Bag holder

Claim 2

A bag holding device including a frame to mount a bag-like element in an opened condition and in a selected attitude of suspension, said frame including leg portions having means defining a point of their interconnection for pivoting of one relative another and adjustment thereof between open and collapsed positions, means for limiting said leg portions in their movement toward an open position, and an over-center spring device attached at one end to one of said leg portions and at the other end to said limiting means and shifting from side to side of said point of interconnection in response to opening and collapsing movements of said leg portions to apply alternatively a yielding pressure to hold said leg portions in an open position and a yielding pressure to hold said leg portions in a collapsed position.

Claim 3

A bag holding device according to claim 1, characterized by means on said limiting means limiting movement of said leg portions toward a collapsed position.

Claim 4

A bag holding device including a frame to mount a bag-like element in an opened condition and in a selected attitude of suspension, said frame providing pivotally interconnected leg portions adjustable between open and collapsed positions and including at least a pair of crossed legs interconnected at a point intermediate their ends, and means for releasably applying a pressure to make said frame and a mounted bag-like element a unitized receptacle assembly, said means for releasably applying a pressure including an overcenter spring device, laterally extending means on one of said legs providing a place of attachment for an end of said spring device with respect to said one leg, which attachment is below the interconnection between said legs, and another end of said spring device attaching to the other of said legs above said interconnection, said spring device being shiftable relatively to said point of interconnection of said crossed legs to apply alternatively a yielding pressure to hold said leg portions in an open position and a yielding pressure to hold said leg portions in a collapsed position.

Claim 5

A bag holding device including a frame to mount a bag-like element in an opened condition and in a selected attitude of suspension, said frame providing pivotally interconnected leg portions adjustable between open and collapsed positions and including at least a pair of crossed legs interconnected at a point intermediate their ends, and means for releasably applying a pressure to make said frame and a mounted bag-like element a unitized receptacle assembly, said means for releasably applying a pressure including an overcenter spring device, laterally extending means on one of said legs providing a place of attachment for an end of said spring device with respect to said one leg, which attachment is below the interconnection between said legs, and another end of said spring device attaching to the other of said legs above said interconnection, said spring device being shiftable relatively to said point of interconnection of said crossed legs to apply alternatively a yielding pressure to hold said leg portions in an open position and a yielding pressure to hold said leg portions in a collapsed position.

Claim 6

A bag holding device according to claim 3 wherein said leg portions move in relative approaching and separating motions in an adjustment of said frame to respective collapsed and open positions, and means provide that a predetermined extent of said approaching and separating motions shift said spring device from side to side of said intermediate point.

Claim 7

A bag holding device according to claim 4 wherein said laterally extending means is an arm extending from said one leg toward the other and characterized by means on said arm limiting relative approaching and separating motions of said leg portions.

Claim 8

A bag holding device according to claim 5 wherein said pivotally interconnected leg portions are comprised of leg members each of which have spaced apart legs interconnected at upwardly, disposed ends thereof, and corresponding legs of said members being pivotally interconnected to one another to enable correspondingly upwardly, disposed ends to move in relative approaching and separating motions, said leg members forming said frame with pivotal connections being established at opposite ends of the frame, said arm extending in bridging relation to corresponding legs at one end of said frame.

Claim 9

A bag holding device according to claim 6 wherein said leg members each have an inverted U-shape, closed ends thereof being uppermost and forming elevated supports over which a peripheral mouth portion of a bag may be folded for suspension of the bag within said frame, said spring device being arranged in one set position of adjustment to apply a pressure to spread said suppOrts apart to thereby grip the peripheral mouth portion of said bag and maintain the same open.

Claim 10

A bag holding device according to claim 5 wherein said motion limiting means on said arm cooperates with said legs to insure a free standing, stable position of the frame in either an open or collapsed position of the leg portions thereof.

Claim 11

A bag holding device including a frame to mount a bag-like element in an opened condition and in a selected attitude of suspension, said frame including pivotally interconnecting leg portions adjustable between open and collapsed positions, and means for releasably applying a pressure to make said frame and a mounted bag-like element a unitized receptacle assembly, said means for releasably applying a pressure including spring means shiftable to apply a yielding pressure to hold said leg portions selectively in an open position or a collapsed position when so placed, laterally extending means connected with at least one of said leg portions providing a place of attachment for a portion of said spring means which is below the level of the interconnection between said leg portions, another of said leg portions providing an attachment for another portion of said spring means at a location which is above the level of said interconnection.

Claim 12

A bag holding device including a frame to mount a bag-like element in an opened condition and in a selected attitude of suspension, said frame including pivotally interconnecting leg portions adjustable between open and collapsed positions, and means for releasably applying a pressure to make said frame and a mounted bag-like element a unitized receptacle assembly, said means for releasably applying a pressure including spring means shiftable to apply a yielding pressure to hold said leg portions selectively in an open position or a collapsed position when so placed, laterally extending means connected with at least one of said leg portions providing a place of attachment for a portion of said spring means which is below the level of the interconnection between said leg portions, another of said leg portions providing an attachment for another portion of said spring means at a location which is above the level of said interconnection.

Claim 13

Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said laterally extending means bridge a pair of pivotally interconnected legs of said frame to be substantially horizontally disposed when said leg portions are in the open position.

Claim 14

Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said laterally extending means comprises an arm element fixed to one of said legs to extend therefrom to the other of said pair of legs.

Claim 15

Apparatus as in claim 11 characterized by said arm element having a configuration and arrangement to provide thereon longitudinally spaced stops intermediately of which the other of said pair of pivotally interconnected legs may move from an open to a collapsed position.

Claim 16

Apparatus as in claim 11 characterized by said arm element having a plate-like form offset intermediate its extremities to provide one stop element and means projected laterally thereof adjacent its projected extremity to provide another stop portion, said stop portions determining the limits of movement of said leg portions.

Claim 17

Apparatus as in claim 13 characterized by the place of attachment for the first said portion of said spring means being provided by means in connection with said arm element intermediate said stop portions.

Claim 18

Apparatus as in claim 9 wherein said laterally extending means includes two arm elements respectively connected at their remote extremities to an adjacent pivotally interconnected pair of legs of said frame, said arm elements having interrelated portions providing stops limiting the approaching and separating motions of said leg portions.

Claim 19

Apparatus as in claim 15 characterized by each of said arm elements having hook-like projected extremities which interrelate to define a limit for a separating of the pivotally interconnected legs and one of said arm elements having an offset providing a stop for limiting the approaching movement of the other of said arm elements.