US20010008065A1 - Method of banding the mane of a horse and apparatus therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of banding the mane of a horse is described as well as the apparatus for performing the method. The method of banding the mane of the horse is made possible by a staple gun having generally U-shaped staples provided therein which are stapled around individual groups of hairs. The method comprises the steps of separating the horse's mane into individual mane groups and at least partially encircling each mane group with a selectively removable staple to maintain the mane groups separate from one another.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
• This is a divisional application of Petitioner's earlier application Ser. No. 09/457,987 filed Dec. 9, 1999, entitled “A METHOD OF BANDING THE MANE OF A HORSE AND APPARATUS THEREFOR”.[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• 1. Field of the Invention[0002]
• This invention relates to a method of banding the mane of a horse whereby a stapler apparatus is used rather than individual rubber bands or the like.[0003]
• 2. Description of the Related Art[0004]
• Persons showing horses frequently band the manes of the horse so that the mane is more aesthetically pleasing. The conventional method of banding the mane of the horse is to separate the mane into individual groups of hairs with a rubber band or bands then being extended around each of those groups close to the neck of the horse. The conventional method of utilizing rubber bands to band the mane of a horse is extremely time-consuming and is a laborious task.[0005]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• A method of banding the mane of a horse and apparatus therefor is disclosed to enable the mane of the horse to be more quickly and easily banded without the use of the conventional rubber bands. The apparatus for performing the method comprises a mane banding staple gun having a handle portion with a body portion extending forwardly from the upper end thereof. A staple magazine is provided in the body portion for containing a plurality of staples and for supplying successive staples to the forward end of the body portion. An actuator assembly is movably mounted in the body portion for discharging a staple from the forward end of the body portion and for causing the staple to encircle and embrace a portion of the horse's mane to band the same. A trigger assembly is operatively connected to the actuator assembly for selectively operating the same.[0006]
• The method of banding the mane of a horse comprises the steps of: (1) separating the horse's mane into individual mane groups; and (2) at least partially encircling each mane group with a selectively removable staple to maintain each of the mane groups separate from one another.[0007]
• It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide an improved method of banding the mane of a horse.[0008]
• Another object of the invention is to provide a staple gun which is used in the banding process.[0009]
• Still another object of the invention is to provide a method of banding the mane of a horse which is much less time-consuming than the conventional rubber band method of banding the mane.[0010]
• Still another object of the invention is to provide a staple gun for banding the mane of a horse which is convenient and safe to use.[0011]
• These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.[0012]
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is front perspective view of the staple gun which is utilized in the method of this invention;[0013]
• FIG. 2 is a side view of the staple gun of this invention with portions thereof cut away to more fully illustrate the invention;[0014]
• FIG. 3 is an end view illustrating the unfastened staple positioned adjacent a group of mane hairs;[0015]
• FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 except that the staple has been closed around the group of mane hairs;[0016]
• FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3 except that a modified form of the staple is disclosed; and[0017]
• FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 4 except that it illustrates a modified form of the staple.[0018]
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
• The mane banding staple gun (stapler) of this invention is referred to generally by the[0019]reference numeral10.Gun10 includes a handle orhandle grip portion12 having atrigger14 pivotally connected thereto by means ofpin15 to enable the trigger to be moved between its inactive forward position (FIG. 1) and the rearward position illustrated in FIG. 2.Gun10 includes a barrel orbody portion16 which extends forwardly from the upper end ofhandle12 and which has an openforward end18 partially closed by astaple retaining plate20.
• As seen in FIG. 2,[0020]arm22 is pivotally connected at its lower end to trigger14 withinhandle12 at24 and is pivotally connected at its upper end toplate26 at28.Plate26 is pivotally mounted to thebarrel portion16 in the interior thereof at30. The upperforward end32 ofplate26 engages aroller33 which is rotatably mounted on the rearward end of an elongated, longitudinally movable arm orshaft34 which is biased rearwardly by means ofspring assembly36. The forward end ofshaft34 is tapered at38 for engagement withroller40 which is mounted on the upper end of a verticallymovable actuator42 which is biased upwardly by means ofspring44. Whenshaft34 is moved forwardly astrigger14 is depressed, thetapered portion38 ofshaft34 engagesroller40, thereby movingactuator42 downwardly against the resiliency ofspring42. Whentrigger14 is released,spring44urges actuator42 upwardly which in turn causesshaft34 to be moved rearwardly which in turn moves trigger14 to its forward position. In the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, thelower end46 ofactuator42 is flat while in the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, thelower end46A ofactuator42 is arcuate, as will be explained in more detail hereinafter.
• A[0021]staple magazine48 is provided inbarrel portion16 for containing a plurality ofstaples50 therein in a side-by-side relationship in the manner of most staple guns. Aspring assembly52 is mounted inbarrel portion16 rearwardly of thestaples50 for urging thestaples50 towards theforward end18 ofgun10 in conventional fashion. Themagazine48 is loaded at54 in conventional fashion. In the preferred embodiment,staple50 has a flatupper end56,leg portions58 and60 which extend downwardly and outwardly from the ends ofupper end56, andleg portions62 and64 which extend downwardly and inwardly from the lower ends ofleg portions58 and60, respectively. In an alternative embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6, thestaple50A seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 includes an arcuateupper end66, andarcuate leg portions68 and70 extending downwardly from opposite ends thereof. It is preferred thatstaples50 and50A either be comprised of a rubber material or be comprised of a metal material embedded in rubber so that injury to the horse or horse's mane will not occur.
• When[0022]staple50 is utilized, theinterior wall surfaces72 and74 of the forward end of the gun have inwardly and downwardly extendingshoulders76 and78 provided at the lower ends thereof which are adapted to prevent theforwardmost staple50 inmagazine48 from dropping downwardly therefrom. Whenactuator42 is moved downwardly from the position of FIG. 3 to the position of FIG. 4, the engagement of the staple with theshoulders76 and78 causes theleg portions62 and64 ofstaple50 to be bent inwardly beneath the group G. Whenstaple50A is utilized, theshoulders76 and78 also cause the lower ends of the staple to be deflected inwardly beneath the group G, as illustrated in FIG. 6. Retainingplate20 prevents theforwardmost staple56 from being ejected from the gun until thestaple56 has been moved downwardly from themagazine48 by theactuator42.
• When the mane of the horse is to be banded, the mane will normally be combed to remove all of the snarls therefrom. A comb is then used to separate the mane to individual groups of hairs G. The[0023]staple gun10 is then maneuvered to the position of FIG. 3 so that theforwardmost staple50 or50A in the staple magazine partially extends around an individual group G. Trigger14 is then depressed, which causesactuator42 to move downwardly from the positions of FIGS. 3 and 5 to the positions of FIGS. 4 and 6 so that the staple will be clamped around the group G. The process is repeated until the entire mane has been banded.
• The method of this invention and the staple gun utilized in performing the method represent a significant advance in the mane banding art in that the use of the time-consuming rubber band method of banding the horse's mane has been eliminated.[0024]
• Thus it can be seen that the invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.[0025]

Claims (4)

I claim:

1. The method of banding the mane of a horse, comprising the steps of: separating the horse's mane into individual mane groups; and at least partially encircling each mane group with a selectively removable staple to maintain the mane groups separate from one another.

2. The method of

claim 1

wherein the removable staple is secured to each of the mane groups by means of a staple gun.

3. The method of

claim 1

wherein each mane group is substantially encircled by a staple.

4. The method of

claim 1

wherein the staple is coated with a non-metallic material.

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