Abstract:
An animal trap remover holds and picks up a trap that contains a dead animal. The trap remover has a trap holder with a handle on it. The trap holder has a flat base that slides underneath the trap, two opposing sides that extend upward from the flat base, and flanges at the top of the two sides, with an opening between them. The handle is higher than the flat base.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to an animal trap remover for holding and removing animal traps that contain trapped animals. In particular, it is related to an animal trap remover for a spring-loaded trap containing a dead rodent. 
         [0002]    The most commonly used and effective trap for small mammals, especially rodents such as mice and rats, is a spring-loaded trap mounted on a board. These traps are baited with cheese or other foods and are placed around a home, barn, other building, or even outside. Once an animal is caught in the trap, it is necessary to remove the trap from its location and dispose of it. The trap is inexpensive; most people do not re-use it, but simply dispose of the entire trap with the dead animal in it. 
         [0003]    Some people may be squeamish about picking up a trap that holds a dead animal. The trap may be dirty from being on the floor and the animal&#39;s blood may be on it or the animal&#39;s body may be disfigured by the trap, which can make touching the trap an unpleasant experience. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an animal trap remover that can be used to hold or pick up a trap having a dead animal in it. 
         [0005]    The above objects can be attained by an apparatus that includes (a) a trap holder having (b) a flat base having two opposing sides; (c) a pair of guides at each of said two sides to receive and guide the trap into the trap holder; and (d) a handle above said flat base attached to said trap holder. 
         [0006]    These together with other aspects and advantages which will be subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a certain presently preferred embodiment of an animal trap remover according to this invention, holding a mouse trap. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the animal trap remover shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the animal trap remover shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the animal trap remover shown in  FIG. 1 , holding a cardboard information panel. 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view of a further embodiment of an animal trap remover utilizing straight hollow guides. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0012]    Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. 
         [0013]    In a first embodiment of operating the inventive concept, an animal trap (such as a spring loaded mouse trap) can be inserted by an operator into an animal trap remover. The animal trap remover (with the trap inside) can then be placed in a location whereupon the animal (e.g. a mouse) will spring the trap. Once the trap has been sprung, the operator can then lift the animal trap remover (with the trap inside) using a handle attached to the trap remover, walk over to a trash disposal, and discard the trap into the disposal (by turning the trap remover such that the trap will fall out due to gravity) without touching the trap (or even getting to close to it) while retaining the trap remover for another use. Alternatively, the trap remover can be disposable and can be disposed of with the trap by throwing the remover with the trap inside directly into the waste disposal. 
         [0014]    In a second embodiment of operating the inventive concept, an animal trap remover can be used to easily grab onto, lift, and remove a trap that already has a dead animal in it. The animal trap remover can typically enable a person to do this without physically touching the trap. In this embodiment, the trap is set as conventionally done, and once the trap is sprung, then the trap remover is used to hold, lift, and carry the trap to a disposal, and discard the trap into the disposal (by turning the trap remover such that the trap will fall out due to gravity). Alternatively, the trap remover can be disposable and can be disposed of with the trap by throwing the remover with the trap inside directly into the waste disposal. 
         [0015]    An animal trap remover has a handle and a trap holder which holds the animal trap. The end of the trap holder is wedge-shaped so that it can be pushed under the end of the trap that is opposite the dead animal in order to pick up the trap. The trap can be disposed of by letting the trap slip out-of the trap holder into the garbage. 
         [0016]    Referring now to  FIGS. 1-4 , an animal trap remover  1  may be made to hold and pick up a variety of different types of animal traps, and its dimensions will depend upon the size of the particular trap it is to be used to with. It is especially useful for holding and picking up spring-loaded traps, where an animal disturbing bait held by the trap releases a spring that causes a bar to clamp down upon the animal, killing it. Such traps are used for rodents, such as mice and rats. It may also be used to pick up other types of animal traps. A typical spring-loaded mouse trap is about 1⅞ inches wide and about 4 inches long and a typical rat trap is about 3¼ inches wide and about 6⅞ inches long and animal trap remover  1  may be made in two sizes to accommodate both mouse and rat traps. For a spring-loaded mouse trap, base  5  may be about 3 to about 5 inches long and about 2 inches in between guides  9  (or sides  10  if guides  9  are not present), and flanges  11  may be about ¼ to about ½ inch above the top of base  5 . For a spring-loaded rat trap, base  5  may be about 5½ inches to about 8½ inches long and about 3⅜ inches in between guides  9  (or sides  10  if guides  9  are not present), and flanges  11  may be about ½ inch to about 1 inch above the top of base  5 . 
         [0017]    In the drawings, animal trap remover  1  has a trap holder  2 , which is attached to bridge  3 , which is in turn attached to handle  4 . 
         [0018]    Holder  2  has a base  5  that supports animal trap  6 . End  7  of base  5  has wedged-shaped bevel  8  so that base  5 .will easily slide under an animal trap. Base  5  is provided with two optional guides  9 , one on either side, to keep animal trap  6  aligned and prevent it from falling out of holder  2 . Sides  10  are high enough to accommodate animal trap  6 . Inwardly-extending horizontal flanges  11  at the top of sides  10  further secure animal trap  6  in holder  2 . Spring-loaded animal trap  6  has flat board  12  to which is mounted spring  13  and spring trip lock  14 . Spring  13  is released by spring trip lock  14  when mouse  15  contacts bait  16 . An opening  17  between flanges  11  allows room for spring trip lock  14  of animal trap  6 , so that spring trip lock  14  fits between flanges  11 ; flanges  11  fit between board  12  and spring  13 . At the back of trap holder  2  are two optional tabs  18  that can optionally be attached to bridge  3  and/or the base  5  and/or the flanges  11 , and can help to align trap  6  on base  5 . An optional front rail (see  FIG. 5 ) can be located on a front end of the base  5 . 
         [0019]    Bridge  3  has two joined surfaces  19  and  20  that cross the length of animal trap remover  1  so that holder  2  can be securely attached to surface  19  and handle  4  to surface  20 . 
         [0020]    Handle  4  has front portion  21  that extends at an angle from bridge  3  so that back portion  22  is above the bottom of base  5 , thereby enabling a person to grasp back portion  22  without touching the floor or the ground on which base  5  rests. Back portion  22  is provided with two raised slots  23 , which may be used to attach cardboard information panel  24 , which provides information about animal trap remover  1 . 
         [0021]    Animal trap remover  1  may be constructed of plastic, metals, cardboard, paper mulch or other materials, but it is preferably made of plastic as that material is inexpensive and animal trap remover  1  can be made as a single piece by injection molding. The preferred plastics are Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC), Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE), Polypropylene (PP), Polystyrene (PS), but other plastics may also be used. 
         [0022]    To use animal trap remover  1 , a baited animal trap is inserted into holder  2 , the trap is set, and the trap remover and trap are placed in a location frequented by the animal to be trapped. When the animal springs the trap and is caught, animal trap remover  1  is picked up by back portion  22  of handle  4 , along with the trap and the dead animal, and the trap and dead animal are dropped into the garbage or otherwise disposed of. The animal trap remover may also be reused by tilting or turning holder  2  upside down to cause the trap to fall into the garbage. Alternatively, a trap may be baited and set and picked up using animal trap remover  1  after an animal has been trapped by pushing bevel  8  of base  5  against the end of the trap that is opposite the trapped animal, thereby forcing the trap into holder  2 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 5  is. an isometric view of a further embodiment of an animal trap remover utilizing straight hollow guides. 
         [0024]    A pair of hollow guides  30  are used to receive the trap. A pair of vertical tabs  31  are used to align the trap inside the holder. An optional front rail  32  is located on a front end  33  of the base and can be used in the embodiment of the invention wherein the trap is inserted into the trap remover before the animal springs the trap (first embodiment above). 
         [0025]    The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification and, thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention that fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling with the scope of the invention.