Tatooing pincers for marking ears of animals

Tatooing pincers for marking ears of animals by injection of tatooing liquid. Pincers comprise a support and first and second jaws. Second jaw carries a number of hollow needles protruding to first jaw. Second jaw is yieldably connected to a drive by an intermediate part comprising a pump chamber connected with the hollow needles. The volume of the pump chamber is reduced when intermediate part yields under increased pressure after needles have fully penetrated animals ear between jaws, and tatooing liquid in pump chamber is injected via needles. Thus increased pressure provides for cleaning of needle holes from particles of skin resulting from penetration. Tatooing liquid is sucked into pump chamber from a storage chamber via check valves. A pneumatic drive may be used to facilitate operation.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The invention relates to improved tatooing pincers for marking ears of 
animals by injection of tatooing liquid. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Tatooing pincers preferably may be utilized in farms for breeding of 
cattle, pigs, sheeps and other animals for which marking is wanted 
particularly under special rules of Government. 
Usual pincers for this purpose have solid needles by which the ears of the 
animals to be tatooed are only pricked, and the tatooing liquid is applied 
to the pricked ears by a special operation which is manually carried out. 
Tatooing in this way is complicated because an additional person is needed 
for holding fast the nervous animal after pricking. 
German Pat. No. 8 6515 (Daws) shows and describes tatooing pincers having 
hollow needles through which tatooing liquid is injected from a pump 
chamber when pincers open under the force of an opening spring. During 
pricking, i.e. during closing of pincers, pump chamber is sucking tatooing 
liquid from a storage chamber via at least one check valve. When the 
hollow needles penetrate the skin of the ear to be tatooed particles of 
skin may enter into the needle holes clogging them. When the pincers open, 
the force of the opening spring is too small for cleaning the needle holes 
so that marking may be incomplete. Thus such pincers have not been reduced 
to practice. 
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide pincers for marking 
ears of animals by injecting tatooing liquid into the ears of animals 
through hollow needles, said pincers avoiding the risk of uncomplete 
marking. 
It is another object of the invention to provide tatooing pincers for 
marking the ears of animals by injecting tatooing liquid through hollow 
needles in which clogging by particles of animals skin is effectively 
avoided. 
It is still another object of the invention to provide tatooing pincers for 
marking of the ears of animals by injecting tatooing liquid through hollow 
needles whereat increased pressure after the needles have penetrated 
animal's ear is used for the injection of tatooing liquid. 
Still another object of the invention is to provide tatooing pincers for 
marking ears of animals by injecting tatooing liquid through hollow 
needles, said pincers being adjustable for different thickness of the ears 
to be tatooed. 
Still a further object of the invention is to provide tatooing pincers for 
marking ears of animals by injecting tatooing liquid through hollow 
needles which pincers may be easily used by one person only. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with the invention, tatooing pincers for marking ears of 
animals by injection of a tatooing liquid are provided which overcome the 
problems associated with said tatooing pincers of the prior art. The 
tatooing pincers according to the invention comprise a portable support 
structure carrying a first jaw thereon. A second jaw is movably arranged 
in direction to the first jaw and has a cavity therein. A number of hollow 
needles are carried by said second jaw and protrudes against said first 
jaw, said hollow needles being connected with said cavity. A drive means 
is arranged on said support structure for moving said second jaw in 
direction of said first jaw. An intermediate means are operatively 
connected between said drive means and said second jaw in a yielding 
relationship. Said intermediate means yield under increased pressure after 
said needles have fully penetrated an animal's ear located between said 
first and second jaws. Further a storage chamber for tatooing liquid and a 
pump chamber are provided on said tatooing pincers. The pump chamber is 
comprised by said intermediate means and is connected to said storage 
chamber at said cavity by check valves. The volume of the pump chamber is 
reduced when said intermediate means yields thereby tatooing liquid is 
pressed out through said pump chamber, said cavity and said hollow needles 
into the animal's ear. 
Yielding of said intermediate means will begin as soon as said second jaw 
rests against the animal's ear thus increasing the resistance for 
operating the pincers. It is apparent that also the pressure in the pump 
chamber will be increased from this instant onward and, therefore, 
impurities in the needle holes resulting from penetrated particles of skin 
will be effectively pressed out of the needle holes so that correct and 
complete tatooing is guaranteed. 
To further guarantee good visibility of the marking on the surface of the 
ear, in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the 
length of protrusion of said needles is substantially less than the 
thickness of the ear located between the first and second jaws. Also said 
first jaw preferably is adjustably mounted on said support structure for 
adjustment of the distance between the first and second jaws. On this way 
the yielding and thus the amount of liquid injected into the ear may be 
correctly adapted to the required visibility. 
In accordance with another preferred embodiment, the pump chamber is formed 
by a pump cylinder and a pump piston slidably arranged in said pump 
cylinder, whereat said pump cylinder is connected with said drive means 
and said pump piston is carrying said second jaw. Preferably a spring 
means is arranged in said pump cylinder between said pump cylinder and 
said pump piston, and said spring means yields under increased pressure 
after said needles have fully penetrated the ear located between the first 
and second jaws. Said storage member may be comprised by said intermediate 
means adjacent said pump chamber, and a wall separating said chambers may 
be provided with at least one check valve. 
The tatooing pincers according to the invention allows succeeding tatooing 
of any number of animals without interruption which, however, may result 
in early fatigue of the operator because considerable energy will be 
required for pressing the liquid through the capillary holes in the 
needles. Therefore, according to a special embodiment of the invention, 
the drive means preferably is a pneumatic drive, and a control means is 
provided for manually controlling said pneumatic drive which may be 
supplied by a compressed air source available in most agricultural plants. 
In order to replenish the storage chamber and also in order to facilitate 
change of the needle pattern, according to still another preferred 
embodiment of the invention, said second jaw and said intermediate means 
are combined to a unit which is detachably carried by said pneumatic 
drive. 
Other features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in, or 
apparent from, the detailed description of the preferred embodiment shown 
in the drawing which is a longitudinal section through pincers according 
to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to the drawing, the tatooing pincers shown include a three-armed 
support structure 10. A counter jaw 12 has a slotted hole 13 for 
adjustably mounting it on the first arm 11 of support structure 10 by 
means of the screw 14. A second arm 15 of support structure 10 is adapted 
to support a pneumatic drive 16 comprising an air cylinder 17, in which a 
piston 19 is slidable against a reset spring 18 and further comprising a 
valve housing 20. The third arm 21 of support structure 10 provides a 
handle cooperating with a second handle 23 pivotally connected to support 
structure 10 for manipulating and actuating the pincers. For this purpose 
second handle 23 is elongated beyond bolt 22 and pivotally connected to a 
shift valve 25 by means of a bolt 24. Central and transverse bores in 
shift valve 24 will vent the space on the upper side of piston 19 in 
cylinder 17 to atmosphere in one end position of shift valve 25 and 
connect said space in another end position, i.e. when handles 21, 23 are 
pressed together against the force of a leave spring 26, to a hose 
coupling 27 to which a hose may be connected for supplying compressed air 
from a pressure source to downwardly move piston 19 and piston rod 28 of 
piston 19 which protrudes out of cylinder 17. 
A cup-shaped storage container 30 for storing tatooing liquid is detachably 
connected to the protruding end of the piston rod 28 by means of a fixing 
screw 29, and a valve plate 31 is sealingly mounted in storage container 
30 by means of a cup cylinder 32 screwed into the internally threaded 
lower end of storage container 30. 
Valve plate 31 has two diametrically opposed openings provided with check 
valves 33 providing connection from the storage chamber in the storage 
container 29 to a pump chamber 34 formed by the enlarged upper part of an 
axial bore through pump cylinder 32. A pump piston 35 having an enlarged 
upper end is slidably received in said axial bore and may be moved in an 
upward direction against the force of a pressure spring 36 until its upper 
end face rests on valve plate 31. Pump piston 35 has an axially through 
bore provided with a restriction 38 and a check valve 39 which allows flow 
of tatooing liquid only in downward direction. 
Pump piston 35 slidably penetrates a collar shaped protrusion 40 on pump 
cylinder 32, and the lower end of pump piston 35 is detachably connected 
to a needle jaw 42 having a cavity therein which communicates with the 
through bore in pump piston 35. A number of hollow injection needles 43 in 
the pattern to be tatooed is arranged in the bottom wall of needle jaw 42 
the holes in the needles being in communication with the cavity in needle 
jaw 42. The lower ends of the hollow needles are pointed similar to 
syringes the length of protrusion of hollow needles 43 being substantially 
less than the thickness of the ears to be tatooed. 
Collar shaped protrusion 40 is slidably guided in a bifurcated bracket 44 
secured on the first arm 11 of support structure 10. When fixing screw 29 
is unscrewed bifurcated bracket 44 allows dismounting of storage container 
30, pump cylinder 32 and needle jaw 42 as a unit for filling tatooing 
liquid into storage container 30 through a filling hole 46 which is 
normally closed by a venting screw 45. 
Counter jaw 12 may be provided with an elastic layer 47 of plastic or 
similar material. 
When the pincers described are to be used the operator firstly has to 
adjust the gap between the jaws 12, 42 to a distance allowing the entrance 
of the ears to be tatooed which may be made by loosening and tightening 
again fixing screw 14. Also hose coupling 27 has to be connected to a 
pressure source by means of a suitable hose. Hereafter pincers are ready 
for use. 
For tatooing an animal the operator will grip the pincers on handles 21, 23 
and embrace animal's ear between jaws 12, 42. By pressing handles 21, 23 
together shift valve 25 will be moved down in the lower end position and 
compressed air may flow from the pressure source via hose coupling 27 and 
the bores in slide valve 25 to the upper surface of piston 29 to move 
piston 19 and piston rod 28 downwardly thereby compressing spring 18. 
Piston rod 28 drives storage container 30 and pump cylinder 32 also in 
downward direction and pump piston 35 and needle jaw 42 will follow 
because of the tensional connection provided by pressure spring 36. It is 
apparent that by this movement hollow needles 43 will penetrate into the 
skin and partly into the flesh of animal's ear until needle jaw 42 will 
rest against said skin of the ear. Pressure spring 36 is dimensioned to 
yield when this condition is reached which brings about that pump piston 
35 moves in pump cylinder 32 upwardly and tatooing liquid present in pump 
chamber 34 will be pressed through restriction 38, bore 37, cavity in 
needle jaw 42 and needle holes into skin and flesh of animal's ear. 
Eventual impurities formed by particles of skin and flesh will be pressed 
out of needle holes because of the high pressure of tatooing liquid under 
this condition. 
This injection mode will continue until pump piston 35 comes to a rest 
against valve plate 31 or piston 19 in air cylinder 17 has terminated its 
downward stroke. By suitably adjusting counter jaw 12 by means of fixing 
screw 14 the end of the downward stroke of piston 19 will be attained 
before pump piston 35 comes to rest against valve plate 31 which means 
that the animal's ear will not be impinged by the full force of the 
pressure drive. 
As soon as pricking of needles 34 into the animal's ear and injecting 
tatooing liquid is terminated the operator will release handle 23 which 
will move shift valve 25 under the force of leave spring 26 upwardly which 
brings about that air cylinder 17 will be vented and piston 19 will return 
to the upper end position under the force of pressure spring 18. Piston 
rod 28 takes along also storage container 30 and pump cylinder 32 thereby 
allowing pressure spring 36 to relax and at least to pull hollow needles 
43 out of animal's ear. During relaxing movement of pressure spring 36 the 
volume of pump chamber 34 increases and tatooing liquid is sucked out of 
the storage chamber in storage container 30 into pump chamber 34 via check 
valves 33 opening under this condition. The pincers is now ready for the 
next tatooing mode. 
For purpose of change of the pattern to be tatooed needle jaw 42 may be 
dismounted by loosening of fixing screw 41, and the needle pattern may be 
changed or another needle jaw may be mounted on pump piston 35 by means of 
fixing screw 41.