Improvements in the Means of Catching Flies and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 24th June, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 8th Sept., 1893-Accepted, 21st Oct., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Means of Catching Flies and the like.
I, THOMAS WARSOP of Coniston, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
the like.
This invention has for its object improvements in the means of catching flies and
For this purpose, I have a tray or board carried by one or more suitable
legs or stakes; and on the upper side of this board, I place a piece of stale or other
meat, which I cover with a hemispherical wire meat cover, placed on the board so
that no flies can get to the meat.
This wire meat cover has placed over it a larger hemispherical cover of similar
shape, supported from the board by three or more suitable legs, in such a manner that
flies can get under the outer cover, into the space between this and the smaller
inner cover.
Around the base of the interior of the outer cover, I form a trough-
made of copper, tin or other suitable material-having its outer edge attached to
the wire cover, and its inner edge converging towards the inner cover; but with a
space between the trough and inner cover for the entrance of the flies. This
trough is filled with water by a small inverted funnel or tun-dish attached to same
at one side the opposite side of the trough being fitted with a suitable opening-
closed by a cork or other suitable means for draining the trough.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-
The flies, on smelling the meat, settle on the board, and walk to the outside of the
inner cover up which they walk in trying to get at the meat enclosed therein.
In so doing, they pass through the space under the outer cover, where they fly
about, and eventually fall into the water; and as they fight when two flies meet,
they are quickly drowned in the water held in the trough. When this trough is
full of flies, the cork is withdrawn from the outlet; and when emptied, is re-filled
again with water for future use.
In some cases, attach the small inner cover containing the meat, to the top of
the outer cover which, in this case I make of glass, the trough being formed in
one piece with the cover; which has a suitable hole or receptacle at the top for
receiving the small inner meat cover.
Dated this 23rd day of June 1893.
H. WALKER HILL,
47, Hampden Street, Nottingham, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Means of Catching Flies and the like.
I, THOMAS WARSOP of Coniston in the County of Lancaster, 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:-
This invention has for its object improvements in the means of catching flies and
the like. For this purpose I have a tray or board carried by one or more suitable
legs or stakes; and on the upper side of this board, I place a piece of stale or other
meat, which I cover with a hemispherical wire meat cover, placed on the board so
that no flies can get to the meat.
This wire meat cover has placed over it a larger hemispherical cover of similar
shape, supported from the board by three or more suitable legs, in such a manner
that flies can get under the outer cover into the space between this and the smaller

page_text: inner cover.
Around the base of the interior of the outer cover, I form a trough
made of copper, tin or other suitable material-having its outer edge attached to
the wire cover, and its inner edge converging towards the inner cover, but with a
space between the trough and inner cover for the entrance of the flies. This
trough is filled with water by a small inverted funnel or tun-dish attached to same
at one side; the opposite side of the trough being fitted with a suitable opening-
closed by a cork or other suitable means for draining the trough.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The flies on smelling the meat, settle
on the board, and walk to the outside of the inner cover; up which they walk or fly
in trying to get at the meat enclosed therein. In so doing they pass through the
space under the outer cover, where they fly about, and eventually fall into the
water in the trough; and as they fight when two flies meet, they are quickly
drowned in the water held in the trough. When this trough is full of flies, the
cork is withdrawn from the outlet; and when emptied is re-filled again with water
for future use.
In some cases, I attach the small inner cover containing the meat, to the top of
the outer cover; which in this case I make of glass, the trough being formed in
one piece with the cover, which has a suitable hole or receptacle at the top for
receiving the small inner meat cover.
In order that my invention may be fully understood and more readily carried
out and into effect, I have appended hereunto two sheets of drawings whereon :-
Figure represents one form of my improved fly-catcher in sectional elevation
through line A. B (Fig. 2).
I
Figure 2 represents a sectional plan of same through line C. D (Fig. 1).
Figure 3 is a transverse sectional end view of the same fly-catcher through
line E. F (Fig. 2).
Figure 4 is a plan of an electric wire mat or tray M.
Figure 5 represents another form of my improved fly-catcher in sectional elevation
through line 1—2 (Fig. 6).
Figure 6 represents a plan of same, one half of which is in section through
line 3-4 (Fig. 5).
Similar letters of reference denote similar parts throughout the various figures.
In these figures I represents the tray or board carried by one or more legs or
stakes I, I¹. On the upper side of this board H, I place a piece of meat G, which
is then covered with the wire meat cover K, so that uo flies or the like can get to
the meat G.
Over the cover K, I place a larger wire meat cover L-preferably of similar
shape or form to K. but supported at a little distance from the board H by three
or more suitable legs J, J¹, J; so that flies and the like can pass under the base
of L into the space N between K and L.
Around the base of the interior of L, I have a trough P-made of tin or other
suitable material--having its outer edge P' attached to cover L, and its inner edge
touching cover K at the points P2, P3; leaving spaces or openings O, O between
the trough P and cover K for the entrance of the flies to space N. This trough P
I prefer to make with its sides P' and P2 of an angular form as shown in Figs. 1
and 3; so that the flies cannot climb up the sides when they once get into the
water contained in trough P; and I also prefer to make the inner edge P2 of the
trough of a corrugated form, as shewn in Fig. 2, so as to prevent the return of
the flies from space N as far as possible.
The trough P is filled with water by the funnel Q: and the water containing
the dead flies and the like, flows away through the outlet R; when the cork R
closing same is withdrawn therefrom. M is an electric mat or tray formed of
copper wires M¹ and M³ passing through one or more guides M³, M' formed of a
suitable non-conducting material and by which the mat M is suspended from the
cover L. The wires M' are all attached to the connecting wire M, which passes
out of cover L to the positive pole of an electric battery; & wires M³ are all
attached to the connecting wire M6; which in turn passes out of cover L to the

page_text: opposite or negative pole of the same battery. These wires may be constantly
attached to the opposite poles of an electric battery, or they may be temporarily
attached thereto at any desired time or times; but in both cases, when the flies and
the like settle on the wires M' and M³, their bodies complete the electrical circuit ;
and the electrical current thereby induced, instantly kills them & they roll off the
mat M into the water in trough P along with the other flies which have been
eutrapped in the space N.
In the other form of my improved fly-catcher illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, meat
is placed in the inner cover K formed of wire gauze, and covered with the lid K'.
This cover K is inserted in a hole at the top of the outer cover L, having a
trough P and central opening O. This cover L, I make either entirely of glass, or
in some cases I may make the trough P of tin or other suitable material, and the
upper part L of wire gauze.
In both forms of the apparatus the action is the same, and as previously
described.
In some cases I may dispense with the electrical mat M for killing the flies and
the like; and may kill them by a cheaper or simpler plan of covering the whole
apparatus with an india-rubber cover, and then placing the fly-catcher over
burning brown paper, which has been previously soaked in sulphur and saltpetre,
and afterwards dried. The fumes from this burning paper quickly kills all the flies
in the apparatus.
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 :-
1st. In fly-catchers the combination of the wire cover L and the water trough P,
with the smaller wire meat cover K, all arranged substantially as shown on the
drawings, as herein before described and for the purposes herein set forth.
2nd. In fly-catchers the combination of the wire meat cover K resting on a
board H, with the larger wire cover L slightly raised from the board H, and fitted
with the water trough P substantially as herein shown and described for the
purposes set forth.
3rd. The combination and arrangement of the two wire covers K and L, the
trough P, with the electrical mat M for the purposes named herein and substantially
as described.
4th. In fly-catchers the combination of the vessel L―Figs. 5 and 6-trough P
with the wire cover K for containing meat substantially as described and shown in
Figs. 5 and 6.
5th. Fly-catchers, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown on the
drawings herewith, all for the purposes herein set forth.
Dated this 6th day of September 1893.
HENRY WALKER HILL,
47, Hampden Street, Nottingham, Agent for the Applicant.