Improvements in Apparatus for Setting Off Pigeon and like Traps.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 6th Feb., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Setting Off Pigeon and like Traps.
I JAMES CASE of 147 Chorley New Road, Horwich, near Bolton, in the County
of Lancaster, Baker, 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:-
The object of this invention is to provide, for setting off or releasing pigeon or like
traps, apparatus so made that any trap may be operated without any indication being
given, or the operator knowing which trap is to be opened. The said apparatus also
provides means for the setting off or releasing of any desired trap.
Apparatus under my invention consists essentially of a number of springs or
equivalent devices held out of action by means of triggers. The said springs or
equivalent devices and the traps are connected by rods, louse lines, or other devices
so that when a spring is released and allowed to act a trap is opened. In order to
operate the triggers to release the springs I provide a freely rotating roller or other
suitable device carried in a movable frame and fitted with guides, and catches for
operating the triggers, such roller or suitable device being cansed to rotate or move
irregularly each time each spring or equivalent device is set or released. The triggers
may be operated independently by means of cords attached thereto for the purpose of
setting off any desired trap when required.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 2 a plan of apparatus constructed
according to my invention. a are india rubber or other springs secured at one end
to a box or case band at the other end to blocks or pieces c free to slide in guides d.
e are cords passing round pulleys/ and attached to the blocks e: by means of the
cords e, the said blocks c can be caused to slide in the guides in the direction of
the arrow until the recesses g in the blocks c become engaged with the triggers h. The
triggers are pivotted at i and are held in position by means of springs j. k are rods
secured at one end to the blocks c and attached at their other ends to wires / or other
devices connected with the traps. m is a roller free to rotate in bearings on a frame n
movable on guides o secured to the case b. p is a rod by means of which the frame n
can be moved, and 9 are springs for retaining the frame in its normal position. The
roller m is provided with a guide piece any face of which can engage with the
guide so as to prevent rotation of the roller at a certain point in the travel of
the frame n.
tare catches secured to the roller m. The catches t act against
projections on the rods connected to the triggers h so as to cause the triggers to
release the springs a. w is a friction piece carried by a bar y and against which the
roller m bears when the frame n is moved and such roller is thereby caused to rotate
to an uncertain extent. The cords e when drawn tight also bear against the roller m
as shown by the dotted line and cause it to rotate to some degree. are cords by
means of which each trigger can be operated independently from outside the box b.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The blocks c are drawn along the
guides d by means of the cords e until the triggers engage in the recesses 9 in the
blocks : the springs a are thereby extended and held out of action. The rods k are
projected through the side of the box b, and the wires are thereby slackened
sufficiently to allow of the traps to which such wires are connected being closed or

page_text: set. In order to open or set off a trap the frame n is drawn along the guides o by
the rod p so as to bring the roller m in contact with the friction piece to thereby
rotating the roller to an uncertain extent; as the frame n is drawn further along one
face of the guide piece r comes in contact with the guides and the roller is thereby
prevented from rotating; on a still further motion of the frame n one of the catches t
on the roller, which happens to be in the highest position is brought against a
projection u on one of the rods v so as to move such rod and operate the trigger
connected thereto so as to release the corresponding block and spring a thereby
causing the rod k and wire attached thereto to be pulled, and the trap to which the
said wire is connected to be opened. On releasing the rod p the frame n is
retracted by the springs q the roller again coming in contact with the friction
piece to and receiving a further rotation. The released spring is then again set and
the operation is repeated. If it is desired to set off a certain trap the corresponding
trigger is operated by its attached cord a. It will be observed that by reason of the
free rotation of the roller m it is not possible, when the lid of the box b is closed,
for the person who pulls the rod p, nor for the shooter to know which of the springs
will be released nor consequently which of the traps will be set off.
I do not confine myself to the particular arrangement above described for bringing
the catches into position for operating the triggers h, as many modifications may be
made.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
Apparatus for setting off pigeon and like traps consisting of springs connected
to such traps and released into action by means of triggers operated by catches or
their equivalents, such catches or their equivalents being brought into position to act
at irregular and uncertain intervals by means of a freely rotating roller or equivalent
device all substantially as set forth.
Dated this Fourteenth day of December 1896