Year: 1898

page_text: We, WILLIAM BAYLIFF and THOMAS DUTTON BAYLIFF, both of the Wirral
Foundry, Beaufort Road, Birkenhead, Engineers, and BENJAMIN DRAPER, of 2,
Knowsley Grove, Everton, Liverpool, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to animal traps and is more especially applicable to rat-
traps.
To the lower and open part of the side, sides, or ends, or both, of a cage
which is preferably rectangular, are hinged so as to rest in an inwardly inclined
position on the bottom of the cage, a number of wires or rods. Each wire may
move independently of the others, or two or more wires may be connected, but
usually the wires will move independently. Such wires form the door of the
trap, and close the lower part of the cage. Inasmuch that such series of wires
extend the whole length of the side or sides of the cage, a trapped animal cannot
gain access beneath any one inclined wire in order to raise it and so effect its
escape, and the side pieces of tin or wirework now used to prevent this action
of the trapped animal are not required; but where the ends of the cage possess
such hinged wires such tin or wirework is provided at each end of such end
series of wires, which series do not extend the full length of the ends, as is the
case with the sides. In some traps a fringe or curtain of wires are hinged in
front of said inclined wires, which do not reach the ground and consequently
hang loosely and perfectly vertical. The lower end of these vertical wires is
sharpened, and the wires are for the purpose of preventing an animal from with-
drawing after it has commenced to enter the trap. Namely, in advancing, the
animal raises the wire from the vertical into an inclined position. If the animal
retreats, the said wire, in again assuming the perpendicular, will enter the
animal's back and will either goad it into the trap or prevent it from escaping.
The hinges of the wires are spaced apart by distance pieces, in order that no
lateral play is allowed to the wires.
By causing the entire lower portion of the side or sides of the cage to serve
as a door, as above described, the fact that it is a trap is disguised; greater
facility is provided for entering the trap, and a long and narrow trap-adapted
to lie close against a wall in a confined space- may be obtained with a maximum
means of entry.
... ALA 1011 1
" T1
1000

page_text: We, WILLIAM BAYLIFF and THOMAS DUTTON BAYLIFF, both of the Wirral
Foundry, Beaufort Road, Birkenhead, Engineers, and BENJAMIN DRAPER, of 2,
Knowsley Grove, Everton, Liverpool, Engineer, 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 animal traps and is more especially applicable to rat-
traps.
To the lower and open part of the side, sides, or ends, or both, of a cage.
which is preferably rectangular, are hinged, so as to rest in an inwardly inclined
position on the bottom of the cage, a number of wires or rods. Each wire may
move independently of the others. Such wires form the door of the trap, and
close the lower part of the cage.
which
In the drawing hereto annexed Figure 1 is a side view and Figure 2 a front
view of the door of a rat trap according to our invention. On reference to these
figures it will be seen that the wire n forms a journal for a number of short
lengths of tubing or sleeves p. To each sleeve p is attached a wire
normally rests in an inclined position upon a lower wire r. The wires are
preferably attached to the sleeves p by turning the. ends of the wires around
the sleeves and soldering them. The sleeves p serve to space the wires q apart,
and in order to prevent the said wires from being forced apart at the lower ends
small pieces of wires are twisted around the lower wire r to form V-shaped
sockets into which the wires q fall. The bar r may be notched for this purpose
instead of using the wire sockets s. The lower ends of the wires q are turned
upward as shewn in Figure 1, the object of this turned up portion being to
prevent a rat or similar animal from inserting its nose between the wires and
so raising one of them. In a modification the journal n is adapted to slide in
vertical sockets whereby it may be raised and so allow the wires q to hang verti-
cally and loosely. The object of so raising the journal n is to allow free egress
and ingress to rats for one night. On the following night the journal n is again
lowered so that the wires strike on the wire and form a non-return door.
.
Figure 3 illustrates the application of our invention for the capture of rabbits.
a is a wire netting run. The lower portion of one side of this run is closed by
means of the inclined wires q which are attached to sleeve p and are journalled
as described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Such wires q rest upon the
bottom rail r and form a non-return door which admits rabbits to the run but
prevents their exit. The floor of the run is covered with wire netting to prevent
the captured rabbits from burrowing.
Figure 4 illustrates a lobster pot or trap according to this invention. The
container is preferably of hexagonal form, the sides thereof being inclined to
allow lobsters to ascend. Hanging from the overhanging roof of the pot and
resting upon the upper wire or edge of such inclined sides are six series of inde-
pendently hinged wires which form the non-return doors of the trap. The
wires are attached to sleeves p which are journalled upon the wire which
forms the edge of the roof of 'the pot.
Figure 5 illustrates the application of our invention, for the capture of fish,
and consists of a rectangular frame whose horizontal members form journals for
twelve series of independently hinged wires q. The lower ends of such wires
rest upon the inward side of the sleeves p immediately below them, whilst the
lower ends of the lowermost series of wires q rest upon the inward side of the

page_text: before
them but are prevented from escaping by such wires striking on the inward
side of the sleeves or bars beneath them. Such independently hinged wires may
also form a non-return door for a fish trawl.
lower bar r. Fish may thus freely enter the trap by pushing the wires
Our improved non-return door consisting of independently hinged wires
arranged as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, may form the lower portion of fencing
hurdles. A field which has been fenced with these hurdles forms a trap for
rabbits or other similar small animals, and such hurdles may be employed
with advantage in districts where rabbits are plentiful.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
each of which is attached
1. As a non-return door of an animal trap the wires
to a separate spacing sleeve p by which such wires are independently hinged
upon a common axis n in a such manner that they rest in an inclined position
upon a lower abutment and operate as described.
2. A trap consisting of a container whose entrance is closed by a non-return
door consisting of independently hinged wires q, arranged and operating sub-
stantially as herein set forth with reference to Figure 3 of the drawings hereto
annexed.
3. A trap consisting of a container whose entrance is closed by a non-return
door consisting of independently hinged wires 9, arranged and operating sub-
stantially as herein set forth with reference to Figures 4 of the drawings hereto
annexed.
4. A trap consisting of a container whose sides are composed of a series of
independently hinged wires q which form a non-return entrance to such container
arranged and operating substantially as herein set forth with reference to
Figure 5 of the drawings hereto annexed.
J. A. COUBROUGH,
Chartered Patent Agent, 10, St. George's Crescent, Liverpool,
Agent for the Applicants.