improvements
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Mar., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 26th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 30th Nov., 1895
improvements in
1, THOMAS PHILIP BACHE of the Firm of George Salter and Company, of
West Bromwich, in the County of Stafford, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to detail improvements in vermin traps, and consists, in the
one part, in a means of rendering the setting of the trap safe, and in a further part,
in a novel mounting for the spring end of the jaw-closing arm.
In carrying out my improvements, the releasing or tread plate is mounted upon
one end of a rocking beam, jointed about its middle to the longer limbs of a pair of
L-shaped brackets supported upon the top side of the stock, into the short limbs of
which brackets, the inward pivot ends of a pair of arch-shaped gripping jaws, whose
other pivot ends work in bearings in the turned-up end of the stock, take.
That side of the rocking beam not carrying the pressure plate is formed alike
unto a trigger, whilst slightly inwards of, and out of line with, the centre of the
pivot is a catch gap, with which the cross bar or cross head of the jaw-closing arm,
whose loop takes over the back limbs of the gripping jaws, engages. The joint end
of the jaw lever, which is in the form of a long loop, is square, around which the
inner free end of a volute or clock spring is wound and takes the same square
figure, so as to be incapable of turning thereon. The outer free end of this spring
rivetted or otherwise attached to the top side of the stock.
To set the trap, depress the fore part of the jaw-closing arm, when the jaws
fall apart, and are retained in their open position by the forward cross end of
the arm engaging in the catch gap, whilst the hook-shaped parts of the branches
of the said arm come under the jaws.
In case the trap, after being set, requires to have the jaws closed for carrying
or removal, then it is only necessary to apply upward pressure to the trigger-
like end of the beam, when the catch gap is taken away from the cross end of
the arm and the jaws close to.
Dated this 7th day of March 1895.
THOMAS PHILIP BACHE,
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant.
Improvements in Vermin Traps.
I, THOMAS PHILIP BACHE of the Firm of George Salter and Company, of
West Bromwich, in the County of Stafford, 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 :-
This invention relates to detail improvements in vermin traps, and consists, in the
one part, in a means of rendering the setting of the trap safe, and in a further part,
in a novel mounting for the spring end of the jaw-closing arm.
In carrying out my improvements, the releasing or tread plate is mounted upon
one end of a rocking beam, jointed about its middle to the longer limbs of a pair of
LD

page_text: L-shaped brackets supported upon the top side of the stock, into the short limbs
of which brackets, the inward pivot ends of a pair of arch-shaped gripping jaws,
whose other pivot ends work in bearings in the turned-up end of the stock, take.
That side of the rocking beam not carrying the pressure plate is formed alike
unto a trigger, whilst slightly inwards of, and out of line with, the centre of the
pivot is a catch gap, with which the cross bar or cross head of the jaw-closing arm,
whose loop takes over the back limbs of the gripping jaws, engages. The joint end
of the jaw lever, which is in the form of a long loop, is square, around which the
inner free end of a volute or clock spring is wound and takes the same square
figure, so as to be incapable of turning thereon. The other end of this spring is
rivetted or otherwise attached to the topside of the stock.
To set the trap, depress the fore part of the jaw-closing arm, when the jaws fall
apart, and are retained in their open position by the forward cross end of the arm
engaging in the catch gap, whilst the hook-shaped parts of the branches of the said
arm come under the jaws.
In case the trap, after being set, requires to have the jaws closed for carrying or
removal then it is only necessary to apply upward pressure to the trigger-like end
of the beam, when the catch gap is taken away from the cross end of the arm and
the jaws close to.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing represents an elevation of a rat or like
vermin trap provided with improvements made according to my invention, with the
jaws shown closed.
Figure 2 represents a topside plan of Figure 1.
Figure 3 represents a longitudinal vertical section of Figure 1 upon the dotted
line, with the jaws open.
Figure 4 is another topside plan of the trap, but with the jaws open and secured
in that position by the engagement of the end of the spring with the shoulder of
the catch on the counterpoised trigger arm.
Figure 5 is an edge view of the tread plate with trigger arm.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures
of the drawing.
c,
a is a tread plate, carried at the inner end of a rocking beam a¹, loosely pivoted
at a² to the sides b', of L-shaped brackets b, carried by a stock and with one end
of the said beam formed into a trigger lever a³, which is counterpoised, and at the
junction of the said trigger part with the plate is a catch shoulder a, with an
inclined nose a', against which the cross end d², of the levering spring arm d,
impinges on the said arm being brought down for the opening of the jaws e, which
are pivoted at e², to the turned up end c', of the stock c, and at 62, to the brackets b,
also carried by the stock c.
The joint end d', of the spring arm is made square, around which the attachment
end, of a volute spring f, attachedly fixed at 2, to the stock c, is wrapped so as to
make the joint end of the arm incapable of rotating in the eye of the spring.
To set the trap, depress the spring arm either by hand or by hearing upon the
same by the foot when the spring is slightly wound up and the end d³, strikes the
nose a, rocks back the tread, which then returns with the beam and causes
the end d², of the arm to be caught by the catch a', and be thereby beld.
Immediately an animal comes onto the tread plate, his weight rocks the said
tread and takes its catch out of engagement with the end of the spring arm, which
is released, flies upwards and closes the jaws of the trap.
If necessary, the trigger arm carrying the tread plate need not be counterpoised,
as it may be set by hand.
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 :-
First. In vermin traps, setting the same by the shoulder catch of a counter
poised rocking beam carrying the tread plate, engaging with the operating spring

page_text: arm when compressed so as to admit of the said trap being set by hand or by the
foot, substantially as described and set forth.
Secondly. In vermin traps, carrying the joint end of the operating arm from the
inner end of a volute spring whose other end is secured, to the stock and whose said
inner end encircles a square of the said operating arm, substantially as described
and set forth.
Thirdly. In vermin traps, the means herein described for setting and releasing of
the spring arm for operating the jaws, substantially as described and set forth.
Fourthly. The general construction, arrangement and combination of the parts
of vermin traps, substantially as and for the purpose described and set forth.
Dated this 25th day of October 1895.
THOMAS PHILIP BACHE,
By Henry Skerrett,
24 Temple Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.