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US Patent: 1,447,920
Pipe Tongs
Patentee:
William L. Bessolo (exact or similar names) - Long Beach, CA

USPTO Classifications:
81/65.4

Tool Categories:
wrenches : pipe wrenches : chain and strap wrenches

Assignees:
None

Manufacturer:
unk. - Clearwater, CA
Bethlehem Shipbuilding - East San Pedro, CA

Witnesses:
M. L. Bessolo
Walter J. Desmond

Patent Dates:
Applied: Dec. 12, 1921
Granted: Mar. 06, 1923

Patent Pictures: [ 1 | 2 ]
William L. Bessolo patent March 6, 1923
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Description:
An adjustable "chain wrench" scaled up to a size suitable for oil well drill stem and casings. "Gears" on the link segments insure the chain curvature remains consistent as the size adjusts. Teeth on the handle engage rack teeth on the end of the chain to tighten the grip. It includes a chain sling to support the weight of the tool and a "safety chain" to hold the grip around the work piece.

A Bessolo Rotary Casing & Tubing Tongs similar to this design was placed on the market in 1922. It was adopted in the southern California oil fields, and produced in some quantity by a subsidiary of Bethlehem Steel.

Bessolo patented several enhancements and improvements. The following notes them in order of patent filing which more accurately reflects his evolution of the tongs:

Patent no. 1,564,511 [suspension means] (filed Oct 4, 1922), 1,630,822 [rack teeth and chain] (filed Oct. 4, 1922), 1,587,892 [improved safety chain] (filed Dec. 21, 1922) and 1,542,359 (filed Feb. 3, 1923) which replaces the "safety chain" with a latch to hold the chain's grip once it is set.

Bessolo patented two other tongs designs -- see nos. 1,548,344 and 1,611,808.

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