Oyster Tongs

Oyster Tongs. . , Oysters have been a prominent part of life on the Chesapeake Bay since before Colonial times and harvesting oysters always has been an important occupation. The tools used to harvest oysters have evolved over time, as oysters in shallow water were depleted and harvesters have to move to deeper water. Initially, oysters were harvested by hand in shallow water. Then harvester used hand tongs with long handles to access oyster in up to about 15 feet of water. This hand tonging was physically demanding and limited by how much a harvester could lift. Patent tongs addressed the limitations of both depth and capacity. The patent tongs were lowered and raised on a rope of cable virtually any length, first with a hand winch, then later with a powered winch. Refinement included hydraulic cylinders to open and close the jaws of the tongs, allowing for tongs of much greater capacity.

[Sidebar:] , Early patent tongs had an ingenious self-actuating latching mechanism that held the tongs open as the tongs were lowered and allowed the tongs to close as they were raised. Tension on the rope or cable kept the latches engaged as the tongs were lowered, and a slight curvature in the arms of the tongs allowed the latches to disengage when the tongs hit bottom and tension on the cable relaxed.