IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAPS POR TAKING RATS, BIRDS, RABBITS, AND OTHER, ANIMALS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Bellamy, of. Wednesfield, near Wolver-
hampton, in the County of Stafford, Manufacturer, for the Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAPS POR TAKING RATS, BIRDS, RABBITS, AND OTHER,
ANIMALS."
Sealed the 28th May 1861, and dated the 6th December 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Bellamy at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th
December 1860.
I, JOSEPH BELLAMY, of Wednesfield, near Wolverhampton, in the County
of Stafford, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAPS FOR TAKING RATS, BIRDS, RABBITS, AND OTHER
ANIMALS," to be as follows, that is to say :-
My Invention consists of improvements in that description of traps some-
times termed gins, which traps are commonly used for taking rats, birds,
rabbits, mice, beavers, otters, wolves, and other animals. The catch or set is
secured to the under side or back of the treadle or bait plate; this catch
engages immediately with the beak or end of the spring, whether a flat or bow
spring be used. The catch is also rivetted to a small butt or carrier on the
upper side of the stock or back plate. The spring, whether flat or bow-shaped,

page_text: is formed of one piece of steel, with a slot.cut through the fore end of the
same for the jaws to pass through. I can also make the jaws of my small
traps similar to those of an ordinary beaver trap, out of plain flat iron instead
of bevilled iron, as I shall for some uses require no teeth or serrated edge to
such jaws.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Bellamy in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th June 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
BELLAMY, of Wednesfield, near Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford,
Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the 6th day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Joseph Bellamy, Her special license that I, the said Joseph
Bellamy, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as 1, the
said Joseph Bellamy, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN TRAPS FOR TAKING RATS, BIRDS, RABBITS, AND OTHER ANIMALS,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Joseph Bellamy,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joseph Bellamy, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
My Invention consists of improvements in that description of 'traps some!

page_text: times termed "gins," which traps are commonly used for taking rats, birds;
rabbits, mice, beavers, otters, wolves, and other animáls. The catch or set is
secured to the under side or back of the treadle or bait plate; this catch
engages immediately with the beak or end of the spring, whether a flat or bow
spring be used. The catch is also rivetted to a small butt or carrier on the
upper side of the stock or back plate. The spring, whether flat, bow shaped,
or swivel, is formed of one piece of steel, with a slot cut through the fore end
of the same for the jaws to pass through. I can also make the jaws of my
small traps similar to those of an ordinary beaver trap out of plain flat iron
instead of bevilled iron, as I shall for some uses require no teeth or serrated
Figure 1 is a plan of one of my improved traps, open or set, and as seen
from above the red or dotted lines, indicating the position assumed by the
several parts when the trap is closed.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same trap, similar variations in the
position of the parts being similarly represented in red or dotted lines. I will
now proceed to describe in full detail the construction, mode of setting, and
action of this trap. a is the stock or back plate; (b) the spring, in this
case shewn of the form termed a flat spring, though it may as readily be of the
bow shaped or swivel description. It is formed of one piece of flat steel, thus
avoiding the welding at present employed for this purpose. It is in this
instance rivetted to the back plate at one end, and has a slot (C) cut through
its fore end, to admit the ends of the jaws (d, d), which slot (C) may, if pre-
ferred, be circular in plan at the lower end. The catch or set (E) which is to
hold down this spring (6) when the trap is set, is secured to the under side of
the bait plate (f), and is also pinned by a rivet between two studs or carriers
(9),
, one of which is seen in (Figure 2). The action of the trap is as follows:-
The trap being set, as shewn in the black lines, by the end of the spring (b)
engaging under the small knib (h), upon the heel of the catch or set (E), the
bait plate (f) upon being disturbed by a rabbit or other animal, releases the
spring (b), which, flying upwards, closes the jaws (d, d.) and thus secures the.
animal. The jaws (d, d.) which are here shewn square, may be oval or round
as in the old traps if required, and they need not be toothed, as they may be
formed of flat iron instead of bevilled iron, in which respect they would
resemble the ordinary beaver trap.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and in what

page_text: manner the same is to be performed, I claim the several improvements in
traps for taking rats, birds, rabbits, and other animals by making the spring,
whether flat, bow, or swivel shaped, of one. piece of steel slotted at the end for
the jaws to pass through, and securing the catch or set to the under side of the
bait plate, as herein more fully set forth and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Bellamy, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
JOSEPH BELLAMY. (L.S.)