An Improved Apparatus for Alluring and Killing Insects, Rats, Mice, and other Animals.
Year: 1889

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Apparatus for Alluring and Killing Insects, Rats,
Mice, and other Animals.
I, FRANÇOIS SCHERER, of 23, Boulevard de Strasbourg, Paris, in the Republic of
France, Gentleman, 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:-
This invention relates to electrical apparatus for alluring and killing disagreeable
or injurious insects, such as musquitoes and flies, and also rats, mice and other
animals.
This improved apparatus comprises a luminous centre or a bait, and a cage having
two series of wires, rods or bars which are electrically insulated from each other,
and connected to the two different poles of a generator of electricity.
The aforesaid wires, rods or bars are arranged in such a manner that the insect or
the animal being attracted by the light or by the bait, and coming against the cage,
will simultaneously touch two wires, rods or bars belonging to different series, and
will be immediately killed by the closing of the circuit through its body.
In the accompanying drawings is represented an apparatus which is constructed
according to my said invention, and which is more particularly adapted for alluring
and killing flies and musquitoes in the interior of dwellings.
Figure 1 is a vertical section, and Figure 2 a horizontal section of this apparatus.
The periphery of the cage of this apparatus may be of circular or other form, and is
composed of two series of wires, rods or bars one of these series p, being electrically
connected to the positive pole of a source of electricity, and the other series n to the
negative pole. These wires rods or bars p and n are held by two metallic rings A
and B kept apart through the medium of four small columns. One of these columns P,
is electrically connected to the positive pole of the source of electricity and the other N
to the negative pole, whereas the other two columns, a and b, are insulated from the
aforesaid rings A and B by means of a sleeve of ebonite.
Figure 3 shows in detail the connection of the rings A and B with the conducting
colunins P and N, and with the wires rods or bars of the said cage. The column P
is fixed by means of a nut to the ring A with which it is in electrical contact whereas
it is insulated through the medium of an ebonite sleeve c from the ring B to which
it is secured by a screw d whose head rests in a cup e of ebonite.
Both series of wires rods or bars p and n are fixed in the same manner to the
rings A and B, that is to say, they are in contact with these rings at one end, and
insulated therefrom at the other.
The said columns and wires rods or bars are insulated by ebonite sleeves from the
intermediate ring D.
In the interior of the cage is arranged a luminous centre L, such as an oil lamp,
taper, or an electric incandescent lamp.
The electric current for killing the insects or animals which being attracted by
the light or the bait in the cage, close the electric circuit through their bodies
between two neighbouring wires, rods or bars must be a current of great tension
obtained, for example, from a Ruhmkorff coil. This induction coil together with the
electric battery which accompanies it, and if necessary the source of electricity whereby
the lamp L is fed can be placed in the interior of a piece of furniture situated in
the vicinity of the cage, or in the one which serves as a support for the said cage.
It it very easy to construct according to the aforesaid invention apparatus for
alluring and killing injurious animals, for example serpents, scorpions and other
venomous beasts found in certain countries, and also other animals such as rats, mice,
rabbits, and the like.

page_text: In these cases the lamp or luminous centre is, if necessary, replaced by a
suitable bait, and the dimensions of the apparatus are adapted to the nature and size
of the animals to be killed.
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 :-
An electric apparatus for alluring and killing insects and animals, comprising a
luminous centre or suitable bait designed to attract them, and a cage having two
series of wires, rods or bars placed in the path of the insects or animals, which series
are insulated from each other but electrically connected to different poles of a
generator of electricity so as to form an open circuit which may be closed through
the body of the insect or animal in order to kill it when the latter, attracted by
the light or the bait, attempts to enter the apparatus, substantially as above
described.
Dated this 22nd day of November 1889.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,. Agents for the Applicant.