# US 9,750,263 B1 · Stunning rod for animal stunner > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,750,263 B1 - Document ID: US9750263B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 15/447,316 - Filed: 2017-03-02 - Granted: 2017-09-05 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-01 - Assignees: Jarvis Products Corporation - Applicants: Jarvis Products Corporation - Inventors: Arthur Jones; Trent Jones - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9750263B1 ## CPC - A22B 3/02: by means of bolts, e.g. slaughtering pistols, cartridges {(pistols F41C)} - A22B 3/00: Slaughtering or stunning ({anaesthetising animals A61D7/04}; cutting in general B26) - A22B: SLAUGHTERING ## Abstract 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. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A stunning rod adapted for use in a pneumatic animal stunner for stunning an animal, the rod being mountable with a piston movable within an inner chamber in the stunner, the inner chamber having a catch for alternately holding and releasing the stunning rod, the rod comprising: an elongated body having a longitudinal axis, the elongated body having a forward end and an opposite rearward end, the forward end adapted to receive a nose for striking an animal's head, and the opposite rearward end adapted to receive an outwardly extending lip for engagement with the catch; a mounting portion between the forward and rearward ends having an outwardly extending flange adapted to receive the piston; the elongated body of the stunning rod between the mounting portion and forward end having along at least a portion of the length a first pair of opposite sides having a first radius and a first width, and a second pair of opposite sides having a second radius and a second width, the radius of the second pair of opposite sides being different from the radius of the first pair of opposite sides, and the first width between the first pair of opposite sides being smaller than the second width between the second pair of opposite sides; and wherein the stunning rod is capable of being driven forward along a longitudinal axis within the stunner inner chamber to stun an animal, and rearward along the longitudinal axis to retract and hold the stunning rod by the catch. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The stunning rod of claim 1 wherein the radius of the first pair of opposite sides is from about 0.50-0.70 inches (1.27-1.78 cm), and the radius of the second pair of opposite sides is from about 0.25-0.45 inches (0.64-1.14 cm). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The stunning rod of claim 1 wherein the width between the first pair of opposite sides is from about 0.425-0.625 inches (1.0795-1.5875 cm), and the width between the second pair of opposite sides is from about 0.65-0.85 inches (1.65-2.16 cm). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The stunning rod of claim 1 further including a piston on the mounting portion adjacent the outwardly extending flange. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The stunning rod of claim 4 wherein the piston is slideably mounted on the mounting portion. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The stunning rod of claim 4 wherein the piston is of one piece with the elongated body of the stunning rod. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The stunning rod of claim 1 further including an outwardly extending lip on the rearward end for engagement with the catch. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The stunning rod of claim 7 wherein the outwardly extending lip is mounted on the rearward end. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The stunning rod of claim 7 wherein the outwardly extending lip is of one piece with elongated body of the stunning rod. ### Claim 10 A method of using a stunning rod in a pneumatic animal stunner for stunning an animal, the stunner having an inner chamber and a catch for alternately holding and releasing the stunning rod, comprising: providing a stunning rod with an elongated body having a longitudinal axis, the elongated body having a forward end and an opposite rearward end, the forward end being sized for striking an animal's head, and the opposite rearward end having an outwardly extending lip meant for engagement with a catch, a mounting portion between the forward and rearward ends having outwardly extending flanges to permit a piston to be slideably received against the flanges, the stunning rod between the mounting portion and forward end having a first pair of opposite sides having a first radius and a first width, and a second pair of opposite sides having a second radius and a second width, the radius of the second pair of opposite sides being different from the radius of the first pair of opposite sides, and the first width between the first pair of opposite sides being smaller than the second width between the second pair of opposite sides; providing on the stunning rod a piston moveable within an inner chamber of the stunner; providing on the stunner a housing nose having a bore, the bore in the outer housing nose being slightly larger than and conforming to the first radius and first diameter and the second radius and second diameter of the stunning rod; mounting the stunning rod and piston in the stunner inner chamber, with the stunning rod extending through the bore of the stunner housing nose; supplying a pressurized fluid to a rearward end of the inner chamber to move the piston forward; sliding the rod along the longitudinal axis within the inner chamber through the bore of the outer housing nose to drive the stunning rod forward to stun an animal; retracting the stunning rod rearward along the longitudinal axis; and holding the stunning rod within the inner chamber by engagement of the catch with the outwardly extending lip at rearward end of the rod. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the rod slides within the inner chamber without rotational movement about the longitudinal axis. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the radius of the first pair of opposite sides is from about 0.50-0.70 inches (1.27-1.78 cm), and the radius of the second pair of opposite sides is from about 0.25-0.45 inches (0.64-1.14 cm). ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the width between the first pair of opposite sides is from about 0.425-0.625 inches (1.0795-1.5875 cm), and the width between the second pair of opposite sides is from about 0.65-0.85 inches (1.65-2.16 cm). ### Claim 14 A pneumatic animal stunner for stunning an animal comprising: a housing having a front end; an inner chamber in the housing having a forward end and a rearward end; a piston slideable within the inner chamber; a stunning rod within the housing having an elongated body, the stunning rod capable of being driven by the piston forward and rearward towards and away from the front end of the housing, the elongated body having a forward end and an opposite rearward end, the forward end being sized for striking an animal's head, and the opposite rearward end having an outwardly extending lip meant for engagement with the catch, the elongated body having along at least a portion of the length a first pair of opposite sides having a first radius and a first width, and a second pair of opposite sides having a second radius and a second width, the radius of the second pair of opposite sides being different from the radius of the first pair of opposite sides, and the first width between the first pair of opposite sides being smaller than the second width between the second pair of opposite sides; and a catch for alternately holding and releasing the stunning rod. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The pneumatic animal stunner of claim 14 wherein the radius of the first pair of opposite sides is from about 0.50-0.70 inches (1.27-1.78 cm), and the radius of the second pair of opposite sides is from about 0.25-0.45 inches (0.64-1.14 cm). ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The pneumatic animal stunner of claim 14 wherein the width between the first pair of opposite sides is from about 0.425-0.625 inches (1.0795-1.5875 cm), and the width between the second pair of opposite sides is from about 0.65-0.85 inches (1.65-2.16 cm). ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The pneumatic animal stunner of claim 14 wherein the piston is slideably mounted on the stunning rod. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The pneumatic animal stunner of claim 14 wherein the piston is of one piece with elongated body of the stunning rod. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The pneumatic animal stunner of claim 14 further including an outwardly extending lip on the rearward end of the stunning rod for engagement with the catch. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The pneumatic animal stunner of claim 19 wherein the outwardly extending lip is mounted on the rearward end. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The pneumatic animal stunner of claim 19 wherein the outwardly extending lip is of one piece with elongated body of the stunning rod.