GB2588082A

GB2588082A - Rodent control device

Info

Publication number: GB2588082A
Application number: GB1912055.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hamilton John; William Carroll Simon
Original assignee: Ratgate Ltd
Current assignee: Ratgate Ltd
Priority date: 2019-08-22
Filing date: 2019-08-22
Publication date: 2021-04-21
Anticipated expiration: 2039-08-22
Also published as: GB201912055D0; GB2588082B

Abstract

A rodent control device with a cylindrical body 10 is arranged to be located in a pipe P which passes sewage and other fluid products. The device 10 permits sewage to flow but prevents rodent access in the direction opposite the flow of sewage. The device 10 comprises a flap 12 that is freely movable between a first closed position and second open position. In the first position the flap 12 extends across the pipe P, preventing a rodent access along the pipe P in the direction opposite the flow of sewage. In the second position the flap 12 permits rodent access along the pipe P in the direction of flow of the sewage. The flap 12 is fitted with an adjustment member 18 to manually move the flap from the first position towards the second position.

Description

Rodent Control Device This invention relates to rodent control devices and, in particular, to such devices that control the passage of rodents along pipes.

There have been proposed rodent control devices which control the passage of rodents along a pipe such that intended product passing along the pipe in one direction is not prevented whilst the device is able to prevent the unintended passage of rodents in the opposite direction. By this means the device is able to prevent rodents from travelling along the pipe in said opposite direction. Such devices include a pivoted flap movable under gravity between a closed position obstructing the pipe and, under the action of intended product, an open position for the passage of product. The product pushes the flap towards an open position to pass along the pipe whereas when the rodent attempts to pass the device in said opposite direction it encounters the flap which prevents the unwanted passage of rodents.

Whilst the device is effective in preventing rodents from passing along the pipe in said one unwanted direction there are occasions when the presence of the device can hinder the use of pipe cleaning devices which are used to clean the pipe of a build up of obstructions in the pipe. The present invention is intended to enable such pipe cleaning devices to be used freely without them being obstructed by the control device.

According to the invention a rodent control device comprises a sleeve arranged to be fixedly mounted in a cylindrical pipe and having a hinged obstructing member attached thereto which is freely movable between a first closed position in which the member extends across the pipe and a second open position in which the member is moved towards one side of the pipe, the first position being to prevent rodent access along the pipe in one direction and the second position being to permit product passing along the pipe in the opposite direction, and an elongate adjusting member attached to the obstructing member at a position remote from its hinge at one end and, at its other end, remote from said one end, is movable to be pulled to cause the obstructing member to move towards said second position.

Preferably the elongate adjusting member is a flexible member, such as wire, which extends outwardly of the control device to be graspable for manual pulling of said obstructing member towards said second position.

Further features of the invention will appear from the following description of an embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings in which:-Fig 1 is an isometric drawing of a rodent control device, Fig 2 is a side view of the device of Fig 1, Fig 3 is an end view,and Fig 4 is a plan view.

Referring to the drawings, the device has a partly cylindrical body 10 which is sized to fit into a pipe P such as a pipe for passing fluid or semi fluid, such as sewage material. The body is preferably made of sheet stainless steel so as to be flexible inwardly to reduce its diaineter and allow the body to be located into the pipe during fitting in position. Fitting into the pipe is arranged so that flow of fluid is in the direction F. Attached to the body to be freely pivotable in the direction D is an obstructing member or flap 12 mounted on a pivot pin 14 carried on support arms 16 at the upper side of the body 10. The member 12 extends downwards under gravity in its obstructing position, as shown, in which any rodent intending to travel along the pipe upstream in a direction opposite to direction F is obstructed by the member 12. In the obstructing position the lower edge of the member lies adjacent the lower, Inner surface of the pipe P whilst the side edges of the member are closely adjacent the side walls of the body 10 so that the flap can not move past the position shown in the drawings in the upstream direction opposite to direction F. In normal use the obstructing member 10 lies in the position shown but is moved in the direction F to permit fluid flow along the pipe by the action of the fluid on the surface of the upstream side of the member 12, thereby permitting the pipe to fulfil its normal function of draining fluid along the pipe. Should a rodent seek to enter the pipe from the downstream end past the device it will encounter the member 12 and will be unable to pass it since the flap will prevent this in its closed position, as shown.

In use the device will be fitted to a pipe end where the pipe enters an access cavity. This is by deforming the body of the device inwardly to reduce its outer diameter so that it can enter the pipe P and constraining the body 10 against outward movement by a tie T extending around the body and adjacent the downstream end of the device. After being entered into the pipe P the tie T is severed to allow the body to expand outwards into engagement with the inner wall of the pipe and be retained therein.

The device also includes an elongate member 18 which at one end is fixed to the flap 12 at 20 towards its lower end away from tie pivot pin 14. The member 18 is preferably a wire which passes through an aperture 22 formed in the body 10 and located to cause the wire 18 to extend in an orientation from the flap upwards through the cavity its upper opening to be accessible by the operator at the upper end of the member 18.

The operator can then, by pulling on the wire 18, cause the flap 12 to move away from its obstructing position about the pivot 14. In this position any obstacle, such as a pipe clearing rod, which is being obstructed by the flap can be admitted or freed. Upon release of the wire 18 the flap will resume its position across the oipe. When the wire is not required for this purpose it serves to enable release and retrieval of the device from the pipe, should this be needed. Thus the provision of the wire 18 enables the pipe to be kept free from obstacles during maintenance or otherwise by overriding the gravitational action of the flap 12 and freeing it from any foreign objects.

Claims

Claims 1. A rodent control device comprising a sleeve arranged to be fixably mounted in a cylindrical pipe and having a hinged obstructing member attached thereto which is freely movable between a first closed position in which the member extends across the pipe and a second open position in which the member is moved towards one side of the pipe, the first position being to prevent rodent access along the pipe in one direction, and an elongate adjusting member attached to the obstructing member at a position remote from the hinge at one end and, at its other end, remote from said one end, is movable to be pulled to cause the obstructing member to move towards said second position.
2. A rodent control device according to claim 1 wherein the elongate adjusting member is a flexible member, such as wire, which extends outwardly of the rodent control device to be graspable for manual pulling of said obstructing c\I member towards said second position.a)
3. A rodent control device comprising a body arranged to be mounted in a O 20 cylindrical pipe and having an obstructing member attached thereto, and which is movable between a first closed position, for preventing rodent C\I access along the pipe in a first direction in use, and a second open position, for permitting rodent access along the pipe in said first direction in use, and an elongate member which is attached to the obstructing member, said elongate member having a free end remote from said obstructing member, which is movable to cause the obstructing member to move towards said second position from said first position.
4. A rodent control device according to claim 3 wherein the obstructing member is connected to the body via a hinge, so as to be pivotable between the first and second positions.
5. A rodent control device according to claim 4 wherein the elongate member is attached to the obstructing member at a position remote from the hinge. 35
6. A rodent control device according to any of claims 3 to 5, wherein the elongate member extends outwardly of the rodent control device to be graspable for manual pulling of said obstructing member towards said second position from said first position.
7. A rodent control device according to any of claims 3 to 6, configured so that the obstructing member may extend downwards under gravity into the first position in use.
8. A rodent control device according to any of claims 3 to 7 wherein the obstructing member is configured so that a lower edge of the obstructing member lies adjacent a lower, inner surface of a pipe, in the first position in use.
9. A rodent control device according to any of claims 3 to 8 wherein the elongate member extends from the obstructing member and passes through an aperture in the body so as to extend away from the body.O
10.A rodent control device according to claim 9 wherein the body is intended to C\I be orientated so that the elongate member extends from the obstructing a) member, and through said aperture, to be accessible for upward pulling on the elongate member by an operator, for movement of the obstructing member from the first position to the second position.