AN IMPROVED ANIMAL TRAP
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Leslie Nash, of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk,
for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED ANIMAL TRAP."
Cooled the 19th W 1977 and dated the 16th August 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Leslie Nash at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th August 1876.
THOMAS LESLIE NASH, of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk.
ANIMAL TRAP."
"AN IMPROVED
My Invention consists in constructing animal traps of metal, in which the only
moving parts are a guard, a covered spring, and a spear, with which latter the
animal to be caught is struck through the brain, whereby the animal is promptly
killed without it being damaged.
v
The trap is constructed of an oval band or hoop, with a prong at one end for
fixing it in the ground. Directly opposite this prong is fixed a tube or barrel
containing a spring piston and spear; this spring presses. on the piston which is
fixed to the spear, and has an arm projecting through a slot in front and at the
back of the tube or barrel.
The spring is placed between the piston and the top or cap of the tube or barrel,
on which cap is a hook outside in front and one behind, as also a ring by which the
trap is carried.
a small
At the base of the tube or barrel, where it joins the hoop, I provide a flat piece
of metal, which I call the top stretcher (each end of which is concave and sharp
like a chisel) fixed between the tube and the hoop directly under the piston arms
and projecting beyond them. Close to the tube on the top stretcher
hook directly under the extremity of the piston arms. On either side of the prong
at the bottom of the hoop is a stretcher of the same length as the top stretcher
fixed to the hoop on the outside about the distance apart that the stretchers are in
length.
Where the spear passes through the band or hoop into the run or open space I
provide a guard clasped to the band which slides over the point of the spear whilst
setting the trap.
To set the trap I first draw the spear by means of the piston arms inside the
tube or barrel, I then slide the guard over its point; I then take a piece of hemp
.

page_text: or thread and double it, placing the loop so formed under the piston arm, then
carry both ends together over the hook on the cap or top of the tube or barrel,
then down under the small hook at the base of the tube or barrel, next over the
sharp edge or end of the top stretcher, and finally I tie each end tightly on the
ends of the two stretchers below.. The threads will now form the letter V reversed,
crossing the run or open space of the hoop. The front being thus set I set tho
back in a similar manner and remove the guard so that the spear hangs on the
threads. By these means I produce a double-acting trap, as when one set of
threads is broken or cut by the sharp end of the top stretcher the other set of
threads still holds the spear until an animal has passed through and broken them,
when at that instant its brain will be directly under the spear.
These improved traps can be used either with or without a bait, either in a run
or open space, at the side of a corn stack, or in any required pendent position, and
if completely covered with straw, earth, or other material it would not prevent
them working effectually. These traps may also be used in a poultry yard without
fear of catching the feathered inmates; the trap could also be used for catching
fish,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Leslie Nash in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 14th
February 1877.
THOMAS LESLIE NASI, of Ipswich, in the County of Suffolk. "AN IMPROVED
ANIMAL TRAP."
My Invention consists in constructing animal traps of metal, in which the only
moving parts are a guard, covered spring, and a spear, with which latter the
animal to be caught is struck through the brain, whereby the animal is promptly
killed without its being damaged.
The trap is constructed of an oval band or hoop (or it may be square) with a
prong at one end for fixing it in the ground. Directly opposite this prong is fixed
a tube or barrel containing a spring, piston, and spear; this spring presses on the
piston which is fixed to the spear, and has, an arm projecting through a slot in
front and at the back of the tube or barrel.
The spring is placed between the piston and the top or cap of the tube or barrel,
on which cap is a ring by which the trap is carried, and two hooks are placed on
the outside of the tube above the piston arms.
At the base of the tube or barrel, where it joins the hoop, I provide a flat piece
of metal, which I call the top stretcher (each end of which is formed concave and
sharp, like a chisel) fixed between the tube and the hoop. On either side of the
prong at the bottom of the hoop is a stretcher of about the same length as the top
stretcher fixed to the hoop on the outside about the distance apart that the stretcher
is in length.
Where the spear passes through the band or hoop into the run or open space I
provide a guard clasped to the hoop or band which slidos over the point of the
spear whilst setting the trap; but this guard may be dispensed with and a ring
employed in place thereof, as herein-after described. But to make my Invention
better understood I will now proceed to describe the same by reference to the
accompanying Drawing, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation and Figure 2 a side
elevation of my improved animal trap drawn to a scale of about half full size, and
suitable for catching rabbits and hares; Figure 3 is a vertical section of same.
Figure 4 is a sido elevation, Figure 5 an end elevation, and Figure 6 a plan of a
trap suitable for catching rats.
Similar letters are used in all the Figures to represent similar parts.
I will first describe the trap shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3.
u is the oval band or hoop (or it may be square); b, the prong at the lower end
of same for fixing the trap in the ground; c is the tube or barrel screwed into the

page_text: upper part of the band or hoop a; d is the coil spring in the tube or barrel c; e is
the piston; is the spear screwed into the lower end of same; g is the arm passing
through a slot in the piston e, and through slots h in each side of the tube c; i is
the cap of the tube c; j, ring of same by which the trap is carried; k, k, are the
hooks on each side of the tube c above the arm g; l is the ring for holding up the
spear while the trap is being set; m, m, are the top stretchers formed with knife
edges at m¹; n, n, are the lower stretchers. Figures 1 and 2 shew (when the ring
is removed) the trap set, and Figure 3 shows the position of the parts after the
trap has acted. To set this improved trap the ring is placed in the outer notch
at one end of the arm g, which is drawn up (thereby drawing up with it the
piston e and spear f) until the ring catches on the hook above, as shewn in
Figures 1 and 2; a piece of hemp or strong thread of suitable length is then
taken and doubled, and the loop so formed is placed under the piston arm g, the
thread or hemp is then passed over the hook above, and is then brought down on
each side of the top stretcher or knife m and crossed underneath and tied to the
two stretchers n, n, below, and if the ring / be now removed, which is advisable to
test whether the single thread is strong enough, as the spear should hang on the
single thread crossing the run. The other side of the trap should now be set
in a similar manner to that herein-before described before the ring is finally
removed.
The action of the improved trap is as follows:-A hare or rabbit entering the
run of the trap will force the threads a crossing the run against the sharp edges
m² of the top stretcher m, when the thread will be cut, thereby partially releasing
the arm g, which is still held by the other threads until the animal has gone far
enough to be well under the spear; if it breaks those threads the spring d acting
on the piston e will suddenly force it down, carrying with it the spear f, which
will pass through the head of the hare or rabbit.
In the trap shewn in Figures 4, 5, and 6, I employ a tube and accessories
similar to that herein-before described, but (as purposes require) instead of the
oval or square band a and stretchers m and n I employ a box o open at each end,
the tube c being screwed into a flange p fixed to the top of the box o. q, q, are
four holes in the top of the box o, the inner sides of which are formed with knife
or chisel edges. The threads a pass through these holes q, as shewn, and are
fastened in notches in the bottom of the box, such notches being shewn in dotted
lines in Figure 6. The action of this trap is similar to that herein-before
described.
Having thus described my said Invention, and the best means with which I am
acquainted for carrying the same into effect, what 1 claim is, the general arrange-
ment and construction of animal traps, substantially as herei-before described
and represented in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Leslie Nash, have hereto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
MHO
THAT THAT
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