Patent Publication Number: US-2010107471-A1

Title: Trap for gophers and underground pests

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/111,801, filed Nov. 6, 2008, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to animal traps, and more specifically, to a trap for gophers and underground pests. 
     Existing traps kill the animals they catch, such as gophers, sometimes in a cruel way. 
     As can be seen, there is a need for an underground trap to humanely catch gophers. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In one aspect of the present invention, a device for catching an animal includes: a spring to apply a rotational force; a catapult attached to the spring, the catapult having an open position and a closed position, the catapult having a distal end from the spring, the spring applying the rotational force to the catapult so that the distal end of the catapult rotates about the spring causing the catapult to transition from the open position to the closed position; a snare for the animal having a size that reduces when the snare is pulled; a snare coupling on the distal end of the catapult, attached to the snare so that when the catapult transitions from the open position to the closed position, the snare coupling pulls on the snare; a suppression lever to releasably hold the catapult in the open position; a footplate to releasably retain the suppression lever; and an actuator to press upon the footplate in the presence of the animal; wherein, in the presence of the animal, the actuator presses upon the footplate, which releases the suppression lever, which releases the catapult to transition from the open state to the closed position, which causes the snare coupling to pull on the snare, which reduces the size of the snare, thereby catching the animal. 
     In another aspect of the present invention, a device for catching an animal below the ground includes: a generally flat base; a peg receptacle on two sides of the base, to releasably attach the base to the ground; a catapult having an open position and a closed position; a first spring, fixed to the base; a second spring, fixed to the base, in a line with the first spring, the first and second springs adapted to apply a rotational force to the catapult that transitions the catapult from the open position to the closed position; a suppression lever to releasably hold the catapult in the open position; a footplate to releasably retain the suppression lever; an actuator to press upon the footplate in the presence of the animal, a portion of the actuator adapted to extend into the ground; a space between the first spring and second spring to allow the footplate and suppression lever to lie in a line generally parallel to the base and perpendicular to the line of the springs; a snare for the animal having a size that reduces when the snare is pulled, a portion of the snare adapted to extend into the ground; and a snare coupling that pulls on the snare when the catapult transitions from the open position to the closed position; wherein, in the presence of the animal under the ground, the snare catches the animal. 
     In yet another aspect of the present invention, a method of catching an animal includes: in response to a presence of the animal, utilizing an actuator to press upon a footplate; retaining and releasing a suppression lever with the footplate; retaining and releasing a catapult with the suppression lever; applying a rotational force to the catapult with a spring, thereby transitioning the catapult from an open position to a closed position; when the catapult transitions from the open position to the closed position, pulling upon a snare with the catapult; and reducing the diameter of the snare, thereby catching the animal. 
     These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  depicts a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
     Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features. 
     Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention generally provides a trap for gophers 
     An embodiment of the present invention may include a platform, a swing arm actuator, a catapult footplate, a catapult suppression stick, a catapult, a curly-Q loop, a snare hoop, a loaded spring, a shepherd peg, a side ring, an L-rod, a wire guide, a swing arm actuator (SAA) hole, a suppression stick hook, and N-staple. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention. In this view you see the catapult suppression stick  18 , attached to the platform  12  by the suppression stick hook  38 , suppressing the catapult  20  by resting on the catapult  20  as the catapult footplate  16  holds it in place. The loaded springs  26  are in the load position, ready to power the catapult  20  from one side of the platform  12  to the other once the swing arm actuator  14  presses down on the catapult foot plate  16  releasing the catapult suppression stick  18  that is then forced out of the way by the catapult  20  as it moves from one end of the platform  12  to the other. 
       FIG. 2  is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention. The L-rod  32  is inserted into a predrilled hole in the platform  12  that extends to the opposite side of the SAA hole  36 . N-staples  40  are used to secure the catapult  20  and loaded springs  26  to the platform  12 . The wire guide  34  is used to align the snare hoop  24  and curly-Q loop  22  with the platform  12 . 
       FIG. 3  is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention, including the lower end surface side of both the snare hoop  24  and the swing arm actuator  14 . Also shown is their relative position to one another and the platform  12 . 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention. The side rings  30  are screwed into the side of the platform  12 , and the shepherd pegs  28  are inserted into the side rings  30  for the purpose of holding the platform  12  firmly in place. The curly-Q loop  22  is attached to the catapult  20  and the upper end of the snare hoop  24 . The swing arm actuator  14  side profile is also shown, revealing its shape and position. 
       FIG. 5  is an exploded view of an embodiment of the present invention. The platform  12  allows for each of the remaining elements to be placed in a specified location. The side rings  30  are screwed into the side of the platform  12  through which the shepherd pegs  28 , responsible for holding the platform  12  in place, pass through. The two loaded springs  26  are independent of each other and along with the catapult footplate  16 , are held to the platform  12  by the catapult  20  that passes through each of them and is itself fastened to the platform  12  by the N-staples  40  or other fastening mechanisms. The L-rod  32  slides into a pre-drilled hole in the side of the platform  12  and is used to hold the swing arm actuator  14 , which pivots on the L-rod  32 , to the platform  12 . The swing arm actuator (SAA) hole  36  allows the swing arm actuator  14  to extend upward through the platform  12 , so it can make contact with the catapult footplate  16 . The catapult suppression stick  18 , secured to the platform  12  by the suppression stick hook  38 , suppresses the catapult  20  until it&#39;s released by the catapult footplate  16 . The wire guide  34  is pressed into the side of the platform  12  and used to align the snare hoop  24  and the curly-Q loop  22  with the platform  12 . The snare hoop  24  is attached to the curly-Q loop  22 , which is itself hooked to the catapult  20 . It should further be noted that the wood platform  12  can be made of other malleable material, including but not limited to plastic. With respect to the wire snare hoop  24 , other types of metal wire can be used as well. In regards to the rest of the elements, which are all metal ( 14 ,  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32 ,  34 ,  36 ,  38 ,  40 ), various other rigid material can be substituted. 
     In an embodiment, when pressure is applied to the bottom end of the swing arm actuator  14 , the swing arm actuator  14  pivots on the L-rod  32  causing the top end of the swing arm actuator  14  to press down on the catapult footplate  16  releasing the catapult suppression stick  18 , which in turn allows the catapult  20 , powered by the loaded springs  26 , to swing from one end of the trap to the other, bringing with it, the curly-Q loop  22  that&#39;s attached to the top end of the snare hoop  24 . Once this occurs, the circumference of the hoop located at the bottom end of the snare hoop  24  is significantly reduced. 
     Embodiments of the present invention, which may be called “the Gopher Grabber,” may trap gophers in a humane way, allowing for a healthy release back into the wild. 
     An embodiment of a the present invention may include: a platform  12 , a swing arm actuator  14 , a catapult footplate  16 , a catapult suppression stick  18 , a catapult  20 , a curly-Q loop  22 , a snare hoop  24 , a loaded spring  26 , a shepherd peg  28 , a side ring  30 , a L-rod  32 , a wire guide  34 , a SAA hole  36 , a suppression stick hook  38 , and an N-staple  40 . The side rings  30  are screwed securely into the side of the platform  12 , the L-rod  32  is removable, allowing for quick replacement of the swing arm actuator  14 , the catapult  20  has an indention near where the catapult suppression stick  18  rests and is required so that the curly-Q loop  22 , when attached to the catapult  20 , comes to rest near the center of the catapult  20  and does not slide down the side of the catapult  20  when the trap is sprung, the swing arm actuator  14  is shaped for proper balance, which is necessary, so that it does not apply pressure to the catapult footplate  16  on its own, accidentally setting off the trap prematurely, the curly-Q loop  22  is shaped to be easily placed onto and removed from the catapult  20  without coming off during operation, the wire guide  34  position keeps the snare hoop  24  and the curly-Q loop  22  aligned properly with the platform  12 , the snare hoop  24  has a hoop at the bottom end that includes a slipknot, which allows the circumference of the hoop to increase or decrease in size and the indention in the catapult footplate  16  nearest the SAA hole  36 , keeps the swing arm actuator  14  from sliding off the catapult footplate  16 . 
     In embodiments of the present invention, the springs force the catapult to transition from an open position, set by the user, to a closed position, to catch the animal. The catapult is connected to the springs at the base, and the distal end of the catapult (distant from the springs) has a snare coupling, such as a curly-Q loop, to pull on the snare. A suppression lever, such as a bar, releasably holds the catapult open, and a footplate releasably retains the suppression bar. The suppression lever and catapult are released when the animal engages with the actuator, thereby pressing down on the footplate. 
     It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.