GB2023510A - Tag Applicator - Google Patents

Abstract

A device (Fig. 1) for applying a tag (Fig. 2) to an ear of an animal comprising a frame 12 having a member 16 which has prongs 19 to engage the tag and is slidably mounted on the frame 12 for projection forwardly to force the tag through said ear, and lever means 36 actuable to project said member 16 forwardly. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Tag Applicator The present invention relates to devices for applying tags, for example to the ears of animals, to enable the animals to be easily identified.

One known type of device comprises a blade having a sharpened end of substantially V-shape and being mounted in a holder of plastics or other suitable material. The blade has a forwardly inclined spigot which engages in a co-operating hole in a tag and, as the blade pierces and is pushed through an ear of an animal by hand carries the tag with it. Because of the forward inclination of the spigot withdrawal of the blade from the ear disengages the spigot from the tag leaving the latter in the ear.

A disadvantage of the known device is the potential danger to user and the insercurity of the tag on the device. Because the shape and inclination of the spigot requires the latter to be disengaged easily from the tag when the blade is withdrawn the spigot does not provide a secure mounting of the tag on the blade and the somewhat dangerous "naked" blade form is not popular with users.

The present invention seeks to overcome this disadvantage.

Accordingly the present invention provides a device for applying a tag to an ear of an animal comprising a frame having a first member which is adapted to engage the tag and is slidably mounted on the frame for projection forwardly to force the tag through said sear, and trigger means actuable to project said first member forwardly.

The present invention is further described hereinafter, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section of one embodiment of a device according to the present invention; and Figure 2 is a perspective view of the male portion of a two-piece tag for use with the device of Figure 1.

The device 10 of Figure 1 has a metal or plastic frame which comprises a body portion 12 and an upstanding elongate projection 14 between which an ear (not shown in the drawings) of an animal to be tagged is placed. The body portion 12 slidably mounts a first member in the form of a slide 1 6 which is displaceable towards the projection 14 by the action of a trigger 1 8. The slide 1 6 is shown in its rest position and comprises two paraliel prongs 1 9 rigidly secured to and projecting from a piston 20. The latter is coaxially connected with a further piston 22 by a rod 24.The slide 16 is mounted in a guide 26 which is substantially cylindrical in shape and has a reduced diameter portion 28 adjacent its left hand end, as seen in the drawing, which serves as a stop. The rod 24 is slidably mounted in this reduced diameter portion and the slide is biased into its illustrated retracted position by a coil spring 30 which is coaxial with the rod 24 and one end of which abuts the piston 22 and the -other end of which abuts the reduced diameter portion 28.

The slide 1 6 is displaced forward by the action of the trigger 1 8 which comprises a hand grip 32 having two arms 34 and 36, one of which is secured to or integral with the body 12 and the other of which, 36, is pivotable about a pivot 38.

The arm 36 is in the form of a second order lever and carries a pawl 40 which, in its extreme clockwise rotated position abuts a flange 42 of the arm 36. The pawl is conveniently biassed into its extreme clockwise position by, for example, a coil spring or torsion spring (not shown in the drawings). Pivoting of the arm 36 in an anticlockwise direction brings the pawl 40 into engagement with the piston 22 to drive the latter to the left as seen in Figure 1.

One form of tag which may be used with the present invention is shown in Figure 2. The tag 50 is a two part tag having a male portion 52 and a female portion 55. The portion 52' has a pointed head 54 coupled to a base 58 by an elongate portion 60. The elongate portion 60 has longitudinal grooves 62 (only one of which is shown) on the upper and lower surfaces of the portion 60 for receiving the prongs 1 9 of the slide 1 6. In use the tag portion 52 is mounted on the prongs 1 9 with the latter passing through holes 64 in'the base 58 and lying in the grooves 62 gripping the portion 52 between the prongs 1 9. It is preferable if the spacing of the prongs 1 9 is slightly less than that of the grooves 62 and the prongs 1 8 are resilient to ensure retention of the portion 52 on the prongs 1 9. In use the head 54 is forced through an animal's ear and a hole 66 in the tag portion 55 with the animal's ear being gripped between the base 58 and the portion 55.

The tag portion 55 is mounted by suitable means (not shown) on the projection 14 with the holes 46 and 66 aligned. The hole 66 is of slightly smaller diameter than the head 54 and deforms to allow passage of the head 54 receiving the latter in a snap-fitting manner. Either or both the portion 55 and the head 54 are made of resilient material.

The tag is conveniently moulded from plastics material and it may be preferable to provide a cap (not shown) of harder material such as metal to cover the head 54 and assist penetration of the animal's ear and the hole 66. The cap is of course removed after the tag is affixed in the ear.

To operate the device a user grips the handgrip 32, and thus the arm 36, in one hand pivoting the latter towards the arm 34, thus bringing the pawl 40 into engagement with the piston 22 and driving the slide 1 6 forward. The prongs 1 9 thus abut the head 54 and carry forward the male tag portion 52 whose head 54 pierces the ear and then snaps through the opening 66 in the female tag portion 55. In the operation the ear is supported by the projection 14 which has an opening 46 into which the tag head 54 passes.

At its fully extended position the slide 1 6 has carried the head 54 of the tag through the ear and the tag portion 55 and the pawl 40 having moved through an arc in an anticlockwise direction to push the slide into its forward most position clears the piston 22 allowing the slide 16 to. be returned to the retracted position by the spring 30. The spring 30 ensures a rapid and forceful withdrawal of the slide 16 leaving the tag securely located in the ear.

Release of the trigger allows the arm 36 to be returned to its rest position by suitable biasing means such as a coil or torsion spring (not shown). The pivoting of the pawl 40 allows it to ride past the piston 22 ready for the next operation.

As regards the prongs 19 although only two are described the number may be varied as required with a corresponding number of grooves in the tag. A single prong may be used, fitting into for example a bore (not shown) in the tag.

In a further embodiment (not shown) of a device according to the present invention the slide is driven forward by compressed gas such as air applied to, for example a piston coupled to the slide or integral therewith the compressed gas may be provided by a compressed gas capsule or from a remote source coupled to the devices via a flexible gas line Another form of power source could be an extremely powered electro-magnet acting through a suitably located coil and levers to slide 16.

While the above described device is primarily intended for tagging animals it can of course be used in other circumstances such as tagging bags or parcels.

Claims (11)

Claims

1. A device for applying a tag to an ear of an animal comprising a frame having a first member which is adapted to engage the tag and is slidably mounted on the frame for projection forwardly to force the tag through said ear, and trigger means actuable to project said first member forwardly.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for returning said first member to its initial rest position after said member is projected forwardly a preset distance.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2 wherein said trigger means comprises a lever which is displaceable from a rest position to a first position for projecting said first member forwardly said preset distance, and is further displaceable to allow said returning means to return said first member to its rest position.

4. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein said trigger means comprises a lever pivotable from its rest position to bring a pawl into engagement with said first member for projecting said first member forwardly.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4 wherein said lever is a second order lever which mounts said pawl.

6. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5 wherein said first member is elongate and is slidable in a guide, and the device further comprises.a support for supporting the ear of the animal and towards which said first member is drivable by actuation of said trigger means.

7. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6 wherein said first member carries at least two prongs for engaging and supporting a tag on the first member, said prongs being arranged to drive said tag forwardly through the ear on actuation of said trigger means.

8. A device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7 wherein said frame includes means for supporting the ear and said first member is drivable towards said supporting means.

9. A device for applying a tag to an ear of an animal, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A tag for use with a device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9 comprising a first male portion and a second female portion, the first portion having a head for penetrating the ear of an animal and a base connected to the head for anchoring the tag in the ear, the second portion having an opening for receiving the head in a snap-fitting manner.

11. A tag substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figure 2 of the accompanying drawings.