Untitled record

F.Hair,

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N. PETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHED WASHINGTON. D. C.

United States Patent Office»

SAMUEL HAIR, OF KANKAKEE CITY, ILLINOIS.

HOG-SNOUT CUTTER.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 43,909, elated August 23, 1864.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Samuel Hair, of Kankakee City, in the county of Kankakee and State of Illinois, have invented a new and improved device for slitting the projectinglip upon the snout of swine, which I call a “ HogTamer;” and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and letters of reference marked thereon, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to an.instrument for cutting a slit in the muscular or fleshy protuberance from the snout of swine, thereby severing it partly from the snout and allowing it to hang in the form of a loop, suspended or attached at the two ends. The part beingvery tender and being detached except at the ends, the propensity of the animal to indulge in rooting is effectually checked.

Mj^r improvements in said apparatus consist, first, in making the edge of the knife or bit with which the slitting is accomplished of a lance shape, pointed or slightly rounded, by which it more readily enters the flesh and forms the loop with less pain to the animal than when a straight or chisel-edged bit is used; second, in the use of a rest having a curved slot which receives the edge of the knife or bit; thiid, in the mechanism for operating the bit.

The accompanying drawing is a perspective view of the machine, showing all its parts.

A is the bit, made of thin plate-steel curved to the form of the snout of the animal. These may be of various dimensions, adapted to animals of different sizes, a is the cuttingedge. In place of extending straight or square across from end to end, it is lanceshaped or formed with a point, or a slightlyrounded point, as represented, by which it easily penetrates the fleshy protuberance in which the slit is to be made.

B is the rest, consisting of a plain plate, having a slot or aperture, δ, through which the edge of the bit A works.

is a bar, to one end of which plate or rest B is firmly secured, and to the other end the handle D.

E is a bar bent to a right angle at one end and there having a curved plate, c, secured to it. The latter is of the proper shape to receive the bit A, the bit being confined thereto by screws c' or in any appropriate manner. This bar passes through and is held in place at one end by an aperture in plate B, and at the other end passes through an aperture in an arm, d, extending from bar 0. E is a small hand-lever, pivoted to bar 0 at e aud slotted at f to receive a pin, g, which passes through E, the construction and arrangement being such that when the instrument is held by its handle with one hand and the other used to operate the lever the bit may be caused to reciprocate with force and suddenly, thereby forming the loop in the rooter of the animal.

In operation, the animal to be operated upon will require to be held still while the person who performs the operation holds the instrument appropriately, with the concave face of the bit against the snout anti the fleshy protuberance supported on the rest. A sudden stroke with the lever then forms the slit, aud the bit being as suddenly withdrawn the operation is surely and effectually accomplished, and with but comparatively little pain to the animal, or at least without prolonged pain.

I am aware that an instrument for a similar purpose as that herein specified is in use, invented by Reuben Hurd and patented in 1862; but in said instrument the edge of the bit is straight'and it is made to cut upon the face of a block or rest, the effect of which is not in all cases to produce a perfect severance of the part designed to be cut. Its action, moreover, is not so instantaneous nor attended with so little pain to the animal.