Combination fly swatter and insect trap

A dual purpose apparatus providing, alternatively, an insect trap and a fly swatter, the apparatus comprising:

• an elongate, resiliently flexible handle having a rear end intended to be grasped by a user, and a front end;
• a rigid housing attached to the front end of the handle, the housing defining an insect trap compartment having a large aperture through which an insect is placed within the insect trap compartment;
• means slidable with respect to the handle and the housing in a plane between a retracted position and an extended position, for covering the insect trap compartment aperture in the extended position, and for uncovering said compartment aperture in the retracted position to permit access to the insect trap compartment, wherein the slidable means, in the extended position, and the housing cooperatively provide a fly swatter;
• wherein the slidable means comprises a planar mesh closure member, and wherein the housing includes a track for the closure member, the track comprising two parallel channels which define two sides of the compartment aperture, wherein the channels are arranged to support a front end portion of the closure member throughout its range of motion between the retracted and extended positions;
• and
• a rear slide clamp attached to a rear end portion of the mesh closure member, having a central notch through which the handle slidably extends, which provides means for slidably supporting the rear end portion of the mesh closure member relative to the handle.

A hand held fly swatter apparatus capable of being configured to capture insects alive from given surfaces to allow their subsequent disposal, the apparatus comprising:

• an elongate, resiliently flexible handle of a generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration, having a rear end intended to be grasped by a user, and a front end;
• a rigid, generally transparent housing attached to the front end of the handle and defining an insect trap compartment having a large aperture through which an insect is placed within the insect trap compartment, the housing including an upper wall and interconnected side walls extending downwardly to define the compartment aperture, wherein the upper wall includes a plurality of small apertures which allow air and water to pass but which are not large enough to permit a roach-sized insect to escape therethrough, the housing further including a projection which extends rearwardly from a side wall adjacent to the handle;
• a track including two parallel channels which define two sides of the compartment aperture, wherein the track is supported by side walls and the rearward projection of the housing;
• a planar mesh closure member supported within the track and slidable between a retracted position to permit access to the insect trap compartment through the compartment aperture, and an extended position wherein the mesh closure member covers the compartment aperture, wherein the housing and the mesh closure member, in its extended position, cooperatively provide a fly swatter;
• and
• a rear slide clamp attached to a rear end portion of the mesh closure member, having a central notch through which the handle slidably extends, for slidably supporting the rear end portion of the mesh closure member relative to the handle.

A hand held fly swatter apparatus capable of being configured to capture insects alive from given surfaces to allow their subsequent disposal, the apparatus comprising:

• an elongate handle having a rear end intended to be grasped by a user, and a front end;
• a rigid housing attached to the front end of the handle and defining an insect trap compartment having a large aperture through which an insect is placed within the insect trap compartment, the housing including an upper wall and interconnected side walls extending downwardly to define the compartment aperture, and a track positioned adjacent to an edge of the compartment aperture;
• a frameless planar mesh closure member supported within the track and slidable between a retracted position to permit access to the insect trap compartment through the compartment aperture, and an extended position wherein the mesh closure member covers the compartment aperture, wherein the housing and the mesh closure member, in its extended position, cooperatively provide a fly swatter;
• a projection extending rearwardly from the insect trap compartment, which projection supports a portion of the track designed to support a front end portion of the mesh closure member when placed in its retracted position;
• and
• a rear slide clamp attached to the rear end portion of the mesh closure member, having a central notch through which the handle slidably extends.