IM- PROVEMENTS IN VERMIN TRAPS
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Engineer and Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN VERMIN TRAPS."-A communication from abroad by
Henri Ferdinand Serrin, Trap Maker, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin,
l'aris.
Sealed the 8th October 1867, and dated the 11th April 1867.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
11th April 1867.
1, WILLIAM CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VERMIN TRAPS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved vermin trap. Figure 1 of the annexed
Drawing shows a plan of the trap; Figure 2, a section through the two
compartments; and Figure 3, a section at right angles to show the arrangement
of the balance board. The effect of the animal entering the trap is to close it,
and in escaping into the second compartment to reset it in the open position.
The trap is thus continual in its action, it is besides very secure, as supposing the
animal to return to the first compartment, the trap being set, it would pass
under the balance board, which is provided with a guard plate at its centre to
prevent its exit.

page_text: This improved trap will be readily understood by reference to the Drawing.
It is divided into two compartments, in the first of which is placed the
balance board A mounted on pivots having a board L for closing the space
at the under part, near the front end of this balance board are fixed iron
wires K serving as a weight to keep the front end of the board always down.
In the partition of the trap there is an opening enclosed with a zinc plate B
provided with a catch for holding the balance board when the animal is first
trapped. I fix pins M, O, Figure 2, to prevent the animal escaping by
raising plate B from the opposite side. The second compartment J serves to
secure the animals trapped, and from which they are removed at opening E, F.
Another door C, D, is provided at the lower part of the trap for placing the
bait on the hook H for removing the balance board at any time, or for
getting rid of any animals that may have remained in the first compartment.
The doors are secured by pins, as seen in plan Figure 1; the trap is also
provided on the entering side, Figure 3, with a zinc plate Z to close that
part above the balance board when the animal has become trapped. In
order to set this trap the door at the bottom of the first compartment is first
opened, the bait placed on the hook H fixed inside said door, the balance
board should then be placed with its front edge down and the trap is ready
The vermin attracted by the bait ascends the incline formed by
the balance board, which oscillates on its pivots as soon as it passes beyond
the centre, and brings down its inner end, which is immediately secured by
the catch of plate B; on being trapped the animal on endeavouring to escape
and seeing light through the grating of the second compartment opposite to
him on each side of the plate tries to enter, and in passing in raises it, at the
same time releasing the balance board, which returns to its original position
and again sets the trap. In order to provide against vermin in the trap
gnawing away the balance board near its front end, I place wires K on its
edge to prevent it, which also serves as a counterbalance therefor. Further,
should any vermin in the second compartment endeavour to pass into
the first, I place pins M, O, in front of the zinc plate to prevent their
raising it from above, and in case they should happen to get in they will
be prevented from escaping by the plate L, thus providing a double means
of security.
for use.
Advantages. This trap is of much simpler construction than those
hitherto made without any of their disadvantages. By this arrangement
of trap sufficient space is left between the balance board A and the zinc
plate B to ensure the proper action of the trap. The trap which is made of
as light wood as possible is protected by the iron and zinc from the teeth of

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th October 1867.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Engineer and
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eleventh day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirtieth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said William Clark, Her special licence that I, the said William Clark, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN VERMIN
TRAPS," a communication to me from abroad by Henri Ferdinand Serrin,
Trap Maker, of 29, Boulevart St. Martin, Paris, upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said William Clark, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Clark, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention relates to an improved vermin trap. Figure 1 of the annexed
Drawings shows a plan of the trap; Figure 2, a section through the two com-
partments; and Figure 8 a section at right angles to show the arrangement of
the balance board. The effect of the animal entering is to close the trap, and

page_text: in escaping into the second compartment to reset it in the open position. The
trap is thus continual in its action, it is besides very secure, as supposing the
animal to return to the first compartment, the trap being set, it would pass
under the balance board, which is provided with a guard plate at its centre to
prevent its exit.
This improved trap will be readily understood by reference to the Drawings;
it is divided into two compartments, in the first of which is placed the
balance board A mounted upon pivots having a board for closing the space at
the under part; near the front end of this balance board are fixed iron
wires K serving as a weight to keep the front end of the board always down.
In the partition of the trap there is an opening and passage enclosed at the
sides covered with a zinc plate B and provided with a catch for holding the
balance board A when the animal is first trapped. I fix pins M, O, Figure 2,
to prevent the animal from escaping by raising the plate B from the opposite
side. The second compartment serves to secure the animals trapped, and
from which they are removed at opening E, F. Another door C, D, is pro-
vided at the lower part of the trap for placing the bait on the hook H for
removing the balance board at any time, or for getting rid of any animals that
may have remained in the first compartment. The doors are secured by pins,
as seen at points 2, 3, in plan, Figure 1. The trap is also provided on the
entering side, Figure 3, with a zinc plate Z to close that part above the
balance board when the animal has become trapped. In order to set this
trap the door at the bottom of the first compartment is first opened and the
bait placed on the hook H fixed inside said door, the balance board should
then be placed with its front edge down, and the trap is ready for use. The
vermin attracted by the bait ascends the incline formed by the balance board A,
which oscillates on its pivot as soon as it passes beyond the centre and brings
down its inner end, which is immediately secured by the hook of plate B; on
being trapped the animal in endeavouring to escape and seeing light through
the grating of the second compartment opposite to him on each side of the plate
tries to enter and in passing out raises it, at the same time releasing the
balance board which returns to its original position and again sets the trap.
In order to provide against vermin in the trap gnawing away the balance
board near its front end I place wires K on its edge, which also serves as a
counterbalance therefor. Further, should any vermin in the second com-
partment endeavour to pass into the first I place pins M, O, in front of the
zinc plate to prevent their raising it from above, and in case they should
happen to get in they will be prevented from escaping by the plate L, thus
forming a double means of security.

page_text: Advantages. The trap is of much simpler construction than those hitherto
made, without any of their disadvantages; by this arrangement of trap
sufficient space is left between the balance board A and the zinc plate B to
ensure the proper action of the trap; the trap which is made of as light
wood as possible is protected by the iron and zinc from the teeth of the vermin,
it is also readily set, and the animal being caught before reaching the bait it
does not require renewing.
Having described the nature of this Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the improved self-acting vermin
trap herein-before described and represented in the Drawings provided with two
compartments and two balance boards disposed at right angles and operating
in the manner and for the purposes before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-fifth day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven.
W. CLARK. (L.S.)