Improvements in Animal Traps.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 19th July, 1909
Complete Specification Left. 3rd Aug.. 1898-Accepted, 24th Sept., 1898
Date vi application, och u
Complete Specification Left. 3rd Aug.. 1898-Accepted, 24th Sept., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Animal Traps.
We, WILLIAM BAYLIFF and THOMAS DUTTON BAYLIFF, both of the Wirral
Foundry, Beaufort Road, Birkenhead, Engineers, and BENJAMIN DRAPER, of 2,
Knowsley. Grove, Everton, Liverpool, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to animal traps, which comprise one or more non-return
doors consisting of independently hinged wires. Such wires admit an animal
into the trap but prevent it from making its exit.
It is well known that rats and similar animals are attracted to a trap when
one of their number is already within the trap, and it is to induce this first-comer
or decoy to enter the trap that this invention has for its object more particularly.
In constructing a rat trap we form a non-return door of independently hinged
wires at each end of a rectangular cage. In order to induce a rat to enter, so
as to become a decoy for other rats, we cause such wires to be temporarily retained
in a raised position so. as to permit a free entry and exit. Such
raised wires are retained by a hanging wire, and the hanging wires
for both doors are coupled to a releasing device disposed within the
cage. Such releasing device may consist of a pivotted see-saw which
is coupled to each hanging wire in such
a manner that when a rat
touches or moves the see saw such hanging wires are simultaneously withdrawn
from the raised hinged wires, whereby the latter fall and prevent the exit of such
decoyed rat. Other rats may now enter the trap by rasing such independently
hinged wires, which automatically close after the rat has passed into the trap.
In order that such independently hinged wires may close noiselessly, the
bar or wire on which they fall is jacketted with indiarubber or the like.
Improvements in Animal Traps.
We, WILLIAM BAYLIFF and THOMAS DUTTON BAYLIFF, both of the Wirral
Foundry, Beaufort Road, Birkenhead, Engineers, and BENJAMIN DRAPER, of 2,
Knowsley Grove, Everton, Liverpool, Engineer, 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:-
This invention relates to animal traps which comprise one or more non-return

page_text: doors consisting of independently hinged wires. Such wires admit an animal
into the trap but prevent it making its exit.
It is well known that rats and similar animals are attracted to a trap when
one of their number is already within the trap and it is to induce this first-comer
or decoy to enter the trap that this invention has for its object more particularly.
The drawing hereto annexed is a perspective view of a trap constructed according
to our invention:
The trap illustrated in the drawing consists of a rectangular wire-work cage,
whose ends are provided with a non-return door. Such non-return door consists
of a number of independently hinged wires q, the wires being hinged to the rod
or wire in the manner described in our Complete Specification No. 4285 of
1898. Such wires are resting in an inclined position may be raised by a rat
which is entering the trap but cannot be raised by a rat which is within the trap.
In order that the first rat to approach may be induced to enter and so serve as
a decoy for others, we cause the wires q to be temporarily held in a raised position,
which allows free ingress and egress and so disguises the nature of the trap. We
also provide means whereby such raised wires are simultaneously released and
allowed to fall by the decoy rat, which is thus entrapped, whilst the wires q now
become a non-return for succeeding rats. Such retaining and releasing device con-
sists of two wires a a which are bent into the form of a trapeze and hang from
the roof of the trap. In the centre of the trap is pivotted a see-saw platform b
whose edges are coupled to the trapezes a by rods c. It will thus be seen that
by rocking the platform 6.upon its pivot d the two trapezes a, a, are caused to
swing. Thus if the platform be horizontal and then rocked the trapezes will
swing inwardly.
To set the trap, the wires 9 at each end of the trap are raised and the
trapezes a, a are passed underneath them so as to support said wires in their raised
position as shewn in the drawing, the platform b being then perfectly horizontal.
The bait is suspended from the roof of the trap and hangs above the platform.
The decoy rat in attempting to reach the bait will place its fore-feet upon the
platform 6 thus rocking the latter. This rocking action withdraws the trapezes a
from under the wires which latter then fall and rest on the floor of the trap in
an inclined position thus forming a non-return door. A ledge projects at right
angles from the under surface of the platform b, its function being to obstruct
the passage of the decoy rat underneath the platform, that is to say, the rat in
attempting to pass beneath the platform will rock the latter and so release the
wires q. The platform 6 and ledge f are by preference formed of wire work.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
A trap comprising one or more non-return doors formed of independently hinged
wires 9, and means such as the trapezes a and pivotted platform 6 or their equiva-
lent for temporarily retaining such wires in a raised position, whereby a decoy
animal is induced to enter the trap and is caught by such non-return doors being
released by the said trapezes and platform, substantially as herein set forth with
reference to the drawings.
J. A. COUBROUGH,
Chartered Patent Agent,
10, St. George's Crescent, Liverpool,
Agent for the Applicants."