U.S. patent number 3,826,160 [Application Number 05/405,273] was granted by the patent office on 1974-07-30 for ear tag clamping tool.
Invention is credited to Earnest R. Allen, Eulalie H. Allen, Linwood W. Dickerson.
United States Patent |
3,826,160 |
Allen , et al. |
July 30, 1974 |
EAR TAG CLAMPING TOOL
Abstract
The invention starts with a pair of parallel jaw pliers of the
type having a pair of handles articulated from a common pivot and
having distal portions extending beyond the common pivot. Each of a
pair of parallel jaws is pivotally attached to one of the distal
ends of the handles about midway along the length of the jaw. The
proximal end of each jaw, that extending toward the hand-held body
of the handles, is connected to the one of the handles to which it
is not pivotally attached by a slot-and pin arrangement, this
structure insuring that the jaws will remain parallel to each other
as they are forced closer together by squeezing the handles. The
distal ends of the jaws are left free, and are modified in
accordance with the invention. The minimum modification is to slot
one of the jaws and to attach a spring clip to the second. The slot
is formed from the distal extremity and extends along the length of
the jaw to terminate in a blind end, its purpose being to receive a
shaft or stud member extending from an ear tag held in the second
jaw, as the jaws are closed together, and then to permit withdrawal
of the tool from the tag as attached to an animal's ear. The spring
clip is secured to the inner surface of the second jaw, i.e., the
surface facing a corresponding inner surface of the first jaw. Only
the end closer to the pivot point of the handles is secured to the
jaw, the balance of the spring clip extending toward the distal end
of the jaw and, in relaxed position, touching or lying close to the
jaw. As the base plate of an ear tag is slipped between jaw and
spring clip, the spring clip exerts a clamping force on the plate
to hold it in place. Further modifications include providing a
similar spring clip on the first jaw to hold either a washer or a
plate in such position that a hole therethrough is aligned with the
shaft of the ear tag. In addition, the inner surface of either or
both jaws may be notched to seat the member secured by the spring
clip in aligned position.
Inventors: |
Allen; Eulalie H. (Forth
Worth), Allen; Earnest R. (Seagoville, TX), Dickerson;
Linwood W. (La Porte, TX) |
Family
ID: |
23602999 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/405,273 |
Filed: |
October 11, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
29/238;
81/418 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A01K
11/002 (20130101); Y10T 29/53678 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
A01K
11/00 (20060101); B25b 007/00 (); B25b
007/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;81/5.1A,418,426,373,425
;29/238,268,243.54 ;30/134,363 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Jones, Jr.; James L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Smith, Jr.; Roy H.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An ear tag clamping tool comprising a pair of parallel jaw
pliers having the usual pair of parallel jaws connected to a
scissors-type pair of handles articulated from a common pivot,
notch means formed on the inner surface of one of said jaws from
the outer end thereof to receive an ear tag of the type having a
plate-like base and a pointed shaft extending normally from said
base, the notch receiving the base of the tag with the shaft of the
tag pointing toward the other of said jaws, a spring clip secured
to the same jaw that contains said notch, said spring clip being
fashioned to bear against the plate of the ear tag to hold the same
against inadvertent removal from the notch, and a hole formed
through the other of said jaws from the end thereof to a point to
register with said ear tag shaft, whereby the ear to be tagged may
be placed between the parallel jaws and the handles may be squeezed
together to drive the pointed shaft through the ear and into the
hole in the opposed jaw, and the tool may be removed by pulling it
away from the tagged ear to let the base of the tag slide from
under the spring clip.
2. An animal ear tag clamping tool comprising a pair of parallel
jaw pliers having a pair of parallel opposed jaws connected to a
pair of handles which when squeezed together cause said jaws to
move closer to each other while maintaining their parallel
relationship, said jaws having free ends opposite their ends which
are connected to the handles, shouldered notches in each of said
jaws from their free ends and from their facing inside surfaces,
one of said notches being formed to receive and seat the base plate
of an ear tag comprising said plate and a pointed shaft secured to
the plate and extending normally therefrom, said one notch being
formed so that as the plate of the tag is received therein the
shaft extends normally toward the other jaw, the notch in said
other jaw being fashioned to receive and seat a locking washer so
that a hole in the washer is disposed in line with the shaft of the
ear tag, said other jaw having a second notch behind the first and
extending completely through the thickness of the jaw and from a
point where it can receive the shaft to the free end of the jaw,
and a pair of spring clips secured to said inside surfaces of the
jaws, one to bear against the plate of the ear tag and the other to
bear against the washer, each being adapted to press the plate and
washer respectively against the jaw in which it is mounted.
3. The clamping tool of claim 2 in which said spring clips are
elongated and bifurcated at their ends, each having a slot between
said bifurcated ends, one spring clip being formed to contact the
plate of the ear tag with the shaft of the tag disposed in said
slot, the other spring clip being formed to contact the locking
washer with the hole through the washer disposed in registry with
the slot of the associated spring clip.
4. The clamping tool of claim 3 in which the lower ends of said
spring clips are spaced closer together than the free ends of the
parallel jaws, said lower ends of the spring clips thus
constituting stops to halt the closing action of the jaws when the
tag has been installed without painfully compressing the animal's
ear.
5. In a pair of parallel jaw pliers, the improvement comprising a
slot formed in the free end of one of said jaws from the free end
thereof to a blind end spaced from said free end, said slot being
formed from that surface of the jaw facing a like surface on the
other jaw and partially or completely through the thickness of said
one jaw, and a spring clip disposed on such facing surface of the
other jaw, said spring clip being secured at one of its ends
adjacent the connection of the jaw to the handles of the pliers and
having a free end extending toward the free end of the jaw, said
spring clip having a relaxed position in which its free end portion
touches or lies closely adjacent the jaw on which it is mounted and
an operative position in which said portion is further spaced from
said jaw to exert a clamping force on any object inserted between
spring clip and jaw, whereby an ear tag of the type having a base
plate and a shaft secured to and extending from one surface of the
plate may be mounted in the spaced-apart jaws with its plate
clamped between said spring clip and its associated jaw, and with
its shaft extending toward and registering with the slot in the
first jaw, and said pliers may thereafter be manipulated to press
said jaws toward one another to cause said shaft to extend into
said slot, the shaft during such movement of the jaws also passing
through any relatively soft object placed between the jaws.
6. The improved parallel jaw pliers of claim 5 further comprising a
second spring clip mounted on the jaw containing the slot, said
second spring also having an end secured to the surface of its
associated jaw facing the inside surface of the other jaw at a
point adjacent the connection of the jaw to the pliers and
extending toward the free end of the pliers to terminate in an
unsecured end which in relaxed position touches or lies closely
adjacent said jaw surface, said spring clip also having an
operative position in which it is further spaced from the jaw on
which it is mounted to exert a clamping force on any object
inserted between spring clip and jaw, whereby a plate or washer
having a hole therethrough may be disposed between said spring clip
and jaw with said hole aligned to receive said shaft of the ear tag
when said pliers are manipulated to move said jaws toward one
another.
7. In a pair of parallel jaw pliers which include a pair of
scissors-type handles having a common pivot and each having a
distal end extending beyond such common pivot, a pair of parallel
jaw members pivotally secured to such distal ends of the handles,
each such jaw having a distal end extending beyond its pivotal
attachment to one of the handles and a proximal end extending
toward the handles, each jaw being attached to one of the handles
by a pin and slot connection wherein either the pin or slot is a
part of the jaw and the other member is a part of that handle other
than the one to which such jaw is pivotally secured, the
improvement adapting said parallel jaw pliers for use as an ear tag
clamping tool comprising a slot through the thickness of one of
said jaws and extending from its distal extremity along the length
of the jaw to a blind end, a notch or shoulder formed on the second
jaw at a point spaced from its distal extremity, said notch
extending across the thickness of the jaw and being disposed on the
surface of the jaw spaced from and facing toward a corresponding
surface of the first jaw, and a spring clip secured to the same
surface of the second jaw, said spring clip being secured to the
jaw at a point closer to said pivotal attachment than said shoulder
and extending along the length of the jaw, to terminate in a free
end lying nearer the distal extremity of the jaw than said
shoulder, said spring clip having a relaxed or inoperative position
in which it touches or lies closely adjacent said surface of the
jaw and an operative position in which its distal portion is
further spaced from said jaw to exert a clamping force on an object
inserted between the spring clip and the jaw, said improvement
being so disposed that the plate of an ear tag having an
indicia-bearing plate and a shaft fixed to and extending from one
surface of the plate may be seated under said spring clip and in
said notch or shoulder while said shaft extends toward and
registers with the blind end portion of the slot in the first
jaw.
8. The improved parallel jaw pliers of claim 7 further comprising a
second spring clip mounted on the jaw containing the slot, said
second spring also having an end secured to the surface of its
associated jaw facing the inside surface of the other jaw at a
point adjacent the connection of the jaw to the pliers and
extending toward the free end of the pliers to terminate in an
unsecured end which in relaxed position touches or lies closely
adjacent said jaw surface, said spring clip also having an
operative position in which it is further spaced from the jaw on
which it is mounted to exert a clamping force on any object
inserted between spring clip and jaw, whereby a plate or washer
having a hole therethrough may be disposed between said spring clip
and jaw with said hole aligned to receive said shaft of the ear tag
when said pliers are manipulated to move said jaws toward one
another.
9. The improved parallel jaw pliers of claim 8 further comprising a
second notch or shoulder, said second notch being formed on the
surface on the first mentioned jaw and extending across the
thickness of the jaw on the surface thereof facing the
corresponding surface of the second notch and being disposed
lengthwise between the extremities of said jaw, whereby a washer
may be seated in said second notch between spring clip and jaw in
alignment with the shaft of the ear tag held in the second jaw.
10. The improved parallel jaw pliers of claim 9 further comprising
said second notch being disposed lengthwise generally opposite said
notch in the second jaw, whereby a plate-like member of a size
approximately equal to the plate of the ear tag may be seated in
said second notch so that a hole through the member is aligned with
the shaft of the ear tag.
11. In a pair of parallel jaw pliers which include a pair of
scissors-type handles having a common pivot and each having a
distal end extending beyond such common pivot, a pair of parallel
jaw members pivotally secured to such distal ends of the handles,
each such jaw having a distal end extending beyond its pivotal
attachment to one of the handles and a proximal end extending
toward the handles, each jaw being attached to one of the handles
by a pin and slot connection wherein either the pin or slot is a
part of the jaw and the other member is a part of that handle other
than the one to which such jaw is pivotally secured, the
improvement adapting said parallel jaw pliers for use as an ear tag
clamping tool comprising a spring clip secured to the inner surface
of the lower of said jaws, said surface facing toward a
corresponding inner surface of the upper jaw and said clip being
secured at its proximal end to said surface at a point adjacent the
pivotal attachment of the jaw and extending toward the free end of
the jaw to terminate in an unsecured distal end, said spring clip
having a rest position in which its unsecured end touches or lies
closely adjacent said inner surface of the jaw and a flexed
position in which said unsecured end is further spaced from said
surface to exert a clamping force on any object inserted between
the jaw and spring clip, and further comprising a slot or opening
in the upper jaw, said slot being disposed with its axis projecting
toward said lower jaw, whereby a spring and stud type ear tag may
be inserted in the jaws with its plate clamped between the jaw and
spring plate and its stud is disposed in registry with said slot in
the upper jaw and will enter said slot as the pliers are
manipulated to close the jaws together.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention is an ear tag securing tool, more
specifically a one-hand operated clamping tool or pair of parallel
jaw pliers. It is specifically designed for use with an ear tag
having an indicia-bearing base plate which fits onto the inner
surface of the ear of a beef cattle or other quadruped having ears
that perk up to a raised position on various occasions. Such ear
tag has a shaft or stud secured to the reverse surface of the
plate, the shaft having a pointed tip for penetrating the ear and
flange-like intermediate portions which project sideways to catch
the back surface of the animal's ear; a washer may be locked onto
the installed shaft from its tip end, if desired, to make certain
the shaft is not pulled out, and any excess projection of the shaft
may be cut off and discarded. Such an ear tag is disclosed in the
copending application of one of the present inventors, Eulalie H.
Allen, together with her co-inventor, Earnest R. Allen, Ser. No.
405,272, filed Oct. 11, 1973.
PRIOR ART AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
Applicants are not aware of any ear tagging tool in commercial use
or on sale. Various persons have heretofore conceived ideas for ear
tagging tools on which they have been granted patents, but all of
these exhibit differences and disadvantages. One such tool punches
a rivet through the ear and requires the use of three parallel
jaws, the third being resiliently mounted between the other two;
this tool included parts which swage or bellow out the unheaded end
of the rivet. Another patented tool operates on an ear tag
generally similar to the type used in applicants' tool, but the
tool itself is strictly a scissors-type of tool, even the parts
holding the parts of the ear tag rotating along circular arcs as
the jaws are pressed together; this has the serious disadvantage
that the shaft of the ear tag must also travel a circular route, or
rather various points along the length of the shaft must travel
along various circular routes, of varying radius. Since the pointed
tip of the shaft travels at a radius larger than its juncture with
the plate of the ear tag, operation of the tool will necessarily
produce a hole or slit in the animal's ear of greater height than
is necessary to accommodate the shaft. Furthermore, operation of
such a tool with a long-shafted ear tag pressed into a washer on
the other side of the animal's ear may well prove impossible, as
the shaft tip may not pass through the hole in the washer when they
first meet.
Accordingly, it is the primary object of the present invention to
provide an ear tag clamping tool operable to mount an ear tag of
the type described without the disadvantages of prior art
tools.
Another object is to provide such an ear tagging tool having the
advantages of parallel jaw pliers and lacking the disadvantages of
scissors-type pliers.
Another object is to provide such a tool in which the part or parts
of the ear tag are firmly but removably secured to one or both of a
pair of jaws which remain parallel to one another throughout the
process of attaching the tag to an animal's ear.
Another object is to provide such a tool in which the entire ear
tag is firmly but removably secured to one of the parallel jaws,
and in which provision is made in the other jaw for the lateral
entry of the portion of the shaft of the ear tag which projects
behind the animal's ear, and also for removing the tool from the
ear tag as finally assembled to the animal's ear.
Another object is to provide such an ear tag as set forth in the
preceding object but in which an additional member of the ear tag
assembly is firmly but removably secured to the other of said
jaws.
Another object is to provide such an ear tag in which means are
provided in one or both parallel jaws to seat the part of the ear
tag held therein which fix the extent to which said part is
inserted between said jaws along the length thereof.
SHORT STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION
The above and further objects are achieved in embodiments of the
present invention which start with the familiar parallel jaw
pliers, such as are used with single hole paper punches -- modified
to eliminate the punch and hole therefor, leaving only blank
parallel jaws having a generally rectangular shape and with the
inner surface of one jaw parallel to and facing the inner surface
of the other jaw.
The basic parts of such pliers are a pair of levers articulated on
a common pivot, such levers having relatively long proximal
portions which serve as handles and relatively short distal
portions to which the parallel jaws are pivotally secured at about
the mid-length of the jaws. Each jaw also has a distal portion
which is cantilever terminated or free ended, and a proximal end
extending downwardly through an opening in the handle to which it
is not pivoted. This end of the jaw is typically slotted so that
the jaw may move up and down over a pin fixed in the same handle,
and a tension spring is mounted inside the handle, one end being
fixed to the handle near its bottom termination and the other end
to the proximal end of the jaw, near or at the slot therein. With
this type of parallelogram construction, the jaws rotate somewhat
as the handles are squeezed together, but they always remain
parallel to one another and their distances from any plane
perpendicular to the jaws remain equal to one another.
According to the present invention, the prior art parallel jaw
pliers just described are modified at least to the minimum extent
of providing a longitudinal slot in one of the parallel jaws and a
spring clip in the other. The spring clip has its lower end secured
to the inner surface of its jaw at a point spaced from the free end
of the jaw and extends along the same surface to terminate in a
free end touching or closely adjacent such surface. Its purpose is
to hold the base plate of the ear tag inserted between jaw and
spring clip, and it is bifurcated as deemed advantageous in
clamping the plate in position.
The shaft part of the ear tag extends from the plate toward the
other jaw, typically in perpendicular relationship. The slot in
such other jaw is disposed to receive that portion of the shaft
which extends through the animal's ear as the jaws are tightened on
both sides of the ear.
Other adaptations include a second spring clip, similarly secured
and disposed on the jaw not holding the ear tag proper, this second
clip being adapted to hold a washer or second plate, when used, in
position so that the shaft will pass through a hole in the
auxiliary member. Also, each jaw may be notched so that the plate
or washer will be provided with a seat, thus defining the distance
into which it may be inserted from the extremities of the jaws.
This feature is particularly desirable when the auxiliary member
(washer or second plate) is used, as the seating of both members in
their respective notches insures accurate alignment of the shaft of
the ear tag with the hole through the auxiliary member. Additional
notches may be added in either or both jaws to serve as stops for
different size ear tags, e.g., of diameters of 2, 21/2 and 3
inches. Each notch also provides the advantage of not requiring the
close attention of the user to the act of inserting the parts of
the ear tag in the tool, as this may be done as much by feel as by
sight.
SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
In the attached drawing forming a part of the present application,
the reader will undoubtedly more easily grasp the structure and
operation of the present invention. In such drawing:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the ear tag clamping
tool of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the same tool, looking at the edge
presenting the slotted parallel jaw.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the pair of parallel jaws, together
with their spring clips, in the same relative positions they occupy
in the assembled tool except for a greater lateral separation.
FIG. 4 is a partial plan view of a slightly modified embodiment,
one in which no provision is made in the slotted jaw for a spring
clip or other retaining means.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES AND INVENTION
A preferred embodiment of the ear tag clamping tool of the present
invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 of the drawing. Such
embodiment takes the basic form of a pair of parallel jaw pliers
having a pair of handles 10 and 12 pivotally secured together by
the common pin 14. The distal portion of each handle, that lying to
the left of common pin 14 in the drawing, has secured to it in
pivotal fashion one of the parallel jaws, upper jaw 20 being
secured to handle 12 by pin 18 and lower jaw 22 to handle 10 by pin
16.
Each jaw is thus secured at about its mid-length, and its proximal
portion is slotted at 26, 24 to receive a pin 28, 30 secured to and
extending from wall to wall of the hollow handles 10, 12. It should
be noted that the slot-and-pin construction 26 and 28 connects
upper jaw 20 to handle 10 while pin 18 connects the same jaw to
handle 12, while lower jaw 22 is connected to both handles in the
reverse order. The four pins 16, 18, 28 and 30 constitute the
corners of a parallelogram having pin 14 at its center, and this
construction insures that jaws 20 and 22 will remain parallel to
and co-extensive with each other as they are caused to approach one
another.
The handles and jaws are biased toward a stop position by tension
spring 32 within handle 12 and tension spring 34 within handle 10.
Spring 32 has its proximal end secured to handle 12 at 33, and its
distal end secured to jaw 22 at 31, while 34 is similarly secured
at connections 37 and 35. The maximum open position is defined by
pins 28 and 30 coming to rest in the blind ends of slots 26 and 24,
respectively, as shown in FIG. 1.
The construction thus far defined is common to many parallel jaw
tools heretofore known, but it must be kept in mind that the
structure between and on the two jaws 20 and 22 is altogether
different in the prior art. The two jaws may be left plain or
knurled on their facing and parallel inside surfaces for use as a
pair of pliers, or a laterally projecting punch may be mounted on
the jaw with a registering hole in the other for use in punching
holes in paper, leather and the like. The only similarity between
such constructions and that of the present invention is the use of
facing parallel surfaces on the inside of each jaw, over that
portion extending to the right from their free ends.
The present invention was conceived as a means for securing the ear
tag shown in FIG. 1 to the animal ear E inserted between the jaws
of the tool. To this end the upper jaw 20 is provided with a slot
52 extending from the terminus of its free end to a bottom or blind
end disposed to receive the shaft S of the ear tag as the jaws are
pressed together. It is necessary that slot 52 extend all the way
to the terminus of the free end of jaw 20 when a washer W (or
second plate like P) is assembled to the shaft S, as indicated in
FIGS. 1-3; it is desirable but not essential that the slot be so
extensive when no provision is made for such a washer or second
plate, as indicated in FIG. 4.
Slot 52 is necessary in the first place to receive the end of shaft
S projecting from the ear E (and washer W) after the tool is
manipulated to attach the ear tag to the animal's ear. It also
serves as a quick means for withdrawing the tool from the
ear-and-ear tag assembly, by moving the tool to the right and
generally along its longitudinal axis, the projecting portion of
the shaft in such case passing through the open end of the slot 52
when the jaws are still pressed together. With respect to the depth
of slot 52, it is preferred that it extend completely through the
thickness of jaw 20, along a vertical line of the drawing figure,
as this insures the utility of the tool for a wide range of lengths
of the shaft S.
A second major feature of the invention is the spring clip 44
secured to the lower jaw 22. As indicated in the drawing, spring
clip 44 has its proximal end secured to the inner surface of jaw 22
at a point 48 adjacent the area where the handles 10 and 12 pass
through one another, and extends along the length of such surface
toward the free end of jaw 22. It terminates in a free end which is
preferably bifurcated by slot 45 to fit around shaft S of the ear
tag, although it could have a unitary terminus and stop short of
the shaft. Spring 44 is made of a springy sheet metal and is bent
or disposed so that its free end portion touches or lies closely
adjacent the inner surface of jaw 22. It can be moved from this
rest position toward the upper jaw 20, but when so moved or flexed
it exerts a reaction or clamping force on whatever object causes it
to be so flexed.
Spring 44 is thus ideally adapted and disposed to secure the plate
P of an ear tag in the desired position depicted in FIG. 1, and
exerts sufficient force clamping the plate to jaw 22 so that
accidental movement of the ear tag relative to jaw 22 is highly
improbable. At the same time, this clamping force will not prevent
deliberate relative movement of the ear tag along the length of the
jaw, as when inserting plate P between jaw and spring clip, or
withdrawing the tool along the same line of action after attaching
the tag to an animal's ear.
The two structural features thus far described are the only
features indispensable to operation of the ear tag clamping tool of
the present invention when the ear tag assembly consists only of
the single element shown in FIG. 4, i.e., the indicia bearing plate
P and integrally attached shaft S, no washer or second plate being
used in the assembly. As therein shown, upper jaw 20' may be left
untouched except for the longitudinally extending slot whose bottom
is indicated by the dashed vertical line through the thickness of
jaw 20'. As mentioned above, such slot (when no washer or second
plate is used) need not extend all the way through the free end of
the jaw but may be more in the form of a hole, withdrawal in such
cases being accomplished first by allowing the tool to spring open
at least to the extent required to withdraw the tip of shaft S from
jaw 20', and thereafter moving the tool to the right to slide plate
P from its position under the spring clip.
Another highly desirable, though not indispensable, feature is the
notch or shoulder 40 formed on the inner surface of jaw 22. Notch
40 serves as a stop for plate P as the ear tag is being mounted in
the tool. It is useful in the first instance in mounting the ear
tag so that its shaft S is aligned with the slot in upper jaw 20 or
20', thus avoiding the type of mishap that might occur if the tip
of the shaft were to be pressed against a solid portion of the
upper jaw.
Notch 40 is useful in the second instance in providing a manual
mounting technique, rather than one in which the user must rely on
its eyesight to mount the plate P under spring 44. With the aid of
shoulder 40 he can feel plate P being properly seated in the jaw,
whereas without such a shoulder or equivalent stop he must divert
attention from the animal he is about to tag to make certain of a
proper engagement of ear tag and clamping tool.
For similar reasons already given for the lower jaw, upper jaw 20
is provided with a spring clip 46 when a washer W or second plate
(not illustrated) like P is to be held by the upper jaw. As in the
instance of jaw 44, the upper spring 46 has its proximal end
secured to the inner surface of jaw 20 at a point 50 remote from
the free end of the jaw, and extends therealong toward such free
end to terminate cantilever fashion in an end touching or lying
closely adjacent the inner surface of the jaw. Spring 46 is also
preferably bifurcated at its free end, to fit around slot 52 and
the opening in washer W (or second plate P), and is bent or
disposed to exert a clamping force on any object like washer W
inserted between spring and jaw.
Again as in the case of lower jaw 22, the upper jaw 20 may be
provided with an optional notch or shoulder 36 to serve as a seat
and stop for washer W. The position of notch 36 along the length of
jaw 20 is such that the hole in the washer is directly aligned with
shaft S of the ear tag on a common longitudinal axis. Again the
notch serves the auxiliary purpose of making it possible to mount
the washer in the jaw without the need for diverting his visual
attention to the pre-assembly operation.
The upper jaw 20 is also provided with a second shoulder 58, as
shown in FIG. 1, such shoulder lying more remote from the free end
of jaw 20 than the first shoulder 36. It should be noted that
shoulder 58 lies approximately opposite the shoulder 40 in lower
jaw 22. Thus shoulder 58 serves as a stop and seat for a second
plate of approximately the same size as the plate P shown in the
figure. This is done so that an assembly of the ear tag proper
(plate P and integral shaft S) with a second plate may be
accomplished, and such second plate may be embellished with the
same indicia as the plate P which fits on the inner surface of the
animal's ear.
It should be noted that although the first shoulder 36 must be
passed over before seating a large plate in the second shoulder 58,
this is not an insurmountable objection. The material of the second
plate may be quite thin, thus making it flexible enough to easily
pass over shoulder 36 to seat in shoulder 58. It should also be
noted that all of the shoulders 40, 36 and 58, while shown as flat
surfaces in the drawing, are preferably curved to correspond to any
curved surfaces on the plate or washer for which they furnish a
seat. This is desirable to furnish another degree of restraint for
the ear tag members seated in the jaws, that of motion along the
width of the jaws, i.e., in and out of the paper as the jaws are
shown in FIG. 1.
The looped strap 54 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as attached by eye 56 to
the proximal end of jaw 10 is a desirable addition to the tool.
Strap 54 is a wrist strap which has a sufficient opening as not to
interfere with the user's operation of the tool, and yet will hang
on his wrist when the tool is not in use to prevent accidental
dropping and possible loss thereof. The eye 56 joining wrist strap
54 to the tool is so designed and provided with an opening 60 that
when the tool is being used, should the animal being tagged jerk
its head unexpectedly, the eye would open up to free the hand of
the user.
The tool as described and illustrated does not require any
additional structure to define a stop to the closing action of jaws
20 and 22. Stoppage occurs automatically when the sloping surfaces
38 and 42, and the springs 44 and 46 secured thereto, approach each
other and actually contact. At such time, the flat and parallel
portion of the jaws are spaced from each other by just enough
distance to accommodate plate P, washer W and ear E exerting a
slight and unpainful force on the ear. Of course, the inwardly
sloping surfaces 38 and 42 could be eliminated any of the prior
adjustable stop means substituted therefor, e.g., a screw threaded
through one member and directed against some solid portion of its
counterpart, whether on handles or jaws.
It will now be apparent that the clamping tools of the present
invention accomplish all of the objects set forth at the beginning
of this disclosure. The parallel jaws holding the parts of the ear
tag avoid the uncertainties and disadvantages of a strictly
scissors-type construction. Intricate parts such as floating third
jaws are avoided, and the shaft of the ear tag proper may be
mounted in one jaw to remain aligned with the holes in any washer
or second plate mounted in the other jaw, and similarly remains
aligned with the bottom of the slot in the other jaw, as the tool
is manipulated to close the jaws together.
Each part of the ear tag is firmly but removably secured to the
jaws, utilizing the spring clips secured to the parallel jaws.
Seats are provided in the jaws for the parts of the ear tag
assembly in the form of the described notches or shoulders, and
these shoulders fix the extent to which the ear tag may be inserted
in the jaws.
* * * * *