US2490180A - Trap - Google Patents

Description

Dec' 6, l949 R. M. VARNEDOE, JR' 249013 TRAP Filed Oct. l, 1946 Inventor Patenteci Dec. 6, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRAP Robert M. Varnedoe, Jr., Baltimore, Md.

Application October 1, 1946, Serial No. 700,443

1 Claim. l

This invention relates to new and useful improvements and structural refinements in traps, more specifically, in mouse traps, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a device of the character herein described, such as may be conveniently and effectively employed for preventing the rodents from escaping, after they have been caught.

A further object of the invention is to provide a trap wheren the rodent, if desired, may be captured alive.

Another object of the invention is to provide a trap which is simple in construction and operation, and which will not easily become damaged.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a trap from which the rodent, when caught, may be easily and conveniently removed.

With the above more important objects in view, and such other objects as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention consists essehtially of the arrangement and construction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal, cross-sectional view of the invention, taken substantially in the plane of the line I-l in Figure 2, and

Figure 2 is an end view of the invention, taken in the direction of the arrow 2 in Figure l.

Like characters of reference are used to designate like parts in the specification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the invention consists of a trap designated generally by the reference character 5, the same embodying in its construction a substantially cylindrical receptacle 6, closed at one end thereof and provided at its remaining end with a screw threaded mouth portion 1. This receptacle consttutes only a minor component of the invention, and may assume the form of a simple bottle or jar, as will be clearly apparent from the accompanying drawings.

The receptacle 6 is disposed or rested on its lateral wall, as will be clearly understood, and the screw threaded mouth portion 'l thereof is equipped with a removable cap or closure 8.

The essence of the invention resides in the provision of a plurality of Sector-like, pointed prongs 9 which are struck out from the body of the cover 8 so that the formation thereof provides a substantially circular opening in the cover, as will be readily apparent.

The prongs 9 are angulated inwardly, that is, into the receptacle 6, in a mutually convergent relationship and provide a substantially frustoconical passage Il, the minor end of this passage being disposed in the receptacle, while its major end assumes the form of the afore-mentioned opening Ill.

A supporting bracket 12, configurated substantially as shown, is secured to the cover 8 by suitable screws or rivets |3, a portion of the bracket being angulated and providing a substantially horizontal approach platform Ill at the major end of the passage ll. The afore-mentioned bracket |2 will, of course, stabilize the trap as a whole, that is, prevent the receptacle from rolling along the fioor.

A defiector shield 15 provided with an angulated portion 16 is secured to the inner surface of the cover 8 by means of the afore-mentioned rivets |3, the shield |5 being spaced from the lateral wall of the receptacle 6 and constituting what may be referred to as a' continuation of the inner end of the passage I I.

When the invention is placed in use, a mouse or a like animal may readily enter the receptacle 6 through the passage il, and the shield |5, by affording an entranoe footing at the inner end of the passage, will eliminate any possibility of the animal being discouraged from entering the receptacle past the pointed ends of the prongs 3. However, once the animal is in the receptacle and attempts to escape by walking into the mouth portion of the receptacle in an eifort to reach the passage ll, the shield 15 will eifectively obstruct direct approach to the inner end of the passage and escape of the animal will be positively discouraged.

The mice may be captured alive, or alternatively, they may be drowned by simply pouring water into the receptacle through the passage I I. The mice may be readily removed from the receptacle by unscrewing the cover 8.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will be readily understood from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, further description thereof at this point is considered unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim as my invention is:

In an animal trap, the combination of a receptacle cover, pointed prongs struck out from the center portion of said cover and angulated o 4 in a convergent relation to provide a frustoconical passage, and an elongated defiector plate REFERENCES CITED having an angulated end portion thereof secured The fOllOWing referenCeS ale Of record in the to said cover, said plate extending interiorly file of this patent: along the passage defined by said prongs and hav- 5 UNIT TEI. ing a flat defiecting portion disposed at the ED STA I ES PA S minor end of said passage, and said defiecting Number Name Date portion of said plate having horizontal edges. 1035329 Gabel Jan- 27, 1914 1,190,859 Causey July 11, 1916 1,282;42'3:= Honanz Oct. 2'2, 1918 RoBER'' M. VARNEDOE` Jr; 10 hsags Eee et ai. June.1, 1926

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