Apparatus for gripping and supporting glass sheets

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR GRIPPING A GLASS SHEET SUSPENDED THEREFROM COMPRISING A RELATIVELY HEAVY TONG SUPPORT MEMBER HAVING ATTACHED THERETO A FRAME MEMBER COMPRISING AN UPPER PORTION INCLUDING A DOWNWARDLY FACING MEMBER HAVING A BOTTOM SURFACE OF A NONLINEAR CONFIGURATION AND A LOWER PORTION SPACED BELOW AND ATTACHED TO SAID UPPER PORTION AND INCLUDING AN UPWARDLY FACING POINTED MEMBER ATTACHED TO SAID LOWER PORTION, A RELATIVELY LIGHT MOVABLE MEMBER HAVING AN UPPER SURFACE SHAPED TO CONFORM TO THE BOTTOM SURFACE OF SAID DOWNWARDLY FACING MEMBER AND AN ANGULAR LOWER SURFACE, MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID MOVABLE MEMBER FOR GUIDING SAID MOVABLE MEMBER FOR VERTICAL MOVEMENT WITHIN SAID FRAME MEMBER BETWEEN AN UPPER POSITION WHEREIN ITS UPPER SURFACE ENGAGES SAID BOTTOM SURFACE OF SAID DOWNWARDLY FACING MEMBER IN LOCKING RELATION THEREWITH AND A LOWER POSITION WHEREIN ITS ANGULAR LOWER SURFACE IS SUPPORTED IN FREELY PIVOTABLE RELATION ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS DEFINED BY SAID UPWARDLY FACING POINTED MEMBER, AND TONGS SECURED TO SAID MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID MOVABLE MEMBER TO HANG DOWNWARDLY THEREFROM, ONE OF SAID SURFACES ENGAGING IN LOCKING RELATION HAVING A PROJECTION MATING WITH A RECESS IN THE OTHER OF SAID SURFACES ENGAGING IN LOCKING RELATION WHEN SAID SURFACES ARE ENGAGED IN LOCKING RELATION WITH ONE ANOTHER.