.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent A device of the character described comprising two similar jaw members, each provided at its upper end with a comparatively short half-round shank portion, these shank portions being rigidly secured together in flat engagement with each other to form a single round shank 0r handle for the tongs, the main portions of the two jaw members being of substantially similar cross-sectional shape with said shank members and diverging slightly from each other as they extend downwardly from said handle, said jaws and shank portions having shoulders at their point of union with each other, said j aws being cut away on their inner flat sides at their upper ends to render them springy at that polnt.

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

FRANK LUDVIG BLOMQUIST.

Witnesses:

CHAS. G. TAYLOR, H. B. ARNOLD.

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