WO2009021894A1

WO2009021894A1 - Device for collecting and killing undesired snails and insects

Info

Publication number: WO2009021894A1
Application number: PCT/EP2008/060365
Authority: WO
Inventors: Peter Blom; Birgitte-Evelyn Jakobsen
Original assignee: Peter Blom; Birgitte-Evelyn Jakobsen
Priority date: 2007-08-16
Filing date: 2008-08-06
Publication date: 2009-02-19

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for collecting and killing undesired snails and insects. The device comprises a vessel (A), wherein undesired snails or insects are collected and killed. The device further comprises an inclined partition (B) on which the undesired snails and insects can be transported from a support, such as a lawn, to the vessel, where they are killed. The present invention therefore aims to collect and kill undesired snails and insects in the nature, in parks and in private gardens, where they must be removed due risk of infection, protection of crops, culture plants, water supply or for aesthetic reasons.

Description

Device for collecting and killing undesired snails and insects.

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a device for collecting and killing undesired snails and insects. The device comprises a vessel, wherein undesired snails or insects are collected and killed. The device further comprises an inclined partition on which the undesired snails and insects can be transported from a support, such as a lawn, to the vessel, wherein they are killed. The present invention therefore aims to collect and kill undesired snails and insects in the nature, in parks and in private gardens, where they must be removed due risk of infection, protection of crops, culture plants, water supply or for aesthetic reasons.

In the following the term "snail" is supposed to encompass snails with and without a shell as well as other plant destroying molluscs.

The population of snails, in particular the Iberian snail, also referred to as the killer snail, has increased explosively. The preferred food of the killer snail is green plants, wherefore the snails eat all vegetation in gardens, parks and in agriculture. The snails have almost no enemies (only hedgehogs and musk ducks) and reproduce very fast. Killer snails hibernate as small snails and gorge themselves during February and March. Fully mature snails (4-5 weeks old) ovulate (300-500 eggs per snail). The snails have optimum growth conditions in the wet climate in northern areas and the incidence of killer snails is increasing. Snails can survive in minus 35 degrees Celsius.

Prior art technology in the field of collecting and disposal of snails is based on manual collection, laying out of poison and salt, or with traps placed in the soil.

The use of poison granules (iron phosphate) is expensive, since 500 gram per 100 m2 is needed in the entire season commencing from April to September. The use of common gardening tools may be exhausting and can stress muscles and joints because the tools are relatively heavy and over-dimensioned for longer time of use. The use of shears or scissors may appear unhygienic and multiple cuts may give rise to ache. Many people use naturally occurring agents, such as coffee and garlic to limit the number of snails in their gardens, however, these means cannot solve the problem, since the snails are not hereby killed, but are rather forced into other areas, where the reproduction of the snails takes place.

The problem with snails is expected to increase, and it is not a matter for the minority but anyone must be involved in the fight against the snails on the same level as the fight against e.g. hogweed.

US patent no 2,202,445 discloses a device for collecting and killing insects, said device comprises an insecticide container having a perforated strainer removably mounted therein and normally immersed in the insectide and adapted to remove the insects from the pan without disturbing the insectide, the strainer being provided with longitudinal and transverse partitions to prevent surging of the liquid from one end the pan to the other while being manipulated. A handle extends upwardly from the upper edge of the rear wall. The device also includes a paddle, which aims at forcing the insects rearwardly over an inclined partition into the receptacle. Meanwhile US patent no 2,202,445 is not concerned with the filtering of liquid from the receptable, since the disclosed device presupposes that insects killed by the insecticide treatment are filtered off by removing the strainer from the insecticide mixture, which stays in the receptable.

As regards the fight against snails, which have a significantly larger biomass than insects and thus withstand greater amounts of poison, it is desirable to use non-toxic killing methods.

Various approaches exist for the fight against pests, such as snails, including a significant number of traps and chemical solutions. Common for many of these approaches is their passive manner of operation in the sense that the snails are lured into the trap and it requires technical as well as economical support from the user since more of the devices are complicated and relatively expensive, and often they are not sufficiently effective with respect to the number of snails to be trapped.

Summary of the invention

Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a more suitable method for gardeners and others who needs to limit the population of snails and facilitating disposal of the snails in a sensible, hygienic and environmentally correct way without the user being in physical contact with the snails.

This is achieved by providing a portable collecting and killing device of the foregoing described form, except that no bait, poison or trapping means is needed.

According to the present invention this is achieved with a collecting and killing device of the initially described form characterised in that the collecting device is provided with an integrated vessel for scalding the snails and an accompanying rake for collecting the snails and filtering off the fluid (water) in which the snails have been scalded. The collecting and filtration rake is used to transport the snails over the inclined partition into the vessel, where they scalded and thus killed. Moreover the rake serves as a sieve in order to filter off the scalding fluid before disposal of the snails in e.g. a bag and then in the public renovation system. In order to meet criteria for ethical and responsible killing of the snails the vessel is provided with markings for maximum number of snails and minimum amount of scalding water to ensure quick and efficient killing.

The present invention therefore differs from the above identified prior art since e.g. the collecting device is provided with an accompanying rake for collecting the snails and filtering the collected snails. This enables collection of snails in the scalding vessel in order to subsequently filter off the scalding water (or other scalding fluid) by sieving the water through the accompanying rake, whereby the snails remain in the collection device. The present invention therefore differs from the above identified US patent no 2,202,445 by enabling the retention of dead snails in the collection device, while the fluid (scalding water) that kills the snails is discarded without prejudice to the environment.

The present invention relates to a device suitable for collecting and killing snails, comprising a vessel (A) with an inclined partition, wherein the vessel can be filled with a scalding fluid, a handle/shaft (D) connected to the vessel (A), wherein the inclined partition has an angle relative to the support of between 20 and 60 °, preferably between 25 and 50 ⁰ and more preferably between 30 and 45 °. Surprisingly, the device is able to collect undesired snails and insects, irrespective of the use of the rake, merely by moving the vessel (A) in parallel with the support, whereby present snails and insects are forced upwardly on the inclined partition and thereby reach the vessel (A). Advantageously the device is equipped with accompanying collection and filtration means (E) to assist in the collection of snails as well as for the subsequent filtration of the killed snails. Such means may take form as a rake, but other forms that facilitate efficient collection of snails over the inclined partition and subsequent filtration of scalding fluid are likewise applicable.

IA preferred embodiment the present invention relates to a device for collecting and killing snails comprising an integrated dosable scalding vessel (A) with an inclined partition (B) and decanting nozzle (C), characterised in that the device is equipped with an accompanying rake (E) for collecting the snails and subsequently filtering the collected and killed snails.

In a further preferred embodiment of the present invention the scalding vessel (A) is provided with two markings indicating i) maximum number of snails to be held in the vessel (A), and ii) minimum amount of boiling water to be poured over the snails.

In a particularly preferred embodiment the inclined partition (B) is angled to obtain an optimum angle for dragging the snails over the inclined partition, while the bottom of the device is kept in a horizontal position with respect to the support from which the snail is collected.

In a further particularly preferred embodiment the shaft (D) is placed on the rear side of the decanting nozzle (C) and thereby provides an optimum working angle for the user of the collecting device.

In another preferred embodiment the collecting rake also acts as a sieve, which may be fixed onto the shaft (D) of the collecting device.

In the following the present invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the enclosed drawings showing an embodiment for the collecting device with integrated scalding vessel and a collecting and filtration rake. Brief description of the figures

Figure 1 shows the collecting device with integrated scalding vessel as well as the collecting and filtration rake mounted thereon - upper view.

Figure 2 shows the invention in drawn to scale.

Figure 3 shows a side view of the invention.

Figure 4 shows a front view of the invention.

Figure 5 shows a rear view of the invention.

Detailed description of the invention

In accordance with Figure 1 the collecting device (A, B, C, and D) is shown , wherein D is the integrated scalding vessel, B is the inclined partition on which the snail is forced upwardly, and C is the decanting nozzle through which the scalding fluid is poured after having killed the snail. D is the shaft/handle for carrying the device. In the scalding vessel (A) two markings indicate maximum number of snails to be held in the vessel (a), and minimum amount of boiling water to be poured over the snails (b).

The collecting and filtration rake (E) comprises a number of teeth that are bended in an angle enabling filtration of the snails when the teeth are positioned at the collecting vessel. A locking mechanism is provided on the rake so that the rake can be realisably mounted on the collecting device, whereby the user can pour fluid without moving the position of the rake (see Figure2, F and G). In accordance with Figure 2 the locking mechanism (F and G) is shown on the head of the rake (E) and on the shaft of the collecting device (D).

In accordance with Figure 3 a side view of the collecting device is shown. C, which acts as decanting nozzle, is angled in order to achieve an optimal working angle for the user. This also appears from Figure 2, where the shaft on the collecting and filtration rake, as well as on the collecting device, has been extended. The inclined partition (B) is also angled so that the working angle becomes optimal as far as dragging the snail upwardly on the inclined partition, while the bottom of the collecting means is kept in a horizontal position with respect to the support from which the snail is collected. This reduces the muscular stress in the user's arms, since the collecting means rests on the support.

In Figure 5 the a rear view of the collecting device is shown, from which it appears that on the rear side of the decanting nozzle in the scalding vessel means for mounting the shaft (D) is provided, which gives the optimum angle for walking around with the collecting device.

Claims

1 . A device suitable for collecting and killing snails comprising:

• a vessel (A) with an inclined partition (B), wherein the vessel (A) can be loaded with a scalding fluid,

• a shaft (D) connected to the vessel (A), characterized in that the inclined partition (B) has an angle relative to the bottom of the vessel of between 20 and 70 °, preferably 20 and 60 °.

2. Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the angle is between 25 and 50 °.

3. Device according to claim 1 , characterized in that the angle is between 30 and 45 °.

4. Device according to any one of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the device is equipped with an accompanying collecting and filtration means (E) facilitating collection of snails and subsequent filtration of the killed snails.

5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the collecting and filtration means (E) constitutes a rake or similar means that can be used to drag the snails over the inclined partition (B) and for subsequent off-filtration of scalding fluid.

6. Device according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the vessel (A) is provided with two markings indicating: i) the maximum number of snails to be loaded in the vessel (A), and ii) the minimum amount of scalding fluid needed to be poured over the snails.

7. Device according to any one of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the vessel (A) is equipped with a decanting nozzle.

8. Device according to any one of the claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the shaft (D) is on the rear side of the decanting nozzle and thereby provides the optimum working angle for the user of the device.