LEGHOLD TRAP WITH REINFORCED JAW PADDINGS

Abstract: A padded leghold trap of the pivoting jaw type includes jaw pads (46) having reinforcement members disposed therein to permit flexure of the pads about axes oriented transversely to the pad length, but to preclude opening or widening of a channel (55) defined in the pad for receiving and engaging the trapping jaw. The reinforcement members include a plurality of metal members (56) disposed in edge-to-edge relationship along the length of the pads (46). Since the individual reinforcement members are not secured to one another, the pad is capable of flexure about axes perpendicular to its length. However, the rigid reinforcement members preclude opening of the channel (55) in which the trap jaw is engaged. The pad channel (55) may include two projections (57, 58) formed integrally with the pad that extend into the channel and reduce the opening to preclude inadvertent removal of the jaw from the pad. Alternatively, one of the channel defining walls (91) may be bent to enclose the channel and overlap the other channel-defining wall (93).

Description: LEGHOLD TRAP WITH REINFORCED JAW PADDINGS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Technical Field The present invention relates generally to padded pivotable jaw animal leghold traps of the kind in which a spring-loaded actuator controls the position of the jaws. More particularly, the invention relates to improved leghold traps which firmly and reliably hold a trapped limb without injuring or producing edema in the 1imb. Discussion of the Prior Art The leghold trap of the present invention is an improvement of the trap sold for many years by the assignee of the present invention (Victor Animal Trap Company, Division of oodstrea Corporation, Lititz, Pennsylvania) as the "No. 1.75 PROFESSSIONAL". Traps of this general nature are illustrated in the following U.S. patents: 2,489,095; 2,632,974; 4,240,223; 4,272,907; 4,184,282; and 4,175,351. This type of trap is characterized by a pair of pivotable jaws which are biased from a substantially 180 set position to an abutting sprung position by a spring-loa_ded actuator. The actuator has at least one aperture through which both jaws extend and which forcefully snaps the jaws together when the trap is sprung. The jaws can be moved to their set position wherein a dog member is rotated over one of the jaws to engage a pan-type trigger disposed between the open jaws. The engaged dog member prevents the jaws from closing in response to the urging force of the actuator. When the pan is rotated, as by an animal stepping thereon, the dog member is released and leaves the jaws unrestra ned. The" actuator snaps the jaws shut and traps the animal's leg or other appendage therebetween. In unpadded traps, the snapping shut of the jaws has been known to injure the trapped animal, such as by breaking a bone in a trapped limb, rupturing blood vessels in the trapped limb to produce edema, etc. Apart from the resulting trauma and possible permanent damage, under some conditions the trapped appendage becomes numb, causing certain trapped animals to gnaw upon and, in some cases, entirely amputate the trapped limb in an effort to escape. In an attempt to avoid these undesirable consequences, padded jaw traps have been proposed. The padding of jaws in animal traps has long been known, as indicated by the following U.S. patents: 870,251; 1,461,743; 1,825,193; 2,128,579; 2,146,464; 2,316,970; 3,939,596; 4,175,351; and 4,184,282. The purpose of the padding material on the trap is to reduce the peak load applied to the trapped appendage upon impact of the jaws while firmly holding the appendage against escape. Although prior art padded traps have partially succeeded in this purpose, there are still a number of instances where the impact of the padded jaws ruptures blood vessels in the trapped limb and produces a swelling or edema. The resulting pain and numbness, with their attendant consequences as described above, still present a major problem for trappers, as to both humane and pelt appearance considerations. In addition, some padded jaw traps, although quite effective in avoiding injury to the trapped animal, are unable to retain the animal in the trap after the jaws have been sprung. In these traps, it is usua lly the inj ury-prevent ion design which inadver tently fac ilitates the ability of the animal to escape . In co-pending U.S. patent application serial number 06/557,322, filed December 2, 1983, by Gerald A. Thomas and William E. Askins, and which is owned by the same assignee as the present patent application, there is described a padding arrangement for the jaws of a leghold trap wherein the jaws of the trap have facing edges which are provided with elongated recesses. Each recess receives a respective pad which is configured so as to barely touch the other pad along a lineal contact when the jaws are adjacent one another in the sprung position of the trap. The facing surface of each pad is concave in the radial or thickness dimension of the jaw and includes an inner radial edge which provides the aforesaid contact in the sprung position of the jaws, leaving the remaining portions of the facing concave surfaces spaced from one another. The resulting structure permits the jaws to be snapped shut on an animal's limb while keeping the metal jaws sufficiently spaced, relative to the trapped limb, so as to avoid both bone breakage and blood vessel rupture. Instead, the resiliently deformable concave pads impact the trapped limb without rupturing blood vessels therein. . Edema is thereby eliminated and the animal's limb may be retained in the trap without injury or damage. The radially inner edge of each pad initially compresses and raises a ridge of flesh on the trapped limb. As the animal attempts to pull the trapped limb out from between the pads, the concavity of the pads permits the radially inner edges to roll inwardly toward the concavity and against the trapped limb, thereby wedging the limb between the turned-in edges and increasing the retention force of the padded jaws on the trapped limb. The recesses in the trapping portion of the jaws permit the jaws to be closed on a trapped limb to a smaller mutual jaw angle than can be achieved without recessed jaws. This permits the use of lower pressure actuator springs which also serve to minimize the trauma on the trapped limb. Further, the reduced spring pressure facilitates the rolling of the pad edge to increase retention forces in response to attempts to pull the limb out from between the jaws. The pad has a front segment terminating at one side in a forward-facing surface, and a channel-defining rear segment disposed on the opposite side of the front segment from the facing surface. The channel-defining rear segment has an interior elongated channel defined therein which is adapted to resiliently engage the recessed portion of the jaw on which the pad is disposed. An access slot is defined along the outer radially-facing side of the channel-defining segment to permit that segment to be slipped over the jaw for deployment thereon. A cover or retainer takes the form of an elongated two-sided bracket wherein one side, serving as a cover section, is positioned atop the radially-outward facing surface of the channel-defining segment so as to cover the access slot. A forwardly disposed lip of the cover section is bent downwardly to resiliently deform the pad and thereby secured against the jaw to prevent the pad from being pulled loose from the jaw by a trapped animal. The padding arrangement in the aforesaid Thomas, et al., patent application functions extremely well in eliminating damage and injury to a trapped animal upon impact of the trapped jaws on the animal's limb. However, the aforementioned cover section with the forwardly disposed lip is a requirement to assure that the pad is not torn loose by a struggling trapped animal. The cover section is an additional part, which adds to the cost, and also is somewhat difficult to install, particularly by trappers who must replace the padding periodically. OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an animal leghold trap of the type described wherein the jaw padding requires no additional structure to secure the padding to the jaw. Still another object of the present invention is to provide a leghold trap of the type described wherein padding for a trap jaw is reinforced so as to be flexible as necessary to conform to the jaw configuration, but sufficiently inflexible in at least one dimension so as to prevent inadvertent removal of the pad from the trap jaw. A further object of the present invention is to provide optimized concavity in the forward-facing jaw surface to assure that a struggling trapped animal causes the padded jaws to increase their gripping forces in response to the struggling efforts. In accordance with the present invention, the structure described in the aforementioned Thomas, et al., patent application is employed in conjunction with a novel jaw pad. The jaw pad takes the form of an elongated resilient pad member having a longitudinally- extending forward-facing surface, and a channel defined at its rearward-facing side. The trap jaw is disposed within the channel and in one embodiment, the channel has a U-shaped cross-section and the jaw is retained therein by projections extending into the channel from the channel sides. The resilient pad member in the said one embodiment is reinforced by a series of metal U-shaped members disposed in edge-to-edge relation and embedded within the resilient member. The resilient pad member may be flexed transversely of its length by virtue of the unconnected joints between adjacent U-shaped members. The U-shaped members are, of themselves, substantially inflexible so that the engagement channel defined between the legs of the U-shaped members cannot be spread apart to permit release of the pad from the jaw. The gripping projections which extend into the channel to retain the jaw within the pad member are formed integrally with the resilient member and extend both depthwise and transversely into the channel. The transverse space between the two projections is smaller than the thickness of the jaw so that the jaw can be forced through the projections but cannot be pulled out therebetween. In another embodiment the channel cross-sec ion is peripherally enclosed and, in effect, constitutes a modification of the U-shaped cross-section in that one leg of the U is longer than the o ther and is wra pped around the back of the jaw and par t of the o ther leg . In this embod iment the reinforcement members are s imi lar ly modi f ied in cross -section to ass ur e tha t the wrapped pad canno t be opened and removed from the j aw by a trapped animal. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and other objects, features and many of the attendant advantages of the present invention will be better understood upon reading the following detailed description considered- in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like parts in each of the several figures are identified by the same reference numerals, and wherein: Figure 1 is a view in plan of one embodiment of the trap of the present invention showing the trap in the set position; Figure 2 is a view in perspective of one embodiment of a pad employed in conjunction with the jaws of the trap of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a plan view in partial section of the pad of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a view in perspective of the trap of Figure 1 showing the trap in its sprung position and illustrating the trap being pulled upon by a trapped animal; Figure 5 is a view in section showing the jaws and pad portions of the trap of Figure 1 in its sprung position and illustrating the relationship between the jaws, the pad and the reinforcement members within the pad; Figure 6 is a view in perspective showing the pad of Figure 2 secured to a jaw of the trap of Figure 1; Figure 7 is a view in transverse section of the trap of Figure 1 in its sprung position showing the jaws and pads and the manner in which the concave forward facing surfaces of the pads abut, and the manner in which the pad is engaged on the jaws; Figure 8 is a partial top view in plan of the structure of Figure 6; Figure 9 is a view in transverse section of one configuration of the forward-facing portion of the pad of Figure 2; Figure 10 is a vie in plan of a trap jaw combined with another pad embodiment according to the present invention; and Figure 11 is a view in section taken along lines 11-11 of Figure 10. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS With the exception of the pad structure per se, the trap of the present invention is substantially identical to the trap disclosed in the aforementioned Thomas, et al., patent application Serial No. 06/557,322; therefore, the subject matter of that patent application is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Referring specifically to Figures 1-7 of the accompanying drawings, a trap according to the present invention includes a frame comprising a first base member 10 and a second base member 11. Members 10 and 11 are N preferably made of steel " , as are the other elements of the trap, except for the padding, and are joined together by welding, or the like, intermediate their ends to form a cross-like frame. Base member 10, which is disposed below base member 11, has opposite ends which are upwardly bent to define respective flanges 13 and 15. The flanges extend in a vertical plane when the trap is deployed, and each is provided with a pair of horizontally-spaced jaw-pivoting apertures designated by the reference numerals 16, 17 for flange 13, and 18, 19 for flange 15. The second base member has a dog-mounting end 20 which is bent generally upward. The opposite or support end 21 of the base member is bent downward below the main body of the base member. A pair of generally C-shaped jaws 22, 23 are pivotably secured to flanges 13 and 15, more specifically, opposite end portions of jaw 22 are pivotably received in apertures 17, 19 of flanges 13, 15, respectively. Opposite ends of jaws 23 are pivotably received in apertures 16, 18 of flanges 13, 15, respectively. Apertures 17 and 19 are aligned to define a horizontal pivot axis for jaw 22, which axis is parallel to a pivot axis for jaw 23 defined by aligned apertures 16 and 18. Jaws 22 and 23 are pivotable between a set position (illustrated in Figure 1) in which the jaws are angularly spac"ed by approximately 180 , and a sprung position (illustrated in Figure 4) in which the -angle between the jaws is substantially 0 . A pair of longitudinally-aligned inverted V-shaped segments 25, 26 are defined along one of the longitudinally-extending edges of base member 10. The V-shaped segments are bent upwardly from base member 10 to form respective slots 27, 28 just above the top surface of base member 10. Slot 27 and slot 28 serve to define respective pivot axes for jaw actuator levers, as described below. A U-shaped spring retainer pin 30 has two parallel legs which extend along the two actuator pivot axes defined by slots 27 and 28, respectively. Specifically, one leg of retainer pin 30 extends through slot 27 while the other leg extends through slot 28. The center portion of the U-shaped pin 30 resides in a recess 31 formed across the top surface of base member 11 at a location between dog-mounting end 20 and the intersection with the other base member 10. Recess 31 minimizes movement of pin 30 longitudinally of the legs of the pin. A pair of actuator levers 33 and 35 are pivotably mounted on respective legs of pin 30. The pivotable mounting of lever 33 is achieved with apertures defined in spaced flang ' es 36, 37 which are disposed in respective vertical planes and receive one leg of pin 30 at locations adjacent respective longitudinally-extending sides of the base member 10. Similar flanges are provided for actuator lever 35 to engage the other leg of pin 30 at respective sides of base member 10. The main body of each lever 33 and 35 is apertured in a plane which contains, or is at least parallel with, the pivot axis for that lever, which axis is defined by the leg of pin 30 engaged by the apertured flanges of that lever. The actuator lever pivot axes are disposed horizontally, when the trap is deployed, and are perpendicular to the pivot axes for jaws 22, 23. The aperture in the actuator levers is wide enough to surround respective portions of jaws 22, 23 in their sprung position and in the closed position of actuator levers 33, 35. In this regard it should be noted that when the actuator levers are in their closed position, the lever apertures force the trap jaws closed to the sprung position of the jaws. The outside edge of each jaw is preferably tapered (i.e., narrowing toward its ends) at 39 to permit the apertures in the actuator levers to accelerate closure of the jaws. In addition, the outside of each jaw may be provided with a shoulder 38 to abut the periphery of the apertures.^in actuator levers 33, 35 in the closed position to thereby define the closed position by preventing further closure of the mutual angle between the actuator levers. This closed position angle of the actuator levers 33 and 35 is an acute angle which is greater than 0 and, in the illustrated embodiment, is approximately 68 . In the open position of the levers, the angle between them is approximately 180 . The inner or forward-facing edges of each jaw 22, 23 are provided with a pair of longitudinally-spaced protrusions 24 which extend lengthwise along the jaws. Each of the two longitudinally-spaced protrusions 24 on jaw 22 is aligned with and contacts a corresponding protrusion 24 on jaw 23 in the sprung position of jaws 22 and 23. Protrusions 24 define the sprung position and, for this purpose, are preferably smooth-surfaced. In addition, the forward-facing surfaces of the spaced protrusions 24 on each jaw are co-planar to define a contact plane which abuts a similar plane in the sprung jaw condition. Protrusions 24 are each jaw are longitudinally spaced along the jaw by a distance which is slightly less than the spacing between the actuator levers 33, 35 along the jaws in the closed position of the levers. The lengthwise section of each jaw between spaced protrusions 24 is cut away to form a recess 45. The recesses in each jaw are recessed from the opposite jaw such that the recessed central portions (i.e., the trapping portions) of the jaws are spaced from one another in the sprung jaw position. The recessed or trapping portion 45 of each jaw is partially enveloped by a pad 46 of resiliently flexible material. This - 15 - material, for example, may be any one of a number of resilient materials such as rubbers, elastomers, copolymers, etc., either crosslinked or thermoplastic. In one preferred embodiment, the material may be a peroxide-cured composition of an ethylene-propylene-diene rubber, reinforced with carbon black to an approximate hardness of between fifty and fifty-five on the Shore A scale. This material has the advantageous properties of strength and traction, as well as resistance to permanent set and environmental degradation. In addition, the material has a "cold flow" characteristic which permits it to resiliently conform to a trapped limb compressed against the facing surface 49 of the pad. Pad 46 includes a forward segment 47 and a rearward segment 48. In the preferred embodiment, segments 47 and 48 are formed individually and then permanently joined together by any suitable means, such as ultrasonic welding, heat curing, etc. The forward segment 47 has a forward-facing surface 49 which is adapted to just contact the facing surface of the forward segment 47 of the pad on the opposite jaw without significant flexure in the sprung jaw position. More particularly, forward-facing surface 49 is substantially concave in the depth dimension of jaws 22, 23, which dimension extends radially from the - π - jaw pivot axes. The general concavity of forward-facing surface 49 results in a radially inner edge 50 and a radially outer edge 51 defining two mutually parallel and opposite longitudinally-extending edges of the forward- facing surface. Forward- acing surface 49 has two recesses or grooves 52, 53 extending longitudinally thereof on opposite sides of a substantially centrally disposed and longitudinally-extending base portion 54. The precise configuration of a preferred embodiment of the forward segment 47 is described hereinbelow in relation to Figure 9. The rear segment 48 of pad 46 has a generally U-shaped configuration which opens to the rearward-facing side of the pad. In other words, the opening in the U-shaped channel 55 faces in the opposite direction to the forward-facing surface 49 of the forward segment 47. A plurality of substantially rigid reinforcing core elements 56 are embedded in the rearward section 48. The core elements 56 are bent in a generally U-shaped configuration, corresponding to the U-shaped configura- tion of channel 55. The core elements 56 are positioned adjacent one another in side-by-side relation along the length of the pad. More particularly, each core member 56 is a flat elongated member, preferably made of metal, with its length dimension bent in the U-configuration and its width dimension extending longitudinally of the pad. The adjacent core members may be embedded in the pad in the manner described and illustrated in U.S. patent No. 3,222,769 (Le Plae) . As illustrated in Figures 3 and 5, the individual core members 56 are somewhat movable relative to one another so that the pad is flexible about axes extending transversely of its length. However, the rigidity of the individual core members 56 prevent the channel 55 from being opened. As best illustrated in Figures 6, 7 and 8, the recessed or trapping portion 45 of a jaw (22, 23) is disposed within the channel 55 when the pad is assembled to the trap. The pad includes two lips or projections 57, 58 disposed at opposite rearward-facing ends of the rearward section 48. The projections 57, 58 extend along the entire length of the pad and extend at an angle so as to project both toward one another and depthwise of the channel 55. An opening of reduced thickness is formed between the lips 57 and 58 such that the distal ends of the lips are spaced by less than the thickness of trapping portion 45 of the jaw. The resilience of the material from which the pad is made permits the trapping portion 45 of the jaw to be forced through the small opening between projections 57 and 58. The depth of channel 55, from the base of the U-shaped configuration to the tips of projections 57, 58, is at least equal to the width of the trapping portion 45 of the jaw. Thus, when the trapping portion 45 of the jaw is forced through the opening between projections 57 and 58, it may reside completely within the channel 55. The tips of projections 57 and 58, which are directed back toward the inserted trapping portion 45, preclude removal of the pad from the jaw. In effect, the pad is snapped on to the trapping portion of the jaw and the projections 57, 58 prevent removal. The rigidity of the core members 56 prevent opening of channel 55 so that the spacing between projections 57 and 58 is not altered. An animal having a limb trapped between the jaws is unable to pull the pads free from the jaws due to the rigid channel configuration effected by the core members 56, and to the reduced channel opening provided by the p ojections 57 and 58. No special bracket or securing member is necessary, therefore, to secure the pad to the trap jaw. The configuration of the forward-facing surfaces 49 of the two pads on respective jaws 22, 23 is such that when the jaws are in their sprung position with opposed protrusions 24 abutting one another and nothing between the trapped jaws, the radially inner edges 50 of the two jaw-mounted pads contact one another. In addition, the radially outer edges 51 of the two pads may contact one another, although such contact between the outer edges 51 is not critical and need not be present in the sprung jaw condition. In either case, the concave sections between the edges 50, 51 of the two facing surfaces 49 are mutually bowed in the fully sprung jaw position. Thus, these concave sections are recessed from one another, inwardly of the protrusions 24. In other words, the width dimension of the front pad segment 47 at its narrowest point (i.e., at the radial center of the concavity of forward-facing surface 49) is less than the depth of the recess forming recessed trapping section 45 of the jaw relative to protrusions 24. The width dimension of the front segment 47 at its thickest part (i.e., at edges 50, 51), on the other hand, is substantially equal to the depth of the recessed section 45 relative to protrusions -24. Referring specifically to Figure 1, a trigger pan 70 is pivotably mounted on base member 11 for movement about a horizontal axis which is oriented slightly above and generally perpendicular to the legs of U-shaped retainer pin 30. Dog member 71 is pivotably mounted to the dog retaining end of base member 11 so as to be pivotable about a horizontal axis oriented generally parallel to the pan trigger pivot axis. Pan 70 has a neck portion 73 which includes a dog-retaining slot facing the dog member 71 and which is adapted to receive and hold the distal end of the dog member in a set position of the trap. Jaw 23, in its set position, resides beneath dog member 71 or, more accurately, between the dog member and the base member 11. When the distal end of the dog member is retained in the trigger pan slot, jaw 23 is restrained by the dog member from moving from its set position to the sprung position. This, in turn, restrains movement of both actuator levers 33, 35 from their open position, thereby opposing the bias force of the actuator springs. The actuator springs 74, 75 take the form of helical springs surrounding respective legs of retainer pin 30 at a location between the base of the U-shaped pin and base member 10. One "end of each spring 74, 75 is disposed beneath the base member 11. The other ends are retained along the undersides of respective actuator levers 33, 35 to bias these levers toward their closed position. Base member 10 is provided with a depending toggle eye member 76 to which a trapped anchor chain 77 is secured beneath the trap. Typically, the distal end 79 of the anchor chain is staked to the ground to prevent a trapped animal from fleeing from the trap clamped to its leg or other appendage. A helical compression spring 78 is secured between the links of the chain 77 to provide an expandable or resilient "give" reaction to the pulling on the chain by a trapped animal. The toggle eye member 76 is secured to the underside of base member 11 in a manner to permit free rotation of the toggle member about the longitudinal axis of its stem portion 85, as best illustrated in Figure 4. This axis is oriented perpendicular to base member 10. The toggle member is secured at a location which is substantially centered with respect to the two pivot axes of the jaws as determined by the aligned apertures 16, 18 for jaw 23 and apertures 17, 19 for jaw 22. In addition, the toggle eye member 76 is located substantially centrally of flanges 13 and 15 on base member 10. In operation, the trap is set by forcing the actuator levers 33, 35 apart against the bias force of springs 74, 75, respectively, until the levers abut base member 10. Jaws 22, 23 are then opened to their set position and the distal end of dog member 71 is inserted into the trigger pan retainer slot. With the trap thusly set, the dog member 71 is urged firmly into the trigger pan slot by the force of springs 74, 75 acting through levers 33, 35 and jaw 23. When an animal steps on and rotates the trigger pan 70 the trigger pan slot in neck portion 73 is rotated upward and releases the dog member 71. The dog member then no longer restrains jaw 23 which, in turn, no longer restrains the actuator levers 33, 35. These levers are thus rapidly pivoted closed by springs 74, 75 and force the jaws 22, 23 to spring shut to their sprung position. When the jaws 22 and 23 are sprung on an animal's leg, as best illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, the spacing between the metal jaws at recesses 45 and the presence of pads 46 in recesses 45 reduce the immediate impact and therefore avoid breaking of bones 81 in the trapped limb 80. The recesses 45 themselves prevent the metal portions of the opposed jaws from coming any closer together than the combined depths of the recesses 45, which depths are selected to be greater than the diameter of the leg of an animal to be trapped. As a consequence, the impact of the forward-facing surfaces 49 on the trapped limb is reduced to the point where even rupture of blood vessels in the trapped limb is avoided. Therefore, the impact of the jaws does not produce swelling and does not numb the animal's limb. The ultimate desirable result is that a trapper can release the animal from the trap uninjured. It can be seen, therefore, that the trap, as desired, is more humane than prior leghold traps. When an animal's limb is trapped between the jaws, or more particularly, between the pads, the original geometric concavity of the forward-facing surfaces 49 deforms slightly (but not to the point of becoming convex) due to the resiliency of the pads under the pressure of the spring-biased jaws and the opposing pressure of the trapped limb 80. The radial edges 50, 51 of the forward-facing surfaces 49 causes ridges of flesh to be formed quickly adjacent edges 50, 51 of the pads. As the animal attempts to pull the trapped limb radially outward, the ridge of flesh adjacent each radially inner edge 50 tends to roll that edge of the pad over toward the concave surface 49, calising the edges 50 to sink further into the flesh and tighten the retention pressure on the trapped limb. This retention of the trapped limb would not be possible if facing surfaces 49 were originally flat or convex, or if such surfaces became convex in the sprung position of the jaws. An important key to retention of the trapped animal is the raised ridges of flesh which are effected by forward-projecting edges 50. The raised ridges of flesh should not be confused with edema or swelling resulting from ruptured blood vessels. The rupturing of blood vessels would cause numbing as well as possible permanent injury, not to mention the potential danger of the trapped animal gnawing at its numbed trapped limb. The padded jaws of the present invention avoids such blood vessel rupture but grip the trapped animal tightly enough to raise the ridges of flesh which aid in the turning over of the edges 50 and increase the holding force exerted on the trapped limb between the padded jaws. The retention of the trapped limb is also aided by the patterns formed at forward-facing surfaces 49, which patterns constitute grooves or recesses 52, 53 and exert tractional forces against the trapped limb. The ability of the edge 50 to turn in toward surface 49 and the trapped limb 80 in response to withdrawal attempts by the trapped animal is facilitated by the use of actuator springs of lower pressure than is feasible in prior art leghold traps of the same size. In particular, since the facing trapping portions of the jaws are recessed, the angle between the sprung jaws when a limb is trapped therebetween is smaller than would be the case for unrecessed jaws. The smaller mutual jaw spacing permits the actuator levers 33, 35 to ride higher up on the sprung jaws when a limb is trapped between the jaws, thereby affording the levers a greater mechanical advantage. When this greater mechanical advantage is available, a trapped limb can be retained securely between the jaws with weaker actuator springs for the jaws. The use of weaker actuator springs has two important advantages: First, it reduces trauma upon impact against the trapped limb, thereby further reducing the possibility of blood vessel rupture; and second, it permits edges to roll over, in the manner described, in response to outward pulling of the trapped limb. This rolling over requires an initial slight spreading of the jaws as the animal's limb is pulled before the edges 50 can turn over and rotate inwardly of the limb. The momentary spreading is made possible by the fact that the springs of reduced force or pressure can be employed. The reduction in spring pressure from that required for prior padded traps of the same size on the order of 35%. As best illustrated in Figure 4, the location of the toggle eye member 76 in a substantially central location, as described above, provides a further advantageous feature of the trap. Specifically, with the proximal end of anchor chain 77 approximately centered, all pulling and tugging of the trapped animal is directed substantially perpendicular to the jaws 22, 23 at the location of the trapped limb. This permits the full retention effect produced by the rolling edges 50 to be employed against limb withdrawal attempts exerted by the animal. In addition, since all withdrawal attempt forces are directed substantially radially outward and axially along the trapped limb, the limb does not tend to move from position to the other between the pads 46 in response to the withdrawal attempt forces. Such movement, which is possible in many prior art padded traps, exerts frictional forces on the limb which damage the flesh and/or fur and which, if prolonged, could result in edema. As briefly mentioned above, it is not crucial for the outer edges 51 of the pads to meet in the fully sprung jaw condition. This is so because only the inner edges 50 are required to roll over in response to escape attempts by pulling on the trapped limb. Thus, outer edges 51 may be mutually spaced in the fully sprung position. One form of preferred forward segment 47 of the trap pad of the present invention is illustrated in detail in Figure 9. The forward segment illustrated in Figure 9 has its transverse cross-section oriented symmetrically about an imaginary plane extending in the depth dimension of the pad (i.e., perpendicular to the plane of the drawing and vertical within the plane of the drawing). The base portion 54 defines the depth of the concavity of the forward-facing surface 49 and has its width dimension bisected by the aforesaid imaginary plane. The two grooves or recesses 52 and 53 are symmetrically disposed on opposite sides of the base portion 54 and on opposite sides of the imaginary plane. The portion of surface 49 extending between groove 52 and edge 50 is concave, as is the portion of the surface extending between groove 53 and edge 51. In the configuration illustrated in Figure 9, the width (i.e., the horizontal dimension in the drawing of Figure 9) of base portion 54 in a typical embodiment was 0.1 inches; the depth of the concavity (i.e., between base portion 54 and the plane of the fofwardmost portions of edges 50, 51) is 0.1 inches; and the width of the concavity (i.e., the largest spacing between the edges 50, 51) is 0.375 inches. It is noted that the edges 50, 51 are curved convexly, that is, they have a slight radius. The forward segment 47 of the pad may also have a substantially flatter forward facing surface, such as illustrated in the embodiment of Figures 10 and 11. That embodiment is illustrated herein primarily for its alternative means for engaging the trip jaw 45; however, the flattened forward facing surface may be useful for certain padded traps irrespective of the particular jaw engagement arrangement employed. In the engagement arranged of the embodiment of Figures 10 and 11, the rear segment 91 of the pad 90 is modified by extending one leg 92 of the U-shaped cross-section sufficiently to permit leg 92 to be wrapped around the back of the jaw 45 and over the leg 93. The reinforcing core elements 96 are similarly modified so that the overlapping portions cannot be readily unwrapped without the use of a tool. This embodiment eliminates the need for engagement lips required for the embodiment of Figures 1 to 7. It should be noted that a damaged pad can be replaced by prying it off the trap jaw with a screwdriver or the like. A new pad can then be snapped or bent into place on the jaw by a trapper in the field without need for sophisticated equipment. The major advantageous features of the invention as described herein are as follows: (1) The use of reinforcement elements embedded in the pad to permit flexure of the pad while preventing opening of the channel 55; (2) the use of projections 57, 58, in conjunction with the channel 55, to permit insertion of the trapping portion of the trap jaws into channel 55 but to preclude removal of the jaw between the space defined between the projections 57 and 58; and (3) the use of foldover portion 92 to engage the jaw within the pad. The principles described hereinabove for the actuator lever-type leghold trap are equally applicable to the "long spring" version of a leghold trap. The present invention includes a trap which is more humane than prior leghold traps and which includes a pad that is simple to manufacture and which reliably engages the metal jaw portion of the trap. Having described several embodiments of a new and improved leghold animal trap constructed in accordance with the present invention, it is believed that other modifications, variations and changes will be suggested to those skilled- in the art in view of the foregoing description. It is therefore to be understood that all such variations, modifications and changes are believed to fall within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims: I CLAIM : 1 . An animal legho ld tra p compr i s ing : a frame ; first and second jaws pivotably mounted on said frame for movement between set and sprung positions, said set position being characterized by a relatively large angular spacing between said jaws, said sprung position being characterized by mutual contact between said jaws; spring-loaded actuator means, movable between open and closed positions, for continually biasing said jaws toward said sprung position; setting means for defining said relatively large angular spacing by holding said jaws in said set position against the urging of said actuator means; actuable trigger means for releasing said setting means to permit the jaws to be snapped to said sprung position by said actuator means; wherein said first and second jaws are respective first and second longitudinally-bent elongated rigid members having respective trapping edges which are positioned in adjacent mutually facing relationship in the sprung position of said jaws; and first and second elongated pads secured to said first and second elongated rigid members, respectively, each pad comprising: an elongated resilient pad member having a longitudinally-extending forward-facing surface, a longitudinally-extending rearward-facing side having a longitudinally-extending channel defined therein and extending along the entire length of the resilient member for receiving a respective bent elongated rigid member of a trap jaw, means securing the received bent elongated rigid member in said channel, and reinforcement means disposed within said elongated resilient member for rendering said elongated resilient member transversely flexible to permit conformity to the bend in said received bent elongated rigid member but substantially inflexible to widening of said channel to preclude inadvertent separation of said elongated resilient member from the received rigid member. 2. The leghold trap according to Claim 1 wherein said reinforcement means comprises a plurality of separate generally U-shaped metal members disposed within said resilient member, each metal member having a pair of legs which are mutually spaced at one end and joined by a base section at a second end, the metal members being positioned in edge-to-edge adjacent longitudinal alignment with the base sections having outer surfaces facing forward of said pad member. 3. The leghold trap according to Claim 2 wherein said metal members are entirely embedded in said resilient member and are positioned such that said channel is disposed between the legs of said metal members. 4. The leghold trap according to Claim 3 wherein said securing means comprises projection means disposed in said channel and includes first and second projections formed integrally with said resilient member and extending both depthwise and transversely into said channel to define a transverse space therebetween which is smaller than the thickness of each of said bent rigid members. 5. The leghold trap according to Claim 4 wherein each bent rigid member includes a rearward-facing edge opposite said trapping edge to define a jaw depth dimension between said trapping and rearward facing edges, and wherein each of said projections has a distal end which is spaced from the forwardmost portion of said channel by a distance which is no greater than the jaw depth dimension along said trapping portion. 6. The leghold trap according to Claim 5 wherein said forward-facing surface of each resilient elongated pad member is generally concave and has two parallel spaced recesses defined therein extending longitudinally of said pad member. 7. The leghold trap according to Claim 6 wherein said forward-facing surface is substantially symmetrical about an imaginary plane extending in a depth dimension of the pad member, said forward-facing surface including a base portion defining the depth of said cavity and which is intersected by said imaginary plane and disposed such that said two recesses extend along opposite sides thereof on- opposite sides of said imaginary plane. 8. The leghold trap according to claim 3 wherein said securing means comprises one wall of said channel bent to abut the other wall of said channel and enclose the received bent elongated rigid member of a trap jaw. 9. The leghold trap according to Claim 1 wherein said securing means comprises projection means disposed in said channel and includes first and second projections formed integrally with said resilient member and extending both depthwise and transversely into said channel to define a transverse space therebetween which is smaller than the thickness of each of said bent rigid members. 10. The leghold trap according to claim 1 wherein said securing means comprises one wall of said channel bent to abut the other wall of said channel and enclose the received bent elongated rigid member of a trap jaw. 11. The leghold trap according to Claim 1 wherein each bent rigid member includes a rearward-facing edge opposite said trapping edge to define a jaw depth dimension between said trapping and rearward facing edges, and wherein each of said projections has a distal end which is spaced from the forwardmost portion of said channel by a distance which is no greater than the jaw depth dimension along said trapping portion. 12. The leghold trap according to Claim 1 wherein said forward-facing surface of each resilient elongated pad member is generally concave and has two parallel spaced recesses defined therein extending longitudinally of said pad member. 13. The leghold trap according to Claim 12 wherein said forward-facing surface is substantially symmetrical about an imaginary plane extending in a depth dimension of the pad member, said forward-facing surface including a base portion defining the depth of said cavity and which is intersected by said imaginary plane and disposed such that said two recesses extend along opposite sides thereof on opposite sides of said imaginary plane. 14. An animal leghold trap comprising: a frame; first and second jaws pivotably mounted on said frame for movement between set and sprung positions, said set position being characterized by a relatively large angularly spacing between said jaws, said sprung position being characterized by mutual contact between said jaws; spring-loaded actuator means, movable between open and closed positions, for continually biasing said jaws toward said sprung position; setting means for defining said relatively large angularly spacing by holding said jaws in said set position against the urging of said actuator means; actuator trigger means for releasing said setting means to permit the jaws to be snapped to said sprung position by said actuator means; wherein said first and second jaws are respective first and second longitudinally bent elongated rigid members having respective trapping edges which are positioned in adjacent mutually-facing relationship in said sprung position of said jaws; and first. and second elongated pads secured to said first and second rigid elongated 'members , respectively, each pad comprising an e'longated resilient pad member having a longitudinally-extending forward-facing surface, a longitudinally-extending rearward-facing side with a longitudinally-extending channel defined therein and extending along the entire length of said resilient pad member for receiving a respective bent elongated rigid member, and projections means formed integrally with said resilient pad member and disposed in said channel for engaging the bent elongated received member. 15. The leghold trap according to Claim 14 wherein said projections means comprises first and second projections formed integrally with said resilient member and extending both depthwise and transversely into said channel to define a transverse space therebetween which is smaller than the thickness of each of said bent rigid members. 16. The leghold trap according to Claim 15 wherein each bent rigid member includes a rearward-facing edge opposite said trapping edge to define a jaw depth dimension between said trapping and rearward facing edges, and wherein each of said projections has a distal end which is spaced from the forwardmost portion of said channel by a distance which is no greater than the jaw depth dimension along said trapping portion. 17. The leghold "trap according to Claim 14 further comprising a plurality of separate relatively inflexible U-shaped members embedded in said resilient pad member in adjacent edge-to-edge relation to resist transverse widening of said channel. 18. An animal leghold trap comprising: a frame; first and second jaws pivotably mounted on said frame for movement between set and sprung positions, said set position being character zed by a relatively large angularly spacing between said jaws, said sprung position being characte ized by mutual contact between said jaws; spring-loaded actuator means, movable between open and closed positions, for continually biasing said jaws toward said sprung position; setting means for defining said relatively large angularly spacing by holding said jaws in said set position against the urging of said actuator means; actuator trigger means for releasing said setting means to permit the jaws to be snapped to said sprung position by said actuator means; wherein said first and second jaws are respective first and second longitudinally bent elongated rigid members having respective trapping edges which are positioned in adjacent mutually-facing relationship in said sprung position of said jaws; and first and second elongated pads secured to said first and second rigid elongated members, respec ively, each pad comprising an elongated resilient pad member having a longitudinally-extending forward-facing surface, a longitudinally-extending rearward-facing side with a longitudinally-extending channel defined therein and extending along the entire length of said resilient pad member for receiving a respective bent elongated rigid member, said channel being defined between two spaced leg portions extending rearwardly of said forward facing surface, one of said leg portions being bent to enclose said received rigid member in said channel, and reinforcement means disposed in said pad member to resist spreading of said leg portions and opening of said channel. 19. The leghold trap according to Claim 18 wherein each bent rigid member includes a rearward-facing edge opposite and trapping edge to define a jaw depth dimension between said trapping and rearward facing edges, and wherein said one leg member is bent at one location to provide a first leg section extending along said rearward facing edge of the received rigid members in a position rearward of that rearward facing edge, and bent at a second location to extend back toward said forward facing surface in overlapping relation with said other wall. 20. The leghold trap according to Claim 19 wherein said reinforcing means comprises a plurality of separate relatively inflexible members embedded in said resilient pad member in adjacent edge-to-edge relation to resist opening and transverse widening of said channel.

Inventors: VOLLMAR PAUL P, VOLLMAR, PAUL, P.
Applicants: WOODSTREAM CORP, WOODSTREAM CORPORATION
Application year: 1986
Main classification: A01M23
IPC codes: A01M23