Improvements in Traps for Catching Rats, Mice and other like Vermin.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 13th May, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Traps for Catching Rats, Mice and other like
Vermin.
We, HEINRICH BENSELER, Husbandman, of 33, Beienrode, Post-Kerstlingerade,
Hannover, GOTTLIEB KAHLE, Merchant, of Rittmarshausen, Kreis Gottingen,
Hannover THEODOR HENJES, Merchant, of 13, Plankstrasse, Gottingen, Hannover,
and LUDWIG REISSNER, Merchant, of 1, Hertzberger Chaussee, Gottingen, Han--
nover, Germany, 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 traps for catching rats, mice, and such like vermin
and it has for its object to so construct such traps that they can readily be used
without bait when catching, say, field mice, and which are capable, when once
the animal enters the trap, of automatically locking it therein by an automatic
return movement of the entering passage-way. When the trap is used for catching
house rats or mice bait is used but does not require to be frequently renewed as the
animal cannot take it away.
In order that our said invention may be properly understood we have hereun.o
appended two explanatory sheets of drawings, whereon,
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of the trap as used for catching field mice.
Fig. 2 shows, in part section, the trap as adapted for catching house mice,
rats, etc.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 1 and showing the door a.
Fig. 1 with the door removed.
y Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is an end view of the trap Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line -
Fig. 5 is a cross section on the line a
Fig. 6 is a cross section on the line -
Fig. 7 is a cross section on the line
Fig. 8 is a cross section to a reduced scale taken on the line - Fig. 1.
Fig. 9 is a part elevation of the back of the trap and showing the support p.
Fig. 10 shows in longitudinal section a modified construction of the trap.
Fig. 11 shows in longitudinal section a second modification of the trap.
Referring to the drawings:-
The trap consists essentially of a passage way (m Fig. 1 or m² Fig. 10, or m³
Fig. 11) which is so arranged within the bottle shaped body of the trap that, when
in the normal position, it is closed at the inner end by means of a transparent
partition. When the animal enters the passage-way (see Fig. 1) its weight causes
the inner end to bend down below the transparent partition (see dotted lines
Fig. 1) with the result that the animal can enter freely into the body of the
trap. Immediately the animal quits the inner end of the passage-way the latter
springs back into its normal position (as indicated in full lines Fig. 1) in front of
the transparent partition with the result that the animal is prevented from
returning again through the passage-way which latter is now in position for
trapping another animal.
The construction of the trap shown at Figs 1 to 10 consists of a bottle shaped

page_text: body d in which a spring spiral-wire passage-way m is fitted. The front end of the
passage-way is secured in the mouth g of the trap whilst its back end m¹ is left
free. The passage-way at a point of about "two-thirds of its length is held by
means of a catch n. A transparent partition o is arranged, immediately at the
rear of the back end of the passage-way, in such a manner, as shown, as to prevent
the animal, when trapped, from re-entering the passage-way and making its
escape. This partition o allows light, which can enter through the perforations b
of the sliding door a at the back of the trap to shine into the passage-way. The
door is fitted in a slit c cut at the upper part of the body d.
When the trap is used for catching field-mice its open end y is introduced into
the mouse hole with the result that when the mouse makes its exit from the hole
it enters the spiral passage-way m and, seeing the light through the transparent
partition o, it advances towards the apparent exit. Immediately the mouse passes
the point n its weight causes the part m' of the passage-way to assume the inclined
position shown in dotted lines at Fig. 1. The mouse advances until it reaches the
wide space at the rear end of the trap, and, immediately it leaves the part m! of
the passage-way, the latter springs back again into position as afore described
with the result that the transparent partition o cuts off the retreat of the mouse.
As the passage-way is now again in the normal position more mice can be caught
without requiring to interfere with the trap in any way or to put bait therein.
In order to hold the trap in position when its front end is pushed into the
mouse hole it is provided with a wire support p which serves as a rest and which,
when the trap is not in use, also serves as a carrying handle.
When the trap is used for catching house mice, rats, etc., its mouth cannot be
conveniently inserted into the hole and instead the mouth end is provided with
a block e which has in it, at the sides of the entrance g, recesses i, i, for bait k.
The recesses are closed by small bars or nails which prevent the animals taking
out the bait.
The mouse or rat tempted by the bait endeavours to remove it from the space
or and not succeeding in this, on account of the bars 7, the animal endeavours to
reach the bait by entering the opening 9. When it has once entered this opening
it cannot turn back but is forced to advance along the spiral passage-way with
the result that it is finally caught in the trap in the manner already described.
In the arrangement Fig. 10 a flexible tube m² takes the place of the spiral
passage-way mn of Fig. 1. The spring return movement of this pipe is effected by
means of the spiral spring q which is capable of drawing up the end m¹ of the tube
after it has been depressed by the mouse. This spring can be arranged at the
underside of the tube instead of at the upper side if so desired.
In Fig. 11 a flexible tube m³ is used which possesses in itself sufficient elasticity
to give the return movement without the aid of a spring such as 9 Fig. 10.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we consider novel and desire to claim is:-
1. A vermin trap characterized by a passage-way which, when in the normal
position, is closed by a transparent partition and which, when an animal enters
it, bends down, under the weight, below the partition so as to direct the animal
into the body of the trap after which it automatically returns to its former position,
substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. A vermin trap which is of bottle shape and has at its outer end a sliding
door (a) provided with holes, at its interior a spiral spring passage-way (m, m³)
and at the back of the passage-way a transparent partition (o) the parts being so
arranged that when the animal has advanced a certain distance along the spiral
passage-way the latter bends down in front of the transparent partition so as to
direct the animal into the body of the trap and thereafter springs back into its
former position, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the
drawings annexed.

page_text: 3. A trap such as claimed in Claim 1, having a block e secured to its front end
said block being provided with recesses i, i¹ for the reception of bait, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
4. The modification of the trap wherein an elastic and flexible tube m³ is used
instead of the spiral spring passage-way (m), substantially as herein before described
with reference to Fig. 11 of the drawings annexed.
5. The modification of the trap wherein a flexible but inelastic tube (m²) is
used instead of the spiral spring passage-way said tube having elasticity imparted
to it by a spring (9), substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to
Fig. 10 of the drawings annexed.
6. The combination with a trap such as claimed in Claims 1 and 2 of a support p
which serves as a rest for the body of the trap when in use and as a carrying
handle when not in use, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to
the drawings annexed.
Dated this 6th day of Anvil 1800
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
100, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
100, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.