GB2040782A - Tongs for lifting and turning tubular articles, e.g. sausages - Google Patents

Abstract

Two curved gripping plates (10) are arranged with their concavities mutually opposed. Each plate (10) is connected (at 11) for swivelling movement about its axis of symmetry to the relevant end of the pertaining limb (12) of the tongs. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Tongs This invention relates to tongs for lifting and turning, for example, tubular aricles. Tongs are of two basic types, one of which has two opposed limbs connected together at one of their ends by a spring and having gripping means provided at their unconnected opposed other ends the limbs being manipulatable to bring said other ends together against the spring biasing to enable an article to be gripped between said gripping means, and the other of which has two handled limbs pivoted together in a scissors arrangement and provided at their ends remote from the handles with gripping means to enable an article to be gripped by manipulation of the handles. The two opposed limbs and spring of the one type may be separate components secured together, or alternatively may be formed from bending a strip of hardened and tempered spring steel.

The invention is primarily concerned with the gripping means of tongs. Heretofore the gripping means have comprised either shovel-like extensions of the limbs and the outer edges of which have sometimes been serrated or toothed, or have had a wire triangular form. A disadvantage is that neither of such gripping means is suitable for lifting and turning, for example, filled tubular articles such as sausages.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the above disadvantage.

According to the present invention, the gripping means of tongs comprise two curved plates arranged with their concavities opposed and each swivellably connected to the relevant end of the pertaining limb.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of tongs according to the present invention, the tongs being shown in full and broken line respectively in non-gripping positions; Figure 2 is an end view of the tongs in a gripping position with a tubular article shown in broken line between gripping means; and Figure 3 is a perspective view to a different scale of tongs in a gripping position holding a tubular article in a pan, the gripping means being shown in a swivelled position relative to the remainder of the tongs.

Tongs are provided with gripping means formed of two oblong plates 10, each similarly curved about its longitudinal axis, the plates 10 being arranged with their concavities mutually opposed. Each plate 10 is connected at 11 for swivelling movement about its axis of symmetry to the relevant end of the pertaining limb 12 of the tongs.

The tongs are used to lifting and turning, for example, sausages 13 in a frying pan 14, or dish, the tongs being held with one of the longitudinal sides of each of the oblong plates 10 resting on the bottom of the frying pan 14 or dish and with a sausage 13 in between the plates 10. The limbs 12 are manipulated to grip the sausage 13 between the plates 10, and, by the user lifting the tongs, turning his hand through 180 , placing the opposite longitudinal sides of the oblong plates 10 on the bottom of the pan 14 or dish, and releasing the sausage 13, the sausage 13 is turned over through 180 . This operation heretofore has proved difficult to accomplish without breaking the sausage skin or ending up by turning the sausages over with the use of a fork, for example. If a sausage 13 is stuck to the pan 14 or dish, the sausage 13 can be freed by slight reciprocatory movement of the tongs laterally of the sausage 13 after the latter has been gripped.

The tongs and gripping plates are preferably of stainless steel.

1. Gripping means of tongs comprise two curved plates arranged with their concavities opposed and each swivellably connected to the relevant end of the pertaining limb.

2. Gripping means substantially as in herinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

3. Tongs having gripping means substantially as herinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (3)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Tongs This invention relates to tongs for lifting and turning, for example, tubular aricles. Tongs are of two basic types, one of which has two opposed limbs connected together at one of their ends by a spring and having gripping means provided at their unconnected opposed other ends the limbs being manipulatable to bring said other ends together against the spring biasing to enable an article to be gripped between said gripping means, and the other of which has two handled limbs pivoted together in a scissors arrangement and provided at their ends remote from the handles with gripping means to enable an article to be gripped by manipulation of the handles. The two opposed limbs and spring of the one type may be separate components secured together, or alternatively may be formed from bending a strip of hardened and tempered spring steel. The invention is primarily concerned with the gripping means of tongs. Heretofore the gripping means have comprised either shovel-like extensions of the limbs and the outer edges of which have sometimes been serrated or toothed, or have had a wire triangular form. A disadvantage is that neither of such gripping means is suitable for lifting and turning, for example, filled tubular articles such as sausages. It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate the above disadvantage. According to the present invention, the gripping means of tongs comprise two curved plates arranged with their concavities opposed and each swivellably connected to the relevant end of the pertaining limb. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of tongs according to the present invention, the tongs being shown in full and broken line respectively in non-gripping positions; Figure 2 is an end view of the tongs in a gripping position with a tubular article shown in broken line between gripping means; and Figure 3 is a perspective view to a different scale of tongs in a gripping position holding a tubular article in a pan, the gripping means being shown in a swivelled position relative to the remainder of the tongs. Tongs are provided with gripping means formed of two oblong plates 10, each similarly curved about its longitudinal axis, the plates 10 being arranged with their concavities mutually opposed. Each plate 10 is connected at 11 for swivelling movement about its axis of symmetry to the relevant end of the pertaining limb 12 of the tongs. The tongs are used to lifting and turning, for example, sausages 13 in a frying pan 14, or dish, the tongs being held with one of the longitudinal sides of each of the oblong plates 10 resting on the bottom of the frying pan 14 or dish and with a sausage 13 in between the plates 10. The limbs 12 are manipulated to grip the sausage 13 between the plates 10, and, by the user lifting the tongs, turning his hand through 180 , placing the opposite longitudinal sides of the oblong plates 10 on the bottom of the pan 14 or dish, and releasing the sausage 13, the sausage 13 is turned over through 180 . This operation heretofore has proved difficult to accomplish without breaking the sausage skin or ending up by turning the sausages over with the use of a fork, for example. If a sausage 13 is stuck to the pan 14 or dish, the sausage 13 can be freed by slight reciprocatory movement of the tongs laterally of the sausage 13 after the latter has been gripped. The tongs and gripping plates are preferably of stainless steel. CLAIMS

1. Gripping means of tongs comprise two curved plates arranged with their concavities opposed and each swivellably connected to the relevant end of the pertaining limb.

2. Gripping means substantially as in herinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

3. Tongs having gripping means substantially as herinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.