US402382A

US402382A - Fly-catcher

Info

Publication number: US402382A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1889-04-30
Anticipated expiration: 1906-04-30

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OF CE;

ALBERT ARENTS, OF ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA.

FLY-CATCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 402,382, dated April 30, 1889.

Application filed August 29, 1888. Serial No. 284,072. (No model.)

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT ARENrs, of Alameda, Alameda county, State of California, have invented an Improvement in Fly- Gatchers; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionbf the same.

My invention relates to a device to be employed to cat-ch and destroy flies. It consists of one or more strings of suitable length suspended from-the ceiling or from elevated positions within the room from which it is desired to clear the flies, and a means for preparing, packing, and suspending the strings, as will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1 shows my device ready for use. Fig. 2 shows one packed.

For the purpose of catching and destroying flies, traps of all sorts and poisonous and sticky paper have been employed with more or less success in rooms where no eatables are exposed; but these devices are not effective in kitchens and other places where eatables are exposed and accessible to the flies. If, however, strings or elongated strips are suspended from the ceiling or from elevations in such places, the flies, if present in the room, will be attracted by these strings, notwithstanding the presence of 'eatables. Whether this be on account of the glistening appearance of the-coated strings, or for some other reason that cannot be explained, the fact remains that such strings will attract and catch the flies in a room within a' short time.

In carrying out my invention I take ordinary loosely twisted twine, which may be one-sixteenth or one-eighth of an inch, or any suitable diameter, and fix at one end a loop or ring, by which it may be suspended from a hook in the ceiling or at some considerable elevation in the room. This string may be about five feet in length ordinarily, and in the opposite end-I fix a piece of cork or other similar substance preferably semi-cylindrical in shape and about onefourth of an inch thick. This cork has a hole in the center, through which the string may be passed, and a knot tied therein to keep it from slipping out, or it may simply be tied to the string or otherwise secured. I then take a bottle, D, having a wide mouth, through which the elongated stop 0 can be passed into the bottle. After it is turned in the bottle the ends extend out so far that it will not pull out through the neck while in this position, and the convex surface fits against the shoulders of the bottles neck, so as to keep it upright. The string, which is still clean, is then coiled on top of the cork in the bottle, leaving the ring B and a small piece of the string to hang outside of the neck. A knot,-I, is made in the string about an inch from the ring, and this lies under the stopper Within the bottle and serves to pull it out when desired. Any strongly-adhesive compound may now be poured into the bottle, so as to saturate the string. I prefer to use rosin and any vegetable or animal oil, in about the proportion of two parts of rosin, by weight, to one of the oil, although these proportions may be varied slightly Without essentially altering the character of the compound. These ingredients are melted and stirred together until they will incorporate, and then poured into the bottle While still in a hot and fluid condition, so as to cover the string. The cork is then introduced, and when the material is cold it will be of a stiff vascid nature. In this condition the packages, which are very inexpensive, may be shipped to any point where they are to be used, and will keep for an indefinite time. When they are to be used, a pull on the ring will draw the cork, which closes the bottle by means of the knot I, before described, and the ring may then be slipped upon a hook in the ceiling of a room and the bottle left suspended therefrom, The weight of the bottle will cause it to gradually descend, the string An improved fly-catcher consisting of a bot- In witness whereof I have hereunto set my tle containing a suitable sticky compound, a hand. string having a suspending-100p at one end and a button at the opposite end for securing ALBERT ARENTS. 5 the string within the bottle, said string having also the knot I, which lies under the bot- \Vitnesses:

ale-stopper and serves to remove it when de- S. H. NOURSE,

sired, as herein set forth. H. (1.; LEE.