Combustion – Timer – programmer – retarder or condition responsive control – Of igniter and feed controlled sequence
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-13
2001-01-09
Lazarus, Ira S. (Department: 3743)
Combustion
Timer, programmer, retarder or condition responsive control
Of igniter and feed controlled sequence
C431S091000, C431S264000, C431S344000, C043S144000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06171098
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to devices for the extermination of rodents. More specifically, the present invention is a device for the injection of a flammable gas into burrows of rodents and the subsequent detonation of said gas, thereby eradicating the rodents.
2. Related Art
Burrowing rodents are well know for making underground passageways, referred to as burrows, and holes extending from these burrows to the surface of the ground. Burrowing rodents cause many problems for property owners, farmers and ranchers. Burrowing rodents cause: damage to growing crops, lumber and landscapes by destroying plant root systems and eating vegetation; damage to canals and other waterways by digging holes through the sides of such waterways, resulting in lost water rights and flooding; wear and tear on equipment (such as tractors) which often need to drive across burrow and hole pockmarked fields; increased erosion; and physical harm to humans and animals who accidentally step within rodent holes or whose steps break through the surface of the ground, breaking through to a burrow causing injury to the human or animal unlucky enough to step in such.
Burrowing rodents being pests and causing such damage has resulted in property owners, ranchers and farmers eradicating the rodents themselves or paying to have the rodents eradicated. Such “rodents” including: prairie dogs, gophers, and ground squirrels.
Known exterminating apparatuses and methods for eliminating rodents include the use of traps and poisons. However, the use of traps has been found to be both uneconomical and unreliable, and the use of poisons is not desirable due to the effects on the environment and effects on other animals which eat poison coated vegetation, eat living rodents who have consumed some amount of the poison, and even scavengers which eat the carcasses of rodents killed through the use of such poison.
Inefficiencies and problems with the prior ways of exterminating rodents lead to the invention of a gas fired apparatus for discharging an inflammable gaseous vapor into the rodents' burrows and igniting the mixture, such as is shown in Rombach et. al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,005,976. However, drawbacks in the technology shown in Rombach et al. include a lack of portability, a need for greater simplicity, the failure to use safety devices such as a check valve or a pressure sensor, and the lack of the use of an oxygen source in conjunction with the inflammable gas.
Another known invention was discovered by the inventors, and discussed further infra. The invention comprises a rodent extermination device having both oxygen and inflammable gas inputs, but failing to have safety devices, such as a check valve or pressure sensor. This prior art version also utilized an ignitor requiring the use of an automobile or automobile battery in order supply the required electrical current. Such a requirement greatly reduced the portability of the device.
What is needed is a gas fired apparatus for discharging a mixture of inflammable gas and oxygen vapors into rodents' burrows and igniting the mixture that also has the safety features of a pressure sensor and having an improved ignition system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is embodied within a portable exterminating apparatus using an ignited charge of gas to produce both concussion and heat within the burrow, along with residual toxic fumes, all contributing to rodent extermination. The heat, concussion and toxicity produced by the present apparatus have a cumulative effect which greatly increases its effectiveness.
The present invention comprises: a barrel, an injection control assembly, an ignition system, and a barrel system.
The barrel from the barrel system of the apparatus is positioned for insertion of its nozzled end into a burrow, or other closed area, opening facilitating discharge of a mixture of oxygen and an inflammable gas into the rodent's burrow and the subsequent ignition of this mixture. The injection control assembly includes a mixing chamber allowing for the mixing of an inflammable gas, such as propane, with oxygen, preferably from a bottled oxygen source, at a desired ratio. This ratio being variable by means of pair of adjustable valve members, one regulating the oxygen intake opening and the other regulating the gas intake opening. This mixture is then discharged by the user, while the apparatus is in use, into the barrel through use of a discharge valve. The ignition switch is conveniently located near the discharge valve for convenient one-hand operation of the apparatus. The ignition switch is part of the ignition system further comprising a battery and an ignition component inducing arcing across an igniter, such as the preferred electrodes located within the nozzled end of the apparatus. Upon injecting a quantity of the mixture into the burrow, the user ignites the mixture by depressing the ignition switch.
Important objects of the present apparatus include: the provision of an extermination apparatus discharging a quantity of a gas/oxygen mixture into a burrow and thereafter igniting same to impart both concussion and heat to the burrow which along with the residual toxic fumes assure extermination of the rodent or rodents; an extermination apparatus having adjustable valve members to regulating the intake and subsequent mixture of oxygen and gas for optimum ignition; the provision of an exterminating apparatus wherein both ignition and gas/oxygen flow control means are incorporated conveniently for operation in a single handed manner; and the safety resulting from the combination of the use of a check valve keeping the mixture within the barrel from being ignited and a pressure sensor keeping the exterminator from firing until the user has stopped the release of the mixture into the burrow, and the use of an improved ignition system.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2275491 (1942-03-01), Barna
patent: 2417981 (1947-03-01), Graham
patent: 3667895 (1972-06-01), Ross
patent: 4005976 (1977-02-01), Rombach et al.
patent: 4688140 (1987-08-01), Hammes
patent: 5062791 (1991-11-01), Liou
patent: 5860243 (1999-01-01), Stager
Advertisement from Feb. 1997 issue of Beef magazine, p. 38, Rid-A-Rodent, Inc., “Rodent Getter” .
Meyer Monte W.
Newton Dan C.
Clarke Sara
Lazarus Ira S.
Pedersen Barbara S.
Pedersen Ken J.
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