GB2481247A

GB2481247A - Rodent trap

Info

Publication number: GB2481247A
Application number: GB201010250A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Keith Toule; David Simon Brewer
Original assignee: Doddington R & D Ltd
Current assignee: Doddington R & D Ltd
Priority date: 2010-06-18
Filing date: 2010-06-18
Publication date: 2011-12-21
Anticipated expiration: 2030-06-18
Also published as: GB2481247B; GB201010250D0

Abstract

A rodent trap 100 is provided for catching, killing and storing a plurality of rodents. The trap has a plurality of chambers 108 for receiving a rodent therein and access means to enable access for a rodent to one of said chambers. A liquid reservoir 102 is provided, as is a trigger 118 which, in use, is activated by a rodent in one of the chambers 108a. Activation of the trigger indexes the plurality of chambers such that the chamber containing the rodent is moved from a first position in which the chamber is accessible by the rodent to a second position in which the rodent is contained within said chamber beneath the liquid in the reservoir. Once the rodent has drowned the chambers can be further indexed resulting in the dead rodent falling into the reservoir. The chambers can form part of a rotating drum or can be formed on a conveyor belt (fig 4). Access to the trap is provided in one direction only.

Description

I

RODENT TRAP

The present invention relates to a rodent trap, in particular a rodent trap for catching, killing and storing a plurality of rodents.

Rodent traps are well known in the art and range from the simple spring loaded mouse trap to more elaborate solutions for trapping rodents alive for future release.

Although trapping and release is more humane than killing it often does not solve a problem of rodent infestation as of the released rodents will find their way back to the location they were trapped in.

Devices that kill rodents are often capable of only killing one rodent before being reset and accordingly are not practical where large numbers of rodents are present.

Furthermore if the dead rodents are not quickly cleared from the traps then a health risk can occur. For example they will very rapidly attract flies which are known carriers of infections and diseases from decaying animal corpses into, domestic environments.

Rodents caught live, particularly in cage traps are often killed by immersing the cage in water. This prolonged method of killing causes distress to the rodent as it fights to swim to the surface.

Other forms of killing such as pesticides and poisons are now the least preferred method of killing. This method presents a risk to other types of animals such as *...., 25 hedgehogs and birds. There is a risk of exposure to humans by deploying such a method. An unpleasant side-effect is carcass infestation by flies which often occurs * when the rodent is eventually killed by the use of pesticides and poisons. * S. * * S

It is the purpose of the present invention to provide an improved rodent trap that kills and stores a plurality of rodents. S...

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According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a rodent trap for catching, killing and storing a plurality of rodents comprising: a plurality of chambers for receiving a rodent therein, access means to enable access for a rodent to one of said chambers; a liquid reservoir; and a trigger means which, in use, is activated by a rodent in aai4 one of said chambers to index the plurality of chambers such that the chamber containing the rodent is moved from a first position in which the chamber is accessible by said access means to a second position in which the rodent is contained within said chamber beneath the liquid in said reservoir.

Preferably the rodent trap according further comprises a drive means to index the chambers when the trigger means is activated. The drive means may be one of: an electric motor, a pre-tensioned spring or elastic, or a counterweight attached to a rotating shaft via a pulley. Alternatively the chambers may be indexed by gravitational forces.

In one preferred arrangement the plurality of chambers comprise at least three chambers arranged around the perimeter of a substantially circular drum. The chambers may be recessed into the exterior rim of said drum.

In an alternative arrangement the plurality of chambers comprises at least three chambers attached to a continuous belt. The continuous belt may comprise a plastic chain or may, for example, comprise a reinforced plastic or rubber belt.

In a preferred arrangement the chamber comprises a three sided chamber and the chamber is enclosed on a forth side by a static enclosure means that extends below the surface of the liquid such that the chamber is enclosed on four sides in its first position and in its second position. Preferably, in the second position, the static enclosure means encloses the chamber on three sides to define a substantially cuboid shaped rodent enclosure beneath the liquid level in the reservoir. The enclosure means *::::* may comprise a curved plate. The curved plate may have upstanding lips on its two *.... curved sides and as the chamber moves from the first to the second position it moves along the enclosure means with the ends of the chamber substantially adjacent the upstanding lips such that an enclosure is maintained as the chamber moves along the 30 enclosure means. S...

Indexing the plurality of chambers may comprise moving a chamber from the second : position to a third position wherein moving the chamber from the second to the third position releases the rodent from the chamber into the liquid reservoir.

This size of the liquid reservoir may vary according to the requirement for the number of rodents to be caught within the trap. The liquid within the reservoir will be a drowning medium such as water. Additional liquids may be added to restrict decomposition of the drowned rodents, slow evaporation rate of the liquid and which have minimal or no detriment to the environment when the liquid is disposed. Such an additional liquid may be, but not restricted to ethylene glycol.

In one arrangement the rodent trap may further comprise a barrier extending across the reservoir substantially parallel to and beneath the surface of the liquid, the barrier having an opening therein for receiving a rodent from the chamber. The barrier retains the bodies of the rodents below the level of the liquid in the reservoir and the opening allows newly captured and killed rodents to be deposited in the reservoir.

The rodent trap may also comprise a removal means located within said reservoir for removing rodents therefrom. Alternatively, the reservoir may be enclosed with a sealable lid so permitting the reservoir and the contents within to be removed, being replaced with a new reservoir filled with fluid.

In a preferred embodiment the rodent trap comprises a run leading up to the access means. The run has an entrance and may further comprise a non return gate therein to prevent rodents from exiting the run via the entrance.

Adjacent the access means the chambers may comprise a section of flexible material such that, if a rodent enters the chamber and activates the trigger, whilst its tail extends out of the chamber, its tail will not become trapped between the chamber and the access means as said chamber is indexed, * * : The rodent trap may comprise a reservoir for containing bait to attract rodents into the trap. ** 30

A window may be provided at the end of the chamber opposite the access means to ::* allow daylight into the chamber when it is in its first position.

The walls of the chambers may have holes in to prevent air from becoming trapped therein as they are indexed to their second position. For example the walls may be made of a rigid mesh material. The rigid mesh material may facilitate the speed of indexing by reducing hydrodynamic drag.

The trigger means may comprise one of: a mechanical hair trigger, an infra red trigger that is activated when a rodent breaks an infra red beam, a touch sensitive pad, an electric stun wire or plate which not only facilitates the humane killing of the rodent by stunning, but triggers the indexing. Preferably there is provided a restriction adjacent the trigger means such that when a rodent attempts to pass the restriction the trigger means is activated.

The device may further include stunning means for electrically stunning the rodent before or after the rodent is submerged in the liquid.

The trap may further including an overflow in said reservoir and an overflow tank for receiving fluid via said overflow.

The means to indicate the number of rodents caught in the trap is a counter. The counter may indicate the number of rodents caught by mechanical or electronic means by the number of times the drum is indexed, each index representing one rodent caught in the trap. An alternative form of counter is a calibrated float chamber within the reservoir which is visible externally. As each rodent is deposited within the reservoir, the level of fluid rises, such a rise being indicated by the float within the float chamber, indicating a rodent or plurality of rodents caught within the trap.

A gate or other means of entry prevention may be placed across the entrance to the * trap when a pre-prescribed number of rodents are caught in the trap to prevent overflow of the reservoir or further entry of rodents jamming the indexing of the drum.

Such means of entry prevention may be activated by a pre-prescribed number of :.:::. indexings of the drum either by mechanical or electronic means. * 30

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of trapping and killing a plurality of rodents comprising the steps of: enticing a rodent to enter a . .: trap chamber in a first position; indexing the chamber containing the rodent to a second position and retaining the rodent in said chamber in said second position in a reservoir of liquid such that the rodent drowns; indexing the chamber from the second position to a third position such that the dead rodent falls from said chamber into the liquid reservoir.

Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only, in which: Figure 1 shows a cross section of a rodent trap in accordance with the invention Figure 2 shows a side view of the rodent trap; Figures 3a to 3e show the stages in the working of the trap; Figure 4 shows an alternative arrangement of the trap; and Figure 5 shows a run for use with the trap of the invention.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3e a rodent trap 100 is shown. The trap substantially comprises two sections, an upper section and a lower section. The lower section substantially comprises a liquid reservoir 102 which may contain water or other suitable liquid, and the upper section comprises an upper housing 104, and a rotating drum 106. The upper section may have legs upon which it sits in the reservoir or may alternatively sit on the rim of the reservoir. The upper section has handles 142 to enable it to be easily removed from the reservoir 102.

The rotating drum 106 has a plurality of three sided chambers 108 in its outer surface and is indexable in 60 degree increments where the embodiment comprises six chambers, so that each of the chambers 108 can be moved into the position of any of the other chambers by successive 60 degree rotations. The degree of rotation is dependent on the number of chambers about the rotating drum; four chambers require a degree of rotation of 90 degrees.

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One of he chambers 108a is in a trapping position in which it is aligned with an opening S..

in the outer upper housing 104 (Figure 3a). In this position a rodent may enter the I. , chamber 108a via the opening 110. In a preferred embodiment the trap may include a run 124 that creates an access pathway to the opening 110. The run may be open but preferably comprises an enclosed tunnel like structure 126 that has gates 132 therein that allow a rodent to pass in one direction but prevent the rodent from exiting the run (see Figure 5). The gates 132 comprise wire barriers that can pivot about an axis 134 in a first direction "A" but are prevented from rotation in the opposite direction by retainers 136. The run has an opening 138 to enable the rodent to enter the trap. In another embodiment, the gates may be doors.

The remainder of the chambers 108 are concealed within the trap 100 and can not be accessed by a rodent from the outside. At the opposite end of the chamber 108a the exit therefrom is blocked. As shown in the figures this is achieved by means of a restriction 114 in the outer upper housing 104. Alternatively this could be achieved by the use of a piece of mesh or clear acrylic or other plastic so as to allow light into the chamber 108a. As a rodent approaching the chamber 108a is able to detect that there is light on the other side they are likely to enter the chamber in the belief that there is an exit ahead of them. In alternative arrangements the other end of the chamber could be blocked with an opaque material and the rodent lured into the chamber 108a exclusively by other means, for example bait. Bait may be positioned in a convenient place which may, for example be adjacent and on the opposite side of the restriction 114 and only be open to the restriction. In this way the smell of the bait will pass through the restriction towards the opening to attract rodents to that side of the trap.

Each chamber 108 is provided with a restriction 116 that, when the chambers are in the trapping position restricts the width of the chamber 108. The restriction is located towards the end of the chamber away from the opening 110 and is located substantially opposite a trigger 118. When activated the trigger 118 releases the drum 106 and enables it to rotate as to index the chambers 108 one position. The trigger may be any suitable trigger but, as shown in the figures a preferred trigger is a mechanical trigger.

* As a rodent attempts to pass the restriction 116 it presses against the trigger 118 and thereby displaces it (Figure 3b). The trigger 118 physically restricts the drum 106 from rotating and displacing it removes the restriction such that the drum 106 rotates. The :.:::. trigger may be provided with a spring biasing means so that it is very sensitive and only . requires a small physical force to become displaced. S... S. S S S.

Once the trigger 118 is displaced and the drum rotates the trigger resumes its original position and halts the drum rotation as the next chamber 108 becomes aligned with the opening 110.

Extending below the iquid level in the reservoir is a chamber enclosing means 120 which conforms to and is adjacent to a section of exterior of the drum 106. When the chamber 108a, aligned with the opening 110, is indexed one position it assumes a position below the liquid level in the reservoir and is enclosed by the enclosure means (Figure 3c).

In this manner when a rodent enters the trap 100 via the opening 110 and proceeds into the chamber, once it is inside the chamber and attempts to exit the far end of the chamber it activates the trigger 118. The drum then rotates and the chamber containing the rodent becomes submerged under the liquid level in a position adjacent the enclosure means 120, thereby trapping the rodent in the chamber below the liquid level. The rodent will quickly be killed by drowning.

When a further rodent enters the chamber that has been indexed into alignment with the opening 110 and activates the trigger to index the drum, the chamber containing the downed rodent is rotated to a position in which it is not adjacent the enclosure means 120 and is therefore open along one side (Figure 3d). The dead rodent falls from the chamber, under the influence of gravity, and is retained in the liquid reservoir (Figure 3e). Once the rodent has been deposited into the water, there will be no smell, even after several days, and accordingly flies are not attracted to, and can not access the rodent corpse.

A number of different methods can be used for providing the rotational force to index * the chamber. In the embodiment shown a spring is provided centrally within the drum 106. The spring is connected at one part to the drum 106 and at another part to the upper outer housing 112. A pre tensioning means 122 is provided for applying a pre tension to the spring. The pre tensioning means can be a handle directly connected to the drum 106 such that when the drum is rotated in the opposite direction to its indexed motion a tension is applied to spring. Alternatively a tensioning handle 122 may be coupled to the drum 106 by means of a clutch mechanism. In this manner the clutch :i 35 can be released, the handle 122 turned to apply a pre tension to the spring without rotating the drum, and the clutch re applied to engage the pre tensioned spring with the drum to impart a turning force on the drum 106.

It will be appreciated that the above is given as one example of many different methods of providing a rotational force to the drum 106 and adaptation of other methods will be apparent to the skilled person within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims. For example amongst other methods the trap 100 could be provided with a source of electric power and an electric motor could be used to rotate the drum 106.

The liquid reservoir may contain any suitable liquid. Liquids which are particularly beneficial to use are water or glycol solutions both of which, in addition to being highly effective for drowning the rodents are known to attract rodents. In this manner the liquid reservoir also acts as a bait to attract the rodents to the trap. Other fluids, for example anaesthetics or toxic liquids may also be used to accelerate the drowning process or anti bacterial or other sterilising type liquids could also be used to minimise bacteria within the liquid of the trap.

Referring to Figure 4 another embodiment of the trap is shown. In this embodiment, in place of the single rotating drum a trap is shown that comprises a rotating belt 128 or chain to which three sided chambers 130 are attached. The trap functions in the same manner as that described above in so far as it is operated. One benefit of this design is that, as the chambers 130 are moved from left to right under the liquid level, when a number of rodents are trapped they will initially be deposited towards the left hand side of the fluid reservoir but, as more rats are deposited they will progressively be deposited towards the right side of the fluid reservoir. This embodiment permits a more even distribution of the rodents within the reservoir 102 and may reduce the height and weight of the upper housing 104. The trap has overall length "A" of 530mm and an *. overall height of 400mm, the reservoir having a height "C" of 200mm and the upper housing having a height "B" of 200mm. These dimensions are for illustrative purposes : 30 only and it is within the scope of the skilled person to modify these dimensions. S...

As can be seen from the diagrams the outer upper housing 112 substantially encloses the trap so that the fluid reservoir is substantially in the dark.

S S * S S.

When a rodent becomes trapped in the chamber under the liquid level it is retained in a fairly small container in the dark. These factors contribute to the effectiveness of the trap at killing the rodent quickly. Rodents do not like feeling cornered and once the chamber indexes to the under water position the small space of the chamber 108, 130 will cause the rodent to panic, increasing its oxygen concentration and stimulating a reflex breath action that will accelerate drowning. Furthermore, if rodents can see light from their underwater position their survival instinct will cause them to be more likely to hold their breath for longer to try to find an escape route, thereby prolonging the time to death. By enclosing the top of the trap to substantially prevent light entering the lower area the rodent will quickly become resigned to its fate and a quicker death will ensue. * *

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Claims

CLAIMS: 1 A rodent trap for catching, killing and storing a plurality of rodents comprising: a plurality of chambers for receiving a rodent therein, access means to enable access for a rodent to one of said chambers; a liquid reservoir; and a trigger means which, in use, is activated by a rodent in said one of said chambers to index the plurality of chambers such that the chamber containing the rodent is moved from a first position in which the chamber is accessible by said access means to a second position in which the rodent is contained within said chamber beneath the liquid in said reservoir.

2 A rodent trap according to claim 1 further comprising a drive means to index the chambers when the trigger means is activated.

3 A rodent trap according to claim 2 wherein the drive means comprises one of: an electric motor, a pre tensioned spring or elastic, gravitational and a counterweight attached to a rotating shaft via a pulley.

4 A rodent trap according to any preceding claim wherein the plurality of chambers comprises at least three chambers arranged around the perimeter of a substantially circular drum.

A rodent trap according to claim 4 wherein said chambers are recessed into the exterior rim of said drum.

6 A rodent trap according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said plurality of chambers comprises a plurality of chambers attached to a continuous belt. * S: *. 30 7 A rodent trap according to claim 6 wherein said continuous belt comprises a a...

* plastic chain. **.

8 A rodent trap according to any previous claim wherein said chamber comprises .: a three sided chamber and wherein the chamber is enclosed on a forth side by a static enclosure means that extends below the surface of the liquid such that the chamber is enclosed on four sides in its first position and in its second position.

9 A rodent trap according to claim 8 wherein, in the second position, the static enclosure means encloses the chamber on three sides to define a substantially cuboid shaped rodent enclosure beneath the liquid level in the reservoir.

A rodent trap according to claim 8 or claim 9 wherein the enclosure means comprises a curved plate.

11 A rodent trap according to any previous claim wherein indexing the plurality of chambers comprises moving a chamber from the second position to a third position wherein moving the chamber from the second to the third position releases the rodent from the chamber into the liquid reservoir.

12 A rodent trap according to claim 11 further comprising a barrier extending across the reservoir substantially parallel to and beneath the surface of the liquid, the barrier having an opening therein for receiving a rodent from the chamber.

13 A rodent trap according to any preceding claim further comprising a removal means located within said reservoir for removing rodents therefrom.

14 A rodent trap according to any preceding claim further comprising a run leading up to the access means.

A rodent trap according to claim 14 wherein the run has an entrance and further comprises a non return gate therein to prevent rodents from exiting the run via the entrance. * .

16 A rodent trap according to any preceding claim wherein, adjacent the access means the chamber comprises a section of flexible material such that, if a rodent enters the chamber and activates the trigger whilst its tail extends out of the chamber, its tail will not become trapped between the chamber and the access means as said **** : chamberis indexed. ** 35

17 A rodent trap according to any preceding claim further comprising a reservoir for containing bait to attract rodents into the trap.

18 A rodent trap according to any preceding claim further comprising a window and bait box at the end of the chamber opposite the access means the window to allow daylight into the chamber when it is in its first position.

19 A rodent trap according to any previous claim wherein the chamber walls are perforated to prevent air from becoming trapped therein as they are indexed to their second position.

A rodent trap according to any previous claim wherein the trigger means comprises one of: a mechanical hair trigger, a touch sensitive pad, an electric stun wire or plate and an infra red trigger that is activated when a rodent breaks an infra red beam.

21 A rodent trap according to any previous claim further comprising a restriction adjacent the trigger means such that when a rodent attempts to pass the restriction the trigger means is activated.

22 A rodent trap according to any previous claim further comprising an overflow in said reservoir and an overflow tank for receiving fluid via said overflow.

23 A rodent trap according to any previous claim further comprising means of indicating the number of rodents caught in said trap.

24 A rodent trap according to any previous claim further comprising a means of counting the number of times the trap has been activated and preventing rodents entering the trap once a predetermined number of activations has elapsed.A rodent trap according to any previous claim further comprising a means of counting the number of times the trap has been activated and preventing further *0 activation of the trap once a predetermined number of activations has elapsed.

S S S* S *S

26 A rodent trap according to any previous claim wherein the liquid is one of: water; an aqueous solution or a water/ethylene glycol mixture.

27 A method of trapping and killing a plurality of rodents comprising the steps of: enticing a rodent to enter a trap chamber in a first position; indexing the chamber containing the rodent to a second position and retaining the rodent in said chamber in said second position in a reservoir of liquid such that the rodent drowns; indexing the chamber from the second position to a third position such that the dead rodent falls from said chamber into the liquid reservoir. * * **** * * * ** * * * *** *** * *.l. * **** * * * * * * **