Help identifying this item?

Hey everyone. Last time I came here, you guys were incredible and were able to figure out what it was within 12 hours. I'm hoping you can help me here as well identify what it is and help find its patent.

I'm going to throw all the pictures down under the post.

The tool is cast-iron with a wooden handle and weighs about 2 lbs. The bar across the top has a cut-out name that says "HIGHLAND". From that bar there looks to be 2 other joints connected to it. When you push it down on a surface, the end clasp opens up as if to insert something or to insert it into something. When lifted, and rather ingeniously, it grips whatever the item is and the force (of its grip) is equal to the weight of the item lifted. What I mean by that is... if I lift a small piece of wood it bites it much more gently than if I were to lift a piece to iron or metal.

The only other markings on the tool (aside form the HIGHLAND cutout) are on the bottom piece. It looks to be a patent year that's difficult to make out. I THINK it says "PAT '82". I tried getting some better angles for you to check out. I searched everywhere that I could think of for this tool on the government patent website, but so far I've found nothing.

If I had a guess, I'd say it was some sort of cast iron stove lid lifter for either a wooden or coal stove.

Here's the full library of images: https://imgur.com/a/tm3Vyki

 

It is probably a tool for lifting the plates covering the holes on an old cast iron cooking stove - but a fancy one. It might also be used for lifting the lids off of hot, heavy cast iron pots.

 

If you google - antique Highland Stove - a trade card pops up for a Highland Grand Range.

 

I think it's called a lid lifter. Something like this...
Not as elaborate as yours but that is what i am thinking.

 

Do you guys happen to know the best way to find its patent? I'm struggling to find it and search for with any accuracy