Animal trap

An animal trap which is capable of operating in a confined space such as that of a hole. The trap comprises of a pair of jaws which are urged to a closed position and prevented from being opened once closed by a compression spring. A trigger mechanism is used to latchably maintain the said jaws in a open position and provides a animal with a means to disengage the said latch. The said jaws are pivotally mounted to and between two side frames which are secured to a circular base frame.

This invention is a new and useful an animal trap. It can be used as a foot 
trap for larger animals such as fox, coyotes, badgers or any animal that 
ill attempt to dig a attraction from a rodent sized hole in the ground. 
This invention can also be used as a body trap for smaller animals such as 
gophers, rats, ermine or similar sized animals that will enter or exit a 
borrow or small hole in the ground. 
The trigger style is the main determing factor of how the trap is used. 
BACKGROUND ART 
In the prior art of trapping their are many sizes and designs of traps that 
are used to capture an animal by the foot. The majority of these traps are 
not able to operate in a constricted space such as that of a hole. They 
also operate in a manner in which the animal to be trapped must step on 
the trap before the trigger mechanism is released allowing the jaws to 
close. A disadvantage of these traps is the difficulty of predicting where 
an animal is going to step and getting the animal to properly step on the 
trap. These traps inherent another disadvantage of having non-target 
animals interfere and getting caught in the trap. 
Typical trap designs that are able to operate in a constricted space of a 
hole are limited to capturing rodent sized animals. The majority do not 
positively prevent the jaws from opening once closed on an animal. 
Therefore they rely on the force of the spring to squeeze an animal which 
prevents the animal from escaping. Many are unable to take advantage of 
the strength of a jaw which is mounted at both ends, compared to that of a 
jaw that is mounted at one end. Others do not allow an animal to pass 
through the trap and use impaling devices that would result in undesirable 
pelt damage to smaller furbearing animals. 
SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
The present invention is an animal trap, which has pivotally mounted jaws 
that are held in an open position by a trigger. The trigger will release 
the jaws to a closed position if moved one or more directions. The jaws 
are urged to a closed position by a compression spring. The jaws are 
pivotally mounted to and between two side frames. One of the said side 
frames supporting the compression spring. A circular base secures the said 
side frames and provides a opening which allows the foot, body or vision 
to pass through the trap when the jaws are in an open position. 
The object of this invention is to provide an animal trap that will operate 
in a space no larger then that required to house the trap in the set 
position and having jaws that are positively prevented from being opened 
prior to complete closure of said jaws. 
It is a object of this invention to provide an animal trap that allows an 
animal to visually see the attraction used to lure the animal into the 
trap. The trap provided with a pull trigger will also allow an animal, 
such as a fox or coyote to place its nose in the trap without releasing 
the trigger mechanism. 
Another object of this invention is to provide a trap that is able to avoid 
certain animals by using their physical limitations and natural lack of 
interest in retrieving a attraction from a hole, which is used to house 
the trap. A useful example of this object is that it may permit a trapper 
to trap fox or coyotes while avoiding sheep and goats. 
It is another object of this invention to provide a trap that will swiftly 
kill rodents, such as gophers and rats, and similar sized animals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
Referring specifically to the drawings of the present invention. A metalic 
rod or shafting is bent to form a circle or ring which is used as a base 
frame 11. Side frames 12, 13 are that of flat iron. The said side frames 
12, 13 are secured parallel to each other on opposing sides of the said 
base frame 11. One of the said side frames 12 is extended. This extension 
supports a surrounding compression spring 14 and prevents side movement of 
the jaws when they are in a closed position by the said spring 14. 
Two holes 25, 26 are drilled or punched near the top of the springless side 
frame 13. Two holes 23, 24 are made in the said extended spring side frame 
12. The holes 25, 26, 23, 24 are all equal in distance from the base frame 
11. Therefore the holes 23, 24 in the extended spring side frame 12 are in 
alinement with the corresponding holes 25, 26 in the non spring side frame 
13. 
The jaws 15, 16 are primarily made by bending a length of metalic rod or 
shafting and are described in a closed position. The jaws 15, 16 are of 
semi-circular design from the points 25, 26 where they are pivotally 
mounted to the non spring side frame 12 to the points 35, 36 in which they 
are near the top of the said extended spring side frame 13. At these 
points 35, 36 they are bent in a outward and downward direction. 
The outward bend 35, 36 is made to allow the use of a spring 14 which has a 
greater inside diameter than that of the combined jaws 15, 16. Therefore 
this bend allows the spring to completely close the jaws 15, 16. 
The downward bend 35, 36 is made in such a manner that the jaws 15, 16 are 
allowed to closely extend along the inside of the said extended spring 
frame 12 to the points 23, 24 where they are bent to be pivotally mounted. 
This provides a means of the surrounding spring 14 to move the jaws 15, 16 
from an open position to a closed position smoothly and quickly. 
The ends of each jaw 15, 16 are bent in a manner in which they are straight 
outward directions. The jaws ends are placed in the said corresponding 
frame holes 24, 25 and 23, 26 and are allowed to freely pivot to and from 
open and closed positions. 
One of said jaws 15 has a trigger support 17. The said trigger support 17 
is made from a single length of metalic rod or shafting. The said trigger 
support 17 is secured to the outside of a jaw 15 near the non spring side 
frame 13. A obtuse bend is made to allow the said trigger support 17 to be 
positioned under the detent support on the opposing jaw, when the jaws are 
in a open position. 
A latch or detent support 18 is secured to the outside of the opposing jaw 
16 in which the said -trigger support 17 is secured. The detent support 18 
is made from a length of heavy gage metalic wire with an approximate right 
angle bend in the middle of said length of wire. When the said jaws 15, 16 
are in open position the said detent support 18 is positioned above that 
of the said trigger support 17 and allows the detent of a trigger to 
latchably engage and disengage. 
A multicoiled compression spring 14 encircles the spring side frame 12. The 
lower end of said spring 14 bearing against the base frame 11. The upper 
end of said spring bearing against the said jaws 15, 16 and said side 
frame 12. When the spring 14 is compressed and the jaw 15, 16 are in open 
position, the force of the said spring 14 wanting to return to its free 
length urges the jaws to a closed position. 
Once the spring 14 has reached a certain height on the jaws 15, 16 the 
force of the spring 14 and friction will not allow the said jaws 15, 16 to 
compress the spring by means of forcing the jaws to open position. The 
temper and strength of the spring 14 is one of the determing factors which 
allows prevention to take place. 
A pull type trigger FIG. 4 is formed from a single length of heavy gage 
metalic wire. A bend 32 is made near the end of said wire, to provide a 
latch or detent. A loop 33 is than made to form a eye which provides a 
means of pivotally mounting the said trigger FIG. 4 to the said trigger 
support 17. With the said trigger FIG. 4 pivotally mounted to said trigger 
support and said detent engaged in said detent support 18, the trigger is 
than latchably fastening the jaws together in a open position. In the 
described position, the extending member 34 extends towards the opposing 
side of jaw 16 and is terminated. The said extending member 34 provides an 
animal with a means of disengaging the detent when pulled forward. 
A trigger FIG. 3 which is capable of releasing the jaws 15, 16 when moved 
forward or rearward, is made from a single length of heavy gage metalic 
wire. A bend 27 is made near the end of the said wire and provides a latch 
or detent. At a distance from the detent bend 27 another bend 28 is made 
in a manner so the extending members from the bends 27, 28 are extending 
approximately the same direction. The distance between the bends 27, 28 is 
such that it allows the extending member from bend 28 to be placed under 
the said trigger support 17 and said detent to be engaged in said detent 
support 18 and the said trigger FIG. 3 is able to latchably fasten the 
jaws together in a open position. With trigger FIG. 3 and jaws 15, 16 in 
the described set position, the extending member from bend 28 extends 
towards the opposing side of the jaw 16 and is bent upwards 29. The 
extending member extends upwards from the upward bend 29 and is than bent 
30 so the extending member from the bend 30 is extending back towards the 
non-spring side frame and is terminated. 
The extending members from bend 28 provide contact area which ensures 
movement of the trigger FIG. 3 when an animal attempts to pass through the 
trap. When the said trigger FIG. 3 is pushed rearward by an animal the 
said extending member under the trigger support 17 is allowed to slide. 
Therefore the angle is changed friction recuded and stored energy of the 
said spring is allowed to close the jaw 15, 16 onto the animal. The jaws 
are allowed to completely close before the upward bend 30 of the trigger 
reaches the trigger support 17. Therefore the detent does not have to 
disengage from the detent support 18 to allow the jaws to completely 
close. 
With the trigger FIG. 3 and jaws 15, 16 in the described set position, the 
detent will disengage from the detent support of the said extending 
trigger members are pulled forward by an animal. 
Number 19 is used to show a method of anchoring the trap. This anchoring 
prevents an animal from running off with the trap once caught, this 
anchoring method and many more are known in the prior art. 
The preferred placement of this invention is that of a hole. Whether a 
naturally exiting hole or a man made hole is used, it is preferred that 
the hole diameter be just large enough for the trap, in the set position, 
to be inserted inside the hole. A small trench can be made in the bottom 
of the hole for the chain to lay in. The chain and bottom jaw 16 can be 
lightly covered with dirt to help conceal the trap. A attraction 10 may be 
placed on or behind the trigger to help lure a animal into the trap. If 
the trap is placed in a burrow or tunnel that a animal is using as a 
doorway a attraction is not necessary and the trap is placed in the hole 
facing the direction the animal is coming from. 
This invention is of simple and durable construction. Being all parts are 
of metal, welding is suitable for securing the parts together. 
While I have described my invention in a preferred design, it is to be 
understood that various changes may be made without departing from the 
spirit and scope of this invention. I intend to cover these variation in 
my claims.