Ix- PROVEMENTS IN. VERMIN TRAPS
Year: 1865

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by James Miles at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 19th July 1865.
I, JAMES MILES, Gardener, at Roslyn House, Hampstead; in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Ix-
PROVEMENTS IN. VERMIN TRAPS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to traps for catching foxes, martens, polecats, and
other animals, either large or small, and may be so arranged as to either catch
then alive and without injury, or to kill them instantly.
My improvements relate principally to the parts used in setting and
releasing the trap in catching the animals, which is set up at an inclination to
the ground, and is of a size according to the size of the animal to be caught.
These setting parts consist of three pieces of wood or other material, two of
which are put together and used in the manner of a strut to support the trap
when set, the third piece forming a clip to keep the strut pieces in position,
and also as a support for the bait. One of these strut pieces rests on the
ground at the lower end while the upper end is bevilled and supports on the
apex of the angle the second piece, which is formed with a crutch head or
shoulder that projects on one side and over the bevilled end of the lower and
first piece when the two are placed parallel and in contact with each other.
The weight of the trap rests on the projecting head, and so long as the two
strut pieces are held together it will be sustained, but when the part that
holds them together is removed the strut pieces rock the one on the other
(the crutch head on the apex or lower piece), topple over, and are thrown

page_text: outwards, and the trap falls suddenly. As before mentioned, a third piece is
used to keep the strut pieces together; this is simply a slight stick or rod with a
notch cut in the side about one-eighth of an inch deep, more or less, and near one
end, which notch is long enough to embrace loosely the two strut pieces; this
notched piece is disposed somewhat horizontally, the further end from the
notch passing well under and towards or beyond the middle of the trap, at
which point the bait is disposed on it. The animal in taking the bait detaches
the notched stick from the strut pieces, when the trap falls immediately and
catches the animal. If the animal is to be killed, I form the trap of a large
flagstone, or other weighty or weighted surface, which falling on it will
produce immediate death; on the other hand if to be caught alive I make
the trap of a hollow box inverted, and furnish it with two or more feet at the
corners, or otherwise, so that the trap may rest thereon, and obviate the possi-
bility of crushing or injuring the animal's tail. Where the animals are caught
alive it is necessary to put the trap on a flat stone or other hard substance to
prevent burrowing; and in same cases it may be necessary to form or line the
trap with metal, in which case, and for large animals, such as tigers and the
like, or when it is desired to remove them in the trap, I make the trap with
a flap hinged on one side; this flap or lid I use when inverted as the bottom
of the trap that is to be on the ground, and being all lined with iron when
the animal is caught the case may be locked or otherwise fastened close and
the animal secured and removed in the trap..