Improvements in Rabbit or Vermin Traps.
Year: 1898

page_text: Improvements in Rabbit or Vermin Traps.
We, CHARLES EDWARD HOWELL, Bank House, Beverley Road, Hull, in the
County of York, Bank Manager, and HENRY IVESON SCOTT, of Queens Road,
Hull, aforesaid, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
This invention has for its object to provide a trap or snare for catching rabbits
or vermin, that will be operated by the animal itself.
It comprises a frame in which is mounted a falling guillotine composed of a
knife or row of spikes. This is fitted with a spring which ensures the guillotine
falling to impale or kill the animal immediately the disengaging device releases it.
The disengaging device consists of a lever or trigger pivoted to the frame having
a notch into which engages a part of the guillotine when the trigger is pressed
against it. Below the guillotine when raised is a rotary gate located directly
in the path that the animal is likely to traverse, and which the animal is obliged
to push aside to get at the bait. The axis of this gate is provided with a short
arm which abuts against the trigger when the gate is closed and keeps it in
engagement with the guillotine.
In action therefore the animal in passing through the gate to reach the bait
or otherwise, pushes the gate aside. This instantly releases the trigger, thus
simultaneously releasing the guillotine which descends with force impaling or
killing the animal.
To set the trap, the guillotine is forcibly pulled upwards until it engages in the
notch in the trigger. While holding it in that position the gate is closed, and so
soon as its arm abuts against the trigger the latter will be kept engaged with the
guillotine to keep it in its raised position. The trap may be provided with legs
for inserting in the ground or it may be provided with a ring by which it may be
suspended, or it may be otherwise fixed.
By this arrangement of trap therefore the animal by the act of pushing aside
the gate is the cause of its own capture or death.
101

page_text: Improvements in Rabbit or Vermin Traps.
We, CHARLES EDWARD HOWELL, Bank House, Beverley Road, Hull, in the
County of York, Bank Manager, and HENRY IVESON SCOTT, of Queens Road,
Hull, aforesaid, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has for its object to provide a trap or snare for catching rabbits
or vermin, that will be operated by the animal itself.
The invention will be understood from the following description, reference
being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of our trap or snare showing the guillotine raised;
Figure 2 a front elevation showing the guillotine down;
Figure 3. a longitudinal section showing the engaging and disengaging
mechanism.
The trap or snare comprises a frame A in which is mounted a falling guillotine B
composed of a knife or row of spikes. This is fitted with a spring C which
ensures the guillotine falling to impale or kill the animal immediately the dis-
engaging device releases it. The disengaging device consists of a lever or
trigger D pivoted to the frame A at d having a notch E into which engages a
part of the guillotine B when the trigger 1) is pressed against it. Below the
guillotine when raised is a rotary gate located directly in the path that the
animal is likely to traverse, and which the animal is obliged to push aside to get
at the bait. The axis f of this gate is provided with a short arm G which abuts
against the trigger D when the gate F is closed and keeps it in engagement with
the part of the guillotine.
In action therefore the animal in passing through the gate F to reach the bait
or otherwise, pushes the gate aside. This instantly releases the trigger D, thus
simultaneously releasing the guillotine B which descends with force impaling or
killing the animal.
To set the trap, the guillotine is forcibly pulled by pulling the ring H upwards
until the part 6 engages in the notch E in the trigger D. While holding it in
that position the gate F is closed, and so soon as its arm G abuts against the
trigger the latter will be kept engaged with the guillotine to keep it in its raised
position. The trap may be provided with legs I for inserting in the ground, or
it may be suspended by the ring H, or it may be otherwise fixed.
By this arrangement of trap therefore the animal by the act of pushing aside
the gate is the cause of its own capture or death.
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. A rabbit or vermin trap, comprising a falling guillotine held in its raised
position against the pressure of a spring by means of a locking device, a rotary
gate located directly in the path that the animal is likely to traverse and which
he is obliged to push aside to get at the bait, and a disengaging device so
arranged that the pushing aside of the gate by the passage of the animal will
instantly release the guillotine, so that it will descend with force by the spring to
impale or kill the animal, substantially as described.
2. In a rabbit or vermin trap, the combination of a vertically-moving guillo-
tine composed of a knife or a row of spikes, and fitted with a spring, a trigger
having a notch adapted to engage a part of the said guillotine and hold it in its

page_text: raised position against the pressure of a spring, and a rotary gate with a project-
ing arm arranged in such a manner that so long as the gate is closed, its arm will
abut against the end of the trigger and lock it in engagement with the guillotine,
or so soon as the gate is pushed open, this arm will release the trigger, thus
instantly liberating the guillotine which thereupon descends with force by the
pressure of the spring, substantially as set forth.
3. The general combined arrangement and construction of parts forming our
improved trap or snare for catching rabbits or vermin, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 3rd day of July 1899.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of G, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicants.