Improvements in Animal Traps.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Animal Traps.
I THOMAS MARK HOVELL, of Boreham Holt, Elstree, in the County of Hertford,
Gentleman, 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:-
My invention relates to that kind of animal traps in which an animal on entering
is made to depress a treadle whereby entrance doors that were held open are made to
close, and are locked in that position, after which the animal in passing into another
compartment actuates a device by means of its weight whereby the doors are opened
and set ready for another animal to enter.
I will describe my improved construction of such traps with reference to the
accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 shews a plan of the trap with the top plate removed: Figure 2 shews a front
elevation with the doors open, the outer side being removed; Figure 3 shews the
same view with the doors closed; Figure 4 shews an end view at X, Figure 1, with
the doors open; and Figure 5 shews an end view at Y with the doors closed.
The trap, which may either be of wire, or of other suitable material, has firstly a
front compartment A, the two open ends of which can be closed by pivotted doors B,
which, when open, are in the horizontal position shewn at Figures 1 and 2, and
when in the closed position are vertical as at Figure 3,
The compartment contains a treadle C pivotted at C¹, and which, when the trap is
set, is held in the raised position shewn at Figure 2, by a counterweight C², which
keeps a pin C3 projecting therefrom engaged with a notch D' in a rotatable disc D
mounted loose on a spindle E carried by arms E¹ from the top of the trap. This dise
has two pins D2, projecting from it at diametrically opposite points, to which are
connected the one end of two connecting rods F whose other ends are pivotted to wire
loops B¹ on the doors, so that when the disc D is locked in the position at Figure 2,
by the pin of the pedal, it holds the doors in the open position. The disc D is further-
more provided with ratchet notches D at one part of its periphery, with which
engages a pivotted pawl G when the disc is turned into a corresponding position, as
at Figure 3, and it will be seen that when in this position the disc D holds the
doors B locked in the closed position by means of the rods F, as the pawl G then
prevents the disc from turning in the direction in which the pull of the rods is
exercised.
The compartment A communicates by a side passage A' with the open end of a
box shaped rocking frame H, pivotted at H' in a compartment A² and so arranged
that it tends to remain in the upward sloping position shewn in dotted lines at
2 and 3

page_text: This frame is divided by a middle longitudinal partition H2 into two longitudinal
passages which communicate with each other at the upper end by an opening H³, the
one pa sage communicating at its lower end through a flap door K with the before-
mentioned side passage A' while the other communicates with the passage I' with
flap doors I leading into the compartment I.
At its lower end the rocking frame H has a projecting arm H4, which when the
frame is rocked on its pivots so as to raise the lower end, strikes against a pin D'
projecting from the back of the disc D and thereby turns this through part of a
revolution. The frame has also a laterally projecting pin H5, which, when the lower
end of the frame rises, comes in contact with the pawl G so as to lift this out of gear
with the ratchet notches of D, before this is acted upon by the arm H*.
The action of the trap constructed as above described is as follows:-
When the trap is set, as at Figure 2, the disc D being then in the position in.
which the pin C³ of the platform C is engaged with the notch D', the pins D2 are in
such a position that the rods F hold the doors B open in the horizontal
position.
On an animal entering and depressing the treadle C, the disc D is freed from
the pin C and the doors being no longer held thereby, will drop into the closed
position, thereby causing the rods F to turn the disc D in the direction of the
arrow, Figure 2. By this motion the ratchet notches D are brought up to the
pawl G which in engaging therewith as at Figure 3, prevents any turning back of
the disc and consequently locks the doors in the closed position so that the animal
cannot escape.
The latter then passes through passage A' into the one passage of
the frame H, and in running up this, causes the frame to tilt over into the dot and
dash position Figure 3; by this motion the pawl G is first raised out of gear with D
as described, after which the arm H in rising comes in contact with the pin D and-
turns the disc D back in the direction of the arrow, Figure 3, into its original
position, thereby causing the rods F to open the doors again. In this position they
are again secured by the pin C³ of the treadle C, in rising entering the notch D¹
of D so that the trap is thus re-set.
Meanwhile the animal will have passed through opening H³ into the second
passage of H, and in running up the same will cause the frame to tilt back into its
original position, when the animal on passing on through passage I' will enter the
compartment I where it is retained.
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 :-
1. In an animal trap, a rotatable disc connected by rods to pivotted doors, which
disc on being turned in one direction effects the opening of the doors, while on the
closing of the doors by gravity the disc is turned in the contrary direction, a
releasable catch device connected with a pivotted treadle preventing the turning of the
disc when the doors are in the open position, and a second releasable catch device
preventing the rotation of the disc when the doors are in the closed position, until a
rocking frame, in being tilted over by the weight of an animal, effect the
release of the said catch and the turning back of the disc, substantially as
described. .
2. In an animal trap, the combination with a compartment A of pivotted doors B
connected by rods to a rotatable disc D which in one position, in which it keeps the
doors open, is held by means of a pin or equivalent device on a pivotted balanced
platform C, engaging with a notch D' on the disc while in another position of the disc
in which it holds the doors closed, it is held by a pawl G engaging with ratchet
notches D thereon, substantially as described.
3. In an animal trap, the combination of a rotatable disc D connected by rods to
doors B, a pivotted treadle C locking said disc in a position in which it holds the
doors open a pawl G locking said disc in a position in which it holds the doors
closed, and a rocking frame H which when tilted over from one position to

page_text: another by the weight of an animal, first disengages the pawl G from the disc D, by
a pin H5 and then effects the turning of the disc by an arm H* so as to bring the
doors into the open position, substantially as described.
Di with dow of Mov 1907
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.