US2189141A - Tongue protector device - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 6, 1940. R. J. GUNDERSON TONGUE PROTECTOR DEVICE Filed Feb. 7, 1938 J2 Z415 fizzezzJGwzcZeraazz Patented Feb. 6,1940

TONGUE PROTECTOR DEVICE Reuben J. Gunderson, Chicago, 111;, assignor to Animal Tongue Protector, Inc., Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Application February 7, 1938, Serial No. 189,083

16 Claims.

The present invention relates generally .to tongue protector devices. invention relates to that type of device which serves to protect the tongue of a hog carcass 6 against mutilation or puncture by the teeth during machine dehairing of the carcass and comprises a tongue holding or retaining member and a plurality of rearwardly divergent toothequipped spring metal arms which are connected 10 i at their front ends to the member and are adapted to be contracted or brought together during insertion of the device into the mouth of the carcass and upon release thereof spring outwards in such manner as to engage the adjacent I5 portions of the mouth of the hog and hold the member in its operative tongue holding or retaining position.

One object of the invention is to provide a tongue protector device of this type which effectively and efiiciently fulfills its intended pur pose and is an improvement upon, and has certain advantages over, that'which is shown in and forms the subject matter of an application for United States Letters Patent, filedby me Febru- 25 ary 23, 1937, Serial No. 127,059.

Another object of the invention is to provide a tongue protector device of the type under consideration in which the tongue holding and retaining member is formed of strong flexible ma- 3 ;,terial, such as canvas, and isso attached to the spring metal arms that'when the device is in its operative position it surrounds or encases the front end of the tongue and prevents the latter from swinging sidewise into engagement with the 35teeth'of the carcass. v A further object of the invention is to provide a tongue protector device of the type and character under consideration in which the spring metal arms are four in numberand are arranged and connected together in such manner that when the device is in its operative position one ,arm operates to engage the roof of the mouth of the cracass, two arms operate to engage the sides of the mouth and the fourth operates to engage the front portion of the lower jaw at a point adjacent to the tip of the tongue.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a hog carcass tongue protector device which is generally of new and improved construc- 5 tion and may bemanuiactured at a low and reasonable cost as well as applied and removed with facility. a v

Other objects of the invention and the various advantages andcharacteristics of ,the present protector device will be apparent from a con:

More particularly the (Cl. 17-1) v sideration of the following detailed description.

The invention consists in the several novel fea tures which are hereinafter set forth and are more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof. 1 l e y In the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of this specification or disclosure and in which like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts throughout theseveral views:

Figure l is a perspective of a tongueprotector device embodying the invention; Figurezis a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view of the device, illustrating in detail the manner in Which the canvas tongue holding or retaining member is connected to the rearwardly divergent'springmetal arms;

Figure 3 is a verticallongitudinal sectional view showing the device in its operativeposition within the mouth of a hog carcass and illustrating the manner-in whichtwo of-the spring metal arms serve as a result of inward bending thereof during manipulation of the device intoitsopera-y tive position, to grip yieldinglyor resiliently the interior of the mouth ofthe carcass'and thus hold the tongue holding member place.

Figure 4 is a horizontallongitudinal sectional 2 view showing the device in its operative position and illustrating the manner in which the other two spring metal arms are adapted to engage-the sides'of. the. mouthof the ,carcass and coact with 30, the two arms shown in Figure 3 to hold the cloth I member in enveloping relation with the front or tip end of the carcass tongue.

Figures 5 and 6 are top and bottom perspective viewsuespectively, of the clip for holding the 5 spring metalarms against sidewise displacement with respect to oneanother;

Figure '7 is a detail sectional view on the line l-'l of Figure l; and 1,: l Figure 8 is a plan view of the cloth tongue holding or retaining member prior to attachment to the spring metal arms. e 1 Q l i T I The device which is shownfin the drawing constitutes the preferred embodiment of the inven tion. It is adapted to hold inrplace and prevent mutilation, puncture or teeth slashing ofjlthe tongue 'I of a hog carcass C during machine clehairing of the carcass and comprises a ton ue holding or retainingmember 9' andifour arms H), H, 12 and I3 for holding the member Sin s operative position as hereinafter described. 1 'The tongue holding or retainingmember 9'. is formed of flexiblematerial such as canvas, and l is shaped to form a pocket for the front end of the tongue of the carcass. It isfadapted to be washed and sterilized after each use .of the device and is so shaped and designed that it embodies a rounded tip portion I4, a top portion I5, a pair of side portions I6 and a bottom portion I l. The top portion. it extends rearwardly from the tip portion M and is adapted when the protector is in its operative position, as shown in Figure 3, to overlie the front portion of the tongue and protect the top portion ofthe tongue from engaging the teeth in the upper jaw of the carcass C. The side portions It extend rearward- 1y from the tip portion Id and are adapted to lap or straddle the sides of the front end of the tongue T, as shown in Figure 4. The bottom portion. I'I extends downwardly and is adapted when the device is in its operative position to extend rearwardly as well as downwardly and to underlie the tip of the tongue, as shownin Figure 3. The top and side portions I5 and I6 are pointed at their rear extremities. The tongue holding and retainingmember 9 is formed from a blank like that shown in Figure 8 of the drawing. Said blank is cut with a V-shaped notch lie and the part thereof which is adapted to form the bottom portion H, and is formed into the member by stitching together or otherwise securing in lapped relation the longitudinal portions of the blank which define the sides of the notch. When such portions are stitched or otherwise secured in place the member is of the desired shape and has the tip portion M at the inner end of the notch. The side portions I6 of the member 9 are sufilciently loose so that folds are formed therein when the device is inserted into ,its-joperative position in the mouth of the hog carcass C. The edges of the cloth member 9 are doubled back and stitched to form a marginal hem I8 around the member.

The arms I6, I 2, I2 and I3 are formed of spring metal and are externally disposed with respect tothemember 9. The arms Ill and II are formed from a single bowed or U-shaped strip and are arranged so that their juncture point, that is, thebow or bend of the strip, overlies the tip portion Mcf the cloth tongue holding or retaining member 9. The arm Iil overlies the top portion I5 of the member and extends from the tip portion I to the point. at the extremity of said top portion I5. It is adapted When the device is in its operative position to press'upwardly against the roof of the mouth of the hog carcass and has at its outer or'rear end an upstanding tooth I9 which either penetrates or embeds itself in the roof of the mouth of the carcass and thus secures the arm iii in place. The rear end of the arm ii! is connected'to the pointed extremity of the top portion Hi of the member 9 by way of a rivet 28 which, as shown in'Figure 1, is located immediately adjacent to the tooth I9 and causes the top portion of the member 9 to move in harmony witht-he spring metal arm I8. The arm I I is materially shorter than the arm IE]. It extends downwardly from the tip portion I l of the member Q to the extremity of the central part of the bottom portion ll of said member and. is connected to said extremity by way of a rivet 2|. The lower end of arm i I is provided with an outwardly extending tooth 22, which as shown in Figure 3, is adapted when the protector device is in its operative position toextent downwardly and embed itself into the front portion of the lower jaw. The bow or U-shaped bend between the arms Ii! and II' is connected to the tip portion Id of the member 9 by way of a rivet 23. The arms I2 and I3 are formed from a single U-shaped strip and extend at substantially right angles to the arms it and II. They extend from the tip portion I4 of the member 9 to the pointed extremities of the side portions Id of said member and are conne'cted to such extremities by way of rivets 24. The outer rear ends of the arms are provided with out-turned teeth 25 which are adapted to engagethe sides or checks of the mouth of the carcass in suchmanner that the arms i2 and I3 coact with the arms In and II to hold the member 9 in place around the front end of the tongue T of the carcass. The bow or bend of the strip from which thearnis i2 and H! are formed overlies and crosses the bow or bend of the strip from which 'thearms ii! and ii are formed adjacent to the tip portion M of the member 9 and is secured to such tip portion by way oi the. rivet 23. Before insertion of the device into the mouth of the carcass C the arms IE3, H, H! and I3 are adapted to be contracted or. pressed together in the barrel of a gun-type tool like that which is shown in my aforesaid patent application Serial No. 127,059. After proper contraction of the arms the device is inserted into the mouth of the carcass in such manner as to bring the front end of the tongue T into the pocket which is formed within and defined by the tongue holding or retaining member 9. Thereafter the arms are released by proper manipulation of the tool, and, as the result of their inherent resiliency, spring outwards into their operative position. When the device is properly positioned within the mouth of the carcass the arm it fits against and is secured by its tooth It to the roof of the mouth, the arms I2 and I3 press against the sides of the mouth or cheeks of the carcass and are secured or anchored in place by the teeth 25 at their outer extremities and the arm lI extends downwardly and rearwardly and presses against and is connected by its tooth 22 to the front part of the lower jaw of the carcass. As the result of the spring of the arms and the action of the teeth, member 9 is securely held in place and can not become loose as the result of the blows which are imparted to the carcass during machine dehairing of the latter. After the machine dehairing operation the device is removed by suitably springing inwards thearms Ill, lI, I2 and I3. After use the device is Washed and sterilized in any suitable manner so that it is fit for reuse.

In order to prevent sidewise pivotal movement of the arms I2 and I3 with respect to the arms Ill and II a square clip 26 is provided. This clip is in the form of a sheet metal stamping and is disposed between the inner ends of the arms II] and 5 land the inner ends of the arms I2 and I3, that is, between the bows or bends of the two metallic strips which form the arms of the device.

It is mounted on the shank of the rivet 23 and is of downwardly and inwardly extending oppositely facing flanges 28. The flanges 21 are integral with the two opposed side margins of the clip and extend around and. grip the side edges of the bow or bend of the U-shaped strip forming the arms I72 and IB- (see Figure 1). The downwardly and inwardly extending flanges 28 are formed integrally with the other two opposed side margins of the clip 26 and extend around and grip the side edges of the U-shaped strip forming the arms Ill and II. As the result of the gripping action of the two pairs of flanges 27 and 28 the four arms of the device are efiectively held against sidewise displacement with respect to one another.

tooth embed itself in, a portion of. the mouth l The herein described tongue protector device consists of but a small number of parts and hence may be manufactured at a low and reasonable cost. It is eflicient in operation due to the fact that the cloth tongue holding or'retaining member 9 is held in place by four tooth-equipped spring metal mouth engaging arms. In addition the construction in such thatit may be applied to and removed from the mouth of the carcass with, facility and is not likely to damage any of the important meaty portions of the carcass mouth. I

.The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modified within the scope of. the appended claims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentisz ,1

1. A device for protecting the tongue of a carcass against mutilation during-machine dehairing of the carcass, comprising a cup-shaped member adapted to envelop the front endof the tongue and. formed of such flexible material that it is.

ing of the carcass, comprising a cloth cup-shaped member adapted to be sleeved over the front end of the tongue into enveloping relation therewith,

and means connected to the member and adapted to engage the interior of the mouth of the carcass and hold .said member in a substantially fixed position within the carcass mouth.

3. A device for protecting the tongue of a carcass against mutilation during machine dehairing,

of the carcass, comprising a cup-shaped member adapted to be sleeved over the tongue into enveloping relation with the latter and formed of such material that itis readily collapsible, and means for holding said member in its operative 1 position, including a tooth-equipped spring arm connected to, and disposed entirely exteriorly of, the member and adapted to spring against and have its tooth embed itself in a portion of the fleshy part of the mouth of the carcass.

4. A device for protecting the tongue of a carcass against mutilation, comprising a cup-shaped member adapted to be sleeved over the tongue into enveloping relation with the latter and formed of such flexible material that it is readily collapsible, and means for holding said member in a substantially fixed position within the carcass mouth, including a spring arm disposed entirely exteriorly of the member and having one end thereof connected to the tip portion of the member'and its other end adapted to spring against and engage yieldingly a portion of the fleshy part of the mouth of the carcass.

5. A device for protecting the tongue of a carcass against mutilation, comprising a cup-shaped member adapted to be sleeved over the tongue into enveloping relation with the latter, and

means for holding said member in a substantially 1 interior. l 1

6. A device for protecting the tongue of a car.-

cass against mutilation duringmachine dehalring' of the carcass, comprisinga member adapted to engage the tongue and holdit in the lower jaw,

1 and means for holding said member in its opera ative position, including a downwardlyextending tooth equipped spring arm adapted to engage and press against, and have its tooth embed itself, in, the portion of the lower jaw thatis directly beneath the tip of the tongue' 1 1 7. A device for protecting thetongue of a car cass against mutilation, comprising a flexible member adapted to engage the tongue and hold it in the lower jaw, and means for holding said member in its operative position, including a downwardly extending spring arm having the upper end thereof connectedto said member and its lower end provided with a tooth: and adapted to engage yieldingly, and have itstooth embed itself in, the front portion of said lower jaw of A the carcass.

8. A device for protecting the tongue of acar- 1 cass against mutilation, comprising a cup-shaped member for enveloping the tongue, and means for holding said member in a substantially fixed position within the carcass mouth, including adownwardly extending spring arm having the upper end thereof connected to the tip portion of said' member and its lower end adapted to engage and press against the front portion of the lower jaw of the carcass.

9. A device for protecting thetongue of a carcass against mutilation, comprising a flexible. cup-shaped member for enveloping the tongue,"

and means for holding said member in a substantially fixedposition within the mouth of the carcass, including a downwardly extending spring arm having the upper end thereof riveted tothe tip portion of said member and its lower end provided with a tooth and adapted to engage yieldingly, and have its tooth embed itself in, the.

front portion of the lower jaw of the carcass.

10. A device for protecting the tongueof a carcass against mutilation, comprising a cup-shaped member adapted to envelop the tongue and formed of such flexible material that it is readily collapsible, and means for holding said member 1 in a substantially fixed position within the carcass mouth, consisting of a plurality of divergent spring arms disposed entirely exteriorly of the member and having the inner ends thereof connected together adjacent to the tip portion of said member and their outer ends connected to different portions of the margin of themember and adapted to engage yieldingly different portions of the interior of the mouth of the carcass.

11. A device for protecting the tongue of a carcass against mutilation, comprising a cupshaped member adapted to envelop the tongue and formed of such flexible material that it is 'readily collapsible, and means for holding said member in a substantially fixed position within the carcass mouth,consisting of a plurality of divergent spring arms extending in different directions from the tip portion of the member and having their inner ends connected togetherand to said tip portion and their outer ends connected to the marginal portion of the member and adapted to engage 'yieldingly different portions of the interior of the mouth of the carcass,

12. A device for protecting the tongue of a carcass. against mutilation, comprising a cupshaped member for enveloping the tongue, and

means for holding said memberv in a substantially straddling, rearwardly divergent spring arms having the inner ends thereof connected together adjacent to the tip portion of the member and their outer ends adapted to be pressed together in connection with insertion of the device into the carcass mouth and upon release thereof to spring apart into engagement with the sides of the mouth of the carcass.

13. A device for protecting the tongue of a hog carcass against mutilation during machine dehairing'of the carcass, comprising a flexible cupshaped member for enveloping vthe tongue, and means for holdingsaid member in a substantially fixed position within the carcass mouth, including a pair of laterally spaced, memberstraddling, rearwardly divergent spring arms having the inner ends thereof connected together and: to the tip portion of the member and their outer ends connected to the marginal portions of the sides of the member and adapted to be pressed together in connection with insertion of the device' into the carcass mouth and upon release thereof to spring apart into engagement with the sides of said carcass mouth.

--14-. A device for protecting the tongue of a carcass againstmutilation, comprising a pair of U-shaped spring metal strips extending at subtially right angles to one another, and having the bowed central portions thereof crossing one another and riveted-together and their outer ends forming arms adapted to be pressed together in connection with insertion of the device into the mouth of the carcass and'upon release thereof to spring apart into engagement with different portions of the. mouth interior, and clip means ap plied to the crossed central portions of the strips and serving to hold said strips against relative sidewise displacement.

15. A device for protecting the tongue of" a carcass against mutilation, includinga pair of U- shaped. spring; metal strips extending at substantially right angles toone another, and. having the bowed central portions thereof crossing one another and riveted together and their outer ends shaped to form tooth-equipped outwardly divergent arms and adapted to be pressed together in connection with insertion of the device into the mouth; of the carcass and upon release thereof to spring; apart into engagement with different portions of the mouth interior, and a metallic clip mounted on the rivet between the crossed central portions of the strips and provided with pairs of opposed oppositely extending flanges in engagement with the side edges of said central portions of the strips and serving to hold said strips against relative lateral displacement.

16; A device for protecting the tongue of a hog carcass against mutilation during machine dehairing of the carcass, comprising a cup-shaped canvas member for enveloping the outer end of the tongue, means for holding the member in substantially fixed position withinthe carcass mouth consisting of a plurality of laterally spaced spring arms extending rearwardly and in a divergent manner from the tip portion of the member and having their inner ends riveted together and to said tip portion and their outer ends connected to different portions of the margin of the memher and adapted to spring outwards into engagement with different portions of the interior of the month of'the carcass, and clip means mounted on the rivet and applied to said inner ends of the arms so as to hold said arms against lateral or sidewise displacement one with respect to the others.

REUBEN J. GUNDERSON.

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