Improvements in Vermin Traps and other Traps for Catening, or Catching and Killing, Animals.
Year: 1886

page_text: Improvements in Vermin Traps and other Traps for Catening,
or Catching and Killing, Animals.
I, JOHN CLARK EDWARDS, of 92 Melton Place, Tettenhall Road, Wolverhampton
in the County of Stafford, edge tool manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:
-
This invention relates to that class of vermin traps and other traps for catching, or
catching and killing, animals, which operate by closing suddenly together, by means
of a spring, a pair of jaws or clams; and has for its object means whereby the
trap may be set by simply pressing down the spring which reacts to close together
the jaws.
According to this invention, the ordinary plate, by pressure upon which the trap is
set off, is pivoted lengthways of the trap, instead of transversely as is more usual.
The plate is pivoted at its back end, or that which is the nearer to the main spring;
and a backwardly-projecting catch is carried upon the plate immediately over the axis
of the pivot, and the upper part of this catch is bevilled or rounded over towards the
back. A light spring between the longitudinal frame of the trap and the underside of
the plate serves, when the trap is not set, to maintain the plate in a raised position.
When the main spring of the trap is pressed down (which may be effected by the
foot, or otherwise) the forward end of the loop or bow of the main spring bears down
upon the bevilled or inclined part of the catch and thus forces the catch forward, and
consequently moves the plate down against the pressure of the spring underneath it;
and, immediately the main spring has been sufficiently depressed, the catch is free to
pass over the front of the loop on the end of the main spring and hold the spring in
its position due to the trap being set. This latter movement of the catch is effected
by the spring under the plate reacting to force up the plate and consequently to force
the catch over the front of the loop. As the downward pressure is removed from the
main spring the main spring reacts and bears up against the catch and is thus securely
held until the trap is set off in the usual manner.
1
T
1
1032
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Wolverhampton and Walsall,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: or Catching and Killing, Animals.
1, JOHN CLARK EDWARDS, of Harlech House, Merridale Lane, (formerly of
92 Melton Place, Tettenhall Road) Wolverhampton in the County of Stafford, edge
tool 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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and the
letters of reference marked thereon (that is to say) :-
:-
This invention relates to that class of vermin traps and other traps for catching, or
catching and killing, animals, which operate by closing suddenly together, by means
of a spring, a pair of jaws or clams; and has for its object means whereby the trap
may be set by simply pressing down such spring and then removing the force by which
such pressing down has been effected.
This invention will be clearly understood on reference to the drawings herewith, of
which those on sheets 1 and 2 illustrate, respectively, alternative methods of carrying
out the invention.
Referring first to the drawings on sheet 1, figure 1 is a plan of a trap, constructed
according to this invention, when set, and figure 2 is a side elevation of figure 1, but
with the nearer jaw removed so as to leave the parts between the jaws open to view.
The same letters of reference occurring upon both the views indicate the same parts.
The frame A, spring B, and jaws CC, are all of the usual character. The plate D,
by pressure upon which the trap is set off, is fixed to a hinge-piece a, which is carried
to be capable of turning easily upon a transverse pin b carried in brackets or supports c c
fixed to (or formed with) the frame A. The hinge-piece a is formed with a backwardly
projecting catch d, and the forward end e of the spring B is shaped so that when in
its downward or compressed position it may gear with such catch; and a spring f is
fixed underneath the plate so as, by bearing at its unconnected end upon the frame to
maintain the plate in position for the forward end of the spring B when compressed
to gear with the catch d and to return it to such position upon the removal of any
pressure by which the plate D may have been depressed; and the upper edge g of the
catch d is curved (or slanted) as shewn, and the underside of the forward end of the
spring B also rounded or slanted so that as the spring B is compressed the forward
end presses back the catch (and consequently depresses the plate Dand compresses the
spring) until it has passed below the point thereof, when the spring freacting raises
the plate D and brings the point of the catch d over the forward end of the spring B
which consequently gears with such catch as the force by which such spring has been
compressed is removed, and thus the trap is set. The catch may be somewhat forward a
of the centre of the pin b, as shewn, in which case the upward pressure of the spring B,
as such spring gears with the catch, acts in slightly raising the plate D, and may thus
slightly raise the spring f from its bearing upon the frame A so that the pressure of

page_text: an animal upon the plate D will act in giving an initial movement in setting off the
trap and acquire some force of momentum before any resistance is offered by the
spring f. A stop h may be carried upon the frame A to act as a stop to the downward
movement of the hinge-piece a to prevent the spring f from being fractured by being
too greatly compressed. The spring fmay be fixed underneath the hinge-piece a,
desired, and such spring may be made of any convenient shape besides the particular
shape shewn.
Referring now to the drawings on sheet 2 herewith, figures 3 and 4 correspond,
respectively, to figures 1 and 2 before described. Figure 5 is a side elevation of the
combined hinge and catch-piece hereinafter described shewing its means of connection
with the frame, and figure 6 is an end view of figure 5. The parts in the views on
this sheet corresponding to those shewn by figures 1 and 2 are correspondingly lettered.
The plate D is in this case also fixed to a hinge piece a mounted on a transverse pin b,
and a backwardly projecting catch d is formed on the hinge-piece and corresponds to
the similar catch of the former modification. A backward projection is formed on
the lower side of the hinge-piece. It is preferred to carry the pin b in a bracket or
lugj upon the frame A, and to mount the hinge-piece upon such pin in position
between the bracket j and a washer k and to rivet up such pin, or tighten it by means
of a nut, so that the hinge-piece is tightened sufficiently between the bracket j and
washer as to cause it to remain, by the frictional hold thus occasioned, in any position
in which it may be placed, that is simply against any tendency which the weight of
the plate may have to move it from such position. To set this trap the spring B is
compressed in the ordinary manner, and if the plate D is in its upward position the
catch d is forced forwards as in the modification first described so that the forward end
of the spring can pass below it, and such forward end of the spring pressing upon the
projection i raises the plate again into its upward position and brings the catch over
the end of the spring, and as the pressure by which the spring has been compressed is
withdrawn the forward end of the spring in rising catches under the catch d and the
trap is set. The friction of the hinge-piece between the bracket ; and washer k causes
the plate D to remain in its upward position while the forward end of the spring B
rises from the projection to engage with the catch d.
It is not essential to cause a frictional hold on the hinge-piece a as such hinge-piece
may be mounted freely upon a pin carried by two brackets, or otherwise in a jaw upon
the frame A, but in such case some little practice is required, in setting the trap, to
allow the forward end of the spring B to rise and gear with the catch d before the
plate D can drop after being raised by the pressure of the forward end of the spring B
upon the projection i.
"
The lower side of the projection is so shaped as that it will form a stop to the
rising of the plate D, and consequently to the downward position of the catch d; and
such shape may be adjusted to give a more or less "hard" easy" setting of the
trap, that is so that a greater or less pressure must be brought upon the plate D to set
off the trap.
or
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:-
1. A vermin trap or other trap of the character above stated for catching or catching
and killing animals constructed to be self-setting, on the removal of any force by which
a spring employed to close together a pair of jaws has been compressed, by the
operation of a spring between the plate D and the frame A in combination with a
backwardly projecting catch fixed to such plate and capable of being operated by and
gearing with the forward end of the first mentioned spring, such trap being provided
with means by which the forward end of such first-mentioned spring pushes outwards
the catch as such spring is compressed, substantially as described and shewn by the
drawings on sheet 1 herewith.
2. A vermin trap or other trap of the character above stated for catching or catching
and killing animals constructed to be self-setting, on the removal of any force by which
a spring employed to close together a pair of jaws has been compressed, by the

page_text: operation, during the compression of such spring and previous to the removal of such
pressure, of the forward end of such spring on a projection i which causes the raising
of the plate D so as to bring a backwardly projecting catch fixed to such plate over
the forward end of the spring and by the subsequent engagement of such forward end
of the spring with such catch, such trap being provided with means by which (if the
plate is in its upward position as the forward end of the spring is being pushed down
past the catch) the forward end of the spring pushes outwards the catch as such spring
is compressed, substantially as described with reference to the drawings on sheet 2
herewith.
3. In combination with the means referred to in the last preceding claim the means,
substantially as described, for causing the plate D to remain in any position in which
it may be placed against the tendency of the weight of such plate to move it from such
position, substantially as described for the purpose set forth.`
4. A vermin trap or other trap of the character above stated for catching or catching
and killing animals constructed to be self-setting on the removal of any force by which
a spring employed to close together a pair of jaws has been compressed, substantially
as described with reference to the drawings on sheet 2 herewith.