Importance

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Abstract

A padlock type marking seal having a receiving body (2) with internal locking teeth (4) to receive the tip (9) of a loop of the seal that is integral with the body, and there being a marking tab (6) also integral with the body (1). In order to improve seal application, to ensure autopenetration into the material to be marked (e.g. meat), the tip is sharpened and there is a stop (11) on the loop, adjacent to and behind the tip so as to allow an applicator device to force the sharpened point to penetrate the material to be marked. The loop of the seal has a reduced thickness region defining a pivot point (8) with respect to the body, and the part (7) of the loop between the first end and the sharpened tip is substantially in the form of the arc of a circle. A reception cavity (3) in the body of the seal has an axis substantially tangential to the arc when the loop is pivoted about the pivot point, until its tip begins to enter said cavity. The applicator according to the invention is in the form of a pistol and is adapted to receive comb of seals. The applicator is operated pneumatically to: apply seals without the applicator element (39) having to penetrate the material to be marked; feed the next seal to the reception and application station (25); and cut the links (12) with the following seal before its application. The pistol is fired by a trigger and the operating sequence is controlled and effected by a remote control unit (15) comprising electronic control circuits (44) and pneumatic valves (16).

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First Claim