The invention has been devised to provide a novel method of heat brand marking of livestock without the inconvenience of lightin and maintaining fires or fuel heaters, to be used in the field or yards in a more efficient manner than present known forms of brandin equipment. The device combines both the heating medium and the branding element in one hand held apparatus. Due to the accurate heat range which can be maintained at the branding head, over burning, miss-branding, and damage to the hide can be avoided, providing a cleaner more distinct brand, eleminating blotching and burn damage to the hide. Brand can be applied to hide in a very short space of time, due to the heat being concentrated right at the branding face only, and so greatly reduce stress to the animal being marked. The process is over 100 times quicker than "freeze branding and greatly reduces the handling stress on the animal by minimizing the captive time in handl ing. The invention has been expressly devised for the purpose of operating from a vehicle, tractor or small generator - battery plant, by the simple connection to the mobile units battery terminals. Alternator charging circuit of the modern vehicle or tractor more than compensates for power drawn from its battery by this device, and easily maintains full charge during marking operations or alternatively, vehicle can be periodically started and run for a short period to keep charge in battery. Branding iron may also operate from a loose battery away from the charging source, and would require periodic charging or can have its own portable motor driven charger to maintain battery charge while in constant use.

The device can be produced in an economical manner and readily

put into service.

Other advantages will be apparent from the following description.

According to the invention the device consists of the following in accordance with one embodiment of the apparatus and comprises a main hand held body assembly with the section held by the operator formed into a handle which incorporates a button or lever operated switch to control operation of high current switching medium of either a solonoid switch or a thyistor junction switch mounted within the body of the apparatus. Body shell extends from this handle and is part of it, to form a pod a short length from handle. This pod houses the electric wiring and switch mechanism to control high current feed to branding element assembly mounted on the outer end face of this pod. The branding element consist of a solid or cored construction, manufactured from heavy gauge wire, rod, tube or formed section, from an alloy with high temperature safe working capabilities, and low oxidizing characteristics in the heated state. Such element is shaped into a facsimile of the required brand design. The cross-sectional area dimensions of the conducting wire, rod, tube or formed section, is such as to reach a high temperature in a matter of seconds due to its low circuit resistance, allowing a high current to pass through this element, when connected across a low voltage, high current source such as a vehicle traction battery, or other suitable low voltage, high current power source. The conductive metal branding element can be composed of one or more wires, rods, tubes or formed sections to make up the element design, which can be interchanged with various different brand designs as desired. The brand element is mounted on the end of a short rigid hand held extension piece, composed of wood, metal or plastic. The hand held extension incorporated a finger

accentuated switch.which when operated, energises the main solonoid relay closing the contacts in the low voltage high current circuit between the power source and the conductive metal branding element electrode. The operator by the use of this switch decides when the element should be at branding heat and is able to maintain this . degree of heat at the element. An automatic timing device or a heat sensitive relay can be incorporated into the element, solonoid, switc ^' circuit to control the length of time current passes through the metal conducting element _j high current switch can be a magnetic solonoid or a thyistor junction switch mechanism. The conductive metal branding element assembly is mounted on an insulated heat resisting panel attached to the extremity of the hand held extension hence the positive and negative cables from the power source pass along or inside this extension through the make and break contacts ^* of the solonoid relay, similiar to a vehicle starter solonoid switch to the terminals of the heating element body. A small tap wire feeds through the operator's switch and back to the solonoid coil to common lead to provide the switching circuit to energise solonoid switch. The rigid conductive metal branding element is mounted on the insulating panel, supported a short distance from it by a series of legs or struts in a chair like manner. These legs or struts, are welded or otherwise attached to, or are part of the conductive metal branding element. The legs or struts provide rigid support for the conductive metal branding element when in its heated state and provid an air gap between the heated branding element and the insulating panel .

This protruded support of the element brand also allow free penetration through the fur of the animal being branded to allow contact with the hide to kill hair folicles and so form brand mark

on h i de.

There is no electric current from the power source passing through these legs or struts supporting the branding element and these supports remain reasonable cool, transferring very little heat away from the branding element. The electrical circuit is so arranged that heating current only passes through the shaped branding element by means of two or more connecting conductive studs passing through the heat resisting insulating panel to connect to the power source by means of the circuit through the main switching mechanism. This invention, the electric branding apparatus can be effectively operated under all climatic conditions such as wet, cold or windy weather conditions when otherwise fire branding would be impossible.

The invention will now be described in greater detail by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig 1A is a side view in elevation, showing the complete hand held apparatus.

Fig IB is a sectional i sed view of the main body showing the wirin and components.

Fig 1C is a perspective view of a branding head (unattached to main body).

Fig 2A is a enlarged fragmentary view in elevation and partly in section of the arrangement of the heating element and the legs or struts support same ^' on the heat resistant insulating panel.

Fig 2B is a enlarged fragmentary view in elevation and partly in section of an alternate arrangement of supporting the heating element with the legs or struts attached to the heat resisting insulating panel .

Detailed description of Embodiment

With reference to drawings, Fig 1A shows a typical lay-up of the device embodying the principles of the present invention, being particularly adaptable to live stock brand marking.

In broad terms the device consists of a main body 1. Composed of an aluminimum casting or plastic molding so arranged to be made up of two recessed halfs which bolt or rivet together where in 7. are vent holes for cooling. The attached branding head Fig 1A shown also as a detached component in Fig 1C where in 17 shows the attaching bolt or stud holes through which bolts or studs 5. pass through to firmly attach head to pod of main body 1. The operator's gripping handle S>. of main body 1. houses control switch 8. mounted adjacent to handle. Battery terminal lugs 11. and wiring leads 10. pass down through the core of the main body 1. to locate the positive lead on the enclosed solonoid switch terminals 15. Fig 1B and the negative lead connects to one terminal of branding element. 3« at stud 16. by terminal 6. Other terminal of branding elements connects to dead side of the normally open solonoid switch 12. Fig 1B. The heat resisting insulating panel 2. supports the branding element 3- held on legs k . and studs 16. Referring to Fig 1C. the branding element support legs 4. only pass through the front layer of insul¬ ating panel 2. whereas connecting studs 16. pass through the both layers of insulation to allow for electrical cross connecting and connection to mains from terminal 6. on studs. Studs 16. are approximately four times the cross sectional area of the main branding element 3. to allow full current carrying capacity without heating up. The support legs k . attach to the. main branding element by crimping into the slotted back of the branding element wire 3. or by being stud

welding or crimping.

Components of the device will now be described in greater detail:

Main current leads 10. and lugs 11. will be sufficient short term current carrying capacity to supply full demand by the heating element 3- with negligable voltage drop in these leads. Leads will be of sufficient length to allow operator to manoeuvre around the animal to be branded and can be used with extension leads.

Branding head mounting panel 2. will be composed of a high impact strength heat resisting insulation material such as Zircon fibre glass reinforced resin composition.

Main branding element 3- will be formed from a nickel -chrome heat resisting alloy with low oxidizing characteristics such as Incoloy or inconel (Registered trade names).

Support legs . will be composed of a similiar metal to the branding element 3.

Control switch 8. will be a suitable single line toggle or press contact low current switch.

Solonoid switch 12. would be a normal automotive type starter solonoid switch of approximately 150. A-short term rating.

Branding Head assembly Fig 1C.

This unit can be a bolt or exchangeable assembly or a exchangeable plug-in assembly. The head will be made up as one complete component exhibiting the desired brand symbols or designs. In the arrangement shown at Fig 1C. the positive and negative terminal would be 16B and 16H, interconnections on the back of the

panel would be 16A to 16C, 16A to 1 E, 1 F to 1 C, 1 J to 1 G.

This arrangement of circuitry would place all symbols in series circuitry, ^' to so maintain even heat over whole element.

A fragmentary view, part in section shown at Fig 2A of the heating element for the brand, illustrates the slotted element wire or rod 3« crimped over the formed ends of the legs or struts k . located in the heat resisting insulating panel -2. Also shown is the arrangement of the terminal posts 16. where electrode 3. is fitted into the welded to terminal post 16., also showing fixed collar 20., spacer 19. and terminal tug 6. held in place by lock nut 18. An alternate assembly is shown at Fig 2B where heating wire or rod 1. fastened to legs or struts . by welding.

To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, man changes in construction and design and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The disclosur and description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting or being ^' restricted to a precise form.