Improvements in Animal Traps.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 29th Nov., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 29th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 18th Jan., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Animal Traps.
1 ALEXANDER WORDEN Inventor of Petoskey Emmet County and State of Michigan
United States of America 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 my invention is an improvement in animal traps; and my said invention
consists of a self setting rotary trap somewhat in the form of a paddle wheel, operated
by a spring and adapted to be arranged over a suitable receptacle into which the
animals are precipitated.
The object of this invention is to provide a simple trap for mice, rats, or small
game, that will be continuous in action and self setting so that a number of animals
may be caught without setting the trap. To accomplish these results I proceed as
follows reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein
Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation and partial section of a self setting rotary animal
trap constructed according to my invention arranged in position over a vessel and
Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail
view of the nosepiece and trip or bolt.
Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures.
The letter A designates a frame of any suitable dimensions, upon which the trap is
secured and which platform supports the trap over a barrel, box, or any other suitable
vessel to receive the animals as caught. This platform A has a central opening A¹
within which is arranged a series of platforms B B that are mounted and turn upon a
central axle C, whose journal bearings c are upon the top of the frame A. Upon one
end of the axle C is a coiled spring D, or a cord may be wound around said axle having
a weight attached, which spring or cord is to turn the platforms B B.
E is a case or cover closed except at the front, that closely incloses the platforms B.
At the rear of each of the platforms B, of which there are preferably four is a nose-
piece F, that swings upon a pintle f secured to said platform, and these nospieces F
have an extension F¹ that extends through an opening b in the platforms and to which
is secured a bolt G. This bolt G passes along the under side of the platform and
when in its projected or locked position, extends out beyond the outer end of the
platform and engages beneath a stop-H arranged along the inner end of the
opening A of the frame A. Each platform is provided with these nosepieces F,
to the back of which the bait is applied, and the bolts G are held in place by
staples g.
The operation is as follows: The trap being first placed upon a box barrel or
other receptacle as shown in Fig. 1 the animal attracted by the bait upon the back
of the nosepieces F, which bait is secured at the back of the nosepiece by any
suitable means over the opening F in said nosepiece, enters the case E upon the
platform B and in its efforts to reach the bait the nose-piece F is pushed back, and
the bolt G retracted from the stop H when the spring with the added weight of the
animal, causes the platform to revolve in the direction of the arrow and precipitates
the animal into the receptacle beneath. This revolution of the platform continues

page_text: until the bolt of the platform in advance of the one just tripped is brought against the
stop H, when the trap is again set.
This operation may be repeated until the spring is run down. The platforms B are
arranged at right angles to each other like the blades of a paddle wheel, and when
the trap is set the opening in the frame will be closed by two platforms and the
other two platforms or paddles will stand at right angles to the other platforms or
vertically of the machine as shown in Fig. 1. As the platforms drop down after the
bolt is slipped, the weight of said bolt causes it to be again projected so as to engage
the stop H and at the front edge of the opening A' is a slotted piece A² to permit the
passage of the bolts past the same and at the same time prevent the escape of the
animal.
Instead of a spring being used as here shown the shaft C may be turned by a cord
and a weight, or other suitable means may be employed for this purpose, and instead
of arranging the nosepieces in a vertical position as shown in Fig. 1, the same may
be arranged horizontally as shown in Fig. 3. At the side of the case E is arranged a
spring catch e, that prevents the platform being turned backward.
To wind up the trap, the catch e is pressed out and the platforms turned backward
until the spring is coiled, when the catch e is released and the trap is again ready for
use or the spring may be wound up by a key applied to the end of the shaft.
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) In a revolving animal trap, the combination, with a suitable inclosed case E, and
frame A with opening A', of the series of platforms B, mounted upon an axle C,
journaled in the frame A and having attached thereto means for turning said axle,
and nose-pieces F pivotally connected to said platforms B and having extensions F¹,
bolts G, connected to said extensions F1 of the pivoted nosepieces F which bolts pass
beneath the platforms B and project beyond the front edge thereof and engage a
catch H at the rear of the frame A as described for the purposes specified.
2) In a revolving animal trap, in combination with the platforms B, the nose-
pieces F, pivoted to said platforms having extensions E¹, that project below said plat-
form, and opening F for the bait and bolts G secured to the said extensions F¹ of
the nosepieces, and extending beneath the platforms B, as described, for the purposes
specified.
Dated this 29th day of November 1889