GB2062552A - An ear tag for animals - Google Patents

Abstract

An ear tag for animals, especially cattle, comprises a front plate and a rear plate interconnected by an ear- piercing punch which terminates at one end in a pointed head and at the other end in an annular flange both of larger diameter than the central stem of the punch. The two plates consist of polymeric material of sufficient resiliency to let the two enlarged punch extremities pass through respective holes thereof which thereafter contract to the diameter of the stem. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION An ear tag for animals This invention relates to an ear tag for animals, such as cattle, designed to carry information regarding ownership or other data.

Especially in large herds of cattle, it is important to tag each animal for purposes of identification and, in some instances, for providing a record of past vaccinations and the like. Ear tags conventionally used are often made of synthetic material and generally comprise a front and a rear piece on opposite sides of the animal's outer ear.

The interconnection of the two pieces by a punch passing through the pierced ear is a somewhat delicate operation in which care must be taken to prevent injuries to the animal by the penetrating punch.

The object of the present invention, is to provide an improved tag which can be easily affixed to an animal's outer ear and thereafter remain securely in position while being free from any potentially harmful protrusion.

According to the present invention a tag attachable to the ear of an animal, comprises a front plate and a rear plate of elastically deformable polymeric material, and a relatively rigid punch-adapted to interconnect said plates upon penetrating the animals outer ear, said punch having a substantially cylindrical central stem with two extremities of larger diameter, one of said extremities being a pointed head capable of piercing the animal's outer ear, said plates having respective holes of a diameter originally not greater than that of said stem but expandable to give passage to said head.

Preferably the plates are provided on their mutually averted sides with annular seats of larger diameter than their holes but coaxial therewith, these seats accommodating the enlarged punch extremities and being preferably formed together with the holes in bilaterally projecting bosses.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an expanded perspective view of an ear tag of the invention prior to assembly; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the tag of Figure 1 partly assembled just prior to its attachment to an animal's ear; and Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the fully assembled and attached ear tag.

An ear tag 1 comprises three initially disjointed components, namely a front plate 2, a rear plate 3 and a punch 4 designed to interconnect same. The plates 2 and 3 consist of an elastically deformable polymeric material (e.g. polyurethane) whereas the punch 4 is made of a relatively rigid synthetic resin. The punch comprises a cylindrical central stem 5 terminating in two extremities of larger diameter, namely a head 6 with a conical point 7 at one end and an annular shoulder 8 at the opposite end. The plates 2 and 3 have respective bosses 20 and 30 projecting from opposite sides thereof; the boss 20 encompassing a hole 9 coaxial with an annular seat 10 of larger diameter and the boss 30 encompassing a hole 12 coaxial with an enlarged annular seat 1 3.

As will be apparent from Figures 1 and 2, the hole 12 of the plate 3 has a diameter less than that of the stem 5. The same is true of the hole 9 in the plate 2. The diameters of the seats 10 and 13, on the other hand, respectively conform to those of the annular shoulder 8 and of the cylindrical part of the head 6. It will also be noted that the seat 10 has an axial depth equal to the width of annular shoulder 8 whereby the latter can be fully recessed into the boss 20.

Before the tag 1 is affixed to an animal's outer ear 15, partly shown in Figures 2 and 3, the punch 4 is forced from the side of the seat 10 through the boss 20 whereby the point 7 temporarily expands the hole 9 sufficiently to give passage to its head 6. With the bosses 20 and 30 aligned, as shown in Figure 2, the two plates 2 and 3 are then pressed together whereby the point 7 pierces the ear 1 5 and temporarily expands the hole 12 until the head 6 is fully received in the seat 1 3 as shown in Figure 3, with the holes 9 and 12 contracted around the stem 5. This operation may be performed with a pair of pliers one of the jaws of which has a pin receivable in a blind axial bore 14 extending inward from the shoulder 8 of the punch 4 and terminating short of the head 6.The tag thus affixed to the ear 1 5 is virtually nondetachable therefrom. After assembly the point of the head 6 may be rounded off, as indicated at 7' in Figure 3, to obviate any risk of injury to the animal.

1. A tag attachable to the ear of an animal, comprising a front plate and a rear plate of elastically deformable polymeric material, and a relatively rigid punch adapted to interconnect said plates upon penetrating the animal's outer ear, said punch having a substantially cylindrical central stem with two extremities of larger diameter, one of said extremities being a pointed head capable of piercing the animal's outer ear, said plates having respective holes of a diameter originally not greater than that of said stem but expandable to give passage to said head.

2. A tag as in Claim 1 wherein said holes terminate on mutually averted sides of said plates in coaxial annular seats of larger diameter respectively accommodating said extremities.

3. A tag as in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein said plates are formed with bilaterally projecting bosses encompassing said holes and said seats.

4. A tag as in any of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the extremity of said punch opposite said head is fully receivable in the boss of said front plate.

5. A tag as defined in any of Claims 1 to 4

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION An ear tag for animals This invention relates to an ear tag for animals, such as cattle, designed to carry information regarding ownership or other data. Especially in large herds of cattle, it is important to tag each animal for purposes of identification and, in some instances, for providing a record of past vaccinations and the like. Ear tags conventionally used are often made of synthetic material and generally comprise a front and a rear piece on opposite sides of the animal's outer ear. The interconnection of the two pieces by a punch passing through the pierced ear is a somewhat delicate operation in which care must be taken to prevent injuries to the animal by the penetrating punch. The object of the present invention, is to provide an improved tag which can be easily affixed to an animal's outer ear and thereafter remain securely in position while being free from any potentially harmful protrusion. According to the present invention a tag attachable to the ear of an animal, comprises a front plate and a rear plate of elastically deformable polymeric material, and a relatively rigid punch-adapted to interconnect said plates upon penetrating the animals outer ear, said punch having a substantially cylindrical central stem with two extremities of larger diameter, one of said extremities being a pointed head capable of piercing the animal's outer ear, said plates having respective holes of a diameter originally not greater than that of said stem but expandable to give passage to said head. Preferably the plates are provided on their mutually averted sides with annular seats of larger diameter than their holes but coaxial therewith, these seats accommodating the enlarged punch extremities and being preferably formed together with the holes in bilaterally projecting bosses. One embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an expanded perspective view of an ear tag of the invention prior to assembly; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the tag of Figure 1 partly assembled just prior to its attachment to an animal's ear; and Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the fully assembled and attached ear tag. An ear tag 1 comprises three initially disjointed components, namely a front plate 2, a rear plate 3 and a punch 4 designed to interconnect same. The plates 2 and 3 consist of an elastically deformable polymeric material (e.g. polyurethane) whereas the punch 4 is made of a relatively rigid synthetic resin. The punch comprises a cylindrical central stem 5 terminating in two extremities of larger diameter, namely a head 6 with a conical point 7 at one end and an annular shoulder 8 at the opposite end. The plates 2 and 3 have respective bosses 20 and 30 projecting from opposite sides thereof; the boss 20 encompassing a hole 9 coaxial with an annular seat 10 of larger diameter and the boss 30 encompassing a hole 12 coaxial with an enlarged annular seat 1 3. As will be apparent from Figures 1 and 2, the hole 12 of the plate 3 has a diameter less than that of the stem 5. The same is true of the hole 9 in the plate 2. The diameters of the seats 10 and 13, on the other hand, respectively conform to those of the annular shoulder 8 and of the cylindrical part of the head 6. It will also be noted that the seat 10 has an axial depth equal to the width of annular shoulder 8 whereby the latter can be fully recessed into the boss 20. Before the tag 1 is affixed to an animal's outer ear 15, partly shown in Figures 2 and 3, the punch 4 is forced from the side of the seat 10 through the boss 20 whereby the point 7 temporarily expands the hole 9 sufficiently to give passage to its head 6. With the bosses 20 and 30 aligned, as shown in Figure 2, the two plates 2 and 3 are then pressed together whereby the point 7 pierces the ear 1 5 and temporarily expands the hole 12 until the head 6 is fully received in the seat 1 3 as shown in Figure 3, with the holes 9 and 12 contracted around the stem 5. This operation may be performed with a pair of pliers one of the jaws of which has a pin receivable in a blind axial bore 14 extending inward from the shoulder 8 of the punch 4 and terminating short of the head 6.The tag thus affixed to the ear 1 5 is virtually nondetachable therefrom. After assembly the point of the head 6 may be rounded off, as indicated at 7' in Figure 3, to obviate any risk of injury to the animal. CLAIMS

1. A tag attachable to the ear of an animal, comprising a front plate and a rear plate of elastically deformable polymeric material, and a relatively rigid punch adapted to interconnect said plates upon penetrating the animal's outer ear, said punch having a substantially cylindrical central stem with two extremities of larger diameter, one of said extremities being a pointed head capable of piercing the animal's outer ear, said plates having respective holes of a diameter originally not greater than that of said stem but expandable to give passage to said head.

2. A tag as in Claim 1 wherein said holes terminate on mutually averted sides of said plates in coaxial annular seats of larger diameter respectively accommodating said extremities.

3. A tag as in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein said plates are formed with bilaterally projecting bosses encompassing said holes and said seats.

4. A tag as in any of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the extremity of said punch opposite said head is fully receivable in the boss of said front plate.

5. A tag as defined in any of Claims 1 to 4 wherein said stem is provided with a blind bore extending axially from the extremities opposite said head.

6. A tag attachable to the ear of an animal substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.