CA1271031A - Multiple purpose animal ear tag system - Google Patents

Abstract

A B S T R A C T
An ear tag assembly comprising an identification member and an attachment member wherein the identification member comprises an identification portion located in front of an animal ear, a flexible strap portion extending through a slit in the animal ear and a slot in the attachment member , a head portion on the end of the strap portion for retaining engagement with the attachment member , a connecting portion between the identification portion and the strap portion for holding a signal sending device , and an insecticide tag holding device on said identification portion .

Description

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MULTIPLE PURPOSE ANIMAL EAR q~AG SYSTEM

Background and Summary oE Invention This invention relates to animal ear tags, and more particularly, to a multiple purpose ear tag assembly comprising a main tag member and a tag attachment member and which may include an insecticide member and attachment means, and an electronic identification signal generating means.

Various problems and prior art solutions related to animal identification tags and tag applicators are discussed in prior United States patents Nos. 3,260,007; 3,896,5~7;
3,958,353; 4,102,073; 4,121,591 and 4,147,168.

In general, the present in~ention relates to two piece tag assemblies wherein there is an identification member and a connecting member which are made of molded plastic material. In addition, the tag assembly is of a type adapted to be mounted in the relatively thick upper central portion of the ear of the bovine animal species as generally described in U.S. patents 3,958,353 and 4,102,073 which disclose stand-up type ear tags of particular characteristics mounted on an animal ear in a particular manner. The present invention comprises a tag assembly which is constructed and arranged not only to be mounted in the preferred location disc~osed in the a~ore-identified patents but which is also o~ the ~'hangdown~' type, rather than the "stand-up" type, and employs a flexible connecting means rather than a rigid 03~

connection means. In order to enable utilization of a "hang-down" type tag assembly in the preferred attach-ment location on the animal ear, the present invention involves the use of an one piece identification member 05 having an intermediate portion generally conforming to the upper front surface of the animal ear so as to enable the identification portion to hang do~nwardly in front of the animal ear. In this manner, the identifica-tion member is readily vie~able in front of the animal ear while also being protected from engagement with foreign objects such as fence wires and posts, stall frames, trees and branches, ropes, etc. because of its location immediately in front of the animal ear pocket.
In addition, the construction and arrangement of the identificatiorl member facilitates the use of an elec-tronic identification signal sending means mounted on the identification member. For example, a lo~ range electronic identification device may be mounted on the identification member and be in proper operational position as the animal places its head into a feeding or watering bo~l or trough having an electronic identi fication signal receiving means for receiving identi-fication signals from the electronic identification signal sending means. The present invention also provides for attachment of an insecticide carrying member. A relatively thin flexible generally f lat connecting strap means is provided on the identification member rather than a connecting means in the form of a relatively large rigid round shaft portion with an enlarged conical head portion. In this manner, there is less strain on the animal ear and less likelihood of loss of the identification member in use.
Another feature of the present invention is the provision of an one piece tag attachment member ~hich is constructed and arranged to be located inside the animal ear ~ith a central slot adapted to enable a portion of the flat connecting strap means to extend therethrough and resilient flexible retaining means in juxtaposition to the central slot for retainingly engaging a head portion on the end of the strap means.
Other advantages and features of the invention are 05 described hereinaf~er. ~Ihile the ear tag assembly and system of the present invention has particular utility for use with cattle, it is contemplated that the invention may be used fox other kinds of domestic and non-domestic animals.
Brief Description Of Drawings Illustrative and preferred embodiments of the invention are shown by the accompanying dra~ings in which:
lS Pig. 1 is a schematic front view of an animal with an ear tag assembly of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is an enlarged side view, partly in section, of the animal ear and ear tag assembly of Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a front view, partly in section, of the animal ear and ear tag assembly of Fig. 2, Fig. 4 is a perspective schematic vie~ of a presently preferred embodiment of an ear tag assembly of the present invention;
Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the ear tag assembly of Fig. 4;
Fig. 6 is a front view of the identification tag member of the ear tag assembly of Fig. 4, Fig~ 7 is a rear view of the identi'ication member of Fig. 6;
E'ig. 8 is a side elevational view, partly in cross-section of the tag attachment means of the ear tag assembly of Fig. 4;
Fig. 9 is another side view of the tag attachment means of Fig. 8;
Fig. 10 is a perspective view of an insecticide tag member of the ear tag assembly of Fig. 4;

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Fig. 11 is a top view of the tag retaining member of the ear tag assembly of Fig. 4;
Fig. 12 is a bottom view of the tag retaining member of Fig. 11;
05 Fig. 13 is a side view of the tag retaining memher of Fig. 11;
Fig. 14 ls a cross-sectional side elevational vie~
of an alternative form of the identification member and the insecticide tag member;
~ig. 15 is a perspective vie~ of a portion of the assembly of Fig. 14; and Fig. 16 is a front elevational view of an identi-fication signal sending attachment tag.

Detailed Description In general, the two piece ear tag assembly 20 of the present invention comprises an identification member 22 made of one piece of resilient molded plastic material, such as polyurethane 2102A Upjohn~ and an attachment member 24 made of one piece of relatively rigid, but also resilient molded plastic material such as Nylon which are adapted to be mounted on the ear 26 of a bovine type animal as sho~n in Figs. 1-3.
The terms "ve-tical", "upper", "lower", "upwardly", "downwardly", "forwardly", "rearwardly", "inner", "outer" and related terms used in this specifica~ion and the appended claims refer to the normal position of the tag assembly when mounted on the ear of an animal.
While the inventive concepts are applicable to various kinds of animals, the present tag assembly is particularly adapted for use with animals of bovine species. As generally illustrated in Fi~s. 1-3, the ear of bovine type animals comprises a generally horizontally extending upper portion 30 ~hich intercon-nects a relatively short vertically down~ardly extending front lobe portion 32 terminating in a lo~er anterior border 33 and a relatively long vertically do~nwardly ~ 7 ~3~

extending rear lobe portion 34 terminating in a poster-ior border 35. In general, the ear tapers out~ardly and is relatively thin at the outer edges. There is an area 36 of the animal ear closely adjacent the animaL
05 head ~hich is particularly well suited for mounting of the animal tag assembly of the present invention. The area 36 is located along the ear portion 30 approxi-mately one-third the distance from the juncture of the ear and the animal head to the outer end of the ear.
The area 36 is characterized by being composed of relatively thick and dense material ~hile providing a relatively flat generally horizontally extending upwardly facing outer surface 37 and a relatively flat generally horizontally extending do-~n~ardly facing inner surface 38. In addition, an inner pocket 39 is provided bet~een the front and rear lobe portions 32, 34 which is reLativelyj free of hair ~hereas an abundance of hair is often fDund at other areas of the ear T~hich often obscures the conventional hanging tags of the prior art.
In general, the identification member 22 comprises a flat relatively thin enlarged identification portion 40 having a generally polygonal peripheral configuration, a first reduoed tapered width vertically extending intermediate connecting portion 42, a second further reduced tapered ~idth rea~ardly inclined intermediate portion 44, a narrow ~idth vertically do~n-~ardly extending strap portion 45 and an enlarged connecting head portion 46 ~hich is connectably associated ~ith attachment member 24. The identification portion 40 is adapted to bear suitable visual identi~ying indicia 47 applied to a for~ardly facing front marking surface 48 in any suitable manner such as by ink images or hot stamping or by slots cut through the identification portion. The identification portion 40 is located in a generally vertical attitude belo~ the anterior border 33 of the front lobe portion 32 in for~ardly spaced ~ 2 7 relationship to the postexior lobe portion 34. The first intermediate connecting portion 42 has a truncated pyramidal shape and extends vertically upwardly ~ith side edge surfaces 49, 50 inclined from the identifica-OS tLon portion 40 at an angle of approximately 30 to 45. The second intermediate connecting portion 44 extends up~ardly and rearwardly from connecting portion 42 at an angle of approximately 30 to 60 along the top surface of the animal ear ~ith in~ardly tapered side edge surfaces 51, 52. Strap portion 45 has parallel side edge surEaces 53, 54 and extends down-~ardly through a vertical slit 70 in the animal ear area 36, and through a central vertical passage 55, FigO S, in attachment member 24. Head portion 46 is located below attachment member 24 with up~ardly facing abutment surface means 56, 57, Fig. 5, engaging down-wardly facing lo~er surface abutment means on flexible rib portions 58, 59 o~ attachment member 24. A conven-tional active or passive electronic signal sending me~ns 60 may be suita~ly mounted on or attached to the identification member 22. In one embodiment, means 60 is mounted on up~ardly rearwardly inclined connecting portlon 44 for sending a coded electronic identification signal to an electronic signal receiving means 6~. ~s sho~n in Figs. 4 & 5, an attachment tag member 64 made of a conventional insecticide material may be attached to identi~ication member 22 by suitable attachment means 66.
Referring now to Figs. 4-13, identification portion 40 has a generally rectangular peripheral configuration defined by a bottom edge surface 80 and side edge surfaces 82, 84 ~ith a Elat front surface 4~
and a generally flat rear surface 86. A plurality of vertically extending equally laterally spaced reinforce-ment rib portions 88, 89, 90, 91, 92 may be provided on rear surface 86 to stif:Een and maintain the rectangular peripheral configuratio:n of the identification portion 3~

while providing a plurality of numeral spaces 93, 94, 95, 96 therebetween ~herein slotted numerals 47 may be provided by an automatic cutting tool and die arrange ment during manufacture, or by a punch-type hand tool 05 used by a sales distributor or by a tag user such as a rancher or farmer. The use of slotted numerals, which can be applied by the tag user, can reduce cost and enable the tag user to seLect any numeric identification system best suited for individual user needs. In the illustrativ~ embodiment, the identification portion has a width of approximately 3 inches, as measured between side edge surfaces 82, 84, a height of approximately 1-3/8 inches as measured from bottom edge surface 80 to intermediate portion 42, and a thickness of approxi-mately .065 :inch as measured between side surfaces 48, 86. Rib portions 88-92 have a thickness of approxi-mately .065 inch and a width of approximately 3/32 inch.
Intermediate connecting portions 42, 44 may be of increased thickness (e.g. .195 to .325 inch) relative to identification portion 40 to enable mounting of the signal sending means 60 and insecticide tag means 64.
Portion 42 may have a height of approximately 9/16 inch and a width at the junction ~ith portion 44 of approxi-mately 1-3/4 inches. ~he insecticide tag attachment means 66, Fig. 5, may comprise an elongated slot defined by a flat bottom surface 100 and a pair of inclined side surfaces 102, 104 on flexible lip portions 106, 108 integrally molded in portion 42. Insecticide tag means 64 comprises a rectangular block-shape piece of conventional extrusion molded resilient flexible plastic (e.g., PVC) and insecticide material having side edge surfaces llO, lll, 112, 113 and flat side surfaces 114, llS, as sho~n i.n Fig. 10 ~hich is die cut from a continuous strip. The insecticide tag attachment means 66 further comprises an integrally molded elong-ated rib portion 116 having a flat outer side surface ~7~ 03~

117 and inclined side surfaces 118, 119 which correspond to slot surfaces 100, 102, 104 so as to enable rib portion 116 to be lnserted in and removed from the slot. Insertion of the rib portion may be accomplished 05 by lateral sliding movement as illustrated in Pig. 4 or by transverse movement to~ard the slot which may have transverse side ~alls 120, 1~1 as illustrated in Figs.
6 and 7. The insecticide tag attaching means may also comprise a r~movable pin and hole arrangement such as shown in the afore-identified patents for connecting a stand-up identification tag member to an attachment member.
Upper inclined intermediate enlarged thickness portion 44 includes identification signal sending device retaining means in the form of a pocket or chamber 130 which is covered by a plastic flap portion 132. The signal sending means 60 may be placed in pocket 130 after molding of the identification tag member 40 with the pocket therein or the identification tag member portion 44 may be integrally molded there-around. Flap portion 132 may be an integrally molded part of the identification tag mer~er as shown in Fig.
5, or may be a separate part which is heat sealed or adhesively fixed to intermediate portion 44 as shown in Fig. 2. In any event, the construction and arrangement is preferably such that the identification signal reading device is removably and replaceably mounted on the identification tag member 40.
In one presently proposed embodiment of the invention, the identification signal generating means 60 on the ear tag is a conventional electronic chip device with conventional mi.niaturized electronic circuitry and an antenna ~hich is capable of receiving activating electromagnetic energy and responding thereto by emitting a coded radio frequency digital signal. The identi~ication signal ~eceiving means is a conventional device which generates eiectromagnetic ~;'3Lq)3~

energy for actuating the identification signal generating means and which is capable of receiving, decoding, transmitting an analog signal. Both the identification signal generating means and the identification signal receiving and transmitting means may be of the same general design as apparatus currently manufactured and sold by B.I.
Corporation of Boulder, Colorado, and described in United States patent No. 4,475,481; but may also be other designs including the type wherein the signal generating means is battery operated and does not depend on receipt of activating energy from the signal receiving means. The identification signal receiving means 62 activates the ear tag signal generating means 60 by transmitting an electromagnetic field burst o~ fixed duration. The signal generating means 60 acquires energy from the field and responds by transmitting back to the generating means a radio frequency digital coded message signal which contains the unique number programmed into the electronic chip device. The ~enerating means receives the coded signal and conditions it into a data signal that can be sent to electronic data processing means.

The animal identification signal transmitting means 60 may be encased in plastic, is of relatively small size, e.g., approximately 15 to 25 mm x 15 to 25mm x 3 to 5mm, or less, and of relatively low weight, e.g., 5 to 10 grams. The range of transmission of both the transmitting means and the receiving means is preferably limited to approximately between six inches to 3 feet, and the data storage capacity is approximately at least twenty to thirty binary digits (bits) of data plus other digits for preamble and parity (error detection) so that the system allows for up to 1,000,000 or more different unique codes which may be programmed into the electronic chi.p during manufacture.

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Connecting strap portion 45 preferably has the same thickness, e.g., approximately .065 inch, as identification portion 40 as measured between opposite flat side surfaces 140, 142, a width of approximately S 5/8 inch as measured between opposite parallel edge surfaces 153, 154, and a length of approximately 3/4 inch as measured from intermediate portion 44 to head portion abutment surface means 56, 57. Head portion 46, Figs. 8 & 9, has an upper enlarged portion defined by opposite edge surfaces 150, 152, ~hich are coplanar with strap edge surfaces 53, 54 and opposite flat upper side surfaces 154, 156 ~hich are laterally outwardly offset from strap side surfaces 140, 142 to provide abutment means 56, 57. A lo~er reduced size arrow-head-like portion is defined by opposite inwardly curved edge surfaces 158, 160, opposite flat side surfaces 162, 164 and an end edge surface 166. An inclined passage 168 extends between surfaces 162, 164 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

2~ As shown in Figs. 11-13, retaining member 24 comprises a general flat base portion 170 having an oval peripheral configuration defined by opposite parallel flat upper and lower side sur~aces 172, 174, opposite curved edge surfaees 176, 178, and opposite parallel edge surfaces 180, 182. UppPr side surface 172 is engageable T~ith the lower surface of the animal ear. Central slot means 55 has an I-shape peripheral con~iguration defined by a central slot portion 184 and opposite transverse end slot portions 186, 188. The ~ upper opening ~idth of slot portion 184, as measured between side surfaces 190, 192 is slightly larger than the thickness of head portion 46 as measured bet~een side surfaces 154, 156 to enable the largest part of head portion 46 to freely pass therethrough. The length of slot portion 184 as measured between end surfaces 194, 196, Fig. 8, is substantially larger than the maximum ~idth of head portion 46 as measured ~ 7~

between surfaces 150, 15Z. Resilient rib portions 58, 59 are inwardly incllned toward one another with tapered oppositely spaced side surfaces 198, 200, Fig.
9, normally. defining a lo~er opening having a width as 05 measured between lower edge abutment ~urfaces 202, 204, less than the thickness of upper head portion 46 but gre~ter than thickness of lower head portion 46. Thus, head portion 46 may be forced through the slot by resilient outward deflection of rib portions 58, 59 ~hich then resiliently inwardly deflect to engage abutment ledge means 56, 57 ~whereby the head portion 46 may not be withdra~n through th~ slot after assembly on the animal ear. However, the construction and arrange-ment is such~ as to permit limited relative movement bet~een the retaining member and the head portion and the strap portion in various directions to avoid breakage and irritation.
In manufacture ~f the identification member 22, the entire member may be injection molded in the configuration illustrated in Figs. 2 & 5. In assembly ~nd mounting of the identification member 22 and the attachment member 24, a t~o-ja~ plier-type attachment tool may be utilized as described in my prior patents with the identification member being mounted on one jaw in association with a reciprocable cutting knife blade for cutting the ear slit and the attachment member being mounted on the other jaw. Hole 168 in head portion 46 is constructed and arranged to receive an inclined pin on the cutting blade so as to carry the head portion through the slit and the slot means 55 and then release the head portion as the blade is retracted back through the slot means and the slit. The identi-fication tag member 22 may be mounted on the jaw in a general flat position due to the resilient flexibility of the material. The cutting blade cuts through the animal ear to provide slit 54 and carries the head portion 46 and strap portion through the slit and through the slot in the attachment member. Upon release of the identification member and the attachment member from the plier jaws, the resiliency o~ the identification tag member causes it to resume the 05 configuration shown in Figs. 2 ~ 5 on the animal ear.
In the assembled and mounted position of FigsO
1-5, th identification portion 40 hangs downwardly in a vertical attitude with the visual identification indicia 47 facing fo~ardly in clear view. Intermediate portion 44 extends upwardly and rear~ardly to locate the identification signal sending means 60 in ideal position for transmitting short range electronic identification signal to signal receiving means 62. In this manner, signal sending means 60 and signal receiv-ing means can be close-coupled in the operational state without interference bet~een signal sending means on different animals in relatively close proximity to one another or signal receiving means located in relatively close proximity to one another. For example, in one use of the present invention, a s~stem is provided for identifying a particular animal among a group of animals and controllin~ placement, processing or treatment of that particular animal in accordance with pre-established criteria. In general, the system comprises the use of a stall with a water bo~l at one end and an entrance opening at the other end whereby an animal will enter the stall to drink. An entrance gate is automaticaLly operable from a normally open position to a closed position to confine the animal in the stall upon generation of a gate closing signal. An exit gate located at the water bowl end of the stall i5 automat-ically operable from a normally closed position to an open position upon receipt of a gate opening signal to provide an exit from the stall to a retaining pen adjacent the stall. In this manner, selected individual anlmals o~ a group of animals that normally water in the stall at ~arious times on a random basis may be ~X 7~)3~

selecti.vely directed into the retaining pen for any of a variety of reasons.
The presently preferred embodiment of the invention, as used with cattle ln a feedlot or on a ranch or a 05 farm, comprises an ear tag whlch is attached to one ear of each animal in the group of animals. Each ear tag has a visible different identificatlon number thereon so that each particular animal may be visually iden tified from the other animals. In addition, each ear tag has an electronic signal generating device which is operable to generate a coded identification signal di~ferent from any coded identification signal generated by any other device on any other animal. An electronic s gnal receiving device is mounted in juxtaposition to each of a plurality of ~ater bowls in each of a plural-ity of stalls to receive the coded identification signal whenever an animal is watering in the stall so as to enable identification of each animal in any stall.
If the insecticide tag means 64 is used, it may be attached to the identification tag member 22 after assembly with the attachment member 24 on the animal ear. Rib portion 116 is pressed into groove 100 by resilient deflection of lip portions 106, 108 ~hich sn~p back to the position sho-~n in Fig. 5 to hold the insecticide tag in parallel do~n-~ardly extending relationship to identification portion 40. The insect-icide tag member may be removed and replaced as neces-sary or desirable.
Figs. 14 & 15 show an alternative cons~ruction and arrangement ~herein the identification member 20 is provided ~ith one or more elongated slots 240 in intermediate portion 44 to enable passage therethrough by resilient deflection of enlarged attachment head portion 242 of an insecticide tag member 244 having a reduced neck portion 246. Fig. 16 shows an alternative construction and arrangement ror supporting the signal (3 generating means 60 on a molded plastic attachment tag member 250 having an enlarged attachment head portion 252, a neck por.ion 254 and a body portion 256 similar to the insecticide tag member of Figs. 14 & 15. A loop 05 type ~ire or ribbon type antenna means 260 and printed circuity and/or integrated circuit micro-chip type identification signal generating means 262 are mounted in or on body portion 256. The signal sending attach-ment tag member 250 is mounted on the identification L0 member in the same manner as described with respect to the insecticide tag member. If both the signal sending attachment tag member and the insecticide t~g member are to be used at the same time, a plurality of slots 240, 241 may be provided in intermediate portion 44 or attachment slot means may be provided in intermediate portion 42.
While illustrative and presently preferred embodi-ments of the inventive concepts have been disclosed herein, the inventive concepts may be otherwise vari-ously embodied and it is intended that the appended claims be construed to include alternative embodiments except as limited by the prior art.

Claims (10)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclu-sive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An ear tag assembly for mounting on the ear of a bovine-type animal or the like having an upper ear portion, a rear end portion, and a front ear portion with a central pocket beneath said upper ear portion between said front ear portion and said rear ear portion, characterized in that the assembly includes a one-piece tag retaining member made of molded plastic material, with a central slot means therein, adapted to be located in the central pocket of the animal ear opposite a slit in the upper ear portion of the animal ear;
and a one piece identification member made of flexible plastic material with an enlarged identification portion located in front of the animal ear, in downwardly extending relationship to the upper ear portion, an intermediate portion of reduced width relative to said identification portion and located adjacent the upper ear portion and the front ear portion; a strap portion of reduced width relative to said intermediate portion extending through the slit portion of the animal ear and the central slot means in said one piece tag retaining member, and a head portion mounted in abutting engagement with said one piece tag retaining member.

2. An ear tag assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that an insecticide member attached to said identification member and in that releasable attaching means are provided for attaching said insecticide member to said identification member.

3. An ear tag assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that a signal sending means is mounted on said identification member for sending an electronic identification signal.

4. An ear tag assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said retaining member includes a base portion having a thickness such as to be relatively inflexible, and a pair of relatively thin flexible flange portions located on opposite sides of said central slot means for flexible outward movement to enable passage of said head portion therethrough in one direction and flexible inward movement after passage of said head portion therethrough to thereafter prevent passage therethrough in the opposite direction.

5. An ear tag assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said head portion has a pair of tapered edge portions terminating in a tip portion and flat opposite tapered side portions with a maximum width approximately equal to the width of said strap portion and a thickness greater than the thickness of said strap portion to provide a pair of transverse shoulder means between said head portion and said strap portion, in that said retaining member has a relatively rigid base portion and said central slot means has opposite elongated side edge portions and relatively short length end portions and is located in said base portion and has a length and width slightly larger than the width and thickness of said head portion to enable said head portion to freely pass therethrough, and in that a pair of oppositely spaced flexible flange portions are located along said opposite side edge portions of said slot means and extend downwardly transversely from said base portion and normally define a slot therebetween of lesser width than said head portion and are flexibly resiliently outwardly reflectable to enable passage of said head portion therethrough and thereafter are flexibly resiliently inwardly displaceable to abuttingly retainably engage said shoulder means for prevent withdrawal of said head portion through said slot means.

6. An ear tag assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that said identification portion extends vertically downwardly in a first plane from one end of said intermediate portion and said strap portion extends downwardly from the other end of said intermediate portion in a second plane spaced from and being substantially parallel to said first plane.

7. An ear tag assembly according to claim 1, characterized by a signal sending means for sending a unique coded signal for identification of an animal, and mounting means for said signal sending means on said upper part of said intermediate portion of said identification tag member.

8. An ear tag assembly according to claim 7, further characterized by a signal receiving means for receiving a unique coded signal from said signal sending means for identification of an animal having an ear tag assembly mounted on the animal ear, and mounting means for said signal receiving means for fixedly locating said signal receiving means in direct alignment and close proximity to said signal sending means when the animal places its head in juxtapostion thereto.

9. An ear tag assembly according to claim 1, further characterized by animal identification indicia means on the front surface of said identification portion of said identification member for visual identification of the animal, said animal identification indicia means including a plurality of numeric slot means extending through said identification portion in the shape of numerals for providing various combinations of identifying numbers.

10. An ear tag assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that resiliently expandible and contractible flange means are integrally connected to said attachment member on opposite sides of said slot means for enabling passage of said head portion through said slot means during assembly and for preventing withdrawal of said head portion after passage through said slot means by abutting angagement therewith, in that an upper part of said head portion has a rectangular cross-sectional configuration larger than the rectangular cross-sectional configuration of said strap portion and provides a pair of oppositely spaced upwardly facing abutment shoulder surfaces on opposite sides of said strap portion, a lower part of said head portion is inwardly tapered relative to said upper part of said head portion and terminates in a reduced width and thickness end portion, in that said attachment member has a generally flat relatively rigid body portion and said slot means extends through said body portion and has a generally rectangular peripheral configuration generally corresponding to the rectangular cross-sectional configuration of said strap portion and said upper part of said head portion, said slot means having an upper opening of larger size than said upper part of said head portion to enable unrestricted passage of said upper part of said head portion therethrough and being defined in part by a pair of oppositely spaced resiliently deflectible flange portions integrally connected to said body portion on opposite sides of said upper inlet opening and extending downwardly and inwardly toward one another and having downwardly facing abutment end surfaces, said resiliently deflectible flange portions being resiliently outwardly deflectible between a normal closely spaced position defining a lower opening of smaller size than said upper part of said head portion and an outwardly deflected position defining an opening of sufficient size to enable passage of said upper part of said head portion and said downwardly facing abutment end surfaces on said flange portions being engaged with said upwardly facing abutment shoulder surfaces on said upper part of said head portion after passage through said lower opening to prevent withdrawal of said head portion.