Patent ID: 6916482

Claim:
A wall assembly for indicating the presence of termites within the wall assembly, comprising: a wall frame including a plurality of studs and plates, each stud and plate having first and second sides; an internal wall sheeting that is mounted on the first sides of the studs and plates, the internal wall sheeting having a hole therein; a collar inserted into the bole of the internal wall sheeting, the collar defining a plug hole; a termite bait assembly including: a plug sized to be snugly received within the plug hole; a timber probe including a material that is preferentially consumed by termites, the probe being sized to pass through the plug hole; a flexible element intermediate the probe and the plug for permitting the probe to rest on at least one of the plurality of plates spaced from the plug, the flexible element being sized to pass through the collar; and a coupler having one end pivotally attached to the probe and an opposed end attached to the flexible element, the pivotal attachment permitting the probe to extend generally horizontally relative to the plate and permitting the flexible element to extend generally vertically relative to the plug, the opposed end of the coupler having a generally round contour for helping to align the coupler with respect to the plug hole as the coupler is pulled back through the plug hole; whereby when the termite bait assembly is inserted into the plug hole, the probe is pushed all the way through the plug hole and out an inner end thereof and drops onto at least one plate below the hole where the probe lies flat on the plate and the plug is received within the plug hole, and when the probe needs to be withdrawn from within the wall frame for inspection, the plug is pulled out of the plug hole and this in turn pulls the probe and the coupler in a reverse direction up from the plate, back through the plug hole and then out of the wall assembly, the rounded end of the coupler acting to align the coupler relative to the plug hole and guide the coupler and probe through the plug hole, and then once the inspection has been completed the probe is pushed back into the plug hole followed by the plug and this pushes the probe back through the inner end of the plug hole from where the probe drops back onto the plate.