Automatic injection apparatus

The present invention relates to an automatic injection apparatus for animals, in particular for chicks, which comprises a housing, a syringe with an injection needle giving the injection through an aperture on the front wall of said housing, a two-way air double action piston being connected to said syringe and to a source of air, activating means for said piston and means for connecting the syringe to a liquid container. Said apparatus has optionally additional parts, e.g. a timer fixing the length of the period of the injection; an air regulator; means for cleaning the air; counters measuring the numbers of animals being injected and/or pre-setting the number of animals to be injected; and a disinfecting device for the needle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to an automatic injection apparatus for 
animals, in particular chicks. 
Chicks have to be vaccinated a few days after birth. The vaccination 
operation, which is preferred by way of injection, should be a quick one 
enabling in a relatively short time to vaccinate a large number of chicks, 
without requiring much man power and expensive apparatus. 
There are known injection apparatus for this purpose, e.g., those described 
and claimed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,964,481, 4,108,176 and 4,276,879. Said 
devices comprise mainly a work plate on which the animal to be injected is 
placed, said plate being provided with an aperture through which a syringe 
needle may protrude to inject the animal, a syringe which is mounted on 
the side on which the animal is to be injected, first means for moving 
said syringe back and forth between a first position in which the syringe 
needle is entirely withdrawn and a second position in which said syringe 
needle protrudes through said aperture as well as means activating at the 
required moment said first means. 
However, said known apparatus have certain drawbacks. Thus in the device of 
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,964,481 and 4,276,879, as first means an electric motor 
is utilized. This has serious drawbacks in that such motors cause safety 
problems, in particular in wet hatcheries. Moreover, this apparatus 
although it is portable can be utilized only in the vicinity of a source 
of a wall current. Said electric motor is replaced in the apparatus of 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,108,176 by a piston (fluid motor). However, this apparatus 
has the drawback that said piston works in one direction only and is 
retracted by the force of a spring. This spring very often breaks and has 
then to be replaced in a rather complicated manner. Moreover, in such 
apparatus the syringe cannot be mounted on a support in a tight manner as 
this may also cause the breaking of the spring. Thus the syringe cannot be 
fixed on said support in a precise manner. 
Moreover, most of the known apparatus have the common drawback that they 
are arranged in a closed housing, which can be opened only by complicated 
means. This brings about the replacement of parts, e.g., the above 
mentioned spring and/or the cleaning of the several parts becomes quite a 
complicated operation. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It has therefore been desirable to design an automatic injection apparatus 
of the above kind which overcomes the above drawbacks to a large extent. 
Said apparatus should be simple in its construction and in its use. 
The present invention thus consists in an automatic injection apparatus 
comprising: 
a. a housing formed by a plurality of walls the front oblique wall being 
the work plate on which the animal to be injected is placed, said wall 
being provided with an aperture through which an injection needle can 
protrude; 
b. a syringe with an injection needle mounted in a tight manner on a 
support within said housing on the other side of the aperture of said 
working wall; 
c. a two-way air double action piston suitably connected to said syringe 
and causing a forward and backward movement thereof; 
d. means for connecting the piston to a source of air; 
e. means for activating said piston in both directions; and 
f. means connecting the syringe to a container of the liquid to be 
injected. 
As indicated above it is often important that one should have an easy 
access to the inside of the housing. Thus in a preferred embodiment of the 
present invention some of the walls open outwards on hinges, and in the 
closed position are held together by a suitable closing device, e.g. a 
catch. This embodiment enables easy access to all parts of the apparatus 
for cleaning and/or repair purposes. 
In most of the known apparatuses the period during which the needle is 
within the animal to be injected cannot be precisely pre-determined. Thus, 
in a preferred embodiment of the present invention a timer is present, 
which timer sets the period between the beginning of the injection and the 
end thereof, i.e., the moment the piston moves backwards. This arrangement 
enables the use of viscous liquids and the injection of more mature 
animals. 
Advantageously the apparatus according to the present invention is provided 
with an air regulator which ascertains that the air is provided always 
under the desired pressure, e.g., 5 atm. The air is supplied from any 
suitable source, e.g., an air compressor, bottles of compressed air, etc. 
The air forwarded to the apparatus should be as clean as possible. 
Therefore advantageously in the air supply line an air filter and an air 
lubricator are positioned. This arrangement ascertains that the air 
reaching the piston is clean. 
Moreover, the apparatus according to the present invention is preferably 
also provided with two counters, i.e., one measuring the total number of 
animals injected and the other by which the number of animals to be 
injected may be pre-set. This is often desirable as one then, for example, 
always injects the exact number of chicks to be packed in a box. 
The injection liquid may be stored in any suitable container and forwarded 
to the syringe. Preferably two containers connected to each other are 
utilized thus ascertaining that there is always liquid present in the 
second container while the first one is being replaced. This arrangement 
has the additional advantage that the dirt which sometimes enters the 
supply hose is retained in the second container and therefore no dirt can 
clog the syringe. 
The syringe and in particular the injection needle have to be disinfected 
at certain intervals, i.e., after a certain number of injections has been 
performed. Therefore advantageously the apparatus according to the present 
invention is also provided with a disinfecting device which comprises a 
container connected by suitable means to a sprayer and to actuating means. 
Said device may be actuated in several manners. In a preferred embodiment 
it is connected to the counter, if present, which determines the number of 
animals to be injected. Thus each time after a certain number of 
injections has been performed the disinfecting apparatus is actuated and 
the needle is disinfected. However, said disinfecting apparatus may be an 
entirely separate unit having its own actuating means being connected to 
the source of air. 
In a preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the present 
invention means are provided for fixing the needle at the desired angle 
and at the required distance from the animal. This enables also not only 
the injection of new born chicks by the apparatus according to the present 
invention but of more mature animals. 
The support on which the syringe is mounted is advantageously provided with 
a groove on which the syringe can move. Moreover, it is provided with a 
screw which enables tightening of said groove. 
The apparatus according to the present invention is preferably provided 
with means by which the piston and the syringe may be connected and 
disconnected quickly. 
As actuating means a micro-switch is preferably utilized, which actuates 
the actual injection operation. Said micro-switch is preferably connected 
to a main switch which opens and closes the apparatus. 
The entire apparatus is made from any suitable material. Thus most of the 
parts are made of stainless steel. The containers are preferably made of a 
plastic material. The support is advantageously made of hard and flexible 
plastic material (Oblon). 
The syringe utilized in the apparatus according to the present invention 
may be any suitable, commercially available syringe. However, said 
syringes have certain drawbacks, inter alia, the following: 
a. the volume of the injection liquid cannot be adjusted in the 
commercially available syringes hence one has always to inject the same 
dose of vaccinating material. This does not permit the use of the same 
syringe to inject new born chicks as well as more mature animals; 
b. in the main body there is a free moving part wherefore the syringe is 
not tightly closed; 
c. in the commercially available syringes one-way valves having rubber 
discs are utilized. These valves have the drawback that they cannot be 
heated. Moreover, they cause reduction of the volume in the course of the 
operation and/or cleaning. 
The present invention thus also comprises a syringe comprising: 
a. a rod bearing a spring, adjustment means and closing means, the front 
part of said rod entering into 
b. a hollow housing comprising an inlet for the liquid being connected to 
the supply line via a one-way valve; and, 
c. a hollow front housing comprising an injection needle being connected to 
said hollow housing via a one-way valve. 
Said one-way valve is advantageously constituted by a ball valve. 
The syringe may be so adjusted that the volume of the injection liquid is 
up to about 1.25 cc. 
The invention is described herein with reference to vaccinating chicks and 
more mature animals. However, it is readily understood that the invention 
is not restricted to this use. The apparatus may be utilised for 
administering injections for any suitable purpose to any animal of 
appropriate size.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 8 comprises a housing constituted 
by wall 1 and a parallel wall thereto (not shown), oblique openable wall 2 
and a parallel wall thereto (not shown), openable front wall 3, openable 
top plate; back wall 5 and bottom plate 7 standing on feet 7'. Openable 
walls 2, 3 and 4 rotate on hinges 6. 
Walls 2 and 3 and roof plate 4 are held together by catch 8 which can be 
opened easily. 
Below bottom plate 7 are arranged adjustment screw 9 which adjusts the 
height of syringe 10, and screws 11 for connecting plate 7 to plate 12. 
There are arranged bores 13 (on plate 3) and 14 (on plate 4). On plate 4 
are placed supports 15 and 16 carrying containers 15' and 16' 
respectively. Said containers 15' and 16' are for the vaccinating liquid. 
Container 15' is the main one and container 16' the second one which is 
always full when container 15' is replaced. The liquid is supplied to 
syringe 10 through a hose (not shown) via hole 13. Advantageously mounted 
on hole 14 is a measuring device (not shown) for measuring the liquid 
used. 
On wall 1 are fixed actuating device 17, air regulator 18 which is 
connected to air pressure measuring device 19 and counters 20. Counter 20' 
counts the entire amount of injections administered and counter 20" 
enables to pre-determined the number of injections to be administered. 
Air required for actuating piston 21 is introduced through hose 22, passing 
through wall 5. 
On wall 3 are arranged housing 23 of microswitch 24, and aperture 25 
through which needle 26 can protrude and perform the injection. Housing 23 
can be moved on plate 3 to the left or right by way of screws (not shown). 
This arrangement enables the fixing of the distance from aperture 25 in 
accordance with the size of the animal to be injected. 
Syringe 10 is mounted on plastic support 27 which is mounted together with 
base 28 of piston 21 on plate 29. Said plate 29 is mounted together with 
valves 30 and timer 31 on plate 12 which in turn is connected by screws 11 
to plate 7. 
Screw 32 is placed on support 27. Said screw 32 tightens syringe 10 within 
groove 33. 
Plate 29 is fixed to plate 12 by way of screws 34 and 35 which are arranged 
in small grooves (not shown). By placing said screws 34 and 35 in the 
proper place the required distance from syringe 10 to wall 3 may be 
determined. The required angle of syring 10 within aperture 25 is adjusted 
by screw 9 which raises and lowers support 27. 
The apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 8 comprises also a disinfecting 
device which comprises a container (not shown) connected to inlet 40 of 
sprayer 41 which sprayer 41 is a venturi nozzle. Nozzle 41 is mounted on 
base 42 which is provided with air inlet 43. 
Syringe 10 is connected to piston 21 by connecting screw 44. Thus syringe 
10 can be easily removed and replaced. 
Syringe 10 utilized in the apparatus illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 8 is shown 
in detail in FIGS. 9 to 11. 
Said syringe comprises rod 50 having front part 51. There is provided 
spring 52 on which sit discs 53, closing screw 54, closing nut 55, 
adjustment nut 56 and spring 57. 
Front part 51 is inserted into body 58 being provided with inlet 59 which 
is connected via ball 60 and spring 61 to part 62. Inlet 59 and part 62 
are screwed together. The injection liquid is provided from container 16 
to part 62. 
At the front, body 58 is connected via ball 64 and spring 65 by way of 
screwing to body 66 bearing at the front injection needle 26. 
The apparatus illustrated herein operates as follows: 
Syringe 10 is fixed in the desired position and at the desired angle by 
screws 34 and 35; and 9 respectively. Housing 23 is also fixed in the 
desired position. Moreover the desired volume of liquid to be injected is 
fixed by adjustment nut 56. Thereafter syringe 10 is closed by screw 54. 
The required air pressure is chosen by air regulator 18. Counter 20" is 
fixed, if desired, to a certain number of injections. The disinfecting 
apparatus is optionally also connected to counter 20" ascertaining that 
needle 26 is disinfected at pre-determined intervals. 
Vaccinating liquid is put into containers 15' and 16'. The housing is 
brought into the closed position. The apparatus is thus ready for 
operation and actuating device 17 is put in operation position. The chick 
to be injected is put in injection position on plate 3. The operator 
presses microswitch 24 which brings about the introduction of air into 
piston 21 via opening 38. Piston 21 moves forward pressing syringe 10 
forward, until discs 53 hit support 27. Spring 57 presses rod 50 forwards 
and thus causes the required amount of liquid to flow via inlet 59 to 
injection needle 26 which protrudes through aperture 25 performing the 
injection. 
When the injection has been performed--i.e., after the time fixed by timer 
31 has lapsed, air is introduced into piston 21 via opening 38 causing 
piston 21 to move backwards drawing syringe 10 together therewith. 
This cycle is repeated until the number of chicks fixed by counter 20" has 
been injected. In case that the disinfecting device is actuated by counter 
20", the disinfecting liquid is sprayed by venturi nozzle 41 as spray 67. 
Thereafter actuating device 17 moves into closed position. 
When a new batch is to be injected actuating device 17 is again put on and 
the entire operation is repeated. 
The moment container 15' is empty it is refilled or replaced without the 
operation being interrupted as liquid is still present in container 16'. 
When the various parts of the apparatus have to be cleaned and/or replaced 
catch 8 is released, walls 2, 3 and 4 open outwards and one has easy 
access to all parts, enabling the desired operation to be performed.