Tongs and spoon holder

Details Tongs and spoon holder Tongs and spoon holder

2001-05-04

2002-08-20

Chin-Shue, Alvin (Department: 3634)

Supports: racks

Special article

Article includes elongated portion

Reexamination Certificate

active

06435358

ABSTRACT:

This invention relates to kitchen apparatus, and more particularly to a holder that will hold a pair of tongs and/or a spoon.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many cooks employ tongs in their operations. Most common are tongs with two elongate handles pivotally joined at their first ends. Their second ends are adapted for grasping. Spring bias at the first ends urges the second ends apart. Cooks frequently pick up the tongs with one hand, apply it to the food and lay it down with the second ends soiled with food. They may not be easy to grasp when they must be used again, and they may contaminate the surface on which they were rested. The second ends may also be contaminated from the surface upon which they were rested. They are quite wide when not in use, so they take up considerable space when laid down between uses. Spoon rests such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. Des363,416 and Des274,684 are well known in the art to provide a cook with a clean place to rest a spoon between uses. It would be useful to have a tongs holder that would not take up as much space as the tongs when they are simply laid down. It would be useful if the tongs holder would prevent contamination to and from the second end of the tongs. It would be useful if the tongs holder could also serve as a spoon rest when not holding tongs to conserve counter and stovetop space.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a tongs holder that will prevent contamination to and from the second ends of the tongs. It is another object that the holder hold the tongs in the partially closed position for space conservation and for ease of grasping. It is yet another object that the device serve as a rest for a spoon when not holding a pair of tongs. It is yet another object that the device hold the tongs securely by using the spring bias of the tongs to press each of the two handles against a member extending upwardly from the surface of the holder.
The tongs holder of the invention comprises a base having an upper surface, a rear end and a forward end; and a pair of spaced-apart upright elements extending upwardly from the upper surface. The upright elements are adapted for engaging the handles of the tongs intermediate their free and pivoted ends to hold the tongs there securely by means of the spring bias. One or more depressions in the upper surface are positioned to catch drippings from the free ends of the tongs and to also serve as a rest for one or more spoons.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent when the detailed description is studied in conjunction with the drawings in which like elements are designated by like reference characters in the various drawing figures.


REFERENCES:
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patent: D164236 (1951-08-01), Hassler
patent: 4152831 (1979-05-01), Davies
patent: 4515332 (1985-05-01), Scharfy
patent: 4834328 (1989-05-01), Hall
patent: D304280 (1989-10-01), Leighton
patent: 5141189 (1992-08-01), Andrew
patent: 5208084 (1993-05-01), Rutz
patent: 5678790 (1997-10-01), Dwyer
patent: 6123220 (2000-09-01), Williams
patent: 6173875 (2001-01-01), Eriksson

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