Applicator for retaining rings

An applicator for receiving a one-piece flat strip of integrally interconnected retaining rings and applying therefrom a single retaining ring at a time to a groove in a workpiece, which comprises:

• a long flat sheath having a flat passage therethrough extending in the longitudinal direction of the sheath and being dimensioned to slideably receive and guide therethrough a one-piece flat strip of integrally interconnected retaining rings;
• said sheath having two side walls and two transverse walls interconnecting said side walls and being provided with at least one window for manual access to the interior of said sheath;
• said sheath having front edges forming the dispensing end with an outlet opening of nearly rectangular cross section;
• said dispensing end having two outwardly projecting arms extending in the longitudinal direction of said sheath and being arranged adjacent to said side walls while being spaced from each other in the transverse direction of said sheath;
• each of said projecting arms having an outer free end and an inner end integral with said sheath;
• said dispensing end including a section which is curved in conformity with the outer curved shape of said retaining rings and which interconnects said inner ends of said arms and is offset relative to said outer ends of said arms in the longitudinal direction of said sheath;
• and
• a tongue-shaped spring having one end connected to an area of said transverse walls while being spaced from said outlet opening in the direction of the longitudinal extension of said sheath and having its other end as a free end located at said outlet opening and normally extending into the advancing path of a retaining strip to be passed through said passage and said outlet opening, said other free spring end being curved in corresponding configuration to the said curved section of the dispensing end and being movable out of said path by a push from the inside of said passage onto said other free spring end to thereby allow the dispensing of a retaining ring from a retaining ring strip in the longitudinal direction of said sheath when said last mentioned ring has been passed through said passage, said other spring end when occupying said normal position barring movement of a retaining ring from the outside area in front of said outlet opening through the latter into said passage.