AN IMPROVED ANIMAL TRAP, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR CATCHING RATS AND MICE
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Chase, of the City and State
of New York, United States of America, now of No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, London, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED ANIMAL TRAP,
CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR CATCHING RATS AND MICE."
Sealed the 23rd April 1872, and dated the 26th October 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry
Chase at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 26th October 1871.
I, WILLIAM HENRY CHASE, of the City and State of New York,
United States of America, now of No. 8, Southampton Buildings, London,
do hereby declaro the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED
ANIMAL TRAP, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR CATCHING RATS AND MICE," to be as
follows:-
My said Invention relates to a trap of novel construction chiefly
designed for rats, mice, and similar vermin, but which may be used for
hares, partridges, pheasants, and other game, and for large animals, such
as wolves, and also for fish.

page_text: My improved trap is constructed with two concentric cases or
cylinders of sheet metal or other suitable material. One of these cylinders
is fixed, and the other is made to revolve. The action of this revolving
or rotating case or cylinder opens and closes the trap as herein-after
described. In each of these cylinders are openings large enough to
admit the animals to be caught. When the apertures in the inner and
outer cases coincide or are opposite each other, the way into the trap
is open, and in setting the trap the revolving case is retained in this
position by a stop. I make the revolving case or cylinder with a number
of these entrance apertures, and the stop is arranged to hold each of these
apertures when the same is brought opposite the aperture in the fixed or
stationary cylinder. The revolving cylinder is supported upon a shaft or
column secured to the bottom of the trap, and in the centre of the fixed
cylinder. I prefer to use a spring for actuating the revolving cylinder,
which spring is placed in a recess surrounding this column at the top of
the cylinder, and is wound up by turning the same backward.
My improved trap is so constructed that each rat, mouse, or other
animal caught sets the trap for the next one, and I provide for the.
secure detention of a number of animals without obstructing the action
of the trap, by furnishing the same with a separate chamber or prison,
into which each animal, when caught, may freely enter, but from which
it cannot return. This prison may be made of sheet metal or other
suitable material, and should be so constructed that the animals will
not be visible from the outside. Communication between the cylindrical
part of the trap and this prison is effected through a small tunnel or
passage, which is closed by a gate; and I prefer that opposite this
tunnel the prison should have a small window. The prison is also
provided with a door, by which the animals can be conveniently
removed. The bait is suspended above a small platform upon the end
of an arm, and this arm and the platform are connected to a lever,
which actuates the stop, whereby the revolving cylinder is held, as above
set forth. The bait is preferably placed at the centre of the trap, so
that the animal must enter the same before attempting to seize the bait.
Immediately the animal seizes the bait, or if it steps on the platform
without touching the same the aforesaid stop is raised, the cylinder moves
far enough to close the aperture, and is secured in this position by
another stop or catch. The same movement of the cylinder brings one
of the apertures therein opposite the tunnel, and the animal seeing what

page_text: appears to be a way of escape will naturally enter the same and pass
into the prison; the gate is so hung that it yields to a very slight
pressure towards the prison, but when the animal has entered therein
he cannot open it to return. The opening of this gate operates, the
last-mentioned stop or latch, and the revolving cylinder or case then
moves round far enough to bring another aperture opposite the entrance
aperture in the fixed cylinder, and the trap is again set.
When my trap is used for fish the above-described platform will not
be required, the hooks alone being used, and the prison will be replaceḍ
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Henry Chase in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 26th April 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME I, WILLIAM
HENRY CHASE, of the City and State of New York, United States of
America, now of No. 8, Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Henry Chase, Her special licence
that I, the said William Henry Chase, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Henry Chase, 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
IMPROVED ANIMAL TRAP, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR CATCHING RATS AND MICE," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Henry Chase, my
executors or administrators, 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.
"AN

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Henry Chase, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawing forming a part of this Specification:-
My said Invention relates to a trap of novel construction, chiefly
designed for rats, mice, and similar vermin, but which may be used for
hares, partridges, pheasants, and other game, and for large animals,
such as wolves, and also for fish.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved trap; Figure 2 is a hori-
zontal section on the line x, x, Figure 3; Figure 3 is a longitudinal
vertical section on the line y, y, Figure 2. Like letters indicate the
same parts throughout the Drawing.
My improved trap is constructed with two concentric cases or
cylinders a, b, of sheet metal or other suitable material. The cylinder a
is fixed and the cylinder is made to revolve. The action of this
revolving or rotating case or cylinder opens and closes the trap, as
herein-after described. In each of these cylinders are openings a¹, b',
large enough to admit the animals to be caught. When the apertures
in the inner and outer cases coincide, or are opposite each other, the
way into the trap is open, and in setting the trap the revolving case b
is retained in the required position by a stop c. I prefer to make these
revolving cases or cylinders with a number of entrance apertures, as shown
in Figures 1 and 2, and the said stop is arranged to hold the cylinder b
when cach of these apertures is brought opposite cither of the apertures
a' in the fixed or stationary cylinder a. The revolving cylinder b is
supported upon a shaft or column d, secured to the bottom of the trap.
and in the centre of the fixed cylinder a. I prefer to use a spring e for
actuating the revolving cylinder. I place the said spring in a recess
f
surrounding the column at the top of the cylinder, and it is wound up
by turning the same backward by the knob b'.
My improved trap is so constructed that each rat, mouse, or other
animal caught sets the trap to catch another one, and I provide for the
secure detention of a number of animals without obstructing the action
of the trap by furnishing the same with a separate chamber or prison 9,

page_text: into which each animal when caught may freely enter, but from which
it cannot return. This prison may be made of sheet metal or other
suitable material, and should be so constructed that the animals will not
be visible from the outside. Communication between the cylindrical
part of the trap and this prison is effected through a small tunnel or
passage h, which is closed by a gate i; and I prefer that this gate
should be made of glass or should have a glass window . The prison is
also provided with a door j, by which the animals can be conveniently.
removed. The bait is suspended above a small platform or step k
formed or fixed upon the end of an arm /', and this arm and the plat-
form are connected to a lever ³, which actuates the stop c whereby the
revolving cylinder is held, as above set forth. I prefer to form the said
stop upon the end of the lever in such a manner that it will take into
the holes in the cylinder b, which holes are properly arranged to stop
the said cylinder with its apertures 6' opposite the apertures a¹, as
required. The spring at the back of the arm / returns the plat-
form after it has been depressed by the animal. The bait is preferably
suspended on the hooks on the lever k³, and it hangs at or near the
centre of the trap, as shown, so that the animal must properly enter
the same before attempting to seize the bait. Immediately the animal
seizes the bait, or steps on the platform without touching the bait the
aforesaid stop is withdrawn from the hole, the cylinder 6 moves far
enough to close the apertures, and is secured in this position by the stop
or latch, which is connected to the gate i, and which when the said
gate is closed lies in the path of the projections m on the cylinder b.
These projections are preferably inclined on the rear side, as shewn in
Figure 2, to facilitate the winding up of the spring in setting the trap.
The same movement of the cylinder that closes the entrance aper-
tures brings one of the apertures in the said cylinder opposite the
tunnel h, and the animal seeing what appears to be a way of escape will
naturally enter the same and pass into the prison; the gate i is so hung
that it yields to a very slight pressure exerted in entering the prison,
but when the animal has entered therein he cannot return. The opening
of this gate raises the last-mentioned stop or latch clear of the pro-
jections m, and the revolving cylinder or case 6 then moves round far
enough to again bring the entrance apertures in the rotating cylinder b
opposite those of the fixed cylinder a, and the trap is again set.
When my trap is used for catching fish the above-described platform
will not be required, the hooks alone being used, and the prison will be

page_text: ".
replaced by a bag or net. And if desired the trap may be used for
catching rats, mice, and other animals, without any prison or other
receptacle in connection with the aforesaid fixed and revolving cylinders.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. The fixed and rotating cylinders or cases provided with entrance
apertures, in combination with contrivances for releasing and stopping
'the rotating cylinder and with the mechanism whereby the animals in
taking the bait cause the trap to close, as hercin set forth.
Second. The combination of the aforesaid cylinders and stopping and
releasing contrivances with a prison or receiver communicating with
the said cylinders by a passage, which has a gate so arranged that
the animals are readily admitted into the prison, but cannot return
therefrom, as herein set forth.
Third. The combination of the said gate with contrivances so operating
that the animals in entering the prison reset the trap, as herein set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Henry Chase, have herc-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of April, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.
Witness,
EDWARD C. JACKSON.
W. H. CHASE. (L.S.)