Patent ID: 8641682

Claim:
An applicator comprising: an inlet for receiving a fluid to be dispensed; an outlet for dispensing the fluid to be dispensed; flow control means for controlling flow from the inlet to the outlet, the flow control means including a first member and a second member, the arrangement being such that relative movement of the first member towards the second member causes fluid to flow from the outlet; a hinged linkage having a first end rotatably engaged with the first member, a second end rotatably engaged with the second member, and a hinge intermediate the first and second ends, the linkage being moveable between a collapsed position wherein the hinge is on a first side of an imaginary axis extending between the first and second ends, and an over-centre locked position wherein the hinge is on an opposite side of the imaginary axis between the first and second ends and the hinged linkage prevents relative movement of the first member towards the second member; and linkage unlocking means operable to move the hinge from the over-centre locked position to the first side of the imaginary axis between said first and second ends, so that the hinged linkage can be moved to the collapsed position as the first and second members are moved together.