US2729017A - Animal exterminating device - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 3, 1956 D. w. MEALEY ANIMAL EXTERMINATING DEVICE Filed Sept. 22, 1953 Dav/a W. Mea/ey IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent 2,729,017 ANIMAL EXTERMINATING nnvrcn David W. Mealey, Foster, Oreg. Application September 22, 1953, Serial No. 381,670

3 Claims. (Ci. 43-84) The present invention relates to a device which is expressly constructed for exterminating animals, for example, rodents such as gophers, moles and the like who inhabit burrows.

, More specifically, the invention has to do with a novel structural device which is animal actuated, is erected for use adjacent the burrow or hole and which, when it is tripped serves to close an electric circuit which, in turn, sets off anelectric blasting cap in the entrance portion of the hole, resulting in extenninating the victim.

Briefly summarized, the invention is characterized by cooperating mechanical and electrical expedients which cooperate mutually in a combination utilizing an electrical gap adapted to be stationed in the entrance portion of a gopher hole, primary and secondary wires electrically connected with said blasting cap, a battery, said primary wire being co'nnectedwith said battery, a current conducting circuit make and break pendulum, the lower end of which is adapted to be located in said entrance portion, relatively stationary support means including a circu-itcontact element, said secondary wire being electrically connected with said element, the upper end of said pendulum being pivotally suspended from said support means and a portion of said pendulum having circuit make and break cooperation with said element, and a third wire connected atone end with said battery and at its other end with said pendulum.

The device from a mechanical standpoint is characterized by a vertically elongated stick having an anchor at its lower end to be forced into the ground, an upper arm joined at one end to said stake, an insulator adjustably mounted on said upper arm, a lower arm having one end adjustably mounted on said stake, the other end of said arm having a contact eye, a binding post adjustable on said lower arm, a pendulum having its upper end pivotally suspended from said insulator and its intermediate portion passing downwardly through said eye, and a second binding post, the latter carried by said pendulum, a sleeve adjustably mounted on said stake, a lower arm having one end adjustably and detachably fastened to said sleeve, the other end of said lower arm having a contact eye, a first binding post adjustably mounted on said lower arm and movable toward and from said eye, a pendulum pivotally suspended from said insulator with'a portion thereof extending downwardly through said eye and having circuit make and break cooperation with said eye, and a second binding post adjustably mounted on said pendulum.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent fromthe following description and the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings.

In the drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete apparatus or device constructed in accordance with the invention, showing same erected and readied for use;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section on the plane of the line 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a similarly enlarged detail sectional and elevational view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure '1, looking in the direction of the arrows and showing the manner in which the pendulum,.in dotted lines, closes the circuit.

Referring now to Figure 1 wherein the complete assemblage is shown, the burrow or gopher hole is denoted generally by the numeral 4, the entrance or mouth of the hole being denoted at 6. Placed in the entrance portion at the approximate position disclosed is the afore mentioned electrical blasting cap or equivalent explosive device 8. Any suitable electrically detonated charge may, of course, be employed. One end 10 of the pri mary insulated current conductor or wireis connected to the explosive as at 12. The other end is connected to a binding post on the dry cell or equivalent battery 14. As denoted at 16 a secondary suitably insulated current conducting wire 18' is connected. The other end of this wireis joined to a suitable binding post 20 on a sleeve 22 which is to be later described. The third wire in the end being held by a setscrew 28, said binding post being mounted ona collar or.sleeve 30 whichis secured in place at 32in a manner to be described.

The circuit closing device is primarily mechanical in nature and it may be broadly referred to as support means for the circuit make and break arrangement. More specifically, this means is characterized by an elongate rod which is here described as a stake 34. On the lower end isan appropriate pointed anchor 36 which is driven into the ground adjacent to the hole. Mounted on the upper end of the stake is a coupling 36 best shown in Figure 2 and held in place by a setscrew 38. The coupling is internally screw threaded as at 40 to accommodate a screw threadedistud or shank 42 on a knob 44 which assists, through the medium of the coupling and rod, to drive-the anchor 36 into the ground, This coupling is provided with a lateral upper arm 46 and an insulator 43 is mounted removably on the outer end of the arm and held in place by a nut or the like 50. The insulator is constructed with an eye to accommodate a cooperating eye which goes to make up a pivotal or hinging connection 52 for the pendulum rod 534. The latter hangs down in the manner shown with its free end portion 56 located in the entrance portion of the hole in the manner shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. One end portion of the third wire 24 may be wrapped around the arm and the collar 30 may be adjustably mounted on the pendulum. The pendulum has its intermediate portion extending downwardly through a circuit make and break or so-called contact eye 56. This eye is formed on one end portion, the right hand end in the drawings, of a second lower arm 56 which underlies the arm 46 in general spaced parallelism but which is detachably and adjustably mounted. That is to say, there is a sleeve 69 on the stake held in place by a setscrew 62 and this sleeve is provided with an auxiliary sleeve portion 64 through which the adjacent end of the arm, that is the end 66, is passed and adjustably and detachably mounted. A setscrew 68 serves to provide the desired separable adjusting connection between the sleeves and said arm 58. This arm also serves to accommodate the aforementioned sleeve portion of the first binding post 20 making this adjustable and in fact rendering all of the parts adjustable and knockdown in form.

The apparatus, in essence, comprises, a battery, suit able wires, an explosive device and the mechanical framework which serves as a support means for the binding post and which provdies a simple circuit closing device near the medium of the animal actuated pendulum and the cooperating"circuit break and make eyeythedatter parts denoted by the numerals 54 and 56 respectively. Thesectional construction simply makes-the mechanical framework knockdown in form so that it may be readily transported, set up and taken down for movement' from place to place.

When a gopher is working at a location he leaves his hole plugged with earth and one has only to open' the hole, set the trap with the pendulum hanging in the center of the ring or eye and with the explosive charge in the hole in the' manner illustrated in thedrawings in dotted lines. Experimental use of the device shows that electrical blasting caps function exceptionally well and are 'safe if handled as directed. It is significant that the cap should first'be placed'in'the holebefore' attaching the leads. The battery leads 1'0 and 24 ought to beat least ten'feet long and should, of course, be attached to the battery'as a final step after the trap is in order with the pendulum hanging in the exact center of the eye 56. It will beclear that when the gopher pushes the dirt against the hanging lower end of the pendulum electrical contact is made between the pendulum 54 and the contact eye 56 completing the electrical circuit to the detonator and, of course, exploding the cap and resulting in the extermination of the unwary victim.

Since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly 'all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the'scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In a device of the class described, in combination, a vertically elongated stake having an anchor at its lower end to be forced into the ground, a horizontally disposed upper arm joined at one end to said stake and extending laterally therefrom, an insulator adjustably mounted on the other end of said upper arm, a lower arm horizontally disposed in a plane below said upper arm and having one end adjustably mounted on said stake, the other end of said arm having a contact eye, a binding post adjustable on said lower arm, a pendulum having its upper end pivotally suspended from said insulator and its intermediate portion passing downwardly through and below said"eye,"and a second binding post, the latter'carried'by said pendulum.

2. In a device of the class described, in combination, a vertically elongated stake having an anchor at its lower end to be forced into the ground, an upper arm joined at one end to said stake, an insulator adjustably mounted on said upper arm, a sleeve adjustably mounted on said stake, at lower arm having oneend adjustably and detachably fastened to said sleeve, the other end of said lower arm having a contact eye, a first binding post ad justably mounted on said lower arm and movable toward and from said eye, a pendulum pivotally suspended from said insulator with a portion thereof extending downwardly through said eye and having circuit make and break cooperation with said eye, and a second binding post adjustably mounted on said pendulum.

3. In a device of the class described, a vertically elongated stake having an anchor at its lower end to be driven into the ground, a coupling removably mounted on the upper end of said stake, said coupling being internally screw threaded, a knob having a screw threaded shank screwed into said coupling, an upper arm secured at one end to said coupling, an insulator removably and detachably mounted'on said upper arm, a sleeve adjustably mounted on said stake, a lower arm having one end adjustably and detachably fastened to said sleeve, the other end of said lower arm having a contact eye, a first binding post adjustably mounted on said lower arm and movable toward and from said eye, a pendulum pivotally suspended from said insulator with a portion thereof extending downwardly through said eye and having circuit make and break'cooperation with said eye, and a second binding post adjustably mounted on said pendulum.

References Cited in the file of this patent 'UNITED STATES PATENTS 451,839 Picard May 5, 1891 921,204 Cox May 11, 1909 1,366,872 --Cantleberry June 5, 1921 1,481,075 Strouse -a Jan.- 15, 1924 1,754,360 Hendricks Apr. 15,1930 2,598,529 Fritz May 27, 1952

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