AN APPARATUS FACILITATING THE DESTRUCTION OF FIELD MICE AND OTHER GNAWING ANIMALS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henri Adrien Bonneville, of the British and Foreign
Patent Offices, 18, Rue de la Chaussée d'Antin, Paris, France, and 90, Cannon
Street, in the City of London, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "AN
APPARATUS FACILITATING THE DESTRUCTION OF FIELD MICE AND OTHER
GNAWING ANIMALS." A communication from Mr. Couteau (Louis Adrien),
of Leouville, France, Agriculturist.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henri Adrien Bonneville
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 29th December 1880.
HENRI ADRIEN BONNEVILLE, of the British and Foreign Patent Offices, 18, Rue
de la Chaussée d'Antin, Paris, France, and 90, Cannon Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agent. "AN APPARATUS FACILITATING THE DESTURCTION OF
FIELD MICE AND OTHER GNAWING ANIMALS." A communication from Mr. Couteau
(Louis Adrien), of Leouville, France, Agriculturist.
The Invention relates to the destruction of gnawing animals, and especially of
field-mice, and to an apparatus answering the purpose of placing the poisonous
substances used out of the reach of fowls and all other game, as well as putting
such substances under shelter from rain and water, and prevent their being washed
and dispersed, and consequently lost.
The apparatus consists of a recipient or box of any suitable material and of any
shape whatever, but by preference of wood and of an oblong rectangular shape,
having about 10 inches in length, 5 in breadth, and 4 in height, and perfectly
closed, except that the four vertical sides are provided at their base with
longitudinal openings, allowing the rodent to enter and pass out by traversing
the box, but at the inside and upon the bottom of the box an inclined plane is
fixed at each opening, so that the four inclined planes form in the middle an interior
hollow or recess, into which the poisonous substance is placed, so that what remains
uneaten of the substance may not be carried away by the rodent when leaving to
die in the field or its burrow.
One of the inclined planes bas to be moveable, so that the poisonous substance
may be put into the box, and also allow of its being cleaned.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henri Adrien Bonneville in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th June 1881.
HENRI ADRIEN BONNEVILLE, of the British and Foreign Patent Offices, 18, Rue
de la Chaussée d'Antin, Paris, France, and 90, Cannon Street, in the City of
London, Patent Agent. "AN APPARATUS FACILITATING THE DESTRUCTION OF
FIELD MICE AND OTHER GNAWING ANIMALS." A communication from Mr. Couteau
(Louis Adrien), of Leouville, France, Agriculturist.
The Invention relates to the destruction of rodents, and especially of field mice,
and to an apparatus answering the purpose of placing the poisonous substances
used out of the reach of fowls and all other game, as well as putting such
substances under shelter from rain and water, and preventing their being washed
away and dispersed, and consequently lost.
The apparatus consists of a recipient or box of any suitable material, and of any
shape whatever, but by preference of wood and of an oblong rectangular shape,
having about 10 inches in length, 5 inches in breadth, and 4 inches in height,. and
perfectly closed, except that the four vertical sides are provided at their base with
longitudinal openings allowing the rodents to enter and pass out by traversing the
box; but at the inside, and upon the bottom of the box, an inclined plane or block
is fixed at each opening, so that the four inclined planes form in the middle an
interior hollow or recess, into which the poisoned substance is placed, so that what
remains uneaten of the substance may not be carried away by the rodent when
leaving to die in the field or its burrow. One of the inclined planes or clocks,
one of those in the longitudinal sense of the box, has to be moveable, so that
the poisonous substance may be put into the box, and also allow of its being
cleaned.
Having thus briefly described the said Invention, I will now proceed to describe
the same more particularly, reference being made to the accompanying Drawings, of
which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus, and Fig. 2 represents a transverse
central section of the same through A, B, of Fig. 1.
Similar letters indicate corresponding parts. a, a, a, a, are small openings
allowing the animals to enter and to cross the box; B, B, B, B, are inclined planes;
c is the cavity formed in the centre of the box by the junction of the four inclined
planes; B' is the moveable incline which, when drawn out, gives access to the
cavity in the interior of the box, so that it may be cleaned out and the poisonous
substance placed therein. This moveable incline may be fixed in place by any
suitable fastening, or the fastening, may be dispensed with when the fitting
is by friction.
This apparatus can be constructed of any other shape than that. described and
represented, as long as the openings are situated opposite each other, and that
there is a central cavity destined to receive the poisonous substance and preventing
it from being carried away outside, and protecting it from the action of rain or
water.
This apparatus, if required for gardens, can be combined with flower-pots,
beneath which it would be arranged. Its dimensions may vary according to the
species of animals required to be destroyed.
As may be perceived, this apparatus is not a trap to entice and capture the
animals, for it is essential that there be at least two apertures one opposite the
other, in order that the animal may be enabled to pass through freely, and a
recipient placed in the cavity below the level of the passages in order that the
poisonous substance may not be carried away outside.

page_text: Having thus described the said Invention, and the manner of carrying it into
effect, I claim, and wish to secure the same by Letters Patent, an apparatus destined
to facilitate the destruction of rodents, and more particularly of field mice, and
consisting of a recipient perfectly closed, having apertures; two at least, facing each
other, and an interior cavity in the centre to receive a poisonous substance,
substantially as above described and represented in the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henri Adrien Bonneville, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this
day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
H. BONNEVILLE. (L.S.)