An Instrument for Killing Fowls and other Birds.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Instrument for Killing Fowls and other Birds.
I, JOSEPH HEALY, Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, Lon-
don, of Alston Road, High Barnet, in the County of Herts, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object an instrument for killing fowls, and other
birds, by the use of which the bird shall be quickly and mercifully killed, and
also caused to bleed freely, and thus enable the carcase to be kept for some con-
siderable time in a fit condition for food.
In carrying my invention into practical effect I take a rectangular or other con-
venient shaped block of wood or other suitable substance. Projecting at right
angles on one side of this block I place two parallel short arms of equal length,
one near each end of the block. Passing through the centre of the block in a
direction parallel to the said arms, I form a slot of just sufficient width and
breadth to allow the blade of a chisel to pass freely therethrough. This slot may
if required be lined with a metal bush. The chisel has its end, and sides for the
space of of an inch, sharpened to fine cutting edges and has placed upon it,
close up against its handle, one or more washers preferably of leather.
The blade of the chisel when thrust through the before mentioned
projects from the block about midway between the said parallel arms, and the
washer or washers thereon are so arranged that the length of the chisel blade
thus projecting from the block shall (when the instrument is arranged for killing.
fowls) be about 3 of an inch less than the length of the said parallel arms.
slot
When the instrument is to be used for killing a fowl, the latter is suspended
head downwards against a wall or other convenient surface, and its head placed
between the parallel arms of the instrument: the free ends of these arms being
now in contact with the wall or other surface and the chisel blade being drawn
back through the slot. The operator then takes the lower beak and tongue of
the fowl between the thumb and fingers and thus opens the bird's mouth, into
which the end of the chisel is then introduced and the chisel thrust home sharply,
until the washers thereon come in contact with the block, with the result that
the fowl's brain is parted from the spinal cord and its blood vessels'severed with
a clean cut.
Owing to the fact that the chisel blade when thrust home projects a distance
32 of an inch less than the length of the parallel arms, the bird's head is not
pierced quite through; nor is the point of the chisel injured by contact with the
wall. As the chisel becomes shortened by the necessary sharpening from time to
time, this length is maintained by reducing the number or thickness of the
washers thereon.
The instrument has only been described in connection with the killing of a

page_text: fowl, but it is obvious that it may be equally well arranged for killing ducks,
geese, turkeys, and the like, if required.
Dated this 3rd day of January 1898.
CASTLE SMITH,
وو
"Invention Office, Mitre Court, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.
An Instrument for Killing Fowls and other Birds.
I, JOSEPH HEALY, Member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, Lon-
don, of Ratcliffe House, South Luffenham, in the County of Rutland, but formerly
of Alston Road, High Barnet, in the County of Herts, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:--
My invention has for its object an instrument for killing fowls and other
birds by the use of which the bird may be quickly killed with the least possible
pain or suffering, and be also caused to bleed freely, the effect of which is that
the dead bird can be kept for a considerable time in a condition fit for food.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a front view of the instrument form-
ing the subject of this invention, Figure 2 a side view of same with one of the
arms or prongs broken away. Figure 3 illustrates the instrument in actual use.
A is a rectangular or other conveniently shaped block of wood provided with two
short wooden arms or prongs B preferably furnished at their ends with metal
ferrules C and points 1 or rough surfaces to prevent slipping when in use as
hereinafter explained. The block A has a central hole E preferably provided with
a metal bush F for the reception of the stem of the knife or chisel G
sharpened to a cutting edge at its end H. The stem of the knife G is arranged
to slide to and fro in the bushed hole E, but is prevented from moving too easily
by means of the stud I which is pressed against it by the spring J and plug K
which are kept in place by the plate L screwed on the end of the block A as
shewn. M is the handle of the instrument screwed on to the stem of the knife G
as shewn. Nare leather or other washers threaded on to the stem of the knife G
between the block A and the ferruled end of the handle M and of such a number
and thickness as to prevent the knife G being pushed forward further than will
leave the edge H about three thirty-seconds of an inch from an imaginary line
drawn from the ends of the ferrules C of the arms or prongs B.
and
its mouth holding the head
In employing the instrument for killing a fowl, for example, the legs of the bird
are first tied, and the bird then placed head downwards in a bag of conical shape
as shewn in Figure 3. It is then hung against a wall or post, and the operator
with his left hand takes hold of the bottom beak and tongue of the bird
of the bird firmly against
opens
the wall or post. The instrument held in the right hand of the operator,
with the knife G drawn back, is now placed in position so that the knife is
opposite the open mouth of the bird, the arms or prongs B being one on either
side of its head with their ends resting firmly against the wall or post, the points D
or roughened surfaces preventing the said arms or prongs from slipping. The
knife Gis first pushed slowly forward into the birds mouth and is then driven.
quickly and firmly as far as the washers N will allow it to go, that is to say until
the edge H is within three thirty-seconds of an inch or thereabouts from the face
of the wall or nost. This action of the knife will instantaneously sever the birds
brain from the rest of the body and will also simultaneously cut through some of

page_text: the principal blood vessels. The fowl is thus killed instantaneously, free bleed-
ing is ensured, with as little mess as possible, and no wound is visible on the out-
side of the body the washers N preventing the edge H of the knife G from
penetrating the outer skin of the bird. The edge H being prevented from coming
in contact with the wall or post seldom requires to be sharpened, but when its
length is reduced by sharpening, the number or thickness of the washers N should
be reduced in proportion so as to maintain the requisite length of stroke of the
knife G.
It is obvious that the form of instrument may be varied more or less without
departing from the nature of my invention and instead of being of wood, it may
be cast or otherwise formed of metal, and the means for ensuring the necessary
amount of frictional resistance between the stem of the knife G and the block A
may also be varied according to circumstances.
Various sizes and shapes of knives may be employed with one instrument
according to the size and kind of bird it is required to kill, and in order to change
the knives, it is only necessary to unscrew the handle M from the knife G, remove
the washers N, and the knife insert the stem of another knife through the hole E,
thread on the washers, and screw on the handle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
First. An instrument for killing fowls and other birds which consists of a knife
moveably mounted in a frame forming a fixed guide and support for the said
knife during the operation of killing, substantially as described.
Second. In an instrument for killing fowls and other birds the combination
of a guide block or frame A B, with a knife G having a handle M, and washer N
arranged and operating substantially as described with reference to the drawings.
Dated this 3rd day of October 1898.
J. HEALY,
Per W. H. Beck, Agent,
115, Cannon Street, London, E.C.,