AU655941B2 - Method and apparatus for termite control and/or eradication - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 P/001011 2815191 Regulation 3.2(2) 955941 (0 000000 0 00 0 *000 00 0 0 00 0.

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ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Application Number: PK 2893 Lodged: 17th October, 1990 Invention Title: METHIOD AND APPARATUS IOR TE1I4ITE CONTROL ANTD/OR ERADICATION The following statement is a full description of this Invention, including the best method of performilig It known to me METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TERMITE CONTROL AND/OR ERADICATION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION: This invention relates to the field of pest control and more particularly to a method and apparatus for termite control and/or eradication.

Control and/or eradication of termites has long been a vital commercial enterprise in those areas where the termite, or so-called "white ant", is endemic; the annual economic loss from termite infestation is very great indeed, including not only damage to structures but also cost of treatment.

PRIOR ART: Numerous devices for anti-termite treatments have previously been proposed; for example, United States patent nts. 2,906,056 (YOUNGBLOOD); 3,540,837 (PASCUCCI); 3,774,556 (POLL); and 4,858,375 (MOUNTAIN) disclose devices mainly for injecting liquid termicides into soil, while United States patent no, 4,917,299 (KONDO et al) teaches a method for spraying an anti-termite agent in the form of a foam.

It is a disadvantage of the above-identified devices that the termicidal liquids involved are used in considerable volume, thus seriously adding to pollution of the environment; in today's parlance, they are "environmentally unfriendly".

The termicidal compositions used in conjunction with such apparatus are usually in liquid form and may include molybdenum compounds; sodium tungstate; pyrazoline derivatives; cyano (flucrophenoxyphenyl) methyl (dicihoroethylene) dimethyl cyclopropane carboxylate; fluorophenoxy chlorethynyl pyrethrin compounds; 4bromo-2 dichlorophenol and its salts; and compositions of boric ajid, alkylamine and 9 C alcohols; all are inimical to the environment.

Allied apparatus' for treating timber poles and tree trunks, particularly their buried ends, are disclosed in AU 62839/73 (DUNLOP LTD.) and AU 71485/87 (ELTEK HOLDINGS PTY. LTD.).

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION: It is therefore an object of the present invention to overcome at least one of the above disadvantages by the provision of an apparatus for the control and/or eradication of subterranean termites, where access may be gained to their area of activity.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION: According to one aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a metering device for mixing air with a termiticide located in a reservoir, said device comprising a body having a first passage therethrough, from an inlet to an outlet, and a second passage which communicates with said first passage to deliver air to said reservoir, communicating with said first passage, whereby air passed through said first passage has a portion thereof directed into said reservoir via said second passage, said termiticide and said air mixing in said reservoir, said termiticide and air exiting said reservoir and entering said first passage via said third passage, thereby exiting said device.

The metering device controlling an airstream pumped through said device, with a portion of said air entering a reservoir of said termiticide causing said termiticide to be air borne and exit said reservoir, said air borne termiticide entering said air stream and exiting said device for delivery via a tube to a termite nest.

Preferably the metering device is calibrated by the respective sizes of passages in said device.

Preferably a control device is located in said device to control the air stream and/or the amount of air entering said reservoir, thereby controlling the ratio of air to 0* termiticide.

Preferably a reservoir of termiticide is screwed onto said device.

Preferably an air bleed valve is present to prevent air blasts.

i; .The invention also provides a method of using such an apparatus for the introduction of termiticides in dust form, for instance finely-divided arsenic trioxide or mitarhizimium fungispores; molybdenum based compounds or other micronic sized particles into the aforesaid areas in a manner more efficient than presently-known methods, requiring manual pumping, thereby to obtain more efficient distribution and penetration. Termiticides in the form of nebulised liquids are also able to be used with the present invention.

In order that a better understanding of the present invention may be gained, hereinafter will be described a preferred embodiment thereof, by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:- BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS: 00* Figure 1 is a side elevation sectional view through a termite control and/or eradication apparatus according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a sectional plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side elevation sectional view through a further embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 is a sectional plan view of the apparatus of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a side elevation sectional view through a further embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 6 is a sectional plan view of the apparatus of Figure PDETAILED DESCRIPTION: The apparatus according to the present invention comprises, inter alia, a body portion, generally referenced 1 which includes an air inlet port 10 which provides an air-flow to a metering device 11 which is adapted to mix ambient air with a finelydivided "termiticide dust" such as arsenic trioxide or mitarhizimium fungispores or molybdenum based compounds or other dust base materials contained in a glass or plastic container, or bottle 12. Metering device 11 is an air-flow adjustment element for control of the air/dust mixture; the nearer the valve of device 11 approaches the closed position, the more air will be forced through dust bottle 12 to thereby increase the quantity of dust in the air/dust mixture. Metering device 11 is adapted to mix ambient air with the termiticide "dust" in a ratio of, perhaps, 0% dust up to a maximum of, say, 10% dust.

The air/dust mixture then passes from metering device 11 to an outlet port 13, the discharge end of which is inserted through a suitable small entry opening made in a main termite gallery or targeted termite workings and then sealed therein. This then minimises risk of termiticides escaping into air. A component fitted to the end of this discharge end tube is adjustable so as to provide direct dust/airflow upwardly into the termite's working galleries and areas, or downwardly into the ground through their galleries and back towards the nest.

s Body portion 1 also includes an air by-pass valve 14 which is operable to control air volume delivered to central conduit 15 running through body portion 1, from air inlet port 10 to air/dust outlet port 13. Metering device 11 and air by-pass valve 14 are both maintained in position by a retainer plate 16 via screw 17, and are adjusted by taeans of respective knurled elements 18 and 19.

Dust bottle 12 is provided with an air inlet passage 20 and an outlet passage 21 for the air/dust mixture.

The tubular element 22 of meterinq device 11 is fitted with an "0-Ring" dust seal 23, Illustrated in Figure 3 and 4 is a further embodiment of the present invention. It differs from the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2 in that air bleed valve 14, control 19 and associated passages are not present. This embodiment is most useful when the air emanating from a pressure source is controlled from the source.

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4 A further embodiment illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 differs from the embodiment of Figures 1, 2 and Figures 3, 4 in that a control mechanism 18 is not included. In this embodiment, the metering device 1 controls the ratio of termiticide particles to air by means of the relative sizes of passages 15, 20 and 21. It is envisaged that a range of devices, calibrated with respect to air pressure and the physical characteristics of the termiticides can be a"ailable for use by the operator and connected to a controlled source of air pressure. A predetermined valve size for passages 15, and 21 can also be added to change the desired ratio.

The method in accordance with the present invention involves placing a quantity of finely-divided termiticide "dust" in the bottle 12 and subsequently introducing a quite small quantity of it into the termite galleries and propelling it through these sealnd galleries by air pressure engendered by a suitable small pump and which enters body 1 by way of air inlet port 10. The air/dust mixture permeates the termite's working areas inside the structural timbers of the infested building, and/or down through these same tunnels into the ground passageways leading back to the termite nest, resulting in more efficient distribution and penetration than is possible by previously known apparatus and systems.

The arsenic trioxide dust is ingested by the termites in their grooming ritual S. and very soon poisons the entire colony.

Other types of termiticides able to be utilised include mitarhizimium fungispores and molybdenum based compounds, which kill the termites by different mechanisms to the arsenic trioxide. It will be appreciated that the present invention is concerned with delivery of termiticides, and is in no way limited to the particular termiticide selected for use in a particular case. Liquid based termiticides can also be p* used, but same must first be nebulised or atomised, so that very fine liquid droplets are suspendible in air.

While the prior art methods involve large volumes of termicidal liquids producing from, say, 100 to sometimes over 1000 litres of residual chemical waste products such methods rarely eliminate the nest source but usually merely act to prevent re-infestation within a comparatively short period of time.

By way of comparison and contrast, the method according to the present invention would rarely require more than, say, a maximum of eight gms of 50% strength arsenic trioxide; commonly 2-3 gms will be required. Such arsenic compounds occur naturally and do not poison or pollute the environment in these small quantities.

It should here be made clear that the inventive method does not prevent termites from invading a structure but will effectively eradicate them when the structure is found to be infested. The method is also well adapted for use prio?' to infestation by the setting up of "timber traps" in land adjacent a prone structure and awaiting termite attack, when the treatment may then be applied to the timber traps so eradicating the nest source.

In this regard, the method and apparatus may be employed to eradicate termite nests in living trees, by drilling a bore into the tree and introducing the dust directly into the nest, the dust being forced right through the nest by air pressure. The bore is sealed to prevent the dust from contacting the sapwood of the tree.

Althougn the invention has been described above with reference to examples and to preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated that the invention may be embodied in other forms or carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit or essential c,'qracteristics thereof. The above description is therefore to be considered as in all respects, illustrative and not restrictive, and all changes which come within the meaning and rango of equivalency are intended to be embraced herein.

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Claims (4)

1. A spray apparatus operatively adapted to produce a mixture of air or gas and termiticidal duct, comprising means for attachment to a reservoir of termiticidal dust, an entry port for receiving pressurised air or gas, a spray outlet, and a metering device, said metering device comprising a body having a first conduit extending from the entry port to the spray outlet, a second conduit operatively connecting said S reservoir to said first conduit to admit air or gas, and a third conduit operatively S connecting said reservoir to said first conduit at a point closer to said spray outlet than the junction with said second conduit to allow exit of dust entrained in air from said reservoir, wherein a control means is provided to allow for adjustment of the concentration of dust in the mixture emitted by said spray outlet.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control means comprises a constricting screw, which is operatively adapted to vary the amount of air or gas entering the reservoir. S

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the control means is located in the first conduit between the junctions with the second and third conduits.

4. A termiticidal dust spray system, comprising a reservoir for termiticide, a source of pressurised air or gas, and an apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims. The present invention relates to a metering apparatus for the introduction of termiticide into termite nests. The invention also includes a method of use of the invention in controlling and/or eradicating termites. The metering device can vary the mixture, or the device can meter by the size of the necessary passages aid air pressure applied to the metering device. S u 4 Ville a I SoI *3 *3 J c