Patent Abstract:
An electronic animal trap incorporating an inclined plane trap assembly is capable to preclude an animal on the tilting floor member of the trap assembly from engaging the top and/or side edges of the door member of the trap assembly in an attempt to escape from the trap by pulling the door member down to thereby unblock access to the entrance opening. An electronic circuit is connected to a bottom plate so that when animal&#39;s weight causes the inclined ramp to lower and contact the bottom plate the circuit is completed and the animal receives a charge of sufficient power to cause electrocution. A plastic version of the electronic animal trap assembly enables many of the structural elements to be economically manufactured and easily assembled.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The invention relates electric or electronic animal traps, and relates more particularly to an animal trap of the inclined plane type adapted to catch and electrocute a targeted animal.  
           [0003]    Although the concepts of the instant invention are equally applicable to traps for animals of any size, devices of this type are primarily utilized in connection with the trapping of rodents such as mice and rats and, therefore, further discussion herein will be primarily directed to this application.  
           [0004]    2. The Prior Art  
           [0005]    Inclined plane animal traps have been available for over one hundred years. The commercial embodiments of such traps currently available commonly comprise a housing defining an enlarged enclosure with one, or perhaps two, inclined plane trap assemblies communicating the interior of the enclosure with the exterior of the housing via an elongated passageway. An inclined plane tilting floor member is positioned in the passageway of each trap assembly and is adapted to lift a door to block an entrance opening when the rodent passes beyond a pivot point thereby limiting escape from the enclosure. When the rodent exits the passageway into the enclosure the door falls by gravity on the entrance end of the tilting floor to reset the trap and the raised end of the tilting floor limits the ability of a captured rodent to return to the passageway.  
           [0006]    Captured rodents will attempt to escape in any way possible. Rodents in the enclosure will try to grasp the inner end of the tilting floor to regain access to the passageway. In some instances, rodents on the tilting floor have been able to grasp the side of top edges of the door with their claws or teeth to pull the door down against their own weight, and thereby escape from the trap.  
           [0007]    Attempts have been made to limit access to the tilting floor and the door by incorporation of various flanges or lips on the trap assembly walls or roof, but such efforts have had limited success. Since the principle purpose of an animal trap is to capture and retain the targeted animals for subsequent disposition by an exterminator or the like, the effectiveness of a trap that permits escape of a captured animal is greatly diminished and a construction that is, for all intents and purposes, escape-proof, would have significant commercial appeal.  
           [0008]    Another problem associated with animal traps is the tendency of a captured rodent to crawl under, or nest in the space between the bottom wall of the trap housing and the undersurface of the raised end of the tilting floor when the trap assembly has been reset. The presence of an animal in this location prevents another rodent attempting to enter the trap assembly from tilting the floor and, thereby, being captured. Provision of a member to preclude an animal from entering or nesting in this space would be an obviously desirable feature of an animal trap.  
           [0009]    It is well known tendency of mice and rats to stay close to walls in a room, rather than running into the open. If a rodent trap is set against a wall with the entrance opening juxtaposed to the wall, the aroma of bait in the housing will generally attract the animal into the trap. However, some rodents will pass by the entrance opening and, thereby, avoid being caught.  
           [0010]    Since some animal traps are generally intended for multiple uses, they have been commonly made of sheet metal, such as aluminum sheet or the like, for durability. While some traps made of plastic have been marketed, the ability to produce an animal trap which is virtually escape-proof, with the major components being formed of plastic, would significantly reduce manufacturing costs and enhance versatility.  
           [0011]    The trap of the application Ser. No. 09/729,832 filed Dec. 6, 2000, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, has been designed to overcome the defects in most prior art inclined plane animal traps and provides an escape-proof repeating animal trap with many advantages.  
           [0012]    There have also been attempts to develop animal traps including electric or electronic components to kill a trapped animal. These traps, so far, have very complicated structures which are costly to manufacture. Additionally, these traps are not conveniently employed without disruption of the animal&#39;s environment nor are they able to control the voltage to the trap. Some are designed to provide continuous power which is not cost effective and others can not keep the animal in the trap, because the animal can grasp the top of a side edge of the trap door and scratch or chew its way out.  
           [0013]    In U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,091 to Johnson et al, a flexible plate is charged with a base plate. When the pest enters the trap, the pest presses the flexible plate into contact with the base plate. This contact completes the circuit and a high voltage is applied to the pest. The problem with this type of device is that voltage only occurs when the pest makes contact with the flexible plate. When the pest initially is shocked it will move and not receive enough of a shock to exterminate it. The trap door is non-existing and the pest can readily escape, thus defeating the purpose of the trap.  
           [0014]    In an attempt to solve the previously noted electrical problem, U.S. Pat. No. 5,949,636 to Johnson et al discloses a portable pest electrocution device with a resistive switch trigger. The device has a resistive switch to sense the presence of a pest between two electrodes. One of the electrodes is set at a high voltage and the other is set to ground. The ground electrode is a separate stake shaped electrode which is placed physically in the ground. When the pest enters the trap, contact is made, and a timer begins for a set period of time. After timing out, the timer deactivates the power to the electrodes. A problem with this device is that a separate ground stake is necessary. It is costly and cumbersome. If the user forgets or misplaces the separate ground stake, the device does not work correctly and thus will be useless.  
           [0015]    While the noted prior art patents show electronic members in a trap, none of the patents disclose a combination of an electronic circuit fixed in a trap with a teeter-totter mechanism to securely close the trap door, and thus readily exterminating the pest by electrocution.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0016]    Previous electric mouse killing traps had deficiencies regarding the safety features and the reliability of the device. The device of the present invention has a door which closes mechanically as the circuit completes thus reducing the chances that children, pests or non target species can inadvertently fire the trap-and potentially cause harm to themselves. The door also creates a situation where there is only one possible outcome once the mouse enters the trap. The mouse can not back out of the trap. Therefore, it will complete the circuit resulting in the death of the animal.  
           [0017]    It is an object of the invention to provide a unique electric animal trap incorporating features that render the same essentially escape-proof because, for all practical purposes, once the animal steps into the trap, the inclined plane will tip and the animal will be electrocuted. However, if desired, elements may be provided to preclude a captured animal on the tilting floor from grasping the top or side edges of the trap door to prevent the animal from unblocking the entrance opening.  
           [0018]    It is a further object of the invention to provide an electric animal trap including a housing with a bottom wall, upstanding peripheral walls, and a cover. The bottom wall, peripheral walls and cover together defining an enclosure for holding the targeted animal.  
           [0019]    It is an object of the invention to provide movable portions of the housing between a closed position in which the captured animal is retained within the enclosure, and an opened position in which access is provided to the enclosure to remove electrocuted animals therefrom.  
           [0020]    It is a further object of the invention to provide at least one inclined plane trap assembly including sides defining an elongated passageway, an entrance opening at one end of the passageway communicating with the exterior of the housing through an aperture in one of the peripheral walls of the housing, and a back wall at the other end of the of the passageway.  
           [0021]    Another object of the invention is to provide a floor member extending along the passageway intermediate the sides, the floor member having a first end portion juxtaposed to the entrance opening and an opposite second end portion juxtaposed to the back wall.  
           [0022]    It is a further object of the invention to provide a pivot element underlying and supporting the floor member intermediate its end portions for tilting movement of the floor member between a first position in which the first end portion is lowered and the second end portion is raised, and a second position in which the first end portion is raised and the second end portion is lowered.  
           [0023]    A still further object of the invention to provide a door member having bottom edge portions and a top edge, a hinge element secured to the bottom edge portions of the door member adjacent to the entrance opening for pivotal movement of the door member between a lowered position in which the door member rests on the first end portion of the floor member when the floor member is in its first position to provide access to the passageway by a targeted animal through the entrance opening.  
           [0024]    It is a further object of the invention to provide the door member in a raised position that is lifted by movement of the first end portion of the floor member when the floor member is moved from its first position to its second position.  
           [0025]    It is a further object of the invention to provide the door member, in its raised position, for blocking the return to the entrance opening by the animal on the floor member.  
           [0026]    It is a further object of the invention to provide, the door member being biased toward its lowered position, the weight of the door member on the first end portion of the floor member when the door member is in its lowered position maintaining the floor member in its first position, and the weight of an animal on the floor member tilting the floor member to its second position when the animal passes from the entrances opening beyond the pivot element to thereby lift the door member to its raised position.  
           [0027]    It is a further object of the invention to provide a power supply for providing power to the trap.  
           [0028]    It is a further object of the invention to provide a bottom plate positioned near the back wall and extending parallel to the bottom wall with a portion of the bottom plate being in contact with the floor member when the floor member is moved from its first position to its second position.  
           [0029]    It is a further object of the invention to provide a circuit member electrically connected to the power supply for converting said power to electricity.  
           [0030]    It is a further object of the invention to provide for a floor electrical connection member to receive the electricity from the circuit member and connecting to the floor member to provide electricity to the floor member.  
           [0031]    It is a further object of the invention to provide for the bottom electrical connection member to receive the electricity from the circuit member and connecting to the bottom plate to provide electricity to the bottom plate and the weight of the animal on the floor member tilting the floor member to its second position when the animal passes from the entrance opening beyond the pivot element to thereby lift the door member to its raised position to eliminate an exit of the animal from the trap.  
           [0032]    It is a further object of the invention to provide for the bottom plate to electrically contact the floor member to cause the electricity to flow through the bottom plate and the floor member to electrocute the animal in contact with the floor member.  
           [0033]    It is a further object of the invention to provide for the top edge of the door member to engage the undersurface of the roof when the door member reaches a vertical orientation whereby the weight of the door member biases the door member about the hinge element towards the lowered position.  
           [0034]    It is a further object of the invention to provide a rectangular housing with the peripheral walls of the housing including a pair of opposed, parallel side walls and a pair of opposed parallel end walls, one aperture in one of said end walls and a trap assembly inside the housing, the trap assembly having an entrance opening communicating with the aperture.  
           [0035]    It is a further object of the invention to provide for portions of the cover of the housing to define the roof of the trap assembly passageway, a circuit area and a power supply area.  
           [0036]    It is a further object of the invention to provide for portions of the peripheral walls of the housing to define the sides of the trap assembly passageway.  
           [0037]    It is a further object of the invention to provide for portions of the peripheral walls of the housing to define one of the sides of the trap assembly circuit area.  
           [0038]    It is a further object of the invention to provide for portions of the peripheral walls of the housing to define one of the sides of the trap assembly power supply area.  
           [0039]    It is a further object of the invention to provide a housing formed of plastic.  
           [0040]    It is a further object of the invention to provide a power supply comprising at least one battery.  
           [0041]    It is a further object of the invention to provide a bottom plate formed of galvanized steel.  
           [0042]    It is a further object of the invention to provide a floor electrical connection member comprising an insulated wire soldered to form an electrical connection.  
           [0043]    It is a further object of the invention to provide a bottom electrical connection member is an insulated wire soldered to form an electrical connection.  
           [0044]    Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0045]    The combination of elements, arrangement of parts and features of construction that lead to the inventive repeating animal trap of the instant invention will be pointed out in more detail hereinafter with respect to the accompanying drawings wherein:  
         [0046]    [0046]FIG. 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal cross-sectional view through a prior art embodiment of an inclined plane trap assembly in a repeating rodent trap, with the pivotal floor and door members shown in dotted lines in their alternate position;  
         [0047]    [0047]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an escape-proof electronic animal trap according to the present invention;  
         [0048]    [0048]FIG. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal cross-sectional view of the electronic animal trap of this invention with the battery and electronic circuit shown in dotted lines according to the present invention with a partial wire and ground plate shown;  
         [0049]    [0049]FIG. 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal cross-sectional view of the electronic animal trap with the pivotal floor and door members shown in dotted lines in their alternate position and a captured animal for removal according to the present invention with a partial wire and ground plate shown;  
         [0050]    [0050]FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view into the trap assembly of the electronic animal trap of the present invention from the back wall;  
         [0051]    [0051]FIG. 6 is a block diagram electronic circuit of the escape-proof electronic animal trap of the present invention; and  
         [0052]    [0052]FIG. 7 is a schematic illustration of the electronic circuit for the electronic animal trap of the present invention. 
     
    
       [0053]    Like parts are designated by like reference characters throughout the several views of the drawings. Alternate positions of the same element shown in dotted lines are designated by the same reference character followed by a prime (′)  
       DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0054]    Although only one preferred embodiment of the invention is explained in detail, it is to be understood that other embodiments are possible. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention is to be limited in its scope to the details of construction and arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, in describing the preferred embodiment, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. It is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.  
         [0055]    Referring to FIG. 1, portions of an animal trap without an electronic circuit of the type seen in the aforementioned application Ser. No. 09/729,832 is designated generally by the reference numeral  20  with an inclined plane trap assembly designated generally by the reference numeral  25  there within.  
         [0056]    A housing  22  includes peripheral walls, a portion of one sidewall being illustrated at  23 , a bottom wall  24 , and an openable cover (not shown) together defining an enlarged enclosure, generally shown at  21 , for retaining one or more captured animals.  
         [0057]    The inclined plane trap assembly  25  includes sides, one of which is shown at  26  (and may be a portion of the side wall  23  of the housing  22 ), and a roof  27  which, together with a portion of the bottom wall  24  of the housing  22  define an elongated passageway  30 . At one end of the passageway  30  is an entrance opening  32  communicating with the exterior of the housing  22  and, at the other end of the passageway  30 , is a back wall  34  communicating with a holding chamber  21  defined by the housing  22 .  
         [0058]    A floor member  40  extends along the length of the passageway  30  intermediate the sides thereof, with first end portions  42  juxtaposed to the entrance opening  32  and opposite second end portions  44  juxtaposed to the back wall  34 . A pivot element  45  is fixed between the sides of the trap assembly  25  in any conventional manner and underlies and supports the floor member  40  intermediate at its end portions  42 ,  44 . A counterweight  46  is secured to the underside of the first end portions  42  of the door member  40  to manually bias the floor member  40  to a first “open” position, shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1, in which the first end portions  421  are lowered and the second end portions  44 ′ are raised. The pivot element  45  is offset toward the first end portions  42  to define a greater lever arm from the second end portions of the floor member  40  so that when an animal, such as the mouse or rat illustrated schematically at  50 , passes the pivot element  45  on its way to the back wall  34  wherein bait can be placed, the floor member  40  is tilted to a second or “closed” position, shown in solid lines in FIG. 1, in which the first end portions  42  are lowered and the second end portions  44  are raised.  
         [0059]    A door member  60  has bottom edge portions  62  and a top edge  64 . A hinge element  65  pivotally secures the bottom edge portions  62  of the door member  60  adjacent to the entrance opening  32  for movement of the door member  60  between a lowered position, shown in dotted lines in FIG. 1, in which the door member  60 ′ rests on the first end portions  42 ′ of the floor member  40 ′ when the floor member  40 ′ is in its first position, to provide access to the passageway by a targeted animal through the entrance opening  32 , and a raised position, shown in solid lines in FIG. 1, in which the door member  60  is lifted by movement of the first end portions  42  of the floor member  40  when the floor member  40  is moved from its first position to its second position by the weight of the animal  50  on the second end portions  44  of the floor member  40 . When the door member  60  is in its raised position as shown in solid lines in FIG. 1 it tends to block any attempt by the animal  50  to return to the entrance opening  32  and, thereby, escape from the trap.  
         [0060]    It is noted that the upper edge  64  of the door member  60  engages the undersurface of the roof  27  of the trap assembly  25  before the door member  60  reaches a vertical orientation. In this a manner, the weight of the door member  60  biases The door member  60  about the hinge element  65  toward its lowered position. Thus, when the animal  50  steps from the second end portions  44  of the floor member  40  through the exit opening  34  of the passageway  30  into the holding chamber  21  the counterweight  46  moves the floor member  40  from the second position to the first position, the door member  60  drops onto the first end portions  42  of the floor member  40 , and the trap assembly  25  is automatically reset.  
         [0061]    A problem with early inclined plane animal trap assemblies is the ability of a mouse or rat  50  to turn around on the floor member  40  and use it&#39;s teeth or claws to grasp the top edge  64 , or one of the side edges  66  of the door member  60 , pulling the same against the weight of the rodent on the second end portions of the floor member, thereby moving the door member  60  to its lowered position and unblocking the entrance opening  32 , permitting the animal  50  to escape from the trap.  
         [0062]    Although the flange  31  overlying the back wall  34  from the passageway  30  tends to interfere with the ability of a captured mouse or rat within the enclosure  21  from reaching back through the back wall  34  to grasp the second end portions  44  of the floor member  40  after the trap has reset itself to pull the floor member  40  downwardly to the solid line or second position illustrated in FIG. 1 permitting the animal  50  to climb back onto the floor member  40  thereby gaining access to the door member  60  to pull the same to its lowered position as discussed above to complete an escape from the trap, this element is inadequate to provide total protection.  
         [0063]    [0063]FIG. 2 illustrates an exploded view of the electronic animal trap of the present invention. The housing  122  is formed entirely of plastic, including the portions defining the passageway  130 . Only the inclined plane tilting floor member  140  and its pivot element  145  and the door member  160  and its hinge element  165 , preferably being formed of metal. Of course, the bottom plate  170  is also metal to facilitate electrical contact.  
         [0064]    The ability to form the housing  122  of plastic simplifies the manufacturing of the trap and enables the incorporation of additional features at minimal cost. The housing  122  has a bottom wall  124 , upstanding peripheral walls  126 , and a roof  127 . The roof  127  includes a cover  128 . The cover  128  includes a switch or button  152 . The switch  152  toggles from an “on” or standby position to an “off” or reset position. The trap  120  is activated by way of the switch  152 . To indicate activation of the trap, an LED  154  is mounted on the cover  128  and electrically connected to the trap. The LED  154  turns “on” during activation of the trap and provides a visual indication of to the user. The cover  128  extends over an electronics area generally indicated with numeral  180  and there is a battery lid  129 . The battery lid  129  covers an area  182  which contains a power supply  184 . Of course, it has been contemplated to further simplify the assembly by using a single roof.  
         [0065]    The bottom wall or base  124 , peripheral wall  126 , back wall  134  and roof  127  together defining an enclosure for holding the targeted animal. Portions of the housing are movable between a closed position in which the captured animal is retained within the enclosure, and an opened position in which access is provided to the enclosure to remove electrocuted the animal therefrom. The roof  127  pivotal rotates about hinges  135 ,  1 ? 6  to rotatably open and the carcass can be properly disposed.  
         [0066]    The inclined plane trap assembly includes outer side  126  and a parallel inner side  137  defining the elongated passageway  130 . An entrance opening  132  at one end of the passageway  130  communicates with the exterior of the housing through an aperture in one of the peripheral walls of the housing. A back wall  134  at the other end of the of the passageway  130  is one of the peripheral walls.  
         [0067]    The trap assembly further includes a floor member  140  extending along the passageway  130  intermediate at the sides. The floor member  140  has a first end portion  142  juxtaposed to the entrance opening and an opposite second end portion  143  juxtaposed to the back wall  134 . A pivot element  145  underlying and supporting the floor member  140  intermediate at its end portions for tilting movement of the floor member  140  between a first position in which the first end portion  124  is lowered and the second end portion is raised  143 . A floor galvanized pin or carbon steel wire  147  extends through pivot  145  for permitting floor  143  to rotate or, more specifically, to perform a teeter-totter effect.  
         [0068]    A second position in which the first end portion  124  is raised and the second end portion  143  is lowered, and a door member  160  having bottom edge portions  162  and a top edge  164 , a hinge element  165  secured to the bottom edge portions  162  of the door member  160  adjacent to the entrance opening  132  for pivotal movement of the door member  160  between a lowered position in which the door member  160  rests on the first end portion  142  of the floor member  140  when the floor member  140  is in its first position to provide access to the passageway  130  by a targeted animal through the entrance opening  132 . A door galvanized pin or carbon steel wire  167  extends through hinge element  165  for permitting door  160  to rotate or, more specifically, to perform a teeter-totter effect.  
         [0069]    Referring now to the electric animal trap illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4 and  5  wherein parts similar to the embodiment of FIG. 2 are designated by the same reference character, the door member  160  is lifted and placed in a raised position by movement of the first end portion  142  of the floor member  140  when the floor member  140  is moved from its first position  142  to its second position. The door member  160 , in its raised position, blocks return to the entrance opening  132  by the animal  150  on the floor member  140 . The door member  160  being biased toward its lowered position. The weight  146  of the door member  160  on the first end portion of the floor member  140  when the door member is in its lowered position maintains the floor member  140  in its first position, and the weight of an animal on the floor member  140  tilts the floor member  140  to its second position when the animal  150  passes from the entrance opening  132  beyond the pivot element  165  to thereby lift the door member  160  to its raised position. This is a teeter-totter movement of the floor member  140 .  
         [0070]    A power supply  184  provides power to the trap. The supply  184  can be two AA batteries or some other combination. Additionally, it has been contemplated the trap could be electrically connected to a wall outlet. The power supply  184  in the battery form sits in the power supply area  182 . The battery cover  129  is snap fitted for easy entering of the area  182  to replace expired batteries.  
         [0071]    A bottom plate  170  is positioned near the back wall  134  and extends parallel to the bottom wall  124 . A portion of the bottom plate  170  being in physical contact with the floor member  40  when the floor member  40  is moved from its first position to its second position. A circuit member  186  is electrically connected to the power supply  184  to convert the power to electricity.  
         [0072]    A floor electrical connection member  188  receives the electricity from the circuit member  186 . The floor electrical connection member  188  also connects to the floor member  140  so that electricity can be provided to the floor member  140 . This member  188  is primarily a wire which is soldered at or near the pivot hole  145 .  
         [0073]    A similar wire forms a bottom electrical connection member  190 . This wire  190  is for receiving the electricity from the circuit member  186  and for connecting to the bottom plate  170  near the back wall  134  at connection point  192 . This bottom electrical connection member  190  provides electricity to the bottom plate  170 .  
         [0074]    As shown in FIG. 4, the weight of the animal  150  on the floor member tilts the floor member to its second position. When the animal  150  passes from the entrance opening  132 , beyond the pivot element  145 , it&#39;s weight lifts the door member  160  to the raised position and eliminates an exit of the animal  150  from the trap.  
         [0075]    At this point, the bottom plate  170  electrically contacts the floor member  140  causing electricity to flow through the bottom plate  170  and to the floor member  140 , thus completing the circuit. This in turn, electrocutes the animal  150  which is in contact with the floor member  140 .  
         [0076]    [0076]FIG. 6 illustrates a block diagram of the electrical circuit and FIG. 7 illustrates the same circuit in schematic form. In operation, when power is applied to the circuit  186 , in the form of either batteries such as two AA batteries or else from an electrical outlet, six volts are added to the R 7 , D 11  and UAB, U 4 C, power up trigger circuit  186  to trigger Q 1  and make the LED circuit  102  flash once. The trigger circuit  186  is formed by high voltage output transformer, metal plate  140 , kill metal plate  170 , and the circuit formed by R 13 , D 2 , R 1 , and U 1 B. When the skin or any part of the mouse  150 , or animal touches the plate  140  and brings it in to contact with kill metal plate  170 , trigger U 1 B pin  5  and then pin  4  of U 1 B outputs a negative pulse  106  to trigger the timing circuit  104 .  
         [0077]    The timing circuit  104 , formed by U 3  (a 7555 timer) and the related components, receives the negative pulse  106 , then the circuit  104  turns on for 20 seconds and pin  3  (OUTPUT) will output a logic high signal to trigger U 4 F and also trigger the pulse generator circuit (U 4 E, U 4 D), then a pulse  108  will drive the transistor Q 2  and Q 2  will drive the power mosfet IRF 741 . At this point, the transformer will step up the output pulse to about 2.5-3 KV to instantaneously kill the mouse  150 . During the same period, the oscillator circuit UAA, C 7 , rG will drive the transistor Q 1  which in turn causes a 5 second flash timer  108  to generate the LED flash at the end of the period.  
         [0078]    A self latching circuit  110  is also provided. Once the circuit  86  is triggered by mouse  150  and the circuit  186  starts the kill period, then the circuit can not be triggered again due to the self latch circuit  110  formed by U 1 A, U 1 D, U 4 F. The self latching circuit  110  will hold down the trigger signal so that the entire unit must be powered off first and then on again by way of switch  152  to put the unit into reset. Normally, during this time, the carcass can and should be removed from the trap. Once the carcass is removed the trap can be reset and ready to operate again.  
         [0079]    The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles 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 shown and described, and, accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0