There is provided an improved tool for piercing the skin and inserting a loopless animal identification tag, said tool being characterized in that it is removable from the animal's skin from either side of the skin pierced. The tool comprises an elongate rigid member having a handle portion, an intermediate, integral tag holding portion, and an integral pointed and sharpened skin piercing end portion. The tag holding portion includes longitudinally extending slot means for releasably holding the laterally extending securing edges of an identification tag in a folded attitude prior to insertion. Such slot means may take the form of (1) a single wide slot, (2) two parallel slots of equal length substantially the same length as the securing edges, (3) two parallel slots of equal length but substantially longer than securing edges, and (4) two parallel slots of unequal length one being substantially the same length as securing edges and the other being substantially longer than the securing edge.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART
This application is a continuation-in-part of my previous continuation-in-part application, Ser. No. 513,655, filed Oct. 10, 1974, and entitled EAR TAG APPLYING TOOL now abandoned which in turn is a continuation-in-part of my previous application, Ser. No. 494,604, filed Aug. 5, 1974 and entitled EAR TAG APPLYING TOOL now abandoned.
A tool is provided for installing a tag in an element to be tagged, such as an animal's ear, wherein the tool releasably holds a tag on one side of the ear and a blade on the other side of the ear is moved so as to pierce the ear to form an incision therein and to grasp the locking head of the tag on the other side of the ear and pull it back through the incision during the return movement of the cutting element and subsequently release the locking head of the tag after it has been pulled back through the incision. Since only the cutting blade or the locking head of the tag are in the incision at one time, tearing of the incision is minimized.
A locking device, in combination with a self-locking tag, insertable through a slit in the ear of an animal, includes a disc with a centrally disposed slit for more securely attaching the tag to the animal. Similar to the function of a pedestal, the device may also support the tag in an essentially upright position in the animal's ear. In addition, two locking devices may be utilized on both sides of the ear to prevent the tripping of the tag from either side of the ear. Another salient feature of the locking device is that it may be of a color which provides information concerning the animal. Additionally, the device may be impregnated with an insecticide repellent which will bleed out over a period of time thereby providing a measure of control over flies, lice, and other insects that may come near the animal's ear.
An improved tool for piercing the skin of an animal and inserting a loopless identification tag of the type having a base connected to an anchoring head by a narrow neck portion. The tool comprises a handle having a palm engaging portion for thrusting the tool through the animal's skin and further includes an integral pointed and sharpened skin piercing blade attached to the handle by a long narrow shank. A sliding element comprises a pair of generally parallel rods extending along opposite sides of the shank and joined at their forward ends by a yoke extending under and partially encircling the blade. The sliding element is movable from an extended position with the yoke encircling the blade to a retracted position in which the rods slide into the handle and the yoke is adjacent the forward end of the handle. To insert a tag, it is positioned with the ears of the anchoring head extending into variable length slots formed between the shank and the parallel rods. The blade then is quickly thrust through the skin of an animal and the yoke is moved rearwardly upon contact with the skin of the animal causing the ears to be folded over each other and to be cammed out of the slot as they pass through the incision in the ear so that they are released from the tool and unfold whereupon the tag remains securely locked in the ear as the tool is withdrawn.
4864750 - Ear tags - Owned by Allflex International Limited (Palmerston North,NZ) [*] Notice:The portion of the term of this patent subsequent to April 26, 2005 has been disclaimed.
A one piece identification tag which is formed from a flexible material. The tag comprises a panel on which identification indicia can be applied. A neck portion extends from the panel and terminates in a head portion. The head portion has a pair of flaps which project backwardly therefrom toward the panel with a flap being situated either side of the neck portion.
4739565 - Ear tags - Owned by Allflex International Ltd. (Palmerston North,NZ)
A one piece identification tag which is formed from a flexible material. The tag comprises a panel on which identification indicia can be applied. A neck portion extends from the panel and terminates in a head portion. The head portion has a pair of flaps which project backwardly therefrom toward the panel with a flap being situated either side of the neck portion.
