Insect trap

An insect trap is disclosed having a source of ultraviolet (UV) light to attract flying insects, the source being supported above a pan of water on the surface of which a petroleum liquid such as oil or kerosene is floated and into which the insects fly and are exterminated, the trap also comprising overflow means for ensuring that excess water tending to fill the pan actually overflows while at the same time the said means inhibits the spilling of oil or kerosene over the surrounding property.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Hamilton Tyler, in his book entitled "Organic Gardening Without Poisons", 
published by Van Nostrand Reinhold Company, New York, 1970, on pages 72 
and 75, describes an arrangement wherein a source of visible light is 
"mounted above a . . . pan of waste oil" and another, a so-called "home 
version is a lantern hung over a shallow pan containing water and a float 
of kerosene". 
Other arrangements are described, some employing UV which is known to be 
particularly attractive to certain flying insects, it being apparent that 
some of the described arrangements are useful indoors, as for example in 
green houses, fast food outlets, bakeries, shopping malls and the like, 
while others are described to be advantageously used out-of-doors as at 
lawn parties, cook-outs or in backyards generally. 
It is with the out-of-door variety of insect trap that this invention is 
particularly concerned, and especially with such traps that utilize an 
attractive UV source supported above a pan of water on which oil or 
kerosene or other petroleum liquid is floated. More particularly, this 
invention is directed to such arrangements as just described which are 
desirably disposed in unsheltered areas out-of-doors so as to be exposed 
to sudden rain showers. Under such circumstances the water with the oil or 
kerosene floated thereon, unless special provision is made to prevent it, 
can overflow spilling the oil or kerosene and the exterminated insects 
over the patio floor or other carefully maintained part of the backyard, 
thus to deface the surrounding property. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An insect trap especially useful for use in out-of-doors environments 
subject to rainfall is provided with a source of UV light to attract night 
flying insects such as flies, gnats, mosquitoes, and the like, the source 
being supported vertically above a pan of water on the surface of which 
oil or kerosene is floated into which the insects plunge and are 
exterminated, and overflow means responsive to a rise in water level above 
a predetermined amount to cause spill-over of the water without permitting 
the oil or kerosene to spill over. In one embodiment, the overflow means 
is constructed in cooperation with the support rods for the source of UV 
light. In another embodiment, the overflow means is formed independently 
of the support means. 
It is therefore a principal object of this invention generally to improve 
the art of insect traps of the type employing a contained body of water 
having a film of petroleum liquid floated thereon. 
Another object of this invention is to improve insect traps of the type 
just described by providing overflow means responsive to a rise in level 
of the water above a predetermined amount to discharge the water without 
discharging the petroleum liquid floated thereon, thereby to avoid damage 
to the surrounding property.

Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown an insect trap according to my 
invention, which comprises a source 11 of ultraviolet (UV) light, which in 
the illustrated embodiment is a ring-shaped tube gaseous discharge device 
capable, on energization, of emitting UV radiation, invisible to human 
eyes but attractive to many forms of flying insects. The source 11 is 
supported vertically above a pan or other tray-like container 13 of water 
15 on the surface of which is floated a thin film of petroleum liquid 17 
such as any light oil or kerosene. 
The support for the UV light source 11 can be a frame comprising strut rods 
19,21 and 23 supported at the respective upper ends of which is a housing 
25 have a cover 27 which may be suitably affixed to the free ends of the 
struts in any conventional manner as by welding the free ends of struts 
19,21 and 23 to a down turned flange 29 of cover 25. 
The housing 25 is provided with a dish-shaped base 31 which, like the cover 
27, may be of suitably formed sheet metal and which is secured to the 
cover 27 as by screws 33. Spring clips 35 are secured to the bottom of the 
base at conveniently spaced intervals, say 120.degree. apart and are 
adapted to hold the tubular source 11 in position immediately adjacent the 
bottom of the base. If desire, the bottom of the base 31 can be painted 
with a suitable radiation absorptive paint (not shown) to minimize scatter 
of radiation in a direction away from the pan and the floating layer of 
petroleum liquid. The usual ballast 38 and other electrical components 
required for energization of the source 11 are, as is common, contained 
within the housing. The UV source 11 and associated housing 25 together 
with the electrical components for energizing the source are conventional 
and, per se, form no part of the invention. 
As is also well known, UV radiation, is attractive to many forms of flying 
insets, such as flies, gnats, mosquitos and other pesty and harmful bugs. 
Such flying insects, when attracted to the source fly around it and 
eventually plunge downwardly toward and into the pan 13 where they strike 
the oil or kerosene and are promptly killed, sinking through the water 15 
to the bottom of the pan. To facilitate the removal of the dead insects 
and their ultimate disposal, there is provided a screen wire basket 37, 
which, in FIG. 1, is shown in inoperative position for clarity of 
illustration. The basket 37 is formed conformably with the pan 13 with a 
pair of spaced parallel circular wires 39,41 forming the bottom and top 
supports, respectively and a plurality of interconnecting wires as at 
43,44 and 45 to provide a skeleton over which a fine mesh wire screen can 
be mounted. The screening covering only the side and bottom walls of the 
basket 37. 
When the trap is not in use, the basket 37, is hooked to and suspended by a 
pair of hooks 47, 49, out of and vertically above the pan 13 and its 
contents. 
When in use, the basket 37 is unhooked and lowered into the pan 13 so that 
when the dead insects fall through the water 15 they land on the wire 
screen of the basket, either on the bottom wall thereof or on the side 
walls. Then, after a period of time, the basket can be removed from the 
pan and the dead insects disposed of in any suitable manner. 
It will be noted, that the strut rods 19,21 and 23 are positioned about 
90.degree. apart leaving an opening free of strut rod sufficient to permit 
easy removal of the basket 37 from the trap. 
A feature of my invention resides in the provision of over-flow means for 
water from the pan 13 in the event rain water or water from other sources 
tends to fill the pan to overflowing, so that, in the absence of the 
special means provided, oil or kerosene, would spill over and deface or 
damage the adjacent property such as the patio floor. 
As shown in FIG. 2, a preferred form of overflow means comprises a tubular 
sleeve 51 that coaxially receives the strut rod 19, the latter being 
secured in position by a screw 53 which passes through an opening in the 
sleeve 51 vertically above the location of a spout 55, which in turn, is 
formed in sleeve 51 vertically above a by-pass shunt 57 that interconnects 
the pan 13 and the sleeve 51. 
It will thus be understood that so long as the level of the water 15 and 
the floating layer of oil or kerosene 17 is initially between the level of 
the spout 55 and the by-pass shunt 57, addition of water to the pan, will 
merely cause water to flow through the by-pass shunt 57, up the sleeve 51 
to the spout 55 and drain therefrom leaving the oil or kerosene layer 
intact and well below the rim of the pan 13. 
If desired, identically constructed overflow means may be provided at the 
foot of each of the other strut rods 21 and 23 further to ensure overflow 
of excess water without spilling oil or kerosene. 
In a modified form of overflow means, as shown in FIG. 3, a section of 
hollow pipe 59 is fitted into the wall of pan 13 intermediate the rim and 
bottom thereof. The pipe 59 is bent with an upstanding part 61 which 
terminates below the level of the rim of pan 13. It will be seen, 
therefore, that with the level of the water and floating layer of oil or 
kerosene between the junction of the pipe 59 and pan wall that the rim of 
the pan 13, excess water resulting from rainfall or other source will 
cause the water level to rise in the pipe to overflowing while the layer 
of oil or kerosene still remains below the rim of the pan. 
The insect trap of this invention is readily movable from place to place 
and to facilitate handling, there is provided a handle 63 which may be 
spot welded to the top of cover 27. Also, to suspend the trap from a 
cantilever or hook (not shown) an eyelet 65 is welded to the bight portion 
of the handle 63. 
There has thus been described a novel flying insect trap which is 
economical to construct, parts of which may be fabricated of plastic, 
using mass production techniques. The risk of spilling oil or kerosene 
onto patio floors, flower beds or other decorative parts of gardens is 
minimized by the provision of overflow means whereby excess water 
resulting from sudden rainfall or other sources is permitted to overflow 
while the oil or kerosene floated thereon is prevented from overflowing. 
And for the purpose of the present disclosure, I have referred to oil or 
kerosene as useable petroleum liquids as the media for exterminating the 
lured flying insects. It will be understood that within the scope of the 
appended claims, other liquids can be employed with equal effectiveness. 
As many modifications and variations of the present inventions are possible 
in the light of the above teachings, it will be understood that within the 
scope of the appended claims, the invention can be practiced without 
departing from the spirit of the claims.