Improvements in Combined Fish and Animal Traps.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Sept., 1897-Accepted, 9th Oct.,
1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Combined Fish and Animal Traps.
I, JACOB CARTIER, of No. 82 Elm Street, in the City of Biddeford, County of
York, and State of Maine United States of America, Musician, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My invention relates to a combined fish and animal trap of simple construction,
which is adapted for catching large or small fish, and also for trapping animals
on land, or killing seals on the rocks; and to this end my invention consists in
certain novel features and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter fully
described and pointed out in the claims.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a fish and animal trap constructed in accordance
with my invention, the bait-holding device being adapted for large fish and
animals.
Figure 2 is a similar section with some of the parts removed to adapt the trap
for catching small fish by a direct pull on the bait-holding hook.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a vertical section of my trap with the spring-actuated hooked-arms
and some of the other parts, shown in Figure 1, removed to adapt the trap for
catching seals on rocks by means of a barbed spear discharged from the tubular
casing by a stiff spring.
Figure 5 is a horizontal section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.
Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the tubular casing,
showing the notches in the side-slots for retaining the tripping-bar.
Figure 7 is a horizontal section on the line 7-7 of Figure 1.
In the said drawings, A represents the body or main portion of the trap which
consists of a tubular casing provided on opposite sides with longitudinal slots b, b.
To the bottom of the casing A is secured a yoke or piece B having on each side a pair
of lugs c, c, between which is pivoted the hub d of an arm or lever D the latter
Around
being provided at its upper or free end with a short hook or barb e.
the hub d is coiled a spring f one end of which is secured to the yoke and the
other end to a screw 9 projecting from the hub d into which the end of the
arm D is screwed, whereby as the arm is raised into the position shown in
Figure 1, the spring of will be wound up or tightened to swing the arm D down-
ward when released. Each of the spring-actuated arms 1) is provided with a
sliding hook shaped catch 12, these catches being engaged by the upturned ends
of a tripping-bar g which extends transversely across the interior of the casing A
and through the slots b in which it slides up and down. The catches 12 are
each provided with a sleeve 13 fitted to slide upon the arm D, a flat spring 14

page_text: secured to the sleeve 13 and bearing on the arm D producing sufficient friction
to hold the catch in place, after it has been adjusted to engage the bar g, so that
it will not slide upon the arm D when the tripping bar g is drawn down as here-
inafter described, to spring the trap.
The tripping bar g is secured to the upper end of a rod h which extends down
through a removable plug i tightly fitted, preferably with a rubber packing, into
the open lower end of the casing A; the bottom of the rod h being preferably
provided with an eye for the attachment of a short bait-line 16 provided with
a fish-hook 18.
k, k, are two hangers depending from the yoke B and provided with screws 19
between which is removably secured a cross-bar C having a central aperture 20
for the passage of the end of the rod h. To the cross-bar C are secured two
straight bait-holding rods 21, 22, the rod 21 being rigidly fastened to the upper
end of the cross-bar C, while the rod 22 is pivoted thereto at 23, its shorter upper
arm extending above the cross-bar and catching under the end of a laterally
extending pin or projection 24 secured to the vertical rod h, whereby said rod h,
together with the tripping-bar g attached thereto is held up against the resistance
of the strong spiral spring n located within the casing A between the tripping-
bar g and the screw plug p which closes the top of said casing, the parts being
then in the position shown in Figure 1, and the trup being set. When the fish
or animal seizes the bait on the rods 21, 22, and bites it, the rod 21 acts as a
brace while the rod 22 is swung inward on its pivot, thereby withdrawing its
upper end from under the pin 24 and releasing the rod h, when the spring n
will instantly force down the tripping-bar g and release the arms D engaged
therewith, which will then be swung down in the arc of a circle by their springs
into the position shown by dotted lines in Figure 1, the hooks or barbs e entering
the fish or animal and co-operating with the barbs at the ends of the bait-holding
rods 21, 22, to catch and hold the fish or animal as desired. Beneath the tripping-
bar g is a light coiled spring 9 which acts as a buffer when said bar is forced
down by the stronger spring n and prevents it from being thrown down into
contact with the plug i.
The screw-plug p is provided with a flange 25 between which and the top of
the casing A, is secured a curved guard-plate G which extends over the hooked
ends e of the spring-actuated arms D) and thereby prevents them from catching
in seaweed or other substances which would interfere with their free movement
when released. To the plug p is pivoted a long sharp-pointed plate 7 to which
is fastened the line 26 by which the trap is lowered into the water. This pointed
plate may be driven into a tree or other object when the trap is to be used on
land, and it is desired to suspend the trap above the ground. The plate ris
provided with a friction device for holding it firmly when turned at an angle,
said device consisting of a spring 29 placed within a slot 30 having a notch 31,
the spring when in the notch exerting a pressure on the top of the plug p and
preventing the trap from swinging to one side or the other.
When it is desired to use the trap for small fish, the cross-bar C together with
the bait-rods 21, 22, secured thereto and the stiff spring n are removed as shown
in Figure 2, the lighter spring 9 beneath the tripping-bar being retained to
hold said bar up in engagement with the catches 12 of the arms D; and when
the fish seizes the bait on the hook 18 and exerts a downward pull on the same,
the tripping-bar 9 will be drawn down against the resistance of the light spring q
when the trap will be sprung and the arms D brought down by their springs to
catch the fish as previously described.
To lock the trap when set so that bait can be put on or taken off without danger
of injury to the hands by the accidental springing of the trap, I provide a safety
rings which loosely encircles the casing A and can be slid up under the tripping-
bar to prevent the same from being drawn down to release the arms D. This
rings is provided with an inner rounded projection 32 which enters one of the
slots b, and by slightly turning the rings upon the casing the projection 32 will

page_text: be forced out of the slot 6 onto the outer surface of the casing, thus binding the
rings firmly in place under the bar g to lock the same as desired.
If desired, the arms D may be provided with means for attaching thereto a pair
of small dip-nets which when the trap is sprung will be brought together to enclose
a school of small fishes which can be seen from the surface of the water, in which
case a small line will be so arranged that it can be pulled at the proper time to
release the tripping-bar g, by the person holding the main line to which the
trap is attached.
The trap may be made of any suitable size for different uses, and when it is to
be employed for catching seals on the rocks, the yoke B with its arms D will
be unscrewed from the bottom of the casing A and the light spring q, tripping-
bar g with its rod h, and the plug i removed as shown in Figure 4, after which a
cylindrical plug t, having a transverse aperture through which is passed a
tripping-bar g similar to the bar g shown in Figures 1 and 2, is introduced through
the bottom of the casing, the end of the bar g extending out through the slots b.
The plug t is then forced back against the resistance of the spring n until the
bar g is opposite to two shallow notches 36, Figures 5 and 6, in the side walls
of the slots b, when it is turned sufficiently to cause it to engage said notches
which are placed respectively one below and the other above said bar, whereby
it is retained in place when the trap is set. A barbed spear H is then placed
within the casing A with its inner end against the plug t ready to be discharged
or shot out of the casing by the force of the spring n into the body of the seal.
When set, the trap is laid upon the surface of a rock frequented by seals and
secured firmly in place by means of heavy stones or weights 37, Figure 4, placed
upon a wooden bar or piece of plank K having two ears or lugs 38 between which
is secured by means of a pin 39, the plate which is pivoted to the top-plug p
of the casing A. After adjusting the trap in position, a long steel rod M is
placed alongside of the casing A with its upper end 40 beneath the projecting end
of the tripping-bar g as shown, and two stones or blocks 41, 42, are placed under
the rod M, the stone 41, serving as a fulcrum for said rod, so that when a seal
approaches the trap and lies upon the rod M between the points where it rests
upon the stones 41, 42, its end 40 will be tilted upward and caused to lift the
end of the bar 9 thus disengaging it from the notches 36, when the spring
will be released, causing it to suddenly and forcibly discharge the barbed spear H
into the body of the seal, if in line therewith. The spear H is provided with a
long cord w attached thereto at 43, said cord having a reel and bobs to indicate
the position of the seal after it takes to the water; and to prevent the loss of the
spear and seal, the cord is secured to a heavy stone 45 or other object which serves
as an anchor.
72
It will be seen that a trap constructed as above described is capable, by making
the changes referred to, of being used on land or in the water for catching or
trapping a great variety of animals or fishes, and is moreover simple, very durable,
and easily handled without liability of getting out of order.
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. A fish and animal trap, comprising a tubular casing provided on each side
with a longitudinal slot, spring-actuated arms or levers pivoted at the bottom of
the casing and provided with hooks at their outer ends, said arms being adapted
to be swung upward into parallelism or nearly so with the casing, a tripping-bar
extending transversely across the interior of the casing and projecting on each
side through the longitudinal slots thereof, catches on the spring-actuated arms
adapted to engage the opposite ends of the tripping-bar, whereby said hooked-
arms are held in a raised position against the resistance of their springs when the
rap is set, and a bait-holding device for operating the tripping-bar to release the
spring-actuated arms, substantially as described.

page_text: 2. In a fish and animal trap, the combination with a tubular casing provided
on each side with a longitudinal slot, of spring-actuated arms or levers pivoted
at the bottom of the casing and provided at their outer ends with hooks and
adapted to be turned upward into parallelism or nearly so with the sides of the
casing when the trap is set, a tripping-bar extending transversely across the
interior of the casing and having its ends extended through the slots thereof
and adapted to engage catches on the spring-actuated arms to hold the latter
in a raised position against the resistance of their springs, when the trap is set,
a spiral spring placed above the tripping-bar and acting to depress the same when
released, a rod attached to the tripping-bar and extending beyond the bottom of
the casing and provided with a lateral projection, and a bait-holding device con-
sisting of a cross-bar secured to supports connected with the casing and provided
with two barbed bait-rods, one rigidly secured to the cross-bar and the other
pivoted thereto in such manner that its upper end will engage the lateral projec-
tion on the tripping-bar-rod to hold the same against the pressure of the spring
above the same, whereby when the bait is seized, the upper end of the pivoted
bait-rod will be moved to release the tripping-bar and spring the trap, sub-
stantially as described.
3. In a fish and animal trap, the combination with the casing, its spring-
actuated arms, the tripping-bar for holding the same in a raised position, and
the bait-holding-device for operating the tripping-bar to release said arms, of a
curved guard plate located at the upper end of the tubular casing and extending
over the hooked upper ends of the spring-actuated arms when raised, whereby
the hooks are protected and prevented from becoming entangled in weeds or the
like, substantially as set forth.
4. In a fish and animal trap, the combination with the tubular casing, of the
yoke B carrying the spring-actuated arms D, D, said yoke being made removable
from the casing, substantially as set forth.
5. In a fish and animal trap, the combination with the slotted tubular casing
and the tripping-bar, of the spring-actuated arms provided with catches adjustable
thereon and adapted to engage the upturned ends of the tripping-bar, said catches
having friction springs bearing on the arms to hold them in place when adjusted,
substantially as set forth.
6. In a fish and animal trap, the combination with the tubular casing provided
on each side with a longitudinal slot, having a notch in one of its side walls,
of a spring enclosed within the upper portion of the casing, a cylindrical plug
or head provided with a tripping-bar extending transversely across the interior
of the casing and adapted to engage the notches in the sides of the longitudinal
slots of said casing to hold the head against the resistance of the spring, a loose
spear placed within the tubular casing against the spring-actuated head, and
adapted to be discharged by the force of said spring when released, and a long
flexible bar or rod resting on a fulcrum and having its end placed beneath the
end of the tripping-bar and adapted to be operated to release said bar and spring.
by the weight of an animal lying thereon, substantially as described.
7. In a fish and animal trap, the combination with the tubular casing A pro-
vided with longitudinal slots 6 and having plugs fitted into its opposite ends,
of the spring-actuated arms 1 pivoted at the bottom of the casing and provided
with hooks at their free ends, the tripping-bar g extending across the interior
of the casing and out through the slots b and engaging catches on the arms D
to hold the latter in a raised position, the spiral springs n, q, placed one above
and the other beneath the tripping-bar g, the spring n being of greater strength
than the spring q, a rod h secured to the tripping-bar and provided with a pin o
projection 24, and a bait-holding device consisting of a cross-bar C secured to
hangers or supports and provided with bait-rods 21, 22, the rod 21 being rigidly
secured to the cross-bar and the rod 22, being pivoted thereto and extending
above the same to engage the projection 24 on the rod h to hold the tripping-ba

page_text: against the resistance of the spring n, all constructed to operate substantially in
the manner and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 7th day of September 1897.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.