Title: Animal marking apparatus

Abstract: A record keeping and tagging system made possible by a machine readable tag implanted in an animal by a tagging gun. The tag comprises a portion which is both visually readable and machine readable, and a portion which includes barbs or spring-biased tines which lock it to the animal. The tagging gun comprises cocking means for moving the tag-like article into a firing position, releasing means for releasing the article from the cocking means, means for firing the article, and triggering means for activating the cocking means and releasing means in sequence by applying a force in a single direction. An information retrieval station features a chute with compressible sides and a weighing and measuring platform, and a machine reader which is automatically positioned with respect to the tag when the animal triggers a photoelectric sensing device, so as to read out the information coded therein while the animal is weighed and/or measured. A computer can be utilized to compare the animal's weight and measurement determined so as to further direct the processing of the animal.

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Inventors: Propst, Robert L. (Ann Arbor, MI, US)
Propst, Howard B. (Ann Arbor, MI, US)

Application Number: 427831
Filing Date: 1973-12-26
Publication_date: 1976-04-27
Assignee: Herman Miller, Inc. (Zeeland, MI)
Primary Class(es): 40/300 D30/155
Other Classes:
US Patent Ref:

3128744	Apr, 1964	Jefferts et al.	119/3.
3184714	May, 1965	Brown et al.	235/61.
3211470	Oct, 1965	Wilson	283/18.
3360877	Jan, 1968	Estep	40/300.
3399478	Sep, 1968	Tarver	40/300.
3417796	Dec, 1968	Von Meyer	40/2.
3488867	Jan, 1970	Lyon et al.	35/35.
3573731	Apr, 1971	Schwend	235/61.

Other Refs:
Primary Examiner: Chamblee, Hugh R.
Assistant Examiner: Contreras, Wenceslao J.
Attorney: Price, Heneveld, Huizenga & Cooper