Improvements in Apparatus for Ear Marking Sheep and for other similar purposes.
Year: 1893

page_text: COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in Apparatus for Ear Marking Sheep and for other
similar purposes.
We, GEORGE WILLIAM SHAILER, Photographer, and JOHN HERBERT
HANKINS, Barrister, both of Palmerston North, in the Provincial District of
Wellington, New Zealand, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The objects of our invention are to provide a ready means of attaching labels or
tickets to the ears of sheep and other animals, also to articles requiring to be
labelled, whereby the said labels or tickets are very easily and securely attached,
can be marked with a number or record which cannot be readily removed or
altered; and in the case of animals the operation of clipping the ears or branding
which often entails cruelty is obviated.
We perform these objects by apparatus illustrated in the accompanying sheet of
drawings in which,
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the whole of our apparatus when opened for use.
Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same when closed.
Fig. 3 is a section taken through the line A B in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the ticket or label.
Fig. 5 is a similar view shewing the ticket or label fastened in position, and
Fig. 6 is a section taken through the line C, D, in Fig. 1.
Similar letters refer to similar parts in all the figures.
(a) and (b) are the sides of a pair of pliers or tongs (hereinafter called the
pliers") having a pivot (6) on which they oscillate, and a spring (62) to hold
them in position for use (see Fig. 1).
The side (a) of the pliers terminates at its working end in a jaw or seat (a¹)
which is fitted with grooves (a³) for a purpose to be hereinafter described, and
above the jaw (a') is fitted a spring plate (a2) riveted or fastened on in such a
manner that it has a slight tendency to spring upwards and apart from the plate (a¹)
at its outer edge.
The side (6) of the pliers terminates in a jaw or plate (63) shaped so as to nearly
.coincide in form to the label or ticket to be used, and fitted with guides (64) which
are joined together by a bar (6), which bar is suspended by a spring (d) fastened
by a screw (d) at one end, and a clip (2) at its other end, grasping a pin (d') and
steadied by a plate (d³). The guides (6) and bars (6) are fitted with a rib (6)-
see Figure 3-to prevent the label or ticket (f) being pushed too far in, and forms
a guide for the same when in position for fixing.
(63) is a spring to hold the pliers apart and (e) is a clip having a socket (e³)
moving on a pin (e¹) so as to clip over the projection (e) and within the recesses (et)
to hold the apparatus together when not in use. (c) is a projection for steadying
the hand. () is the ticket or label, which can be made in any convenient form or
size and can be marked, numbered or punctured in any distinctive manner. These
labels are preferably made of thin sheet steel but can be made of any suitable
metal, alloy or material. They are provided with projections (f) which are pointed
at their ends () and contracted at the bends, not only for ease in bending but to
allow the punctures made in the ears to fit loosely round the narrow part and to
hold more firmly when the ear has healed.
The mode of operating in labelling an animal is as follows:-The ticket or
label (f) is placed under the plate or jaw (b) and against the rib (66) with the
projections (1) pointing downwards and steadied by the guides (64). The ear of
the animal is then placed between the two jaws which are then closed until the
guides (6) rest on the lower jaw (a') and the projections (j') enter the ear of the

page_text: animal, then by the further descent of the jaw holding the label the projections (¹)
are pressed through the ear into the grooves (a³) and in so doing are curved inwards
and turned round under the ear to be labelled as shown by dotted lines in Figures 5
and 6. By this operation the spring plate (a) is depressed and rests on the top of
the curve of projections (¹)-see Figure 6-but so soon as the label has been
secured and the pliers are freed the spring plate (a2) rising frees the ear with its
label which can then be easily drawn from between the jaws and the operation is
completed, the label being fixed without compressing the ear too severely and the
projections (f) curled round so as to prevent the ends from catching obstructions
with which they may come in contact.
We have herein described the method of marking the ears of animals but it will
be evident that articles such as parcels, bales or fabrics may be labelled in a like
manner with suitable labels and modification of the jaws of the apparatus. Also
instead of curving the points of the labels they may be simply returned under the
object to make the label fast, moreover our apparatus may be modified by a skilful
workman without departing from the principle of our invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In an apparatus for labelling or marking such as described, the pliers having
jaw (a) with spring plate (a2) as and for the purpose substantially as set forth.
2. In an apparatus for labelling or marking such as described the pliers or
their equivalent having jaw (a) spring plate (a) and grooves (a³) as and for the
purposes substantially as set forth."
3. In an apparatus for labelling or marking such as described, the pliers having
a jaw (a) with spring plate (a2) in combination with jaw (b) having guide (6) as
and for the purposes substantially as set forth.
1. In an apparatus for labelling or marking such as described, the pliers having
jaw (a) with spring plate (a) grooves (a³) in combination with jaw (6) guide (*)
having ribs (6) and spring (d) as and for the purposes substantially as set forth.
5. In combination with an apparatus for labelling or marking such as described
herein the ticket or label () having projections (1) substantially as set forth.
6. The pliers and apparatus as and for the purposes substantially as set forth and
illustrated.
Dated this 29th day of April 1893.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicants.