Year: 1886

page_text: I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
--
This invention relates to traps for catching animals of any kind and it consists of
two toothed steel jaws or branches jointed like a pair of scissors and closing by
helical springs. About half the lower part of these jaws is placed under a plate
which covers the rest of the mechanism.
Supposing the trap to be about a metre in length the jaws should have a length of
about 70 centimetres from their toothed end to the joint and from the latter point to
their other end 30 centimètres. They are fitted at the joint on which they turn with of
a nut and a brass washer to reduce the friction.
At the centre of the lower part of the arms is arranged on each side a strong
helical spring one end of which is fixed to a rectangular piece of iron rivetted to
the plate whilst the other end is connected to another iron piece having a hole to
hold the spring. This latter piece is placed at right angles to the two plates and is
rivetted to them. Each plate has at its extremity a strong pin fixed in the iron and
projecting downwards. These two pins are of iron bent a little outward and to set
the apparatus it is only necessary to open the parts, no hooks or holders being
necessary as in the ordinary methods of construction.
To the pins are fitted two levers themselves fixed to a slide contained in a case
below the arms. It moves in grooves made in the case. When the jaws are opened
a steel spring arranged below the slide forces a projecting catch into a groove made
in the case.
The lower end of the spring has a hole to fix it to the slide and its

page_text: upper part which is made narrower is introduced into a slit in the catch and guided
in a groove in the slide. When the trap is opened the spring forces the catch into a
corresponding notch and the trap is set.
To close it, it is only necessary that a slight pressure should be given to an arm
carrying a suitable bait, which pressure pushes back the catch in the groove and the
trap closes with great force. The joint and the support for the bait lever are formed
in a flanged casting, arranged so as to prevent lateral displacement.
By the improved method of construction described the trap is cheap and easily
made and put together, there is no danger in handling it or disarrangement at the
moment of its acting, whilst it is protected from rust the mechanism being under the
plate which keeps off the wet, and it is certain in its operation.
Dated this 9th day of November 1886.
EDWARDS & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.
A communication to
me
from abroad by WILLIAM HOTZÉ, of Paris, in the
Republic of France, Mechanician.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of s
Middlesex 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 and accompanying drawing (that is to say) :-
:-
This invention relates to traps for catching animals of any kind. In the
accompanying drawing, which is in illustration of the invention, figure 1 is a view
from below of one of the improved traps when set.
Its size may vary according to the conditions under which it is to be used, but
supposing it to be about one mêtre in length the trap consists of two strong steel
jaws or blades, measuring from a to d about 70 centimêtres, and from d to b 30 centi-
mêtres. These jaws are provided with teeth cut or stamped on their inner edge as
shewn. They are jointed together and turn upon the centre d, consisting of an iron
pin having screwed ends which is firmly fixed in a ring or washer upon the upper
surface of the base or frame of the trap. The hole at d should be made when the
bars a, b, are redhot, and should not be drilled.

page_text: The two bars are adjusted and held in their place by a nut, as shewn, having a
brass washer under it to reduce the friction, and they are arranged so that they can
open and close very easily. At the centre of d, b, is arranged on each side a strong
spiral spring, one of the ends of which is fixed to a rectangular piece of iron s rivetted to
the base plate whilst the other end is connected to a similar iron attachment t at right
angles to the bar, and having a hole to fasten the end of the spring. Each bar or blade
has at the end ba strong pin fixed in it and projecting downward. These two pins are
curved out a little, and the trap is very simply set by opening out the two parts
which are brought together by the springs, no hooks or catches being required for
this purpose as in the traps ordinarily used. Instead of the pins rivetted into the
ends bas described and shewn, the latter may themselves be prolonged and bent
down.
The lower ends of the two pins are formed and arranged so as to receive the two
levers or links c, e, and e, c. The screwed holder pand nutq serve to hold the ends of
the spiral springs and unfasten and remove them when required.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the improved trap. The two levers or
links c, e, and e, c, are connected to the sliding piece f, and draw it back (when the jaws
are opened) together with the spring m fixed at one end to the sliding piece, thus
permitting the catch piece or point which is pressed down by the spring m,
to enter a groove or notch in the cast iron case h the bottom of which slopes somewhat
as shewn.
This case h has a parallel groove on each side, in which the sliding piece f slides.
The spring m is of elastic steel, one end being fixed to the sliding piece f, and its
other narrower end passes through a transverse slot in the catch piece n, which it
forces into the notch or groove in the case h when the jaws are opened wide to set
the trap, which is accomplished without the least difficulty, or trouble and without
the use of any hooks or catches of the usual kind, one person-however inex-
perienced-being perfectly capable of performing the operation, and without danger
of being hurt or injured.
Figure 3 shows the sliding piece from above. Figure 5 is a vertical section
through the piece f and the case h, shewing the catch-piece and spring m.
In order to make the trap operate a slight pressure upon the plate k, upon which a
suitable bait is placed, is all that is necessary.
This plate is at the end of the arm of a lever i, which is three, four, or five times,
longer than the shorter arm upon the other side of the fulcrum upon which the lever
turns, which acts with corresponding force upon the catch piece n which it pushes
out of the notch or groove which holds it, and the trap instantly closes violently. The
fulcrum of the lever i is in a cast iron joint arranged so as to prevent any lateral
displacement.
The parts of the trap, placed below the top plate, can be made very simply and
cheaply, their proportions and relative positions being calculated mathematically.
The path of the inner ends of the jaws or blades d, b, (figure 4) forms a seetor the
two sides of which d, b ; d, b ; and the height d, k, are equal.
If the pairs of levers or links c, e, and e, c, be then arranged at an angle of about
28° to 300, the exact length of stroke e, l, made by the sliding piece f when the trap
is set can readily and accurately be calculated. The construction of traps of less than
about half a mêtre in length, upon the improved principle, would present some
difficulties, but the invention applies more especially to traps of 1, 2, or 3 mêtres long
which are very easily made, and not to mere mousetraps.
The springs act with much greater force when they are stretched instead of being
compressed by the act of opening the jaws or blades.
The special arrangement shewn by which by unscrewing a nut either spring can
be removed, enables them to be cleaned, replaced, or others substituted, without
difficulty or danger.
Instead of spiral or helical springs as described, flat, or bent, springs may be used,
fixed by nuts so that they can be readily removed or replaced.

page_text: The improved trap possesses the following advantages,
1. Being based upon mathematical principles, its construction is extremely simple
and cheap, in all suitable sizes.
2. It can be readily set, even in the dark, without danger.
3.. One person can readily manipulate it.
4. The trap when set can never go off unexpectedly.
5. Being carried upon an iron baseplate it is steady and is readily held by two
rings and chains.
6. The springs may be protected from wet, so that they are not liable to rust, and
their action is always perfect.
7. The trap is fatal to any animal touching the bait, and the blades may if thought
fit be covered with any suitable poison not injurious to man but destroying cats and
animals of such kind.
8. By covering the jaws with bands of suitable material wild animals, which it is
desired to preserve for menageries and other purposes may be caught alive.
:-
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 :-
In traps for animals, the combination of the jaws a, b, toothed or not, moving like
scissors, and closed by means of helical or other springs, arranged in connection with
levers or links in position and proportion mathematically determined, so that the trap
can be instantly set, the spring m fixed upon the sliding piece f and forcing a
catch-piece n into a groove or notch in the case h, so that the jaws are kept in their
open position by the levers c, e, c, but are released directly the catch piece n is forced
from the groove or notch by pressure upon the bait-plate & acting upon the lever i,
k
all substantially as described and shewn in the drawing.
1511
T11007