Flyswatter

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A typical fly swatter

A flyswatter is a hand-held device for killing flies and other insects. A flyswatter usually consists of a small rectangular sheet (about 4 inches or 10 cm across) of lightweight, flexible, vented material, usually thin metallic, rubber, or plastic mesh, attached to a lightweight wire or plastic handle about 2 feet (0.61 m) long. The venting reduces wind drag, making it easier to hit a fast-moving target such as a fly.

History

The abeyance of insects through short horsetail staffs and fans is ancient. The patent on fly swatter was issued in 1900 to Robert R. Montgomery who called it a fly-killer. ^[1] Montgomery sold his patent to John L. Bennett, a wealthy inventor and an industrialist who made further improvements on the design. ^[2]
The origin of the name 'fly swatter' comes however not from its inventors.In the summer of 1905, Kansas was plagued by an overabundance of flies, which, as well as causing annoyance, aided in the spread of disease. Dr. Samuel Crumbine, a member of the Kansas board of health, wanted to raise public awareness of the threat of flies. He was inspired by a chant at a local Topeka softball game: "swat the ball". In a health bulletin published soon afterwards, he exhorted Kansans to "swat the fly".

In response, a schoolteacher named Frank H. Rose created the "fly bat", a device consisting of a yardstick attached to a piece of screen. Crumbine invented the device now commonly known as the fly swatter.

Electric flyswatters

An electrical flyswatter Three layer grid: mesh and rods oppositely charged Single layer grid: odd and even rods oppositely charged

Electric flyswatters, hand held devices that resemble tennis rackets, became popular worldwide in 2005.^{[citation needed]} The handle contains batteries and a charging mechanism that generates a high voltage. The electronic circuit is composed of an oscillator, a step-up transformer and a voltage multiplier.

The grid of the flyswatter is electrically charged to a voltage of between 1000 and 2500 V DC by pushing a button. When the electrically conducting body of a fly nearly bridges the gap, the spark jumps over, through the fly. A capacitor between the electrodes discharges during the spark. This initial discharge usually stuns the fly. If pressing the button is continued, the continuous current will roast and kill the fly.

Most flyswatters conform to electrical safety standards for humans:

• a limit on the charge stored in the capacitor. A discharge of less than 45 µC is considered safe, even in the unlikely scenario that the current from a flyswatter would be flowing from one arm to the other arm, partly through the heart.^[3] This means that the capacitor of a 1000 V flyswatter should be less than 45 nF. Due to this precaution for humans the initial shock is usually inadequate to kill flies.
• a limit on the current after the initial discharge. The maximal continuous current of most flyswatters is less than 5 mA. This current is safe, even when flowing from one arm to the other arm.^[4]

Many flyswatters have a three layer grid to prevent people from touching both electrodes.

Fly guns

A fly gun

The fly gun (or flygun), a derivative of the fly swatter, uses a spring-loaded plastic projectile to "swat" flies. Mounted on the projectile is a perforated circular disk which, according to advertising copy, "won't splat the fly".

Similar products are sold elsewhere on the Internet, mostly as toys or novelty items, although their supporters maintain that they work as well as traditional fly swatters.^{[citation needed]}

See also

• Bug zapper
• Fly-whisk

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Fly swatters

Look up flyswatter in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.