Patent ID: 8438777

Claim:
A live catch animal trap, comprising: an animal holding cage; a trap floor positioned above said cage, said trap floor being rotatably mounted and moveable between a generally horizontal closed position and a downwardly inclined open position that causes an animal to slide into said holding cage; a bait station positioned adjacent to said trap floor; and a mechanical trigger mechanism arranged to be tripped by an animal standing on said trap floor as the animal attempts to access said bait station, said trigger mechanism having a first position for holding said trap floor in its closed position, and a second position for releasing said trap floor to move to its open position, said trigger mechanism being automatically reset to said first position as said trap floor returns from its open position to its closed position; further comprising a spring-loaded latch connected to said trap floor, wherein said mechanical trigger mechanism comprises a locking element arranged to engage said spring-loaded latch; wherein said locking element comprises a bevel face for engaging said spring-loaded latch as said trap floor moves from its open position to its closed position, whereby said bevel face facilitates movement of said trigger mechanism into its first position; wherein said spring-loaded latch comprises a latch pin extending generally parallel with a rotation axis of said trap floor, and a spring assembly that biases said latch pin toward the locking element of the trigger mechanism; and wherein said bevel face of said locking element is arranged to engage said latch pin as the trap floor moves from its open position to its closed position, thereby causing said latch pin to move inwardly against the biasing force of its spring assembly until said latch pin clears said bevel face and snaps into position over a top surface of said locking element.