Improvements in Traps irus.
Year: 1896

page_text: Improvements in Traps
irus.
We, EDWARD WHITWORTH, Gamekeeper, and JOSEPH MALLENDER, Head Gardener,
both of Hodsock Priory, Worksop, in the County of Nottingham, do hereby declare
the nature of our invention to be as follows:-
.This invention of improvements in traps for catching birds and more particularly
sparrows has reference to the construction of the mouth of the trap, that is the
opening through which the birds enter.
We propose to construct the trap of any desired size, and of various materials,
thus for example we may make a frame of wood or of angle iron in the form of an
oblong box six feet long, by three feet wide and three feet high, having a door at
one end.
The sides, ends, and top are closed by woven wirework, perforated zinc or the
like, but the bottom may be left open as the trap is intended to be placed upon the
ground.
At a lower level than the top of the trap we fix a perch, preferably extending
across from side to side; underneath the wirework and capable of holding a supply
of food upon its upper face..
Above the perch we make an opening through the wire work, say for example
two inches wide, and two and a half inches beyond each side of the perch, thus if the
perch is made four inches wide on its face, the extreme length of the opening would'
be nine inches, but we do not bind ourselves to these dimensions.
The opening or mouth has descending sides of the wirework, which at one part
rest upon the perch and are somewhat deeper where the mouth or opening extends
beyond the perch, and it is found of advantage to leave these edges ragged with the
cut wirework ends.
The mouth or inlet opening may be made entirely from woven wire, or a separate
frame may be made to carry the depending wirework or perforated sides as preferred.
Deted the 20th day of July 1896
ROBT. F..DRURY, C.P.A.,
Bank Buildings, George Street, Sheffield, Agent for Applicants.
We, EDWARD WHITWORTH, Gamekeeper and JOSEPH MALLENDER, Head Gardener,
both of Hodsock Priory, Worksop in the County of Nottingham do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same has to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our invention of improvements in traps for catching birds, and more particularly
sparrows, has reference to the construction of the mouth of the trap, that is the
opening through which the birds enter.

page_text: The annexed drawings clearly illustrate the manner in which the invention may be
carried into practice, the woven wire work is omitted.
Fig. 1, is a perspective view of a trap made in accordance with our invention.
Fig. 2, is a perspective view of entrance aperture.
Fig. 3, a plan of same.
We construct the trap of any desired size and form, preferably of a rectangular
shape as shown in Fig. 1, of the drawings, the frame A may be of wood and the
panels or intermediate spaces may be of perforated zinc B, or the frame may be of
angle iron and the spaces closed with woven wirework, with the bottom in many cases
left open, as the trap is intended to be placed upon the ground.
Whatever may be the shape of the body of the trap, we provide it with a door C,
of a size sufficient to enable the hand and arm to be inserted, in small traps, and in
large sizes to admit a person to the interior by creeping through, to catch the trapped
birds.
Through the top of the trap we make an elongated opening D, which forms the
entrance for the birds..
This aperture to prove effective in admitting the birds and in preventing their
escape, we find should be of the following proportions or thereabout, say two inches
wide, and nine inches long when the perch in connection with it marked E, is
four inches wide, which thus leaves the actual entrances into the interior of the
trap 2 inches wide by 24 inches long.
About two inches below the opening D, we fix a perch E, which may extend across
the trap, or only across the opening itself; we prefer it to be about four inches broad
so that its surface will hold a bait of seeds or the like.
From the edge of the elongated opening D, depends a curtain of woven wire F, or
its equivalent, the edges rest upon the perch E, and the ends droop at least an inch
lower and may be left ragged with advantage.
If a 3 inch perch is used the opening should be about 8 inches long, and in some
cases only one entrance may be made.
If desirable the opening with its curtain and perch may be made connected together
but separate from the body of the trap, so that when removed the aperture will answer
as a door.
The sparrows attracted by the bait fly down to the perch E, upon which bait is
placed, and seeing the food and water within the trap placed upon the natural ground
or grass, they fly through the openings on each side of the perch, but when they
attempt to return, the edge of the curtain F, is in the way, and effectually prevents
their escape.
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. A bird trap, the body of which may be of any desired configuration, having an
entrance for the birds through the top of the trap, provided with a curtain F,
depending from the edge of the opening D, and a perch E, passing transversely
across the opening, as hereinbefore described and. shown.
2. In live bird traps, an entrance opening provided with a depending flange or
curtain of woven wire or the like, and a broad transverse perch to hold a bait, and
placed centrally so as to leave a way on each side into the interior of the trap, as
hereinbefore described and shown.
Dated the 20th day of Al 1907
ROBT. F. DRURY, C.P.A.,
Bank Buildings, George Street, Sheffield, Agent for Applicants.