To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Walter H. Bagshaw, of Lowell, in the county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Curling-Tongs, of which the following is a description sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which said invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which—

Figure 1 represents my improved tongs in use; Fig. 2, an elevation of the tongs, and Fig. 3 represents an elevation of the curling-tongs in which the handle and arms are composed of wire in one piece. Fig. 4 represents my improved tongs embodied in a mustache-comb. Fig. 5 is an elevation of one species of my invention, showing the inner ends of the wires reduced, whereby greater elasticity is imparted to the tongs.

Like letters and figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures of the drawings.

My invention relates especially to the class of curling-tongs known as “mustache-curlers;” and it consists in certain novel features, hereinafter fully set forth and claimed, the object being to produce a simpler, cheaper, and more effective device of this character than is now in ordinary use.

The nature and operation of the improvement will be readily understood by all conversant with such matters from the following explanation.

The tongs A consist of two parallel metallic arms b d, disposed in close proximity to or in contact with each other, and preferably composed of round spring-wire, and secured at one end in a wooden handle f, an ordinary ferrule g being disposed thereon to prevent it from cracking or splitting. The outer or free ends of the arms b d are beveled inwardly at i from their outer to their inner edges to enable the hair to be readily inserted.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3 the tongs are formed from a single piece of wire bent backward upon itself and its two arms twisted around each other to form the handle f.

In Fig. 4 a metallic mustache-comb B has its back m extended and slotted longitudinally at p to form the arms b d, the ends of said arms being beveled at i, as in the preceding forms. In this case the back m serves as a handle.

In Fig. 5 the inner ends of the arms b d are reduced at x to permit them to be more readily separated or spring apart when the hair is inserted.

In the use of my improvement the tongs are heated and the hair to be curled is inserted between the beveled ends of the arms b d, said beveled ends readily permitting this without the necessity of first springing said arms apart to admit the hair. The tongs are then rotated, winding or twisting the hair around them, as shown in Fig. 1, and after being permitted to remain a short time are easily withdrawn without unwinding the hair, there being no projections on the tong-arms to prevent the hair from readily slipping therein.

My improved tongs are much more readily used than those of ordinary construction, the spring action of the arms being sufficient to prevent the hair from slipping from between them as the tongs are rotated, and their beveled ends enabling the hair to be quickly and easily inserted therein.

Having thus explained my invention, what I claim is—

1. A hair-curling instrument consisting of a handle and two parallel spring-arms disposed in close proximity or contact, the outer free ends of said arms being beveled inwardly.

2. A hair-curling instrument consisting of a handle and two parallel spring-arms disposed in close proximity or contact, the outer free ends of said arms being beveled inwardly from their outer to their inner edges.

3. A hair-curling instrument consisting of a handle and two parallel spring-arms disposed in close proximity or contact, the outer ends of said arms being beveled inwardly, and the inner ends or shanks thereof being tapered.

Walter H. Bagshaw.

Witnesses:

Samuel B. Wyman,

Geo. H. Stevens.