A device for use in the humane slaughter of animals has a barrel and a cap arranged for limited reciprocal axial movement and urged to an inoperative position by a spring. A captive bolt is received in the barrel for reciprocal axial movement, the bolt being driven out of the barrel by a driving force provided by an explosive cartridge adapted to be received in a breech in the barrel. The cartridge is fired by striking a firing pin provided in the cap. The cartridge is mounted on a strip movable in response to a manual operation, and a registration device is provided between the strip and the cap to locate the cartridge relative to the open breech in the inoperative position. Movement of the barrel relative to the cap against the force of the spring places the cartridge in the breech and causes it to strike the firing pin to fire the cartridge and operate the captive bolt, the spring then returning the barrel and the cap to the inoperative position to open the breech and allow movement of the strip to remove the spent cartridge.

A device for use in the humane slaughter of animals has a barrel and a cap arranged for limited reciprocal axial movement and urged to an inoperative position by a spring. A captive bolt is received in the barrel for reciprocal axial movement, the bolt being driven out of the barrel by a driving force provided by an explosive cartridge adapted to be received in a breech in the barrel. The cartridge is fired by striking a firing pin provided in the cap. The cartridge is mounted on a strip movable in response to a manual operation, and a registration device is provided between the strip and the cap to locate the cartridge relative to the open breech in the inoperative position. Movement of the barrel relative to the cap against the force of the spring places the cartridge in the breech and causes it to strike the firing pin to fire the cartridge and operate the captive bolt, the spring then returning the barrel and the cap to the inoperative position to open the breech and allow movement of the strip to remove the spent cartridge.

Method and apparatus for a device used to euthanize poultry. The device restrains the animal via a head restraint which is placed to pull the head down while the legs are held upwardly in leg shackles. The head restraint is offset in order to contact the head at an angle that is not in line with the bird's spine which is important for proper cervical dislocation. The head restraint bar floats or moves on guide rods on either side to keep it from twisting. A ramrod runs vertically all the way to the top of the machine and past the legs of a chicken and an impact/stop is welded onto the rod with an approximate five pound slide hammer on top of the stop. With a chicken properly restrained in the device, the slide hammer is used to slam on the impact/stop which then causes complete and perfect cervical dislocation so that the animal is brain dead without any blood.

Method and apparatus for a device used to euthanize poultry. The device restrains the animal via a head restraint which is placed to pull the head down while the legs are held upwardly in leg shackles. The head restraint is offset in order to contact the head at an angle that is not in line with the bird's spine which is important for proper cervical dislocation. The head restraint bar floats or moves on guide rods on either side to keep it from twisting. A ramrod runs vertically all the way to the top of the machine and past the legs of a chicken and an impact/stop is welded onto the rod with an approximate five pound slide hammer on top of the stop. With a chicken properly restrained in the device, the slide hammer is used to slam on the impact/stop which then causes complete and perfect cervical dislocation so that the animal is brain dead without any blood.

A device for use in the humane slaughter of animals has a barrel and a cap arranged for limited reciprocal axial movement and urged to an inoperative position by a spring. A captive bolt is received in the barrel for reciprocal axial movement, the bolt being driven out of the barrel by a driving force provided by an explosive cartridge adapted to be received in a breech in the barrel. The cartridge is fired by striking a firing pin provided in the cap. The cartridge is mounted on a strip movable in response to a manual operation, and a registration device is provided between the strip and the cap to locate the cartridge relative to the open breech in the inoperative position. Movement of the barrel relative to the cap against the force of the spring places the cartridge in the breech and causes it to strike the firing pin to fire the cartridge and operate the captive bolt, the spring then returning the barrel and the cap to the inoperative position to open the breech and allow movement of the strip to remove the spent cartridge.

A device for use in the humane slaughter of animals has a barrel and a cap arranged for limited reciprocal axial movement and urged to an inoperative position by a spring. A captive bolt is received in the barrel for reciprocal axial movement, the bolt being driven out of the barrel by a driving force provided by an explosive cartridge adapted to be received in a breech in the barrel. The cartridge is fired by striking a firing pin provided in the cap. The cartridge is mounted on a strip movable in response to a manual operation, and a registration device is provided between the strip and the cap to locate the cartridge relative to the open breech in the inoperative position. Movement of the barrel relative to the cap against the force of the spring places the cartridge in the breech and causes it to strike the firing pin to fire the cartridge and operate the captive bolt, the spring then returning the barrel and the cap to the inoperative position to open the breech and allow movement of the strip to remove the spent cartridge.

An apparatus and method of use for a cartridge-type animal stunner comprising an elongated stunner housing having a muzzle and a breech with a cartridge chamber for receiving an explosive charge. A captive penetrating-type stunning rod capable of being propelled forward is received in the bore. The stunning rod has an opening throughout the entire length thereof. Upon placement of the housing forward end against an animal and activation of a trigger, a firing pin moves to impact a cartridge in the cartridge chamber, causing explosion of the cartridge. The stunning rod is propelled forward to penetrate the animal head to a brain. Simultaneously, a portion of combustion products from explosion of the cartridge travel into the stunning rod opening at a rearward end, along the length of the rod, and out of the stunning rod forward end into the animal brain to cause rapid lethal damage thereto.

An apparatus and method of use for a cartridge-type animal stunner comprising an elongated stunner housing having a muzzle and a breech with a cartridge chamber for receiving an explosive charge. A captive penetrating-type stunning rod capable of being propelled forward is received in the bore. The stunning rod has an opening throughout the entire length thereof. Upon placement of the housing forward end against an animal and activation of a trigger, a firing pin moves to impact a cartridge in the cartridge chamber, causing explosion of the cartridge. The stunning rod is propelled forward to penetrate the animal head to a brain. Simultaneously, a portion of combustion products from explosion of the cartridge travel into the stunning rod opening at a rearward end, along the length of the rod, and out of the stunning rod forward end into the animal brain to cause rapid lethal damage thereto.

A portable pneumatic stunner for stunning or euthanizing an animal has a piston slideable within an inner chamber, a housing with a front portion being moveable toward and away from its rear portion, a stunning rod driven by the piston forward towards the front end of the housing, a catch system for alternately holding and releasing the stunning rod, and a regulator for regulating the pressure received from a fluid container for operating the stunner. The stunning rod is driven along a longitudinal axis upon exposure of a pressurized fluid to the piston, and the stunning rod is retracted back into the stunner after firing by exerting a manual inward force on the stunning rod and housing. The catch system comprises a plurality of arcuate sections substantially forming a cylinder. The regulator determines the allowable pressure levels of the fluid the stunner is subjected to.

A portable pneumatic stunner for stunning or euthanizing an animal has a piston slideable within an inner chamber, a housing with a front portion being moveable toward and away from its rear portion, a stunning rod driven by the piston forward towards the front end of the housing, a catch system for alternately holding and releasing the stunning rod, and a regulator for regulating the pressure received from a fluid container for operating the stunner. The stunning rod is driven along a longitudinal axis upon exposure of a pressurized fluid to the piston, and the stunning rod is retracted back into the stunner after firing by exerting a manual inward force on the stunning rod and housing. The catch system comprises a plurality of arcuate sections substantially forming a cylinder. The regulator determines the allowable pressure levels of the fluid the stunner is subjected to.