US132067A - Improvement in traps for insects - Google Patents

Description

F. G. FOWLER. Improvement in Traps for Insects.

N0. 132 067. Patented 0 ct.8,1872.

Fig-.3. F192 F1g.3.

. I I q I v a WITNESSES: INVENTORZ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK Gr. FOWLER, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN I'RAPS FOR INSECTS.

- Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 132,067, dated October 8, 1872.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK G. FOWLER, of

Bridgeport, in the county'of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and Improved Insect-Trap; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and letters of reference marked thereon making a part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of the handle of my invention, with some details of the same; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of my inven tion; and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the same.

This invention is a device for the destruction of insects, more particularly mosquitoes. It consists of a tube or barrel provided with a piston-rod and piston, behind which a spiral spring is coiled. On the outer end of this piston-rod is attached a pad formed of sponge or other soft material. The tube is mounted on a handle of sufficient length to reach the walls of any portion of a room where it may be used. A cord is attached to the'pistonrod, and passes down through the spiral spring and between two sheaves to the operator, who, by pulling the string, draws in the piston-rod and compresses the spring, and by letting go the string the recoil of the spring suddenly forces out the piston-rod and the pad, and with sufficient force to strike a blow on the wall and destroy a mosquito or other insect against which it maybe directed. The tube is attached to the handle by a hinge or joint, so that it can be turned to any angle and made to strike a blow square to thewall or surface upon which the insect may be perched. and the pad, being of a soft material, will produce the desired efi'ect without crushing the mosquito and staining the wall.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, 1 will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

The barrel is represented by a, and it is provided at one end with the cap or guide g. Adjacent to this, and within the tube, is a cushion, 4, made of rubber or other elastic material. Atthe opposite end of the tube is the spiral spring 8, and between the spring and cushion r is the piston to, which is secured to the piston-rod a. This rod on its outer end is provided with a pad formed of a disk of metal and faced with sponge or other soft material, and the rodis terminated at its other end by the eye 0. To this eye is attached a cord, Z, which passes down through the spring 8, and between the sheaves an, and through the eye to, which is attached to the handle H, and is terminated by the knob k. The handle H may be of any desired length and made in pieces and joined by tenons and ferrules, so that it can be taken apart and packed in a small compass. The barrel a is attached to the handle H by a hinged joint,

h, which permits it to be turned in any direction,'and it will then remain in that position from the friction of the hinge, and in that case the cord will pass freely over the sheaves a. To the hinges h the tubes t may be attached-.-

The operation is as follows: It is taken in the hand of the operator, and the knob is is pulled, so that the rod is drawn into the barrel and the spring compressed.- It is then aimed at the insect it is desired to destroy, the pad being brought to a distance less than the stroke of the rod from the insect. The knob is then released, and the recoil of the spring suddenly forces the rod out, the pad striking the insect and causing its death, but without crushing it, on account of the yielding nature of the pad. Should the position of the operator be such that the barrel is not perpendicular to the wall it should be deflected at the hinged joint, so that the surface of the pad will be parallel to the wall or other surface upon which the insect may be perched.

What I claim as new and useful, and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The barrel a, piston a, rod a, spring s, and guide g, arranged and operating in the manner and forthe purpose substantially as described.

2. The disk d and pad 00, arranged as specified.

3. The cord I, eye to, knob 70, and handle H, arranged in the manner and for the purpose substantially as shown.

4. The hinge h, sheaves a, arranged and operatin g as shown.

5. The cushion r and eye 0, arranged substantially as specified.

FRANK Gr. FOWLER.

Witnesses:

E. B. Srnvnns, J OHN STEVENS.

Images