Tool for facilitating application of elastic stockings

A tool for assisting the application of a stocking to a user's leg comprising:

• a pair of curvilinear arms each having a proximal portion and a distal portion and mounted intermediate their respective portions for pivotal movement in a first plane between an open position, wherein the proximal portions are in close proximity and the distal portions are relatively spaced apart, and a closed position, wherein the distal portions are in close proximity and the proximal portions are relatively spaced apart;
• a pair of side rails mounted to said distal portions and adapted to receive a stocking when the arms are in the closed position, and to outwardly stretch the stocking when the arms are moved to the open position;
• a bar having a front region and a rear region mounted to said arms intermediate said regions for rocking pivotal movement in a second plane generally perpendicular to said first plane of movement;
• a tongue mounted to said front region adapted to receive and outwardly stretch said stocking;
• and
• means for moving said bar in said second plane between a disposition wherein the tongue is in close proximity to said rails when the arms are in the closed position, and a disposition wherein the tongue is relatively spaced apart from both rails when the arms are in the open position.

A tool for assisting the application of a stocking to a user's leg comprising:

• a pair of curvilinear arms, each said arm having a distal portion and a proximal portion, said arms being secured to each other for pivotal movement in a first plane between an open position, wherein the proximal portions are in close proximity and the distal portions are outwardly relatively spaced apart, and a closed position, wherein the proximal portions are outwardly relatively spaced apart and the distal portions are in close proximity;
• a pair of side rails having inwardly facing concave surfaces mounted to the distal portions of said arms and adapted to receive a stocking when the arms are in the closed position and to outwardly stretch the stocking when the arms are moved to the open position;
• a bar having a front region and a rear region pivotally mounted to said arms intermediate said regions for movement in a second plane generally perpendicular to said first plane, said rear region including an downturned projection having downwardly converging camming surfaces captured between the proximal portions of the arms, said camming projection being frictionally operable against said proximal portions to force the rear region of the bar downwardly away from the rails when the arms are placed in the open position, and said front region including a neck having outwardly converging camming surfaces captured between the distal portions of the arms, said camming neck being frictionally operable against said distal portions to force the rear region of the bar upwardly toward the rails when the arms are placed in the closed position;
• a tongue having an upwardly facing concave surface secured to the front region of the bar and adapted to receive a stocking when the arms are in closed position and to outwardly stretch the stocking when the arms are moved to the open position;
• and
• a means for pivotally coupling said arms to said bar, said coupling means allowing arms to pivot for movement in the first plane and further allowing bar to pivot for movement in the second plane.