WO2011020871A1

WO2011020871A1 - Device for collecting gastropods

Info

Publication number: WO2011020871A1
Application number: PCT/EP2010/062086
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rudolf Pein; Guenter Niederl; Johannes Suppan
Original assignee: Rudolf Pein; Guenter Niederl; Johannes Suppan
Priority date: 2009-08-20
Filing date: 2010-08-19
Publication date: 2011-02-24
Also published as: AT507996B1; AT507996A4

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for collecting gastropods, in particular slugs, comprising a collection container (2) that is open on the underside (5), wherein spears (11), which are disposed parallel to each other and fastened to a mounting plate (10), and the spear ends (14) of which are directed toward the underside (5), and an extendable plate (18), which can be displaced along the spears (11) and has cutouts (20) through which the spears (11) pass, are provided in the inner chamber of the collection container (2).

Description

Collection device for snails

The invention relates to a device for collecting snails, in particular nudibranches, comprising a collecting container which is open on its underside.

Numerous species of nudibranchs spread plant pathogens and are therefore to be regarded as pests especially for horticulture. If human activity leads to an imbalance between snails and their natural predators, mass propagation can lead to negative effects, which are intensified by monocultures in agriculture. Predominantly nudibranchs, such as the Spanish slug, have been spreading throughout Europe since the 1970s, damaging many plants to the point of chewing. Slug snails, in contrast, in many cases prefer fodder to the fresh plants. Particularly in cool and wet weather, the rapidly increasing nudibranchs are now a serious problem, especially for farms.

Therefore, a great variety of designs of devices for collecting nudibranchs are known from the state of the art.

In EP 1 527 682 A1, for example, a collecting container is shown with a housing body which is provided on its underside with a cavity which is accessible from the outside in the intended position placed on the ground position of the housing body via opening into the outer wall connecting channels. As nudibranchs consist of about 85% water and have no skin protecting them from evaporation, they are constantly exposed to the risk of dehydration, especially in hot and dry weather. By providing the collecting container, the nudibranches are offered a cavity which is protected by extensive closure and insulates against heat and moisture loss, into which the snails withdraw even without the use of attractants such as, for example, beer. By simply lifting the collection container and reading the screws they can then be removed.

A disadvantage of this design is that the nudibranchs only visit the collecting container when it is very hot and dry. On damp, rainy days, the collection container is useless, also can snails the centrally located cavity over leave the star-shaped connection channels also outward again. Furthermore, it is particularly unpleasant to have to remove the living collected screws by hand from the cavity or from the connecting channels of the housing body.

WO 2009/030232 A1 also shows a live trap for snails, wherein the catching device comprises a guide tube with an inlet opening at one axial end and an outlet opening at the other axial end. The inlet opening is secured with a movable flap, which prevents the screws from leaving the safety gear by itself. The safety gear can be produced inexpensively using, for example, an empty milk or juice carton.

A disadvantage of this design is that the living slugs are indeed reliably collected in the safety gear, but then manually removed from the safety gear and emptied and finally disposed of. This embodiment also has the disadvantage that the safety gear is only visited by the slugs in hot, dry weather, but is useless on days with high humidity.

GB 722,558 shows a Schneckenfalle in the form of a conical screen, which serves as rain and weather protection, for example, for poisonous slug grain, which is scattered below the screen on a circular tray, which rests on the ground. The slug grain is thus protected from the weather and remains effective much longer than would be the case, for example, when sprinkling the slug on an unprotected lawn.

A disadvantage of this embodiment is that is presented by the good accessibility of the poisonous slug pellets in the snail trap not only accessible to pests such as slugs, but also for hedgehogs and other beneficials, protected species such as snails, pets or even infants accessible. Thus, when using such a screw trap is a particularly high risk of poisoning or injury due to improper use of the stored therein screw grain. In addition, the use of slug pellets, especially when stored in larger quantities, can lead to pollution of the soil and groundwater.

As an alternative to the aforementioned embodiments of nudibranch gatherers, nudibranchs can also be collected by hand. Disadvantages are usually perceived as unpleasant hand contact with the nudibranchs, as well as the required oftmalige, tedious bending over to the snails. Most of the collected nudibranches are then scalded with hot water or killed by skewering. However, there is always an increased risk of injury with these collection methods.

The object of the present invention is therefore to avoid the drawbacks known from the prior art for devices for collecting nudibranches and to provide a device with the aid of which nudibranches can be collected and disposed of efficiently and safely, without having to do so Direct manual contact with the nudibranchs or the use of snail venom is required. Furthermore, in the operation of the device a risk of injury should be excluded as possible.

This object is achieved in a device for collecting screws according to the preamble of claim 1 having the features of the characterizing part of claim 1. The subclaims relate to particularly advantageous embodiments of the invention.

In a device according to the invention for collecting snails, in particular nudibranches, comprising a collecting container open at its underside, spits arranged parallel to one another in the interior of the collecting container, which are fastened to a holding plate and whose spit ends point towards the bottom, and one along the Skewers slidable Ausschubplatte with recesses through which the skewers pass through, provided.

The device according to the invention is intended to be placed at a location where nudibranchs are on the ground, with the open bottom of the sump on the ground. With the help of the several skewers nudibranchs can be collected and held in the interior of the collection particularly comfortable. A manual touch of the nudibranchs during the collection is completely eliminated. By slidable along the skewers Ausschubplatte collected in the interior of the sump nudibles can then be easily removed again from the device and disposed of accordingly.

In the context of the invention, it is also possible to use the device for collecting spießbaren objects, such as leaves or waste. Suitably, in a device according to the invention, the length of the skewers corresponds to the height of the side walls of the collecting container.

By the flush conclusion of the skewers with the side walls of the collecting container at the bottom of the device on the one hand ensures that the mutually parallel skewers are protected against bending or damage in the interior of the collecting container. On the other hand, the circumferential side wall also provides protection against injury. The edge of the circumferential side wall can be made reinforced, for example with a reinforcing edge or be provided to protect against injury with a rubber coating. Furthermore, it is conceivable to make the edge of the side wall rippled or serrated in order to leave no impressions or to damage the lawn when the device is pressed firmly onto a lawn.

In a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, the skewers are arranged at a uniform distance from one another.

In a further development of the device according to the invention, the distance of the skewers from each other between 2 mm and 20 mm, preferably between 5 and 15 mm.

Due to the grid-like arrangement of the skewers and by the appropriate choice of the distance of the skewers in the interior of the collecting container of different sizes nudibles can be held. The geometry of the placement of the skewers in the interior can be adapted to the shape of the outer contour of the collecting container. There are different contours of the collection container, such as round, square, rectangular or polygonal designs, conceivable.

Advantageously, in a generic device, the free spit ends tapered.

For this purpose, the spit ends can, for example, be tapered evenly or tapered obliquely. Due to the pointed execution of the free spit ends nudibranches can be collected and held with the device without effort.

In an advantageous embodiment of the device, two skewers are in each case connected to one another in a U-shaped manner at their ends facing away from the skewer ends. Each pair of spears connected in a U-shape are particularly easy to attach to the support plate.

In a variant of the device according to the invention, each skewer is provided in the shape of a nail at its end remote from the spit end with a nail head, the nail head being fastened to the holder plate.

In a further embodiment for achieving the object according to the invention, in a device for collecting screws, a preferably length-adjustable handle tube, which is provided with a handle at its free end, is detachably connected at its other end to a screw connection with the holder plate.

The device with a length-adjustable handle tube can be individually adapted to the body size or the requirements of the respective user in a particularly comfortable way. For example, the handle tube is designed as a telescopic telescopic tube. Furthermore, the length-adjustable stem tube can be secured against displacement, for example with a bayonet lock or with detents. The handle at its free end can be designed, for example, particularly ergonomic and for a longer use.

A particularly expedient embodiment of a device according to the invention is characterized in that the Ausschubplatte is movable with an actuating part in the direction of the open bottom of the collecting container.

As an actuating part, which is coupled in terms of movement with the Ausschubplatte and with which it is movable in the direction of the open bottom, depending on the embodiment, either a foot pedal, or a handle, or a combined operating part, by the user both foot, and can be triggered by hand contact, be provided. Once the sump is filled with nudibranchs, the Ausschubplatte can be moved by pressing the operating member towards the open bottom of the sump out and the sump is emptied.

Suitably, a device according to the invention is characterized by a return spring, which biases the Ausschubplatte in a remote from the bottom of the collecting container position. The Ausschubplatte is pressed in its initial position in the interior of the collecting container by the spring force of the return spring, for example, flush against the support plate. Thus, the entire interior of the collecting container is available for receiving nudibranches. The return spring ensures the Ausschubplatte from unwanted slipping.

Advantageously, in a device according to the invention, a peripheral gap is provided between the edges of the ejection plate and the insides of the side walls of the collecting container.

By the gap between the side walls and the edges of the sliding Ausschubplatte is avoided that the Ausschubplatte and the side walls of the collecting container block each other and the Ausschubplatte is no longer displaceable along the skewer.

In a variant of the invention, in a device, the diameter of the recesses in the Ausschubplatte larger, preferably by 1.1 to 1.3 times larger than the diameter of the skewers.

By suitable choice of the ratio of the diameter of the recesses to the diameter of the skewers blocking of the sliding Ausschubplatte is also avoided.

Particularly useful in a device according to the invention, the collecting container is releasably connected to the mounting plate with a quick release.

Thus, the sump can be quickly and easily released from the support plate and the device can be cleaned.

In a further development, a device according to the invention has an actuating part provided with a fixing bracket, wherein the actuating part with the fixing bracket can be fixed in such a way that the movably connected extension plate terminates flush the underside of the collecting container.

By fixing the operating part by means of a fixing bracket, for example, to the support plate which is coupled to the actuating part in terms of movement coupled thrust plate flush with the underside of the collecting container. The skewers are thus protected from the outside and from below all sides protected inside the collector. In this position, the device can be stored and transported secured especially against injury.

Advantageously, a device according to the invention is at least partially made of metal, preferably of a stainless metal.

The skewers of the device can be made of stainless steel or spring steel, for example.

Further features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments and with reference to the drawing.

In each case show in schematic representations:

FIG. 1 shows a device according to the invention for collecting screws in a view from the side; FIG.

FIG. 2 shows a device according to the invention in a sectional view from the side, the device being in its starting position; FIG.

FIG. 3 shows the device shown in FIG. 2 in a secured position for storage; FIG.

- Fig. 4 in a sectional view from above the device shown in Fig. 2 and in Fig. 3.

In Fig. 1, an inventive device 1 for collecting nudibranchs is shown. A collecting container 2, which is provided on its outer sides with circumferential side walls 3, wherein the side walls 3 each have a height 4, is provided with its open bottom 5 from above on the nudibles to be collected, which are for example on a lawn. The collecting container 2 is designed here in the form of a hexagon. The device 1 is equipped with a length-adjustable handle tube 7, which is provided at its free end with a handle 8. The user can easily adjust the length of the stem tube 7 to his individual needs. Collecting the nudibranch is done with the device 1 according to the invention therefore particularly comfortable, without the user would have to bend over or kneel down. Furthermore, the user does not come into skin contact with the nudibranchs to be collected. The stem tube 7 is attached to a mounting plate 10 as well as the collecting container 2. At this mounting plate 10 and the plurality of skewers 1 1, in the interior of the collecting container 10 to each other in parallel and at regular intervals are arranged from each other, and where the slugs are impaled by depressing the device 1, attached.

2 shows in a sectional view from the side details of a device according to the invention 1. The device 1 is here in its initial position and is ready to receive nudibles in the interior of the collecting container 2. The height 4 of the side walls 3 of the collecting container 2 corresponds the length 12 of the spits 11, which are arranged in the interior of the collecting container 2 parallel to each other and fixed to the support plate 10. The skewers 11 each have a diameter 13 and are conically tapered at their free spit end 14, which is flush with the bottom 5 of the collecting container 2. The parallel spits 14 are arranged in each case at a distance 15 from the grid-like pattern on the support plate 10. The support plate 10 is provided with a corresponding hole 16 for receiving the skewers 11.

The edge of the side walls 3 is serrated on the underside 5 of the collecting container 2. Due to the selected serrated shape it is prevented that during the impalement of the nudibranches, if the device 1 is pressed too firmly, a visible impression of the side walls 3 remains on a lawn. The side walls 3 of the collecting container 2 are fastened to the mounting plate 10 with a quick-release fastener 6. To clean the device 1 or the spits 11 located inside the collecting container 2, the side walls 3 can be easily removed from the holding plate 10.

In the interior of the collecting container 2 a Ausschubeinrichtung 17 is provided comprising a displaceable Ausschubplatte 18 which serves to simply remove the collected and impaled nudibranchs from the device 1 as soon as the collecting container 2 is filled. For this purpose, the Ausschubplatte 18 is dimensioned slightly smaller than the cross-sectional area of the collecting container 2. Between the inner sides of the side walls 5 of the collecting container 2 and the edges of the Ausschubplatte 18 thus remains a circumferential gap 19 free. The Ausschubplatte 18 is further provided with recesses 20 through which the skewers 11 pass. The diameters of the recesses 20 are slightly larger than the diameter 13 of the skewers 11, to ensure a smooth movement of the Ausschubplatte 18 along the skewers 1 1. In Fig. 2, the Ausschubplatte 18 is in its uppermost position, bordering with its top to the support plate 10 and to the screw 9 of the length-adjustable handle tube 7. The Ausschubplatte 18 is provided with countersunk holes 21, in each of which guide rods 22 with screws are attached. The other end of the guide rods 22 is connected to an actuating part 23. Thus, the Ausschubplatte 18 and the actuating part 23rd connected together and movable together movable. The actuating member 23 has a bore 24 in which the stem tube 7 is performed. At the support plate 10 facing the underside of the actuating part 23, a Fixierbügel 28 is mounted movably mounted on a holder 27. Between the support plate 10 and the actuating part 23, a return spring 30 is clamped, which is pushed over the handle tube 7.

By depressing the operating member 23 in the direction of arrow 26, the actuating member 23 can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the handle tube 7 until it rests on guide sleeves 31 which are arranged concentrically around the guide rods 22. In this case, the return spring 30 is tensioned and the Ausschubplatte 18 moved from its initial position near the support plate 10 in its end position flush with the bottom 5 of the collecting container 2. The skewers 1 1 are thus protected on all sides in the interior of the now closed collection container. 2

Fig. 3 shows the Ausschubplatte 18 in its final position. The actuating member 23 is displaced downwardly as far as possible in the direction of arrow 26 and rests against the guide sleeves 31. The movable Fixierbügel 28 can be locked in this position on a receiving hook 29 which is provided on the support plate 10. In this way, the Ausschubplatte 18 is fixed in its final position and the device 1 can be safely stored or transported. A possible risk of injury from the sharpened spit ends 14 is excluded in the position shown in Fig. 3 of the Ausschubplatte 18.

4 shows a plan view of the embodiment variant of a device 1 according to the invention shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In this embodiment, spikes 1 1 connected in pairs to one another in a U-shaped manner are fastened to the mounting plate 10 Support plate 10 are inserted. The distance 15 between the paired spikes 1 1 is selected uniformly over the entire cross section of the support plate 10. Between the edges of the Ausschubplatte 18 and the insides of the side walls 3 is a circumferential gap 19. Alternatively, the skewers 11 may for example also be executed in each case in a nail shape and each individually fastened with its nail head on the support plate 10. The support plate 10 may, if necessary, also be constructed in multiple layers, for example, several layers screwed together and the spikes 11 are attached to at least one layer of the support plate 10. Furthermore, it is conceivable to carry out the support plate 10 as an injection molded part and the spikes 11 on the support plate 10, for example by encapsulation or by pouring. These embodiments of devices 1 according to the invention are not shown in the figures.

As an alternative to the illustrated embodiment of an actuating part 23, preferably for operation with the foot, it is also conceivable, for example, to provide an actuating part 23 which is arranged in the vicinity of the handle 8 and can be operated by hand.

List of item numbers:

1 collection device

2 storage tanks

3 side walls of the collection container

4 height of the side walls 3

5 underside of the collection container 2

6 quick release

7 stem tube (adjustable length, telescope)

8 handle

9 screw connection

10 support plate

11 skewer

12 skewer length

13 diameter of skewers 11

14 spit ends

15 distance between spits 11

16 perforation of the support plate 10th

17 extension device

18 ejector plate

19 gap between Ausschubplatte 18 and side wall. 3

20 perforation of the ejection plate 18

21 hole in Ausschubplatte 18 for guide rod 22nd

22 guide rod

23 actuating part

24 hole for stem tube in the foot control part 23

25 hole for guide rod 22 in the foot control part 23rd

26 arrow direction

27 bracket for fixing bracket 28th

28 Fixing bracket

29 receiving hook for fixing bracket 28

30 return spring

31 guide sleeve

Claims

Claims:

1. Device (1) for collecting snails, in particular of slugs, comprising a on its underside (5) open collecting container (2), characterized by in the interior of the collecting container (2) arranged parallel to each other skewers (11) on a support plate (10) are fixed and their spit ends (14) to the bottom (5), and along the skewers (11) displaceable Ausschubplatte (18) with recesses (20) through which the spikes (11) pass.

2. Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the length (12) of the skewers (11) corresponds to the height (4) of the side walls (3) of the collecting container (2).

3. Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the spikes (11) are arranged at a uniform distance (15) from each other.

4. Device (1) according to claim 3, characterized in that the distance (15) of the skewers (11) from each other between 2 mm and 20 mm, preferably between 5 and 15 mm.

5. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the free spit ends (14) are tapered.

6. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in each case two spikes (11) at their ends facing the spit ends (14) are connected to each other in a U-shape.

7. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that each spit (1 1) is nageiförmig at its the spit end (14) facing away from the end provided with a nail head, wherein the nail head attached to the support plate (10) is.

8. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a preferably length-adjustable handle tube (7) with a handle (8) at its free end, which at its other end with a screw (9) with the support plate (10) releasably connected is.

9. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the

Ausschubplatte (18) with an actuating part (23) in the direction of the open bottom (5) of the collecting container (2) is movable.

10. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by a return spring (30) which biases the Ausschubplatte (18) in one of the underside (5) of the collecting container (2) remote position.

11. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that between the edges of the Ausschubplatte (18) and the inner sides of the side walls (3) of the collecting container (2) a circumferential gap (19) is provided.

12. Device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the diameter of the recesses (20) in the Ausschubplatte (18) larger, preferably by 1.1 to 1.3 times larger than the diameter (13 ) of the skewers (11).

13. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the

Collecting container (2) on the support plate (10) with a quick release (6) is detachably connected.

14. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a with a Fixierbügel (28) provided actuating part (23), wherein the actuating part (23) with the Fixierbügel (28) is fixable such that the movably connected Ausschubplatte (18 ) the bottom (5) of the collecting container (2) is flush.

15. Device (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the

Device (1) is at least partially made of metal, preferably made of a stainless metal.