GB2252485A - Animal trap - Google Patents

Abstract

A mouse-trap 2 and flexible bag 22 combination is arranged so that the body of the vermin remains within the bag after the trap has been sprung. The bait 12 is positioned inside the bag remote from the open end 24 of the bag. A variation of this arrangement is also disclosed whereby an animal or bird may be entrapped within the bag without being killed or injured. <IMAGE>

Description

AN ANIMAL TRAP This invention relates to animal traps and is particularly concerned with the type of trap which has a spring-loaded bar which is released by a trigger member upon movement by the animal concerned.

A typical example of such an implement is a domestic mouse-trap, the basic design of which has remained corFsnt sint for many years. Such a mouse-trap is readily available under the Trade Mark "The Little Nipper".

In that type of mouse-trap there is provided a baseplate, towards one end of which is located a loose plate member provided with an upstanding staple and a spike on which may be impaled a suitable bait, e.g. a piece of bread or cheese. A stiff wire member formed with a torsion spring at one end is pivotally mounted on the baseplate and is retained in its loaded condition by a stiff wire locking rod, one end of which is loosely retained on the baseplate by a staple and the other end of which is placed within the confines of the upstanding staple on the loose plate member. The operation is such that contact of the bait or the loose plate member by the intended victim releases the locking rod from the upstanding staple and enables the sprung member to snap down with great force on the body of the victim. This force is almost always sufficient to kill the victim.

One of the shortcomings of this type of trap lies in the fact that the usually mutilated victim is in an unsightly condition and if the trap is not emptied of its prey and then cleaned before re-use or storage, then problems of hygiene arise.

It is an object of the invention to eliminate the above disadvantages.

According to the invention there is provided an animal trap comprising a base-board, an animal smiting or trapping means and a trigger mechanism, and in combination therewith a flexible bag-like container having an open front end and a closed rear end, said closed rear end adapted to underlie at least part of the trap.

Part of the trap may be received within an inwardly turned part of the closed end or, alternatively, the bag-like container may be formed with an upper and a lower reach, the reaches being joined together by a transverse seam towards the rear closed end portion, and a slit is provided between the seam and the rear end portion and part of the trap may be inserted through the slit so that the lower reach overlies the trigger mechanism.

The trigger mechanism may be adapted to support a bait thereon within the closed end of the bag and a bait retaining means comprising a spike projecting upwardly from part of the trigger mechanism may be adapted to be pierced through the closed end of the bag.

In one form the trap comprises spring-loaded means, releasable by the trigger mechanism, and adapted to smite an animal within the bag-like container upon actuation of the trigger mechanism.

In an alternative form the trap comprises spring-loaded means, releasable by the trigger mechanism and adapted to surround an animal and entrap it within the bag-like container upon actuation of the trigger mechanism.

The invention further comprises a kit of parts comprising a spring-loaded mouse-trap and a flexible bag-like container which, when assembled provides an animal trap.

The invention further provides a method of trapping an animal which comprises assembling a mouse-trap and a flexible bag-like container such that a closed rear end of the bag-like container underlies at least part of the trap and wherein an animal within the bag may trip the trigger mechanism and cause spring-loaded animal trapping means to trar- the animal within the bag. In an alternative method the animal trapping means is caused to smite the animal within the bag.

A bait may be located on part of the end portion of the bag which lies above the trigger mechanism and in one form the bait may be temporarily retained on a spike projecting upwardly from the trigger mechanism and piercing part of the end portion of the bag such that the bait is located within the bag-like container.

Two embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with respect to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a mouse-trap and container combination according to the invention; Figure 2 is a section view showing the mouse-trap in loaded condition; Figure 3 is a section view similar to Figure 2 showing the mouse-trap after being sprung; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a bag-like container for use in an alternative embodiment; Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 2 but of the alternative embodiment; and Figure 6 is a plan view of part of the alternative embodiment.

As seen in the drawings a mouse-trap 2 comprises a baseplate 4 having a cut-away portion 6 above which is located a loose trigger board 8. A staple 10 extends upwardly from the board 8 towards the inner end of that boerS nd a bait-retaining spike 12 projects upwardly from the board 8 towards its outer end. A conventional vermin-smiting member 14 having a torsion spring 16 at one of its ends is retained in its loaded position by a stiff wire rod 18 which is loosely retained on the baseplate 4 by a staple 20, a front end of the rod being passed through the staple 10 for that purpose. The torsion spring is retained with respect to the plate 4 by a wire rod 17 stapled at its ends into the baseplate.The arrangement is such that when the intended victim contacts the bait or the trigger board 8, the staple 10 is moved from its retaining position with respect to the rod 18 which in turn enables the vermin-smiting member 14 to swing in an anti-clockwise direction about the transverse wire rod 17 to smite the victim, usualy with fatal consequences.

Such a mouse-trap has been well-known for many years and its action has changed little during that time.

To avoid the distasteful business of removing the resultant corpse from the trap, a container in the form of a flexible bag 22 is arranged with respect to the mouse-trap so that the coup de grace is administered while the victim is within the bag.

In the embodiment in Figures 2 and 3 the plastic bag 22 has an open forward end 24 and a closed rearward end 26, the rearward end being smaller in dimensions than the forward end. Thus the general appearance of the bag-like container is frusto-conical. A semi-stiff wire or plastics member 28 is affixed to the forward end 24 either by a suitable adhesive or by threading it through a hem formed around the open end. A further wire or plastics member 30 is similarly affixed to the bag a short distance from its closed rearward end and the purpose of these members 28 and 30 is to allow the bag to be retained in an open or hollow coon during preparation and use.

In preparation for use, the end of the mouse-trap, in its unloaded condition, is pushed into the rearward end of the bag 22 as seen in Figure 2 creating an indentation 32 within the bag. The spike 12 is then pushed through the adjacent part of the bag and a piece of bait 34 e.g bread or cheese, is impaled on the spike within the confines of the bag.

In use the victim, e,g, a mouse, enters the bag at its open end 24 and takes or approaches the bait 34. This causes the trigger plate 8 to rock in an anti-clockwise direction sufficiently to move the staple 10 from its rod retaining position with respect to the member 14 so that the member rotates under that action of its strong torsion spring 16 to smite the victim a deadly blow through the plastic bag.

It will be clear then that the victim remains within the plastic bag and may be disposed of neatly and cleanly with little or no repulsive effect upon the householder or other users.

Preferably, but not essentially, the bag is of opaque material so that the mutilated remains of the victim remain out of sight, and after raising the member 14 slightly the mouse-trap may be withdrawn from the vermin for use again without the need for cleaning.

If desired, a drawstring 35 seen in Fig. 1, may be provided in order to close the bag and dispose of the victim's body cleanly.

The illustrative embodiment so far described refers to a mouse-trap being positioned within the confines of the im.Yrdty turned closed end of the bag, part of which is tucked beneath the baseplate 4. However, it is possible to locate the bag so that a part of the closed end sits over the trigger board 8 as previously described but does not pass beneath the baseplate. In that arrangement the body of the victim would remain concealed within the bag as before.

In a further embodiment illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6, the mouse-trap 2 and its constituent components are the same as in the first embodiment and only the bag is different.

The bag 22A has an open front end portion 24A and adjacent its rearmost end is closed by a seam 37 to leave a rear marginal portion 36 in which is provided a slit 38.

In preparation for use, the member 14 is opened in a clockwise direction and the trigger end portion of the trap is pushed through the slit 38 to underlie a lower reach 23 as seen clearly in Figures 5 and 6. The spike 12 may then be pierced through the lower reach 23 and a bait 34 impaled on the spike as in the first embodiment after which the trap may be set by means of the rod 18 as usual.

Although the above describes the use of a spike on which the bait is impaled, an alternative bait may consist of grain or other feedstuff which is merely laid inside the bag and supported on the trigger board 8.

In the embodiments shown and described, the bag may be temporarily affixed to the mousetrap, e.g. by menas of adhesive tape, a staple or drawing pin, in order to prevent the bag being drawn away from the trap by the vermin.

The above description refers to a trap for killing vermin, but the same principle of the invention may be used for fre-lmlessly ensnaring an animal or bird. In such a case the baseplate 4 would be made much larger than illustrated and the member 14 would be large enough to encompass the intended victim within part of the bag without any actual impact on the animal or bird itself.

Claims (14)

1. An animal trap comprising a baseboard, an animal smiting or trapping means and a trigger mechanism, and in combination therewith a flexible bag-like container having an open front end portion and a closed rear end portion, said closed end portion adapted to underlie at least part of the trap.

2. A combination according to Claim 1 wherein at least part of the trap is received within an inwardly turned part of the closed end.

3. A combination according to Claim 1 wherein the bag-like container is formed with an upper and a lower reach, the said reaches being joined together by a transverse seam towards the rear end portion of the bag, a slit being provided between the seam and the rear end portion, and where part of the trap is inserted through the slit so that the lower reach of the bag overlies the trigger mechanism.

4. A combination according to Claims 1 to 3 wherein the trigger mechanism is adapted to support a bait thereon within the closed end of the bag.

5. A combination according to claim 4 wherein there is provided bait retaining means comprising a spike projecting upwardly from part of the trigger mechanism and adapted to be pierced through the inwardly turned part of the closed end of the bag.

6. A combination according to Claims 1 to 5 wherein the trap comprises spring-loaded means, releasable by the trigger mechanism and adapted to smite an animal within the bag-like container upon actuation of the trigger mechanism.

7. A combination according to claims 1 to 5 wherein the trap comprises spring-loaded means, releasable by the trigger mechanism and adapted to surround an animal and entrap it within the bag-like container upon actuation of the trigger mechanism.

8. A kit of parts comprising a mouse-trap and a flexible bag-like container which when assembled provides an fas awl trap according to any of the above claims.

9. A method of trapping an animal which comprises assembling a mouse-trap and a flexible bag-like container such that a closed rearmost end portion of the bag-like container underlies at least part of the mouse-trap whereby an animal within the bag may trip the trigger mechanism and cause spring-loaded animal trapping means to trap the animal within the bag.

10. A method according to claim 7 wherein the animal trapping means is caused to smite the animal within the bag.

11. A method according to claim 6 wherein a bait is located on part of the turned in end portion of the bag which lies above the trigger mechanism.

12. A method according to claim 7 wherein the bait is temporarily retained on a spike projecting upwardly from the trigger mechanism and piercing the turned in end portion such that the bait is located within the bag-like container.

13. Apparatus for trapping an animal as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

14. A method of trapping an animal as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.