Applicator device

Claim 1

IN A DEVICE FOR FOLDING THE OPEN END OF A FLEXIBLE THIN-WALLED BAG OF STRETCHABLE MATERIAL OVER THE RIM OF A TUBULAR SUPPORTING MEMBER COMPRISING A BASE MEMBER, A HEAD PIECE FOR RECEIVING THE BAG MOUTH CONNECTED TO AND RESILIENTLY SPACED FROM SAID BASE, A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY MOVABLE FINGERS DISPOSED AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF SAID BASE WITH THEIR UPPER FREE END PORTIONS ENGAGING THE PERIPHERY OF THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID HEAD PIECE, SAID FINGERS HAVING INWARDLY DIRECTED SURFACES ADAPTED TO BE CONTACTED BY DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID HEAD PIECE AND A PERIPHERAL OFFSET ON SAID HEAD PIECE ABOVE THE UPPER ENDS OF SAID FINGERS FOR SEATING THE RIM OF THE SUPPORTING MEMBER IN BAG MOUNTH-RECEIVING POSITION, WHEREBY WHEN A BAG MOUTH IS PLACED OVER THE UPPER END PORTIONS OF THE FINGERS MOVEMENT OF THE HEAD PIECE TOWARD THE BASE CAUSES OUTWARD RADIAL MOVEMENT OF THE FINGERS TO EXPAND THE BAG MOUTH INTO RIM-RECEIVING POSITION, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES AN ELONGATED UPPER PORTION ON SAID HEAD PIECE FOR RECEIVING AND OPENING A BAG AND FOR POSITIONING SAID TUBULAR SUPPORTING MEMBER RELATIVE TO SAID BAG MOUTH, SAID UPPER PORTION HAVING AN EDGE MEMBER EXTENDING ACROSS THE TOP THEREOF FOR INITIALLY WEDGING OPEN SAID BAG, AND SAID UPPER POTION BEING PROPORTIONED TO THE LENGTH AND DIAMETER OF SAID BAG SO THAT IT CONTACTS THE CLOSED END THEREOF AND SUPPORTS THE OPENED BAG IN POSITION TO BE FOLDED OVER THE RIM OF THE TUBULAR SUPPORTING MEMBER AS THE DEVICE IS OPERATED.