Burrowing pest extermination device

The invention is BURROWING PEST CONTROL DEVICE, while mixing together oxygen and a flammable gas and injecting it into an underground burrow. The device includes the feature of being operated from a remote position, a vortex injection of the gases, and a device for generating a shockwave to propagate combustion throughout the stream of mixed gases.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to an apparatus for burrowing pest control, and more particularly to an apparatus for injecting flammable gas and oxygen into underground pest burrows for combustion and extermination of burrowing pests.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Burrowing pests have been a problem for gardeners, ranchers, and farmers since time in immemorial. There have been many devices for the specific purpose of combating burrowing pests in their underground burrows including spring traps, jaw traps, spring spears, steel traps, poisons, and explosive devices. Eradicating burrowing pests is made more difficult because the pest burrow may be quite long with various entry points, underground chambers, and various escape routes. Poisonous gases have been utilized but this is dangerous to the operator and may involve such environmental impact as to make it impractical.

Explosive gases have also been injected into the system of burrows of burrowing animals. The use of explosive gases can be effective, but faces certain challenges. An applicator for injecting flammable gases into an underground burrow must cause the gas to penetrate deeply into the system of burrows for it to be effective. Usually, the flammable gas is a mixture of oxygen and a flammable gas and, at a certain distance from the injection point, the two gases can separate and the effectiveness of the combustion may become greatly reduced. Such a device also has to be very safe for the applicator so that there is no possibility of combustion around the applicator or of carrying the combustion into the device itself.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a burrowing pest control device based on injecting a mixture of oxygen and a flammable gas into underground borrows. The device includes a valve assembly, a combustion assembly, an ignition assembly, an injector assembly, and a control panel assembly. The burrowing pest control device works by mixing oxygen and a flammable gas and injecting that mixture of gases into the hole of the burrowing pest, so that the mixture of gases penetrates some distance into the hole. At a selected time, the mixture of oxygen and flammable gas is ignited by the ignition assembly and the mixture combusts underground, thus eliminating the burrowing pest in the underground burrow.

The valve assembly includes a hose connection for an oxygen hose from a source of compressed oxygen. It also includes a hose connection for a hose supplying flammable gas from a flammable gas source. The flammable gas and the oxygen are connected from exterior sources to provide the burrowing pest control device with both of these gases. The valve assembly also includes an oxygen valve, which is configured to open and close a pathway for oxygen into the device of the invention. The flammable gas valve is also configured to open and close a pathway for flammable gas into the device. The functions of both of these valves can be combined into one valve, which controls the flow of both gases. The valve assembly also includes a valve controller which controls the oxygen valve and may also control the flammable gas valve. The oxygen and gas can be controlled by two separate valve controllers.

The combustion assembly includes a combustion chamber in which combustion of the mixture of oxygen and flammable gas is initiated. The device also includes an ignition assembly which includes a spark plug, a device for generating and sending energy for the spark to the spark plug, an ignition switch, and a radio receiver for receiving a signal from a remote location to initiate a spark. The ignition assembly includes a transmitter for remote detonation of the gases.

The device also includes an injection assembly, which includes an injection tube, which is adjacent to the combustion chamber, which directs the mixture of gases into an underground burrow.

The device also includes a control panel assembly, which includes a control panel and a remote transmitter, with the remote transmitter configured for remote operation of the device. In one configuration of the device the remote transmitter is able to control one or more valves, which allows oxygen and flammable gas to flow into the combustion chamber, as well as to control the initiation of the spark in the ignition assembly from a remote location.

The device can include a mixing tip, which creates a thorough mixing of the oxygen and flammable gas. The device can also include a nozzle tip in the injection tube, which contains a narrowing internal diameter followed by a gradually expanding internal diameter. This constricting flare in the passageway through which the mixture of gases flows is designed to impart a shockwave to the gas and oxygen as the gases are ignited. In one configuration of the mixing tip, the flow of oxygen can serve as an eductor to draw the appropriate flow of flammable gas into the oxygen stream, which contributes to thorough mixing. The mixing tip can further include a turbo tip, which is configured to impart a vortex, or a spiraling flow, to the mixture of gases as they enter the combustion chamber. When the gases pass from the combustion chamber they pass through a nozzle tip which has reduced diameter and directional vanes to further impart vortex flow to the mixture of gases.

In one configuration of the device, the valve assembly is contained in a valve housing with the combustion ignition and injector assemblies located in a device tip. In this configuration, the valve housing and the device tip are connected by conduits which contain a line for flammable gas, a line for oxygen, and a line which contains the electronics line to the ignition assembly. In this configuration, the valve housing is held in a spaced apart relation from the device tip and the two are joined by extended lines containing flammable gas conduit, oxygen conduit, and electronics line.

The device can also include a thermal switch in the combustion chamber for the purpose of cutting off the flow of gases when the temperature of the combustion chamber exceeds a pre-selected temperature. The device can further include a check valve in the combustion assembly for the purpose of preventing the gases in the combustion chamber from being ignited and from burning material coming from outside of the device itself. This can occur when gas has been injected and ignited into a section of burrow, and flammable material in the burrow is still being burned. Then, when gas begins to be injected into another opening into the same burrow system, it is possible for the gas to be ignited by the burning material in the burrow rather than from the spark plug. In that case, the flow of new gas would be cut off by the check valve or the thermal switch.

The panel assembly can further include a status board on which various parameters of the device can be displayed. This includes information about the status of the gas and oxygen valve, power to the unit, and the battery.

One embodiment of the device includes a configuration in which the oxygen and the flammable gas are not mixed together until the combustion chamber, which is adjacent to the nozzle tip.

One embodiment of the device includes structure such as a mixture tip and a turbo tip to induce a vortex flow into the device, coupled with a constriction in the exit line, which creates a shockwave of combustion in the mixture of gases.

Still other features and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description describing preferred embodiments of the invention, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated by carrying out my invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modification in various obvious respects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description of the preferred embodiments are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive in nature.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the figures.FIG. 1shows the burrowing pest control device10of the invention which includes a valve housing12, a device tip14, a handle16for carrying the device. The device is generally divided into a valve assembly50which is located within the valve housing12. Another division is the combustion assembly52which is located within the device tip14. The injector assembly54is also located in the device tip14and includes an injection tube34and a nozzle tip76. In this embodiment of the invention, device tip14is held in a spaced apart relationship from the valve housing12, and the two are connected by pipes. An oxygen pipe18transfers oxygen from the valve housing12into the metering and mixing region of the device tip14. A flammable gas pipe20conducts a flammable gas from the valve housing12to the metering and mixing region of the device tip14. A third pipe may also be present which houses wires and other electrical components for sending a signal from the valve housing12to the device tip14.

The valve housing12is preferably made of metal, but other materials can be utilized such as a suitable plastic, fiberglass or other material. The gas lines18and20are preferably made of metal pipe and may be approximately 24 inches long and ½ inch in diameter.

FIG. 1shows a pipe clamp22and a pipe seal40which are devices utilized with the gas pipes18and20. The combustion assembly is shown as52and is located in the device tip14. The combustion assembly52includes a combustion chamber66and an oxygen conduit or pipe18and a flammable gas conduit or pipe20. An ignition assembly includes a spark generator68and a spark plug24, an ignition switch70, a valve controller96, and a radio receiver72. The spark plug24is preferably housed in a spark plug sleeve26. The spark plug24is electrically connected to the spark generator68by an electronics line100, and to an ignition switch70, as well as ignition control mechanisms in the valve housing12, which may be activated from the control panel74or from the remote transmitter44. A factory-set timed activation switch may also be added. A preferred design of the mixing tip36is one in which the flow of oxygen can serve as an eductor85, to draw the appropriate flow of flammable gas into the oxygen stream, which contributes to thorough mixing.

Located in the device tip14is also a thermal switch28, and a check valve30. The thermal switch28detects the temperature in the combustion chamber66and shuts off the flow of gases if the temperature in the combustion chamber exceeds a preset temperature. The temperature in the combustion chamber could exceed a preset temperature if gas has been ignited and dispensed for a period of time sufficient for the injection tube34to become hot.

The device tip14also includes a check valve30. When activated, the check valve30prevents the propagation of flame from the combustion chamber or the device tip14into the gas line18or20.

The device can be sized according to the requirements of the particular application, but one advantageous configuration is one in which the injection nozzle tube is made of non-ferrous metal and is a tube approximately 2 inches in diameter.

Sequentially, a valve controller96is activated by a controller valve activation switch102. The valve controller96opens the oxygen valve46and the flammable gas valve48, and gases flow toward the mixing tip36. The gases are mixed in the mixing tip36, which encloses the eductor85. From the mixing tip36the gases flow through a check valve30which prevents backflow. From the check valve30the mixed gases enter the combustion chamber66through a turbo tip which disperses the mixed gases in multiple directions into the combustion chamber66. From the combustion chamber, the gases flow through a nozzle tip76in which is located a vortex generator32. The vortex generator32imparts a swirling motion to the gases by use of directional vanes106. The directional vanes106impart a swirling motion into the mixture of gases coming from the combustion chamber66and exiting the nozzle tip76. The swirling of the gases creates a vortex effect which extends not only out the device tip as the gases exit the device, but also extends into the combustion chamber and serves to draw the two gases towards the exit of the device tip and to mix them together when in the swirling vortex. The vortex generator32, by creating a vortex in the gases, serves to mix the two gases together better and, since the vortex extends into the burrow, the two gases stay mixed together longer, and the stream of flammable gas and oxygen mixing together in a vortex extends for a greatly enhanced distance into the burrow. The vortex also serves to keep the two gases from separating as the distance from the device tip becomes greater. The nozzle tip76preferably includes a constricting flare78, which is a section in the tubing of the nozzle tip76which has a narrowing internal diameter followed by a gradually expanding internal diameter. This constricting flare78in the passageway through which the mixture of gases flows is designed to impart a shockwave to the gas and oxygen as the gases are ignited.

Within the valve housing12is located a valve controller96, an oxygen valve36, and a gas valve48. Within the valve housing12is also located a radio receiver72for receiving a signal from the remote transmitter44. From the remote transmitter44a signal can be received to begin the flow of gases and a separate signal can be sent to activate the ignition of the gases. When the gases have flowed for a sufficient time, a signal to ignite is sent from the remote transmitter44. The radio receiver sends that signal to the spark generator68, which uses the battery80to generate a spark at the spark plug24.

On the valve housing12is located a gas line connection82and an oxygen line connection84. To these connections are attached an oxygen hose62and a gas hose64which connect the device to an oxygen source58and a gas source60.

FIG. 2shows the configuration of the control panel assembly56. The control panel assembly56includes a control panel74, with a unit off/on switch94for turning the unit on or off. Also shown on the control panel74is a gas line connection82and an oxygen line connection84for manually attaching the gas and oxygen line. The control panel74can include a power indicator86in the form of a light, which would indicate if the power to the unit is activated or not. A flow indicator88, battery indicator90, and a spark indicator92, may also be present and form a status board104as part of the control panel74.

In the following description and in the figures, like elements are identified with like reference numerals. The use of “or” indicates a non-exclusive alternative without limitation unless otherwise noted. The use of “including” means “including, but not limited to,” unless otherwise noted.

While there is shown and described the present preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that this invention is not limited thereto, but may be variously embodied to practice within the scope of the following claims. From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.