EP1208813A2

EP1208813A2 - Docking device

Info

Publication number: EP1208813A2
Application number: EP01204516A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Theodorus Martinus Adrianus Breedveld
Original assignee: Tma Breedveld Holding Bv
Current assignee: Tma Breedveld Holding Bv
Priority date: 2000-11-24
Filing date: 2001-11-23
Publication date: 2002-05-29
Also published as: NL1016702C1; EP1208813A3

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for docking animal tails and/or ears, for example of piglets and lambs, comprising a first handle, which is provided with a cutting element near one end, which cutting element can be heated by heating means, and a second handle pivotally connected to the first handle, which second handle is provided with a press-on surface near one end, which cutting element and which press-on surface can be brought into contact with each other by exerting a force.

According to the invention, in order to provide a docking device in which the force and the speed at which the cutting element and the press-on surface are moved into contact with each other for carrying out the docking operation can readily be controlled and reproduced, the cutting element and the press-on surface abut against each other in a position of rest under the influence of the force in question.

Description

The invention relates to a device for docking animal tails and/or ears, for example of piglets and lambs, comprising a first handle, which is provided with a cutting element near one end, which cutting element can be heated by heating means, and a second handle pivotally connected to the first handle, which second handle is provided with a press-on surface near one end, which cutting element and which press-on surface can be brought into contact with each other by exerting a force.
In factory farming, the docking of tails and ears of piglets and lambs takes place on a large scale for hygienic reasons and in order to prevent the well-known phenomenon of tail biting. A docking device of the kind referred to in the introduction is known from Dutch patent application no. 92-01929. In use, the two pivoted handles and the heated cutting element are moved into contact with each other as a result of the user squeezing them together, so that the wound is cauterized during said docking, thereby preventing infections and the like.
One drawback of such a squeezable docking device is in particular the fact that too much muscle power upon is exerted by the user upon squeezing the cutting element and the press-on surface into contact with each other. Frequent, intensive and uncontrolled (too hard) squeezing of such a docking device will eventually lead to irreparable damage to the cutting element and the press-on surface. Owing to deformation of the cutting element and the press-on surface, the two will no longer abut against one another properly, which results in a strongly reduced functionality and a much shorter lifespan of the docking device.
Another drawback of the present docking device is the fact that the user is unable to bring the cutting element and the press-on surface into contact with one another in a reproducible manner. When the cutting element and the press-on surface are moved together too slowly or with insufficient force, docking will be incomplete, resulting in incomplete severing of a tail or an ear. In addition, when said parts are squeezed together too slowly, the temperature of the heated cutting element will run up too high, and a painful burn will develop on the animal being treated. When the docking device is squeezed too quickly, an animal's tail is quickly severed indeed, but the wound that has formed is inadequately cauterized.
The object of the invention is to overcome the above drawbacks and to provide a docking device in which the force and the speed at which the cutting element and the press-on surface are brought into contact with each other for carrying out the docking operation can readily be controlled and reproduced.
According to the invention, the cutting element and the press-on surface abut against each other in a position of rest under the influence of the force in question. The difference with the docking device according to NL-92-01929 is rather an essential one. Whereas the cutting element and the press-on surface of the known docking devices must be brought into contact with each other by means of a poorly controllable and reproducible force during use, the cutting element and the press-on surface of the device according to the invention, on the other hand, are in contact with each other in a position of rest as a result of a force being applied, and an opposite force must be exerted in use for moving the cutting element and the press-on surface away from each other, so that it is possible to position a tail or an ear between said two parts.
When said opposite force is released, the force in question will bring the cutting element and the press-on surface into contact with each other in the position of rest again, thus docking the tail (or the ear) that is present there between. Accordingly, no force which is difficult to control and to reproduce, which has a positive effect as regards the functionality and the lifespan of the docking device and also as regards the docking operation being carried out on animals.
According to the invention, the force in question can be a spring force. Not only is a spring force that urges the cutting element and the press-on surface together in a position of rest a constant force, but it is also an adjustable force, which can readily be controlled and, above all, be reproduced, therefore.
One preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention includes a spring, which is arranged between the two handles and which urges the cutting element and the press-on surface into contact with each other in a position of rest. The spring may be arranged between the first ends of the two handles or between the free other ends of the two handles.
In order to effect a proper confinement of the spring between the handles, the two handles may be provided with projections extending towards each other, over each of which one end of the spring can be fitted.
In order to extend the lifespan of the docking device according to the invention, and in particular that of the cutting element, and furthermore to achieve an improved cutting docking operation, the cutting element is provided with a supporting element, which is connected to the first handle, on the side remote from the press-on surface.
In one embodiment, the cutting element and/or the press-on surface include stop elements, against which an object that is present between the cutting element and the press-on surface can rest in the operative position.
In a more specific embodiment of the device, said heating means comprise a gas-filled cartridge which is disposed in the first handle, as well as a glow element disposed near the cutting element, which functions to ignite the gas being supplied from the gas cartridge and to heat the cutting element. The first handle may include a knob for regulating the supply of gas to the glow element.
Reference is furthermore made to United States Patent No. 3,117,578, which discloses a docking device similar to the construction that is disclosed in NL/92-01929. United States Patent No. 4,046,148 furthermore shows a pair of cutters, in which heating means in the form of a soldering iron are arranged on one of the cutting elements. Also in this three-legged construction, the two cutting elements must be moved together by a force to be exerted by the user.
The invention will now be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing. In the drawing:
Fig. 1 shows a docking device according to the prior art;
Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of a docking device according to the invention; and
Fig. 3 shows another embodiment of a cutting device according to the invention.
The known docking device as shown in Figs. 1a and 1b comprises two handles 1 and 2, which are pivotally interconnected about pivot 3. Handles 1 and 2 are fitted with, respectively, a cutting element and a press-on surface or anvil 5. The handle 1 is provided with heating means 7 near the cutting element 4, which heating means can be turned on or off by means of a switch 8b (Fig. 1b). The heating means can warm or heat the cutting element 4 by means of electricity or gas. The handle 1 may include a regulating knob 9 for regulating the docking temperature of the cutting element. With the gas-heated version, the gas cartridge that is accommodated in the handle 1 can be filled via filling valve 10, whilst a piezo-electrical glow element can be excited by means of a switch 8a (Fig. 1a) to ignite the gas and thus heat the cutting element 4.
The known docking device is shown in a position of rest in Fig. 1a and in an operative position in Fig. 1b.
In the position of rest, the cutting element 4 and the anvil 5 do not abut against one another, whilst the cutting element 4 and the anvil 5 are urged into contact with each other in the operative position in that the user exerts a squeezing force on the two handles 1 and 2. An animal tail or ear, for example of a piglet or a lamb, which is present between the cutting element 4 and the anvil 5, is docked as a result of the docking operation. The heated cutting element 4 cauterizes the wound simultaneously therewith, thus preventing infection.
When the user releases the handles 1 and 2, the spring 6 causes the cutting element and the anvil 5 to move apart (as shown in Fig. 1a), so that a new docking operation can be prepared.
As already explained before, the cutting element 4 and the anvil 5 are usually squeezed together with excessive muscle force by the user. Said frequent, intensive and especially uncontrolled (too hard) squeezing together of the docking device will eventually lead to irreparable damage to the cutting element 4 and the anvil 5. Furthermore, due to deformation, said parts no longer abut properly against each other, resulting in a strongly declined functionality and a much shorter lifespan of the docking device.
Furthermore, the cutting force that is applied by the user is not reproducible, as a consequence of which a constant docking result cannot be obtained.
The embodiment of a docking device according to the invention that is shown in Figs. 2a and 2b does not exhibit these drawbacks. In the figures, like parts are indicated by the same numerals for the sake of clarity.
In this embodiment, the spring 6 is fitted between the free ends of the two handles 1 and 2. As a result of this construction, the extension spring force of the spring 6 causes the cutting element 4 and the anvil 5 to abut against one another in the position of rest (see the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2a). In fact, the docking operation is carried out in the position of rest, that is, without the user actively exerting a force, this in contrast to the known device, in which the docking operation is carried out in the operative position as a result of a specific squeezing force being exerted by the user.
With the device according to the invention, the docking operation is carried out with a constant extension spring force and without active interference on the part of the user, which force is moreover reproducible, unlike the devices that are already known.
In another embodiment, the spring 6 can be fitted between the two handles 1 and 2 near the cutting element 4 and the anvil 5. The spring 6 is extended during operation, and the spring will bring the cutting element and the anvil into contact with each other by springing back, thus carrying out the docking operation. Also in this case, the docking operation takes place without active interference on the part of the user.
The docking operations are carried out with a uniform result, as a result of which the use of the cutting device according to the invention can not only be intensified, but, in addition to that, the animals to be treated will not be hurt unnecessarily or be confronted with infections and burns as a result of poorly executed docking operations.
Since the docking operation no longer takes place with a random, poorly reproducible and generally uncontrolled squeezing force to be provided by the user, the cutting element 4 and the anvil 5 will be loaded to a considerably smaller extent. Deformation of said parts can practically be excluded, resulting in a strongly improved functionality and a much longer lifespan of the cutting device.
In order to enable proper confinement of the spring 6 between the two handles 1 and 2, said handles are provided with projections 11a and 11b extending towards each other, over which the ends of the spring are fitted.
The only active squeezing force that the user exerts on the device according to the invention is the force that is needed for moving the handles 1 and 2 together (the compression of the spring 6 in Fig. 2b), as a result of which the cutting element 4 and the anvil 5 will move away from each other. The docking device can thus be prepared for a new docking operation. When the squeezing force on the handles is released or relaxed, the spring force 6 will cause the cutting element 4 and the anvil 5 to be brought into contact with each other, thus docking a tail or an ear that is present between said parts.
Optionally, the anvil 5 of the present embodiment is provided with stop element 12 near the cutting element 4, against which an object that is present between the cutting element 4 and the anvil 5, such as a tail or an ear, will abut in the operative position, that is, after the docking device has been squeezed open and the spring 6 has been compressed, as is shown in Fig. 2b. The stop elements function to facilitate the positioning of the docking device during use. It will be understood that it is possible to arrange the stop elements 12 on the cutting element 4 in another embodiments.
In order to further reduce the extent of deformation of the cutting element 4, the handle 4 is provided with a supporting element 13, which element abuts against the side of the cutting element 4 remote from the anvil 5.
Figs. 3a and 3b show another embodiment of a docking device according to the invention. Also in this embodiment, like parts are indicated by the same numerals for the sake of clarity.
This device comprises a longer spring 6, which is fitted between the handles 1 and 2, over the projections 11a and 11b that are present thereon. The advantage of using a longer spring than in the embodiment according to Fig. 2 is that the spring 6 needs to be compressed over a smaller part of its travel in order to squeeze the device open (see Fig. 2). This helps to prolong the lifespan of the spring and the device, because it has become apparent in practice that a shorter spring will break sooner in the case of frequent use of the device.
Especially in the case of frequent and almost complete compression of the spring (over about 90% of its travel), metal fatigue and fracture will occur sooner. A longer spring need not be compressed that much, and consequently it will last longer.
Another advantage of using a longer spring is the fact that the spring characteristic will hardly change, if at all, in the course of time. The spring force with which the press-on surface 5 is pressed onto the cutting element 4 will remain constant in the course of time, therefore, which is a highly desirable feature in connection with the reproducibility of the docking operations.

Claims

A device for docking animal tails and/or ears, for example of piglets and lambs, comprising a first handle, which is provided with a cutting element near one end, which cutting element can be heated by heating means, and a second handle pivotally connected to the first handle, which second handle is provided with a press-on surface near one end, which cutting element and which press-on surface can be brought into contact with each other by exerting a force, characterized in that the cutting element and the press-on surface abut against each other in a position of rest under the influence of the force in question.
A docking device according to claim 1, characterized in that said force is a spring force.
A docking device according to claim 2, characterized in that a spring is arranged between the two handles, which spring urges the cutting element and the press-on surface into contact with each other in a position of rest.
A docking device according to claim 3, characterized in that said spring is fitted between the first ends of the two handles.
A docking device according to claim 3, characterized in that said spring is fitted between the free other ends of the two handles.
A docking device according to claim 3, 4 or 5, characterized in that the two handles are provided with projections extending towards each other, over each of which one end of the spring can be fitted.
A docking device according to any one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cutting element is provided with a supporting element, which is connected to the first handle, on the side remote from the press-on surface.
A docking device according to any one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cutting element and/or the press-on surface include stop elements, against which an object that is present between the cutting element and the press-on surface can rest in the operative position.
A docking device according to any one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said heating means comprise a gas-filled cartridge which is disposed in the first handle, as well as a glow element disposed near the cutting element, which functions to ignite the gas being supplied from the gas cartridge and to heat the cutting element.
A docking device according to claim 9, characterized in that the first handle is provided with a knob for regulating the supply of gas to the glow element.