Abstract: A hunting trap device wherein a spring-tensioned arm (7") moves, when in released state across an entrance opening (2, 2') in the trap, and wherein a release mechanism (4, 5, 6) is disposed within the opening. The opening (2, 2') is preferably circular and is formed both in a front wall (11) and a partition (12) positioned therebehind. The axis of rotation of the arm is located at a level below the lower edge of the opening (2, 2'). The arm (7") is designed to move in an intermediate space between the front wall (11) and the partition (12) and past the lower edge of the opening, the intermediate space preferably being designed with an upwardly convex rest surface (14) at the bottom thereof. The arm (7") is arcuate over a substantial portion of its length, with a curve oriented opposite to the curve at the bottom of the opening in the hunting trap when the arm moves across the opening.

Abstract: An annular body member is of a size capable of allowing an animal to move at least partially through it. A snare line with a running noose therein encircles the exterior surface of the body member and has an anchored end. A trigger is disposed laterally across the interior of the body member and is a flexible type netting which the animal engages when entering the trap. The trigger is positioned to dislodge the snare line when the animal enters the trap. The snare line has elastic characteristics and is capable of engaging and binding around an animal entering the body member to hold the snare line in place until its running noose is tightened by movement of the animal away from an anchored end of the running noose. The trap can be used below ground in a burrowing animal runway or it can comprise an above ground baited housing.

Abstract: A trap for small noxious animals, such as mice, and comprising a holder (1) in form of a frame for holding a tightening element (3) in form of a shield. The trap (1) is arranged to be able to take a first, non-tightening position and at least a second, tightening position (12). The holder (1) shows a support (4) for a bait (20). The element (3), consisting of a sheet-metal, shows a setting-tongue (5) cut in the element (3), which tongue is arranged preloaded in the trap (1). In the said first position of the trap (1), the setting-tongue (5) is arranged at a distance from the support (4) and in the said second position (12) of the trap (1), an end portion (7) of the setting-tongue (5) is arranged to extend over the outer end (14) of the support (4) and touch the bait (20), while a second end portion (9) of the setting-tongue (5) is arranged to touch a stop in the holder (2).

Abstract: A tunnel-type mousetrap has a central trapping mechanism powered by a rubber band. The rubber band is wound between an anchor plate in the top wall of the tunnel and a striker plate that fits over the anchor plate and has end walls with trapping apertures that project downwardly through the tunnel. The rubber band urges the striker plate upwardly, and the trap is set by pushing down on the striker plate to engage a pivotal trigger carried by the anchor plate. When a mouse enters the tunnel and dislodges the trigger, the striker plate springs upwardly under the force of the rubber band and traps the mouse's neck in one of the trapping apertures.

Abstract: A leg snare device is described for catching animals by their front leg. The described device includes a steel cable snare attached to a torsion spring that is encased within a tapered plastic tubing. The snare is constructed in such manner that it reduces the likelihood of the animals escape while holding the animal by the front leg without causing serious injury to the animal.

Abstract: This invention relates to a humane animal live trap for application to the immobilizing of various animals and mammals. The device consists of a generally vertically positioned, compressed sleeve or cylindrical body of a generally resilient interwoven spring-like stranded material forming by strands interwoven at acute angles with each other a hollow doubly tapered cylindrical opening the sleeve is adapted to elongate when the trigger is actuated and the compressed sleeve is released by the sleeve guards, from its state of compression and circumvallates the animal or animal part that entered in to the hollow sleeve with its central tapered cylindrical opening, and tripped the trigger located centrally at the sleeve bottom. The sleeve is comprised of a loop series which is formed by the upper ends of the resilient strands, to allow compressing and depressing of the centrally doubly tapered cylindrical opening to release the captured animal and reset the trap sleeve.

Abstract: A trap for killing small animals comprising a first trap member and a second trap member slidingly advanceable relative to one another between a set or open alignment and a closed alignment. The trap members are baisingly urged toward said closed alignment by biasing means. The first trap member including means forming a first animal engaging edge and the second trap member including means forming a second animal engaging edge such that when the trap members are positioned in the open alignment the animal engaging edges form a trap opening. The trap includes set and trigger means for maintaining the trap members in the open alignment until engagement or activation of the set and trigger means by an animal to be trapped.

Abstract: A trap comprising first and second arms, a bait for holding the first and second arms in a first open position, torsion springs for biasing the first and second arms toward a second closed position, and jaws formed in the first and second arms for engaging the body of an animal when the bait is broken. A method for constructing the trap is provided, and a method for trapping animals is also provided.

Abstract: A mouse exterminating device and method is presented with improved safety features. Activated electrical circuitry causes the mouse to be suffocated by impingement of a horizontal blade while a thermal switch prevents the device from overheating thus reducing the chance of fire. Indicator lights demonstrate whether the device is turned on and also if the device has been activated by a mouse.

Abstract: Animal traps are usually difficult to sterilize in order to remove human odor therefrom and difficult to hide when setting and often contain moving parts, tubes, pins and the like. The present device consists of a pair of spring arms made of heavy wire with a hairpin spring at the junction thereof. Eye loops are formed one on each distal end of the arms and one of these has a slotted semi-circular plate welded otherwise secured into the base of the eye. A freely running snare loop is provided on one end of a standing part, in which part extends through the slot in the disk or plate and through a cotter pin assembly spanning the other eye and terminates with a ferrule outboard of the other eye. A trigger block is secured to the standing part inboard of the slotted disk when the trap is set with the two arms close together and being urged apart by the spring.

Abstract: A snare-type animal trap is characterized by a spring noose-actuating spring arm which pivots well in excess of 90.degree. from its set to its sprung positions. The spring arm is bent slightly to add to its effective sprung position angle. In a leg snare embodiment, a noose cable guide at the distal end of the spring arm includes a narrow surface from which two upwardly projecting bent guide members extend to define a slot for slidably guiding the cable. The cable is anchored at one end and has a noose formed at its free end by means of a slide member having two through-holes slidably surrounding the cable. A washer precludes passage of the free end of the cable through the first hole which is aligned with a channel defined between two fingers formed at the bifurcated end of the slide member. The fingers are curled back toward the first hole so that the cable can slidably pass through the first hole, the channel, and then through the second hole to form the noose.

Abstract: An animal trap having a pair of elongated rods joined to jaws that are bias to a closed position with a coil spring. The coil spring is concentrically located about a pivot pin that pivotally joins the mid-sections of the rods together. An over-centered toggle trip mechanism is pivotally connected to the rods to hold the jaws in their open position. The trip mechanism has a trigger operable by the animal to be trapped to move the over-center toggle trip mechanism to a position wherein it collapses whereby the spring biases the jaws to their closed positions.

Abstract: In this disposable, molded rodent trap, two housing elements are hinged together in clamshell fashion and urged toward each other by an elastic band. An entrance to the housing is provided near the hinge, and a blade on one of the two elements cooperates with an opposed ridge on the other element to kill a rodent within the housing by choking. The two housing elements are held in a set condition by a narrow, elongated, transversely extending trigger element which is positioned to be gnawed by a rodent while its neck is between the blade and the opposed ridge. When the trigger element is gnawed through, the blade and opposed ridge come toward each other under the force of the elastic band, killing the rodent, which is substantially fully enclosed and can be thrown out along with the trap. The trigger may be molded as a unit with the housing parts. The trap is easily set and is not subject to triggering resulting from vibrations, trap movements or temperature changes.

Abstract: A trap assembly for capturing small animals formed from a housing that encloses a jaw assembly for grasping the paw or leg of the animals. The jaw assembly is formed from a trap plate having an aperture and a resiliently biased arm that is movable from an open position to a closed position where it coacts with side edges of the plate aperture to form a pair of jaws for grasping the animal.

Abstract: A vermin trap consisting of a one piece housing for an over-centering mechanism that is adapted to actuate a snap acting lever that in turn cooperates with a stationary bar for trapping and killing a feeding vermin. The trip lever provides an integral bait holder that upon depression over-centers the spring mechanism causing the trap to set with a snap action.

Abstract: A relaxing snare for trapping animals comprising a noose having a constrictable loop for ensnaring an animal therein by tightening of the loop about the animals's neck upon the animal tugging thereagainst, and a lost motion locking slide device for relaxing the tightness of the constricting loop in the absence of such tugging by a preselected limited amount of tension which is great enough to prevent strangulation of the animal yet small enough to prevent escape of the animal by withdrawal of its head through the loop when relaxed. This controlling feature is directly opposed to the strangulation resulting from use of the standard locking type snare and allows the selection and releasing of non-target animals. Various forms of a lost motion locking slide device are disclosed.

Abstract: A wild game trap including two multiangulated trap arms having an eye at one end mounted for rotation about a common pivot bolt and a power spring including a lower spring arm terminating in an eye mounted on the pivot bolt and an upper spring arm terminating in a constriction bar in the form of a loop receiving the pivot eyes, the pivot bolt and a portion of each of the multiangulated trap arms when they are pivoted to an animal gripping position. A trigger assembly is provided for retaining the multiangulated trap arms in open position when the trap is set. In one embodiment of the trigger assembly, a rolling block is mounted on one trap arm and a lock is pivotally connected to the lower spring arm for engagement with a catch on the trap arm. In another embodiment of the trigger assembly, the lock is mounted on the spring arm by a one-piece resilient bracket.

Abstract: A humane animal trap including a coil spring mounted on a frame and having its ends adapted to be spread apart when the trap is set. One end of the spring is held by a latch pivotally mounted for sideways movement on the frame. This latch is shaped so that, in order to hold the spring, it must be held by one end of a trigger which is mounted for vertical swinging movement on the frame. When the trigger is struck by an animal, it swings upwardly thus disengaging the latch and causing the one end of the spring to move downwardly towards the other end of the spring.

Abstract: An animal trap comprises an enclosure with an open end. An apertured member is connected to the enclosure for pivoting parallel to the plane defined by the open end. The member can pivot between a set position where the aperture coincides with the open end of the enclosure and a released position where the member is pivoted away from the enclosure. A spring biases the member to the released position. A catch secures the member in the set position. A release including a portion for securing bait can release the member, allowing it to pivot to the released position. An animal intruding through the aperture of the pivotable member and the open end of the enclosure and disturbing the bait will be struck and caught in the region of the animal's neck between the pivotable member and the enclosure as the pivotable member pivots to the released position.

Abstract: A dome covered bait carrying animal trap employing a scent attraction through passageways in the base in which an anti-friction support for the trip-trigger results in an improved performance snare trap kill requiring no contact by the user of the traps with the animal caught and eliminated.

Abstract: A humane animal trap is disclosed comprising a box having an animal access opening, a trigger lying between the access opening and a bait enclosure and a coil spring consisting of a killing arm inside the box and a setting arm outside the box.

Abstract: A portable, disposable rodent trap comprises a housing having an internal, elongated tunnel-like passageway and an entrance opening through which a rodent can enter the passageway, apparatus secured within the passageway for strangling the rodent, and apparatus, triggerable by the rodent, for activating the strangling apparatus, the strangling apparatus being located at a distance from the entrance opening such that substantially the entire body of the rodent is located within the passageway when the strangling apparatus is activated and in contact with the neck of the rodent.

Abstract: A swingable frame or trap bar component is pivotally mounted by one end thereof to one end of a stationary frame which includes a pair of spaced and parallel side frames extending upwardly from a base. A heavy duty coil spring normally urges the trap bar component to be released or vertical position. A trigger plate pivoted to the base and is held in the set position by a trigger pivotally mounted on a cross bar between the side frames, said trigger overlying the distal end of the trap bar component when the same is placed in the set position parallel to the base and against pressure of the spring. The trigger engages under the trigger plate to hold the trap in the set position. A sloping cross piece on the trap bar component is engaged by the trigger which is slidable across the cross bar enabling a degree of sensitivity to be imported to the release of the trigger by depression of the trigger plate.

Abstract: A first elongated base bar for disposition in a horizontal position is provided and a second elongated bar has one end pivotally anchored relative to one end of the base bar for angular displacement between a first upstanding cocked position disposed generally normal to the first bar and a second horizontal closed position closely adjacent and generally paralleling the first bar. A follower is loosely engaged with the aforementioned one ends of the bars and slidable therealong and spring structure is operably connected between the base bar and the follower strongly yieldingly biasing the follower along the base bar toward the other end thereof, whereby movement of the follower along the base bar from its one end to the other end will cause rapid swinging movement of the second bar from the first upstanding cocked position thereof to the second horizontal closed position thereof closely paralleling the base bar.

Abstract: An animal trap having an upstanding frame member mounted on a base, a metal anvil bar connected at one end to the frame and extending outwardly from the frame generally parallel to the base, a metal striker bar positioned above and generally parallel to the anvil bar, said bars being connected at their outer ends to a spring adapted to urge the striker bar forcibly towards the anvil bar, a trigger pan mounted below the two bars and connected to a trigger arm extending upwardly along the frame, a latch arm swivelly mounted on the upper portion of the frame and containing a notch or recess such that when the striker bar is moved upwards against the force of the spring away from the anvil bar, the bar fits into the notch, said latch having an extended arm contacting the upper end of said trigger bar such that the trigger bar is operative to trigger the latch arm from the set position on movement of the pan and allow the latch arm to swing free and the striker bar to move towards the anvil bar.

Abstract: The invention seeks to provide a humane trap which dispatches trapped animals without pain or panic. A peripheral trap frame, open on one side, has sides on either side of the open side spring urged towards one another to provide the motive power for a pair of strike arms connected in scissors fashion and forming a toggle linkage tending to collapse inwardly of the frame under the spring pressure so as to deliver a killing blow to an animal whose head is passed through the frame opening. The toggle linkage is prevented from collapsing when the trap is set by a wire loop which is knocked clear of the linkage by an animal reaching a predetermined position within the trap.

Abstract: One end of a base plate is formed with an elongated opening and the other end rotatably supports the base end of an elastic plate whose free end is inserted in the above mentioned elongated opening. The elastic plate is longer than the base plate and formed with an engagement projection adjacent the free end thereof. In setting the elastic plate, it is upwardly curved and an engagement member is interposed between the upper surface of the base plate and the engagement projection so as to engage the elastic plate and maintain its curved condition. The engagement member will be moved by a small animal taking a bait or by the weight of a small animal treading on the base plate. Such movement of the engagement member results in relieving the engagement, so that the elastic plate is instantaneously elastically restored to its flat condition, thereby trapping the small animal by squeezing it between the base plate and the elastic plate.

Abstract: An animal trap having a pair of arcuate rod-like jaws that are biased to a closed position with a torsion coil spring. One jaw is integral with a first rod attached to a base. The other jaw is attached to a second rod pivotally mounted on the first rod with a sleeve. The coil torsion spring is concentrically located about the sleeve and rod and has a first end engageable with the base and a second end engageable with the second jaw so as to bias the jaws to their closed position. A trigger mechanism having a trip plate cooperating with a pivotal arm is used to releasably hold the jaws in their open position. A member connected to the jaws engages the arm so that the biasing force of the spring will hold the trip plate in its set position. When the trip plate is moved from its set position, the arm is released so that the spring will close the jaws. In one form of the invention, the trap has two pairs of jaws that are concurrently biased to their closed positions with pairs of coil torsion springs.

Abstract: A pair of rectangular frame members have intermeshed elongated members joining the long sides of the frames, the frames are pivotally mounted to a base member so that in the set position of the trap the frames and base together form a hollow triangular animal case, a trigger member releasably secures the frames in the set position, and spring means bias the frames to an overlapping folded position on the base member.

Abstract: An improved animal trap is provided in which a movable jaw is held in the set position and a trigger mechanism activated by entrance of an animal into the trap causes release of a latch member to allow a movable jaw to sharply and quickly strike the animal within the trap. The movable jaw whips rapidly into the animal generally causing immediate death of the animal by a sharp blow on the neck of the animal.

Abstract: A trap comprising a three-dimensional frame formed by a pair of spaced, superposed bent wire rings. A coil spring is mounted on the frame and its free end functions as a gripping arm capable of radial movement between the rings. Two-part latch means is mounted on one of the frame sides, near its mid-point, and operates pivotally in a plane transverse to the plane of the frame. Trigger means is attached to one of the latch members and lies spaced from and generally parallel to the frame plane when the trap is set.