GB2262210A

GB2262210A - Rodent bait container

Info

Publication number: GB2262210A
Application number: GB9124772A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Cyril Payne
Original assignee: Albert Frederick Smith
Current assignee: Albert Frederick Smith
Priority date: 1991-11-21
Filing date: 1991-11-21
Publication date: 1993-06-16
Also published as: GB9124772D0

Abstract

A rodent bait container is described comprising a rectangular box shaped base (1) closed by a lid (2). Each end of the container has a circular aperture (2) and an extension sleeve (4) which extends into the container and tapers to a small diameter hole (5) at its inner end-to form a frustum of a cone. The apertures are concentric with each other so that by looking through the aperture at one end of the container the other aperture can be seen at the other end. The lid (2) can be secured by a hole which registers, in its closed position, with a correspondingly sized hole formed in an angle bracket riveted to the upper edge of an end wall of the container, the lid being secured e.g. by a padlock. <IMAGE>

Description

RODENT BAIT CONTAINER This invention relates to a container for laying bait to kill rodents and more particularly to a container for the laying of poisonous bait providing easy access to the rodent while preventing the bait from being exposed to domestic animals, children or to rain.

Rodents such as rats are mainly destroyed by feeding them a poison bait over a continuous period. The rat feeds on the bait and returns to it, when hungry, over the period of time which eventually kills it.

It has been the practice to place the bait in piles near an area frequented by the rat or near the rat's habitat, for example, where the rats runs or droppings or other activity is evident. However, this practice had the disadvantage that the poison bait, evenif shielded may become exposed and could be eaten by domestic animals, such as cats or dogs or non-target annuals and birds with fatal consequences. Another disadvantage was that the bait if spread in the open could become wet with rain which can make the bait unpalitable and can destroy the effectiveness of the poisonous property of the bait.

More recently containers for the bait have been provided in the form of an enclosed container with openings at each end, such as a length of pipe. This provided a limited protection for the bait but still had the disadvantage that a rat could drag the bait towards the ends of the pipe onto the ground where it was exposed to domestic animals or children and could be washed away by rain.

An aim of the present invention is to provide a rodent bait container which overcomes the above mentioned disadvantages.

According to the present invention there is provided a rodent bait container comprising a base and a lid, each end of the base having an aperture wherein the aperture has an extension sleeve projecting into the container.

Conveniently, the inner end of the extension sleeve has a smaller aperture than the aperture in the end of the base.

Preferably, the container has a rectangular shape and the apertures are circular, the extension sleeves being shaped as a frustum of a cone.

In a preferred construction the container is made of 20 gauge galvanised steel. Means are preferably provided to secure the lid in its closed condition to prevent it being opened by unauthorised personnel.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of exaple, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a rodent bait container according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is an end view of the container shown in Fig. 1 with the lid removed; Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 4; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the container shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with the lid removed; Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the container shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a plan view of the container lid; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the container lid; and Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the lid shown in Figs. 6 and 7.

The rodent bait container illustrated comprises a rectangular box shaped base 1 closed by a lid 2. The container is made from 20 gauge galvanised sheet steel welded at its seams. Each end of the container has an aperture 3, which is circular, and has an extension sleeve 4 riveted in the aperture 3 and which extends into the container and tapers to a smaller diameter hole 5 at its inner end to form a frustum of a cone. In the embodiment shown the circular apertures are concentric with each other so that by looking through the aperture at one end of the container the other aperture can be seen at the other end.

The container base 1 has longitudinal strips 6 formed by bending the upper edges of the side walls of the container which are bent slightly downwards from the horizontal. The lid 2 has longitudinal side strips 7 which are bent downwards at the same angle as the side strips 6 and the edges of strips 7 are bent back on themselves to form a groove which is slid onto the longitudinal side strips 6 to position the lid 2 in a close fit on the container base 1. The lid slopes from one side of the container to the other to shed rain falling on the container. To secure the lid 2 to the base 1 the lid has a drilled hole 8 which registers, in its closed position, with a correspondingly sized hole 9 formed in an angle bracket 10 riveted to the upper edge of one end wall of the base.

The lid 2 has a shaped handle 11 of strip galvanised steel riveted to the lid surface. However, in an alternative construction the handle may be made of a length of bent mild steel rod pivoted to the lid 2 so that it can be pivoted to an upright position when in use and pivoted to a position flat with the surface of the lid when not in use. This facilitates stacking of the containers one above the other.

In use a poisonous bait in the form of dry particles of food containing the poison are placed on the floor or in a tray on the container base 1. The lid 2 is slid on the side edge strips 6 and positioned in its closed position with the lid hole 8 aligned with the bracket hole 9 and locked in the closed position by, for example, a padlock.

Rodents e.g. rats are attracted to the bait by smell and enter the container at either end through one of the apertures 3. Rats do not normally enter a confined area unless they can see light from an exit of the confined area, consequently the two apertures 3 are preferably aligned to provide the rat with an unobstructed view from one aperture to the other.

The diameters of the apertures 3 and 5 are chosen so that they allow an adult rat to enter the container, rats normally judge the sides of an aperture by touching the entrance with the ends of their whiskers, but prevent domestic animals from reaching the bait. The sleeve 4 is located above the floor of the container at a height to permit a rat to easily enter but high enough above the floor to prevent the bait from being dragged through the extension sleeve 4 when the rat leaves the container.

Various modifications may be made to the invention, for example although the apertures 3 have been described as being circular they may take other shapes such as rectangular or semi-circular in which case the sleeve 4 would be similarly shaped at one end and taper into an aperture 5 of a similar shape or a different shape.

The container has been described and illustrated as being rectangular in cross-section but it may have a cross-section of a different shape, for example, circular in the form of a pipe.

Claims

1. A rodent bait container comprising a base and a lid, each end of the base having an aperture wherein the aperture has an extension sleeve projecting into the container.

2. A rodent bait container as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the inner end of the extension sleeve has a smaller aperture than the aperture in the end of the base.

3. A rodent bait container as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the container has a rectangular shape.

4. A rodent bait container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the apertures are circular.

5. A rodent bait container as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the extension sleeves are shaped as a frustum of a cone.

6. A rodent bait container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the container is made of 20 gauge galvanised steel.

7. A rodent bait container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein means are provided to secure the lid in its closed condition.

8. A rodent bait container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the apertures are aligned with each other.

9. A rodent bait container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the lid slopes from one side of the container to the other.

10. A rodent bait container, as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the means to secure the lid in its closed position comprises a hole which registers in its closed position with a correspondingly sized hole formed in an angle bracket secured to one end wall of the base.

11. A rodent bait container substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

12. Each and every novel feature or novel combination of features herein disclosed.