Severing and cauterizing instrument for use in severing tails and navel cords

Claim 2

An instrument for severing and cauterizing an appendage of a pig, said instrument comprising a first handle having a first blade with a concave edge, a second handle having a second blade with a convex edge, means pivotally connecting said first handle and said first blade with said second handle and said second blade and enabling said blades to scissor across one another when said handles are squeezed toward one another, a notch formed in the edge of one of said blades for receiving an appendage of a pig and coacting with the edge of the other blade to sever the appendage when said blades are scissored across one another, an electric heating element connected to one face of one blade and operable to heat the latter blade whereby the appendage is cauterized as an incident to being severed, and a handle connected to said heating element and disposed at an angle relative to said first and second handles whereby the three handles define a tripod for supporting said instrument in a standing position.

Claim 3

An instrument as defined in claim 1 in which said heating element comprises a rod, a hole formed through said second blade and receiving said rod, said rod being secured within said hole and having a portion extending substantially perpendicular to the face of said second blade.

Claim 4

An instrument as defined in claim 1 in which said notch is substantially semi-circular in shape and is adapted to receive the tail of a pig.

Claim 5

An instrument as defined in claim 3 further including a second notch formed in the edge of one of said blades and adapted to receive the navel cord of a pig, said second notch having a straight bottom wall and having straight end walls located at the ends of said bottom wall.

Claim 6

An instrument for severing and cauterizing the tail and navel cord of a pig, said instrument comprising a first handle having a first blade with a concave edge, a second handle having a second blade with a convex edge, means pivotally connecting said first handle and said first blade with said second handle and said blade and enabling said blades to scissor across one another when said handles are squeezed toward one another, a substantially semi-circular notch formed in the edge of said first blade for receiving the tail appendage of the pig and coacting with the cutting edge of said second blade to sever the tail appendage when said blades are scissored across one another, a substantially semi-rectangular notch formed in the edge of said first blade for receiving the navel cord appendage of the pig and coacting with the cutting edge of said second blade to sever the navel cord appendage when said blades are scissored across one another, a hole formed through said second blade and extending from one face of the second blade to the other face thereof, a rod received within said hole and having one end secured to said second blade, a third handle having one end secured to the other end of said rod and disposed at an angle relative to said first and second handles whereby the three handles define a tripod for supporting said instrument in a standing position, and an electrical cord extending from the opposite end of said third handle and operable when connected to a source of electricity to effect heating of said rod and said second blade whereby the appendage is cauterized as an incident to being severed.

Claim 7

An instrument for severing and cauterizing the tail and navel cord of a pig, said instrument comprising a first handle having a first blade with a concave edge, a second handle having a second blade with a convex edge, means pivotally connecting said first handle and said first blade with said second handle and said blade and enabling said blades to scissor across one another when said handles are squeezed toward one another, a substantially semi-circular notch formed in the edge of said first blade for receiving the tail appendage of the pig and coacting with the cutting edge of said second blade to sever the tail appendage when said blades are scissored across one another, a substantially semi-rectangular notch formed in the edge of said first blade for receiving the navel cord appendage of the pig and coacting with the cutting edge of said second blade to sever the navel cord appendage when said blades are scissored across one another, a hole formed through said second blade and extending from one face of the second blade to the other face thereof, a rod received within said hole and having one end secured to said second blade, a third handle having one end secured to the other end of said rod and disposed at an angle relative to said first and second handles whereby the three handles define a tripod for supporting said instrument in a standing position, and an electrical cord extending from the opposite end of said third handle and operable when connected to a source of electricity to effect heating of said rod and said second blade whereby the appendage is cauterized as an incident to being severed.