An Improved Trap for Rats, Mice, and other Animals.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Mar., 1899-Accepted, 27th May, 1899
An Improved Trap for Rats, Mice, and other Animals.
We, JOHN WILLIAM MOCKFORD, and EDWARD ELLICOTT, both of 19, Caledonian
Road, Upper Lewes Road, Brighton, and respectively Engine-driver and Gardener,
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:-
Our invention relates to an improved trap for rats, mice and other animals, the
object being to provide an unobtrusive trap, which will however quickly dispatch
any animal laying hold of the bait. In carrying our invention into effect we
proceed in or in about the following manner, making reference to the accompany-
ing drawings in which Fig. 1 is a sectional side view, Fig. 2 a cross-section and
Fig. 3 a plan of one of our traps. We provide a base board a having on it four
sides 6 forming a box like structure, the board a projecting somewhat at one end to
form a platform c. A lid d is provided for covering in the internal arrangements,
and this can be kept closed by a hook or other means e. The long sides of the
trap are grooved as at f and a spindle g extends from end to end of the box. Free
to slide on the spindle g and in the grooves f is a runner h between one end of
which and its opposing end of the trap is a spiral spring i encircling the spindle g.
The runner is armed with a number of needles of sufficient length to project
a considerable distance through one end of the box when the spring i is allowed
to propel the runner h to that end. At the top of the runner h is a projection k.
Below a cross bar we provide a spring through which passes a rod m the inner
end being turned down somewhat as at n, the other end extending to outside the
box and being formed into a bait hook o. The rod m is free to turn right and
left and is prevented from withdrawing and limited as to side movement by a
staple p. For setting the trap a ring is provided above or below the runner h and
a hooked rod or other means also provided for drawing backwards the runner h.
To set the trap the hook o is baited, the runner drawn back by the rod and held
so that the needles j do not project out of the end of the box by placing the bent
end of m behind the projection k. When the animal begins to eat the bait on o
the movement will turn the rod m and cause the bent end n to be removed from
behind the projection whereupon the spring i impels the runner to the opposite
end of the trap and forcibly projects the needles j'into the animal.
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 claim is: -
1. Improved traps for rats, mice and other animals, each trap comprising
essentially:-(a) A base board bearing above it a box-like structure of less length
than the base board. (b) A spindle extending from end to end of the interior of
the said structure. (c) A runner free to slide on the said spindle and in grooves
provided for it in the sides of the said box-like structure the said runner being
armed with a number of needles free to move to and fro through holes provided for

page_text: them at one end of the box-like structure. (d) A spiral spring surrounding the
above mentioned spindle and extending from the unarmed side of the runner to
its opposing end of the structure. (e) A bait hook at the end of a rod extending
into the interior of the box-like structure and providing means whereby the runner
may be held within the structure when the trap is set, and released for the purpose
of propelling the needles into the animal taking the bait. (f) Means for drawing
inwards the runner and needles in order to set the trap, the whole substantially
as described in the above specification and exemplified in the accompanying
drawing.
2. Rat, mice and other animal traps constructed substantially as described in 1
the above specification and exemplified by the accompanying drawing.
thi. 05th day of February 1899
HUGHES & YOUNG,
23, Coleman Street, E.C., Agents.