WO2001037651A1

WO2001037651A1 - Rodent bait dispenser

Info

Publication number: WO2001037651A1
Application number: PCT/ZA2000/000217
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joseph Michael Anthony Hindle
Original assignee: Joseph Michael Anthony Hindle
Priority date: 1999-11-22
Filing date: 2000-11-17
Publication date: 2001-05-31
Also published as: AU1823001A

Abstract

A rodent bait despenser is disclosed including a base (12) and a lid (14) hingedly mounted on the base. The base and lid bound an interior space. There is a lock (64) for locking the base and lid in a closed condition. Removable containers (104, 126) are provided within the interior space for receiving rodent bait. Holes (32, 58) in the side walling of the dispenser allow rodents to enter and gain access to the bait.

Description

RODENT BAIT DISPENSER

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

THIS INVENTION relates to a rodent bait dispenser.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

It is often necessary to provide poisonous rodent bait in factories and

other areas, particularly where food and other edible products are processed or stored.

Care must be taken to ensure that people, especially children, and domestic animals

cannot access the bait.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided a rodent bait

dispenser including a base, a lid closing-off the base and defining with the base an

interior space, means for locking the base and lid in a closed condition, a removable

container within said space for receiving rodent bait, and a hole in the walling of the

dispenser for allowing rodents to enter and gain access to the bait.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how the

same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a rodent bait dispenser;

Figure 2 is an elevation taken in the direction of arrow A in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a central section through the dispenser;

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the base of the dispenser;

Figure 5 is an underneath plan view of the lid of the dispenser;

Figure 6 is a pictorial view of a tray which forms the lower part of a bait container;

Figure 7 is a side elevation of the tray;

Figure 8 is a top plan view of the tray;

Figure 9 is a front elevation of the tray;

Figure 10 is a pictorial view of an inverted receptacle which fits on the tray;

Figure 11 is a side elevation of the receptacle;

Figure 12 is a top plan view of the receptacle;

Figure 13 is a front elevation of the receptacle; and

Figure 14 is a pictorial view of the dispenser with the lid open.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring firstly to Figures 1 and 2, the rodent bait dispenser 10 illustrated

comprises a base 12 and a lid 14 each moulded in a synthetic plastic material. The

base 12 and lid 14 are connected together by two hinges 16 and bound an interior

space. Each hinge comprises a post 18 moulded integrally with, or secured to, the external face of the walling of the base 12 and protruding above the upper edge of the

walling of the base. The posts 18 each have a hole in them. Short hollow studs 20 are

moulded integrally with the walling of the lid 14 and protrude outwardly therefrom. The

studs 20 are passed through the holes in the posts 18 and their outer ends are

thereafter splayed open in the manner of a rivet thereby hingedly mounting the lid on

the base.

The base 12 (see also Figure 4) comprises a front wall 22, a bottom wall

24, two angled side walls 26 and two further side walls 28 which are at right angles to

the front wall 22. The base further has a low rear wall 30.

In the upper edge of each of the angled side walls 26 there is a recess 32.

The recesses 32 can be semi-circular or semi-oval or of the shape illustrated.

An angled internal wall 34 extends inwardly from the junction between

each wall 28 and the contiguous wall 26. A rib 36 protrudes upwardly from the bottom

wall 24 and extends partway across the base from the low rear wall 30. The rib 36 is

midway between the walls 28.

The base has a rear foot 38 (see Figures 2 and 3) which protrudes

downwardly from the bottom wall 24. It also has two further feet 40 (see also Figure 4)

which can be hollow. A thin film of plastics material can be left during moulding, the film initially closing off the bores in the feet 40.

A metal spike 42 (see particularly Figures 3 and 4) is moulded into a boss

44 which is itself moulded integrally with the bottom wall 24. The spike has a reduced

diameter section 46 near its upper end.

The lid 14 (Figures 1 , 2, 3 and 5) comprises a top wall 48, a depending

front wall 50, angled side walls 52, further side walls 54 which are at right angles to the

front wall 50 and a shallow rear wall 56.

The angled side walls 52 each have a recess in the lower edge thereof,

the recesses being designated 58 and being semi-circular (see Figures 2 and 3). The

recesses 32 and 58 co-operate, when the lid 14 is in its closed position, to provide

rodent entry and exit holes to and from the dispenser. These holes are designated 60

in Figures 2 and 3.

The underside of the top wall 48 of the lid 14 is formed with two

depending ribs 62. As best seen in Figure 3 the top wall 48 of the lid is not horizontal

but slopes from front to rear. Thus the ribs 62 are wider adjacent the wall 50 than they

are adjacent the wall 56.

A key operated lock is diagrammatically shown at 64 in Figures 3 and 5, the lock 64 being mounted on a hollow boss 66 provided therefor on the underside of

the top wall 48. The lock has a locking plate 68 (Figures 3 and 5) which swings in a

horizontal arc when the key (not shown) is turned in the lock.

As a result of the provision of the hollow boss 66 there is a recess 70 in

the top face of the wall 48. The lock 64 protrudes upwardly into the recess 70. A

flexible cover 72 of rubber or rubber-like synthetic plastics material is provided to close-

off the recess 70. The cover 72 has a stud 74 protruding downwardly therefrom.

Immediately adjacent the boss 66 there is a sleeve 76 which protrudes downwardly

from the wall 48. The sleeve 76 is open at both ends. The stud 74 is pressed into the

upper end of the sleeve 76 to secure the cover in place. Between the stud 74 and the

remainder of the cover there is a thinner section 78 which forms a hinge. The hinge

permits the cover 72 to be lifted off the recess 70.

A metal clip 80 (Figure 5) slides onto the lower part of the body of the lock

64 to prevent the lock being lifted from the recess 70 through the opening in the bottom

wall of the boss 66. The stepped configuration of the body of the lock provides a

downwardly facing surface which prevents the lock being pushed downwardly through

the opening in the bottom wall of the boss 66.

The locking plate 68, when the dispenser is locked closed, is in the

reduced diameter section 46 of the spike 42. The lid cannot as a consequence be lifted to the open position. The locked position is shown in Figure 3.

The dispenser further includes a tray 82 (Figures 6 to 9) forming the lower

part of the bait container. The tray 82 comprises a base 84, upstanding side walling 86

and two columns 88 and 90 constituted by upward extensions of the side walling 86.

The tray is generally square in plan view but at one corner the tray is cut away to form a

short angled wall 92. The base 84 of the tray slopes upwardly from front to rear as

seen in Figure 7.

Each column 88, 90 comprises an angled front edge 94 and a vertical rear

edge 96. The column 88 is wider than the column 90 measured in the front to rear

direction, as a result of the provision of the angled wall 92 adjacent the column 90.

A boss 98 and a series of parallel ribs 100 are moulded onto the base 84.

The ribs 100 extend in the front to rear direction. A vertical rod (not shown) has its

lower end moulded into the boss 98.

The dispenser also includes a receptacle 104 which is shown in Figures

10 to 13. Each receptacle 104 comprises two side walls 106 and 108, a rear wall 110,

a top wall 112 and frame 114 which constitutes the front wall of the receptacle and

which bounds an opening 116. The receptacle 104 is open at the bottom. Each side

wall 106, 108 is stepped so that the lower part 118, 120 thereof is thinner than the remainder of the side wall. A socket 122 is moulded onto the underside of the top wall

112 to receive the upper end of the vertical rod moulded into the boss 98.

The receptacle 104 is dimensioned so that it fits into the tray 82 between

the rear walling of the tray and the vertical rear edges 96 of the columns 88 and 90.

The steps where the lower parts 118, 120 of the side walls 106, 108 join the remainders

of the side walls rest on the upper edges of the side walling 82. The receptacle 104 is

thus trapped between the part of the walling 86 which is at the rear of the tray and the

vertical edges 96. The upper end of the vertical rod which extends upwardly from the

base enters the socket 122. Blocks of bait (not shown) with a hole through them can be

slid onto the vertical rod before the receptacle is pressed onto the tray.

A second receptacle is also provided. This is similar to that shown in

Figures 10 to 13 except in that the boss 98, ribs 100, vertical rod and socket 122 are

omitted. This receptacle has a front wall which extends the full width of the receptacle

and down to a level which lies, when the receptacle is fitted to the tray, about midway

between the tops and bottoms of the columns 88, 90. A rib can extend along the

bottom edge of the front wall of this receptacle to strengthen it. The part of the tray 82

ahead of the front wall of the receptacle acts as a feed trough. The angled wall 92 of

the tray of this receptacle is on the other side.

Rodents can enter and leave the dispenser through the holes 60 provided therefor in the angled walls 28, 52. The shape of the dispenser is such that, if used in

an area where, for example, boxes are stacked and sorted, it is difficult, if not

impossible, to place boxes in such a manner that they close-off the entry and exit holes.

If desired the base can be screwed or otherwise secured to a floor or wall

to prevent it being removed. The screws pass downwardly through the hollow feet 40.

To fill the receptacle 104, the entire container is lifted out of the dispenser

after unlocking the dispenser and opening the lid. The receptacle is lifted off the tray to

expose the vertical rod. Bait in block form with a bore through it is then dropped onto

the vertical rod, and the receptacle pressed down onto the tray.

To fill the second form of container, the tray and pressed on receptacle

are lifted out of the dispenser. The receptacle and tray are then separated with the

receptacle inverted. The receptacle is then filled with rodent bait in pellet or granular

form and the inverted tray pressed on to it. The container comprising the receptacle

and tray is then reinserted into the space provided therefor in the dispenser.

The lid 14 is then swung closed and the lock 64 secured, the locking plate

68 of the lock 64 coming into co-operating relationship with the section 46 of the rod 44.

To inhibit prising open of the dispenser, the upper edge of the walling of the base is stepped and the lower edge of the walling of the lid is correspondingly

stepped. The lower edge of the lid thus overlaps the upper edge of the base and hence

it is difficult to insert an implement between the two.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A rodent bait dispenser including a base, a lid closing-off the base and

bounding with the base an interior space, means for locking the base and lid in a closed

condition, a removable container within said space for receiving rodent bait, and a hole

in the side walling of the dispenser for allowing rodents to enter and gain access to the

bait.

2. A rodent bait dispenser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said dispenser

comprises a front wall, a rear wall, the front wall being longer than the rear wall, side

walls at right angles to the rear wall and extending towards the front wall from the rear

wall, and angled walls extending between the ends of the front wall and the forward

ends of said side walls, there being an access hole in each of said angled walls.

3. A rodent bait dispenser as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of said holes

is constituted by a recess in the lower edge of the angled wall of the lid and a recess in

the upper edge of the angled wall of the base, the recesses being juxtaposed when the

lid is closed thereby to form said holes.

4. A rodent bait dispenser as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said base has a

base wall and there is a rod protruding upwardly from said base wall, said rod having a

circumferential groove therein, and there being a lock mounted on the lid, a locking plate of said lock entering said groove when the lid is closed and the lock in its locked

position.

5. A rodent bait dispenser as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein

the lid is hingedly mounted on the base.