IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAPS FOR CATCHING MOLES AND OTHER ANIMALS."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Notcutt, of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk,
Ironmonger, and George Scopes, of Needham Market, near Ipswich, aforesaid,
for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAPS FOR CATCHING MOLES AND
OTHER ANIMALS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Notcutt and George
Scopes at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th February
1880.
ALFRED NOTCUTT, of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk, Ironmonger, and GEORGE
SCOPES, of Needham Market, near Ipswich, aforesaid.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAPS
FOR CATCHING MOLES AND OTHER ANIMALS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in traps for catching moles and
other animals.
For this purpose we form a trap in such a manner that two loops of wire may
be laid across the run of a mole or other animal at a distance apart from one
another. The loops pass up through slots in a metal or other plate near its ends,
and above the plate they are connected to metal springs, which tend to draw the
loops upwards and bring the lower part of the loop up to the under side of the
plate. To each end of the plate is jointed a wire, which when the loops have been
pressed downwards so that they project to their full extent from the bottom of the
plate may be laid over the top of the spring, to which the loop is jointed and serve
to hold the spring down. For this purpose the end of the wire is bent downwards
and then turned backwards, and over the end so turned back is hooked a wire loop
which serves to hold it down. This wire loop rises up through a slot near the
centre of the metal plate, but is prevented from being drawn upwards through this
slot by reason of the two ends of the wire of which it is formed being bent
outwards away from one another so as to rest against the under side of the plate.
The ends of these wires are then bent downwards and again upwards and inwards
towards one another, or are otherwise made to form a sort of grating hanging down
on the under side of the plate and at right angles across it. One grating and loop
may serve as a catch for holding down both wire catches, or a separate grating and
loop may be used for each wire catch. When the grating hangs downwards at

page_text: right angles to the plate the loop holds down the wire catch, but if the grating is
pushed and made to incline to the plate the loop slips off from the end of the wire
catch and sets the catch free.
To set the trap in position in a mole run a short length of the run is opened by
taking off the turf or earth which covers it. The plate with the wire loops and
grating hanging down from it is laid across the top of the run, so that the wire
loops lie against its sides and bottom, and the grating or gratings stand across and
stop the way through the run. If then a mole passing along the run comes up to
the trap it enters one or other of the wire loops at the ends of the trap, and comes
against and deflects the grating which stands across the run; this liberates the
wire which previously held down the loop which the mole had partially entered,
and the loop is drawn violently upwards by the spring to which it is connected,
the loop catches the body of the mole and draws it up against the under side of
the plate and so kills it.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alfred Notcutt and George Scopes in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 9th August 1880.
ALFRED NOTCUTT, of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk, Ironmonger, and GEORGE
SCOPES, of Needham Market, near Ipswich, aforesaid. "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAPS
FOR CATCHING MOLES AND OTHER ANIMALS."
This Invention has for its object improvements in traps for catching moles and
other animals.
For this purpose we form a trap in such a manner that two loops of wire may
be laid across the run of a mole or other animal at a distance apart from one
another. The loops pass up through slots in a metal or other plate near its ends,
and above the plate they are connected to metal springs, which tend to draw the
loops upwards and bring the lower part of the loop up to the under side of the
plate. To each end of the plate is jointed a wire, which when the loops have been
pressed downwards so that they project to their full extent from the bottom of the
plate may be laid over the top of the spring, to which the loop is jointed and serve
to hold the spring down. For this purpose the end of the wire is bent downwards
and then turned backwards, and over the end so turned back is hooked a wire loop
which serves to hold it down. This wire loop rises up through a slot near the
centre of the metal plate, but is prevented from being drawn upwards through this
Blot by reason of the two ends of the wire of which it is formed being bent
outwards away from one another so as to rest against the under side of the plate.
The ends of these wires are then bent downwards and again upwards and inwards
towards one another, or are otherwise made to form a sort of grating hanging
down on the under side of the plate and at right angles across it. One grating and
loop may serve as a catch for holding down both wire catches, or a separate grating
and loop may be used for each wire catch. When the grating hangs downwards at
right angles to the plate the loop holds down the wire catch, but if the grating is
pushed and made to incline to the plate the loop slips off from the end of the wire
catch and sets the catch free.
To set the trap in position in a mole run a short length of the run is opened by
taking off the turf or earth which covers it. The plate with the wire loops and
grating hanging down from it is laid across the top of the run, so that the wire
loops lie against its sides and bottom, and the grating or gratings stand across and
stop the way through the run. If then a mole passing along the run comes up to
the trap it enters one or other of the wire loops at the ends of the trap and comes
against and deflects the grating which stands across the run; this liberates the
wire which previously held down the loop which the mole had partially entered,
and the loop is drawn violently upwards by the spring to which it is connected,
the loop catches the body of the mole and draws it up against the under side of the
plate and so kills it.
In order that our Invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect, we have in the Drawing hereunto annexed shewn various views of a trap
constructed as above described.
Figure 1 is an end view of the trap when set; Figure 2 is a side view of the
trap set at one end, and unset at the other; Figure 3 is a plan view of the trap
with the parts in the position shewn at Figure 2.
A is a metal plate; B, B, are two loops of wire; C, C, are coiled metal springs,
secured at their ends, as shewn, to the plate A, and having arms C¹ formed in one
piece with them. The loops B are connected, as shown, to the extremity of the
arms C¹, and the spring coils C tend to spring or force the arms upwards; D, D, are
wires jointed at one end to the plate near its ends. The other ends of the wires
are bent into a hook form, as shown; E is a wire loop which rises up through a slot

page_text: formed through the centre of the plate A; right angled bends are formed in this
wire below the plate to hold the loop in place, and the ends of the wire are then
bent in any desired manner to form a sort of grating with them; we prefer to bend
them in the manner shown at Figure 1 to form the grating. When the loops of
wire B have been pressed downwards so that they project to their full extent from
the bottom of the plate A, the wires D are caused to lie over the top of the spring
arms C¹, and the ends of these wires are inserted into the loop E and held down by
it; the trap is then set, and can be placed in the run of a mole or other animal as
before explained.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention and the manner of performing
the same, we would have it understood that we claim, the construction of
traps for catching moles and other animals, substantially in the manner herein
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Notcutt, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventh day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
ALFRED NOTCUTT.
(L.S.)