# US 4,394,956 A · Electric stock prod > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,394,956 A - Document ID: US4394956A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/062,450 - Filed: 1979-07-30 - Granted: 1983-07-26 - Earliest claimed: 1976-12-27 - Assignees: The Magrath Company - Inventors: James S. Andrews; Leonard L. Hierath - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4394956A ## CPC - F41B 15/04: with electric stunning-means {(ejecting electrically charged liquid jets F41B9/00; electric shock creating harpoons F42B30/14; electric circuits or apparatus for killing or stunning H05C)} - A01K 15/029: {Electric or similar shock devices for livestock, e.g. prods} - F41B: WEAPONS FOR PROJECTING MISSILES WITHOUT USE OF EXPLOSIVE OR COMBUSTIBLE PROPELLANT CHARGE; WEAPONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR (projectiles for fishing, e.g. fish-spears, A01K81/00; sports implements for throwing A63B65/00, e.g. boomerangs A63B65/08; stationary apparatus for projecting sports balls, e.g. tennis balls, A63B69/40; throwing or slinging toys A63H33/18; knives, axes B26B; projectiles or missiles other than those incorporating springs as projecting means F42B6/00) - A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS ## Abstract A stock or cattle prod for applying an electric shock to stock to induce them to move when loading them for transportation or through a cattle chute or the like comprises a handle having a high voltage generator and a battery therein. A head, which is angularly rotatable relative to the handle structure, is provided, this head having electrical contact means adapted to electrically, conductively contact said handle in any selectable angular position therebetween the head being adapted to extend forward from said handle and comprising a shaft carrying the contact means and, forward from this shaft terminating in a pair of spaced conducting tips or electrodes. The handle is constructed to insulate and protect the high voltage conductors and to provide a convenient switch for energizing the tips. The handle and shaft are constructed to afford rotation of the tips to any desired angle with respect to the operator's hand, both the handle and head being provided with external electrical insulation means effective to protect the operator from the electrical shock voltage, insulation while maintaining the electrical connections to the tips. The head on which the tips are mounted is relatively flat and is adapted to be held in face engagement with an animal's body, this facilitating the effective handling of the prod during use. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A head for an electric animal prod or the like comprising a body of insulating material having a width substantially greater than its thickness and having a shaft attaching means at its rear end adapted to receive a shaft extending rearwardly thereof, a pair of spaced electric contact tips secured to and projecting forwardly from the front end of said body, the front end of said body having a configuration between said tips providing a long insulated path between said tips having a length substantially greater than the spacing between said tips, said body being adapted to be placed laterally against an animal with said tips in position for simultaneous electrical contact with the animal. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A head for an electric animal prod or the like as set forth in claim 1 including a shaft secured at its front end in said attaching means, a handle of insulating material having a high voltage generator therein, means detachably securing the rear end of said shaft to said handle and having electrical conductors in said handle and in said shaft for connecting the output of said generator to said tips, and means adapted to lock said shaft to said handle in selected positions about its axis whereby the angular position of said body with respect to said handle is adapted to be adjusted. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1, 2) A head for an electric animal prod or the like as set forth in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said body is formed to provide fingers projecting forwardly therefrom and said tips are located at the far ends of said fingers. ### Claim 4 An end fitting for an electric animal prod or the like having a forward end and a rearward end and a shaft attaching means positioned at its rearward end and adapted to receive a shaft extending rearwardly thereof, and including a head having at least a portion having a substantially U-shaped configuration and comprising a body of insulating material having a width substantially greater than its thickness, and having a pair of spaced fingers of insulating material projecting from the forward end of said body and constituting the sides of the U, and bare electric contact tips at the outer ends of said fingers for applying an electric shock to an animal, said fingers, when the wide side of the head is held against an animal, being adapted to afford the simultaneous application of said tips to an animal's skin, the insulating material of the fingers providing, with the insulating material of the body, a long insulated surface path between said tips. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) An end fitting as set forth in claim 4 wherein said fingers lie in substantially the same plane. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) An end fitting as set forth in claim 5 wherein said fingers are substantially parallel to one another. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) An end fitting as set forth in claim 4 wherein said body is generally flat and said fingers lie in the general plane of the body. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) An end fitting as set forth in claim 7 wherein the length of said fingers is within a range of from about the spacing between said terminals to about two times said spacing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) An end fitting as set forth in claim 4 wherein said body and said fingers have smooth surfaces for facilitating the cleaning thereof and for minimizing the clinging of foreign matter thereto. ### Claim 10 An electric stock prod or the like comprising an insulating handle and a shaft of insulating material extending therefrom and having a near end and a remote end, and a shock applying fitting affixed to said remote end of said shaft, a high voltage generator mounted within said handle and having a pair of high voltage output conductors and a switch on said handle for controlling said generator, said shock applying fitting comprising a head of insulating material having a substantially U-shaped portion and including a relatively flat body having a thickness of the order of that of said shaft and a width substantially greater than its thickness, and a pair of spaced parallel fingers of insulating material extending therefrom in general alignment therewith and constituting the sides of the said U-shaped portion of said head, said fingers having exposed electric contact terminals at their tips, the insulating material of each of said fingers extending from the respective one of said tips to said body, and separate first and second conducting means for respectively connecting each of said contact terminals to a respective one of said high voltage output conductors, whereby a side of the head is adapted to be positioned against the body of an animal and held in substantial facial engagement therewith and the contact terminals are adapted to be pressed into engagement with the body of the animal while the head remains with its flat side against the body of the animal for applying the electric shock. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) An electric stock prod or the like as set forth in claim 10 wherein the space between said terminals is of the order of from five-eighths inch to two inches. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) An electric stock prod or the like as set forth in claim 10 wherein said shaft is mounted on said handle for rotation about its axis, and means for locking said shaft in selected positions about its axis whereby said shock applying fitting may be locked with said relatively flat body in selected angular positions about the axis of said handle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) An electric stock prod or the like as set forth in claim 12 including means for maintaining said tips and said output conductors in conducting relationship regardless of the position of said shaft about its axis. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) An electric stock prod or the like as set forth in claim 12 wherein the length of said fingers is within a range of from about the spacing between said terminals to about two times said spacing. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) An electric stock prod or the like as set forth in claim 12 wherein said locking means comprises an externally threaded boss on said handle and means including a collet threadedly engaging said boss for urging said shaft toward said boss and for clamping respective ones of said contact elements in engagement. ### Claim 16 A combined shaft and head for electric animal prods and the like, said head being mounted at one end of said shaft, and at least a portion thereof remote from said shaft having a substantially U-shaped configuration, said head comprising a body of insulating material having a width substantially greater than its thickness and having opposite relatively flat faces and a pair of spaced fingers of insulating material extending therefrom in general alignment with said shaft and with the plane of the said body and constituting the sides of the U of the U-shaped configuration, exposed electrical contacting terminals at the tips of said fingers for engaging the body of an animal, the configuration of said head adapting it to be applied with said shaft and extending laterally from the axis of the shaft against the body of an animal substantially in facial engagement with the said body of the said animal and with both of said exposed terminals close to, or touching, the said animal body, with the insulating material of the said fingers extending from the said tips thereof to the insulating material of said head body, the length of said fingers being at least of the order of the width of the space therebetween and providing a long insulated path over the surfaces of said fingers and said body between said terminals. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A combined shaft and head for electric animal prods and the like as set forth in claim 16 wherein said body and said fingers have smooth surfaces for facilitating the cleaning thereof and for minimizing the clinging of foreign matter to said head. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) A combined shaft and head for electrical animal prods and the like as set forth in claim 16 wherein the length of said fingers is within a range of from about the spacing between said terminals to about two times said spacing. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) A combined shaft and head for electric animal prods and the like as set forth in claim 16 wherein the space between said tips is of the order of from five-eighths inch to two inches. ### Claim 20 An electric stock prod or the like comprising an insulating handle and a shaft of insulating material extending therefrom and having a near end and a remote end, and a shock applying fitting affixed to said remote end of said shaft, a high voltage generator mounted within said handle and having a pair of high voltage output conductors and a switch on said handle for controlling said generator, said shock applying fitting comprising a head of insulating material having a substantially U-shaped portion and including a relatively flat body having a thickness of the order of that of said shaft and a width substantially greater than its thickness, and a pair of spaced parallel fingers of insulating material extending therefrom in general alignment therewith and constituting the sides of the said U-shaped portion of said head, said fingers having exposed electric contact terminals at their tips, the insulating material of each of said fingers extending from the respective one of said tips to said body, separate first and second conducting means for respectively connecting each of said contact terminals to a respective one of said high voltage output conductors, whereby a side of the head is adapted to be positioned against the body of an animal and held in substantial facial engagement therewith and the contact terminals are adapted to be pressed into engagement with the body of the animal while the head remains with its flat side against the body of the animal for applying the electric shock, including means for detachably securing said shaft to said handle, said detachable securing means including a connecting fitting of electric insulating material secured to the rear end of said shaft and having a central portion of reduced cross section extending axially rearwardly beyond said shaft, wherein said conducting means includes two electric leads extending through said shaft and each being connected to a respective one of said contact terminals, and wherein each of said first and second conducting means includes a pair of separable contact elements for connecting a respective one of said electric leads to a respective one of said high voltage conductors, each of said pairs including one of said elements at the end of one of said leads and another of said elements at the end of one of said high voltage conductors, one of said electric leads extending through the center of said fitting and a first of said lead contact elements being secured to the end of said portion and being connected to said one lead, the other of said electric leads being connected to a second of said lead contact elements, said second contact element being mounted on said fitting and spaced axially forwardly and radially from said first contact element, said detachable securing means including means providing separate insulated compartments for said contact elements on said output leads for effectively insulating the engaged pairs of contacts from one another. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) An electric stock prod or the like as set forth in claim 20 wherein said means providing separate compartments includes a hollow boss at the end of said handle adjacent said shaft and having an end wall with an opening therein of a configuration conforming closely to the cross section of said extended portion of said connecting fitting and constituting a wall separating said compartments. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20, 21) An electric stock prod or the like as set forth in claim 20 or in claim 21 wherein said shaft is mounted on said handle for rotation about its axis, and means for locking said shaft in selected positions about its axis whereby said shock applying fitting may be locked with said relatively flat body in selected angular positions about said axis with respect to said handle. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20, 21) An electric stock prod or the like as set forth in claim 20 or in claim 21 including means for maintaining said tips and said output conductors in conducting relationship regardless of the position of said handle about the axis of said shaft.