Improvements in the Manufacture of Mouse Traps.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Oct., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Nov., 1889-Accepted, 7th Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Mouse Traps.
We, ALFRED CECIL WRIGHT, and JAMES LESLIE WRIGHT, trading as Wright and
Harrington, of 260 Bradford Street, Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Manufacturers do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction and arrangement of
mouse traps, which said traps may be also used for other analogous purposes. and its
objects are to manufacture such articles from perforated sheet tin, or from plain sheet
tin and subsequently perforated where required, and having a drop down door carried
in a slide or upon a joint, and liberated by a bait swivel bar.
In constructing a trap according to this our invention, we cut out of sheet tin, a
blank of such a form that it will fold into a somewhat foursided box of a length, say
about twice to three times its width or height, and having a slope at its rear end,
its other end or entrance however being open. Along the portion that forms the
sides and the sloping end-when the box is made of plain (unperforated) metal-we
pierce or perforate holes therein for air or light &c. When the box is made of metal
previously perforated this is of course unnecessary.
Upon the upper part or roof of the box, we provide a swinging arm of wire, which
extends from the front end of the box, and parallel thereto, to about the centre and
there passes through to the interior, such passage part forming the swinging joint,
where it is again bent at right angles.
Upon the inner bent portion of this swinging arm is placed the bait.
At the front part or mouth of the box, slides are formed on either side, to
receive a vertical sliding door, having upon its rear part a peg or other projection.
Thus having placed the bait upon the inner arm, the door is raised, and then the
upper arm placed underneath the peg, upon its rear side, so that the said door is
supported thereon.
When the animal enters the box and touches the bait, the arm is turned to the
right or left, a very slight motion only being necessary-which removes the upper
arm from beneath the peg, and thereby letting the door drop, and thus entrapping
the animal.
Instead of the door working in slides it may in some cases be made to work on
centres, being carried along the sides of the box, towards the rear end, and there
carried upon pivots for that purpose.
A false removable bottom of wood, card board, &c., may if desired be placed
within the box to avoid the animal walking on metal.
Dated this 18th day of October 1889
CHARLES T. POWELL,
Applicants' Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Mouse Traps.
We, ALFRED CECIL WRIGHT, and JAMES LESLIE WRIGHT, trading as Wright and
Harrington, of 260 Bradford Street, Birmingham, in the county of Warwick,
Manufacturers 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction and arrangement of
mouse traps, which said traps may be also used for other analogous purposes, and its

page_text: objects are, to manufacture such articles from perforated sheet tin, or from plain sheet
tin, and subsequently perforated where required, and having a drop down door carried
in a slide or upon a joint, and liberated by a bait swivel bar.
In constructing a trap according to this our invention, we cut out of sheet tin, a
blank of such a form, that it will fold into a somewhat foursided box, of a length, say
about twice to three times its width or height, and having a slope at its rear end, its
other end or entrance however being open. Along the portion that forms the sides
and the sloping end-when the box is inade of plain (unperforated) metal-we pierce
or perforate holes therein for air or light &c. When the box is made of metal
previously perforated, this is of course unnecessary.
Upon the upper part or roof of the box, we provide a swinging arm of wire,
which extends from the front end of the box, and parallel thereto, to about the
centre, and there passes through to the interior, such passage part forming the
swinging joint, where it is again bent at right angles.
Upon the inner bent portion of this swinging arm is placed the bait.
At the front part or mouth of the box, slides are formed on either side, to receive
a vertical sliding door, having upon its rear part a peg or other projection.
Thus having placed the bait upon the inner arm, the door is raised, and then the
upper arm placed underneath the peg, upon its rear side, so that the said door is
supported thereon.
When the animal enters the box and touches the bait, the arm is turned to the
right or left, a very slight motion only being necessary-which removes the upper
arm from beneath the peg, and thereby letting the door drop, and thus entrapping the
animal.
Instead of the door working in slides, it may in some cases be made to work on
centres, being carried along the sides of the box, towards the rear end, and there
carried upon pivots for that purpose.
A false removable bottom of wood, card board, &c., may if desired be placed within
the box to avoid the animal walking on metal.
Having now described the nature of this our invention, we will proceed to explain
how it is to be performed, having reference to the accompanying illustrative sheet of
drawings, upon which are figures and letters of reference, similar letters referring
throughout the several views to the same thing or part, and in which :-
Fig. 1, is a view of a piece of tin cut out and pierced as shown, from which the
trap is made.
Figs. 2, & 3, are front and side views of the sliding or drop door.
Fig. 4, is a side sectional view of the completed trap.
Fig. 5, is a front view of the trap.
Fig. 6, is a plan view of the trap.
Fig. 7, is a cross sectional view on line A-B.
Fig. 8, is a side view of the trap with the modified form of jointed door.
Fig. 9, is a detail view of blank from which the jointed door is made.
Fig. 10, is a plan view of the door bent and formed ready for attachment to the
trap.
a,
is a blank cut out of such a shape, that when bent along the dotted lines b, b, b, b, b,
will form the box or trap, as seen in Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, & 8; the edges c, c, being folded
along the centre of the bottom of the box as seen in Fig. 7; and the end d, being
bent over the bottom as seen in Fig. 4.
Where necessary or desirable perforations e, are made in the blank for air or
light &c.
Upon the upper part or roof of the box, we provide a swinging arm f, of wire
which is carried in the bearing or joint g, and extends from the one end h, where it
supports the door i, when set, to the other end j, whereon the bait k, is fixed (see
dotted lines).
At the front part or mouth of the box, slides 1, are formed on either side to receive
the sliding door i,

page_text: At the rear of this door, and also upon the rear of the door, is provided a
projection m, by first slitting the metal thereat, and then pushing the slitted portion
out at right angles as shown.
The foot of the door is weighted at n, in order to make it the more readily drop
when released.
Instead of the sliding door i, however, we may dispense with the slides 1, and use
the door i, formed from a blank as seen in Figs. 8, 9, & 10, and carried upon a
joint at o.
Thus having placed the bait k, upon the arm j, and having further raised the
door i, or i, the arm h, is placed beneath the projection m, as seen in Figs. 4, & 8,
the trap is set.
When the animal enters the box and touches the bait, the army, is turned to the
right or left, which removes the arm h, from beneath the projection m, and thereby
permits the quick fall of the door, thus entrapping the said animal.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1st. Making the body or box part of a trap from one piece of tin, cut, perforated,
and bent, substantially as hereindescribed and illustrated upon the drawings.
2nd. The general construction and arrangement of parts constituting a trap as
hereindescribed and illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, 6, & 7.
3rd. The modified construction and arrangement of parts constituting a trap, as
hereindescribed and illustrated upon the drawings in Figs. 8, 9, & 10.
Dated this 1st dow of N
1000
CHARLES T. POWELL,
12, Cherry Street, Birmingham, Applicants' Agent.