Patent ID: 6751901
Filing Date: 2004-06-22
Classification: A01M

Abstract:
A trap for ensnaring animals comprising:a snare comprising a loop lace, a loop lace anchoring line linked to the loop lace and anchoring means for fixedly anchoring the anchoring line, said loop lace defining a first length and said loop lace anchoring line defining a second length; a ground-resting frame; first and second jaws pivotally carried by said frame, said jaws being movable between an opened position in which said first and second jaws are spread apart, and a closed position in which said first and second jaws are closed against each other; releasable biasing means that bias said jaws towards said closed position; said biasing means being a resilient U-shaped spring member defining a first leg and a second leg, with said first leg releasably engaging a recess in said frame and with said second leg engaging said first and second jaws to bias said jaws towards said closed position, said trap further comprising a spring member anchor line attached to said spring member at a first end thereof and destined to be fixedly anchored at a second end thereof, said spring member anchor line defining a third length, whereby said spring member first leg can be forcibly removed from said recess to disable said biasing means thus selectively canceling its biasing action on said jaws; a lock movable between a first operative position, in which it retains said jaws in said opened position against the bias of said biasing member, and a second inoperative position in which it releases said jaws to allow them to move towards said closed position under the bias of said biasing mean; a lock trigger for forcing said lock towards said inoperative position upon a load being applied thereon; and a loop lace channel carrying said snare loop lace and comprising a first channel portion on said first jaw and a second channel portion on said second jaw, said first and second channel portions thus being movable with said first and second jaws, respectively, between said opened and closed positions of said jaws and carrying said loop lace with said jaws from said opened position towards said closed position, for positively moving said loop lace around an animal leg upon said jaws being triggered to move into said closed position on the animal leg; and a temporary retaining device on said anchoring line intermediate said loop lace and said anchoring means, said temporary retaining device being destined to be releasably anchored, the combined length of said loop first length and the position of said second length extending between said loop lace and said temporary retaining device being equal to or less than said third length, and said third length being less than said second length.