ELECTROMECHANICAL DEVICE FOR THE CONTINUOUS TRAPPING OF PESTS

Abstract: The device comprises two overlapped sections which are flush-mounted and immovable, which take the form of a parallelepiped rectangle. The upper section is divided into compartments which house the trapping mechanisms and electromechanisms and the food troughs. The continuous trapping, in particular of mice and rats, is effected by menas of 4 rotating trapping planes, triggered by a spring, which in turn occupy the horizontal position of the current "trapping area", aligned with the entrance flap on the one side and the small window which leads to the food trough on the other side. A special sensitive flap pivoted at the centre whose lower part closes said window, ensures that as soon as the animal, enticed inside the upper section by the smell of food, places his muzzle in the enclosed space of the window, it inevitably touches the lower part of the flap which rotates on its own axis and with the upper part closes an electric contact, thus triggering the trapping mechanisms which also transfer the catch into the lower section which also acts as a sealed container.

Description: - I - Description of the industrial invention called; "Electromechanical device for the continuous trapping of pests" The purpose of the present invention, whose working is described in greater detail below, is to allow the conti¬ nuous trapping of, in particular but not exclusively, mice and rats. One of the distinctive characteristics of this sy¬ stem is that it can trap the animals in rapid succession, and automatically reactivates itself in some tenths of a se¬ cond and has an autonomy in the order of a hundred consecu¬ tive trappings. The device, which has undergone long trials, has demon¬ strated an exceptional efficiency in practice, even in areas with large populations of mice or rats, where the traces of these animals, present in large numbers, become very rare or even completely disappear after the device has been instal¬ led. In the light of these results, there are good reasons for considering that the invention in question, suitable u- sed, can provide a concrete remedy to deal with the prolife¬ ration of mice and rats which has become a considerable e- cological problem for the countryside and cities. This is the result of decades of field research and stu- dies on the hetelogy of these species expertly carried out in environments suited to the case. Further characteristics and advantages are better hi¬ ghlighted via an examination of the description of the form of realisation which is preferred but not exclusive, of an electromechanical device for the continuous trapping, in particular but not exclusively, mice and rats, as an mere example and not restrictive with regard to its use, with the aid of the various figures and plans appended, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective of all the parts which com¬ prise the invention. Figure 2 shows all the mechanical and electromechanical parts of the invention; Figure 3 shows the basic electrical diagram; Figure 4 gives a schematic representation of the rocker flap which is pivoted at the centre and positioned at the moment of the triggering of the trapping manoeuvre. With particular reference to the numerical symbols of the above Figures, the device comprises two movable sec- tions, flush-mounted on top of each other whose form and di¬ mensions change according to the species to be trapped. The upper section 2 (1) is divided into compartments 12 which house the trapping electromechanisms and the food troughs 12A. These sections have a removable flush-mounted cover 1 (1) with or without sloping and a base 24 (1) which seals the lower section 21 (1) at the moment of overlap. The lower section 21 (1) is a sealed container for col¬ lecting the trapped prey. The parts comprising the device are: - four rectangular planes 3 (2) at 90' to each other which rotate on a carrying axle 5 (2) which in turn, during the rotation, occupy the horizontal position of the current "trap area" aligned with the entrance flap 26 (1) on the one side and the small window 10 (2) (4) , the sole access to the food trough compartment, on the other side; - For trapping those animals which have difficulty in ente¬ ring holes or narrow passages without an exit at the other end, these trapping areas should be as long as the length of the device (that is to say, passes from one side to the ot¬ her of the invention) so that the animal can see or sense with ultrasounds, as is the case with rats, an exit at the other end. In this case, the trapping mechanisms are located laterally, with the contacts which trigger the trapping pla¬ ced halfway along the corridor. - for trapping rats and other similar species which have a long tail, the part of said trap areas near to the entrance flap 26 (l) is equipped with a hinged section 18 (2) which can move upwards to allow the animal's tail to slide freely when it falls into the container below, even after the suc¬ cessive trapping plane has reached the appropriate horizon¬ tal position to become the current trapping area. This section, during the rotation of the planes, is held against the flap support 25 (2) by a returning spring situa¬ ted at the centre of the hinge 27 (2) of the section itself; - to avoid the tails of said animals preventing the rota¬ tion of the trapping areas during the trapping phase (only in the version for the trapping of said animals) , the lower part of the wall 28 (2) which forms the trapping area can also move outwards. - a spring 4 (2) triggers the mechanical torque with the carrying axle 5 (2) via two cogged gears 6 (2) . This spring is capable of impressing a uniform torque for hundreds of consecutive trappings. - a "sucker solenoid" 7 (2) with pin 8 (2) activated by the breaker 14 (2) for releasing the trapping area in the trap¬ ping phase. The pin 8 (2) is equipped with a returning spring which immediately repositions it to block the succes¬ sive trapping area. The unblocking and blocking operations allows the rotation of 90" in 90°; - an ordinary battery 9 (2) supplies energy for thousands of electrical impulses from the trapping trigger to the suc¬ ker solenoid 7 (2) ; - an electrical contact 11 (4) (2) , which closes the batte- ry-solenoide circuit, during the trapping phase; - a screw 23 (2) which regulates the sensitivity of said contacts; - a sensitive rocker flap 10 (4) , pivoted at the centre, located in the food compartment such that the lower part partially obstructs the small window 13 (4) (2) , the sole ac¬ cess to the food trough, while the upper part is set up to close the electrical contact 11 (4) as soon as the animal, in an attempt to push its nuzzle in the small window, inevi¬ tably touches the lower part. - this rocker flap positioned before the small window of the food compartment has proven to be exceptionally reliable for trapping young mice and rats, such that they have been totally eliminated in some very populated zones, while for trapping some old rats it was necessary not only to lengthen the trapping areas making them pass from one side to the ot¬ her of the device, to guarantee the trapping contact, but also to position the rocker flap on the edge of the food trough giving it the appropriate form to capture those of them with exceptional instincts which tended to sniff the bait but not touch it, in order to ensure the contact which triggers the trapping mechanism one can also employ contacts triggered by a rocker board or infallible photoelectric cell systems. In this manner, the animal, even if it only went to sniff the food, something which, fortunately, it cannot re- sist doing, would trigger its own capture. - a breaker 14 (2) to manually activates or shuts off the electric circuit which triggers the trapping phase; - a small crank 20 (2) to rewind the spring 4 (2) . The re¬ wind mechanism is similar to that found in old alarm clocks; - a board 22 (1) divided into two segemtns which allows the animal easy access up to the entrance flap 26 (l) ; - an 'discharge 1 flap 15 (2) located on the floor 24 (1) of the upper section 2 (1) above the current trapping area. This flap slopes 15* towards its base: it is opened by a sy¬ stem of levers 16 (2) controlled by cams 16A (2) placed on the carrying axle 5 (2) in synchrony with the triggering of the trapping operation and the unloading into the underlying container 21 (1) of the animal which has been trapped and sealed there immediately afterwards by a returning counter¬ weight 17 (2) . The sealed container 21 (1) underneath is partially fil- led with water, to which a disinfectant can be added, for example a suitable dose of a substance similar to that used in caravan toilets. In addition, this substance largely neu¬ tralises the smells which are issued when said discharge flap opens so as to avoid raising any suspicions in animals with a good sense of smell and to make the operation of cleaning out the trapped animals easier should they be left in the container for several days.

Claims: II CLAIMS 1) Electromechanical device for the continuous trapping, in particular but not exclusively, of mice and rats, characte¬ rised by the fact that it includes an upper section 2 (1) in the shape of an parallelepiped rectangle, whose upper part can be joined with a cover in the form of a sloped roof 1 (1) with a base which is flush-mounted and immovable vis-a¬ vis the lower part 21 (1) . On the front part of the sections there are fitted the two segments which form the strip 22 (i) along which the animals go up to the entrance 26 (1) of section 2 (1) . . 2) Device as per the claims above, characterised by the fact that the upper section 2 (1) is divided into compartments which house the trapping mechanisms and electromechanisms and the food troughs 12 (1) . 3) Device as per the claims above, characterised by the fact that the trapping primary mechanisms are: four rectangular trapping areas 3 (2) at 90° to each other which rotate around a carrying axle 5 (2) . 4) Device as per one or more of the claims above, characte¬ rised by the fact that in order to trap species with long tails, for example rats, the rotating trapping area 3 (2) , in the part near the entrance flap 26 (1) is equipped with a hinged segment 18 (2) which can open upwards. 5) Device as per one or more of the claims above, characte¬ rised by the fact that it employs a sensitive flap 10 (4) (2) pivoted at the centre which, if its lower part is touched, balances and closes, with the upper part, the contact 11 (4) (2) , which triggers the trapping mechanism. 6) Device as per one or more of the claims above, characte¬ rised by the fact that it uses a discharge flap 24 (1) for the trapped prey which is located on the bottom 24 (1) of the upper section 2 (1) . 7) Device as per one or more of the claims above, characte¬ rised by the fact that it can be produced with one or more trapping areas with a mechanical or electromechanical trap¬ ping trigger. 8) Device as per one or more of the claims above, characte¬ rised by the fact that it can be produced with groups of trapping areas with centralised electromechanical trapping triggers which discharge the trapped prey in a single con¬ tainer of suitable dimensions beneath 21 (1) . 9) Device as per one or more of the claims above, characte¬ rised by the fact that it can be also produced with 'corri¬ dor' trapping areas which run the length of the invention. ιo) Device as per one or more of the claims above, characte¬ rised by the fact that the lower part of the trapping area wall 28 (2) can also open externally. 11) Device as per one or more of the claims above, characte¬ rised by the fact that the balanced flap which closes the contact can be produced in different forms depending on the level of the species' suspicion of traps and can be coupled with a rocker board or photoelectric cell system. 12) Device as per one or more of the claims above, characte¬ rised by the fact that it can be produced in various forms and dimensions depending on the animal which it is to be u- sed to trap. 13) Device for the continuous trapping, in particular but not exclusively, of mice and rats, as per the claims above, as described and illustrated in detail for the purpose spe- cified.

Inventors: CERULLO MARIANO, CERULLO, MARIANO
Applicants: CERULLO ANDREA, CERULLO GIORGIO, CERULLO MARIANO, OLIVIER LINDA, CERULLO, ANDREA, CERULLO, GIORGIO, CERULLO, MARIANO, OLIVIER, LINDA
Application year: 1991
Main classification: A01M23
IPC codes: A01M23