CA1106175A - Traps for animals - Google Patents

Traps for animals

Info

Publication number
CA1106175A
CA1106175A CA334,900A CA334900A CA1106175A CA 1106175 A CA1106175 A CA 1106175A CA 334900 A CA334900 A CA 334900A CA 1106175 A CA1106175 A CA 1106175A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
trap
frame
collar
animal
strike
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA334,900A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Harlan C. Lunn
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to CA334,900A priority Critical patent/CA1106175A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1106175A publication Critical patent/CA1106175A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A01AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
    • A01MCATCHING, TRAPPING OR SCARING OF ANIMALS; APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF NOXIOUS ANIMALS OR NOXIOUS PLANTS
    • A01M23/00Traps for animals
    • A01M23/24Spring traps, e.g. jaw or like spring traps
    • A01M23/26Spring traps, e.g. jaw or like spring traps of the double-jaw or pincer type
    • A01M23/265Spring traps, e.g. jaw or like spring traps of the double-jaw or pincer type of the pincer type

Landscapes

  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Pest Control & Pesticides (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Insects & Arthropods (AREA)
  • Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
  • Zoology (AREA)
  • Environmental Sciences (AREA)
  • Catching Or Destruction (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT:

The invention seeks to provide a humane trap which de-spatches trapped animals without pain or panic. The trap com-prises a frame with a trap mechanism mounted in the frame and movable between set and sprung conditions. The mechanism defines in its set condition a collar presenting a desirable opening to a species of animal to be trapped and gauged to resist the passage of the shoulders of an animal of that species. The mechanism further comprises trigger means operatively associated with the collar to spring the trap mechanism in response to engagement of an animal's shoulders with the collar, and strike means operative on springing of the trap to strike across the plane of the collar opening with a force lethal to the species of animal to be trapped. Preferably the collar is mounted for swinging movement relative to the frame, and such swinging movement caused by an animal pushing its shoulders against the collar is used to trigger the trap.

Description

~lC617S
This invention relates to humane traps for animals.
For the purposes oE this specification a humane trap is defined as a trap which despatches a trapped animal without pain or panic. In practice this means that the trap when sprung by an animal entering it should reliably and substantially instantaneou-sly kill the animal, or at the least render it immediately un-conscious with death rapidly supervening. In a practical trap, there are the further requirements that it be effective as a trap and that, where fur bearing animals are trapped, the fur or pelt is not damaged~
- In co-pending patent application Mo. 792,533, filed ~lay
2, 1977, in the name of Armand Jacob, there is described a trap comprising a trap frame defining an opening, the frame having a gap therein with portions of the frame to either side of the gap being spring urged toward one another. A pair of strike arms are pivotally connected to the frame, one on each side of the gap, and to each other to form a toggle linkage which, with the trap in a first released condition, is collapsed within the opening.
Latching means can be located so as to secure the assembly of frame and strike arms in an alternative condition with the toggle linkage partially straightened and the frame portions to either side of the gap drawn apart, a trigger device, actuable by an animal reaching a pre-determined position in the frame opening, being provided to release the latch.
One of the most different problems in devising a humane trap is to guide the animal into the trap and trigger the latter in such a manner that an animal which triggers the trap is reliably despatched by a blow which strikes the animal at a pre-determined vital point, by preference the back of the nec~ at the base of the skull. Whilst the trap referred to above re-presents an improvement upon most other known traps in this re-spect, a still further improvement in performance in this re-- spect is desirable in a truly humane trap. The present : .

~lC617~
invention is therefore directed to improvements in means for guiding an animal into a trap and triggering the latter which are particularly, although not exclusively, applicable to the type OL
trap to which the patent application referred to above is directed.
In its broadest aspect, the present invention is directed to a trap for animals comprising a frame with a mechanism mounted in the frame and movable between set and sprung conditions.- The mechanism defines in its set condition a collar presenting a desirable opening to a species of animal to be trapped and .g~.uged to resist the passage of the shoulders of an animal of that species.
The mechanism further comprises trigger means operatively associat-ed with the collar to spring the trap mechanism in respo~se to engagement of an animal's shoulders with the collar, and strike means operative on springing of the trap to strike across the plane of the collar opening with a force lethal to the species f~ of animal to be trapped.
It is found that when a suitable bait is placed beyond ;
a small enclosed aperture of sufficient size readily to-admit an animal's head, although not necessarily large enough to pass its shoulders, the animal is attracted to the aperture and will : pass its head through it and press for~Jard in an attempt to reach the bait. Such an opening is referred to above and in this specification as a "desirable opening", and its size will depend upon the species of animals to be trapped. The response of animals to such "desirable openings" has been used as the basis of the trap of the present invention. A desirable opening is provided by that portion of the trap mechanism configured so as to define in its set condition a collar which presents the opening to the animal, and the collar is associated ~.7ith the trigger so that ~Jhen the collar is pressed upon by the animal. attempting . to reach the bait the trigger will release some suitable form of ~rike means ~7hich acts across the plane of the collar opening with a force predetermlned as lethal to the , .

61~

species to ~ trappecl. The atte~pt of the animal to reach the bait through the desirable opening causes it to lay the back of its neck at the base of its s}~ull, which will lie approximately in the plane of the collar, open to the strike means. It is thus assured that the strike means will deliver a blow to the appro-priate portion of the animal's anatomy.
Preferably the collar is mounted within the frame for movement in the direction in which the animal enters the trap and out of a plane which it occupies when the trap is in its set condition, into a trigger release position. Thus the animal in attempting to reach the bait moves the collar and provides the motion necessary to trigger the strike means. The most ad-vantageous form of collar movement is obtained when the collar is suspended for s~inging movement relative to the frame.
In a preferred form of the trap, the trap mechanism is suspended for swinging movement by pivotal connections to opposed parts of the frame, and spring means are provided urging said frame parts toward one another from a first relationship cor-responding to a set condition of the trap to a second relation-ship corresponding to a sprung condition of the trap. The trap mechanism comprises a system of pivotally connected parts lying closely parallel and forming the collar which presents the de-sirable opening to an animal when the trap is in a set condition.
~he pivotally connected parts include co-operating strike means having paths of movement related to the path of movement of the frame parts during transition of the trap rom its set to its sprung state which paths are such that the strike means move across the plane of the collar opening.
Preferably the strike means comprise two strike bars pivotally interconnected intermediate their length, the one ends of the strike bars being pivotally connected to hinge brackets which form the pivotal connections between the trap mechanism and the trap frame. The strike bars form a toggle linkage 11~`6~S
proportioned so that it is in a relatively collapsed state when the trap is in its sprung state and a relatively straiyhten-ed state when the trap is in its set state. Also connected to the hinge brackets so as to swing with and in substantially the same plane as the strike arms is a template forming the collar and defining the desirable opening. .he template may be formed in various ways. In one arrangement, the template is formed by a pair of links suspended one from each hinge bracket and pivotal-ly secured one to the other at their lower ends to form a stirrup.
The links are formed intermediate their ends with shoulders pro-jecting towards one another so as substantially to close the open end of the stirrup and form a collar. In order to complement the action of the strike bars when the trap is sprung, a further pair of auxiliary bars forming a second toggle linkage may be con-nected between points towards the lower end of the stirrup arms, this toggle linkage being arranged to form an upwardly collap-sing cradle into which the strike arms press the neck of an animal being trapped.
In an alternative arrangement, the collar is formed by a rigid template suspended by links from the hinge brackets so as - to permit unobstructed movement of the strike bars across the opening defined b~ the collar. The li~ks supporting the template may be stirrup arms as previously described.
The invention is described further with a reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a front elevation of one embodiment of trap in accordance with the invention, in a set condition, Figure 2 shows the same trap in a sprung condition, . Figure 3 is a side elevation of a spring frame used in the trap of Figures 1 and 2, Figures 4a and 4b show front and side elevations re-spectively of an alternative form of spring frame, Figures 5a and 5b are details in front elevation of an _ ~ _ 11~ 617~
alternative form of trap mechanis~, showing it in set and sprung conditions respectively, Fi~ures 6a and 6b are details in front elevation showing I a further alternative form of trap mechanism in set and sprung conditions respectively, Figures 7a and 7b are details showing in front elevation yet a further alternative form of trap mechanism in set and sprung conditions respectively, Figure ~ is a diagrammatic cross section of a trap showing an animal about to trigger the trap, and Figures 9a and 9b are front and side elevations of part of a trap incorporating the mechanism of Figures 5a and 5b, showing a further alternative form of trigger mechanism.
Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, a trap comprises a spring frame 20 fabricated from spring steel and comprising a base spring portion 22 and two free end arms 24 joined to the base portion by curved spring portions 21. The spring frame normally assumes the configuration shown in Figure 2, with the tops of the end arms 24 close together, but the end arms can be pulled apart so that the frame 20 assumes the configuration sh~wn in Figure 1. The end arms themselves (see Figure 3) are formed - with out-turned side flanges 26 flanking a central ~t7eb 28 having a central aperture 30. The purpose of this configuration is to provide arms 24 which are strong and rigid, but at the same time have a shape which can move through water with a minimum of re-sistance. This property is significant if the trap is to be used below water, since under these circumstances much of the energy stored in the spring frame can be dissipated in the water if the frame is inappropriately shaped.
The form of spring shown in Figures 1 to 3 is only one : of several which could be adopted. One alternative form of spring is illustrated in Figures 4a and 4b, in which a spring frame 20a is shown in which the end arms 24a are formed separately from the 1(~61~S
, .
base s~ring 22a and curved spring portions 21a, the end arms extending in the plane of the frame and perpendicular to the connecting portions of the base spring, to which they are welded.
A nu~ber of further alternative designs of spring frame are possible, and several have been tested, although the two designs described above were found to provide the best com-bination of performance and ease of fabrication. It would also be possible to substitute the spring frame by a frame having a base and end arms hinged thereto, with a separate coil spring extending between the free ends of the arms so as to urge them towards one another. Indeed, almost any frame construction could be used in which two oppositely situated portions of the ~ -frame which are spring urged towards one another provide support and motive power for the trap mechanism, provided that the re-~ mainder of the frame does not obstruct the operation of the trap - mechanism to be described or an animal's access to the mechanism.
It should be borne in mind that a primary function of the frame is ~.
to support the trap in a desired position,and for this reason the base spring 22 or 22a, or any equivalent part of the frame which does not take part in the movement of the end arms, should be provided with means permitting the trap to be mounted. These mounting means may take any convenient form, for example cross bars secured to the base spring, or nails or pegs passing through apertures in the base spring. Such mounting means form no part of the invention, and indeed ~7ill often be provided by the user of the trap as and when required to position the trap.
Returning to Figures l and 2, the upper ends of the end arms 24 each support a hinge bracket 30 comprising a clevis 32, a trigger plate 34 and a pivot pin 36. ~he pivot pin 36 passes -through the portion 28 of the end arm 26 and is secured in position by a split pin 3~ passing through the pivot. In order to assure free movement of the hinge bracket, nylon washers 40 11~6~S
are placed between the split pin and the end arm, and the end arm and the tri~er plate.
Suspended ~rom the clevises 32 by means of hinges in the form of clevis pins 42 is a trap m~chanism indicated general-, ly by the reference numeral ~4.
The trap mechanism comprises two strike bars 46, one connected at each hinge bracket 30 by the associated pin 42, the strike bars being interconnected at points intermediate their ends by a further pivot pin 48 forming a fulcrum for the action of each strike bar and the knuckle joint of a toggle linkage formed by the two bars 46. Also suspended from each clevis pin 42 is a curved link 50, the links 50 being connected by a pivot 52 at their lower ends to form a stirrup when the trap is in the condition shown in Figure 1. The links 50 are furthe'r' provided with shoulders 54 extending towards one another so that with the trap in its set condition, the links 50 together form a template defining a collar surrounding a jaw 56 forming a de-sirable opening. In order to match the size of this opening to a species of animal to be trapped, and in order to improve the ;
action of the trap in a manner described in more detail herein-after, two further linke 60 are pivotally connected to the mem-bers 50 by pivots 62 and to each other by a pivot 64 to provide a further toggle linkage which forms a cradle indicated general-ly by the reference numeral 64. The jaw 56 as res'tricted by the links 60, is arranged so that its dimensions when the trap is set, are such as readily to pass the head of a species of animal to be trapped, but not to pass the shoulder's of that same'species of animal. This jaw 56, which is the only opening of substantial size in the trap, presents a desirable openin~ to an animal seeking to reach bait placed on the oppo,site side of the trap to the line of an animal's approach.
The toggle llnkage formed by the strike bars 46 is in a substantially straightened condition when the trap is in the ;17X
.
set condition shown in Figure 1~ ith only a small angle between lines extending from pivots 42 through the pivot 48. The trap is latched in the set condition by means of a trigger bar 66 t~7hich is a part of a trigger mechanism which will be described in more detail below. The trigger bar is attached to one end arm 24 by means of a pivot 68 and engages a trigger pin 70 on the'other end arm 24. When the trigger bar 66 is unlatched from the trigger pin 70, the end arms 24 are urged toward each other through the action ', of the base spring 22. This results in collapse of the'toggle linkage formed by the strike bars 46, resulting in strike edges 72 on the strike bars being forced downwardly across the opening of - the ja~J 56 to deliver a heavy blow to any animal whose'neck ex-tends through the opening. The strike edges' 72 are curved so as to continue to act directly downwards across the opening as the strike bars 46 turn about the pivots 42. Eventually, the strike bars reach the position sho~n in Figure 2, in which'the free ends of the strike bars, which are curved, embrace and exert a clamping action upon the neck of the animal. ~lovement of the'end arms 24 towards one another also results in the members 50 being moved towards one another, resulting in turn in the co'llapse of the toggle linkage formed by the links 60 and defining the cradle 62, the free ends of the arms 60 enhancing the clamping action on the neck of the animal, and the portions of the links 60 adjacent to pivots 64 moving upwardly towards the strike edges 72 so as still further to increase the effect of the latter.
The trigger mechanism for dislodging the trigger bar 66 from the latch pin 70 comprises a trigger follower 74 secured to the latch bar 66 and resting on the top surface of the trigger plate 34 on the hinge bracket 32, the trigger plate being in the form of a cam configured so that turning movement of the hinge bracket 30 out'of the plane of the spring frame 20 results in a lifting movement being imparted to the follo~Jer 74 sufficient to raise the trigger bar 66 clear of the trigger pin 70. The form of the cam provided by the trigger plate 74 can be very lilV~

simple, and a square plate with its upper corners chamfered is entirely sa~isfactory.
In use, the trap may be broughtto the set condition shown in Figure 1 by using any suitable device to spread apart the end arms 24 sufficiently to enable'a notch 75 on the under edge of the trigger bar 66 to engage the trigger pin 70. Normally the strength of the spring frame 20 will preclude this spreading apart of the end arms being achieved manually, and a suitable tool will need to be provided such as some form of screw or hydraulic jack. In 1~ order to secure'the trap in the set position, a safety pin'78 ma~
be provided which is passed through apertures in the strike bars 46 so as to secure them in the relative position shown in Figure 1. At this stage, the base spring 22 may be mounted by suitable mounting means so as to secure the trap in a desired position with the trap mechanism 44 suspended and hanging vertically from the hinge brackets 30 and the trigger bar 66 in engagement with the trigger pin 70. At this stage the pin 78 may be removed. -' 'I The actual location of the' trap will depend on the trapper's know-how, but it should be noted that the trap of the present invention gives' additional flexibility in positioning in that, when passing from the set to the sprung position, no part of the trap mechanism moves outside the space enclosed within the spring frame 20, which itself contracts in size as the trap is sprung. This is a considerable 'advantage, since it much reduces the likelihood of nearby vegetation or objects obstructing the operation o~ the' trap, and the overall compact size of the trap allows it to be used in locations in which many known traps could not be used, both because'of their overall size and because of the unobstructed space required around them to enable their free movement from a set to a sprung condition.
mhe trap is baited by placing a suitabIe bait at some point beyond the jaw 56 on the opposite side of the trap to the ' expected line of approach of an animal to be trapped. Such an 6~5 animal, in seeking to reach the bait~ will be attracted by the desirable opening provided ~y the jaw 56 and will pass its head - -through the opening in an attempt to reach the bait. As pre-viously described, the jaw is sized so that the shoulders of the animal cannot pass through the collar formed by the links 50 and associated parts, and therefore the animal in attempting to reach the bait will press with its shoulders against the collar and in doing so will swing the entire trap mechanism 44 about the pivots 38 on the hinge brackets 30. This will also result in the trigger plates 38 being turned, and as previously described, this will result in the trigger bar 66 being lifted clear of the trigger pin ?, thus springing the trap. The end arms 24 will then be urged toward one another by the base spring 22 causing the toggle linkage formed by the strike bars 46 to collapse and the strike edges 72 to be accelerated rapidly downwards across the jaw 56, thus delivering a violent blow to the back of the animal's neck at the base of the skull. The energy storage properties of the spring frame 22 are calcualted to ensure that, for the species of animal being trapped, the strength of the blow delivered will be more than adequate to despatch the animal instantaneously~ However, as a further assurance the combined action of the free ends 80 of the strike bars 46 and the links 60 will ensure a squeezing action on the neck of the animal in itself sufficient rapidly to cause death.
Considerable variation is possible in the form of the trap mechanism 44. A somewhat less sophi5ticated mechanism is shown in Figures 5a and 5b, the same reference numerals being used to identify similar parts. As in the previous embodiment, strike bars 46 are pivoted to each other and to the pivot 42, but
3~ they are formed as straight bars. The links 50 are also formed as straight bars and are connected at their lower ends by a chin plate 80. Although simple to construct, this form of mechanism has certain disadvantages. Thus the strlke bars have a scissor `

action as they pclSS from the set to the sprung condition which is liable to damage the skin of the animal. Thus this form of mechanism is reall~ only suitable for use in traps for vermin whose skins are of no value. Moreover the opening 56 is of rather irregular shape and may be less attractive to animals.
Referring now to Figures 6a and 6b, these show a further embodiment of trap mechanism in this case similar to that de-scribed with references to Figures 1 and 2 except for the omission of the links 60 forming the cradle 62. The remaining components are identical in function to those described t~ith re-ference 1 and 2 and are indicated by the same reference numerals.
However the configuration of the strike bars 46 the shoulders 54, and the members S0 has been altered so as to avoid the neces-sity for providing the links 60 in order to provide a jaw opening of appropriate dimensions. As compared with the arrangement shown in Figures 1 and 2, it has the advantage of greater simplicity but it is less easy to adapt the structure for animals of dif-ferent species, and the clamping action on the neck of the animal when the trap is in the sprung condition is less satisfactory.
A further form of trap mechanism is shown in Figures 7a and 7b in which parts which are common to the mechanism shown in Figures 1 and 2 are again referred to by the same reference numer-als. In this embodiment the strike arms are configured and arrang-ed as in the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, but the collapsible template formed by the members 50 is replaced by a rigid template 82 suspended from the pivots 42 by links 84. The template has an external outline such that it does not foul the spring rame 20 when the trap is in its sprung condition and a central aperture 86 which presents a desirable opening to a species of animal to be trapped. At least the lower edge of the aperture 86 is pro-vided with a smoothly finished lip 88 in order to avoid the possibilitv of damage to an animal's pelt when the trap is sprung.
As 1n the previous embodiments, the template forms a collar .

1~617S
.
against which the animal presses its shoulders in attempting to reach the bait, the resulting pressure on the template being trans-mitted through the links 84 to the hinge brackets 30 to trigger thetrap as previously described. In order to adapt the trap for animals of different species it is only necessary to exchange the template 82 for one having an aperture 86 of the appropriate di~ensions.
Referring now to Figure 8, there is shown in a highIy diagrammatic manner an animal 90 with its head 92 inserted through the aperture 56 of the mechanism of a trap, which for the sake of illustration only is taken to be that of Figures 1 and 2. The animal shown in Figure 8 has just sprung the trap and the strike bars 46 are shown descending onto the back of its neck. If the strike bars 46 and members 50 are spaced somewhat apart as shown in the Figure, by installing spacers between them on the clevis pins 42, the trap can be caused to operate so that the squeezing action on the animals neck as the trap reaches its fully sprung condition is replaced by a neck breaking action. It is however important that the strike bars and stirrup shbuld not be too far apart, or that during springing of the trap they should not be permitted to spread too far apart due to play at the various pivots. If this occurs, the animal, particularly if it is of a very sinuous species such as mink, may be able to pass between the components of the trap mechanism to a greater or lesser extent, with the possibility of the animal being injured or severely frightened instead of being killed. In order to avoid this, those embodiments of trap mechanism incorporating the links 50 may be provided with an additional member or members 50 which extend be-tween the pivots 42 and 52 adjacent one or both the original pair of members 5~, but on the opposite side of the strike bars 46.
This arrangement avoids the possibility of parts of the trap mechanism moving appreciably out of the plane of operation of the mechanism. In the case of the embodiment of Figure 7, twin ~mplates,connect~d at their bottom edges may be employed.
Variations of the tric~ger mechanism employed in the embodi-ment of Figures 1 and 2 are possible. Referring to Figures 9a and 9b there is shown a simplified form of trigger mechanism applied to a trap incorporating the mechanism of Figures 5a and 5b (al-though it would be equally applicable to the other mechanisms de-scribed). The trigger components previously described are all omitted, and instead a latch stop 94 is formed on one of the end arms 24. The end of the strike bar 46 is extended so that when the end arms of the spring frame are drawn apart, it can be rested on the latch stop 94. When an animal causes the trap mechanism to turn about the pivots 3~ of the hinge brackets 30, the end of the strike bar is shifted off the latch stop 94 and the trap is sprung. The advantage of this arrangement is its extreme sim-plicity, but it is less sensitive than the arrangement previously described since the pressure from the spring frame is transmitted through the strike bars 46 to the stop 94, resulting in the various pivots in the trap mechanism being placed under load. This in-creases the friction in the mechanism and makes the triggering action less sensitive and less predictable.
All the trap mechanis~sdescribed have employed the toggle action strike mechanism which is disclosed in co-pending United `
States patent application no. 792,533 filed May 2, 1977 in the name of Armand Jacob. However the invention can be applied to traps incorporating other types of trap mechanism in which the means for striking across the jaw or opening formed in the mechanism is of a different construction. For example, if it is of no importance to preserve the pelt of the animal, strike means ;
in the form of a guillotine can be utilized

Claims (14)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A trap for animals comprising a frame and a trap mechanism mounted in the frame and movable between set and sprung con-ditions, the mechanism defining in its set condition a collar presenting a desirable opening to a species of animals to be trapped and gauged to resist the passage of the shoulders of an animal of that species, the mechanism further comprising trigger means operatively associated with the collar to spring the trap mechanism in response to engagement of an animal's shoulders with the collar, and strike means operative on springing of the trap to strike across the plane of the collar opening with a force lethal to the species of animal to be trapped.
2. A trap according to claim 1 wherein the collar is mounted within the frame for movement in the direction in which the animal enters the trap and out of the plane it occupies when the trap is in its set condition, and the trigger means are responsive to this movement to spring the trap mechanism.
3. A trap according to claim 2 wherein the collar is suspended for swinging movement relative to the frame.
4. A trap for animals comprising a frame and a trap mechanism mounted in the frame and movable between set and sprung con-ditions, the mechanism defining in its set condition a collar presenting a desirable opening to a species of animals to be trapped and gauged to resist the passage of the shoulders of an animal of that species, the mechanism further comprising trigger means operatively associated with the collar to spring the trap mechanism in response to engagement of an animal's shoulders with the collar, and strike means operative on springing of the trap to strike across the plane of the collar opening with a force lethal to the species of animal to be trapped, wherein the trap mechanism is suspended for swinging movement con-jointly with the collar by pivotal connections to opposed parts of the frame, spring means are provided urging said frame parts toward one another from a first relationship corresponding to a set condition of the trap to a second relationship correspond-ing to a sprung condition of the trap, and the trap mechanism comprises a system of pivotally connected parts lying closely parallel to one another and forming the collar, the pivotally connected parts including strike means having a path of movement related to the path of movement of the frame parts during tran-sition of the trap from its set to its sprung state such that the strike means moves across the plane of the collar opening during said transition.
5. A trap according to claim 4 wherein the strike means com-prises two strike bars pivotally interconnected intermediate their length, the strike bars being pivotally connected at their one ends to hinge brackets which form the pivotal connections between the trap mechanism and the trap frame, the strike bars forming a toggle linkage proportioned so that it is in a re-latively collapsed state when the trap is in its sprung state and a relatively straightened state when the trap is in its set state.
6. A trap according to claim 5, further including a template connected to the hinge brackets so as to swing with and in sub-stantially the same plane as the strike bars, the template defining the desirable opening.
7. A trap according to claim 6, wherein the template is formed by a pair of links suspended at upper ends one from each hinge bracket and pivotally secured one to the other at lower ends thereof to form a stirrup, the links being formed intermediate their ends with shoulders projecting towards one another so as substantially to close the open end of the stirrup and form the collar when the trap mechanism is in its set condition.
8. A trap in accordance with claim 7, further comprising a pair of auxiliary links forming a second toggle linkage and connected between points towards the lower ends of the stirrup arms, said second toggle linkage being disposed to form an upwardly collap-sible cradle into which the strike arms press the neck of an animal being trapped.
9. A trap according to claim 6, wherein the template is rigid and is suspended by links from the hinge brackets so as to permit unobstructed movement of the strike bars across the opening de-fined by the template.
10. A trap according to claim 4, wherein the spring means are a generally U-shaped spring frame interconnecting said opposed parts of the frame and within which the trap mechanism is suspended.
11. A trap according to claim 10, wherein the spring frame is a spring steel strip formed so as to define side arms connected to a base portion by curved spring portions, the side arms being provided with out-turned edge flanges and having a substantial portion of strip between the edge flanges cut away to form openings.
12. A trap according to claim 4, in which the trigger means com-prises a trigger bar engagable with said opposed parts of the frame to hold them in said first relationship, and unlatchable therefrom to permit said frame parts to move into said second relationship, and unlatching means responsive to swinging move-ment of said trap mechanism relative to said frame to dislodge said trigger bar from engagement with said frame.
13. A trap according to claim 12, in which the trigger bar is connected by a hinge to one of said opposed frame parts, and is engagable with a trigger pin on the other of said frame parts to maintain said frame parts in said first relationship, and a cam plate is associated with the pivotal connection between the trap mechanism and the other of said opposed parts of the frame, the cam plate being engagable with the trigger bar to unlatch the latter from the trigger pin upon swinging movement of the trap mechanism.
14. A trap according to claim 10, wherein part of the trap mechanism is engagable with a trigger stop on the frame when the trap is in its set condition, whereby to hold the mechanism in its set condition, the trigger stop being configured so that movement of the trap mechanism out of the plane of the spring frame results in disengagement of said mechanism part from said trigger.
CA334,900A 1979-08-31 1979-08-31 Traps for animals Expired CA1106175A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA334,900A CA1106175A (en) 1979-08-31 1979-08-31 Traps for animals

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA334,900A CA1106175A (en) 1979-08-31 1979-08-31 Traps for animals

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1106175A true CA1106175A (en) 1981-08-04

Family

ID=4115062

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA334,900A Expired CA1106175A (en) 1979-08-31 1979-08-31 Traps for animals

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA1106175A (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20150264916A1 (en) * 2014-03-19 2015-09-24 Woodrow J. Ozan Tool For Killing a Snake
US11246305B2 (en) * 2019-10-24 2022-02-15 Scott Hall Tined mole trap apparatus

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20150264916A1 (en) * 2014-03-19 2015-09-24 Woodrow J. Ozan Tool For Killing a Snake
US9504246B2 (en) * 2014-03-19 2016-11-29 Woodrow Ozan Tool for killing a snake
US11246305B2 (en) * 2019-10-24 2022-02-15 Scott Hall Tined mole trap apparatus

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US3010245A (en) Traps
US8646204B2 (en) Capture cage
US7866086B2 (en) Method and apparatus for trapping animals
EP0505173B1 (en) Animal headgate with an automatic locking mechanism
US4389807A (en) Shock-absorbing animal trap
CA1106175A (en) Traps for animals
US6832447B2 (en) Trap
US4161842A (en) Traps for animals
US4337548A (en) Self-closing double hinge
US2167291A (en) Trap
US4308682A (en) Humane animal trap
US4549367A (en) Apparatus and method for quick release mechanism for animal trap
CA2032002C (en) Animal gate latch mechanism
US4486972A (en) Animal trap
US3973352A (en) Animal-run trigger assembly for rotating-frame type animal traps
CA1076353A (en) Anaimal trap with toggle linkage striker
CA1040857A (en) Trigger-assembly for rotating-frame type animal traps
US4109407A (en) Animal trap
GB2332356A (en) Vermin trap
US6178686B1 (en) Live animal trap
US4471559A (en) Humane animal trap
US1207991A (en) Animal-trap.
JP3073014U (en) Capture cage
US4257184A (en) Animal trap
US3762094A (en) Trigger mechanism for animal trap

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
MKEX Expiry