GB2050794A - Insect exterminating device - Google Patents

Abstract

A device comprising a cylindrically shaped body having an open bottom, an insect engaging and striking member, and an opposing rigid surface comprising an absorbent pad to which a liquid such as a thin oil is fed. The body further comprises gliding tracks or the like so as to be movable along a horizontal plane to a position immediately above an insect such as a settled house fly, such movement assuring that the insect's flight reflexes are not prematurely triggered before capture. An activating mechanism activates the engaging and striking member to rotate about a horizontal axis, striking the insect against the opposing rigid surface member thereby to concuss and asphyxiate the insect. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Insect exterminating device This invention relates to an insect capturing and extermination device.

In the extermination of domestic insects generally, extensive use is still being made of exterminating aids such as poisons, fly swatters, gummed fly paper coils and insect traps, which for various reasons are not wholly satisfactory.

In the first place it is noted that the use of these aids, for instance, especially in domestic areas with their customary domestic furniture and utensils where food is prepared or served, is unsafe, unhygienic or physically repulsive and in varying degrees a hazard to health. Especially germ infested entrails bespattered over surfaces of furniture upon which other insects again feed may promote the spread of pestiferous germs to all areas within the home environment. Containers holding poison, volatile or inflammable substances are a hazard to safety in the hands of children as well as a hazard to health in general, while gummed fly paper devices near the presence of food where the latter is being served or eaten, creates an environment which to many is positively repulsive.

In the second place it is noted that use of the above devices does not in all cases result in the immediate death of the insect. This fact raises the question as to the extent that their use leads to prolonged periods of needless suffering. The pain or distress suffered by a maimed, a poisoned or a captured insect in a semi-paralysed condition or of an insect discomfortingly stuck to the surface of a gummed fly paper for long periods of time, cannot be communicated to man and the extent of the insect's suffering must therefore remain unknown. Subjecting insects to such treatment therefore has moral implications for man.

The present invention is not directed at the mass extermination of insects in general within the home environment but specifically at those individual troublesome insects which even after attempts at such massive destruction still persist in their presence during preparation and serving of meals such as is the case with flies during the day and moths, mosquitoes, beetles and gnats in the evenings.

The present invention introduces a new technique into insect extermination which effectively eliminates all the dangers, the hazards and the unsavoury conditions listed above and at the same time eliminates all possibility of inflicing unnecessary suffering upon the insects such as may be occasioned by the malfunction of the techniques referred to above.

Instead of poisonous substances, the present device makes use of a non-toxic liquid such as light oil having the potential of rapidly spreading around the body of a captured insect and ensuring its asphyxiation within a brief period of time. To eliminate any suffering which could, however briefly, occur means are provided within such device for stunning the insect, if not killed outright, prior to said asphyxiation taking place without crushing the body, and polluting the surfaces of furnishings or parts of the device itself. In action the function of such means resembles the function of a miniature fly swatter acting however not on the surfaces offurnishings, but upon a softly padded but rigid surface as comprized within such device itself and to which is fed a constant supply of liquid.

Implicated in the present technique is use of a successful method of gaining approach to a position immediately above winged insects such as house flies, the flight reflexes of which, are activated by rapid movement of objects toward them, jerky movements in their near environment and by movements such as the raising of the hand. Such movements are effectively avoided by use of a device mounted on gliding tracks supporting the body above the level of the insect so that the body can steadily and evenly be moved forward along a horizontal plane to the required position above the insect.

According to the pesent invention an insect exterminating device is provided which comprises a hollow body member having an open portion and containing a liquid bath therein with super-imposed perforated connecting buffer pan lined with absorbent material; an insect engaging and propelling member; means for operatively mounting the insect engaging and propelling member with respect to the body member so that the insect engaging member will engage an insect within the open area of the body member and by rotation forcefully move the insect around and against the liquid permeated buffer pan joined to the liquid bath; and actuating means for actuating the insect engaging member for movement into engagement with an insect within the area of the body member open portion.The device is preferably mounted on gliding tracks, so that the insect may be approached surreptitiously in a horizontal plane to a point of vantage immediately above the insect, such approach by obviating the necessity of lifting the instrument with the hand to a level above the insect, assures that the insect will not become alarmed and assume a flight in a direction in which escape from the exterminating device is possible.

The body member for the exterminating device preferably comprises a half-cylindrical dome member and an extension component extending from the half-cylindrical portion. The extension portion defines an open bottom, and also an open front is provided which is closable by a pivotally mounted flap. Upon actuation of a linearly movable main actuating yoke, the insect engaging device preferably is rotated about a horizontal axis, the remote end of the insect engaging member defining a locus of points during its rotation substantially coincident with an interior surface of the body member and the front flap, and resulting in forceful movement of the insect onto the pad in the buffer pan-bath combination.The front flap, insect engaging member, and at least the top of the half-cylindrical dome preferably are perforated to allow air passage therethrough, and in the case of the dome, to minimize the possibilities of the insect taking a flight path in the direction which would avoid capture when the device is moved toward the insect. The front flap and main actuating yoke are preferably connected by a coil spring which allows relative movement of the yoke after the front flap has been moved to a completely closed position.

Alternatively, the body member of the present invention may comprise a pair of half-cylindrical members in the form of two opposing jaws actuatable to open and close by moving respectively away from each other and towards each other in face-toface closed relationship to comprise a complete cylinder. The one half-cylindrical member further comprises the oil bath-pan combination, the insect engaging member with thumb and finger activating device and mounting means for said members. The other mating member comprises an empty dummy which when in open face-to-face relationship with the other serves to complete the cylinder.

Embodiments of the device according to the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of an insect exterminating device in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device of Figure 1 with the dome removed and interior structures position for clarity of illustration; Figures 3a and Sb are partly cross-sectional and partly elevational side views of the capturing componets of the Figure 1 device showing a sequence of operation thereof; and Figure 4 is a top plan view partly in cross-section illustrating another exemplary embodiment of the device according to the present invention.

In the figures, like reference numerals are used to refer to like parts.

Referring to the drawings, embodiments of an insect exterminating device according to the present invention are shown at 10 and 10' respectively in Figures 1 and 4. The device 10, 10' includes a hollow body member 12 having an open portion 13 and containing a liquid bath 16 replete with buffer pan 16' (see Figures 3a, 3b and 4, in particular) therein; an insect engaging member 18; means 20 for operatively mounting the insect engaging member 18 with respect to the body member 12 so that the member 18 will engage an insect (such as a fly F in Figures 3a and 3b) within the area of the open portion 13 and forcefully propel the insect F around and against the saturated suface of the buffer pan joined to liquid bath 16; and actuating means 22,22' for actuating the insect engaging member 18.

In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3, the body member 12 preferably comprises a half-cylindrical dome 25 and an extension portion 26 extending downwardly from the dome 25 and defining the open portion 13. Gliding tracks 27, with curved leading and trailing edges (see Figure 1 in particular) are provided mounted at the bottom of the extension portion 26. Preferably, at least the top of the dome 25 is perforated to allow the free passage of air therethrough, thereby minimizing the possibilities of a flight of the insect F in a direction that would avoid capture. It appears that a fly's wings are instinctively sensitive to air pressure, a confined space sealed at the top leads to compression of the air above the wings, warning the fly of a blocked upward passageway and thus causing the fly to fly sidewardly or donwardly initially.Such compression is effectively avoided by the use of a perforated upper portion of the dome 25.

The liquid bath 16 may comprise any bath filled with liquid containing an absorbent fibrous material and fitted with a super-imposed detachable buffer member 16' suitably padded and perforated so that the pad and the fibrous material in the vessel below are in established contact with each other. Preferably, the liquid bath 16 comprises an oil bath which results in asphyxiation of the insect F when brought into contact therewith while embedded in the saturated material contained in buffer pan 16' (see Figures 3a, 3b and 4, in particular).The top of the liquid-bath-buffer combination 16-16' is also formed to closely cooperate with the geometry of the insect engaging member 18, as illustrated more clearly in Figure 3b, the remote end 18' of the insect engaging member 18 closing off the side and top of the bathpan combination 16-16'. Preferably the member 18 is also perforated in order to minimize air resistance thereto, making movement thereof as fast as possible and resulting in a benign concussion of the insect F prior to asphyxiation, if not already at the point of engagement, finally against the padding of buffer pan 16'.

The mounting means 20 for the member 18 preferably comprises a horizontal shaft 28, which is mounted at the ends thereof by bushings formed by the extension portion 26 of body member 12. Upon rotational movement of the shaft 28, the remote end 18' of the member 18 defines a locus of points (compare Figure 3a and 3b) with respect to the body member 12 substantially coincident with the interior surface of the half-cylindrical dome 25 of the body member 12.

The actuating means 22, as shown most clearly in Figures 1 and 2, preferably comprises a linearly movable main actuating rod 30. The actuating rod 30 comprises a yoke portion (see Figure 2) straddling the dome 25, and a linear rod portion 30'. Means are provided for transforming linear movement of the rod 30, 30' into rotational movement of the member 18, such means preferably comprises a rack 32 (see Figure 1) formed on one or both components of the yoke 30, and a pinion 34 formed at one or both ends of the shaft 28. Linear movement of the yoke 30 in direction A (see Figure 1) results in rotation of the pinion 34 and shaft 28 and member 18 attached thereto. Linear movement of the yoke 30 is guided by the guides 36 mounted on the extension portion 26, and guiding of the portion 30' is provided by the body 38. The body 38 is rigidly connected to the extension portion 26 by brackets 39 or the like.

Preferably a trigger 40 is provided mounted on the portion 30', and a spring 41 is provided for biasing the entire main actuating rod 30, 30' in direction B (see Figure 1) wherein the insect engaging member 18 assumes the position illustrated in Figure 3a.

The extension portion 26 preferably defines a second open portion disposed at the front of the body member 12 in a plane intersection (perpendicu largo) a plane of the open portion 13. A front flap 45 is pivotally mounted to the body member 12, as by a shaft 46 received by bushings tab portions 26' of extension portion 26 (see Figure 1 in particular). The front flap - as can be seen from an inspection of Figures 3a and 3b in particular - alternately closes or allows access to the second open portion of the extension portion 26, and has a surface portion substantially coincident with the locus of points of the remote end 18' of the member 18 during its rotation with respect to the body member 12, when the flap 45 closes access to the second open portion (Figure 3b).In this way, the insect F being exterminated is moved forcefully during its entire path of movement into contact with the buffer member 16'.

The front flap 45 also is preferably perforated, and is moved from its open to its closed position by the main actuating rod 30. The actuating rod 30 is connected to the flap 45 by means for allowing relative movement of the main rod 30 after the front flap 45 has been moved to its completely closed position (Figure 3b), such means including the coil spring 48. Upon movement of the rod 30 in direction B, the leading edge or edges of the rod 30 engage a tab 49 which is operatively connected to the front flap 45, thereby pivoting the front flap 45 to its open position, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3a. Alternatively, the flap 45 may normally be biased into the open position by a torsion spring or the like, associated with shaft 46.

In addition to providing a pivotal mount for the front flap 45, the shaft 46 also preferably comprises a pivotal mount for the dome 25. In this way, it is possible to pivot the dome about shaft 46 desired so that access is gained to the buffer member 16' and liquid bath 16, allowing cleaning or emptying or replacement of liquid in the bath 16.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 4, the body member 12 comprises a pair of cooperating half-cylindrical portions 25, 25'. The shaft 28 mounting the member 18 is provided in the dome 25, as is the liquid bath 16. Means 50 are provided for mounting the body member 25, 25' for movement into face-to-face closed relationship, as illustrated in Figure 4. In this embodiment a pair of elongate members 51 are connected to the respective members 25, 25' and a spring member 58 biases elongate members 51 apart. A locking lever 52 pivoted at 53 to one of the elongate members 51 and passing through a slot 54 in the other elongate member 51, can be used to lock the members 25, 25' in the closed position illustrated in Figure 4.The protrusion 55 which abuts one of the elongate members 51 effects this locking action, and preferably a stop member 56 is provided at the free end of the locking lever 52 to stop the outward movement of the members 51 normally provided by the bias of the spring 58. The actuating means 22' for the device 10' may comprise any suitable arrangement, such as a finger rotatable wheel 60 integrally mounted with shaft 28.

In utilizing the device 10 according to the present invention, the body member 12 is moved into a position as illustrated in Figure 3a, by movement in a horizontal plane, sliding the body member 12 into position immediately above the insect utilizing the gliding tracks 27. The gliding tracks 27 also insure that the member 18 functions at a sufficient distance away from the surface on which the insect F is positioned to avoid striking against it.Once the insect F is in a position such as illustrated in Figure 3a, the operator pulls the trigger 41, thereby moving the yoke 30 and linear portion 30' in direction A gains the bias of the spring 41, simultaneously effecting rotation of the shaft 28 by the interengagement of the rack 32 and pinion 34 so that the member 18 rotates from the position illustrated in Figure 3a to the position illustrated in Figure 3b, and moving the flap 45 from the open position illustrated in Figure 3a to the closed position illustrated in Figure 3b. The coil spring 48 allows continued movement of the yoke 30 even after the flap 45 has reached the closed position illustrated in Figure 3b.

Upon rotation of the member 18, it engages the insect F, preferably at a sufficient speed and force to concuss the insect, and moves the insect forcefully against padded buffer pan 16' on top of the oil bath 16 - as illustrated in Figure 3b - effecting asphyxiation of the insect F, after stunning it. Upon release of the trigger 40, the spring 41 biases the yoke 30 in direction B, resulting in rotation of the pinion 34 to return the member 18 to the position illustrated in Figure 3a, and resulting in movement of the flap 45 back to its open position as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3a.

In operation of the device 10', the members 25, 25' are orientated so that the ultimately cooperating edges thereof are disposed in a substantially vertical plane, the device 10' is moved so that the insect is between the members 25, 25', and then the operator pushes the members 51 together against the bias of the spring 58 to capture the insect in the volume betweeen the members 25, 25'. Then the lever 52 is moved so that the latch 55 thereof holds the members 51 together, the operator quickly rotates the shaft 28 by turning of the knob 60, and the member 18 is thus rotated to engage the insect and positively propel it towards and against the buffer 16'.

The components of the device according to the present invention may be formed of any suitable materials. The body members 12 may be transparent, formed of wire gauze, or the like, as may be the front flap 45.

It will thus be seen according to the present invention, an insect exterminating device has been provided that positively effects the humane extermination of an insect without defilement or defacement of the surface on which the insect is positioned, and without the dangers inherent in the use of conventional contact poisons.

Claims (13)

1. An insect exterminating device comprising: a bath or vessel containing a liquid; a perforated buffer pan to fit into the upper open portion of said bath or vessel; a pad of absorbent material within said buffer pan established in contact with the liquid in the bath below it through the perforations in the bottom of said buffer pan; an insect engaging, propelling and striking member; means for operatively mounting said engaging, propelling and striking member with respect to said body member so that said engaging propelling and striking member will engage an insect within the open area of said body memberopen portion and by rotation positively move the insect towards and forcefully against the pad of absorbent material with the buffer pan;; Actuating means for actuating said insect engaging member for movement into engagement with an insect within the area of said body member open portion.

2. An insect exterminating device comprising: a bath or vessel containing a liquid and absorbent material; an insect engaging, propelling and striking member; means for operatively mounting said insect engaging member with respect to said body member so that said insect engaging member will forcefully strike an insect within the area of said member open portion and positively move the insect directly into the said bath containing saturated absorbent material; actuating means for actuating said insect engaging member for movement into engagement with an insect within the area of said body member open portion.

3. An insect exterminating device comprising: a hollow body member having an open portion; a buffer member against which an insect may be struck and concussed; an insect engaging, propelling and striking member; means for operatively mounting said insect engaging member with respect to said body member so that said insect engaging member will engage an insect within the area of said body member open portion and positively move the insect towards and forcefully against the buffer member; actuating means for actuating said insect engaging member for movement into engagement with an insect within the area of said body member open portion.

4. A device as recited in Claims 1, 2 and 3, wherein said body member further comprises a second open portion disposed in a plane intersecting a plane of said open portion; and further comprising a front flap pivoted to said body member actuatable to swing down or up for alternatively closing or allowing access respectively to said second open portion; said front flap having a surface portion substantially coincident with the locus of points of said insect engaging member during its rotation with respect to said body member when said front flap closes access to said second open portion; and means operatively interconnecting said front flap to said main actuating rod for effecting closing movement of said front flap upon actuation of said actuating means.

5. A device as recited in Claims 1,2 and 3 wherein said body member comprises a halfcylindrical first body member, and further comprising a half-cylindrical second body member, and further comprising means for mounting said body members for movement into face-to-face closed relationship.

6. A device as recited in Claim 1 wherein said insect engaging member, and at least a portion of said body member, are perforated to allow air passage therethrough.

7. A device as recited in Claims 1,2 and 3 movable towards an insect on gliding tracks or the like, so that a point of vantage can be occupied immediately above the insect and from out of which position the insect can be engaged within the confined space below for its capture and its extermination exclusively inside the device itself, away from the surface on which the insect is settled.

8. A device comprising a body mounted on gliding tracks so as to be movable to a position of vantage at a fixed height above an insect such as a housefly by straddling it without the necessity of first lifting the device with consequent arousal of the insect's flight reflexes; the said device comprising further an engaging and striking member actuatable within the confined space created below so as to achieve extermination of the insect by concussion exclusively inside the device itself, away from the surface on which the insect is settled.

9. A device as recited in Claim 8, the body further comprising a closed top, at least two closed vertical sides and at least one collapsible side actuatable to either drop or swing down so as to effect complete isolation priorto engagement for extermination exclusively inside the device itself away from the surface on which the insect is settled.

10. An insect capturing unit comprising a pair of functional jaw members relatively movable with respect to each other and of which the lower edges are straight edges; and means for actuating said capturing unit so that an insect can be approached surreptitiously along a generally horizontal plane for closing said capturing unit around said insect by essentially pure horizontal closing so that insects on a wide variety of surface configurations may be captured and/or exterminated.

11. A device as recited in Claim 10, wherein said capturing unit further comprises two adjustable swivel joints centrally positioned on opposite sides connecting the unit with a handle or activating means having two arms between which the unit is suspended so that insects on a wide variety of surface inclinations varying from the horizontal to the vertical may be captured andior exterminated by approaching the insect along a generallly horizontal plane with the device inclined at an angle appropriate to the angle of the surface on which the insect is settled and closing the device by pure horizontal closure.

12. A method of exterminating an insect such as a house fly, incorporating the following steps: (i) Moving a hollow device mounted on gliding tracks of the like surreptitiously along a surface to a position in which the body of the device, which may comprise an open bottom and collapsible front side, is postured immediately above a settled insect, ensuring by such movement that the insect's flight reflexes are not activated.

(ii) Activating the said collapsible front to collapse or swing down, thereby isolating the insect.

(iii) Activating a suitably mounted insect engaging and striking member simultaneously to engage and strike the insect against an inner opposing surface, suitably ridged along its outer edges to comprise a buffer so as to facilitate extermination through concussion without crushing the insect.

(iv) Providing for a supply of liquid such as a thin oil to said opposing buffered surface to ensure that extermination is effected promptly.

13. An insect exterminating device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.