Patent ID: 6691452
Filing Date: 2004-02-17
Classification: A01M

Abstract:
A rodent trap comprising:a box having a top wall, a bottom wall, end walls, a front wall, and a rear wall enclosing a trap compartment; at least a first mouse opening in one of the front, rear, and side walls of the box; an elongated tube within the trap compartment, the tube having a first open end in communication with the first mouse opening and having a second end in communication with the trap compartment; an elongated tilt ramp within the tube having an entrance end adjacent the mouse opening of the box and having an exit end adjacent the exit opening of the tube; a ramp hinge pivotally mounting the tilt ramp within the tube for tilting movement about a ramp hinge axis from a first position wherein the entrance end is adjacent the bottom wall of the box adjacent the mouse opening and the exit end is elevated above the entrance end, to a second position wherein the exit end is lowered from the first position; a flap hinged about a horizontal flap axis and engaging the entrance end of the tilt ramp, the flap pivoting about the flap axis in response to movement of the tilt ramp from the first position to the second position; cam surfaces projecting upwardly from the tilt ramp adjacent the entrance end, the cam surfaces bearing against the flap for moving the flap about the flap axis during movement of the tilt ramp from the first to the second position; a bias member connected to the tilt ramp and biasing the tilt ramp to the first position, the bias member yielding in response to the weight of a mouse adjacent the exit end of the tilt ramp to permit the tilt ramp to move to the second position; and the fit ramp being movable from the first position to the second position in response to a downward force on the tilt ramp of four grams at a point between the hinge axis and the exit end and being one and five-sixteenth inches from the hinge axis.