An Improved Animal Trap.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 6th May, 1898--Accepted, 23rd July, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Animal Trap.
I, FRANK WALTER SHULTZ, of 65, Holborn Viaduct, in the City of London,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:―
This invention has reference to an improved construction of trap suitable for
catching animals such as mice and rats, the object being to provide traps that
shall be reliable and effective in use and such as can be closely packed for trans-
port or storage without liability of their being damaged and rendered unreliable
for subsequent use, by contact with one another. For these purposes my im-
proved trap is constructed as I shall now describe with reference to the accom-
panying drawings wherein
Figs. 1 and 2 show the trap in side elevation and plan respectively, the trap
being shown set. Fig. 3 is a similar view to Fig. 2 showing the trap sprung
or closed.
The trap comprises a base piece 1 of suitable material for example wood or
iron; a jaw 2 made of spring wire; a coiled wire spring 3 whereby the jaw can
be turned from the open position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to the closed position
shown in Fig. 3; a trigger 4 with catch 5; and a releasing pin 6.
The spring actuated jaw 2 is made of approximately rectangular shape as seen
in plan and of sufficient size to enable a considerable portion of the length of
an animal to extend between the trigger and one or other of its sides so that upon
the trap, after being set, being sprung by an animal slightly depressing the
trigger, the jaw will be caused to effectually strike and hold the animal. In
side view the jaw 2 is slightly curved as shown in Fig. 1, and its loop shaped
end portion 2 is bent approximately at right angles to its sides so that when tho
jaw is released and moves into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and
in full lines in Fig. 3, the said end portion will overlap the end of the base as
shown. This bending of the end portion 2 is a feature of considerable practical
value as it prevents an animal being pushed away by the descending jaw from
between it and the base and thus renders the trap very effective. The end por-
tion 2 also serves as a support upon which the releasing pin G rests when the
trap is set for use (Fig. 1) the pin then holding the jaw in the operative position.
The jaw 2 and spring 3 are in the example now being described, made from one
length of spring wire bent to shape, one end of the jaw being connected to one
end of the spring 3 the other end of which has a projecting free portion 3ª that
bears upon the base piece, and the other end of the jaw being connected to a
transverse length 2b of wire that extends through the spring 3 and has its free
end bent as shown at 2° and arranged to bear against the jaw. The jaw and
spring are secured to the base piece by two wire staples 7 which pass over the
ends of the axial length 2b of wire and form simple bearings to permit of the
spring actuated jaw readily turning from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2
to that shown in Fig. 3 and vice versa.
The trigger 4 may be of any suitable material. When made for example of

page_text: wood or like material, the catch 5 with which it is provided consists of a piece of
sheet metal that is folded round one end of the trigger and is bent to form an
eye 5 by which the trigger is pivoted by a staple 8 to the base piece 1, and with
a shouldered recess 5b to receive and hold the free end of the releasing pin 6
as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. When the trigger is made of metal it and the catch
may be in one piece. The trigger is or may be formed with a hole 4" that is
closed at the bottom and serves as a receptacle for bait. The trigger is made
of such a length that when the corresponding end of the base is placed against
a wall or other body, a mouse or other animal cannot pass between the free end
of the trigger and the wall or other body but must attempt to pass over the
trigger in which case it will depress the trigger and spring the trap and so be-
come caught.
The coiled wire spring 3 is made of such a diameter that its highest part is
above the top of the catch 5 so that the latter cannot be easily damaged accident-
ally as for example by the base of another trap being placed above it and upon
the spring when closely packing a number of traps for transport or storage. To
enable the releasing pin 6 to be engaged with the catch 5 as shown in Figs. 1
and 2, its free end portion is cranked or bent as shown at 6* to accommodate the
spring 3. The other end of the pin is formed with a loop 6. by which it is
loosely jointed to the base piece by a wire staple 8.
The trap is set by turning back the spring actuated jaw 2 from the position
shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 against the action of the spring 3,
and holding it in that position by placing the releasing pin 6 over its bent end
portion 2 and engaging the cranked or bent free end of the pin with the
catch 5 of the trigger 4 which is then held in the tilted position shown in Figs. 1
and 2. Upon an animal slightly depressing the trigger, as by attempting to
run over it, or attempting to remove the bait from the receptacle 4", the catch 5
will release the pin 6 and permit the coiled spring 3 to turn the jaw in the direc-
tion of the arrow a (Fig. 1) so suddenly as to ensure the capture of the animal
between the jaw and base piece.
Instead of making the jaw 2 of spring wire in one piece with the coiled
spring 3, it may be stamped out of sheet metal and springs 3ª be arranged to
surround the pivoted transverse member 2b of the jaw and act against the longi-
tudinal members thereof as shown in plan in Fig. 4, the free end 2ª of the jaw
being bent as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
As will be seen in each case the construction and arrangement of the various
parts are such that the trap is not liable to be easily put out of working order,
it can be easily set and it will afterwards be readily released or sprung by an
animal depressing the trigger and releasing the jaw which is adapted to effectually
hold the animal upon which it falls.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is: —
The improved animal trap constructed, arranged and operating as hereinbefore
described with reference to and shown in Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings annexed,
or modified according to Fig. 4.