Method of forming an animal marker implanting system

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Generally speaking, in accordance with the invention, an improved apparatus for implanting a marker into an animal is provided.
The apparatus includes a hollow tube having an opening at each end.
An entrance end of the hollow tube is supported within a housing.
An exit end of the tube is sharp to allow subcutaneous penetration of the tube underneath the skin of a laboratory animal.
A plunger is slideably mounted within the housing.
The plunger is adapted to displace the marker from a first position in the tube out of the exit end of the tube.
The tubes are stored within the instrument itself in a series of rows.
A gate clip prevents each successive row of tubes from intermixing with the previous row of tubes.
In an exemplary embodiment, an electronic transponder containing information about the animal, such as identification numbers, is placed in the marker.
When the tube is inserted below the skin of the animal and the plunger is displaced, the marker containing the electronic transponder is forced through the tube, lodging it underneath the skin of the animal.
An object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for implanting markers in laboratory animals.
A further object of this invention is to provide an implanting system for facilitating identification of laboratory animals.
Still a further object of this invention is to provide an easy to use implanting instrument for implanting a marker into a laboratory animal.
Yet a further object of the invention is to provide an implanting system for implanting a marker subcutaneously in the animal so that the marker will be retained within the animal.
Yet a further object of the invention is to provide an implanting system for implanting a marker subcutaneously in the animal so that the marker will be retained within the animal.
The invention accordingly comprises features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinaftert set forth and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims