fig1 illustrates an overall view of a mammal stunning device of the present invention . in particular , the present figure shows an interior side view of the an animal stunning apparatus . more particularly , the fig1 shows a hog stunning embodiment where the front most side panel has been removed so that the internal components can be illustrated . accordingly , the hogs 14 enter a passageway 18 as shown by arrow 22 . the passageway 18 has a floor 26 , side panels 30 ( only one such panel being shown in this figure ), and a ceiling 34 . note that the floor 26 preferably changes from initially being substantially horizontal to an incline portion 36 and subsequently to another substantially horizontal portion 40 . when the hogs 14 enter the passageway 18 , the side panels 30 are such that the passageway 18 has a width between the side panels that require the hogs entering the passageway to remain in single file , one behind the other . further , note that the side panels 30 may be adjustable depending on the size of the hogs ( or other mammals ). there can be numerous mechanisms for adjusting the width between the side panels 30 as one skilled in the art will appreciate . for example , mechanical , pneumatic or hydraulic mechanisms can be used to perform this function and all such modifications should be understood to be within the scope of the present invention . accordingly , referring to fig3 wherein an end view ( along line - of - sight arrows labeled 3 in fig1 ) is provided , the side panels 30 are urged inwardly by , for example , pneumatic cylinder assemblies 44 having a shaft extension 48 for urging the side panels 30 toward one another . referring again to fig1 when the hogs 14 reach the horizontal portion of the floor 40 , the hogs 14 are required to straddle a hog belly support partition 52 ( also shown in fig3 ). accordingly , as the hogs 14 are urged to progress further along the horizontal portion 40 , the hog belly support partition 52 supports the hogs 14 effectively for further moving them through the pathway 18 . in particular , the hog belly support partition 52 has an endless track 56 upon which the hogs 14 are at least partially supported , and which rotates according to direction arrows 60a , b , c , d . that is , the endless track 56 rotates about the two cogged wheels 64 and 68 , wherein cogged wheel 64 is generally the drive wheel and the cogs 72 mate with cog recesses within the interior of endless track 56 . note that when the endless track 56 is traveling in the direction of arrow 60b , it is supported by a plurality of support rollers 76 for thereby assuring that the endless track is appropriately supported when traveling in the direction of arrow 60b . as the hogs 14 proceed further into the passageway 18 having the horizontal floor portion 40 , the hog &# 39 ; s head encounters a sequence of electrodes having at least a portion thereof in a solid state ( as opposed to a liquid or gas state ). in particular , the hog &# 39 ; s head encounters a sequence of stunning paddles 80 that are pivotally attached on pivot bars 84 ( best shown in fig2 and 3 ) so that each paddle 80 is capable of pivoting freely about its corresponding pivot bar 84 and thereby capable of being moved when encountered by the hog &# 39 ; s head . further note that the stunning paddles 80 are spaced apart approximately no further than the length of the hog &# 39 ; s head along the length of the passage 18 . thus , this assures that stunning through the hog &# 39 ; s head will continuously occur even though the electrical stunning current flows through successively different paddles 80 as the hog moves through the passageway 18 . the stunning paddles 80 are provided with an electrical potential suitable for stunning hogs . such electrical potential can be adjusted for effectively stunning other animals such as cattle and sheep . moreover , other electrodes are within the scope of the present invention . for example , alternative embodiments for the electrodes of the sequence of electrodes may include suspended chains or other segmented or flexible objects that allow a portion of the electrode to properly contact the hog &# 39 ; s head for inducing a stunning current therethrough . in one embodiment , the stunning paddles 80 are provided with an electrical potential when rotated a sufficient angle about its corresponding pivot bar 84 so that there is likely to be effective contact with the hog &# 39 ; s head prior to current activation . accordingly , as the hog &# 39 ; s head encounters each successive one of the stunning paddles 80 , an electrical current may be induced to flow through the hog &# 39 ; s head , thereby stunning the hog . note that for the current to flow through the hog from the stunning paddles 80 , an additional complementary one or more circuit completing electrodes are required . accordingly , in one embodiment , a single elongate additional electrode 88 ( dashed in fig1 ) is provided for continuously contacting , for example , the shoulder portion 92 of each hog 14 when the hog &# 39 ; s head sequentially contacts the paddles 80 . sequencing of the electrical current prevents the current from passing through the ham and loin where the most expensive meat is located . sequencing also makes it possible to maintain an uninterrupted flow of electricity from an electrode assembly that does not travel with the animal &# 39 ; s movement . both research and practical experience has shown that stopping and starting the current flow during the stun will increase hemorrhages in the meat . thus , the stunning electrical current flows between the hog &# 39 ; s head and the shoulder portion 92 during the stunning operation . note that the flow of current through the hog according to the present invention reduces the damage to the hog in comparison to other pathways for stunning current through hogs . in particular , it is believed that such electrical paths as provided by the present invention reduce tissue damage because automatic sequencing of the electrical current makes it possible to maintain an uninterrupted current flow from a series of either stationary or pivoting or spring loaded electrodes which do not move with the animal throughout the stunning process . passage of the electrical current through the front section of the hog may reduce meat damage by avoiding the application of electricity to the most valuable parts of the hog carcass . note that the additional electrode 88 is shown in fig3 as attached to one of the side panels 30 for thereby pressing against the shoulder of a hog . other embodiments , however , are also within the scope of the present invention . in particular , reference is made to fig2 which shows a top view of a portion of the passageway 18 having stunning paddles 80 positioned therein . in particular , the present figure shows an embodiment of an additional one or more electrodes 88 that protrude from a side panel 30 into the passageway 80 for thereby contacting the hog 14 . in particular , these electrodes 88 may be provided in an electrode sequence assembly 89 as is illustrated , for example , in fig5 wherein the electrodes 88 are spaced apart along a hog 14 contacting face 91 , and wherein the electrodes 88 are electrically separated by a dielectric material such as a high molecular weight plastic . note that this electrode assembly 89 may be spring biased toward the interior of the passage 18 . alternatively , various other mechanical , pneumatic , and / or hydraulic assemblies may be provided for contacting the shoulder of a hog 14 in substantially the same place with one or more additional circuit - completing electrodes 88 . moreover , in another embodiment ( fig2 ), there is a single additional electrode 88 that is operatively ( e . g . pivotally ) attached to a housing 96 ( at pivot point 114 ), wherein the housing 96 provides the ability for the electrode 88 to move synchronously with the hog 14 to which it is in contact up to a predetermined point and then rotates away from the hog after stunning so that the hog is easily disengaged from the electrode 88 . in particular , the housing 96 is slidable along a rail 100 adjacent to the pathway 18 . further , the housing 96 is attached to an air cylinder assembly 104 for retracting the housing 96 and its attached electrode 88 to a position for providing an electrical current flow through a hog and the first stunning paddle 80 . that is , the electrode 88 is moved just upstream of the initial stunning paddle 80 encountered by a hog 14 so that the electrode 88 encounters the hog &# 39 ; s shoulder while the first stunning paddle 80 contacts the hog &# 39 ; s head . additionally , note that attached to the housing 96 and the electrode 88 is a electrode retract cylinder 108 for rotatably retracting the electrode 88 from contact with the hog 14 . in particular , because the electrode retract cylinder 108 has an extendable shaft 112 attached to the rotatable electrode shaft at an opposite end from the electrode 88 so that when the extendable shaft is extended , the rotatable electrode shaft 90 rotates clockwise about a pivot point 114 , the electrode 88 is allowed to move away from the hog 14 as shown by the dotted silhouette of the electrode shaft 90 in its rotated position away from the hog . accordingly , by initially positioning the electrode 88 so that it can contact the hog &# 39 ; s shoulder throughout the process of the hog &# 39 ; s head reiteratively contacting the stunning paddles 80 , an electrical path through the hog &# 39 ; s head and shoulder is provided between the electrode 88 and each successive stunning paddle 80 since the electrode 88 can move along with the hog 14 to the extent that rail 100 allows such movement . thus , the electrical paths through the hog 14 go through a substantially same part of the hog &# 39 ; s shoulder adjacent to the electrode 88 &# 39 ; s contact therewith . note that this is particularly advantageous since any damage to the meat of the hog due to the electrical paths is localized between the head of the hog and the point - of - contact of the electrode 88 . note that this is advantageous because the electrode 88 remains in contact with substantially the same portion of the hog &# 39 ; s shoulder throughout the stunning process , and thus , the electrical stunning currents through the hog are likely to only damage tissue that is between the stunning paddle 80 contact of the hog &# 39 ; s head and the shoulder portion of the hog contacted by the electrode 88 . it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method of stunning animals in a manner that reduces damage to valuable meat portions of the animal . fig4 shows an alternative embodiment of a stunning paddle ( labeled 80a in this figure ). this stunning paddle is different from that of the stunning paddle 80 of , for example fig3 in that the paddle 80 of fig3 is substantially a single sheet of conductive metal such as aluminum or steel , whereas the stunning paddle 80a of fig4 includes at least one central portion 120 that is electrically conductive , and a dielectric portion 124 that prevents electrical current from flowing therethrough . accordingly , the stunning paddle 80a is capable of providing a stunning current when the hog &# 39 ; s head contacts the center portion 120 , and if the paddle extends low enough into the passageway 18 so that the free ends 128 slide upon the back of a hog 14 as it moves past the pivot bar 84 for the stunning paddle , then the dielectric portion 124 prevents electrical stunning currents from entering the hog when the paddle is contacting the hog &# 39 ; s back . thus , an electrical potential can be maintained on each of the center portions 120 of the stunning paddles 80a by a substantially direct current without any switching electronics . the stunning process of the present embodiment has particularly simple electronics in that there is no need for electrical switches to activate and deactivate electrical potential to the stunning paddles 80a . the foregoing discussion of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description . further , the description is not intended to limit the invention to the form disclosed herein . consequently , variation and modification commensurate with the above teachings , within the skill and knowledge of the relevant art , are within the scope of the invention . the embodiment described hereinabove is further intended to explain the best mode currently known of practicing the invention , and to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention as such or in other embodiments , and with the various modifications required by their particular application or uses of the invention . it is intended that the appended claims be construed to include alternative embodiments to the extent permitted by the prior art .
an electronic animal stunning system is disclosed , wherein animals can be continuously stunned while being moved through a stunning passageway , and wherein the current for the stunning process utilizes a series of electrodes for sequentially contacting the animal to be stunned and providing the stunning current . in particular , a series of pivotally mounted overhead electrode paddles are provided , wherein each paddle in the series of paddles pivots when contacted by the animal &# 39 ; s head and slides across the face of the animal &# 39 ; s head thereby setting up an electric current through the animal &# 39 ; s head . the present invention is particularly useful for the slaughtering of hogs .