Improvements in Animal Traps.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 28th June, 1889
Complete Specification Left, 13th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 14th Sept.,
1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Animal Traps.
We, WILLIAM CHANCELLOR HAIGH, of Greenheys Lane, Manchester, Merchant,
and JOHN BARLOW, of Hampson Mills, Bury, Lancashire, Bleacher, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The improvements relate to animal traps, and have for object the forming of traps
which in many cases require no bait; and are always set for use as soon as the animal
is cleared, or clears itself therefrom, and which traps are especially applicable to
animals who live in burrows or other holes having restricted entrances.
To accomplish our improvements, we provide a skeleton or other frame work of
wire or other substance, which may be fitted or forced into the entrance of a burrow
or other animal haunt. At the inner end of this frame we provide an openwork or
other swinging door or flap which is free to open outwards from the direction in
which the animal is proceeding only, and at the outer end of this frame I fix a
swinging knife, pointed fork, or other piercing instrument which is free to swing clear
of the bottom of the frame in cither direction, and which may have the prongs or
blades slightly turned outwards or not.
The trap operates as follows: If the animal is in the burrow, there is no obstruction
to its coming out, as the inner swinging door or flap and outer swinging instrument
readily move outward, to allow of exit.
When the animal returns to the burrow, there is no obstruction to its entrance, so
far as the swinging cutting instrument is concerned; but the inner flap will stop
further progress, while the swinging cutting instrument is drawn forward by the head
or back of the animal and rests thereon, and as there is not space for the animal to
turn round it must return by moving backwards. As it attempts to do this the
swinging fork or other piercing instrument is forced into the animals back or head.
Usually in spite of this-the animal will force its way out again although its vetebrae
may be broken or death results from the attempt, thus clearing the trap for
further use.
Although the improvements are specially applicable to killing without bait those
animals which burrow such as rabbits &c., they are nevertheless applicable to other
animals by forming open work cul-de-sacs in front of or around cages or receptacles for
bait or around fenced land; and variations in detail may be made, such as in the
form, size, and materials of the apparatus without departing from the peculiar character
of the invention; which mainly consists in the employment of a swinging fork or
other cutting or piercing instrument which allows the animal to partly pass under the
same in a forward direction; but which is forced into the back or other portion of
the body of the animal on its attempting to back out of the opening it has been
induced to partially enter.
Doted this 27th day of June 1889
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
64, Barton Arcade, Manchester, Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Animal Traps.
We, WILLIAM CHANCELLOR HAIGH, of Greenbeys Lane, Manchester, Merchant,
and JOHN BARLOW of Hampson Mills, Bury, Lancashire, Bleacher, 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 :-
The improvements relate to animal traps, and have for object the forming of traps

page_text: which in many cases require no bait; and are always set for use as soon as the
animal is cleared, or clears itself therefrom, and which traps are especially applicable
to animals who live in burrows or other holes having restricted entrances.
To accomplish our. improvements, we provide a skeleton or other frame work of
wire or other substance, which may be fitted or forced into the entrance of a burrow
or other animal haunt. At the inner end of this frame we provide an open-work or
other swinging door or flap which is free to open outwards from the direction in
which the animal is proceeding only, and at the outer end of this frame we fix a
swinging knife, pointed fork, or other piercing instrument, which is free to swing
clear of the bottom of the frame in either direction, and which may have the prongs
or blades slightly turned outwards or not.
The trap operates as follows: If the animal is in the burrow, there is no obstruction
o its coming out, as the inner swinging door or flap and outer swinging instrument
readily move outward, to allow of exit.
When the animal returns to the burrow, there is no obstruction to its entrance,
so far as the swinging cutting instrument is concerned; but the inner flap will stop
further progress, while the swinging cutting instrument is drawn forward by the
head or body of the animal and rests thereon, and as there is not space for the
animal to turn round, it must return by moving backwards. As it attempts to do
this the swinging fork or other piercing instrument is forced into the animal's body
or head. Usually-in spite of this-the animal will force its way out again although
its vertebrae may be broken or death results from the attempt, thus clearing the trap
for further use.
Although the improvements are specially applicable to killing without bait those
animals which burrow such as rabbits, rats, and other vermin, they are nevertheless
applicable to other animals by forming cul-de-sacs in front of or around cages or
receptacles for bait or around fenced land; and variations in detail may be made,
such as in the form, size, and materials of the apparatus without departing from the
peculiar character of the invention; which mainly consists in the employment of a
swinging fork or other cutting or piercing instrument which allows the animal to
partly pass under the same in a forward direction; but which is forced into the back
or other portion of the body of the animal on its attempting to back out of the
opening it has been induced to partially enter.
But that the improvements may be better understood, we will with the aid of
the accompanying drawings proceed more fully to describe means eniployed by us.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1. shews a longitudinal elevation, and Fig. 2. and 3. are end elevations of a
form of simple trap; while Fig. 4. shews a plan view, and Fig. 5. an elevation
of a form of compound trap, constructed in accordance with our improvements.
The same letters indicate corresponding parts wherever they occur.
a. a. is the framing of the trap which is shewn in skeleton form as usually
preferable; but it may he made of a more solid character when desirable. b. b. is
the swinging knife at the outer entrance, and c. c. the swinging door or flap at the
inner or farther end. This door or flap is only allowed to swing or open outwards,
that is towards the opening or swinging knife, while the knife is free to swing in
either direction.
The framing a. a. is made of such length as to fall short of the length of the
animal's body sought to be entrapped, by preference about half, and also too narrow
for the animal to turn therein, by which means when the head of the animal reaches
the door or flap, there is discovered to be no way of escape apparent but by backward
motion, which usually results in the death of the animal.
In the compound trap, or in a single trap, used with bait, the inner door or
flap is dispensed with, and a grating or the like is substituted, the bait being placed
in the central space d. d.
It is obvious that the form or shape of the trap and parts thereof may be varied,
as also the material and mode of construction, together with the position of the

page_text: .
swinging flap and knife, or both without departing from the peculiar character of the
invention; as for instance, the knife may have more than two prongs, or even one;
and may take the stiletto, trident, or other forms; and may be either straight or
curved; also the knife or cutting instrument may be swung from below instead of
above, and held upright by springs, or balance weight or weights; or one or two
cutting instruments may be hinged at one or both sides in similar manner, in all of
which cases the action is practically the same as the method shewn which is
preferred.
'
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is —
1. The employment, in animal traps, of a swinging cutting instrument, which acts
upon the animal when attempting to back out of the entrance, for the purpose and in
manner substantially as described.
2. The employment, in animal traps, designed to be placed in the burrows or runs
of animals, of a cutting instrument at the front in combination with a swinging flap
or door operating one way only at the back, for the purpose and in manner substantially
as herein shewn and described.
Dated this 12th day of August 1880.
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
64, Barton Arcade, Manchester, Agent.