An Improved Tool or Instrument for Marking the Carcasses of Animals.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Oct., 1895.
Complete Specification Left, 22nd June, 1896-Accepted, 17th Oct., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Tool or Instrument for Marking the Carcasses of
Animals.
1, JOSEPH SMYTHE, of Pendleton, in the Provincial District of Canterbury,
in the Colony of New Zealand, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its objects the marking in a convenient, expeditious, and
improved way of mutton, beef, and other animal carcasses for the identification of
the same or for other trade purposes generally, such as for indicating weight, age,
or quality.
According to this invention a tool or instrument is used by means of which is
made in one operation an indelible mark of any required form, design, or pattern
which does not injure or disfigure the meat.
In carrying out the invention I mark the carcasses by pressing into any con-
venient part or parts of their exterior surfaces so as to penetrate the part commonly
called the inner skin, a tool or instrument whose operative parts are sharpened
cutters or knives grouped or arranged to form the counterpart of the form, design,
or pattern of the mark required to be set upon the carcass.
The tool or instrument consists of a block, frame, holder, or carrier in or on
which puncturing blades or points are set or mounted in such a manner as to form
the counterpart of the form, design, or pattern, whether of letters, figures, symbols
or devices, or combinations thereof, which are to be marked on the carcasses.
These puncturing blades or points may be continuous or closely grouped so as to
cut lines in the carcasses, or they may be interrupted or separated more or less to
make dots, dashes, and lines therein or combinations of the same as may be
required.
The tool or instrument is applied by steady pressure or by a blow with a
sufficient degree of force to cause the cutters to penetrate the "inner skin." This
operation should be performed after the hide or outer skin has been removed, but
before the natural warmth has left the carcass.
The mark so made is indelible and permanent and is of such a nature that it
cannot be altered or transferred with impunity. As the incisions open somewhat
as the meat cools the mark becomes very clearly visible. It does not injure or
disfigure the meat in any way.
The cutters may be formed either of strips of steel bent to the form or outline
of the letters, figures, symbols or devices to be marked on the carcass, and suitable
bedded in a holder to retain the form, the cutting edges being made (by preference)
with gaps
in them, or they may be cut out of solid metal as a stamp; or they may be
made up of a number of independent pieces set side by side or at intervals in a
suitable holder or clamp in a way similar to that in which type is set for printing
representations of stamps and the like. Such holder or clamp night consist of a
band piece with a recessed end or hollowed head in which the cutters would be
"set up" and in which they would be held by filling up the interstices with space
pieces or "quads" and binding or clamping the whole "forme" by means of screws
about the edge. Or, the cutters may be fixed by being driven into a piece of wood,
or by being bedded in lead or some easily fused metal whilst it is plastic which
when cool will solidify about the cutters and retain them in their required positions;
for the fusible metal, a cement or composition may be substituted. Preferably the

page_text: cutters should project beyond the bed in which they are set only so far as is necessary
to cut the mark to the required depth in the carcass, and a tool or instrument so
made will enable an operator to mark carcasses very uniformally.
Tools or instruments on this principle can be inade either flat, as a common
stamp or bowed, as a blotting pad; or circular as a roller.
Dated this 31st day of October 1895.
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, A.M. Inst. C.E., M.I.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Associate Agent.
An Improved Tool or Instrument for Marking the Carcasses of
Animals.
I, JOSEPH SMYTHE, of Pendleton, in the Provincial District of Canterbury,
in the Colony of New Zealand, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has for its objects the marking in a convenient, expeditious, and
improved way of mutton, beef, and other animal carcases for the identification of
the same or for other trade purposes generally, such as for indicating weight, age,
or quality.
According to this invention a tool or instrument is used by means of which is
made in one operation an indelible mark of any required form, design or pattern
which does not injure or disfigure the meat.
In carrying out the invention I mark the carcases by pressing into any con-
venient part or parts of their exterior surfaces so as to penetrate the part commonly
called the inner skin, a tool or instrument whose operative parts are sharpened
cutters or blades grouped or arranged to form the counterpart of the form, design,
or pattern of the mark required to be set upon the carcase.
These
The tool or instrument consists of a block, frame, holder or carrier in or on which
puncturing blades or points are set or mounted in such a manner as to form the
counterpart of the form, design, or pattern, whether of letters, figures, symbols and
devices, or combinations thereof, which are to be marked on the carcases.
puncturing blades or points may be continuous or closely grouped so as 'to cut
lines in the carcases, or they may be interrupted or separated more or less to make
dates, dashes, and lines therein or combinations of the same as may be required.
The tool or instrument is applied by steady pressure or by a blow with a
sufficient degree of force to cause the blades to penetrate the "inner skin" or
vellum. This operation should be performed after the hide or outer skin has been
removed, but before the natural warmth has left the carcase to obtain the best
results. The mark so made is indelible and permanent and is of such a nature that
it cannot be altered or transferred with impunity. As the incisions open somewhat
as the meat cools the mark becomes very clearly visible. It does not injure or
disfigure the meat in any way.
The blades may be formed either of strips of steel bent to the form or outline
of the letters, figures symbols, or devices to be marked on the carcase, and suitably
bedded in a holder to retain the form, the cutting edges being made (by preference)
with gaps in them, or they may be cut out of solid steel as a stamp, or they may be
made up
of a number of independent pieces set side by side or at intervals in a suitable
holder or clamp in a way similar to that in which type is set up for printing repre-
sentations of stamps and the like. Such holder or clamp might consist of a hand
piece with a recessed end or hollowed head in which the blades would be "set up
"

page_text: and in which they would be held by filling up the interstices with space pieces or
quads and binding or clamping the whole frame by means of screws about the
edge. Or the blades may be fixed by being driven into a piece of wood, or
by being bedded in lead or some easily fused metal whilst it is plastic which
when cool will solidify about the blades and retain them in their required position:
for the fusible metal a cement or composition may be substituted. Preferably
the blades should project beyond the bed in which they are set only so far as is
necessary to cut the mark to the required. depth in the carcase, and a tool or
instrument so made will enable an operator to mark carcases very uniformly.
Tools or instruments on this principle can be made either flat, as a common stamp ;
or bowed as a blotting pad, or circular as a roller.
In order that my invention may be most easily understood I will describe the
same in detail and refer to the accompanying drawing whereon are shewn two forms
of my invention which I have found most effectual.
Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the views.
Fig. 1 is a front view of my apparatus designed as a roller with the cover or
case in section.
Fig. 2 is a side view of the same.
Fig. 3 is a side view of my apparatus designed in a bowed form so as to be
applied by pressure and an oscillating motion.
Fig. 4 is a plan shewing the marking surface of the same.
Fig. 5 shews a method of attaching the blades.
(a) is the roller having pivots (a 2) on which the roller may revolve. (b) are
the blades arranged on the roller to form the letters N. Z. as an example, the
dotted lines on the drawing connecting the points of the blades to shew this more.
clearly (see Figures 1 & 4).
Blades (b) have stems (1) by which they are fixed to the periphery of the
roller (a) or the plate forming the stamping surface, or where convenient they are
attached by a nut as shewn in Figure 5.
() is a handle having bearing (¹) to receive the pivots (a2) of the roller (a)
and () is the cover to protect the hands of the operator.
Referring to Figures 3 & 4 the bow shaped block (g) is provided with a
handle (92) and a box shaped holder or clamp (94) within which the blades may be
set up and clamped by screws (9¹); or I may make the block solid and fix blades (b)
into its periphery in a manner similar to that shewn in Figures 1 & 2.
It will be evident that my invention admits of many variations and that instead
of the forms illustrated flat surfaces of any size or shape may be made use of;
moreover instead of single blades two or more might be formed in one piece of steel
and the blades themselves varied in shape.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is,―
1. A tool or instrument having blades arranged to form letters, figures, devices,
or combinations thereof for marking animal carcases by making incisions through
the inner skin thereof before the carcase has cooled, substantially as set forth.
2. A tool or instrument for marking animal carcases consisting of blades
arranged to form a design or mark and mounted in a holder or clamp, substantially
as set forth.
3. A tool or instrument for marking animal carcases consisting of a holder or
clamp in which blades are set and from the surface of which they project for a
distance equal to the depth to which the incision is required to be made, substantially
as set forth.
4. A tool or instrument substantially as claimed in the two preceding claiming
clauses, whose armed surface is curved to enable the operator to apply the mark
by rolling the tool or instrument over the surface of the carcase, substantially as
and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

page_text: 5. A tool or instrument for marking the carcases of animals constructed arranged
and operating substantially as hereinbefore set forth and illustrated on the
accompanying drawing.
Dated this 22nd day of June 1896.
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, A.M. Inst. C.E., M.I.M.E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Associate Agent.