Animal actuated applicator

Details Animal actuated applicator Animal actuated applicator

2001-09-28

2003-02-18

Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)

Animal husbandry

Antivermin treating or cleaning

Sprayer

C119S667000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06520118

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to animal actuated applicator suitable for applying pesticide or like fluids to animals such as livestock and game. In one embodiment of the invention it relates to an animal actuated applicator adapted for dispensing a volume of pesticide or like fluids in proportion to the animal's weight.
BACKGROUND ART
Numerous applicators for applying active ingredients to animals are known and available in the market. Several of these applicators include a so-called stepping plate or treadle and can be actuated by an animal, for example by a hoof of the animal when the animal treads on the stepping plate or treadle. Known applicators however all suffer from at least one particular disadvantage, namely the inability to dispense variable volumes of pesticide or like treating fluids upon actuation in accordance with the weight of an animal to be treated. Consequently smaller and larger animals often receive equal dosages, potentially resulting in overdosing of smaller animals and/or underdosing of larger animals.
Those who are familiar with the art of dosing animals will appreciate that in order to achieve optimal results from dosing an animal with an active ingredient, such as pesticide or the like treatment fluids, the animal must receive a relatively accurate dosage of the treatment fluid as prescribed by a producer thereof, for example 1 ml treatment fluid per 10 kg body mass of the animal to be dosed. Experience has indicated that many difficulties arise concerning the ease and thoroughness of these types of applications, as well as the duration of their effectiveness. The disadvantages associated with known animal actuated applicators primarily result from the fact that the accuracy of each dosage applied to each animal largely depends on where the annual treads on the stepping plate or treadle.
These disadvantages are more clearly illustrated with reference to the following patent specifications. U.S. Pat. No. 4,165,715 discloses an annual spray apparatus including an inclined ground level treadle supported inside a frame, which defines a stall and which is interposed in the path of an animal, the treadle being biased upwardly by resilient means so that the trade is urged downwardly by the forelegs of an animal stepping thereon, thereby charging dispensing means. The animal is dosed as it exits the stall.
One disadvantage associated with this apparatus is that proper functioning of the apparatus is dependent thereon that the animal is situated all the way in the stall with its forelegs on the treadle and the weight of its hindquarters on the ground. If the animal enters the stall only partly, it will not charge the dispensing means accurately and it will not receive an accurate dosage of active ingredient. Another disadvantage is that, even if proper functioning of the apparatus is achieved, the dispensing means is charged in accordance with only a percentage of the animal's weight, since its hindquarters is supported on the ground, with this percentage decreasing if the animal is pregnant. Treatment dosages are generally prescribed in a ratio to the total body mass of an animal and consequently this apparatus is not effective in dispensing accurate dosages of treatment fluids. Also, the construction of the apparatus is such that an animal can not pass over the treadle from both directions.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,884,192 discloses an automatic animal sprayer including two platforms arranged in end to end relation, each having their outer ends pivotally connected to a frame and having their inner ends supported by resilient means. The platforms are movable together in a generally vertical direction downwardly in response to the weight of an animal entering onto either platform. Although being an improvement over the previously discussed apparatus, this apparatus also suffers from the disadvantage that the dosing of the animal will depend on where and for what duration of time the animal steps on the platforms. The platforms are required to move downwardly under the weight of the animal so as to overcome the yielding bias of the resilient means and to actuate a pump, as a consequence of which the dosage received by the animal depends on whether the animal adequately crosses over the platforms. Once the pump has been actuated, an animal weighing, for example, 100 kg and one weighing 200 kg will receive the same dosages. Also, the apparatus is relatively complicated in its construction, necessitating enticement of the animals to cross over the platforms and through the frame-structured passage.
The same or similar disadvantages as set out hereinbefore apply to the apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,104.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,460,561 discloses yet a further device for spraying live stock with a treatment fluid. Particularly, this invention provides for a device that comprises a displaceable treadle that is arranged in communication with a dispensing pump and nozzle arrangement. The treadle is located in a doorway of a hog-house, shed or the like with one end of the treadle pivotally connected to a support frame, the floor or the like support base, and the opposite free end of the treadle connected to an upwardly extending rod that has its upper end connected to the dispensing pump. The treadle is maintained in an elevated position by means of a coil spring, the arrangement by such that as an animal treads on the treadle, it depresses the treadle, which in turn effects dispensing of a volume of treatment fluid onto the animal.
A major disadvantage associated with this device is that the dosing of the animal will depend on the exact position where the animal steps on the treadle. So, for example, an animal with weight X who steps on the treadle at a point closer to the treadle pivot point, will receive a similar dosage than an animal with weight ½X who merely steps on the treadle at a point further away from the treadle pivot point and closer to the free end of the treadle.
The device defines a substantially linear relationship between the degree of depression of the treadle and the volume of treatment fluid dispensed. Consequently, smaller and larger animals often receive inaccurate dosages, not only because the treadle has a set stroke, but also because each animal's dosage depend not so much on the weight of the animal, but on where the animal steps on the treadle. A further associated disadvantage of this device is that repeatability of dosage volumes is impossible. The same animal stepping on the treadle a number of different times each time will receive a different volume of fluid, since the volume dispensed depends on the position where the animal steps on the treadle.
Another disadvantage associated with this type of applicator device is that substantial depression of the treadle is required to effect dispensing of the treatment fluid. However, experience has taught that animals are generally frightened to step onto a surface that gives way under them, as a result of which type of applicator is highly ineffective for use in dosing cattle, game or the like, since the animals simply refuse to walk over the treadle.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly one object of the present invention to overcome or at least minimize the aforementioned disadvantages associated with known applicators by providing an animal actuated applicator adapted to dispense variable volumes of pesticide or like fluids in proportion to the weight of the particular actuating the applicator without the necessity of human assistance.
It is another object of the invention to provide an animal actuated applicator wherein dosing fluids can be dispensed in relation to the weight of the particular animal actuating the applicator, regardless of where, in what manner or for how long the animal treads on the actuating means.
It is another object of the invention to provide an animal actuated applicator that permits animals freely and easily to pass over the applicator in either direction without the necessity of force.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
According to the in

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