Crucible holder

#This invention relates, generally, to vessel holders; more particularly to vessel holders that are suited to handle hot or hazardous labware, such as crucibles, that have been heated over a hot plate, gas hot plate, open flame, or other laboratory heating apparatus.

#Every high school science teacher or laboratory technician who has spent an appreciable amount of time in a laboratory has undoubtedly heard the cacophonic crash of crucibles, test tubes, and other laboratory glassware being dropped and shattered. Oftentimes, these accidents occur because the art has not yet developed a device for safely handling hot hazardous objects, such as crucibles, flasks, and test tubes; securely standing them in place; and allowing them to be safely placed over a hot plate, gas hot plate, open flame, or other laboratory heating apparatus.

#The current state of the art is to use crucible tongs, the common device for handling crucibles, in a laboratory. Crucible tongs, which operate in the same manner as common tongs, feature pincer shaped, curved levers at the distal end of the tong, which are designed to more securely handle the crucible. Because the tongs commonly are made from steel, and crucibles commonly are made from ceramic, which are both smooth, low-friction materials, the crucible is susceptible to slipping through the tongs, falling, and breaking.

#FIG. 1A is an illustration in perspective view of one embodiment of the invention.

#FIG. 1B is an illustration in perspective view of one embodiment of the invention while holding a crucible.

#FIG. 2 is an illustration from a side-view of one embodiment of the invention.

#In the following detailed description of various embodiments of the invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of various aspects of one or more embodiments of the invention. However, one or more embodiments of the invention may be practiced without many of these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and/or components have not been described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure novel aspects of the various embodiments of the invention.

#In the following description, certain terminology is used to describe certain features of one or more embodiments of the invention. For instance, “crucible” is used to refer to any of a number of pieces of labware, including crucibles, test tubes, flasks, and the like.

#FIG. 1A is an illustration in perspective view of one embodiment of the invention. A crucible holder 100 is shown along with its constituent parts, namely, the three legs 105 on which it stands, the ceramic rods 110 that serve to hold the crucible and insulate the crucible holder 100 from heat, and the handle 115, which allows the crucible holder to be securely held in the user's hand while also providing thermal insulation. A triangular space 120 between the ceramic rods provides a space into which the crucible is placed for holding during heating.