Dish or pan lifter

May 21, 1935. h. de l. kneeland 2,002,149

DISH OR PAN LIFTER

Filed May 28, 1934

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Patented May 21, 1935

2,002,149

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,002,149 DISH OR PAN LIFTER Herbert De L. Kneeland, Dundalk, Md. Application May 28, 1934, Serial No. 728,022

Claim. (Cl. 294—34)

This invention refers to general utensils and more particularly to lifters for lifting dishes, plates or pans from an oven or hot stove. It has among its objects to provide a lifter of this 5 kind that will operate noiselessly and will not have springs. Another object is to have the weight distributed on the handle in the most convenient manner to the holder. A further object is to avoid the use of complicated and dust10 collecting parts. Another object is to have the lifter automatically bind itself to the object lifted and also relieve itself of the object easily when located at the point where it is to be left. Other objects will become apparent aS the invention is 15 more fully set forth.

The usual type of dish lifter is complicated and requires the use of the fingers to operate the catch or mechanism that locks the dish to it. In this invention this is avoided because 20 the lifter automatically locks itself to the dish when the weight of the same exerts its influence on it, and automatically releases when the weight is not exerted, as when the dish is laid on a platform of some kind. The usual lifter has its han25 die at the end of the lifter which tends to bend over under the weight of the dish, as well as make the user exert a torsional reaction of the wrist muscles to overcome it; In this invention the handle shifts closely to the weight center 30 and enables the user to carry the weight conveniently without such stresses on the wrist muscles. The invention consists of a main shank which hooks to one side of a dish or plate and is then operated to lock on the opposite side by 35 pushing in the handle. The weight of the object tilts the main shank slightly and causes the handle to bind it in that position automatically.

In the drawing, which illustrates an embodiment of this invention:—

Figure 1 indicates a side elevation of a lifter embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional detail on line 4—4 of 45 Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional detail on line 5—5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a detail of the jaw and points of the handle lining.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the drawing.

In the construction indicated, I represents a plate that is caught under its edge with a jaw 2, which has a pair of arms 3 spread out in a 55 V-like form inwardly arid depends down from a main shank bar 4. This shank bar is provided with a double series of V-notches 5, on its under surface, a middle strip 6 of the bar being nonnotched and serving as a slide to be described later. The shank bar is notched for about the 5 proportion of the distance indicated in the drawing, and has at its other end portion a puller 7. The bar is preferably of rectangular cross-section. A handle 8 with a liner 18 slides over the shank bar and is interiorly provided with a pas- 10 sage 9 to permit this to be readily done. A jaw 12, is provided and attached to the handle and is similar in construction and appearance to that of jaw 2, and also has the arms 13 and depends from the handle by the S-piece 10. This S-piece 15 is punched to provide two inverted points 11 that serve to engage between the V-notches .5 when the weight of the dish lifted pulls down on the jaw 2 and the main shank bar. At other times the points do not catch in the notches. Tire cen- 20 tral slide serves to carry the shank bar along the handle and keep the points out of the notches until the weight acts. This makes the movement of the handle along the shank bar noiseless instead of clicking, as would be the case if the 25 points caught in the notches continuously. The points are located outside of the handle proper to positively provide for this feature.

The operation of the device is simple. The jaw 2, is caught over the edge of the dish or pan and 30 the handle 8 is pushed towards it until the jaw 12 engages on the opposite side. In this position the handle is close to the dish and affords a good holding position for the user. At the same time the weight on the jaw 2 brings down the shank 35 bar 4 and makes its v-notches engage on the points 11 and lock the dish to the lifter. When the dish is laid on a table, the weight is taken off the shank bar and the points I I disengage from the V-notches 5, and the handle is pulled 40 back and the lifter can be removed from the dish. This action is evident, as the weight pulls down on the jaws 3 and 13 when the dish is supported by them, the arm is stressed more because the leverage on its greater length is more substan- 45 tial compared with that on the small jaw 13. This causes the arm 4 to bend down and with it comes the notches on top of the points II and they lock together. When the dish is laid down on a table, the weight is taken off the arm 4 and 50 the notches resiliently lift themselves off the points 11, because the arm is bent and formed to provide for this feature. This is provided for very readily during manufacture as it requires a very slight bend in the material to do it. The 55

2,002,149 portion 10 is bent also to bring its points normally out of contact with the notches 5, by having its upper plane slightly tilted downwards. The puller 7, serves to enable the user to pull on the s shank while the handle is being held by the other hand of the user.

The construction of this device in its simplicity, can be appreciated more fully when it is stated that it can be made from two pieces of metal, a 10 feature that no conventional type of lifter can anticipate as effectively. The shank, its jaw and puller form one piece, while the sliding handle liner and its jaw and points form the other. It should also be noted that the points not only 15 catch the notches but that the shank also binds in the handle when the weight is placed on the lifter.

While but one form of the invention is shown in the drawing, it is not desired to limit this ap20 plication for patent to this particular form or in any other way otherwise than limited by the prior art, as it is appreciated that other forms might be used that would employ the same principles and come within the scope of the appended claim.