Adjustable animal trap
OwnerHenry L. Starkeyinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A humane animal trap which features an adjustment capability that permits a certain degree of selection of the type of animal which the trap will hold. In a preferred embodiment, the trap includes a snare in the form of a loop. When the trap is triggered, the loop is withdrawn into a housing. The final size of the loop, and hence the degree of pressure exerted by the loop, as well as the size of animal which may be trapped by the loop, may be adjusted by adjusting the degree to which the loop is withdrawn into the housing. The two ends of the snare which form the loop are preferably secured to a spring-loaded piston, whose final resting point in the generally tubular housing, after being sprung, may be adjusted by, for example, a pin secured transversely within the tubular housing in the path of travel of the piston.
Claims11
An animal trap, comprising a substantially tubular, elongated housing, spring loaded means movable longitudinally within said tubular housing between a set position and a released position defined by a stop member, and loop means for snaring an animal connected at least at one of its ends to said spring-loaded means so as to move therewith, said stop member having means for adjusting its position longitudinally within said housing for varying said released position of said spring-loaded means and the resulting size of the loop means protruding from the housing in said released position, wherein said spring-loaded means comprises a substantially cylindrical piston and spring means for urging said piston from said set position towards said released position, wherein said piston includes means for securing said loop means for snaring an animal thereto, wherein said loop means for snaring an animal comprises cable means having first and second ends at least one of which is secured by said securing means to said piston, said cable means extending outwardly from one end of said tubular housing to form a loop, wherein said securing means comprises a first aperture axially formed in said piston through which both said first and second ends of said cable means are positioned, and second and third apertures positioned transversely to and communicating with said first aperture, each of said second and third apertures receiving a threaded member for securing said cable ends.
An animal trap, comprising a substantially tubular, elongated housing, spring loaded means movable longitudinally within said tubular housing between a set position and a released position defined by a stop member, and loop means for snaring an animal connected at least at one of its ends to said spring-loaded means so as to move therewith, said stop member having means for adjusting its position longitudinally within the housing for varying said released position of said spring-loaded means and the resulting size of the loop means protruding from the housing in said released position, wherein said spring-loaded means comprises a substantially cylindrical piston and spring means for urging said piston from said set position towards said released position, further comprising keeper means for retaining said piston in its released position, wherein said keeper means comprises a keeper positioned on the edge of said piston and mating with an inclined surface on said piston, and spring means for urging said keeper upwardly along said inclined surface.
An animal trap, comprising a substantially tubular, elongated housing, spring loaded means movable longitudinally within said tubular housing between a set position and a released position defined by a stop member, and loop means for snaring an animal connected at least at one of its ends to said spring-loaded means so as to move therewith, said stop member having means for adjusting its position longitudinally within the housing for varying said released position of said spring-loaded means and the resulting size of the loop means protruding from the housing in said released position, wherein said spring-loaded means comprises a substantially cylindrical piston and spring means for urging said piston from said set position towards said released position, further comprising trigger means for retaining said piston in said set postion until triggered by an animal, wherein said trigger means comprises latch means pivotally mounted to said tubular housing and including a dog extending through an opening in said housing to engage said piston, and spring-biased means for urging said dog into engagement with said piston in opposition to the force exerted by said spring means, wherein said trigger means further comprises a trigger housing having an aperture therein formed by a flange, a trigger release rod connected to said latch means and extending through said aperture, said spring-biased means being positioned about said rod and engaged between said latch means and said flange in its set position, and a trip rod coupled to said release rod and adapted, when contacted by an animal, to cause said spring-biased means to come out of engagement with said flange.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.