US2033357A - Apparatus and process for killing human and animal vermin - Google Patents

Description

N. D. RIKER Mmh 1o, 1936.

APPARATUS AND PNocEss FoR KILLING HUMAN AND ANIMAL VERMIN Filed June 5, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 www. A .,1. L

N. D. RIKER March 10, 1936.'

APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR KILLING HUMAN AND ANIMAL VERMIN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 3, 1935 INVENTOR emazz Eex n ATTORNEY Patented Mar. ll0., 1936 UNITED STATES 2,033,357 APPARATUS AND' rnoosss Fon mLLmG HUMAN AND ANIMAL vnaMIN Norman n. Riker, mandame, N. Y., signor to Letheiin Products Company, Inc., Manhasset.

Application June s, 1933. serial No. 614,14:

4 claims. ICI. 11s- 160) This invention relates to an apparatus and process for using the'same, for killing human and animal vermin such as Pediculus capits,v

Pedculus pubis, and Pediculus corporz's. 5 In carrying out my process, I use, in combination with the garments to be hereinafter described, a very volatile liquid in the form' of an organic ester or alcohol compound which very rapidly becomes a lethal or highly toxic gas upon exposure to the air. It may be stated at this point that thetrade-name of the liquid I have so far found useful for my purpose is Lethelin which is commercial methyl forinate HCOOCHR having aI boiling point of approximatelv 31 C., and which of itself is odorless. While this particular liquid destroys the insect life at about the same speed as cyanide, it is harmless to human beings and animals. The

liquid evaporates with great rapidity and will penetrate any cloth or other material that is not gas-tight. In other words, the covering or garment must be gas-tight, although it may not be water-tight, as for treatment of some animals or fowl, a special paper bag treated with a. slicker material or the like may be used.

It very frequently happens that persons, particularly men, coming into hospitals, night lodging houses, and missionary settlements, are infasted with vvermin above described, and it is the principal object of my invention to provide apparatus and a process for treating these persons and exterminating the vermin in a highly expeditious and not at all uncomfortable manner. Animals may be treated in a somewhat similar manner.

The advantages of my apparatus and process will be more clearly apparent from a study of the specication taken in connection with the annexed drawings wherein:

Figure l shows how the hospital or settlement house, or mission may be provided with the necessary garments ready to be applied -to the inmates, particularly the newly incoming ones.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of a garment adapted to iit the head of a human being.

, Figure 3 shows how the human being may be substantially encased within a garment, only the hands and head being exposed.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on the'line 4 4 ofvFigure 3, showing how the garment illustrated in Figure 3 may be closed up and rendered gas-tight.

Figure 5 shows the application of a garment in the form of a bag applied to a dog. Other .types of garments may be made to iit'other animals.

In the drawings, Figure 1i shows the person Ahaving on two styles of garments. In this specification, garment" is intended to mean absorbent pad I made of sufficient size to carry .enough of a volatile liquid to kill the vermin in the hair on the head within a few minutes time. As shown, the pad 3 may be placed directly on I the head, as the particular liquid specied will not harm the hair or scalp, but in. the preferred form of head-garment shown in Figure 2, the top part of the garment I is provided with a pocket having resilient gripping edges 4 for carrying the absorbent pad 3.

In this case, the' pad 3 is of relatively stiff material which will hold its shape, and as shown in Figure 2the lower surface of the pad 3 is completely exposed; that is, no part of the garment is over it, so that the volatile gases coming from the pad will quickly pass downwardly and permeate through the hair and kill the Pediculus capitis. For example, I have found that fifteen minutes in ordinary room temperature is sufficient.

Figure 1 also shows a pair of trunks 5, preferably m'ade of a material the same as the cap l, having contractable bands E to fit tightly around the legs, and a contractable band 'i fitting around the body, and carrying an absorbent pad 3, over the hirsute portion -of the mons pubis, similar to that shown in the head-gement in Figure 2. y

In Figure 3, a. gas-tight suit is shown drawn over the clothing, only the hands and tread being without the suit. In this case. the sleeves have contractable bands 8 to fit tightly .around the wrists, and the suit has also a contractable band 9 to fit around the neck. In order to get into this suit, the back is opened. and after the pads 3, two 'of which are shown, are saturated, the material ofthe suit is double-folded at the seam as shown at. I0 in Figure 4, and.' heldin place by any suitable number of slidable clips I I. The suit may have a contractable band, as shown by dotted lines I4, to nt around each ankle, so that the foot portion I5 thereof may not be oi.' itself is odorless, the liquid having the char-frequired. Since the gas used will permeatei clothing, all the insects or vermin, carried by the clothing and the part of the body covered by the clothing, will be exterminated. It is to'be understood that after the person has been treated as above outlined, the garment or garments are removed and may be hung up or put away for the next patient.

In Figure 5, I have shown a dog enclosed, all but his head, within a bag I2 having a contractable band I3 tting around the dog's neck. The part of the bag over the dogs back carries one or more of the removable pads 3 as described in the previous ngures.

Special gas-tight paper bags may be used for treating other small animals and even potted house plants.

While I have shown, in Figure 3, a person equipped with a garment in the form of a special suit, the garment may be in the form oi a bag, the same as shown enclosing-the dog in Figure It is-also to be understood that the garments and-process may be used for private purposes, as well as for the particular purposes set forth in the early part of this specincation. For example, sometimes children get affected with head-lice while at school, and they may be quickly treated at home in the manner herein described. The process is especially advantageous in private treatment for Pediculus pubis, whereby the use of ointments, which soil the clothing, is eliminated by the more direct, easy andl effective treatment herein described.

I claim: l. The process of killing on human beings. vermin ofthe type described herein, whichv consists in taking a ilexible, gas-tight garment,

.completely enclosing with the garment some time during the process that part of the human to beV treated, positioning within the garment adiacent and above the part to be treated. an absorbent pad and applying to the pad, at any time before the complete closure of the garment in iinal position, a liquid which gives oiI a vapor heavier than air, isharmless to the skin which acteristicof speedy volatilizaticn -when exposed to air in a gas-tight enclosure as described and aces-,357

developing a lethal gas which will quickly kill said vermin lwithin thirty minutes or less. 4

2. The process oi killing on live creatures, vermin of the type described herein, which consists in taking a exible gas-tight garment having an. absorbent pad located therewithin above the part tovbe treated, covering a portion of the creature to be treated with said garment and applying to said absorbent pad, before the coverage is fully completed, a quantity of a highly volatile liquid harmless to the skin of said creatures, such as methyl formate having a boiling point of approximately 31 C., and having the property of speedily developing aheavy toxic gas on exposure! toairandwhich will kill all verminwithin thirty minutes or ls.

3. Means for carrying out the herein described process for kiilinghuman and animal vermin of the type described comprising; a liquid harmless to the skin oi humans and animals and having a boiling point of approximately 31C. and developing rapidlyaheavy lethal gas on exposure to air, and a gas-tight ilexible garment to ilt -over a portion ci the human o r animal to be treated, said garment having at least one inside pocket positioned facing the portion to be treated. and an absorbent pad to receive said liquid and adaptedto be placedin saidpocket sov one -side oi the pad is exposed interiorly oi the garment and which will kill all vermin within v thirty minutes or less.

4. Means'f: carrying out the herein described process for killing human and animal vermin oi' the-type described comprising: a liquid harinless to theskin of humans and animals and having a boiling point of approximately 31 C.

land developing rapidly a heavy lethal gas oni exposureto air, and a gas-tight flexible garment to nt overav portion of 'the human or animal to be treated. said garment having means for ensuring asubstantial air-tight closure over said portion-'whereby said gas of said vermin within thirty minutes or less and. also having absorbent pad holding means; and an absorbent pad to receive said liquid, said holding means being located so the pad is held abdve'the parttobetreated andwhichwilildllallyermin within thirty minutes or`less.

' NORMAN D. BIKER.

n CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.'

patent met-35,55?. A i 'March 710,

NORMAN n. BIKER.

' It ifs hereby' certified that error appears in the printed specificati the above numbered patent requiring 'correction as follows: Page l, t1' column, line 12, after "found" insert moet; page 2, second column, "line 31 and 47-48, Aclaims 3 and l4 respectiv'ely, V:strike Out theworde "ad'whi will kill all vermin within thirty minutes or less"; and that the said Patent should be .read with these corrections therein thatthe same ma.; lform to the record of the oase -in the Patent Office.

signed and sealed this 21st dayef April, A. D. 193e.

:,Leslie Frazer (Seal) v I Acting Commissionerof Patent

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