US550345A

US550345A - Insect-catcher

Info

Publication number: US550345A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1895-11-26
Anticipated expiration: 1912-11-26

Description

(No Model.) I

H. c. H'UMPHREYS & 0. WM. SKERRBTT.

INSECT GATGHER.

No. 550,345. 5 Patented Nov. 26, 1895.

v A zzorzvg z UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY O. HUMPHREYS AND CHARLES W. M. SKERRETT, OF PHILADELPHIA PENNSYLVANIA.

INSECT-CATCH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 550,345, dated November 26, 1895.

Application filed J 11116 4, 1895. Serial No. 551,682. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, HARRY C. HUM- PHREYS and CHARLES W. M. SKERRETT, citizens of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Insect- Catchers,of which the following is a full, clear, and exact specification.

Our invention relates to a new and useful improvement in devices for catching insects; and it has for its object to provide such a device by which insects may be attracted and allured into contact with a sticky or adhesive surface without becoming aware of such surface until caught thereby.

WVith these ends in view the invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth,and then specifically designated by the claim.

In order that those skilled in the art to which our invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same we will describe its construction and operation in detail, referring by number to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which the figure is a central vertical section of our improved device.

In the drawing, 1 represents a collapsible lantern, preferably made of translucent paper, stretched upon suitable ribs 2; but the material of which this lantern is made is immaterial.

3 are a number of small holes formed in the Walls of the lantern for the purpose of supplying air to the flame, as will be hereinafter set forth.

4: is a ring or band secured to the lower edge of the lantern, and 5 is a removable bottom having the flange 6, adapted to fit snugly within the band 4, so as to be retained by friction against accidental withdrawal, and this bottom is provided with a suitable holder 7 for the candle, which latter is shown in dotted lines.

12 is a closed top secured to the lantern.

11 is a saucer-shaped receptacle, preferably made of thin wood veneering, or it may be made of sheet metal or paper, as may be found most convenient, and this receptacle is adapted to fit upon and be secured to the bottom of the lantern or the band 4 in such manner as to be in a position to catch disabled insects, which may first become entangled with the sticky substance upon the surface of the lantern and by great effort disengage themselves therefrom, but who have not the power of locomotion sufficient to retain their equilibrium and will therefore fall within said. receptacle. This receptacle will also serve to catch any drippings or downfiow of the sticky material which may be caused to run by reason of the action of the heat thereon from the candle within the lantern, so that the hanging of this lantern over tables or in other places will not become objectionable by the sticky material dripping therefrom, and this receptacle may be supplied with a suitable quantity of the sticky material in the first place, or that which runs therein after the candle has been lighted will serve to catch insects independent of the surfaces of the lantern, after the manner of the ordinary fly-paper, or poisonous fluid may be placed in the receptacle, so that flies and the like upon drinking thereof willbe killed. Thus it will be seen that a completely-closed lantern is provided in which a candle may be lighted and placed by the removal of the bottom 5, and the air necessary for the support of the flame of the candle will be fed through the holes 3, as before described. Over the entire outer surface of of the lantern we apply a sticky or adhesive material, such as that used in connection with fly-paper, and as this material is translucent, as well as the lantern to which it is applied, the light of the candle will so illuminate the lantern as to conceal the presence of the adhesive material and attract insects thereto, and when they come in contact with this material they will be caught thereby and prevented from further locomotion.

The object of the holes 3 is twofold: first, to supply air to the candle within the lantern, and, second, to permit the radiation of the light therethrough in streams that are uninterrupted by having to pass through the translucent material of which the lantern is formed, and these rays of light radiating in all directions will penetrate to a greater distance than the light which passes through the walls of the lantern and greatly assist in attracting insects to the device.

If found desirable, the holes 3 may be large enough to admit the passage of insects to the inside of the lantern, and the inner walls of said lantern may be covered with an adhesive material similar to its outer surface, and insects passing to the interior of the lantern will be so dazed by the light therein that the holes 3 will appear to be dark spots in contrast to the light reflected from the inner surfaces of the lantern, so that they will be deterred from passing through said holes and escaping, and sooner or later they will come in contact with the adhesive material upon the inner surface and be caught, or the adhesive material may be omitted upon the inner surface and the insects gaining access to the interior of the lantern permitted to die from exhaustion or constant contact with the flame of the candle and fall into the bottom, which may be removed and emptied at intervals.

Thus it will be seen thatwe have provided a neat and efieotive trap for insects at an insignificant cost.

8 is a handle, preferably of metal, by which the device may be suspended in any convenient location.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new and useful is- An insect catcher consisting of a lantern having collapsible sticky walls, a bottom, a candle holder arranged on the bottom and a saucer shaped receptacle having upwardly and outwardly extending edges, attached to the lower part of the lantern, as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto affixed our signatures in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY O. HUMPHREYS. CHARLES V. M. SKERRETT. 'Witn esses S. F. WILLIAMSON, E. O. \VURDEMAN.