USRE23953E - Dehorning device - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 22, 1955 s. s. MIMS DEHORNING DEVICE Original Filed April 26, 1950 FIG 5 ..M "M M .wm WA E T s L E U .M A S BY dfd FIG 3 ATTORNEY United States Patent DEHORNING DEVICE Samuel S. Mims, Washington, D. C., assignor of onethird to Lykes M. Boykin, Alexandria, Va.

Original No. 2,582,450, dated January '15, 1952, Serial No. 158,203, April 26, 1950. Application for reissue September 11, 1953, Serial No. 379,749

8 Claims. (Cl. 128-303.1)

Matter enclosed in heavy brackets appears in the original patent but forms no part of this reissue specification; matter printed in italics indicates the additions made by reissue.

This invention relates to a dehorning device, and more particularly to a cauterizing device for simplifying the dehorning of cattle and other livestock.

Previously in order to dehorn livestock by destroying the horn cells at the base of the horn button on these animals a caustic stick was wetted and rubbed on the horn button or a caustic paste was applied to the horn button when the animal was quite young, say from two to four weeks old; and more recently apparatus has been devised for destroying the horn cells by heat, an example of such apparatus being shown in my co-pending application, Ser. No. 125,321, filed November 3, 1949, and now Patent No. 2,569,250 dated September 25, 1951. In attempting to use heat, difficulty has been experienced in adapting means for heating the dehorning device that would be safe, convenient and always available. Burning charcoal is neither safe or convenient, and electricity is not always available, particularly out on the range.

It is an object of my present invention to provide a [dehorning] cauterizing device which is chemically heated.

Another object of my ing device which is adapted to be heated by a replaceable chemical cartridge.

Another object of my invention is to provide a dehorning device having a cylindrical tip which is quickly and easily interchangeable with tips of various sizes to accommodate animals having horns of various sizes.

Another object of my invention is to provide a dehorning device with an improved shield for protecting the operator and retaining the heat in the desired portions of the device.

Other and further objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevation illustrating an my invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In the embodiment chosen for illustration, a hollow handle is provided with a barrel or elongated connecting member 11 extending from one end thereof and upon the outer end of which is mounted a combustion chamber base 12 comprising radially extending wall means. The base 12 is internally threaded at 13 to receive a combustion chamber extension 14 which is externally threaded at 15 for removable attachment to the threaded portion of the combustion chamber base 12. When the extension 14 is attached to the base 12 they form a hollow cylindrical combustion chamber for the reception of an hermetically sealed heating charge 16 which liberates heat, but substantially no gas, when fired. The chamber is defined by a cylindrical peripheral wall and end walls which are substantially perpendicular to such peripheral wall. An example of such a heating charge is shown in U. S. Patent No. 2,500,790, issued March 14, 1950.

A movable plunger rod 17 is mounted in the barrel 11 and carries on one end thereof a firing pin 18 which exembodiment of tends into the combustion chamber and is arranged to invention is to provide a dehorn- "ice detonate the percussion primer (not shown) in the end of the heating charge 16 for igniting the same. The rod 17 extends through the handle 10 and has an enlarged grip portion 19 on the end opposite the firing pin 18. A coil spring 20 surrounds an intermediate portion of the rod 17 within the handle 10 and presses against the collar 21, fixed to the rod 17, to urge the firing pin toward the combustion chamber.

Fixed to the outer end of the combustion chamber extension 14 at the end wall thereof is a protruding tip 22 of cylindrical shape and having a recess or opening 23 at its outer end to receive the horn button, the tip comprising an open annulus raised from the surface of the end wall, the depth and diameter of the opening 23 being proportioned according to the size of the horn button and the rim of the head surrounding the opening 23 being of sufiicient thickness to supply a branding area which will reach all the horn cells embedded around and near the base of the horn button, and which, when heated to a temperature of about 670 degrees F. is sufiicient to destroy the horn cells.

A split collar 24 is rigidly attached to the barrel 11 intermediate the handle 10 and the combustion chamber base 12, the split halves being secured together and in place on the barrel by means of through- bolts 25, 25. The collar 24 is externally threaded at 26 to receive an internally threaded cylindrical shield 27 which is radially spaced from the combustion chamber base 12 and the combustion chamber extension 14, and overhangs the combustion chamber to provide a protection for the operator against accidental burns while at the same time defining an air space for retaining heat in the combustion chamber extension for conduction to the tip 22. Also, the air space provided between the shield 27 and the combustion chamber will prevent oxidation and a consequent forming of carbon on the tip 22 which may be formed of copper or bronze or other material of high heat conductivity. The shield 27 may be formed of aluminum or other suitable light weight material, and the handle 10 should be formed of wood or other suitable material of low heat conductivity.

Having selected a combustion chamber extension with a tip of suitable dimensions for receiving the horn button of the animal to be dehorned, a heating charge is placed in the combustion chamber extension and the same screwed in place on the combustion chamber base. The device is then ready for use, and with the animal to be dehorned caught and held, the plunger rod is pulled back by the grip 19 against the action of spring 20 and released to drive the firing pin 18 to detonate the percussion primer of the heating charge 16. The heating charge in the combustion chamber will then quickly heat the dehorning tip 22 to a temperature of about 670 degrees F. which is sufficient to destroy the horn cells when the tip is pressed about the horn button so that it is received within the opening 23 in the free end of the dehorning tip. When the heat from the charge has been dissipated, the combustion chamber extension can be unscrewed from the base and another charge easily inserted in the combination chamber.

It will'be obvious that my invention provides a needed article of great convenience and usefulness, and that while I have illustrated and described only a single embodiment thereof various changes and adaptations may be made without departing from the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a dehorning device, a barrel, a hollow handle mounted on one end of said barrel, a combustion chamber base secured to the other end of said barrel, a combustion chamber extension constructed and arranged for removable connection with said combustion chamber base to form a combustion chamber to receive a combustible heating charge, a plunger mounted for reciprocating movement in said barrel, one end of said plunger extending outwardly from the end of said handle farthest from said combustion chamber base, a firing pin on the other end of said plunger, an hermetically sealed heating charge in said combustion chamber, said heating charge having a percussion primer arranged for detonation by said firing pin, a dehorning tip on said combustion chamber exten- Reissued Feb. 22,1955 v sion, said tip being of cylindrical shape and having a re- 5. In a dehorning device, an intermediate portion, a cess at its outer end to receive a horn button, a split collar handle mounted on one end of said intermediate poron said barrel intermediate said handle and said combustion, a combustion chamber base secured to the other tion chamber base, and a cylindrical shield attached to said end of said intermediate portion, a combustion chamber collar and extending over said combustion chamber, said 5 extension removably connected to said combustion chamsh-ield being radially spaced from said combustion chamber base to form a combustion chamber to receive a ber. combustible heating charge, a heating charge in said 2. In a dehorning device, a barrel, a hollow handle combustion chamber, means for igniting said heating mounted on one end of said barrel, a combustion chamcharge, a dehorning tip on said combustion chamber exb'er base secured to the other end of said barrel, a comtension, said tip having a recess at its outer end to rebustion chamber extension constructed and arranged for ceive a horn button, and a cylindrical shield extending removable connection with said combustion chamber about said combustion chamber in radially spaced rebase to form a combustion chamber to receive a comlationship thereto. bustible' heating charge, a plunger mounted for recipro- 6. In a dehorniug device, a connecting member, a eating movement in said barrel, a firing pin on said handle mounted on one end of said member, a complunger, an hermetically sealed heating charge in said bustion chamber base secured to the other end of said combustion chamber, said heating charge having a member, acombustion chamber extension removably conpercussion primer arranged for detonation by said" firing ncctcd to said combustion chamber base to form a compin, a dehorn ing tip on said combustion chamber exbustion chamber to receive'a combustible heating charge, tension, said tip being of cylindrical shape and having a dehorning tip on said combustion chamber extension, a recess at its outer end to receive a horn button, a split Said p having E1 recess t0 Tficeive a button, and a collar on said barrel intermediate aid handl and aid shield surrounding said combustion chamber, said shield combustion chamber base, and a cylindrical shield at being radially spaced from said combustion chamber. tached to said collar and overhanging said combustion 7. In a dehorning device, an elongated connecting chamber, said shield being radially spaced from said m a handle mounted Oil end f mid combustion chamber. ber, radially extending wall means mounted on the other 3. In a dehorning device, a barrel, a handle mounted cm] Said member, Combustion Chamber forming on one end of said bariel, a combustion chamber base means r m v y mounted on said w means, said secured to the other end of sa d barrel, a omb t on wail means and and combustion chamber forming means chamber extension constructed and arranged for removdefining a Cylindrical Chamber having a cylindrical P able connection with said combustion chamber base to rip/16ml Wall and end Substantially Perpendicular form a COmbUSUOH chamber to receive a combustible thereto f receiving a combustible hearing g n heating charge, a plunger mounted for reciprocating dehoml-ng P Carried y Said End Walls, Said movement 1n said barrel, a firing P111 on said plunger, an dehommg comprising an fl'mlUll-Y Famed f the herrnetically sealed heating charge in said combustion 3 f mld one end Wall and defining a 710m button chamber, said heating charge having a percussion prlmer ceiviflg recess in Said dehoming P' arranged for detonation by said firing pin, a dehorning Jn a mulerizing device, a handle, a first Combustip on said combustion chamber extension, said tip being rion chamber l means, means connecting s h n of cylindrical shape and having a recess at it outer to said first combustion chamber wall means, a second end to receive a horn button, a split collar on said barrel 4t, combusiion Chamber Wall means removably attached 10 intermediate said handle and said combustion chamber mid fi Combustion Chamber Wall means and defining base, and a cyhndncal h eld tta h d t d ll therewith a substantially closed combustion chamber for and extending about said combustlon chamber and receiving a combustible Charge movable means f firing radially spaced th refrom such charge, said movable means being arranged to pass 4. In a dehorning device, a barrel, a handle mounted through one f Said Wall means during firing, and (I on one end of said barrel, a combustion chamber base Callieriling element Carried y one f Said Wall means, secured to the other end of said barrel, a combustion Said element comprising P annulus defillmg a chamber extension constructed and arranged for remov- CBSS in mid 8187116711" able connection with said combustion chamber base to fiorm a combustion chamber to receive a combustible :30 References Cited 1 t file of this Patent heating charge, a heating charge in said combustion or the 011811131 Patent chamber, said heating charge having a percussion primer 1arranged for getonation, a dehorning tip on said com- UNITED STATES PATENTS ustion cram er extension, said tip having a recess at its outer end to receive a horn button, and a cylindrical Bula 1925 Roberts June 11, 1935 shield attached to said barrel and extending about said 2,288 464 Kitchener June, 30 1942 wmbustmn chamber in radially spaced relationship 2,589, 509 Petraglia -IIIIIII: Mar. 18: 1952 thereto.

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