Patent ID: 7540109

Claim:
A humane animal trap, comprising: (a) a rectangular housing having horizontal vertically spaced top ( 6 ) and bottom ( 4 ) walls, a pair of vertical parallel side walls ( 8 and 10 ), and front ( 14 ) and rear ( 12 ) end walls, said walls cooperating to define a chamber ( 16 ), (1) said walls being formed from a rigid synthetic plastic material; (2) at least some of said walls being perforated to define a plurality of ventilation openings; (3) said bottom, side and rear walls being formed as an integral unit, said side walls having horizontal opposed upper edges that contain a plurality of longitudinally spaced ventilating slots ( 24 ); (4) said top wall being pivotally connected with said integral unit for movement about first pivot means ( 22 ) between a normally closed horizontal position and an open position relative to said chamber, said top wall having in transverse cross-section a generally inverted U-shaped configuration including a horizontal portion having a width greater than a distance between said side walls, and a pair of integral flange portions ( 6 a ) that respectively extend both downwardly from said horizontal portion and in spaced relation relative to outer surfaces of said side walls when said top wall is in said closed position, said flange portions containing a plurality of longitudinally spaced ventilating openings ( 26 ); (5) said housing including guide means ( 20 ) guiding said front end wall for vertical displacement between a lower closed position and an upper open position relative to said chamber; (b) retaining means operable between a retaining condition retaining said front end wall in said upper open position, and a released condition permitting said front end wall to be in its closed position relative to said chamber; (c) a transparent rectangular food retention plate ( 44 ) arranged in said chamber adjacent and spaced from said rear end wall, said food retention plate having a horizontal lower edge pivotally connected with said bottom wall, said food retention plate extending upwardly from said bottom wall toward a food retention position defining with said rear wall a space for receiving food; and (d) release means for operating said retaining means from said retaining condition to said released condition, thereby to permit said front end wall to be displaced by gravity toward said closed position, whereby when an animal is attracted into the chamber by the food and the release means is operated to the released condition, the front end wall is closed and the animal is trapped in said chamber.