Improvements in Traps for Mice, Rats, and similar Vermin.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Apr., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 4th Jan., 1895-Accepted, 2nd Mar., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIF
Improvements in Traps for Mice, Rats, and similar Vermin.
I, JOHN FORSTER, of 21 Buxton Street, in the City and County of Newcastle-
upon-Tyne, Ironmonger, do hereby declare the nature of said invention to be as
follows:-
My invention consists of a trap of novel construction the chief features in which
are 1st. Durability and cheapness. 2nd. Facility of baiting. 3rd. Absolute
certainty of action on the bait being touched-and, 4th, that the trap may be made
almost dark the vermin being attracted by the smell of the bait into a dark
chamber.
The trap may be made of any material but sheet tin or other metal will be most
suitable and consists of a door at one end preferably inclined at an angle of
about 45° sliding freely in guides and held open by a wire lever supported on a
fulcrum. One end of this wire is slightly curved and fits loosely through the top
of the door the other end engaging with the upper end of a swinging trigger catch
on the lower end of which the bait is placed preferably in a small trough for con-
venience. This trigger catch is so sensitive that when set the least disturbance of
the bait releases the lever wire and the door falls instantly.
The trap may be made of any shape or size and of any of the materials now used,
with or without wired or other openings, the inclined sliding door held open by a
lever the other end of which is released by the bait being touched and the door
instantly closing by gravity being the essential parts.
Dated this 4th day of April 1894.
Improvements in Traps for Mice, Rats, and similar Vermin.
I, JOHN FORSTER, of 21 Buxton Street, in the City and County of Newcastle-
upon-Tyne, Ironmonger, do hereby declare the nature of said invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention consists of a trap of novel construction the chief features in which
are 1st. Durability and cheapness. 2nd. Facility of baiting. 3rd. Absolute
certainty of action on the bait being touched, and 4th, that the trap may be made
almost dark the vermin being attracted by the smell of the bait into a dark
chamber.
The trap may be made of any material but sheet tin or other metal will be most
suitable and consists of a door at one end preferably inclined at such an angle say
about 30° that the door will fall by gravity sliding freely in guides and held open
by a wire lever supported on a fulcrum. One end of this wire is slightly curved

page_text: and fits loosely through the top of the door, the other end engaging with the upper
end of a swinging trigger catch on the lower end of which the bait is placed,
preferably in a small trough for convenience. This trigger catch is so sensitive
that when set the least disturbance of the bait releases the lever wire and the door
falls instantly.
The trap may be made of any shape or size and of any of the materials now
used, with or without wired or other openings, the inclined sliding door held open
by a lever the other end of which is released by the bait being touched and the
door instantly closing by gravity being the essential parts.
On the accompanying drawing my invention is shewn of full size as for a mouse
trap, traps for rats and other larger vermin being of the same construction but of
suitably larger dimensions.
Fig. 1 shews a longitudinal section of the trap and Fig. 2 a section through x-x
on Fig. 1 looking towards the sliding door.
The body of the trap comprising the bottom A, sides B B, top C, and rear
end D, may be stamped out of a sheet of metal, already perforated if necessary, and
then bent over a suitable block mould and secured at joints, or the rear end D. may
form, as I prefer, a separate piece. The grooves E E for the sliding door F. may
be pressed out of the sheet or be soldered on the sides. In the sliding door F. is
a hole G. fitting loosely the slightly curved end of the lever H. which has its
fulcrum at J. and its opposite end bent forward to receive a loop or equivalent
catch device on the trigger wire K which is hung freely upon a cross wire L.
extending across an opening M. in top of trap. The trigger wire forms at its lower
end a hook N. to which the bait may be attached, but I prefer to fix upon the hook
a small trough O. to contain the bait as shewn. When the trap is to be baited the
trigger wire with the trough are withdrawn through the opening M. by drawing out
the cross wire L. and when baited the bait is passed through the opening M the
cross wire L. re-inserted and the trap is set by opening the door F. as shewn on
Fig. 1 and slipping the eye of the trigger wire over the point of the rear end of the
lever H. when the slightest disturbance of the bait will set the lever free and the
door F. will instantly descend and securely close the trap.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1st. The mechanism by which a sliding door is held open when the trap is set
and closes by gravity when the bait is touched, comprising a lever supported upon a
centre fulcrum and having oue end slightly curved to attach loosely to the door and
the opposite end formed to receive a loop, or equivalent catch on a trigger lever
working freely on a fulcrum pin the lower end of which lever carries the bait,
arranged, constructed, and operating substantially as described and in one form
shewn.
2nd. In combination with such mechanism the opening through which the trigger
lever after being baited can be introduced into the trap and its fulcrum pin inserted
ready for setting or through which it can be withdrawn to be re-baited by with-
drawing the fulcrum pin constructed and operating substantially as described and in
one form shewn.
3rd. The construction of traps for mice, rats, or similar vermin adapted to be
made of stamped or cut out blanks of sheet metal, or other suitable material and
formed with a chamber A. B. C. D. fitted with a door F. falling by gravity on
inclined guides E. held open by a lever H, working on a centre fulcrum J, and
having its rear end formed to engage with a trigger lever K, carrying on its lower
ed the bait O, and working freely upon a removeable fulcrum pin L, across an

page_text: opening M, through which it can be withdrawn to be baited and introduced when
baited ready for setting; the whole combined, constructed, and operating sub-
stantially as described and shewn by the drawings.
Dated this 4th day of January 1895.
T. J. DANSON, F. Inst. P.A.,
Agent for Applicant.