Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to a dev~ce for destroyiny
insects. It more particularly relates to an insect feeding station
whereby poison may be administered to crawling insects on or in the
earth without endangeriny children or domestic animals.
Various types of devices have been known in the prior art
for destroying insects. In some devices, the insects are trapped
in the device after entering, either by mechanical construction, or
by sticking to a gummy substance. In either instance, the device
is soon full and useless. In devices which contained a poison, it
was easy to shake out loose poison, or probe through openings to
reach the poison, thus making them a danger to children or small
domestic animals. In addition, prior devices are generall~ of a
construction that the interior of the device is difficult to view
so that it is not readily ascertainable whether insects are using
the device or how much poison has been used.
The invention provides an insect feeding station for
administering poison to insects comprising a base portion and a
cover, said base portion comprising an outer floor containing at
least one opening arld an inner floor sp~ced apart from sald outer
floor, said inner floor having at least one openiny offset from
said outer floor opening, outer walls having at least one opening
therein, and inner walls spaced from said outer walls and contain-
ing at least one opening offset from said opening in said outer
wall, said inner wall forming an inner compartment for said poison.
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The outer case of the base may be of any configurakion,
e.g., round, square, or rectangular and the inner compartment may
have a corresponding configuration. The outer case walls has at
least one and preferably three or more openings, and the inner
compartment is formed from walls spaced apart from the outer case
walls, the inner walls having openings, which are offset so that a
probe stuck into an outer wall opening, will not enter the openings
of the inner compartment and contact the poison therein. The
device further has an outer floor spaced apar-t from an inner floor
with offset openings in each. Preferabl~ the cover of the device
is permanently affixed to the base and has at least a part which
is transparent so that the poison is visible through the cover.
The poison is preferably of the type known as bait, i.e.,
it is a mixture of slow acting poison and some food material
attractive to insects, such as flour, molasses, peanut butter or
the like. The bait is preferably of a paste like or solid con-
sistency. ThuS, insects are attracted to the device, eat the bait
and leave to die elsewhere. The bait may be a molded ~hape, e.g.,
a flat wafer afixed to the floor of the inner compartment.
It is also possible to coat the floor o~ the compartment
with a contrasting colox before putting down the bait, and more
desirably the contrasting color may be luminous so that it is
readily visible in darkened areas, As bait, is removed by insects,
the contrasting color underneath becomes visible and provides an
indication whether insects are using the station and how much bait
has been used.
The invention may be better understood by reference to
the drawings in which
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Figure 1 is a perspective view o~ the base
portion and cover
Figure 2 is a view in elevation, and
Figure 3 is a top plan view.
Referring to the Figures, the insect feeding
station of the present invention comprises a base portion 10
and cover 12. The base portion may be of any sui~able material
such as metal or plastic, and may be transparent plastic
but need not be transparent. Base portion 10 has outer
casing wall 14 with openings 16, an inner floor 18, an
outer floor 19 with an opening 21, inner comapartment wall
20 with openings 22. Inner compartment wall 20 forms an
inner compartment 24. Bait 26 i5 affixed to floor 18 in
inner compartment 24. The floor of inner compartment may
be coated with a contrasting color layer 28 before affixing
the bait. Color layer 2~ is preferably a luminescent
material. This may be a coating of liminescent paint, or a
luminescent dyed paper or the like. If the bait contains an
oleagenous ingredient, it is desirable to coat color layer 28
with a protective material, e.g., a resin, before affixing
the bait so that the color layer is not soaked with oil or
grease and discolored or inactivated. Inner floor 18 also
contains openings 30 which are of~set from opening 21. A
tubular extension 32 may also extend rom opening 21, which
may be thrust into the earth in use.
Cover 12 extends to the periphery of base portion
10 and forms outer casing walls 14 with openings 16 as des-
cribed above, to close the base portion 10 and may also be
of any suitable material. However, cover 12 should have
at least a portion which is transparent so that bait 26 may
be readily seen. Although the cover has been illustrated
as forming the outer case walls 14, it will be readily
apparent the case walls could be formed as a part of the base
- portion 10. Cover 12 i5 permanently affixed to base 10 as
by adhesive or any suitable means.
In a preferred embodiment, the~base pvrtion 10 and
cover 12 are both of transparent plastic.
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As illustrated, the insect fe.eding s~ation may ~e
-- used flat on the earth.with extens;on 32 thrust into the
earth. Insects may enter the device through openings 16 and
offset openings 22 to reach bait 26 in the inner compartment
and leave through the same openings. Earth insects may enter
through opening.. 34 of extension 32 then through opening 21
and offset openings30 to poison compartment 24. The consump-
tion of bait 26 may be viewed through transparent cover 12,
and be readily visible due to contrasting background 28 under
the bait.
Although insects may easily reach the bait, it will
be readily apparent in Figure 2 that a probe placed in any
opening 16 in the outer casing wall 14 or opening 34 of
extension 32 will not enter the inner compartment due to o~f-
set of openings 22 in wall 20,and openings 30 in floor 18.
Thus the device is safe from inquisitive children.
It will be apparent that outer floor 19 could also
be constructed without extension 32 and with a plurality of
vpenings (not shown) which are offset from openings 30 in
inner floor 18, and still be within the scope of the present
invention.
It will be seen that the present invention provi.des
- an insect feeding station for administering poison to insects,
particularly earth crawling insects, whereby a ~ignal is
provided allowing the ready detection of the removal o
poisonous bait, even in dimly lit areas and without removing
the device and which has an offset entry baffle system so that
children cannot probe the bait containing compartment.
