An Improved Run or Race supplied with Trap-doors for Exter- minating Rabbits and other similar Vermin.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 1st July, 1890-Accepted, 9th Aug., 1890
An Improved Run or Race supplied with Trap-doors for Exter-
minating Rabbits and other similar Vermin.
I, JAMES EDMONDS of Reed Court Strood Rochester in the County of Kent 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 an improved run or race supplied with trap doors for the
wholesale extermination of rabbits, and other similar. verinin, and consists in
constructing suitable embankments covered with trap doors at the top and
provided here and there with pits or with a continuous trench forming the traps
wherein the animals drop. And in order that my invention may be more fully under-
stood, I have shown the same in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a
general view illustrating the manner of carrying the invention into practice. Fig.
is a plan. Fig. 3 a cross section on line X X of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 an isometric
transverse view and Fig. 5 a similar view showing the mode of fixing the trap doors
or flaps on the rails. My invention which is intended for the wholesale extermina-
tion of rabbits in a district, consists essentially in constructing embankments such
as B resembling a railway embankment upon the top which is arranged in this
case instead of a permanent way a succession of trap doors bb etc. placed con-
tiguously in a line. A continuous passage a is cut through the centre of the
embankment as shown more particularly in Fig. 4, and forms the run or race
wherein the rabbits fall, when stepping upon the doors bb etc. From distance to
distance pits of suitable depth are dug at the bottom of the run or race a and are
likewise covered with trap doors or flaps bb etc. through which finally drop the rabbits
loose in the race or run a. These pits are provided with pail h containing sulphur
and suspended by a chain to a cross bar fixed across the pits g. This pail is furnished
with a drip pani so that when the sulphur is ignited and boils over the pail it may
be received upon the said pan so as to promote the formation of sulphurous acid,
which is intended to suffocate the rabbits contained in the pit g. The trap doors b b b
at the top of the embankment are carried upon longitudinal rails c c etc. supported
by stakes d d etc. driven into the ground as clearly shown in Fig. 1.
Upon these stakes are nailed on both sides longitudinal boards e e etc. tightly
enclosing the run or race so that no chance of escape may be afforded to the animals,
which as they climb up the grass embankment allured thereto by the special green
food grown for that purpose near the top thereof such as thyme lettuce, and the like,
drop immediately they reach such top through the trap doors, or flaps bb etc. (Fig. 4)
into the run or race a whence as they proceed either to the right or to the left hand side
they reach the edge of a pit through the doors fff (Fig. 3) and steps upon the
traps which give way and cause the animal to disappear in the pit wherein it is
soon suffocated by the sulphurous acid fumes formed through the combustion of the
sulphur contained in the pail h. The trap doors are pivoted in the ordinary manner
at 6 as clearly shown in Fig. 4. In order to clear the run, dogs may be used to
drive the rabbits towards the pits, the openings ff etc. leading thereto not being
large enough to admit of the passage of a dog.
As my improvements are capable of some modifications without departing from
the principle thereof, I do not restrict myself to materials or dimensions, or to the
precise form or placement of the several parts thereof.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
An improved run or race cut through an embankment constructed for the purpose

page_text: of carrying out the wholesale extermination of rabbits in a district, in combination
with pits formed at suitable intervals in the run or race, and covered with trap doors
or flaps b b etc:, the said run or race being likewise covered with trap doors or
flaps bbb and enclosed within boards substantially as and for the purpose described
and shown.
Dated this 30th day of June 1890.
RAYNER & CASSELL.
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.