AU627921B2 - Improvements in and/or relating to a tag - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1952 Form COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

(ORIGINAL)

FOR OFFICE USE 6272 '1 Short Title: Int. Cl: Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification-Lodged: Accepted: Lapsed: Published:

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be Priority: Related Art: TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: NORTON OPAX NEW ZEALAND

LIMITED

Address of Applicant: 66 PHARAZYN STREET, LOWER HUTT, NEW ZEALAND 4* IC C Actual Inventor: Address for Service: GRIFFITH HACK CO., 601 St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, Victoria 3004, Australia.

Complete Specification for the invention entitled: IMPROVEMENTS IN AND/OR RELATING TO A TAG.

The following statement is a full description of this invention includinlg the best method of performing it known to me:- 2 This invention relates to a tag (preferably an animal carcass tag).

There is a need for a simple animal carcass tag that can hang freely from a carcass and be held clear of the carcass packaging material, for example, cling film wrap and/or muslin without the use of additional or complicated attachment means such as string.

In a first aspect the present invention consists in a tag formed from a laminar material to define a first region on which indicia can be or is printed and a second region cut or perforated to break open along two main lines, one line to provide an arcuate opening not extending to an edge of the I laminar material, the ends of such line being closer to the first portion

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than the remainder of that line, and the other line extending to an edge of Sf said second region adjacent to said first region from a position in a zone between the ends of said arcuate first line and said first line, the arrangement being that said first region can completely be passed through said arcuate opening.

Throughout this specification the term "arcuate" may be defined as being either of a curved arch shape or of a rectangular shape from which A"O one edge is missing.

Preferably said regions are each square or rectangular.

Preferably said first region is thermally printed or printable.

Preferably said tag is folded so that said regions lap one another.

sif -3- Preferably said lapping regions are substantially coextensive.

In a second aspect the invention consists in a continuous webb of such tags (folded so that the regions lap or not) so that individual tags can be taken from an end of the webb by either cutting (preferred) or the breaking of a perforation.

Preferably said webb of tags is folded longitudinally.

In a third aspect the invention consists in a method of tagging an article which comprises fixing a tag in accordance with the present invention thereto by the passage of a portion of the second region through ian opening of the article and subsequent insertion of said first region through the arcuate opening and pulling tf the first region so that the first region is held clear of the article by said second region.

Preferably said article being labelled is a carcass of the animal and the opening is an opening through the shank of the animal.

In a further aspect the present invention consists in an abattoir or meat works with the operative use of the tags in accordance with the S present invention.

0 In a further aspect the present invention consists in a tagging station, comprising a printing and cutting station, a tagging zone, means to cause the printing of the first region of the webb of tags in accordance with the present invention, means to cause the cutting o' such a printed i tag from the webb thus allowing the operator to operatively tag an animal preferably by engagement with the shank of the animal.

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a I r i I i -4- Preferably said printing means is a therm-, printer.

Preferably said cutting means is a guillotine.

The preferred form of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view of the unfolded webb of tags when viewed from above, Figure 2 is a view of the folded webb of tags when viewed from above the second, cut region of the tags, rgi Figure 3 is a view of the folded webb from above the printable first region, Figure 4 shows an individual tag when viewed from above the printed 0 S. S

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side, Figure 5 shows an individual tag viewed from above the unprinted side, Figure 6 shows an individual tag attached to an animal carcass, and Figure 7 is a sheet of an "eight label show" of the tags.

In the preferred form of the present invention the tags would be made from a laminar, tough paper material, such that the outer, printed layer is substantially impermeable to moisture. Such paper (laminated or not) could v I i 0 so

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S C *0 5 be coated or impregnated with a material such as a plastics material. If not paper it can be formed of a plastics material.

Preferably the material is thermably printable.

The continuous webb of unprinted tags 1 is preferably folded in half (across the perforations 2) and passed through a thermal printer which prints the uncut regions 3 of the tags. The webb has marks 4 between the individual tags to indicate where the tags are to be severed.

After printing, the individual tags 5 are separated preferably by cutting for example with a guillotine, and are then ready for tagging the animal. The interruption(s) 6 (preferably more than one) of the arcuate cuts of the tags have the effect of preventing movement of the second regions of the tags while printing is occurring and/or otherwise facilitating tag/webb handling.

The operator after printing passes the flap portion 7 (formed by the cut 12) of the second region 8 through an opening in the shank of an animal. The first region 9 is then bent towards the second region and inserted through the side 10 of the opening 11. This has the effect of the first printed region of the tag being held clear of the animal, enabling the carcass to be wrapped without obstruction from the printed region of the tag, as is shown in Figure 6.

In the preferred form of the invention (see Figure 7) copies of the tag would be produced from a rotary die manufacturer perforated at to provide an "eight show" or "eight to view" of the tags. This means they will be concertinaed in "pages" of eight prospective tags.

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j~T, 6 In the preferred form the feed stock preferably used is described as follows: 00* 0*00 0* either, Thermal Laminated Tyvek Type 1056D supplied by The Paper House, or, Thermal coated Tyvek Type 1073D supplied by The Paper House.

Please note that Tyvek is a spun bonded Polyester material and we have found through repeated trials that this material currently represents the m" suitable option.

The thermal printer system used at the Meat Works is a Zebra 130, manufactured by Zebra Technologies Corporation. A variety of printers (dot matrix, laser etc) which are entirely capable of processing a similar non thermal Tag could instead be used.

Figure 7 tags could preferably be folded as with the Figure 2 and 3 embodiment. The Figure 7 embodiment preferably has: 1) The small wedge shaped indentations 14 shown on the sides of the tags cut much deeper into the material than in earlier embodiments of the Figures.

2) Two very small "ties" 6 are left in the arcuate region on each tag. This is to prevent the possibility of the arcuate region riding free of the tag and fouling the printer mechanism on output at the meat works.

The angle O( is preferably about 250.

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Claims (8)

1. 7. A cant claims adapted s by either cuttini 1. A tag formed from a laminar material to define a first region on which indicia can be or is printed and a second region cut or perforated to break open along two -nain lines, one line to provide an arcuate (as hereinbefore definded) opening not extending to an edge of the laminar material, the ends of such line being closer to the first portion than the remainder of that line, and the other line extending to an edge of said second region adjacent to said first region from a position in a zone between the ends of said arcuate first line and said first line, the arrangement being that said first region can completely be passed through said arcuate opening.
2. 8. 5 is folded A cont. longiti A webb with r
3. 9. described C me t6,~ a 9* 4 C* 2. A tag as claimed in claim 1 wherein said regions are each square or rectangular. C CO C S. 3. A tag as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein said first region is thermally printed or printable. 4 A tag as claimed in any one of claim 1 to 3 when said tag is folded so that said regions lap one another. 5. A tag as claimed in claim 4 wherein said lapping regions are substantially coextensive. 10 'r U. a C S C .me. (C a.~ *04 S
4. 10. A meth( claimed in any ox the second regiuL insertion of saic the first region said second regic
5. 11. A methc carcass of the ar the animal.
6. 12. An abat one of claims 1 t 6. A tag as claimed in any one of claims I to 5 substantially as* hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the accompanying drawings.
7. 13. A taggi 25 tagging zone, mea tags as claimed i such a printed ta tag an animal pre -8 7. A continuous webb of tags as claims adapted so that individual tags by either cutting or the breaking of a 8. A continuous webb as claimed is folded longitudinally. 9. A webb as claimed in claim 7 described with reference to any one of claimed in any one of the preceding can be taken from an end of the webb perforation. in claim 7 wherein said webb of tags or 8 substantially as hereinbefore the accompanying drawings. S S S S 4 Sr SI S 10. A method of tagging an article which comprises fixing a tag as claimed in any one of claim 1 to 6 thereto by the passage of a portion of the second region through an opening of the article and subsequent insertion of said first region through Lae arcuate opening and pulling of the first region so that the first region is held clear of the article by said second region. 11. A method of claim 10 wherein said article being labelled is a carcass of the animal and the opening is an opening through the shank of the animal. 'w 12. An abattoir or meat works operative using tags as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7 in a method as claimed in claim 10 or 11. r 13. A tagging station, comprising a printing and cutting station, a tagging zone, means to cause the printing of the first region of a webb of tags as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 9, means to cause the cutting of such a printed tag from the webb thus allowing the operator to operatively tag an animal preferably by engagement with the shank of the animal. Y I I I~- 9
8. 14. A station as claimed in claim 13 wherein said printing means is a thermal printer. A station of claim 13 or 14 wherein said cutting means is a guillotine. so 4r 6 lJoe B -S. DATED THIS 17TH DAY OF AUGUST 1990 NORTON OPAX NEW ZEALAND LIMITED By its Patent Attorneys: GRIFFITH HACK CO. Fellows Institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia a 0*S 0S a. ;;6 L