Improvements in Animal Traps.
Year: 1899

page_text: I, JAMES H. HOOVER, residing near Argenta, State of Illinois, U.S.A., Inventor,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a trap which will catch rodents more
expeditiously than traps at present in use, and which will be provided with simple
means whereby an animal caught will set the trap again for another one.
A trap constructed in accordance with my invention, comprises a suitable outer
framework of wood, metal, or wire, and having a door on opposite sides thereof;
the doors opening upwards.
A trip-lever is situated midway between the doors, and supports the bait. A
rod connects one end of the trip-lever with a platform or lever, pivoted about
midway its length near the upper part of the casing or framework, and having
one arm extending over one compartment, and the other arm over the other com-
partment; the trap being divided midway its length. One end of the lever is
connected to each of the doors, whilst its other end supports the longer arm of a
weighted trap-door or lever pivoted higher up in the trap.
An incline extends
upwardly from the compartment in which the doors are, to the trap door.
A rodent entering one of the doors steps on the trip-lever and tilts it in such
manner that it raises one arm of the lever above it, which causes it to simul-
taneously raise the trap-door or trip-lever resting upon it, and close the doors,
which move vertically in guides. The rodent then seeks exit by way of the incline
and, stepping onto the uppermost trap-door or trip-lever, is caused to fall into
the adjacent compartment.. The levers then resume their normal position with
the doors open.
Manal
1900
P. R. J. WILLIS,
Agent for Applicant.
Improvements in Animal Traps.
I, JAMES H. HOOVER, residing near Argenta, State of Illinois, U.S.A., Inventor;
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 follow-
ing statement—
This invention relates to improvements in animal traps, the object of the inven-
tion being to provide a trap which will catch rodents more expeditiously than
traps at present in use, and which will be provided with simple means whereby
an animal caught will set the trap again for another one.

page_text: Reference being had to the drawings hereunto annexed:
:-
Figure 1 is a central side elevation of my device, the parts being in their set
or normal positions. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.
The numeral 1 indicates my aninial-trap in which 2 is the trap-compartment,
3 the cage-compartment, and 4 an extension formed over the passage-way herein-
after described.
Within the trap compartment is a bait-trough 5, in front of which is a trip-
plate 6 frigidly attached to a bar whichis has rocking, attachments, 8, 8. to the
swing-bars 9, 9. These levers have their fulcrums in bearings 10, 10 attached to
the bottom of the trap. To the rocking bar are fixed rods 11, 11, having, at
their extremities, weights 12, 12, these weights causing the extension 6 of the
trip-plate 6 to normally engage with a trip-catch on the plate 13 fixed to the
bottom of the trap. To the outer extremities of the swing-levers 9, 9, are attached
rods.14, 14.which, at their other. ends, are, connected to, the yoke 15: The yoke 15
is swingingly-connected at 15", 15ª to hangers.16, 16 attached to the roof of the,
trap and the outer ends of the side arms of the yoke are connected by rods 17, 17
to doors 18, 18' working in slides 19; 19 fixed to the sides of the trap To the
central portion of the yoke 15 is rigidly attached 'a tilt-bar 20 which passes-
through a slot in the partition between the trap and cage compartments and is-
provided with vertical guiding plates 20 within the cage-compartment and fixed
to the partition. The outer extremity of the tilt-bar 20 is in contact with the
back of the tilt-plate 21, which is rigidly attached to the shaft 221 carried in
bearings 23; 23 and is counter-balanced by weights 24, 24, on the extremities of
rods 25 rigidly attached to the shaft 22. Near its 'extremity-the 'tilt-plate 21-is
provided with a trip-plate 26. which swings on a bearing 27, and is provided with
a counter-balance 28 and trip-notches 29, 29 formed to engage with the trip-
catches 30, 30:
Within the trap-compartment 2 is an inclined approach 34 leading to the
inclined passage-way 35. which extends to the top of the partition between the two
compartments and coincides with the extension 4. Swingingly attached at 33, 33
to the inside of the inclined passage-way 35 is a closure plate 32 which is in
contact with a projection 31 on the top end of the tilt-plate 21 so that it rises
as the tilt-plate falls. The tilt-plate 21 works within vertical guides 36, 36 which
extend within the extension 4 and are closed at their outer extremities by the
plate 36. The guide-plates 20 are joined by a cross-piece at 20b which serves
as a stop for the tilt-bar 20 and the tilt-plate 21. 37 is a spiked plate fitted
across the top of the extension 4.
In use, when an animal enters by one of the doors 18 and treads upon the trip-
plate 6 its weight releases the engagement of the extension 6" with the trip-
catch in plate 13 the doors fall and the tilt bar 20 throws the balanced tilt-plate
into a horizontal position where it forms a continuation of the passage-way 35.
The closure plate 32 also falls level on the tilt-plate 21 which is kept in position
by the engagement of the trip-plate 26 with the trip-catches 30, 30. The animal
can then traverse the passage-way until its weight on the trip-plate 26 releases
the trip-catches 30, 30 and it falls to the bottom of the cage-compartment, its
return to the tilt-plate 21 being prevented by the rise of the closure plate 32
and the spiked-plate 37. As the tilt-plate falls it actuates the tilt-bar 20 which
in turn raises the door and allows the trip-plate 6 to be swung into connection
with the plate. 13 by the weights. 12 12.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
(1) In a trap having a trap-compartment, an adjacent cage-compartment and a
passage-way extending from the trap-compartment to the upper part of the cage-
compartment, a tilt-plate hinged in the passage-way with its swinging end
extended out over the cage-compartment and a trip-plate on the swinging end

page_text: of the tilt-plate holding the plate in a horizontal position and releasable by the
weight of an animal.
(2) In a trap having a trap-compartment, an adjacent cage-compartment and
a passage-way extending from the trap-compartment to the upper part of the cage-
compartment, a tilt-plate hinged in the passage-way with its swinging end extend-
ing out over the cage-compartment, and a closure plate at the pivot of the tilt-
plate movable across the passage-way by the downward swing of the tilt-plate.
(3) In a trap having a trap-compartment, and an adjacent cage-compartment
and a passage-way extending from the trap-compartment to the upper portion of
the cage-compartment, a tilt-plate hinged in the passage-way with its swinging
end extended out over the cage-compartment, a trip-catch on the swinging end of
the tilt-plate releasable by the weight of an animal and a closure plate near the
pivot of the tilt-plate swingable across the passage-way by a down-ward swing of
the tilt-plate.
(4) In a trap, having a trap-compartment provided with a door, an adjacent
cage-compartment and a passage-way extending from the trap-compartment to the
cage-compartment, a tilt-plate hinged in the passage-way with its swinging end
extended out over the cage compartment, a trip-catch on the tilt-plate releasable
by the weight of an animal and a pivoted arm connected with the door at one end.
and extending under the tilt-plate, at the other end substantially as set forth.
(5) In a trap having a trap-compartment, a cage-compartment, and a passage-
way extending from the trap-compartment to the upper part of the cage-compart-
ment, a tilt-plate hinged in the passage-way and extending out over the cage-
compartment, a door for the trap-compartment, a connection between the door
and the tilt-plate whereby downward motion of the plate will raise the door, and
an end-wall to the passage-way following the path of the end of the tilt-plate
through-out the upper part of its swing, whereby the door must be entirely opened
before the animal can escape from the passage-way, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of December 1899.
P. R. J. WILLIS,
Agent for Applicant.