IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CATCHING RATS AND OTHER VERMIN AND ANIMALS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Thomas, of the City of Manchester, in the County
of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
CATCHING RATS AND OTHER VERMIN AND ANIMALS." A communication from
abroad by Abraham Forsgren, of Falun, in Sweden.
Sealed the 17th February 1880, and dated the 19th August 187
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Thomas at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 19th August 1879.
GEORGE THOMAS, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CATCHING RATS AND OTHER VERMIN AND
ANIMALS." A communication from abroad by Abraham Forsgren, of Falun, in
Sweden.
The object of the Invention is the construction of a trap for catching animals and.
vermin such as rats and the like that have hitherto been difficult to catch because
of their natural instinct and cunning in avoiding all contrivances in which they
become aware of the danger..
The Invention consists of the trap proper, being a box or receptacle with a
compartment for bait or food and a loose bottom, which can be made fast and
secure at pleasure. This trap is fixed on the top of a cask, box, case, pit, or other
receptacle, which may or may not be filled with water or other liquid. If a cask
or other similar receptacle is used without water a special contrivance is used to
remove the live animals from the receptacle, and either destroy them or dispose of
them in any other manner.
The box or receptacle forming the trap {proper is open at the top, and has a
separate compartment on one side for food or bait which is only accessible from the
loose bottom, the latter is hinged on one end and counterpoised by a weight or
spring. When the trap is first set a skewer is put at the underside of the hinged
bottom to hold it securely in its place. The bait space is then filled with food or
bait, and the loose bottom, and also the path to the trap, if necessary, are at first
strewn with bait, the animals to be entrapped are then for some time allowed to
consume the bait or food, and are thus familiarized and made accustomed to the
trap. The skewer that holds the hinged bottom securely in its place is then

page_text: removed, care being taken that it closes properly just the same as before, which
may be done by a slight adjustment of the balance. The animal to be entrapped
on returning to the bait in the usual manner springs from above onto the hinged
bottom and is at once precipitated into the water or empty space below, the trap
being instantly ready for the next to follow.
The contrivance for removing the live animals from a cask, case, or the like
receptacle on which the trap may be fixed, consists of a wire gauze vessel closed at
one end and having a flap or valve at the other. A face plate with a slide over a
hole in it, and an additional slide groove for the wire gauze vessel, is fixed over a
hole in the receptacle, the gauze vessel is slipped on, the slide is drawn, and the
flap is held up and the animal runs into the gauze vessel, when the slide is closed
again, the flap let down, and the gauze vessel with the animal in it may be removed
and emptied.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by.
the said George Thomas in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th February
1880.
GEORGE THOMAS, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR CATCHING RATS AND OTHER VERMIN AND
ANIMALS." A communication from abroad by Abraham Forsgren, of Falun, in
Sweden.
The object of the Invention is the construction of a trap for catching animals
and vermin such as rats and the like that have hitherto been difficult to catch
because of their natural instinct and cunning in avoiding all contrivances in which
they become aware of the danger.
The Invention consists of the trap proper, being a box with a compartment for
bait or food, and a loose bottom which can be made fast and secure at pleasure.
This trap is fixed on the top of a cask, box, case, tub, barrel, pit, or other receptacle,
which may or may not be filled with water or other liquid. If a cask or other
similar receptacle is used without water a special contrivance or receiver may be
used to remove the live animals from the receptacle in order that they may
afterwards be destroyed or otherwise disposed of.
The box or apparatus forming the trap proper is open at the top, and has a
separate compartment on one side for food or bait which is only accessible to the
animals to be entrapped from the loose bottom, which latter is hinged on one end
and counterpoised by a weight or spring. When the trap is first set a skewer or
pin is put under the hinged bottom to hold it securely in its place. The bait space
or manger is then filled with food or bait, and the loose bottom and also the path
to the trap, if necessary, are at first strewn with bait, the animals to be entrapped
are then for some time allowed to consume the bait or food, and are thus
familiarized and made accustomed to the trap. The skewer that holds the hinged
bottom in its place is then removed, care being taken that it closes properly the
same as before, which may be done by adjustment of the balance. The animal on
returning to the bait in the usual manner springs from above on to the hinged
bottom and is at once precipitated in the water or empty space below, the trap
being instantly ready again for the next to follow.
The contrivance for removing the live animals from the receptacle on which the
trap may be fixed consists of a wire gauze vessel or cage, closed at one end and
having a flap or valve at the other. A face plate with a slide over a hole in it,
and an additional slide groove for the cage, is fixed over a hole in the receptacle,
the cage is then slipped on, the slide drawn, and the flap is held up, when the
animal will run in the cage, the flap is then let down, the slide closed, and the cage
may be removed and emptied.
In order to explain the Invention more fully I will now proceed to describe an
example more in detail by means of the accompanying Drawing.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
The Drawing shows a trap fixed to a wooden tub, Fig. 1 being a section, and
Fig. 2 a plan of the apparatus. The trap proper is marked T; R is the receiver,
cage, or contrivance to remove the entrapped animals alive, and B is the tub or
barrel to which the trap T and the receiver or cage R is attached. The trap T
consists of the compartment F, which is open at the top and having a loose bottom b
hinged at h and balanced with a weight w, the balanced end being boxed up at c;
M is another compartment, which however is closed on top with a lid l, and which
compartment has an opening accessible to small animals from the loose bottom.
This compartment is the manger in which the food or bait is placed. S is the skewer

page_text: or pin used to prevent any movement of the loose bottom, and may or may not be
locked at L. In the Drawing the loose bottom bis shewn fixed and the dotted
line b denotes its position when open, that is to say, when in action. The trap
illustrated is made of tinned iron. When the trap is first set for use the bottom b
is secured by the skewer S and bait is placed in the manger M, also a little on the
bottom b, on the top of the barrel B, and some may also be put on any board or
other means of access to the top of the barrel B if such be used. The animals to
be entrapped will then cautiously consume the bait outside, and gradually venture
inside the box on the loose bottom and feed out of the manger to which alone the
bait is finally supplied. When they have thus been sufficiently familiarized with
the trap the skewer S is withdrawn, care being used that the bottom b is in the
same state of adjustment as before. If now an animal ventures in the box it is
obliged to go on the loose bottom b which opens instantly and precipitates its
.weight in the tub below, the bottom brighting itself again instantly ready for the
next catch.
The receiver or cage R.consists of the wire gauze, perforated sheet, or similar
material g, having a flap or valve v hinged on top and held closed by a spring or
by other means. The sheet iron ende has the edges turned or bend so as to form
a.slide fitting in its counterparts on the plate p, which latter has a suitable opening,
and is placed over the hole-o on the barrel B, and which plate also carries the
slidé d in suitable bearings. If the animals are to be removed from B the slide d
is opened and the flap v held up, when the animal will run in the cage or receiver;
the flap is. then closed, and after closing the slide d the receiver R may be
removed from the tub; K is a handle.
It will be seen that instead of the barrel or tub B any suitable receptacle, such
as a box or pit may be used, and that the receptacle may or may not be filled with
water or other liquid. The receiver or cage R may be made of any perforated
material, and may or may not be used in connection with the trap or may be used
separate. For the balance weight wa spring may be substituted.
Having now particularly described my Invention, and ascertained in what
manner the same may be carried into practice, I desire it to be understood that I
.do not limit myself to the exact details, shapes, proportions, and materials shewn
and described for the purpose of explanation, but claim as my Invention sub-
stantially,
11. The box or apparatus T, substantially as shewn and described and for the
purpose set forth.
2. The cage or receiver R, substantially as shewn and described and for the
purpose set forth; and
3. The use of the trap T and of the cage R, together or separate, for the purpose
set forth..
In witness whereof, I, the said George Thomas, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventeenth day of February, One thousand eight hundred
and eighty, A.D.
GEO. THOMAS. (L.S.)