Abstract:
A rodent trap comprising a body having a viewing aperture; a depressible trip located below the viewing aperture; a retainer operatively connected to the trip; a striker including a carriage; a pair of rails in which the carriage is able to slide, the rails located adjacent the viewing aperture; a biasing member connected to the striker to move the carriage; wherein the carriage is held in a set position by the retainer, the retainer releasing the carriage from the set position when the trip is depressed to allow the biasing member to move the carriage along the rails and across the viewing aperture.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to a rodent trap. In particular, the invention resides in fibreboard rodent trap that is disposable and therefore will be described in this context. However, it should be appreciated that the rodent trap may be reused if desired and can be made from other suitable materials. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Rodents are pests that both destroy property and carry disease. They are prolific breeders and are intelligent. This makes them exceptionally difficult to control. 
         [0003]    One of the simplest yet most effective ways of controlling rodents is through the use of rodent traps. The traditional rodent trap includes a wooden base attached to a spring-loaded striker. A retainer extends over the striker and is connected to a bait holder by pivoting the bait holder upwardly. When the bait holder is depressed, this releases the retainer and the striker is able to strike at the rodent. 
         [0004]    However there are problems which associated with this style of trap. The setting of this trap is a very delicate task. The trap can be prematurely set off with any slight movement so placement of this trap requires care. Also the rodent can access the bait from any angle. If the rodent does not approach the trap from the front then the rodent is often able to escape from the trap. Further, when the rodent is killed by the trap, the rodent is often removed from the trap so that the trap can be re-used as it is not biodegradable. This can be unhygienic as a user often has to touch the dead and often decomposing rodent. Further, when the trap is ultimately discarded, it poses an environmental hazard as the trap is non-biodegradable. 
         [0005]    In order to address the lack of biodegradability of the traditional rodent trap, a fibreboard rodent trap was developed as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,366,642. The rodent trap works effectively if the rodent enters from the front of the trap. Unfortunately, the trap is difficult to erect and is not robust and also suffers from the same short comings as the traditional rodent trap as the rodent is often not killed if approached from the side of the trap. 
       OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is an object of the invention to overcome or alleviate one or more of the above disadvantages or provide the consumer with a useful or commercial choice. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    In one form, although not necessarily the broadest or only form, the invention resides in a rodent trap comprising:
       a body having a viewing aperture;   a depressible trip located below the viewing aperture;   a retainer operatively connected to the trip;   a striker including a carriage;   a pair of rails in which the carriage is able to slide, the rails located adjacent the viewing aperture;   a biasing member connected to the striker to move the carriage;   wherein the carriage is held in a set position by the retainer, the retainer releasing the carriage from the set position when the trip is depressed to allow the biasing member to move the carriage along the rails and across the viewing aperture.       
 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    An embodiment of the invention, by way of examples only, will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1A  shows a perspective view of a rodent trap blank used to produce a rodent trap; 
           [0017]      FIG. 1B  shows a perspective view of the partially folded rodent trap blank of  FIG. 1A ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 1C  shows another perspective view of the partially folded rodent trap blank of  FIG. 1A ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 1D  shows a further perspective view of the partially folded rodent trap blank of  FIG. 1A ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 2A  shows a top perspective view of a rodent trap in a closed position according to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0021]      FIG. 2B  shows a top perspective view of a rodent trap in a set position according to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 3A  shows a bottom perspective view of a rodent trap in a closed position according to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 3B  shows a bottom perspective view of a rodent trap in a set position according to an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 4A  shows side sectional view of the rodent trap in a closed position; 
           [0025]      FIG. 4B  shows a side sectional view of the rodent trap in a position between a closed position and a set position; 
           [0026]      FIG. 4C  shows a side sectional view of the rodent trap in a set position; 
           [0027]      FIG. 4D  shows a side sectional view of the rodent trap in a position between a closed position and a set position; and 
           [0028]      FIG. 4E  shows a side sectional view of the rodent trap in a position in which a rodent is captured. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0029]      FIG. 1A  shows a first and second rodent trap fibreboard blanks  11  and  12  that are used to produce the rodent trap  10  of  FIGS. 2A to 3B . The first rodent trap fibreboard blank  11  is used to produce a body  13  and comprises a base  20 , a top  30 , an end  40  and a lever  50 . The base  20  is pivotally connected to the lever  50  and the top  30 , whilst the top  30  is also pivotally connected to the end  40 . The second fibreboard blank  12  comprises a striker  60 . 
         [0030]    The base  20  includes a base plate  21 , two stabilisers  22 , two outer side walls  23 , two top walls  24 , a bait holder  25  and a loading aperture  26 . The two side stabilisers  22  are located on the sides of the base plate  21 . The two outer side walls  23  are pivotally connected to respective sides of the base plate  21 . The two top  24  walls are pivotally connected to respective outer side walls  23 . The bait holder  25  and loading aperture  26  are located adjacent the middle of the base plate  21 . The bait holder  25  is pivotally connected to the base plate  21 . 
         [0031]    The top  30  is formed from a top plate  31 , a connection plate  32 , two inner side walls  33 , two side wall apertures  34 , a viewing aperture  35  and a hand tab  36 . The top plate  31  is pivotally connected to the connection plate  32 . The connection plate  32  is also pivotally connected to the base plate  21 . Two inner side walls  33  are pivotally connected to respective sides of the top plate  31 . Two side wall apertures  34  are located in the two inner side walls. A viewing aperture  35  is located adjacent the middle of the top plate  31 . A hand tab  36  is located at an end of the top plate  31  and extends within the connection plate  32 . 
         [0032]    The end  40  is formed from an extension plate  41 , a retainer plate  42 , a biasing end plate  43 , two latches  44 , an extension aperture  45  and a striker aperture  46 . The extension plate  41  is pivotally connected to the top plate  31 . The retainer plate  42  is pivotally connected to the extension plate  41 . The biasing plate  43  is pivotally connected to the retainer plate  42 . Two latches  44  are pivotally connected to the retainer plate  42 . The extension aperture  45  is located adjacent the end of the extension plate  41  and the end of the top plate  31 . The striker aperture  46  is located within the extension plate  41 . 
         [0033]    The lever  50  is formed from a trip  51 , a trip aperture  52 , a biasing tongue  53  and two catches  54 . The trip  51  is pivotally connected to the base plate  21 . The trip aperture  52  is located within the trip  51 . The biasing tongue  53  is located adjacent the middle of the trip  51  and is pivotally connected to the trip  51 . Two catches  54  are located on respective sides of the trip  51 . 
         [0034]    The striker  60  is formed from a handle  61 , a carriage  62 , a setting tab  63  and two elastic band notches  64 . The handle  61  is elongate and connected to the carriage  62 . The setting tab  63  is located adjacent the connection between the handle  61  and the carriage  62  and is pivotally connected to the striker  60 . The two elastic band notches  64  are located adjacent ends of the carriage  62 . 
         [0035]    To assemble the rodent trap  10  from the two fibre board blanks  11  and  12  are folded as shown in  FIGS. 1A to 1D . The inner side walls  33  and extension plate  41  are pivoted with respect to the top plate  31 . This causes two inner side rail apertures  37  to be formed between the two side walls  33  and the top plate  31 . The striker  60  is placed adjacent the top plate  31  so that the carriage  62  extends through the two inner side rail apertures  37 . The handle  61  is located through the extension aperture  45 . 
         [0036]    The trip  51  is then pivoted until it touches the base plate  21 . The biasing tongue  53  is then pivoted until it touches the trip  51  and extends rearwardly from the trip  51 . 
         [0037]    The two latches  44  are pivoted with respect to the retainer plate  42  and are located adjacent respective two inner side walls  33 . The biasing plate  43  is pivoted with respect to the retainer plate  42 . 
         [0038]    The connection plate  32  is pivoted with respect to the base plate  21  and the top plate  31  is pivoted with respect to the connection plate  32 . This causes the biasing plate  43  to contact the biasing tongue  53 . 
         [0039]    The two top walls  24  are pivoted with respect to their respective two outer side walls  23  to form two outer side wall apertures  27 . The two outer side walls  23  are pivoted with respect to the base plate  21  until they are located adjacent the two inner side walls  33 . When the outer side walls  23  are located adjacent the inner side walls  23 , the inner side wall apertures  37  and outer side wall apertures  27  are aligned. The carriage  62  hence also extends through the outer side wall apertures  27 . Adhesive is placed on the top walls  24  and are then rotated until they contact the top plate  31 . This adhesive application holds the rodent trap together. 
         [0040]    A elastic band  70  is then placed around the connection plate  32  and over the carriage  62 . The elastic band  70  is placed within the two elastic band notches  64 . This completes the rodent trap as shown in  FIGS. 2A to 3B . 
         [0041]    In use, the rodent trap  10  as shown in  FIG. 4A  is set by a user gripping the hand tab  36  and the handle  61 , and thus pulling the handle  61 . This causes the striker  60  to move within the two inner side rails  37  and the two outer side rails  27 . As the striker  60  moves along the two inner side rails  37  and the two outer side rails  27 , the setting tab  63  contacts the retainer plate  42  as shown in  FIG. 4B . This causes the retainer plate  42  to rotate and causes the latches  44  to pass over their respective catches  54 . The retainer plate  42  also causes the biasing plate  43  to push against the biasing tongue  53  and pivot the trip  51  upwardly. The latches  44  are then caught by the catches  54  and hold the retainer plate  42  in a set position. The striker  60  is held by the retainer plate  42  to complete the setting of the trap  10  as shown in  FIG. 4C . 
         [0042]    The rodent trap  10  is baited by rotating the bait holder  25 , using the loading aperture  25 , away from the base plate  21 . Bait is then placed on the bait holder  25  and the bait holder  25  is then rotated toward the base plate  21 . The trap  10  is then placed at a desired location. The two stabilisers  22  assist in preventing the rodent trap  10  from being turned over. The biasing plate  43  and biasing tongue  53  prevent a rodent gaining access to the bait from the rear of the rodent trap  10 . 
         [0043]    To activate the rodent trap, a rodent  80  places its head, upper torso and front legs through the viewing aperture  35 . The trip aperture  52  enables the bait to be viewed and smelt easily by the rodent  80 . The bait is positioned well inside the trap to entice the rodent  80  to place its feet onto the trip  51 . The pressure of the rodent&#39;s body weight causes the trip  51  to be depressed toward the base plate  21  as shown in  FIG. 4D . This causes the catches  54  to move downwardly and to release the latches  44 . This causes the retainer plate  42  to be released and the elastic band  70  causes the striker  60  to be pulled across the viewing aperture  35 . The carriage  62  of the striker  60  contacts the upper torso of the rodent  80  trapping the rodent  80  against the front edge of the viewing aperture  35  as shown in  FIG. 4E . The rodent  80  is then killed either by crushing of the rodent&#39;s upper torso, neck and/or back or through suffocation. External evidence of the trauma is minimal. The trap, including the rodent, can then be thrown away. Alternatively the trap can be easily cleared without touching the rodent and reused. 
         [0044]    The rodent trap is inexpensive, biodegradable and effective. The trap causes the rodent to be positioned so the likelihood of the rodent escaping the trap is greatly reduced. Further the trap can be set easily and is relatively safe to use as accidental placement of the fingers within the trap is unlikely. 
         [0045]    It should be appreciated that though the above trap is made of fibreboard, other materials such as plastic may be used to produce the trap. 
         [0046]    It should also be appreciated that various other changes and modification may be made to the invention described without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.