Resiliently Biased Implement Holder

The objective of the invention is to provide inexpensively a highly versatile and convenient biased holder for a variety of implements ranging from kitchen tongs, tweezers and clamps to chopsticks or the like. In essence, the invention seeks to provide a basic spring holder for detachable implements which engage in socket elements or sleeves permanently attached to the spring holder. In most instances, the basic spring holder consists of a split ring having a pair of convergent preferably conically tapered implement socketing sleeves anchored within openings of the split ring which lie on opposite sides of the ring division line on axes which extend chordwise of the ring. A salient feature of the device is that the active ends of implements socketed in the convergent sleeves may be disposed selectively beyond either corresponding ends of the sleeves.

A wide variety of resilient gripping and tweezer or tong-like implements are known in the prior art, but none of the prior art devices possesses the universality of the biased implement holder herein or the wide range of utility inherently embodied in it.

To comply with the duty of disclosing known prior art under 37 C.F.R. 1.56, the following U.S. patents are made of record herein:

U.S. Pat. Nos. 211,855, 788,672, 884,680, 1,260,302, 1,315,808, 1,707,947, 1,745,411, 1,765,974, 2,629,276, 2,887,110, 3,293,958, 3,323,825, 3,398,746, 3,559,515, 3,637,248, 4,012,068, 4,023,450.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a biased implement holder according to the invention and showing the use of the same with a pair of tong implements.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged central vertical cross section through the implement holder in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view, partly in cross section, with the biased implement holder expanded.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary exploded elevational view showing a variation in the connection between the holder and an implement.

FIG. 5 is a similar view showing another variation in the connection between holder and implement.

FIGS. 6 to 12 are further fragmentary perspective views illustrating variations in the work-engaging terminals of various implements which may be used with the biased holder in FIGS. 1 to 3.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the implement holder in association with implements which are biased into gripping engagement reversely of the arrangement in FIG. 1 where the implements are biased apart.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view depicting one use of the device in FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a similar view depicting another use of the device in FIG. 13.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing a modification of the device in FIG. 13.

FIGS. 17 and 18 are perspective views showing a further modification of the biased implement holder in the nature of a clamp.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing a modification of the device in FIGS. 17 and 18.

FIGS. 20 and 21 are enlarged fragmentary views in perspective and in cross section showing details of floating gripping heads included on the device in FIG. 19.

FIG. 22 is an exploded perspective view of chopsticks embodied in the invention.

FIG. 23 is an assembled elevational view, partly in cross section, of the chopsticks in FIG. 22.

FIG. 24 is an exploded perspective view showing a variant of the chopsticks construction.

FIG. 25 is a perspective view showing a further application of the construction in FIG. 24.

Referring to the drawings in detail and initially to FIGS. 1 to 3, there is shown a biased holder for implements comprising a split annulus 30 or body portion formed of resilient material, such as spring metal. In some cases, the annulus 30 may have a modified shape such as elliptical rather than being circular, as illustrated. The biased implement holder further comprises a pair of preferably conically tapered sleeves 31 arranged symmetrically on opposite sides of the division 32 of the split annulus 30. The sleeves 31 converge toward their smaller ends which ends are fixedly and permanently anchored in openings 33 formed through the annulus 30. As illustrated, the smaller ends of the sleeves 31 terminate substantially flush with the periphery of the annulus 30. Intermediate their ends, the two sleeves 31 are further secured within another pair of openings 34 of the split annulus and the larger end portions of the tapering sleeves project substantially beyond the portion of the annulus away from its division 32. The two sleeves 31 have axes which extend chordwise through the spring annulus, as shown.

In the biased holder, the tapered sleeves 31 form friction socketing elements for implement shafts 35 having working terminals 36. As shown in FIG. 1, the shafts 35 and terminals 36 constitute kitchen tongs or the like which diverge from the biased holder and are resiliently biased apart or open with the division 32 normally closed. Manual squeezing pressure on the shafts 35 will close the tongs causing separation of the split annulus 30, as shown in FIG. 3.

The end portions 37 of the shafts 35 which are received in the socketing sleeves 31 are tapered to mate frictionally and snugly in the sleeves, as illustrated in FIG. 3.

In lieu of simple frictional engagement, FIG. 4, each sleeve 31a may be threaded as at 38 within the annulus 30 for engagement with threads 39 on the socketed portion 40 of the implement or tong shafts 35.

A further variation in the connection is shown in FIG. 5 wherein each tapered sleeve 31b is split and externally threaded at its larger end portion 41 to receive the tapered terminal 37 of the implement shaft which becomes locked in the sleeve 31b following application of a clamping nut 42. Other types of connections may be employed.

FIGS. 6 through 12 simply show variations in the working terminals 36 of the tongs or implement held in the biased holder. FIG. 6 shows a toothed terminal 36a. FIGS. 7 and 8, respectively, show spoon and fork terminals 36b and 36c; FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 show disc, rod and serrated tweezer terminals 36d, 36e and 36f while FIG. 12 shows padded arcuate gripping jaw terminals 36g.

FIGS. 13 to 16 illustrate the diverse utility of the biased implement holder as described in FIGS. 1 to 3. More particularly, FIGS. 13 to 16 show a reverse or reciprocal mode of use compared to FIG. 1 wherein the implement shafts 35 are biased apart by the holder and diverge until drawn together manually. In FIG. 13, comparatively short tapered tweezer-like implements 43 are biased together by the resilient holder in gripping relationship with the work engaging faces 44 projecting outwardly beyond the division 32 of the resilient annulus 30. This is the opposite of the arrangement in FIG. 1 where the shafts 35 are biased apart and project beyond the portion of the annulus 30 which is remote from the division 32. In FIG. 13, tweezer handle extensions 45 project in diverging relationship beyond the portion of the annulus 30 remote from the division 32. The tweezer elements 43 like the shafts 35 can be socketed frictionally in the sleeves 31 of the holder.

FIG. 14 illustrates one usage of the device in FIG. 13 as a clothespin. FIG. 15 shows another usage of the same device as a towel holder with the biased jaws 43 gripping a nail 46 while a towel 47 is draped through the annulus 30.

FIG. 16 shows yet another use of the device according to FIG. 13 for what may be termed a needle-nosed tweezer.

FIGS. 17 and 18 show a biased clamp embodiment of the generic invention, wherein a split resilient annulus 48 has serrated radially inwardly clamping jaws 49 integral therewith which are biased closed. Convergent socketing sleeves 50 similar to the sleeves 31 are provided on the annulus 48 to releasably receive clamp operating handles 51 which are biased apart, FIG. 17, and are squeezed together, FIG. 18, to open the spring clamp. Again, the diverse utility of the basic biased implement holder is shown.

FIGS. 19 through 21 show a variant of the clamp in FIGS. 17 and 18 wherein the split spring annulus 52 has knuckles 53 formed at its ends on which serrated block-like jaws 54 are pivotally or floatingly mounted within notches 55 or clearance spaces. Converging fixed socketing sleeves 56 receive handles 57 similar or identical to the handles 51. The clamp according to FIGS. 19 through 21 is self-adjusting through the floating jaws 54 to grip uneven surfaces.

FIGS. 22 and 23 show a chopsticks embodiment of the invention wherein chopsticks 58 are seated in opposite side convergent grooves 59 of a wedge fulcrum element 60. A first elastic band 61 immediately above the wedge fulcrum 60 surrounds the chopsticks at the bottom of enlarged terminals 62 provided thereon. A second elastic band 63 similarly surrounds the chopsticks 58 immediately below the wedge fulcrum 60. The two elastic bands retain the chopsticks seated in the groove 59 and the chopsticks are biased apart in a manner similar to the biasing of the shafts 35 in FIG. 1. When the chopsticks are manually drawn together during usage, the resiliently biased holding means will yield to permit the necessary tong-like action similar to the action of the device in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 24 and 25 show a variant of the invention in FIGS. 22 and 23 wherein a wedge fulcrum element 64 having the side grooves 59 to receive the chopsticks 58 also has upper and lower perimeter grooves 65 and 66 to form seating and locating means for the two elastic bands 61 and 63 in the assembled biased chopsticks. FIG. 25 also illustrates how chopsticks can be transformed into tongs similar to the biased tongs of FIG. 1 by the addition of appropriate engaging elements 67 on the shafts 68. Once again, the universality and the diverse utility of the resiliently biased implement holder is demonstrated.

It is to be understood that the forms of the invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claims.