ANIMAL TRAP, PARTICULARLY A MOUSETRAP

Abstract: Animal trap, particularly a mousetrap, comprising a jaw (13) pivoted to a base plate (10), which is spring biased to engage the base plate on one side of the pivot axis (12) and can be hooked by means of a latch (19) with the spring (16) tensioned when pivoted against the plate on the other side of the pivot axis. On said one side of the pivot axis a rocking plate (22) arranged as release means is pivoted to the base plate (10) at an edge adjacent to the pivot axis (12) of the jaw (13), to be held raised at a small angle to the base plate by the latch, when set, the rocking plate being foldable downwards against the base plate to disengage the jaw.

Description: ANIMAL TRAP, PARTICULARY A MOUSETRAP This invention relates to an animal trap, particularly a mousetrap, comprising a jaw pivoted to a base plate, which is spring biased to engage the base plate on one side of the pivot axis and can be hooked by means of a latch with the spring tensioned, when pivoted against the plate on the other side of the pivot axis, and a release member for the latch arranged on said one side of the pivot axis. In the embodiment of a mousetrap of this type, known for a long time, the base plate is made of wood and the jaw and the latch are made of steel wire. These mousetraps often are of a very bad quality and, there¬ fore, do not operate reliably. It is not unusual that the mouse succeeds in removing the bate from such a trap without releasing it. The existing traps are also difficult to set without the risk of the fingers being caught in the trap. The purpose of the invention is to provide a safer and more reliable animal trap of the kind referred to, which in addition is very inexpensive to manufacture since a major part of the components thereof can be injection moulded of a plastic material. The cost of production would even be so low that the animal trap according to the invention can be provided as a dis¬ posable article. For the mentioned purpose the animal trap according to the invention has obtained the characteris ics appearing from claim 1. The invention will be explanied in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a mousetrap accord¬ ing to the invention, FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the mousetrap, and FIG. 3 is a plan view of the mousetrap from below. The mousetrap shown in the drawing comprises a rec¬ tangular base plate 10 having a circumferential rim 10' extending downwardly, and forming a pair of moun¬ ting lugs 11 projecting each from one of the longitud¬ inal sides, a shaft 12 being inserted therein. A jaw formed as a rectangular frame 13 forming spikes 14 or ribs on one side thereof and two co-axial sleeve por- tions 15, is mounted at these portions to the shaft 12, a leg spring 16 also being mounted on the rod in the gap between the two axially spaced portions 15. The leg spring at one leg thereof engages the base plate and at the other leg thereof engages the frame, the spring being tensioned when the frame is in the position shown to bias the frame for pivoted movement in counterclockwise direction as seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. To keep the frame 13 in the position shown in the drawing against the bias of the spring 16 a latch is provided which comprises a push rod 17 arranged in the space on the lower side of the base plate 10, the push rod being guided for longitudinal displacement in the rim 10' by a pin 18 at one end of the push rod. The push rod forms a hook 19 projecting on the upper side of the base plate through a slot 20 in the base plate, and is biased by a compression spring 21 provided on the pin 18 to locking engagement with the frame 13 when this is in its position shown, which is the set position. A rectangular rocking plate 22 with pins 23 for attaching a bate to the rocking plate is mounted in a transverse slot 25 at an angled flap 24 at one of two opposite edges of the rocking plate, the push rod at its bevelled or shouldered other end being inserted into an aparture in the flap. When the push rod is in the position thereof, shown in the drawing, the hook engaging the frame 13 under the bias of the spring 21, the rocking plate is held in the position shown with the other one of said two opposite edges of the rock¬ ing plate somewhat raised from the base plate, such that the rocking plate and the base plate include an angle of the order of 15o By the rocking plate 22 being depressed towards the base plate 10 the push rod 17 will be displaced against the bias of the spring 21 so that the hook is disengaged from the frame 13 which then will be pivo- ted by the spring 16 in counterclockwise direction as shown in FIGS 1 and 2 to abut the rocking plate 22. This is thus what happens when a mouse steps onto the rocking plate 22 to fetch a bait fixed on the pins 23, the mouse being killed by the frame 13 which heavily abuts the rocking plate. As will be seen from the drawing the frame 13 and the rocking plate 22 are dimensioned so that they cover substantially the base plate on one and the other side of the pivot shaft 12, respectively, the mousetrap being particularly compact as a consequence thereof. All the components of the mousetrap except the leg spring 16 can be manufactured as injec¬ tion-moulded elements of impact resistant plastic a- terial. On the right hand edge of the base plate as seen in the drawing a handle may be provided, which is particularly advantageous if the mousetrap is made as a disposable article because it is then possible to seize the mousetrap by hand in a hygienic way and to throw it away together with the captured mouse. Instead of fixing a bait to the rocking plate the plate may be provided with a substance having a tempt¬ ing influence on the mouse, the substance being provi- ded as a coating on the rocking plate or being incorp¬ orated into the material of which the plate is made.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Animal trap, particularly a mousetrap comprising a jaw (13) pivoted to a base plate (10), which is spring biased to engage the base plate on one side of the pivot axis (12) and can be hooked by means of a latch (19, 21) with the spring (16) tensioned when pivoted against the plate on the other side of the pivot axis (12), and a release member (22) for the latch arranged on said one side of the pivot axis (12) the release member comprising a rocking plate (22) which is pivoted to the base plate (10) at an edge adjacent to the pivot axis (12) of the jaw (13), to be held in a small angle to the base plate when the latch is set, and can be folded down against the base plate to disengage the jaw, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the latch comprises a push rod (17) mounted for longitudinal displacement in the base plate (10) and having a hook (19) for locking engagement with the jaw (13), and that the flap (24) can be pressed against the push rod to displace the push rod against the spring bias to a disengaged position when the rocking plate (22) is being folded downwards. 2. Animal trap according to claim 1, c h a r a c t ¬ e r i z e d in that the jaw (13) is arranged to abut, after disengagement, the rocking plate (22) under the spring bias. 3. Animal trap according to claim 1 or 2, c h a r ¬ a c t e r i z e d in that the rocking plate (22) is dimensioned to cover essentially the base plate (10) on said one side of the pivot axis of the jaw. 4. Animal trap according to any of claims 1 to 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the jaw (13) is formed as a frame with substantially the same contour as the rocking plate (22). 5. Animal trap according to any of claims 1 to 4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the jaw is grooved or spiked on the side thereof which is arranged to en- gage the base plate (10) and the rocking plate (22), respectively. 6. Animal trap according to any of claims 1 to 5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the rocking plate (22) is mounted in a slot (25) in the base plate (10) at a flap (24) angled from the rocking plate. 7. Animal trap according to any of claims 1 to 6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that at least the base plate (10), the rocking plate (22), and the jaw (13) are made of an impact resistant plastic material. 8. Animal trap according to any of claims 1 to 7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the rocking plate (22) includes or is coated with a substance for tempt¬ ing the animal to be caught in the trap.

Inventors: HOLMBERG GOTE ESKIL YNGVE, HOLMBERG, GOETE, ESKIL, YNGVE (DECEASED)
Applicants: HOLMBERG BRITA GUNVOR ELISE HE, HOLMBERG DICK LENNART LEANDER, HOLMBERG BRITA G E, HOLMBERG DICK L L
Application year: 1986
Main classification: A01M23
IPC codes: A01M23