US2848837A - Electrical insect destroying apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 26, 1958 B. J. HANSON ETAL ELECTRICAL INSECT DESTROYING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 8, 1957 BRYAN J HANSON MAUD DEE HANSON 7 shown.

llnited States Patent 2,848,337 Patented Aug. 26, 1958 ice 2,848,837 ELEQTRICAL ENSECT DESTROYING APPARATUS Bryan J. Hanson and Maud Dee Hanson, Yakima, Wash.

Applieation February 8, 1957, Serial No. 639,063

8 Claims. (Cl. 43-113) The present invention relates to an electrical insect destroying apparatus.

A primary object of the. invention is to provide a highly simplified apparatus of the above-mentioned character, which is quite economical to manufacture and highly eflicient in operation for attracting and killing insects in large numbers.

A further object of the invention is to provide in a device of the above-mentioned type a novel adjustable electrical heating element which kills the insects and substantially completely burns or consumes them, so that only a small amount of ash remains upon a removable heat resistant pad constituting a part of the device.

Another object is to provide an adjustable electrical heating element including a bendable relatively stiff wire supporting frame, which also conducts current to the heating element wire carried by the frame, the frame and heating element wire being readily adjustable to surround light bulbs ofvarious sizes, and to position the heating element in the desired manner relative to the reflector and light bulb.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure l is a front elevation of an electrical insect destroying apparatus in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an enlarged central vertical longitudinal section through a socket element or adapter and associated elements, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged central vertical longitudinal section through the free end portion of the heating element and bendable frame.

In the drawings, where for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 19 designates a metal light reflector which may be a sheet metal parabolic reflector, or one of a similar conventional shape. The reflector is provided at its rear or closed side and centrally thereof with a screwthreaded tubular socket extension 11 preferably formed integral therewith. The socket extension 11 may have screw-threaded engagement within a suitable holder or block 12 formed of plastic or other insulating material. The holder 12 may be held in the hand or supported in a fixed or adjustable manner by any desired means, not An electrical cable 13 extends to a suitable source of current, and one wire 14 of the cable 13 is electrically connected at 15 to the socket extension 11, Figure 2. The other wire 16 of the cable 13 is electrically connected with a conducting terminal 17 encased within an insulating plug 18, which is in turn fixedly secured Within the rear end portion of the extension 11. The terminal 17 carries a contact spring 19 at its forward end, arranged centrally within the extension 11, as shown. The block or holder 12 is suitably recessed to receive the 2 wires 14 and 16 and associated elements, as shown in Figure 2.

Adjustably mounted within the screw-threaded extension 11 and having screw-threaded engagement therein is a metallic tubular screw-threaded adapter 20 having its forward end open to receive the metallic screw-threaded terminal 20 of a conventional incandescent light bulb 21. The rear end of the adapter 20 remote from the light bulb is closed by a suitable plug 22 of insulating material, rigidly connected with the adapter 20 at 2 3, and disposed centrally therein. The plug 22 has enclosed centrally therein an' electrical terminal pin 24, provided at its rear end with a head 25 adapted to contact the spring 19 in the manner shown in Figure 2. The forward end of the pin 24 has secured thereto a contact spring 26 similar to the spring 19, for engagement with the central terminal 27 of the light bulb 21. The element 11 constitutes an outer socket, and the adapter 20 constitutes an inner socket. The term socket means as employed in the claims is intended to cover either or both sockets.

The adjustable heating element comprises a relatively stiff bendable supporting wire frame or element 28,. also adapted to. conduct current, and havingone end portion free of insulation and formed into a plurality of helical coils 29, integral therewith, and adapted for screw-threaded engagement upon the forward portion of the adapter 219. The wire frame 28 is formed of a relatively heavy section of wire, which. although readily bendable, will retain its shape when bent or adjusted as desired.

The current carrying wire frame 28 iscovered throughout the, major portion of its length with an electrical and heat insulating sleeve 30, preferably formed of asbestos or the like. A coiled relatively flexible heating element wire 31 extends spirally about the insulating sleeve 30, as shown in the drawings, and the heating elementwire is preferably a continuous coiled length of resistance Wire or the like. As best shown in Figure 4, the forward extremity of the wire frame 28 is bare or free of insulation as at 32, Figure 4, and. the corresponding forward extremity 33 of the heating element wire 31 is wound about the wire portion 32 so as to be firmly secured thereto, making good electricalcontact therewith. These wire extremities 32 and 33 are enclosed by a suitable insulating cap 34 pressed onto the wire extremity 32, Figure 4. The forward end .of, the asbestos insulating sleeve terminates at the inner end of the cap 34, as shown.

Near the rear end of the insulating sleeve 30, a portion 35 of the heating element wire 31 extends from the wire frame 28 for electrical connection at 36 with a short section of relatively stiff insulated wire 37. One end portion of the wire 37 extends through and is secured within a side opening 38 formed through the adapted 20 near its longitudinal center, Figure 3. The inner terminal portion of the short wire 37 is electrically connected at 39 with the-terminal pin 24, Figure 3.

It should be apparent from the above description that an electrical circuit is formed through one wire 16 of the cable 13 and through the terminal elements 17 and 19 to the terminal 25 of the adapter 20. The circuit continues through-the pin 24 and contac element 26 to the central terminal 27 of the light bulb 21. From the terminal 27, the circuit continues through the filament of the light bulb to the outer terminal 20 thereof, and from this outer terminal 20' back to the adapter 20 and thence to the element 11, and finally to the other wire 14 of the cable 13. In like manner, a circuit is established through the Wire 16 and elements 17, 19 and 25, to the terminal 39 of the short wire 37, and from this wire, through the connection 36 to the coiled heating element wire 35. The circuit continues through the heating element wire to the forward terminal formed by the connection of the wire portions 32 and 33 and from this connection back through the wire frame 28 and through the coils 29 thereof 'to the adapter 20, and through the adapter to the outer socket element 11 and fp ame such element to the other Wire 14 of the cable 13.

A removable pad 40 of asbestos or the like is positioned within the lower-portion o f the reflector 10, be-

neath the light bulb 21 and heating element. The pad 44? preferably extends over a relatively wide area of the lower portion of the reflector but its precise size is not critical. 7 w 7 A combined pad clamping and ash retaining member 41 of sheet metal or the like is provided, and the member 41 comprises an elongated arcuate body portion 42 arranged just inwardly" of the forward side of the reflector and'extends throughout substantially the full circumferential width of the pad 40. The body portion 42 of the element 4-1 is preferably arranged at right angles tothe longitudinal axis of the reflector 10, so as to project above the pad 40, for the purpose of preventing the ashes of the burned insects from spilling from the reflector. The body portion 42 is provided at its opposite ends with integral generally U-shaped clips 43, which engage over the edges of the reflector and pad 40 for the purpose of releasably securing the pad 46 in place within the reflector. The upstanding body portion 42. may be further provided near one end with a notch 44, within which the forward or free end of the heating element and wire frame 28 may be detachably anchored, as shown in a 4 ash from spilling from the forward end of the reflector prior to the desired time.

It should now be apparent that there has been provided a highly simplified and compact electrical apparatus for substantially completely destroying large numbers of insects. The device is inexpensive to manufacture and sturdy and durable. It is readily adjustable so that light bulbs of various sizes may be employed as desired. We wish to point out that it is not our intention to limit the invention to the particular reflector 10 shown in the drawing for the purpose of illustration, and the novel adjustable heating element may be used with various other types of reflectors as desired. Also, for convenience, the

the drawings. If preferred, the notch 44may be omitted entirely, and if provided, it need not be utilized for the purpose shown, because the wire frame 28 is of suflicient rigidity to maintain-its shape after once being bent about the light bulb, as previously stated.

In use, the parts are assembled as above-described, and the light bulb 21 of the desired size is chosen and installed in the adapter 20 in the manner shown in Figure 3. The heating element may now be adjusted relative to the light bulb and reflector 10, bothby the bending or deforming of the wire frame 28 throughout its length, and by turning of the heating elementbodily upon 'the screw-threaded adapter 20, by virtue of the thread-like coils 29 formed upon the wire frame 28. The wire frame 28 may be formed into a generally spiral configuration as shown in Figures 1 and 2, so as to surround the light bulb 21 and be substantially centered within the reflector 10. The precise spacing or adjustment of the wire heating element with respect to the light bulb may be varied somewhat as found desirable during the use of the ap paratus. Once adjusted, the heating. element will remain in the desired shape and position, due to the rigidity of the wire frame 28, and the frictional contact of the coils 29 with the adapter 20. As previously stated,if desired, the forward insulated end of the heating element may be anchored within the notch 44 of the member 41.

The apparatus is now supported in the desired manner and the cable 13 is connected with a source of current for illuminating the light bulb 21 and energizing the wire heating element 31. The light from the bulb 21 coacting with the reflector 10 will attract large numbers of insects to the apparatus, and the insects fly into the reflector 1! and come in close proximity to the wire heating element 31 which is extremely hot. This will instantly kill the insects in large numbers and the head insects will fall onto the asbestos pad 40. Through continued nearness to the heating element 31, the dead insects will be apparatus may be equipped with separate switches, not shown, for the light bulb Z1 and heating element, so that when the cable 13 is connected with the source of current, the light bulb and the electrical heating element may be independently energized.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to,

without departing from the spirit ,of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim: 1. Electrical insect killing apparatus comprising, a light reflector, socket means connected with said reflector and including inner and outer terminals adapted for connection withfa source of current, an electric light bulb including inner and outer terminals, the outer terminal of the electric light bulb engaging the outer terminal of the socket means and the inner terminal of the electric light bulb engaging the innerterminal, of the socket means, a current conducting wire frame secured to theouter terminal of the socket means and electrically connected therewith and being bendable so that the frame may be formed about the light bulb and shaped as desired and will retain such shape when released, a separate wire heating element associated with said wire frame and extending longitudinally thereof and having one end electrically connected with the wire' frame,'and means to electrically connect the opposite end of the wire heating element with the inner terminal of the socket means, said wire. heating element being adapted to kill insects which enter the reflector when attracted by the electric light bulb.

2. Electrical-insect killing apparatus comprising, supporting means including a reflector, electrical socket means carried by the reflector and including an outer tubular terminal and an inner terminal, the outer tubular terminal receiving the outer terminal of an electric light bulb and the inner terminal-of the socket means engaging the inner terminal of the electric light bulb, the electric light bulb being arranged within the reflector, an electrical conductor bendable self-supporting wire 'frame arrangedwithin the reflector and electrically connected with the outer terminal element of the socket means and adapted tobe formed into the desired shape and to retain such shape, insulating material covering said wire frame throughout the major portion of its length, an elongated wire heating element mounted upon the insulating material and having one end electrically connectedwith the electrical wire conducting frame, means to connect the opposite end of the wire heating element with the inner terminal of the socket means, the wire heating element serving to kill and burn insects which :enter the reflector. i.

3. Electrical insect killing apparatus comprising, a light reflector, electrical socket-meansl mounted within the reflector, said socket means including an outer tubular terminal element and an inner terminal element, an electric light bulb including an outer terminal element and an inner terminal element, the outer terminal element of the bulb engaging within the outertubular terminal element pf the socket means and the inner terminal element of the bulb engaging the inner terminal element of the socket means, an elongated relatively stiff electrical conductor wire frame arranged within the reflector and having one end electrically connected with the outer tubular terminal element of the socket means and bendable so that the Wire frame may be formed about the light bulb in spaced relation thereto and also spaced from the reflector, an insulating sleeve mounted upon the Wire frame, a wire heating element mounted externally upon the insulating sleeve and extending for a major portion of the length of the sleeve, said wire heating element being electrically connected in series with the internal terminal element of the socket means and said wire frame.

4. Electrical insect killing apparatus comprising, a reflector, a socket device connected with the reflector and including an outer screw-threaded tubular terminal element and an inner terminal element, an adapter element including an outer tubular screw-threaded terminal element and an inner terminal element, the outer tubular screw-threaded terminal element of the adapter being arranged within the outer screw-threaded tubular element of the socket device and the inner terminal element of the adapter engaging the inner terminal element of the socket device, a light bulb arranged within the reflector and having an outer screw-threaded terminal to engage Within the outer tubular screw-threaded terminal of the adapter and an inner terminal to engage with the inner terminal of the adapter, a current conducting bendable Wire frame adapted to be formed around the light bulb in spaced relation thereto and to be spaced from the reflector, a plurality of current conducting coils formed upon one end of the current conducting frame, and having screw-threaded engagement with the exterior of the screw-threaded outer terminal element of the adapter whereby the wire frame may be turned bodily upon its longitudinal axis to adjust the same circumferentially with respect to the light bulb and reflector, and a resistance heating element carried by the electric conducting wire frame and having one end thereof connected with such frame and its opposite end connected with the inner terminal element of the adapter.

5. Electrical insect killing apparatus comprising, a reflector, an electrical adapter element secured within the reflector and including an outer screw-threaded tubular terminal element and an inner terminal element, the outer tubular terminal element receiving the outer terminal element of an electric light bulb and the inner terminal element of the adapter engaging the inner terminal of said bulb, the bulb being arranged Within the reflector, an electrical conductor bendable Wire frame provided at one end with a coiled portion to surround and engage the outer tubular terminal element of the adapter to electrically connect the wire frame with the same and to bodily support the Wire frame by the outer tubular terminal element of the adapter, a sleeve of insulating material mounted upon the wire frame and extending throughout a major portion of its length, a separate wire heating element mounted upon the insulating sleeve and arranged exteriorly thereof and having one end electrically connected with the electrical conducting frame, and means electrically connecting the wire heating element with the inner terminal of the adapter.

6. Electrical insect killing apparatus comprising, a light reflector, electrical socket means connected with the light reflector and including an outer tubular terminal element and an inner terminal element, a light bulb arranged within the reflector and including an outer terminal element to engage Within said outer tubular terminal element and an inner terminal element to engage the firstnamed terminal element, a bendable self-supporting elongated heating elemeut mounted upon and electrically connected with the outer tubular terminal element of the socket means and also electrically connected with the inner terminal element of the socket means, said heating element surrounding the light bulb in spaced relation thereto, a pad of heat resistant material disposed in the bottom portion of the reflector beneath the heating element, an upstanding ash retaining element disposed upon and projecting above the pad, and clip means carried by the upstanding element and engaging the reflector and pad for detachably securing the pad in place upon the reflector.

7. Electrical insect killing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said ash retaining element is provided with a notch adapted to receive and anchor said bendable heating element.

8. Electrical insect killing apparatus comprising, electrical socket means including an outer tubular terminal element and an inner terminal element, a light bulb including an outer terminal element to engage Within the outer terminal element of the socket means and an inner terminal element to engage with the first-named inner terminal element, a light reflector surrounding the light bulb, an electrical conducting supporting element mounted upon and electrically connected with the outer tubular terminal element of the socket means, said supporting element being arranged within the reflector, an insulating sleeve mounted upon the supporting element, a Wire heating element mounted upon the insulating sleeve and having one end electrically connected With said supporting element, and means electrically connecting the opposite end of the wire heating element with the inner terminal element of the socket means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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