WO2016062991A1

WO2016062991A1 - A trap for animal pests

Info

Publication number: WO2016062991A1
Application number: PCT/GB2015/000287
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mark Sheahan
Original assignee: Mark Sheahan
Priority date: 2014-10-20
Filing date: 2015-10-16
Publication date: 2016-04-28
Also published as: GB2550674B; GB2550674A; GB201705890D0

Abstract

A trap (2) for animal pests (4), which trap (2) comprises a housing (6), an entrance (8) to the housing (6), a passage (10) in the housing (6), at least one penetrator means (12) for entering an animal pest (4) and reset means (14), the trap (2) being such that movement of the animal pest (4) in the passage (10) causes the penetrator means (12) to move from a first position in which the penetrator means (12) is ready to enter the animal pest (4) to a second position in which the penetrator means (12) enters the animal pest (4), and the reset means (14) being such that it causes the penetrator means (12) to move from the second position to the first position consequent upon movement of the animal pest as the animal pest exits the trap (2), whereby the trap (2) is automatically reset for use with another animal pest (4).

Description

A TRAP FOR ANIMAL PESTS

This invention relates to a trap for animal pests.

Traps for animal pests are well known. The animal pests may be rats, mice, rabbits, kane toads, weasels, raccoons, skunks, stoats, voles, moles or squirrels. The known traps suffer from the disadvantage that they require resetting for continued use and/or they require use of a poison or electrical power as an essential ingredient.

It is an aim of the present invention to address the above mentioned problems.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided a trap for animal pests, which trap comprises a housing, an entrance to the housing, a passage in the housing, at least one penetrator means for entering an animal pest, and reset means, the trap being such that movement of the animal pest in the passage causes the penetrator means to move from a first position in which the penetrator means is ready to enter the animal pest to a second position in which the penetrator means enters the animal pest, and the reset means being such that it causes the penetrator means to move from the second position to the first position consequent upon movement of the animal pest as the animal pest exits the trap, whereby the trap is automatically reset for use with another animal pest. The trap of the present invention is advantageous in that the reset means operates automatically to reset the trap for a subsequent use. Thus there is no need manually to reset the trap. The trap of the present invention is also advantageous in that it requires no energy source, which is important as a practical matter for locations where batteries or electricity is not readily available or affordable.

The trap may include guide means for guiding the head of the animal pest to a position for receiving the penetrator means. The guide means may be a wall or a channel. Other types of guide means may be employed.

The trap may include alarm means for alarming the animal pest in order to cause the animal pest to exist the housing speedily. The alarm means may be a static alarm means. The alarm means may be at least one spike. There may be a plurality of the spikes. Alternatively, the alarm means may be a contact formation such for example as a disc. Other types of alarm means may be employed such for example as one or more fixed blades, or a movable alarm means.

The alarm means may be positioned on the guide means. Alternatively, if desired, the alarm means may be positioned separately from the guide means.

The penetrator means may be an injection means.

The injection means may comprise a needle. When the injection means comprises a needle, then the needle may be a curved needle for facilitating removal of the needle from the animal pest as the animal pest exits the trap. When the penetrator means comprises a needle, then the needle may have at least one longitudinally extending cutting edge. The needle may have one, two or more of the longitudinally extending cutting edges.

When the penetrator means comprises a needle, then the trap may be one in which the needle is a hollow needle, and in which the penetrator means is for injecting the animal pest with a substance. The substance may be a fatal substance or a non-fatal substance. The fatal substance may be a non-poisonous fatal substance, or it may be a poisonous substance. The nonfatal substance may be a vaccine or a birth control substance, for example one that makes the animal pest sterile.

Preferably, the injection means is a syringe. Other types of injection means may however be employed. When the injected substance is a non- poisonous fatal substance, then the fatal substance is preferably air. The air is in plentiful supply in addition to being non-poisonous. An injection of air may cause death in 10 - 20 seconds. This is advantageous firstly in that the air is non-poisonous, and secondly but also in that the animal pest has time to leave the trap but not enough time to hide away in some inaccessible place such for example as under the floorboards in a house or a shed. The dead animal pest is thus likely to be able to be found or alternatively if the dead animal pest is not able to be found, it is unlikely to have descended to some inaccessible place. Thus the decomposition of the animal pest is more likely to take place in the open and without causing unacceptable decomposition odours in houses, factories, sheds and the like. This is an advantage over the use of many known traps where the fatal substance is a poison which does „

4 not act quickly. This gives the animal pest time to get back to its nest which is often underground and is also often underneath the floorboards of houses, factories, sheds or the like. Still further, the use of a non-poisonous injectable substance such for example as air, enables the exterminated animal pest to be eaten by other animals without the other animals getting poisoned. Also, humans in countries that eat the animal pest for food are able to eat the animal pest without themselves getting poisoned.

If desired, the fatal substance can be a poison. If the fatal substance has to be a poison, then the trap will usually include a container for containing the poisonous substance. With air not only is the air, in plentiful supply, but it will be appreciated that the air can simply be sucked into the injection means as required so that the fatal substance in the form of the air is always ready when the injection means injects the animal pest.

The trap may be one in which there are two of the penetrator means, and in which one of the penetrator means is an upper penetrator means for entering the head of the animal pest, and in which the other one of the penetrator means is a lower penetrator means for entering the heart or lungs of the animal pest. The upper and lower penetrator means may be the same or different.

The trap may be one in which the reset means is a pivoting reset means, and in which the movement of the animal best causes the reset means to pivot from the second posit on to the first position.

The pivoting reset means may comprise a pivot which enables the penetrator means to pivot between the first and second positions, movement- facilitating means attached to the penetrator means, a track along which the movement-facilitating means passes as the penetrator means pivots between the first and second positions, and biasing means for biasing the penetrator means from the second position to the first position, and the trap being one which shortens in length with respect to the pivot in the direction of movement of the penetrator means from the first position to the second position, whereby the track shortens as the penetrator means moves from the first position to the second position, and whereby the trap lengthens as the penetrator means moves from the second position to the first position and enables the penetrator means to reset for a next injection.

The movement-facilitating means may be roller means or slider means. The roller means are preferably wheels. Other types of roller means, for example ball bearings, may be employed.

Other types of reset means may be employed. Thus, for example, the reset means may alternatively be a turnstile arrangement with a plurality of the penetrator means. In this case, one of the penetrator means may be arranged to operate on each turning movement of the turnstile arrangement.

The biasing means is preferably a spring. A light spring is preferably employed. Other types of biasing means may however be employed.

The trap may include locator means for locating the penetrator means in the first position. The locator means may be an abutment device.

The locator means may be a movable locator means which enables the penetrator means to be set to a third position, the third position being a non-armed position which enables the trap to be used by the animal pests without operation of the penetrator means whereby the animal pests are able to get accustomed to the trap before the trap is set for operation.

Preferably, the trap has one of the entrances, and one of the reset means. If desired however, the trap may also be one in which there are two or more of the entrances, and two or more of the reset means. The trap may have one, two or more of the penetrator means. One of the reset means may be employed for one or more of the penetrator means when two or more of the penetrator means are employed.

The trap may be one in which the housing does not have a separate exit, whereby the animal pests are caused to exit the housing through the entrance.

The housing may have an end wall having a transparent portion which causes the animal pests to think that the housing has an exit and thereby to encourage the animal pests to enter the housing. The sensing of the transparent portion will usually be by it being seen but, for animal pests with poor sight, the sensing of the transparent portion may be by some other sensory means, for example a draft of air moving through the housing, through a bait hole.

The trap may include at least one encouraging formation at an end portion of the housing remote from the entrance, the encouraging formation being such that it encourages the animal pests to enter the housing. The encouraging formation may receive cr make visible bait or a lure. The encouraging formation may be a hole or a receiver portion. The trap may be one in which the guide means comprises first head guide means for guiding the head of the animal pest to an optimum position for receiving the upper penetrator means. A preferred optimum position, especially for animal pests in the form of rats, is the brain stem, i.e. the forum magnum. The first head guide means is preferably at least one hole in a plate. Other types of locator means may be employed. Preferably, the first head guide means is a first hole in a first plate, and a second hole in a second plate, the first hole being nearer the entrance than the second hole, and the first hole being larger than the second hole.

The trap may be one in which the guide means comprises second head guide means for guiding the head of the animal pest in an optimum withdrawal position after having received the upper penetrator means. The second head guide means is preferably at least one wall over which the animal pest leans at the time of receiving the upper penetrator means. Preferably there are two of the walls. The two walls are preferably located between the first and the second plates of the first locator means when the first and the second plates are employed. Other types of second locator means may be employed.

The trap may include stand means for enabling the trap to stand on the ground.

The stand means may comprise a pair of brackets with feet. Other types of stand means may be employed. The stand means may be formed as an integral part of the housing.

The trap may include pegs and cables for fixing the trap to the ground. The trap may include safety means for discouraging humans from putting their hand inside the trap. The safety means is especially advantageous for discouraging children from putting their hand inside the trap. Any suitable and appropriate safety means may be employed. Thus, for example, the safety means may comprise pointed formations around the entrance to the housing. If the housing has an exit, then safety means will normally also be employed around the exit.

The trap may be one in which the passage has a width that enables the limbs of the animal pest to operate efficiently so that the animal pest is able to leave the trap rapidly.

The trap may be one in which the passage is a tapering passage. Alternatively, the trap may be one in which the passage has a size-reducing formation along its length. The size-reducing formation causes the animal pests to squeeze through the remaining aperture and this may act to detract the attention of the animal pests from the penetrator means and help to position the animal pests. The size-reducing formation is positioned preferably adjacent and before the penetrator means. The size-reducing formation may be a ring formation which extends into the passage from a wall of the housing defining the passage. Other types of size-reducing formation may be employed.

Preferably, the housing is in the shape of the pipe. This is because animal pests such for example as rats and mice are used to going along pipes. The trap can then be placed in the normal path of the animal pests so that the animal pests will then have to walk into the trap if they wish to continue on their way, believing there is an exit at the far end. The housing may be in shapes other than pipes.

The trap may include an operations counter which gives the number of operations of the penetrator means. The number of operations of the penetrator means will normally equate to the number penetrations into pests that has been made by the trap.

The trap may include visual indicator means for indicating when the trap has operated once. The visual indicator means may be a pop-up formation. The pop-up formation may be a flag or any other suitable formation.

The operations counter is advantageously operated by the movement of the penetrator means.

The trap may include camouflage means for camouflaging the penetrator means. If the penetrator means has a needle, then the camouflage means may be filamentary members which act to make the needle less noticeable than it would otherwise be.

The trap may be made of any suitable and appropriate materials. Advantageously the trap is made of recycled plastics material. This helps to save the plastics material otherwise being disposed of in landfill sites. The trap may alternatively be made of glass, wood or a metal, for example tin.

The trap may be made in different sizes to suit different sized animal pests. Thus, for example, a trap for rats may be made larger than a trap for mice. The trap may use any suitable and appropriate bait or lure. The bait may be water or any suitable and appropriate food. Thus, for example, the food may range from chocolate to cheese to fruit. The lure may be a shiny device and/or a moving device that will attract the attention of the animal pest.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a section view from the front of a first trap for animal pests;

Figure 2 is a section view from the rear the trap shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 is a perspective view from the rear of the first trap;

Figure 4 is a perspective view from the front of the first trap;

Figure 5 is a section through the first trap and shows in section view the injection means;

Figure 6 is a view like Figure 5 but shows parts of the injection means in perspective view;

Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10 are cross sections through the trap as shown in Figure 6 and illustrate the operation of parts of the injection means;

Figure 11 is a section view like Figure 1 but shows a second trap for animal pests;

Figure 12 is an enlarged view of a first part of the second trap shown on Figure 11 ; and

Figure 13 is an enlarged view of a second part of the second trap shown in Figure 11.

Referring to Figures 1 - 10, there is shown a first trap 2 for animal pests, one of which is shown as an animal pest 4. The trap 2 comprises a housing 6, an entrance 8 to the housing 6, and a passage 10 in the housing 6. The trap 2 includes penetrator means for centering the animal pest 4 to penetrate the animal pest 4. The penetrator means is in the form of injection means 12 for injecting the animal pest 4 with a substance. The trap 2 also includes reset means 14.

The trap 2 is such that movement of the animal pest 4 in the passage 10 causes the injection means 12 to move from a first position in which the injection means 12 is ready to inject the animal pest 4, to a second position in which the injection means 12 injects the animal pest 4 with the substance. The reset means 14 is such that it causes the injection means 12 to move from the second position to the first position so that the trap 2 is automatically reset for use with another animal pest 4.

The injection means 12 has an injection needle 16 and a body 18. A piston 20 slides backwards and forwards in a cylinder 22 in the body 18.

The injected substance may be a fatal substance. More specifically, the trap 2 may inject a fatal substance in the form of air.

The reset means 14 comprises a pivot 24 which enables the injection means 2 to pivot between the first and the second positions. This pivoting of the injections means 12 between the first and the second positions is best seen from Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10. Figure 7 illustrates the injection means in the first position and ready for injecting the animal pest 4. Figures 8, 9 and 10 illustrate the path of the injection means and the angle of the injection needle 16 as the animal pest 4 backs out of the trap 2 through the entrance 8 after having been injected with the injection needle 16. The reset means 14 also includes roller means 26 attached to the injection means 12. The reset means 14 also includes a track 28 and biasing means 30. The track 28 is such that the roller means 26 passes along the track 28 as the injection means 12 pivots between the first and second positions about the pivot 24. The biasing means 30 biases the injection means 12 from the second position to the first position. The biasing means 31 biases the piston 20 outwards in the cylinder 22 in the direction of movement of the injection means 12 from the second position to the first position. The track 28 is one which shortens in length with respect to the pivot 24 in the direction of movement of the injection means 12 from the first position to the second position. Thus the track 28 shortens as the injection means 12 moves from the first position to the second position and causes the injections means 12 to inject the substance. Also, the track 28 lengthens as the injections means 12 moves from the second position to the first position and enables the injection means 12 to reset for the next injection of the substance.

The roller means 26 is in the form of wheels. The biasing means 30 is in the form of a spring. The biasing means 31 is in the form of a spring.

The trap 2 includes first locator means in the form of a latch 32 for locating the injection means 12 in the first position shown in Figure 7. The latch 32 is an abutment device.

The latch 32 is a movable latch which enables the injections means 12 to be set to a third position. This third position is shown in Figure 5. The movement to the third position and an armed or un-armed condition is controlled by a pivotable lever 82 which pivots around a pivot 84. More specifically, the lever 82 pivots between an on position (armed) shown in Figure 4 and an off position (un-armed) shown in Figure 3. The un-armed position enables the trap 2 to be used by the animal pests without operation of the injection means 12, whereby the animal pests are able to get used to the trap 2 before the trap 2 is set for operation.

As can be seen from the drawings, the trap 2 is one in which there are one of the entrances 8, one of the injector means 12, and one of the reset means 14. The housing 6 does not have a separate exit. The animal pests are caused to exit the housing 6 through the entrance 8.

The housing 6 has an end wall 34. The end wall 34 has a transparent portion 36 which causes the animal pests to think that the housing 6 has an exit and thereby to encourage the animal pests to enter the housing 6 through entrance 8. The transparent portion 36 helps to display the bait to entice the animal pests in.

The trap 2 includes two encouraging formations in the form of two bait holes 38. The two bait holes 38 are positioned one on each of two opposite sides of an end portion 40 of the housing 6. The end portion 40 of the housing 6 is remote from the entrance 8 of the housing 6. The bait holes 38 are such that they encourage the animal pests to partially enter the housing 6. The encouraging formation may alternatively be at least one lure.

The housing 6 is made from a plastics material. Apertures are provided in the housing 6 for the bait holes 38. The apertures are then each provided with a metal bezel. The metal bezel stops the animal pests from gnawing through the apertures.

The housing 6 includes first head guide means 42 for guiding the head 44 of the animal pest 4 in an optimum position for receiving the injection from the injection means 12. The first head guide means 42 comprises a first hole 46 in a first plate 48, and a second hole 50 in a second plate 52. The first hole 46 is nearer the entrance 8 than the second hole 50. The first hole 46 is larger than the second hole 50.

The trap 2 includes second head guide means 54 for locating the head 44 of the animal pest 4 in an optimum withdrawal position for receiving the injection from the injection means 12. The second head guide means 55 is in the form of two walls 56 over which the animal pest 4 leans at the time of receiving the injection from the injection means 12.

The trap 2 includes stand means 58 for enabling the trap 2 to stand on the ground. The stand means 58 comprises a front portion 60 having a foot 62, and a rear portion 64. If desired, the stand means 58 may comprise a pair of brackets with feet.

The trap 2 includes pegs and cables (not shown) for fixing the trap 2 to the ground. The pegs and/or cables may fit through an aperture 66 in the foot 62, and in slots 68 in the rear portion 64 and in the front portion 60.

The trap 2 includes four of the slots 68, there being one slot 68 on opposite sides of the front portion 60 and the rear portion 64 on the stand means 58 when it is comprised of a pair of bracket feet. Advantageously, the aperture 66 in the foot 62 can be used to hang the trap 2 on a hook. The trap 2 can thus be stored away out of reach of children when it is not in use.

As can be seen from Figures 1 —10, the passage 10 is a tapering passage. The tapering passage 10 directs the animal pest 4 more precisely towards the required position for receiving the injection from the injection means 12. In an alternative embodiment of the invention (not shown), the passage may have a size-reducing formation along its length. The size- reducing formation may be a ring formation which extends into the passage from a wall of the housing 6 defined in the passage. The housing 6 is in the form of a pipe, and more specifically a tapering pipe.

The trap 2 includes an operations counter (not shown) which gives the number of operations of the injection means 12. The operations counter is operated by movement of the injection means 12. The operations counter gives the number of operations of the injection means 12. Thus the number of operations indicated equals the number of kills achieved by the injection means 12 if the substance being injected is a fatal substance. The operations counter is operated by movement of the injection means. More specifically, when the injection means 12 moves to the second position, a body part of the injection means 12 may depress a button which forms part of the operations counter and which causes a number shown in a display panel to be increased by one each time the button is depressed.

The trap 2 includes visual indicator means 72 for indicating when the trap 2 has operated once. The visual indicator means 72 includes a pop-up formation in the form of a flag 74. The trap 2 may include camouflage means (not shown) for camouflaging the injection means.

The trap 2 operates such that movement of the animal pest 4 in the passage 10 causes the injection means 12 to move from the first position shown in Figure 7 to the second position shown in Figure 10. This second position is one in which the injection means 12 has injected the animal pest 4 with the substance. The reset means 14 operates to cause the injection means 12 to move back from the second position to the first position. Thus, after the animal pest 4 has been injected, the reset means 14 is automatically operated to reset the trap 2 for the next animal pest 4 to enter the housing 6 and pass along the passage 10.

In operation of the trap 2, the tapering of the passage 10 not only facilitates precisely locating the animal pest 4 at the required place for receiving the injection from the injection means 12, but it also facilitates the backing out of the animal pest 4 through the entrance 8 after the animal pest 4 has been injected.

The trap 2 includes a handle 78 for enabling the trap 2 to easily be carried.

The trap 2 may be made, for example moulded, in two halves which are then secured together by fastening means such for example as screws. Such a construction enables the trap 2 easily to be opened with the appropriate hand tool for maintenarce as may be appropriate. The two halves of the trap 2 are advantageously formed as plastics mouldings. The two parts of the trap 2 may be provided with assembly registration means, for example in the form of pins locating in apertures. The registration means may enable easy relative location of the two parts of the trap 2 so that the two parts of the trap 2 can easily be joined together. Other types of registration means may be employed.

The housing 6 may be provided with a small aperture which enables bait to be inserted into the housing 6. The aperture may also enable visual inspection of the inside of the housing 6, for example to make sure that the passage 10 is not blocked and/or to make sure that the injection means 12 is correctly positioned in its armed first position as shown in Figures 7, or in its unarmed position as shown in Figure 6. The unarmed position shown in Figure 6 enables the trap 2 safely to be used, with the injection needle 16 being safely stowed away and not able to be contacted by a person such for example as a young child putting their hand into the entrance 8 and along the passage 10.

As mentioned above, the injection means 12 may inject a substance which is a fatal substance if in the form of air. The air is advantageous in that it is in plentiful supply, it is non-poisonous, and it is able to cause death of the animal pest 4 in 10-20 seconds.

Because the track 28 is one which shortens in length with respect to the pivot 24 in the direction of movement of the injection means 12 from the first position to the second position, the track 28 shortens as the injection means 12 moves from the first position to the second position. This causes the injection means 12 to inject the chosen substance due to the compression of the length of the injection means 12. Because the track 28 lengthens as the injection means 12 moves from the second position to the first position, this enables the injection means 12 to reset for the next injection of the substance. More specifically, the injection means 12, with its piston 20 and cylinder 22, regains its original length, and in doing so is able to suck in a further quantity of substance for the next injection into the next animal pest 4 in the trap 2.

The locator means for locating the injection means 12 in the first position may be an abutment device 32 having an abutment leg against which a flat side of a body part of the roller means 26 abuts.

The locator means may be a movable locator means which enables the injection needle 16 to be set in the non-armed position shown in Figure 6, or in the first position shown in Figure 7.

The trap 2 may be provided with safety means for discouraging humans and especially children from putting their hand inside the trap 2. The safety means may comprise a plurality of pointed formations around the entrance 8.

As best seen from Figures 1 , 2 and 3, the passage 10 has ribs 80. These ribs 80 enable the animal pest 4 to obtain grip and purchase as it passes along the passage 10. The ribs 80 are especially advantageous for enabling the animal pest 4 to obtain grip and purchase when reversing out in the injection phase along the passage 10 and out of the trap 2.

The housing 6 is in the form of a tapering pipe because animal pests such for example as rats and mice are used to going along pipes. As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the trap 2 has control means in the form of a pivotable lever 82 which pivots about a pivot 84 between an on position shown in Figure 4 and an off position shown in Figure 3. The lever 82 enables the trap 2 to be armed or not armed. The non-armed position corresponding to the lever 82 being in the off position is shown in Figure 5. The armed position corresponding to the lever 82 being in the on position is shown in Figure 7.

Where apertures are provided in the housing 6, and the housing 6 is made from a plastics material, then the apertures may be provided with a metal lining, such for example as a metal lining ring. This stops the animal pests from gnawing through the apertures.

Referring now to Figures 11 - 12, there is shown a second trap 102. The trap 102 is like the trap 2 and similar parts have been given the same reference numerals for ease of comparison and understanding.

The trap 102 has penetrator means 104 for entering the animal pest 4 to penetrate the animal pest 4. The penetrator means 104 is such that there is an upper penetrator means 106 for entering the head of the animal pest 4, and a lower penetrator means 108 for entering the heart or lungs of the animal pest 4. The upper penetrator means 106 is a needle which is curved. The curved needle facilitates removal of the needle from the animal pest 4 as the animal pest 4 exits the trap 102. The curved needle has at least one longitudinally extending cutting edge 110 for cutting through sinew or other material that may impede the passage of the upper penetrator means 106 in the form of the curved needle into the head 44 of the animal pest 4. The upper penetrator means 106 is an injection means which injects air into the head of the animal pest 4. Preferably, the injection is via the brain stem, through the foramen magnum and into the brain cavity. The injection is to cause brain damage and an air embolism. The air is thus a fatal substance. The lower penetrator means 108 simultaneously pierces the heart or lungs of the animal pest 4. The lower penetrator means 108 may be a needle, blade or spike. The lower penetrator means 108 may be an injector means or it may not be an injector means. The lower penetrator means 108 may be a blade rather than a needle. The blade may pivot backwards to catch the chest of the animal pest 4. The lower penetrator means 108 does not have to be an injection means which injects air. The lower penetrator means 108 may be positioned on a slightly raised platform or something similar, in order to ensure that the lower penetrator means 108, for example the blade, is to be more certain of entering the chest of the animal pest 4 as the animal pest 4 exits the trap 102. The lower penetrator means 108 is spring-loaded so that it springs back to where it should be ready for the next animal pest to enter the trap 2. Thus the entire culling cycle is able to be repeated. In a similar manner the upper penetrator means 106 pivots back to that it ready for the next culling cycle.

The trap 102 include guide means 112 for guiding the head 44 of the animal pest 4 to a position for receiving the upper penetrator means 106. The guide means 112 is in the form of a wall as shown.

The trap 102 includes alarm means for alarming the animal pest 4 in order to cause the animal pest 4 to exit the housing 6 speedily. The alarm means may be in the form of a plurality of spikes or alternatively a contact formation such for example as a disc. The alarm means is on the guide means.

The trap 102 has a channel to keep the head 44 of the animal pest 4 in position.

The trap 102 has a passage 8 having a width that enables the limbs of the animal pest 4 to function properly and enable the animal pest 4 to exit the trap 102 at speed.

The traps 2, 102 are such that they are able to cull animal pests in a manner which is poison-free, does not require power, and is such that the traps 2, 102 automatically re-arm themselves. Thus the traps 2, 102 are able to cull animal pests 4 continually. The illustrated animal pest 4 is a rat. Rats are estimated to cause the loss of one third of the World's crops. Six - seven percent of all fires are started by rats gnawing through electrical cables. Diseases carried by rats are transmitted to many thousands of humans annually. The ability to cull animal pests without the use of poison is good for local wildlife, the food industry, and the problem of animal pests becoming resistant to poisons. The ability of the traps 2, 102 to operate such that the power required for the trap is provided by the animal pest itself is advantageous in that batteries or other sources of electricity are not required. Thus the traps 2, 102 are able to be cheap to make and with almost zero maintenance. The traps 2, 102 operate such that the animal pest 4 exits the traps 2, 102 to die, and in doing so automatically re-arms the traps 2, 102, and thereby leaves the traps 2, 102 ready for the next animal pest 4. It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, a different type of injection means 12 may be employed. Instead of the injection means 12 and/or the penetrator means 104 operating as the animal pest 4 exists the trap of the invention in a backward direction, the injection means 12 and/or the penetrator means 104 may be arranged to operate if the trap of the invention is such as to cause the animal pest 4 to exit in a forward direction. A housing 6 of a different cross-sectional shape may be employed. Another type of reset means 14 may be employed. A fatal substance other than air may be injected and this fatal substance may be a gas, a pellet, a powder, or a liquid. Biasing means other than the illustrated type of spring 30 may be employed. Individual components shown in the drawings are not limited to use in the drawings, and they may be used in other drawings and in all aspects of the invention.

Claims

1. A trap for animal pests, which trap comprises a housing, an entrance to the housing, a passage in the housing, at least one penetrator means for entering an animal pest, and reset means, the trap being such that movement of the animal pest in the passage causes the penetrator means to move from a first position in which the penetrator means is ready to enter the animal pest to a second position in which the penetrator means enters the animal pest, and the reset means being such that it causes the penetrator means to move from the second position to the first position consequent upon movement of the animal pest as the animal pest exits the trap, whereby the trap is automatically reset for use with another animal pest.

2. A trap according to claim 1 and including guide means for guiding the head of the animal pest to a position for receiving the penetrator means.

3. A trap according to claim 2 in which the guide means is a wall or a channel.

4. A trap according to any one of the preceding claims and including alarm means for alarming the animal pest in order to cause the animal pest to exit the housing speedily.

5. A trap according to claim 4 in which the alarm means is a static alarm means.

6. A trap according to claim 4 or claim 5 in which the alarm means is at least one spike or contact formation.

7. A trap according to claims 2 and 4 in which the alarm means is on the guide means.

8. A trap according to any one of the preceding claims in which the penetrator means is an injection means.

9. A trap according to claim 8 in which the penetrator means comprises a needle.

10. A trap according to claim 9 in which the needle is a curved needle for facilitating removal of the needle from the animal pest as the animal pest exits the trap.

11. A trap according to claim 9 or ctaim 10 in which the needle has at least one longitudinally extending cutting edge.

12. A trap according to any one of claims 9 - 11 in which the needle is a hollow needle, and in which the penetrator means is for injecting the animal pest with a substance.

13. A trap according to claim 12 in which the penetrator means is a syringe.

14. A trap according to claim 12 cr claim 13 in which the substance is a fatal substance.

15. A trap according to claim 14 in which the fatal substance is air.

16. A trap according to any one of the preceding claims in which there are two of the penetrator means, and in which one of the penetrator means is an upper penetrator means for entering the head of the animal pest, and in which the other one of the penetrator means is a lower penetrator means for entering the heart or lungs of the animal pest.

17. A trap according to any one of the preceding claims in which the reset means is a pivoting reset means, and in which the movement of the animal pest causes the reset means to pivot from the second position to the first position.

18. A trap according to claim 17 in which the pivoting reset means comprises a pivot which enables the penetrator means to pivot between the first and second positions, movement-facilitating means attached to the penetrator means, a track along which the movement-facilitating means passes as the penetrator means pivots between the first and second positions, and biasing means for biasing the penetrator means from the second position to the first position, and the track being one which shortens in length with respect to the pivot in the direction of movement of the penetrator means from the first position to the second position, whereby the track shortens as the penetrator means moves from the first position to the second position, and whereby the track lengthens as the penetrator means moves from the second position to the first position and enables the penetrator means to reset for a next injection.

19. A trap according to claim 18 in which the movement-facilitating means are roller means or slider means.

20. A trap according to claim 18 or claim 19 in which the biasing means is a spring.

21. A trap according to any one of the preceding claims and including locator means for locating the penetrator means in the first position.

22. A trap according to claim 21 in which the locator means is an abutment device.

23. A trap according to claim 21 or claim 22 in which the locator means is a movable locator means which enables the penetrator means to be set to a third position, the third position being a non-armed position which enables the trap to be used by the animal pests wr.hout operation of the penetrator means whereby the animal pests are able to get accustomed to the trap before the trap is set for operation.

24. A trap according to any one of the preceding claims in which there are one of the entrances, and one of the reset means.

25. A trap according to any one of the preceding claims in which the housing does not have a separate exit, whereby the animal pests are caused to exit the housing through the entrance.

26. A trap according to any one of the preceding claims in which the housing has an end wall having a transparent portion which causes the animal pests to think that the housing has an exit and thereby to encourage the animal pests to enter the housing.

27. A trap according to any one of the preceding claims and including at least one encouraging formation at an end portion of the housing remote from the entrance, the encouraging formation being such that it encourages the animal pests to enter the housing.

28. A trap according to claims 2 and 16 in which the guide means comprises a first head guide means for guiding the head of the animal pest to an optimum position for receiving the upper penetrator means.

29. A trap according to claim 28 in which the first head guide means is at least one hole in a plate.

30. A trap according to claim 29 in which the first head guide means is a first hole in a first plate, and a second hole in a second plate, the first hole being nearer the entrance than the second hole, and the first hole being larger than the second hole.

31. A trap according to any one of claims 28 - 30 in which the head guide means comprises second head guide means for guiding the head of the animal pest to an optimum withdrawal position after having received the upper penetrator means.

32. A trap according to claim 31 in which the second head guide means is at least one wall over which the animal pest leans at the time of receiving the upper penetrator means.

33. A trap according to claim 32 in which there are two of the walls.

34. A trap according to any one of the preceding claims and including stand means for enabling the trap to stand on the ground.

35. A trap according to claim 34 in which the stand means comprises a pair of brackets with feet.

36. A trap according to any one of the preceding claims and including pegs and cables for fixing the trap to the ground.

37. A trap according to any one of the preceding claims and including safety means for discouraging humans from putting their hand inside the trap.

38. A trap according to claim 37 in which the safety means comprises pointed formations around the entrance.

39. A trap according to any one of preceding claims in which the passage has a width that enables the limbs of the animal pest to operate efficiently so that the animal pest is able to leave the trap rapidly.

40. A trap according to any one of the preceding claims in which the passage is a tapering passage.

41. A trap according to any one of claims 1 - 39 in which the passage has a size-reducing formation along its length.

42. A trap according to claim 40 or claim 41 in which the size-reducing formation is a ring formation which extends into the passage from a wall of the housing defining the passage.

43. A trap according to any one of the preceding claims in which the housing is in the form of a pipe.

44. A trap according to any one of the preceding claims and including an operations counter which gives the number of operations of the penetrator means.

45. A trap according to claim 44 in which the operations counter is operated by the movement of the penetrator means.

46. A trap according to any one of the preceding claims and including visual indicator means for indicating when the trap has operated once.

47. A trap according to claim 46 in which the visual indicator means is a pop-up formation.

48. A trap according to claim 47 in which the pop-up formation is a flag.

49. A trap according to any one of the preceding claims and including camouflage means for camouflaging the penetrator means.