Patent ID: 7316691

Claim:
An apparatus for the application of identification tags to animals, said apparatus comprising: an applicator body; tag application means including a driving surface adapted to directly engage a tag and drive the tag into a portion of the animal; delivery means adapted to deliver two or more of said tags into said tag application means; and an operating means attached to the applicator body and adapted to operate the tag application means; wherein the delivery means includes: a rotatable gear wheel having a plurality of teeth, the gear wheel adapted to effect movement of two or more tags into the tag application means; and a ratchet mechanism adapted to impart rotational movement to the gear wheel in response to operation of the operating means; and wherein the tag application means comprises first and second jaw members, wherein the first jaw member is fixed relative to said body and the second jaw member is pivotably attached to said body so as to move towards the first jaw member upon operation by the operating means, and the driving surface is provided on the second jaw member.