CA2852790A1

CA2852790A1 - Humane small animal trap

Info

Publication number: CA2852790A1
Application number: CA2852790A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Chris Ozga
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-05-30
Filing date: 2014-05-30
Publication date: 2015-11-30

Abstract

A small animal trap is described having a cylindrical tube or jar with a lid at one end, the lid having an opening to permit entry of the small animal into the tube, and a plurality of elongated finger means cooperating with the lid and tube to prevent the small animal from exiting the tube. The cylindrical tube could have a lid at both ends such that the small animal could enter the tube from either end, and a plurality of elongated finger means cooperating with the lid and tube to prevent the small animal from exiting the tube from either end. The elongated finger means are spring biased towards the center of the tube and bent. The finger means should be pliable enough to enable the small animal to pry them apart to enter the cylindrical tube or jar, but rigid enough and pointed enough to prevent the small animal from exiting the trap.

Description

HUMANE SMALL ANIMAL TRAP
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to a small animal trap and particularly to a trap which is adapted to be removably attached to a cylindrical tube or jar having a screw threaded lid.

2. Description of the Prior Art There have been many types of small animal traps in the past, most of which have depended upon some foini of spring impelled mechanism which engages and holds the body of the small animal.
Devices of the type described cause either killing or maiming of the animal, which is unpleasant to the user who must dispose of the dead or injured animal. Such devices may also cause extended periods of pain for animals which are not instantly killed. If the animal is killed, odours will arise from deterioration of the body if it is not quickly removed.
Devices of that type can also cause injuries to the user by catching the fingers or hand within the trap while it is being baited or placed.
Traps of the type now in use are often difficult to operate and to place effectively. They may also be unsuccessful due to the ability of the small animal to remove some or all of the bait without being caught in the trap.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to overcome all of the above deficiencies of the prior art by providing a cylindrical tube or jar lid type of small animal trap.
The device of the present invention can be baited and set without injury or risk of injury to the user. It can also be unset without injury or risk of injury to the user.
The present invention provides a trap in which the animal is not killed or injured in any way, but is merely captured.
By supplying a small animal trap in the form of a cylindrical tube or jar lid, the device is extremely economical, because it can be used with a cylindrical tube or an empty conventional screw threaded jar, such as a mason jar used for preserves or pickling, which is readily available in every household without cost.
It is accordingly among the objects of the invention to provide all of the advantages and benefits described above and set forth hereinafter in this specification.
According to one embodiment of the invention there is provided a small animal trap comprising a cylindrical tube or jar having a lid at one end, the lid having an opening to permit entry of the small animal into the tube, and a plurality of elongated finger means cooperating with the lid and tube to prevent the small animal from exiting the tube.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the cylindrical tube could have a lid at both ends such that the small animal could enter the tube from either end, and a plurality of elongated finger means cooperating with each lid and tube to prevent the small animal from exiting the tube from either end.
Preferably the elongated finger means are spring biased towards the center of the tube and bent.
The finger means should be pliable enough to enable the small animal to pry them apart to enter the cylindrical tube or jar, but rigid enough and pointed enough to prevent the small animal from exiting the trap.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the following drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a side view of the small animal trap in use on a cylindrical tube;
FIG. 2 is a front view of the circular ring and elongated finger elements;
FIG. 3 is an exploded side view of the small animal trap of Figure 1 showing the components.
The same reference numerals will be used in the drawings to denote the same components.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to Figure 1 there is shown a small animal trap comprising a cylindrical tube 4 having a pair of screw threaded lids 2.
Each lid 2 has an opening 6, such as one would non-nally find on a mason jar lid used for preserves and pickling, and which serves as a entrance through which a small animal 14 can enter the cylindrical tube 4.
Mounted on the inside of each lid 2 is a circular ring 8, which includes a plurality of elongated finger elements 10 which are positioned around the circular ring 8 and oriented and spring-biased toward the center of the cylindrical tube 4. The elongated finger elements 10 should be pliable enough to enable the small animal 14 to pry them apart to enter the cylindrical tube 4 but of sufficient rigidity to prevent them being bent by the small animal 14 if it attempts to exit the trap.
The ends of the elongated finger elements 10 should be pointed to dissuade the small animal 14 from attempting to exit the cylindrical tube 4, while not injuring the small animal 14.

3 The lid 2 could also be constructed with an integral circular ring 8 and elongated finger elements as a single component.
In another embodiment of the invention, a conventional empty glass jar of the type which is commonly available around ever household can be used. In this embodiment the glass jar would have a single opening and only one set of elongated finger elements 10. A
mason jar of the type used for preserves and pickling would be ideal.
Referring to Figure 2, the end of the circular ring 8 and elongated finger elements 10 are shown.
It will be seen that finger elements 10 have a sufficient width to provide the required strength but that there is a gap between the finger elements 10 to enable the small animal 14 to both see and smell the bait 12 which has been placed inside the trap. The small animal 14 can also see the exit at the other end of the cylindrical tube 4 and not realize that it is entering a trap.
As the trap is open at both ends, there is an airflow through the cylindrical tube 4 to ensure that the small animal 14 remains alive, and which also serves to distribute the smell of the bait 12 to thereby attract the small animal 14 towards the trap.
Referring to Figure 3, there is shown an exploded side view of the trap showing the components.
From left to right there is shown a lid 2 and the circular ring 8 with the elongated finger elements 10. The cylindrical tube 4 has a threaded end 16. The small animal 14 is shown inside trap near the bait 12 which has been placed there.
In use, the trap is set in the marmer shown in the drawings. Suitable bait 12 is placed inside the tube 4, which is so constructed and arranged that a small animal 14 cannot reach the bait 12 and either eat or pull it from the cylindrical tube 4 without the small animal 14 first entering the cylindrical tube 4.

4 When the small animal 14 enters the tube 4 and starts to remove the bait 12, it is prevented from doing so by the elongated finger elements 10, which are biased in the semi-closed position.
To release the small animal 14, the user picks up the cylindrical tube 4 by its middle and takes the trap to a release location and unscrews the lid 2, or one of the lids 2 (if there are two).
The trap can then be re-used.
It will be noted that the small animal 14 is not hurt, nor is there any danger of injury to the person setting and baiting the trap. The device is simple to operate and economical to manufacture because a suitable cylindrical tube 14 or empty jar can be furnished by the user without cost.
The lid 2 and circular ring 8 with the finger elements 10 may also be used with other containers, such as cans, and other methods of attachment than screw threading may be used.
It will be noted that because of the weight and bulk of the jar or other container, it is impossible for the small animal to carry off the trap or for a cat to carry off both the small animal and trap, as can happen with conventional traps.
The scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set forth in the examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A small animal trap comprising a cylindrical tube having a lid at one end, said lid having an opening to permit entry of the small animal into the tube, and a plurality of elongated finger means cooperating with the lid and tube to prevent the small animal from exiting the tube.

2. The small animal trap according to claim 1 having a lid at both ends, each lid having an opening to permit entry of the small animal into the tube, and a plurality of elongated finger means cooperating with the lid and tube to prevent the small animal from exiting the tube.

3. The small animal trap according to claims 1 or 2 where the elongated finger means are spring biased towards the center of the tube.

4. The small animal trap according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the tips of the elongated finger means are bent.