A pneumatic stunner for stunning an animal has a piston slideable within an inner chamber, and a stunning rod driven by the piston forward and rearward towards and away from the front end of the housing. The stunning rod has an elongated body having a longitudinal axis, with the forward end of the body having a two-radius configuration that is sized for striking an animal's head, and is adaptable for attaching a hardened tip. A valve system alternately controls flow of the pressurized fluid from a fire pressure chamber to the rearward end of the inner chamber to move the piston and drive the stunning rod forward to stun an animal, and from a return pressure chamber to the forward end of the inner chamber to move the piston and drive the stunning rod rearward and retract the stunning rod. The handle includes a cushioned mount adjustable in direction.

A pneumatic stunner for stunning an animal has a piston slideable within an inner chamber, and a stunning rod driven by the piston forward and rearward towards and away from the front end of the housing. The stunning rod has an elongated body having a longitudinal axis, with the forward end of the body having a two-radius configuration that is sized for striking an animal's head, and is adaptable for attaching a hardened tip. A valve system alternately controls flow of the pressurized fluid from a fire pressure chamber to the rearward end of the inner chamber to move the piston and drive the stunning rod forward to stun an animal, and from a return pressure chamber to the forward end of the inner chamber to move the piston and drive the stunning rod rearward and retract the stunning rod. The handle includes a cushioned mount adjustable in direction.

An apparatus and method for inflicting brain injury on a laboratory animal that employs a platform for supporting the laboratory animal. The platform defines an opening for positioning the head of the laboratory animal over the opening. A projectile is launched from a projectile launching device orientated below the opening of the platform. The projectile launching device has a means for propelling the projectile directly at and/or through the opening of said platform, thereby inflicting brain injury on the animal via either a pressure wave or concussive impact of the projectile. Without helmet, direct impact of the projectile results in severe traumatic brain injury. Use of helmet protects animals from skull fracture, subdural hematoma, intracerebral hemorrhage and contusion yet produces mild concussion-like pathology.

An apparatus and method for inflicting brain injury on a laboratory animal that employs a platform for supporting the laboratory animal. The platform defines an opening for positioning the head of the laboratory animal over the opening. A projectile is launched from a projectile launching device orientated below the opening of the platform. The projectile launching device has a means for propelling the projectile directly at and/or through the opening of said platform, thereby inflicting brain injury on the animal via either a pressure wave or concussive impact of the projectile. Without helmet, direct impact of the projectile results in severe traumatic brain injury. Use of helmet protects animals from skull fracture, subdural hematoma, intracerebral hemorrhage and contusion yet produces mild concussion-like pathology.

A pneumatic animal stunner for stunning an animal for later processing uses sensor technology to measure the speed of a stunning rod disposed in the stunner housing as it is driven forward via pneumatic forces. At least one sensor may be disposed in a nose connected to a front end of the housing, in the housing, or in a tail end of the housing. The at least one sensor communicates with a receiver that can process and display the speed data collected from the at least one sensor as the stunning rod drives forward. The receiver can be disposed on the housing of the stunner, or may be a separate component from the stunner. The data may be sent from the at least one sensor to the receiver via a wireless or wired connection. Multiple methods of measuring the stunning rod speed may be employed.

A pneumatic animal stunner for stunning an animal for later processing uses sensor technology to measure the speed of a stunning rod disposed in the stunner housing as it is driven forward via pneumatic forces. At least one sensor may be disposed in a nose connected to a front end of the housing, in the housing, or in a tail end of the housing. The at least one sensor communicates with a receiver that can process and display the speed data collected from the at least one sensor as the stunning rod drives forward. The receiver can be disposed on the housing of the stunner, or may be a separate component from the stunner. The data may be sent from the at least one sensor to the receiver via a wireless or wired connection. Multiple methods of measuring the stunning rod speed may be employed.

A reduced pressure pneumatic animal stunner with a low-complexity valve and venting system, and method of use thereof, is disclosed. The stunner includes a hollow housing, a stunning rod chamber, a head contact movable within an outer housing nose, a stunning rod, and a catch system employing at least one arcuate catch, a catch retainer, and a catch piston slideable within an opening of a catch cylinder. The catch piston has passageways disposed therein to allow for flow of a pressurized fluid therethrough. One passageway allows fluid to flow to a rearward end of the stunning rod chamber, and another allows fluid to flow to a forward end of the stunning rod chamber. Pressurized fluid may flow from a source through an internal passageway to the front of the stunning rod chamber alongside at least one resilient cushion designed to cushion stop the forward movement of the stunning rod.

A reduced pressure pneumatic animal stunner with a low-complexity valve and venting system, and method of use thereof, is disclosed. The stunner includes a hollow housing, a stunning rod chamber, a head contact movable within an outer housing nose, a stunning rod, and a catch system employing at least one arcuate catch, a catch retainer, and a catch piston slideable within an opening of a catch cylinder. The catch piston has passageways disposed therein to allow for flow of a pressurized fluid therethrough. One passageway allows fluid to flow to a rearward end of the stunning rod chamber, and another allows fluid to flow to a forward end of the stunning rod chamber. Pressurized fluid may flow from a source through an internal passageway to the front of the stunning rod chamber alongside at least one resilient cushion designed to cushion stop the forward movement of the stunning rod.

A reduced pressure pneumatic animal stunner with a low-complexity valve and venting system, and method of use thereof, is disclosed. The stunner includes a hollow housing, a stunning rod chamber, a head contact movable within an outer housing nose, a stunning rod, and a catch system employing at least one arcuate catch, a catch retainer, and a catch piston slideable within an opening of a catch cylinder. The catch piston has passageways disposed therein to allow for flow of a pressurized fluid therethrough. One passageway allows fluid to flow to a rearward end of the stunning rod chamber, and another allows fluid to flow to a forward end of the stunning rod chamber. Pressurized fluid may flow from a source through an internal passageway to the front of the stunning rod chamber alongside at least one resilient cushion designed to cushion stop the forward movement of the stunning rod.

A reduced pressure pneumatic animal stunner with a low-complexity valve and venting system, and method of use thereof, is disclosed. The stunner includes a hollow housing, a stunning rod chamber, a head contact movable within an outer housing nose, a stunning rod, and a catch system employing at least one arcuate catch, a catch retainer, and a catch piston slideable within an opening of a catch cylinder. The catch piston has passageways disposed therein to allow for flow of a pressurized fluid therethrough. One passageway allows fluid to flow to a rearward end of the stunning rod chamber, and another allows fluid to flow to a forward end of the stunning rod chamber. Pressurized fluid may flow from a source through an internal passageway to the front of the stunning rod chamber alongside at least one resilient cushion designed to cushion stop the forward movement of the stunning rod.