Improvements in and connected with Manual Insect Catchers or Traps.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 16th Dec., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Manual Insect Catchers
or Traps.
I, WILLIAM ORdidge Sheppard, of 81, Nightingale Road, Wood Green,
London, N., in the County of Middlesex, 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 the manual insect catcher forming the subject of the present
invention is to facilitate the catching, removal, and destruction of such insects as
cockroaches, beetles, wasps, bees, moths, spiders, &c.
Referring to the drawings:-
Figure 1 is a plan, Figure 2 is a front elevation, and Figure 3 is a back elevation
of a manual insect catcher according to the present invention.
Figures 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 are modifications."
In all the figures the same reference numbers refer to the same or to corresponding
parts.
1 Figures 1, 2 and 3, is a box of papier-mache, cardboard, tin or other suitable
material; having a handle 2, and provided on one side with a lid or door 3,-
hereinafter called a door,-hinged at one end 4. The said door has a part or
projection 5 attached to it at right angles to the door, to this projection is fixed a
loop or pin 14 to which a rod 6 is connected. The other end of the rod 6 is
connected to a lever 7 pivoted on the handle 2 at the point 8. A spring 9 is
connected at one end to the lever 7 and at the other end to the handle 2. A curtain
or brush 10 of leather, india rubber, cloth, bristles or other suitable material is
attached to the lower edge of the door. Perforations 11 allow air to escape when
the door is closing, thus preventing lateral currents of air, which might otherwise
tend to carry away an insect as the door closed. A brush 12 affixed to the box may
be used to sweep an insect out of a corner.
Figure 4 shows in plan a modification in which the box 1 and the door 3 are
curved.
Figure 5 represents in plan another modification in which the opening and closing
action is similar to that of a pair of scissors, a box 1 and a door 3 occupying the
place of the scissor blades.
Figure 6 shows in plan a modification similar to Figure 5 except that in this case
there are two boxes which come together when closed so that each box forms as it
were a door for the opposite box.
Figure 7 shows in plan another modification in which a box 1 is provided with
two doors 3 and 3.
Figure 8 represents in plan a modification in which a box 1 is provided with a
door 3 pivoted at 4 in such manner that the door rotates in a plane parallel to, and
in contact with the surface on which it lies. Instead of being pivoted the door may
slide in guides.
The mode of operation is as follows:-
The handle 2, Figures 1, 2 and 3 is grasped by the hand of the operator and the
end 13 of the lever 7 is pressed or drawn inwards by the forefinger, this opens the
door 3. The catcher is now placed flat upon the floor, table, window pane or other
surface from which it is desired to remove an insect, and pushed forward until the
insect is in the space between the door 3 and the box 1; the lever 7 is then
released when the spring 9 by its action on the lever 7 and the rod 6 closes the door
and sweeps the insect into the box 1. The insect thus caught can then be dropped.
into a fire, into water, turned out of doors, or otherwise disposed of, so avoiding the
objectionable features connected with the killing of cockroaches or other insects on

page_text: the floor or carpet of a room, and also doing away with the risk attending the
capture of bees and wasps by the ordinary methods when they are creeping on a
flat surface.
In the modification shown in Figure 8 the door is opened by an arrangement similar
to that already described with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3, and the box is then
placed over the insect it is desired to capture, and flat on the surface on which the
insect rests, when the lever 7 being released, the door, which is provided with a thin
edge 15, slides underneath the insect thus securing it in the box 1.
The manual insect catcher herein described may appropriately bear the
distinguishing name of "Insect Snapper."
Having now particularly described the nature of my said invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I hereby state that I do not bind myself
to the special form of box, nor to the precise arrangement of lever, spring and
rod herein shown for opening and closing the box, but I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1.) In a manual insect catcher or trap, a box provided with a door or doors the
arrangement being such that the closing of the door or doors, or of the box, sweeps
into the box any insect which may be in the space between the door or doors and
the box, substantially as herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
(2.) In a manual insect catcher or trap, two boxes so arranged that in closing
upon each other any insect which may be in the space between them, is swept into
one or other of the boxes and so captured, substantially as bereinbefore described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
(3.) In a manual insect catcher or trap the combination of a box with a door
which on closing sweeps the surface on which it is placed, and a spring for closing
the said door.
(4.) In a manual insect catcher or trap, a box with a door which on closing
sweeps the surface on which it is placed, and a brush 12 attached to the outside of
the box, substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
(5.) In a manual insect catcher or trap, a box with a door either pivoted or
working in guides in a plane parallel to the surface on which it is placed in such
manner as to slide underneath any insect covered by the said box.
Dated the 13th day of November 1893.
W. O. SHEPPARD,
Applicant.