Surgical staple applicator

Claim 1

A ONE USE APPLICATOR FOR A U-SHAPED SUTURING CLIP WHOSE LEGS ARE SQUEEZED INWARDLY TO EFFECT ITS SUTURING FUNCTION, COMPRISING A HOLDER HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED ARMS ADAPTED TO ACCOMMODATE A SUTURING CLIP BETWEEN THEM AT A FIRST END OF SAID APPLICTOR, A MEMBER CONNECTING SAID ARMS TOGETHER AT A POSITION SPACED FROM SAID FIRST END, OPPOSED MEANS PRESENTED BY SAID ARMS ADJACENT SAID FIRST END OF THE APPLICATOR FOR ENGAGING THE OUTER LATERAL EDGES OF THE U-SHAPED CLIP AND LOCATED SO THAT THE LEGS OF THE CLIP IN ITS NORMAL POSITION IN THE APPLICATOR SPREADS THE ARMS THEREOF BEYOND A NORMAL POSITION OUTWARDLY FRICTIONALLY TO HOLD SAID CLIP IN ITS POSITION IN THE HOLDER WITH THE REAR EDGE OF THE CLIP UNSUPPORTED, AND MEANS ALSO PRESENTED BY SAID ARMS TO ARREST THEIR MOVEMENT TOWARD EACH OTHER IN A POSITION INWARDLY OF SAID NORMAL POSITION; SAID ARMS BEING MOVABLE TOWARD EACH OTHER TO EFFECT THE APPLICATION OF SAID CLIP, AND MOVABLE AWAY FROM EACH OTHER TO NORMAL POSITION UNDER THE RESILIENCY OF THE MATERIAL OF THE HOLDER, TO RELEASE SAID CLIP WHEREBY TO PERMIT REMOVAL OF THE HOLDER FROM THE CLIP IN ITS APPLIED POSITION AND DISCARDING OF THE HOLDER.