IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAPS FOR CATCHING RATS AND MICE. RABBITS. AND OTHER ANIMALS. AND BIRDS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Miles, of Hastings, in the County of Sussex,
Cutler, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAPS FOR CATCHING RATS
AND MICE. RABBITS. AND OTHER ANIMALS. AND BIRDS."
Sealed the 26th February 1864, and dated the 31st August 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Miles at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 31st August
1863.
I, JOHN MILES, of Hastings, in the County of Sussex, Cutler, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAPS FOR
CATCHING RATS AND MICE, RABBITS, AND OTHER ANIMALS, AND BIRDS," to be
as follows:-
My Invention consists in improvements on the ordinary well known "gin."
I add a beam, each end of which carries an upright with an enlarged head,
and I pass these uprights through holes made in the platform of the trap, and
I connect the beam by a pin carried through its centre to the bed of the trap.
I perforate the head of one or both of the uprights, which perforations are
made for the purpose of securing the bait. In order that the trap may be set.
vertically if required, I screw a stand or prongs into the head,, and fix the
stand or prongs into the ground.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Miles in the Great Seal. Patent Office on the 29th
February 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
MILES, of Hastings, in the County of Sussex, Cutler, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Miles, Her special licence that I, the said John Miles,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as J, the said John
Miles, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might. make, use, exercise,. and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS. IN TRAPS FOR
CATCHING RATS AND MICE, RABBITS, AND OTHER ANIMALS, AND BIRDS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Miles, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of
the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same. to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office, within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Miles, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is. to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say:
- :
My Invention consists in improvements on the ordinary well known "gin."
I add a beam, each end of which carries an upright with an enlarged' head,
and I pass these uprights through holes made in the platform of the trap; and
I connect the beam by a pin carried through its centre to the bed of the trap.
I perforate the head of one or both of the uprights, which perforations are
made for the purpose of securing the bait. In order that the trap may be set
vertically if required, I screw a stand or prongs into the head, and fix the
stand or prongs into the ground.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings is a side view of one of my traps

page_text: with the jaws closed; Figure 2 is a top view, showing the trap set in a
horizontal position.
a is a beam, each end of which carries an upright b with an enlarged head.;
the uprights 6 are passed through holes made in the platform c of the trap.
I connect the beam a by a pin d carried through its centre to the bed of the
trap. Figure 3 is a detached view of the beam a, uprights b, and pin d. The
other parts of the trap are similar in construction to those of the ordinary
gin, and require no further description. I secure the bait by means of a
wire or thread passed through perforations in the heads of the uprights b; or
the bait may be otherwise secured. To set the trap, press down the spring
bar e, when the jaws f will fall into the position shewn in Figure 2, then
engage the catch g into the notch 7 carried by the bar which supports the
platform c. On a rat, mouse, bird, or animal pulling at the bait, the catch g
is disengaged from the notch h, and the jaws f spring together with
great force.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim, constructing
those traps known as "gins" with a beam, each end of which carries an
upright with an enlarged head, and passed through holes made in the platform
of the trap, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Miles, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of February, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty-four.