An Improved Fly Trap.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 20th July, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 17th May, 1895-Accepted, 22nd June, 1895
An Improved Fly Trap.
I, WILLIAM THOMAE, of Schenectady, County of Schenectady, State of New
York, U.S.A., Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The fly trap of this invention is in the form of a vessel standing upon legs and
provided with a removable cover. At the bottom of the vessel there is an aperture
tapering inwards like a cone, for the entrance of the flies. The annular space thus
formed within the vessel is provided with a fluid into which the flies fall. The
cover is of a concavo-convex form, its bottom part or apex projecting downwards
into the vessel above the centre of the bottom aperture.
Dated this 20th day of July 1894.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
I, WILLIAM THOMAE, of Schenectady, County of Schenectady, State of New
York, U.S.A., Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is the construction of a fly trap in such a way that,
first, no additional bottom piece or bait board is required; second, that the opening
is large enough to give the flies easy access to the trap; third, that ample room
is provided for a liquid, such as clear water, beer, soap suds, etcetera, having the
purpose of receiving and killing the flies; fourth, that the inside walls of the trap
are so inclined as to force the flies to drop into the liquid; and fifth, that the
liquid can be readily removed and replaced.
In the drawing Fig. 1 is a section and Fig. 2 an outside view of the fly trap of
this invention.
A is the body of the trap of circular shape having at the centre inverted funnel
shaped walls B projecting from below upwards into the trap and forming a large
central opening C for the entrance of flies. The annular chamber thus formed
within the vessel is supplied with the liquid D referred to. The body is raised by
means of feet E sufficiently to give a free passage to the flies to pass to the bait
which is placed directly underneath the central opening. F is the cover of
concavo-convex shape, its centre being in close proximity to the central opening.
The flies after entering the trap through the central opening C are kept in the
annular space over the liquid until they drop into the latter. The body or bottom
part of the trap may be of glass or other suitable material whilst the top part which
is to be transparent, as flies are not so likely to enter a dark trap, must be made of
glass or of wire netting or other transparent material.
Instead of the trap being made in two parts these may be united in one in which
case it is convenient to provide an aperture at the top, or side, for cleaning and

page_text: filling purposes and instead of being circular in form it may be square or in the
form of any other geometrical figure.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In fly traps the combination of a dish shaped bottom part A, having a conical
central opening with a concavo-convex cover F which acts as a deflector and forces
the flies into the liquid below whilst the downwardly projecting part of the cover
prevents their escape, substantially as described and shewn.
2. A fly trap consisting of a single vessel having a dish shaped bottom with a
conical central opening and a concavo-convex top the lower portion of which
projects over the central opening of the bottom, substantially as described and
shewn.
Dated this 17th day of May 1895.
THOMAS R. SHILLITO,
89, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.