Tongs, in particular for mounting ear-buttons on animals

Tongs, in particular for mounting ear-buttons on animals, comprising a first lever and a second lever each constituting a handle and pivoted together, a first jaw and a second jaw actuated by the levers and each provided with a device for maintaining a part of the ear-button and a return spring for biasing the jaws to the open position. The first and second jaws are connected to the first and second levers by a mechanism for maintaining the jaws always parallel. It further comprises a rapidly actuated device for opening the jaws when the first and second levers are moved toward each other.

The present invention relates to the mounting of devices for identifying 
animals and in particular ear-buttons and more particularly relates to a 
tongs for mounting the ear-button or the like. 
Conventional ear-buttons are generally constructed in two parts adapted to 
be disposed on each side of the ear of an animal. 
A first part of the ear-button comprises a point adapted to ensure the 
perforation of the ear and to be engaged in an orifice formed in the 
second part of the ear-button so as to maintain the latter in position. 
Tongs are known for placing ear-buttons in position which comprise, on each 
one of their jaws, means for maintaining the two parts of the ear-button 
to be mounted. 
The tongs of this type have a circular movement so that, bearing in mind, 
on one hand, a certain lack of precision in the disposition of the parts 
of an ear-button on the jaws of the tongs and, on the other hand, a 
possible sliding of the point in the course of the perforation of the ear, 
it is sometimes difficult to achieve the engagement of this point with the 
orifice of the second part of the ear-button. 
A difficulty in the use of the conventional tongs more important than that 
mentioned hereinbefore, resides in the fact that, as soon as the ear of an 
animal is perforated, the animal, under the effect of pain, starts to move 
so that the ear still maintained by the tongs is liable to be torn. 
Moreover, if the operator does not have time to disengage the tongs, the 
latter can escape from the operator and remain hooked to the ear of the 
animal. 
An object of the invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks by 
providing a tongs in particular for mounting ear-buttons which, while 
being simple in construction, ensures a rapid mounting of the ear-button 
and an immediate disengagement of the jaws of the tongs. 
According to the invention, there is provided a tongs, in particular for 
mounting ear-buttons for animals, comprising a first lever and second 
lever constituting handles and pivoted together by a pivot pin, a first 
jaw and second jaw actuated by said levers and each provided with means 
for maintaining a part of an ear-button, and a return spring for returning 
the jaws to the open position, the first and second jaws being connected 
to the first and second levers by a mechanism for temporarily maintaining 
the jaws parallel to each other, the tongs further comprising rapidly 
actuated means for opening the jaws when the first and second levers are 
moved toward each other, wherein the mechanism for maintaining the jaws 
parallel comprises a branch of the second lever which is pivoted in the 
middle thereof to a link, which is rendered integral with the first lever 
by temporary immobilizing means, by the pivot pin of the first and second 
levers, the ends of the first and second jaws, carrying the means for 
maintaining the parts of the ear-button, being respectively pivoted to the 
corresponding ends of the branch of the second lever and of the link, the 
opposite end of the second jaw being pivoted to the second lever, whereas 
the opposite end of the first jaw is pivoted, in the armed position of the 
tongs, to the assembly constituted by the first lever and the link which 
are rendered integral with each other by the temporary immobilizing means.

The tongs shown in FIG. 1 comprises two levers 1 and 2 which are pivoted 
together by a pivot pin 3. The lever 1 comprises a portion 4 of tubular 
shape forming a handle or grip and a portion 5 of U-sectional shape. 
The lever 1 is pivoted to the lever 2 at the end of its portion 5 opposed 
to the handle 4. 
The lever 2 is a cranked lever which comprises also a tubular portion 6 
constituting a handle or grip and a portion formed by two branches 7 which 
are parallel and planar and make an obtuse angle with the handle 6. The 
branches 7 are connected in the middle thereof to the lever 1 by the pivot 
pin 3 on which two parallel links 8 are also pivotally mounted. 
The ends of the branches 7 and the links 8 are interconnected in pairs 
respectively by pins 9, 10, and 11, 12. 
Mounted by their ends on the pins 9, 12 and on the pins 10, 11 
respectively, are two parallel jaws 13, 14. The pins 12 and 10 are 
respectively engaged in apertures 15 and 16 formed in the jaws. The 
apertures 15, 16 are parallel to the direction of the jaws 13, 14. 
The jaws 13 and 14 are maintained spaced apart from each other by a spring 
17 one end of which is mounted on a lug 18 provided in a transverse recess 
19 in the jaw 13, whereas the other end of the spring is guided by a 
finger member 20 fixed to the jaw 14. The stress of the spring 17 is 
adjustable by a screw 20a mounted in the jaw 14. This permits varying the 
speed of actuation of the tongs. 
The ends of the jaws 13, 14 opposed to the apertures 15, 16 comprise means 
for maintaining the ear-buttons. In the particular case of the application 
of the tongs to the mounting of an ear-button of the type shown in FIG. 2, 
the jaw 13 terminates in a fork 21 adapted to receive the female part F of 
the ear-button. This part F is held stationary against the fork 21 by a 
chap 22 which is pivotally mounted on the jaw 13 by a pivot pin 23 and 
applied against the jaw 13 by a spring 24 which is disposed in an aperture 
25 formed in the jaw 13. 
The chap 22 comprises, at the end thereof opposed to the spring 24, a fork 
26 which cooperates with the fork 21 of the jaw 13 to clear the orifice of 
the female part F. 
In the illustrated embodiment, the jaw 14 has, at the end thereof opposed 
to the aperture 15, a rod 27 which is provided with a point 28 and extends 
into a passageway formed in the point of the male part M of the 
ear-button. The rod 27 is centered with respect to the fork 21 of the jaw 
13. 
The tongs further comprises means for temporarily immobilizing the lever 1 
with respect to the links 8. This immobilizing means comprise a lock 
member 31 which is pivotally mounted on the lever 1 by a pivot pin 32 and 
has at one end a hook 33 which is maintained in engagement with an 
abutment 34 fixed to the links 8 by a spring 35 which has one end hooked 
to said lock member whereas its other end is hooked to the pivot pin 3. 
The hook 33 of the lock member 31 projects out of the lever 1 by way of an 
aperture 36 formed in the web of the portion 5 of the lever. 
At the end thereof opposed to the hook 33 the lock member 31 has an 
extension 37 constituting a cam and adapted to cooperate with the end of 
the jaw 14 so as to rotate the lock member, in opposition to the action of 
the spring 35, and disengage the hook 33 from the abutment 34 and thereby 
release the links 8. 
The hook 33 has an outer surface 38 the function of which will be explained 
hereinafter. 
The operation of the tongs according to the invention will be described 
with reference to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. 
In the state of the tongs shown in FIG. 1, the tongs is ready to operate. 
The male and female parts M and F of the ear-button are respectively fixed 
to the ends of the jaws 13 and 14 of the tongs. The ear of the animal is 
introduced between the jaws and the levers 1 and 2 of the tongs are moved 
toward each other. The branches 7 of the lever 2 and the links 8, rendered 
integral with the lever 1 by the lock member 31 which is engaged by its 
hook 33 with the abutment 34, are driven by the movement of the levers 1 
and 2 toward each other, and this causes the jaws 13 and 14 to move toward 
each other in opposition to the action of the spring 17, and the 
simultaneous sliding of the pins 12 and 10 in the respective apertures 16 
and 15 of the jaws, so that the latter remain parallel to each other in 
the course of their displacement. When, in the course of the movement of 
the jaws 13 and 14 toward each other, the extension 37 of the lock member 
31 comes in contact with the corresponding end of the jaw 14, the lock 
member is driven in rotation about the pin 32 in opposition to the action 
of the spring 35 so that the hook 33 of the lock member leaves the 
abutment 34 and releases the links 8 with respect to the lever 1. 
The spring 17, in extending, then suddenly moves the jaws 13 and 14 away 
from each other which respectively turn around the pins 9 and 10 integral 
with the branches 7 of the lever 2. The ear-button, mounted in the course 
of the tightening of the tongs, is suddenly released owing to the fact 
that the rod 27 moves out of the point of the male part of the ear-button 
so that the slightest movement of the animal causes the female part of the 
ear-button to slide out of contact with the chap 22. To re-arm the tongs 
it is sufficient to move the levers 1 and 2 apart until the outer surface 
38 of the hook 33 comes in contact with the abutment 34 (FIG. 4). This 
surface 38 constitutes a cam and causes the rotation of the lock member in 
the direction of the arrow in opposition to the action of the spring 35 
until the hook 33 once more engages on the abutment 34. 
The tongs is now ready to receive a new ear-button. 
The arrangement just described permits a rapid mounting of the ear-button 
and a practically instantaneous disengagement of the tongs. 
The displacement of the jaws parallel to each other in the course of the 
tightening of the tongs facilitates the engagement of the male part in the 
female part. 
The tongs shown in FIG. 5 comprises two levers 40 and 41 which are pivoted 
to each other by a pivot pin 42. The lever 40 is formed by two symmetrical 
sheet metal members fixed to a handle or grip 43. It is pivoted to the 
lever 41 at the end of the portion 44 thereof opposed to the handle 43. 
The lever 41 is also constructed from two identical sheet metal members, 
fixed to a handle or grip 45, an extension having the general shape of an 
S constituting two planar parallel branches 46. 
The branches 46 of the lever 41 are connected, roughly in the middle 
thereof, to the lever 40 by the pivot pin 42 on which two parallel links 
47 are also pivotally mounted. The ends of the branches 46 and the links 
47 are interconnected in pairs respectively by pins 48, 49, the parts of 
the levers 40 and 41 being moreover interconnected by pins 50, 51 
respectively. 
Mounted by their ends on the pins 48, 50 and on the pins 51, 49 
respectively, are two parallel jaws 52, 53, the pins 50 and 51 being 
respectively engaged in apertures 54 and 55 in the jaws. The apertures 54, 
55 are parallel to the direction of the jaws 52, 53. 
The jaws 52, 53 are maintained spaced apart from each other by a spring 56 
which is mounted on the pivot pin 42 connecting the branches 46 of the 
lever 41 to the links 47, said spring having branches which are supported 
respectively in the vicinity of the ends of the branches 46 and the links 
47. The lever 41 carries a spring strip 51a for damping the shocks, upon 
opening, between the jaw 53 and the pin 51. 
The ends of the jaws 52, 53 opposed to the apertures 54, 55 comprise means 
for maintaining the ear-buttons. In the particular case of the tongs shown 
in FIG. 5, the jaw 52 has a transverse orifice 57 against which the female 
part F of the ear-button is placed. 
This part F is immobilized against the orifice 57 by a spring strip 58 
which is secured to the jaw 52 and has a recess 59 for clearing the 
orifice of the female part F. 
In the illustrated embodiment, the jaw 53 has, at the end thereof opposed 
to the aperture 55, a rod 60 which is provided with a point 61 and extends 
into a passageway formed in the point of the male part M of the 
ear-button. The rod 60 is centered with respect to the transverse orifice 
57 of the jaw 52. 
The tongs further comprises means for temporarily immobilizing the lever 40 
with respect to the link 47. These immobilizing means comprise a lock 
member 61 pivotally mounted on the lever 40 by a pivot pin 62. The lock 
member 61 has a first branch 63 which terminates in a nose portion 64 
which is cooperative with a notch 65 in a circular portion 66 of one of 
the links 47 to prevent the rotation of the links with respect to the 
lever 40. The lock member 61 is biased to the position thereof shown in 
FIG. 5 by a spring 67. A second branch 68 of the lock member 61 
constitutes a heel and cooperates, when the levers 40 and 41 move toward 
each other, with the head of a screw 69 which is fixed in the lever 41 and 
is adjustable in position. A spring 70 for immobilizing the screw 69 is 
interposed between the head of the latter and the lever 41. 
The operation of the tongs according to the invention will be described 
with reference to FIGS. 5, 7 and 8. 
In the state of the tongs shown in FIG. 5, the tongs is ready for use. The 
male and female parts M and F of the ear-button are respectively fixed to 
the ends of the jaws 52 and 53 of the tongs. The ear of the animal is 
introduced between the jaws and the levers 40 and 41 of the tongs are 
moved toward each other. The branches 46 of the lever 41 and the links 47, 
rendered integral with the lever 40 by the lock member 61 which is engaged 
by its nose portion 64 with the notch 65 formed in one of the links 47, 
are driven by the movement of the levers 40 and 41 toward each other and 
this moves the jaws 52 and 53 toward each other in opposition to the 
action of the spring 57 and causes the simultaneous sliding of the pins 50 
and 61 in the respective apertures 64 and 55 of the jaws so that the 
latter remain parallel to each other in the course of their movement 
toward each other. 
When, in the course of the moving together of the jaws 52 and 53, the head 
of the screw 59 comes into contact with the heel 68 of the lock member 61, 
the latter is driven in rotation about the pin 62 in opposition to the 
action of the spring 67 so that the nose portion 64 of the lock member is 
disengaged from the notch 65 and releases the links 47 with respect to the 
lever 40 (FIG. 7). Then, the spring 56, in extending, causes the angular 
displacement of the links 47 with respect to the branches 46 of the lever 
41 and consequently the moving apart of the jaws 52 and 53 (FIG. 8). The 
ear-button, mounted on the ear of the animal in the course of the 
tightening of the tongs, is released owing to the fact that the rod 60 
moves out of the point of the male part of the ear-button, so that the 
slightest movement of the animal causes the female part of the ear-button 
to slip out of contact with the spring 58. To re-arm the tongs, it is 
sufficient to separate the levers 40 and 41 until the nose portion 64 of 
the lock member 61 is in front of the notch 65 in the corresponding link 
47. Then the spring 57 rotates the lock member 61 and causes the 
engagement of the nose portion 64 in the notch 65. The tongs is then ready 
to receive a new ear-button. 
The tongs according to the invention may be adapted for receiving various 
types of ear-buttons or rings. For this purpose, it is sufficient to 
modify the maintaining means provided on the jaws of the tongs or change 
these jaws.