AU623709B2 - Implant gun - Google Patents

Description

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,A

This invention relates to an implan" gun and particularly to a gun which is adapted to implant pellets beneath the skin or into the muscle of an animal.

There are available pellets which can induce oestrus in animals, as it is desirable that a herd of animals can all be impregnated at the same time and these pellets can satisfactorily be introduced into the muscle of the animal through a hollow needle.

There have been proposed implant guns which permit this introduction but these have generally been unsatisfactory for one of a number of reasons.

It will be appreciated that if a large number of animals are to be implanted at the one time it is desirable that the pellets be available for quick osequential implanting and it is also desirable that the gun ensures that the aooo pellet stays implanted, once the implantation is completed.

o a Previously proposed guns have been unsatisfactory in that either they are o o 00 "single shot" or if they are "multiple shot" there have generally been problems with indexing and in some cases it has not been clear whether a pellet has been implanted.

S° This is most disadvantageous as the cost of pellets is relatively high but, on 0 04 the other hand, to ensure a high fertilization rate of a particular flock it is S°a necessary to be certain that a pellet has in fact been implanted.

6 0 The object of the invention is to provide an implant gun which is effectively automatic and which overcomes or minimizes the problems previously met.

The invention includes an implant gun of the type in which a magazine in the form of a belt carrying a number of containers, each of which has at -2- Englund/l 6/Dec89 _1 I- i------yarrrimu;iL~uu~ rmruur~--rursi;v~ least one pellet therein, is used and which comprises an implanting rod effectively coaxial with a hollow needle which is adapted to pass through one of the containers to cause the pellet therein to be moved into the needle and to be discharged therefrom characterised in that the indexing of the belt is achieved by the implanting rod, after the pellet has been implanted, moving the belt forward by an amount sufficient to place the next container into alignment with the needle.

Preferably I provide a second rod which is moveable into an empty container after indexing has been achieved to hold the belt until the implanting rod enters the container in alignment with the it needle.

Whilst earlier in this specification I mentioned that pellets can ,"jI be implanted to control oestrus in animals there are other areas I' 4 where slow release chemicals, that could also be implanted as pellets, are required, in this description I shall not further refer to the particular type of pellet for which the gun is used,.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood I shall describe one particular form of implant gun made in accordance with the invention in relation to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a side view of the mechanism of the implant gun with the gun in its rest position.

S- 51/SPEC/ENGLUND.CLS/3 March 1992 Ff 7/1 Figure 2 Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1 after inj ection is a view similar o that of Fig. 1 at the completion of indexation.

The implant gun of the invention m-iay be made of any specific material or combination of materials and the casing may preferably be made largely of synthetic plastics materials or die cast material, with the opera~tive 4, 4 I 44 4 4 I I 444 I 44., 4,44 a. a 44 o 44 4 4 44 '4 44 4* 4 4 4 4,4' o 4 4 4 .44.

444) 4444 4 4 4 4 Q4~4 WP51/SPEC/ENGLUND.CLS/3 March 1992 0o 0 00 0 0 09 0000 o o4 00 000 o 0o o «6 9 0 0 0 X 00 9 000 4 t 0494 00 0 :Q 0 0 06 00o 0j 0 0 00o°4o 0 0 j oo o o 0 0 00 0 0 0 Q a ftO components being either of metals or similar plastics material,.

The gun can have a body 10 which may have a handle 11 extending downwardly therefrom and the handle and body may comprise a pair of mirror image plates which are spaced by spacers or a pair of members one member which has a peripheral skirt and a second member which has a shape equivalent to the shape of the said one member which can overlay the peripheral skirt and be attached thereto.

The specific form is not of importance to the invention.

At its forward end the body has a delivery block 12 which may have a passage 13 therethrough which can receive a belt 70 of pellet capsules and this belt may be in the form of a continuous belt having spaced cylindrical extensions therefrom, the implant pellets being located one in each such cylindrical extension. Whilst normally only a single pellet will be implanted at any particular time it is possible to locate more than one.

The belt may be of approximately the same width as the diameter of the cylindrical members or could be wider than this so as to act as a guide.

On its outer surface the delivery block may have an outwardly extending outwardly threaded spigot 14 having a central passage 15 therethrough which passage also passes through the remainder of the delivery block. The passage may be tapered as will be described hereinafter.

The spigot is eipe-:ned to receive a hollow needle 16 having an internal diameter sufficiently great to receive a pellet which needle has a sharpened end 17 and is adapted to be passed beneath the skin or into the muscle of the animal -4- Englund/16/Dec89 The body has a guide for a slider block 20 which guide is effectively parallel to the axis of the aperture through the delivery block so that the slider block 20 associated therewith moves effectively coaxial relative to the aperture through the delivery block and specifically to a needle 16 associated therewith.

Connected to the forward end of the slider block there is a rod 21 which is adapted to be reciprocated with the slider block 20 from a position behind the passage through which the belt can pass to a position where the rod is effectively at the open outer end of the needle.

Thus if the slider block is moved from its "retracted" position, as shown in Fig. 1, to its "extended" position shown in F.g. 3, the rod will pass through o0 0 0 o an indexed cylinder 71 of the belt, the pellet will he moved forwardly «ooo 0 0

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6 2 through the tapered aperture 15 in the delivery bloc" 13 into the bore of o° the needle 16, down the length of the needle and be delivered from the *l <outer end thereof.

If the rod 21 is then left in this position whilst the needle is removed from the animal then there is little likelihood that the pellet will be forced back into the needle and removed from the animal in the needle, or simply to 00 fall from the perforation made by the needle.

0o o 0 00 0 The rod serves a secondary purpose that is when it is partially withdrawn and having cleared the inner end of the needle but is still located in the cylinder of the belt it is caused to partially rotate to cause the belt to be moved forward so that the next cylinder is brought into alignment with the aperture through the delivery block. This is shown in Fig. 3.

This can be achieved by providing the rod as being pivotally mounted at 22 Eng5-/Dec89 Eng lund!/ 16Dec89 II on the forward end of the slider block 20 ar-i a lever means 24 which acts downwardly on the outer end of the rod when the slider block 20 is being withdrawn.

This lever 24 may be substantially centrally mounted about a pivot 25 and have a forward end 26 which comprises a slot through which the rod 21 passes and a rearward end 27 which can rest against the top of the slider block A spring 29 is provided to keep this end 27 in contact with the slider block.

The slider block may have a member 30 which is effectively a rotatable cam mounted on a pivot 31 which is biased by spring 32 to normally extend o 0o upwardly from the slider block as shown in Fig. 1 but which can be rotated o 0o oo°° about the pivot 30 on contact with the end 27 of the lever 24 on forward movement of the block to be received below the surface of the block.

o0 o0 0Thus when the slider block is moved forward to cause the rod to deliver a o00o pellet then the cam member is depressed and thus tne lever 24 has no effect on the rod 21 as it moves outwardly.

0ro00 °o0 0 The spring 29 on the lever 24 must be stronger than the spring 32 on the o 00 0 00 cam to ensure no action by the lever on the rod.

00 0 6 When the rod is moved inwardly the rear surface 33 of the cam, which is profiled, strikes the inner arm 22 of the lever and causes the lever to 0 0 .044° partially rotate about pivot 25 as that arm rides up the cam surface. This rotation causes the rod 21 to rotate downwardly and, as the rod has cleared the needle but is engaged in one of the cylinders 71 of the belt, then it causes the belt to move downwardly.

-6- Englund/16/Dec89 00 8 o 0 0 00.8 0 0 0000 0( 0 00* The movement is such as to move the next cylinder of the belt into an indexed position where it is effectively coaxial with the needle.

When this position is achieved the belt is locked, as will be described further hereinafter, the slider block continues to move rearwardly until the lever drops off the camming surface and under the action of its bias spring moves back into contact with the top of the block 21 and this in turn causes the rod to be rotated upwardly so that it again reaches a position where it is effectively coaxial with the passage 15 through the delivery block 13 and the needle 16.

If, then, the slider block 20 is again moved forwardly the rod 21 passes through the next cylinder of the belt, the pellet is moved into the needle and implanted.

The arrangement is such that accurate indexing is achieved and as the belt is moved by the rod 21 engaging the cylinder from which a pellet has just been delivered, the movement is positive, as the cylinder is relatively strong and adjacent cylinders are accurately spaced along the belt.

It is desirable to hold the belt in the required indexed position when the rod 21 is being removed from the exhausted cylinder and returned to a position in alignment with a cylinder containing a pellet as it is preferable that accurate indexing be achieved and also to protect the belt 70 from being snagged, for example in a sheep's wool and pulled from the gun. In order to do this, I provide a second rod 40 which is moved when the indexing has been completed into an exhausted cylinder of the belt spaced from the cylinder in which the implanting rod 21 is located, and this may be the cylinder spaced two from the one in which the rod 21 is located.

-7- Englund/16/Dec89 0 o 00 1 00 0 0 0 0 0 a a i t F I This ensures that the indexed position is maintained whilst the rod 2 is disengaged from its exhausted cylinder and moved back into alignment with the next containing a pellet.

The second rod 40 can be maintained in its position whilst the implanting is effected but is withdrawn from engagement with the cylinder on the belt before the implanting rod 21 is to be rotated by the lever 24 and thus acts as no obstruction for the forward movement and indexing of the belt.

The actual arrangement of the second rod 40 may be to enter the empty cylinder after indexation is complete, that is when the first rod has moved to its extreme position, by the lever 24 and to remain in this postion until a full forward movement of the implant rod 21 causes it to enter the cylinder o« 0 containing the pellet.

The arrangement may be such that there can be one position in the movement, that is just before the slider block 20 reaches its rear most bo o °o position when neither of the rods are physically located in a cylinder.

The movement of the second rod 40 is effected by the provision of a al 0o camming plate or the like 57 which is connected by a pivot 58 to the body 0.d o0.o of the gun.

"o Located beneath the pivot 58 there can be a friction washer or the like 59 a which holds the plate 57 in whatever position it is located in.

Two pins 60 and 61 whic'n are adaptod to cooperate with the plate are located on the operating arm 52 of the operating mechanism.

The actual mechanism for causing movement of the rods can vary but may comprise a trigger member 50 mounted in a plvot 51 at an end adjacent the -8- Englund/16/Dec89

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body 10 and the operating arm 52 mounted on a pivot 53 to the body, being in connection at 54 with the slider block, at one end, and at 55 the trigger at the other.

The connections 54, 55 may be by way of slots anrd pins to permit variation in the effective length of the area 52 orientations to be achieved.

Simply the arrangement can be considered to be such that as the trigger is depressed so the slider block 20 is caused to move forwardly and when the trigger is released it will move rearwardly and during the rearward movement the lever 24 causes the rotation of the rod 21 and the indexing of the belt.

0, 1 The normal rest postion, as illustrated in Fig. 1 with the trigger in its outer most position can be achieved by the location of a spring 56 on the lever o arm which causes movement of the slider block which spring is also 0 o connected to the body.

*iL The movement of the second rod 40 is also controlled by movement of the trigger 50 and its associated operating arm 52.

o0 As mentioned the plate 57 is unbiased and is friction loaded so as to move 0 00 only when physically contacted by one or other of the pins 60 and 61.

0 o 0 o In the rest position, as illustrated in Fig. I the rod 44 is received in a a 0 cylinder 71 of the belt and the belt is prevented from movement.

As the handle 50 is depressed and the arm 52 rotates about pivot 53 the pin 61 moves forwardly so that at the end of the movement it strikes the extended arm of the plate, causes the plate to rotate in a clock wise direction, from the view of the figures, and the rod 40 is pivotally -9- Englund/16/Dec89 i -r LII- YP?~*I~U~IYIllill(YI~_IILI- 0 0 0 0 0 0000 00 000 0 4o 000 00oo00 0 0 00 0 0 04 0 00 00 0 o 0 00 0 o 0 00 o ot connected at 41 to the plate then is moved rearwardly and disengages the cylinder 71 on the belt.

When the trigger is being released there is initially no movement of the rod 41 and the indexing of the belt by the downward movement of the rod 21, as previously described, is effected, the arm 27 of the lever leaves the cam face 33 and the rod 21 returns effectively to the position shown in Fig. I although the rearward movement has not been completed.

As the rearward movement continues the pin 60 strikes the plate 57 and causes it to rotate in an anti clock wise direction which causes the rod to move forwardly and enter the exhausted cylinder 71 which is in alignment therewith.

The rod 40 then stays in this position until the operation is repeated.

This is important as at that stage the gun is normally moved from contact with the particular animal and, particularly if this is a sheep with reasonably heavy wool there can be a grabbing on the free end of the belt which has passed through the gun and the positive location of the rod prevents the belt being misplaced.

The arrangement is done in such a way that there is a position at which the rod 21 has returned to its rest position and the rod 40 has not yet entered the strip.

At this position the belt is free to move through the passage 13 and the position can be used to, say, remove a part finished belt from the gun.

We provide a stop means 37 which is adapted to be locatable behind the slider block 20 when the rods are in this position and as illustrated the stop Englund/16/Dec89 means 37 is connected to a plunger 35 which has a spring thereabout.

Thus When this position is required the plunger 35 is moved downwardly before the trigger is released to locate the stop member 37 behind the slide-r block and when the trigger is released the belt 70 will be free.

Imay not be necessary to use the plunger 35as a skilled operator can judge the position where this can occur.

By slight pressure on the trigger the slider block will move from contact with the stop member 37 and the plunger will return to its initial condition under the pressure of spring 36.

The actual mechanical movements to effect this are not critical to the 4 invention as such except that it is desirable that the trigger 50 be of such a size so that, when the gun is grasped by the user the handle I11 and trigger are comfortably gripped and the inward movement of the trigger is of an order as can be readily accomplished by a normal operator's hand.

I have described herein one particular form of gun which satisfies the 9 0 various aspects of the invention in that it is readily easy to use, the pellets 4 0 0 {J 00are correctly indexed for accurate delivery, the implant rod 21 remains 0 within the needle 16 until the trigger is released, preferably after the 000 needle has been -emoved from the animal and indexing and the maintenance of indexing uses the actual cyiinders which carry the pellets 4 0 4 and thus can be extremely accurate.

If required the belt comprising the magazine for pellets could be caused to move in a path along the top of the gun and downwvardly into the passage 13 through the delivery block 12 and this belt can he of any required length.

Englund/16/Dec89 L I If required the front of the delivery block can have an aperture or apertures passing therethrough so that a user can physically examine the position of the belt and ensure that it is in registration. Also, the provision of such an aperture enables an operator to check that the first full cylinder is located correctly, both when a new belt is being loaded or a part used belt is replaced in the gun.

Associated with, or even as part of the delivery block there may be a member located behind the belt, when positioned, which member can have a slot to receive the implantation rod 21 and to guide it in the vertical plane and an aperture to retain the other rod 40 to act as a journal therefor.

0000 0 ,,,Also, if required, part of the body may be provided with an opening S tl whereby spare needles can be carried so that should a needle be blunted or broken during operation of the device then a replacement needle can be quickly fitted.

0400 0 0 0 00 0 0 0t t t -12- Englund/16/Dec89

A

Claims (12)

1. The invention includes an implant gun of the type in which a magazine in the form of a belt carrying a number of containers, each of which comprises an implanting rod effectively coaxial with a hollow needle which is adapted to pass through one of the containers to cause the pellet therein to be moved into the needle and to be discharged therefror characterised in that the indexing of the belt is achieved by the implanting rod, after the pellet has been implanted, moving the belt forward by an amount sufficient S.to the place container into alignment with the needle.

2. An implant gun as claimed in Claim 1 wherein there us a second restraining rod having its axial substantially parallel with that of the delivery rod and spaced therefrom by a distance equal to an integral number of the spacings between the adjacent containers in the belt, the second rod being ih~ved forward after indexation of the belt to engage a depleted container and to remain in that position until the implanting rod enters the next container presented to it and withdraws therefrom before further indexation is effected.

3. An implant gun as claimed in either Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the implantation rod is affixed to the end of a slider block directed towards the needle which is connected to a handle which can cause forward and rearward movement /P Lthereof. WP51/SPEC/ENGLUN.O.CLS/3 March 1992 I^ IjA.y

4. An implant gun as claimed in claim 3 wherein the connection of the implantation rod to the slider block is such as to permit relative rotational movement between the implantation rod and the slider block and wherein means are provided to cause such rotation after the rod has left the needle but is still retained in the depleted container to thereby feed the belt.

An implant gun as claimed in claim 4 wherein there is a member overlying the implantation rod adjacent the outer end of the gun which member is pivotally mounted to the gun body and which has an end in contact with the slider block, the arrangement being that on forward movement of the slider block the member' is not moved but when the slider block is moving rearwardly, the member is caused to move and to cause the rotation of the implantation rod.

6. An implant gun as claimed in claim 5 wherein the slider block has a cam member in its upper surface which member can be depressed by the end of the overlying member on forward movement of the slider S block but over which the end of the overlying member passes on rearward movement to cause parlial rotation thereof. 0 00

7. An implant gun as claimed in any preceding claim having a second rod spaced from the implantation rod and substantially parallel thereto when the implantation rod is within the needle which second rod can be moved into a depleted container different from that within which the implantation rod is located after rotation whereby the container and the associated belt is retained in the required -14- Englund/16/Dec89 Ei *WP51/SPEC/ENGLUND.CLS/3 March 1992 position and there retained until the implantation rod passes through a filled container and enters the needle.

8. An implant gun as claimed in claim 7 wherein at a point of the rearward movement of the implantation rod, the second rod has not entered the depleted container so that the belt can be inserted or removed.

9. An implant gun as claimed in either claim 7 or claim 8 wherein the second rod moves rearwardly from its location in the depleted container as the implantation rod moves forwardly and moves forwardly as the implantation rod moves rearwardly after having effected the indexing of the belt. An implant gun as claimed in any preceding claim having a pivotally mounted trigger which is normally biased to retain the implantation rod in its rearmost position and which can be rotated against its bias to cause forward movement of the implantation rod and the implantation to be effected.

I

11. An implant gun as claimed in claim 10 when appended to any one of claims 7 to 9 wherein the movement of the second rod is controlled by the same trigger. Englund/ 16/Dec89

12. An implant gun substantially as hereinbefore described with r'pference to the attached drawings. DATED this 6th day of December 1989 MARGARET ANNE ENGLUND By Her Patent Attorneys A. TATLOCK ASSOCIATES e 4 4 1 C, 0 0 t I -16- Englund/16/Dec89