AU2005227397B2

AU2005227397B2 - Animal Identification Tags

Info

Publication number: AU2005227397B2
Application number: AU2005227397A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Brian Eadie
Original assignee: Allflex Europe UK Ltd
Current assignee: Allflex Europe UK Ltd
Priority date: 2000-09-22
Filing date: 2005-10-28
Publication date: 2008-11-13
Anticipated expiration: 2021-09-21
Also published as: AU2005227397A1

Description

P/00/011 28/5/91 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor Address for service is: Brian Eadie Brian Eadie WRAY ASSOCIATES Level 4, The Quadrant 1 William Street Perth, WA 6000 Attorney code: WR Invention Title: Animal Identification Tags The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- 1 /1 n 2/1

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00 c, ANIMAL IDENTIFICATION TAGS 1 The present invention relates to identification tags 2 for use on animals.

3 4 The use of tags on animals for identification purposes has been known for many years. It is also 6 known that the best manner of applying such tags so 7 that they cannot fall off or else be removed by the 8 animal is by fixing them directly to the animal.

9 The part of many animals that is most suited for such attachment is the ear, as the flesh of the ear 11 is relatively thin and the animal feels little or no 12 pain when the tag is attached.

13 14 Tag applicators that apply individual tags are known. In addition, there exist tag applicators 16 that receive a number of tags at a time for 17 application. However, such multiple tag applicators 18 have a number of drawbacks. Firstly, the individual tfn 2 c- 1 tags are commonly loaded within a spring-biased O 2 delivery system so that they may be pushed into the C 3 jaws of the applicator one after another. The tags 00 C- 4 are usually provided moulded in packs of five or ten, and in order to be loaded into the applicator 6 they must first be separated and then loaded 7 individually. However, the delivery of the C- 8 individual tags into the applicator jaws can be In 9 disrupted, as the force of the biasing spring can C- 10 force tags to eject from the delivery mechanism or 11 else get jammed before successfully entering the 12 applicator jaws. A further disadvantage of the 13 spring-loaded system is that the replacement of tag 14 magazines can be time consuming.

16 Known tag applicators have also been unable to 17 provide sufficient force in the jaw mechanism for 18 conventional tags to pierce an animal's ear quickly 19 and cleanly. The operators of such applicators have had to struggle to apply the tag whilst also holding 21 on to the animal.

22 23 Therefore, it is an aim of the present invention to 24 address one or more of the aforementioned problems.

26 According to a first aspect of the present 27 invention, there is provided an identification tag 28 for application to an animal, the tag comprising: 29 a first body portion having a piercing means thereon; In 1 a second body portion integrally formed with o 2 the first body portion and adapted to receive the O 3 piercing means of the first body portion; 00 S4 wherein the tag is formed such that, prior to application to an animal, the first and second body 6 portions define an angle between one another of over 7 90 degrees but less than 170 degrees.

8 9 Preferably, prior to application to an animal, the 1 0 first and second body portions define an angle 11 between one another of between 120 and 150 degrees.

12 13 Preferably, the tag further comprises a laterally 14 extending groove between the first and second body portions.

16 17 Preferably, the tag further comprises an aperture 18 adapted to facilitate loading of the tag into a tag 19 applicator apparatus.

21 According to a second aspect of the present 22 invention, there is provided set of identification 23 tags for application to an animal according to the 24 first aspect, wherein each of the tags are interconnected by a spine member.

26 27 A preferred embodiment of the present invention will 28 now be described, by way of example only, with 29 reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 31 Figure 1 shows an end elevation view of an 32 animal tag applicator; 1 2 Figure 2 shows a side elevation of the 3 applicator of Figure 1; 4 Figures show side elevation views of 6 the applicator of Figures 1 and 2 in during one 7 operation cycle; 8 9 Figure 4 is a detail view of a tag delivery mechanism which forms part of the present invention; 11 12 Figure 5 shows a plan view of a tag cartridge; 13 and 14 Figure 6 shows a side elevation of a tag from 16 the tag cartridge of Figure 17 18 Figures 1-4 show an animal tag applicator which does 19 not form part of the present invention. However, description of the applicator is included here to 21 illustrate the animal identification tags of Figures 22 5 and 6 when in use.

23 24 The applicator comprises a body 1 and an operating means comprising a lever 2 that is attached to the 26 body 1 by a pivot pin 22. The lever 2 and body 1 27 are also attached together by a volute spring 7 that 28 biases the lever 2 away from the body 1. The 29 opposite end of the lever 2 from the pivot pin 22 has attached thereto a push rod 3 and an actuation 31 member 4. The push rod 3 is connected to the lever 32 2 by a sprung hinge 21 which extends through the u c- 1 push rod 3 and lever 2 and allows the push rod 3 to 2 pivot with respect to the lever 2. The push rod 3 3 has lobe portions 23 on either side thereof.

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c-I4 The applicator also includes tag application means 6 comprising a hammer member 5 that is hinged to the 7 body 1 about a hinge pin 9 and torsion spring C- 8 The hammer member 5 acts as the upper jaw of the In 9 application means, with a portion of the body 1 C- 10 acting as the fixed lower jaw. The hammer 5 is 11 provided with a cam surface 24 on the rear of the 12 hammer 5 that is engaged by the tip 3a of the push 13 rod 3. For reasons which will be explained below, 14 the cam surface 24 is shaped so that the hammer has an initial velocity which is quicker than its 16 final velocity. The torsion spring 20 ensures that 17 the hammer 5 returns to its open position once the 18 rod 3 reaches the end of the cam surface 24.

19 The hammer 5 is provided with a slot (not shown) 21 which extends around the cam surface 24 and upper 22 surface 5a of the hammer 5 between a pair of 23 channels 25,26. The slot is sufficiently wide to 24 accept the tip 3a of the push rod 3. However, the slot is not wide enough to permit the lobes 23 of 26 the push rod 3 to pass through. The slot therefore 27 guides the push rod tip 3a along the cam surface 24 28 and then along the upper surface 5a of the hammer 29 as the hammer 5 returns to its open position under the force of the torsion spring 20. Each end of the 31 slot connects with a channel 25,26 which is wide 32 enough to allow the lobes 23 of the push rod 3 to b 1 pass through. One channel 26 is provided on the o 2 stem of the hammer 5. The channels 25,26 permit the O 3 push rod 3 to return to its rest position through 00 C- 4 the hammer 5 as the hammer 5 returns to its open position.

6 7 The multiple tag delivery means of the applicator is 8 seen best in Figures 1 and 4. The applicator is 9 provided with a guide component 6 which is fixed to 1 0 the body 1 and has three principal portions: a base 11 portion 6a attached to the jaw portion of the body 1 12 and into which a magazine of moulded tags 8 is 13 loaded, a support portion 6b which supports the tags 14 8 once loaded, and a locating portion 6c which ensures that the tags 8 are loaded correctly. The 16 guide 6 is formed as one piece and is looped so that 17 the locating portion 6c corresponds to a groove 6d 18 in the base portion 6a. In this way, the tags 8 can 19 slide between the base portion 6a and the locating portion 6c but cannot fall out of the applicator.

21 22 The delivery of the tags 8 to the jaws of the 23 applicator is effected by a gear wheel mechanism, 24 generally designated 10. The mechanism 10 comprises a gear wheel 11 which is rotatably held on a spindle 26 12 between a pair of plate members 13,14 which are 27 fixed to the body of the applicator so that the gear 28 wheel 11 is substantially perpendicular to the body 29 1. The gear wheel 11 is positioned so that it is directly below the locating portion 6c of the tag 31 guide 6. Thus, when the gear wheel 11 rotates, the 32 teeth of the wheel 11 enter corresponding apertures v% S1 15 formed in or between each of the tags 8 lying in o 2 the guide 6, thus pushing the tags 8 towards the O 3 jaws of the applicator. A ratchet member 17 is 00 C- 4 provided on the body 1 to ensure that the gear wheel 11 may only push the tags 8 towards the jaws of the 6 applicator.

7 c, 8 The operation of the delivery means can be seen best In 9 in Figure 4, in which, for the purposes of clarity, C- 10 the plate members 13,14 are not shown. In addition, 11 it should be noted that any references herein to 12 clockwise and anti-clockwise rotation are in respect 13 of the view shown in Figure 4.

14 Positioned between the first plate 13 and the gear 16 wheel 11 is an elliptical plate 16 which is 17 rotatably held on the same spindle 12 that holds the 18 gear wheel 11. At one end of the plate 16 is 19 provided a notch 18 whilst at the other end of the plate is a further ratchet member 19. The body 1 21 has a substantially vertical bore in which is 22 located a pin member 27 which is biased by a spring 23 28. The pin 27 has a lobe 29 which is located in 24 the notch 18 of the plate 16. As the pin 27 can slide up and down within the bore, the lobe 29 acts 26 upon the notch 18, thereby causing rotation of the 27 plate 16 about the spindle 12. As the pin 27 rises, 28 the plate 16 is caused to rotate anti-clockwise. As 29 the plate 16 rotates anti-clockwise, the ratchet member 19 moves anti-clockwise over one or more 31 teeth of the gear wheel 11. When the pin 27 has 32 risen to its maximum travel and begins to return 8 c 1 down the bore, the downward motion of the lobe 29 O 2 will act on the notch 18 and the plate 16 will 3 rotate clockwise. As the plate 16 rotates 00 C 4 clockwise, the ratchet member 19 will rotate and act upon a tooth of the gear wheel 11, pushing the tooth 6 clockwise and thereby rotating the gear wheel 11 and 7 pushing the tags 8 towards the jaws of the C 8 applicator.

In 9 1 0 Animal identification tags 8 to be used in the 11 applicator are shown in Figures 5 and 6. The tags 8 12 are made of moulded plastic and are moulded together 13 in sets as shown in Figure 5. The set of tags are 14 moulded together with a spine 40 so that the tags 8 are secured together until they are to be separated 16 one after another upon entering the jaws of the 17 applicator. In the centre of each tag 8 is an 18 aperture 15 which permits the teeth of the gear 19 wheel 11 to move the tags 8 as previously described.

Alternatively, apertures to be engaged by the teeth 21 of the gear wheel could be formed between adjacent 22 tags. In addition, each set of tags may have a 23 "dummy tag" portion 30 so that the gear wheel 11 can 24 load the tags 8 correctly. If the dummy tag 30 was not provided, the teeth of the gear wheel 11 would 26 not be able to push the tags 8 into the applicator.

27 As an option, the tags 8 may also be provided with a 28 tab 31 which could, for example, be printed with 29 instructions on how to use the tags.

31 The preferred shape of the tags 8 is shown in Figure 32 6. As can be seen, each tag 8 is provided with a 9 S1 sharp point 32 at one end and a corresponding S2 aperture 33 at the other end. The tag 8 also has a C 3 groove 34 extending laterally across the centre 00 C 4 portion of the tag 8. This groove 34 corresponds with the groove 6d in the base portion 6a of the 6 guide 6. The locating portion 6c of the guide abuts 7 the groove 34 of the tag 8 thus holding the tag 8 in C- 8 the correct position in the groove 6d of the base In 9 portion 6a of the guide. The tag 8 in this C- 10 particular embodiment is also bent across a crease 11 line adjacent the centre thereof so that the portion 12 of the tag 8 containing the point 32 is at 13 approximately 45 degrees to the horizontal. This 14 shaping of the tag 8 prior to use reduces the amount of force required to fit the tag 8 to an animal.

16 The apertures to be engaged by the teeth of the gear 17 wheel are preferably formed at or adjacent to the 18 crease line, but could be formed elsewhere along the 19 lengths of the tags.

21 The operation of the applicator will now be 22 described, in particular with reference to Figures 23 as these figures show the various stages 24 of the application process. Figure 3(a) shows the applicator prior to being operated. At this stage, 26 the tags 8 have been loaded, the dummy tag 30 has 27 been removed by the applicator and the first tag is 28 located in the applicator jaws. As the operator 29 closes the lever 2 in the direction of the body i, the push rod 3 rises and acts against the cam 31 surface 24 of the hammer 5. As the rod 3 acts on 32 the cam surface 24, the hammer 5 is rotated about <iU 1 its pivot pin 9, thus folding the tag 8 forward in 2 the applicator jaws until the point 32 pierces the O 3 ear of the animal and locks home in the

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4 corresponding aperture 33. The cam surface 24 creates a large initial force for the hammer 5 so 6 that the tag point 32 can pierce the animal's ear 7 quickly. Once the tag 8 has pierced the ear, the 8 point 32 of the tag 8 passes through the aperture 33 V9 of the tag 8 and locks in place. At the instant that the hammer 5 completes the folding of the tag 11 8, a cutting blade 35 attached to a surface of the 12 hammer 5 cuts the tag 8 away from the remaining tags 13 across the spine 40. In this way, the tag 8 remains 14 secured to the other tags in the magazine until the moment it is applied. The tag 8 is now attached to 16 the animal and the animal can be released. Figure 17 3(b) shows the position of the hammer 5 and push rod 18 3 at this point.

19 At the moment that the hammer 5 closes the tag and 21 attaches the tag 8 to the animal, the push rod 3 has 22 reached the end of the cam surface 24. As the rod 3 23 reaches the end of the cam surface 24, the hammer 24 springs back to its open position under the action of the torsion spring 20. As the hammer 5 springs 26 back, the tip 3a of the push rod 3 follows the slot 27 in the upper surface 5a of the hammer 5. As the 28 slot is of sufficient width to allow the rod 3 to 29 pass through, but not the lobes 23 of the rod 3, the tip 3a of the rod 3 follows the slot along the upper 31 surface 5a as the hammer 5 returns to its open 32 position. When the hammer 5 has returned to its ~n 11 1 open position, the tip of the push rod 3 has reached o 2 the channel 25 in the hammer 5. As the channel 3 is of sufficient width to allow the lobes 23 of the 00 C- 4 push rod 3 to pass through, the rod 3 can now pass through the slot in the upper surface 5a, as can be 6 seen in Figure 3(c).

7 C- 8 As the lever 2 is pressed towards the body 1 and the In 9 rod 3 acts on the hammer 5, the actuation member 4 C- 10 on the lever 2 comes into contact with the pin 11 member 27, as seen in Figure 4. As previously 12 described, the resultant upward movement of the pin 13 27 causes the elliptical plate 16 to rotate in the 14 anti-clockwise direction. This rotation in turn causes the ratchet member 19 to move anti-clockwise 16 relative to the stationary gear wheel 11. As the 17 lever 2 is returned to its initial position under 18 the action of the volute spring 7, the striking 19 member 4 moves away from the pin 27, and the pin falls under the action of the spring 28, rotating 21 the elliptical plate clockwise back to its initial 22 position. During this clockwise rotation, the 23 ratchet member 19 acts upon a tooth of the gear 24 wheel 11, thereby rotating the gear wheel clockwise.

During this clockwise rotation, the tooth of the 26 gear wheel 11 nearest the tags 8 enters a 27 corresponding aperture 15 in the magazine and pushes 28 the magazine towards the applicator jaws, thus 29 pushing the next tag into the jaws.

31 As the lever 2 is released and returns to its 32 initial position, it pulls the attached push rod 3 n 12 c-i 1 with it. The rod 3 is permitted to pass back O 2 through the hammer 5 to its initial position by way 0 3 of the channel 26 which allows the tip 3a of the rod 00 C- 4 3 to pass through. The resultant position is shown in Figure Once the components of the 6 applicator are back in their initial positions, a 7 new tag has been pushed into the jaws of the C- 8 applicator, and the operation cycle can start again.

In 9 C- 10 The above description is merely intended to describe 11 one preferred embodiment of the present invention, 12 and it is to be understood that variations may be 13 made to the present invention. For example, a more 14 simplified version of the embodiment described above may be used in which there is no gear wheel feeder 16 mechanism. Instead, the operator would simply push 17 the tag magazine towards the applicator after each 18 tag application, thereby manually loading the next 19 tag into the applicator jaws. The applicator would have a spring-loaded, tapered pin which would spring 21 into the apertures 15 of the magazine each time the 22 magazine is pushed to insert the next tag into the 23 jaws, thus holding the magazine tags in place.

24 Furthermore, the applicator may be manufactured from a variety of materials in order to reduce weight.

26 For example, components such as the tag guide 6 and 27 gear wheel 11 could be made from a hard-wearing 28 plastics material instead of metal. In addition, 29 the applicator tags used are not restricted to the specific embodiment described herein, as the 31 applicator is also compatible with existing tags.

32 Furthermore, it is to be understood that the -13- 0 Sapplicator is not intended to be used only on animals having ears, as it may also o be used to secure tags which do not pierce the skin of the animal. An example of 00 this would be the securing of tags to the legs of birds.

One of the main advantages of the identification tags described herein is that a magazine of tags may be loaded into the applicator so that the applicator can apply a number of tags without the operator having to load tags individually.

N Furthermore, with the two portions of the tag being pre-formed at an angle to one Sanother, less, power is required to apply the tag to an animal. This is further Shelped by the provision of the central groove.

These and other modifications and improvements can be incorporated without departing from the scope of the invention.

Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers

Claims

6. An identification tag for application to an animal as substantially herein described with reference to the drawings.
7. A set of identification tags for application to an animal as substantially herein described with reference to the drawings. Dated this 28 th day of October 2005 Brian Edie Applicant Wray Associates Perth, Western Australia Patent Attorneys for the Applicant(s)