Tongs for releasably clamping newspapers or other sheet-like commodities for movement with a conveyor have a housing connectable to the conveyor, a first jaw provided on the housing, a second jaw which is pivotable in or on the housing between open and closed positions adjacent and remote from the first jaw, respectively, and a mechanism for pivoting the second jaw. The mechanism employs a lever which is pivotable relative to the housing with and with respect to the second jaw between first and second end positions which respectively correspond to the open and closed positions of the second jaw, one or more springs which oppose pivotal movements of the lever relative to the second jaw during pivoting of the lever to its second end position, and a motion transmitting unit which operates between the lever and the spring or springs and is caused to move through a dead-center position during each movement of the lever between its first and second end positions. The unit can comprise a toggle joint or a cam and cam follower.