Iron Pie Lifter May also be Warmer or Cooler? Need Patent Help

[talesofthesevenseas]

Well, all I can say is, lets hope I can see the patent date when it arrives, or this whatzit may end up tossed in our bin of unsolved mystery items!

[mariok54]

What I can't get my head round are those first two photos.  Has the orientation of one of those knobbly arms in the second completely done a 180?  Maybe just my eyes .. or brain!   

[cogar]

That is a swivel joint where the 2 arms connect.

[waywardangler]

The image of the item totally closed. This view may answer some questions or maybe not.

[talesofthesevenseas]

Well, something to ponder is the form. Since it appears to be a lifter of something, it would have to be a flat-bottomed circular object, because the straight bars will go beneath it and the curved arms would cradle the sides. At least the way that I am seeing it. I would flip it over from the orientation that the seller has here:

[talesofthesevenseas]

I wonder if it could be to lift an antique iron humidifier like this:

[mart]

Since there are handles on the humidifier,, why would you need a lifter ?? I would just grab a couple of potholders !!   I don`t know but something makes me think livestock !!

[sapphire]

While not exactly the same as yours Tales, it's certainly along the same line.....

http://www.bracesinfo.com/store/RARE-ANTIQUE-PIE-LIFTER-220744692753.html

[sapphire]

From Worthpoint, listed in 2007.......

http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/antique-iron-hinged-pie-lifter-dated-may-18


Others listed on Worthpoint. (I think yours may be the third one ? )

http://www.worthpoint.com/inventory/search?query=antique++iron+pie++lifter

[sapphire]

Check out the description of #462

http://www.faglon.com/kitchen.htm

"Pie lifter, steel wire double lifting arms with wire handle & gauge for adjusting the size of the lifter, late 1800s"

[talesofthesevenseas]

I'm on my mobile and could only see the one with the patent date but will look at them asap. The patented one is very close and the date is so close to the patent date of mine I wonder if they may have been produced by the same maker and maybe we can find it with a may 18 1875 date. It is only one digit off from may 10 1875 and the seller may have mistaken an 8 for a zero.

[talesofthesevenseas]

I found the patent!! The patent date is March 18 1875. It is a multi-use plate/vessel lifting tool, which also doubles as a stove lid lifter:

http://www.google.com/patents?id=kP9CAAAAEBAJ&printsec=drawing&zoom=4#v=onepage&q&f=false

[talesofthesevenseas]

I should add that mine seems to be a later incarnation with the addition of the hooks, but I think this definitely defines its purpose.

[waywardangler]

Good going on finding this patent! If you read it, it does cover hooks and it does cover using it upside down when using the hooks.

[talesofthesevenseas]

Thanks Wayward, I just skimmed the description and I didn't clue in that the hooks shown in the drawing were the same, they appear taller in height and shorter in length in the drawing.

It will be fun to try this out. It's kind of a silly substitute for a pot holder, but what the heck, I like it.