Rodent trap with entrapping teeth

A plastic rodent trap having an upper jaw member and a lower base jaw member, the upper jaw member having integral parallel side flanges, the lower base jaw member having integral parallel side flanges, said side flanges of one of said jaw members having portions overlapping portions of the flanges of the other of said jaw members, the overlapping flange portions of one jaw member having openings therein and the flange portions of the other jaw member having integrally formed laterally extending extensions extending through said openings in the adjacent flange portions of the other jaw member to form a pivotal connection between the jaw members and defining a first pivot axis, a tension spring defining an axis of tension, the spring having a hook at one end of said spring, the hook engaging the upper jaw member and the other end of said spring having a hook which engages the lower base jaw member, the axis of tension being arranged to intersect the first pivot axis during movement of the jaw members between a set and a closed position, the improvement comprising:

• when the trap is in the set position, portions of the upper jaw member and portions of the lower base jaw member engaging to limit pivotal movement of the upper jaw member with respect to the lower base jaw member;
• and
• a trigger pivotally mounted about a second pivot axis to the base side flanges, the trigger having a plate portion bearing against depending portions of the upper jaw when the trap is in a set position, the trigger having a tongue which extends frontwardly, wherein downward motion of the tongue causes the trigger plate portion to pivot about the second pivot axis, and causing the plate portion to bear against the depending portions of the upper jaw member to cause the upper jaw member to move and the axis of tension to move through the first pivot axis, wherein the second pivot axis is located below the first pivot axis and rearwardly of the first pivot axis.

A plastic rodent trap having an upper jaw member and a lower base jaw member, the upper jaw member having integral parallel side flanges, the lower base jaw member having integral parallel side flanges, said side flanges of one of said jaw members having portions overlapping portions of the flanges of the other of said jaw members, the overlapping flange portions of one jaw member having openings therein and the flange portions of the other jaw member having integrally formed laterally extending extensions extending through said openings in the adjacent flange portions of the other jaw member to form a pivotal connection between the jaw members and defining a first pivot axis, a tension spring defining an axis of tension, the spring having a hook at one end of said spring, the hook engaging the upper jaw member and the other end of said spring having a hook which engages the lower base jaw member, the axis of tension being arranged to intersect the first pivot axis during movement of the jaw members between a set and a closed position, the improvement comprising:

• when the trap is in the set position, portions of the upper jaw member and portions of the lower base jaw member engaging to limit pivotal movement of the upper jaw member with respect to the lower base jaw member;
• and
• a trigger pivotally mounted about a second pivot axis to the base side flanges, the trigger having a plate portion bearing against depending portions of the upper jaw when the trap is in a set position, the trigger having a tongue which extends frontwardly, wherein downward motion of the tongue causes the trigger plate portion to pivot about the second pivot axis, and causing the plate portion to bear against the depending portions of the upper jaw member to cause the upper jaw member to move and the axis of tension to move through the first pivot axis, wherein the trigger tongue is joined to the trigger plate portion at an angle of about 160 degrees, and side flanges extend upwardly from the trigger plate portion and the tongue, the side flanges having outwardly extending stub shafts, the shafts rotating within portions of the base side flanges which define stub-shaft-receiving holes.

A rodent trap comprising:

• a plastic base having a forward portion with a front edge and two rearwardly extending side edges, each of which has a plurality of upwardly protruding rounded teeth constructed of plastic, the base having a rear portion extending rearwardly of the forward portion, and two side flanges which extend upwardly from the rear portion, the base forward portion defining a front entry for rodents, and two rearwardly extending side entries for rodents above the side edges;
• a plastic upper jaw having a forward portion with a plurality of downwardly protruding rounded teeth constructed of plastic, the upper jaw having a rear portion extending rearwardly of the upper jaw forward portion, the upper jaw rear portion having two downwardly extending side flanges, the downwardly extending side flanges of the upper jaw being pivotally mounted about a first pivot axis to the upwardly extending side flanges of the base, the upper jaw forward portion having a front portion and two rearwardly extending sides, the upper jaw forward portion front portion supporting some of the plurality of downwardly depending teeth, and each of the two rearwardly extending sides of the upper jaw forward portion supporting some of the plurality of downwardly depending rounded teeth arrayed in opposed position to the upwardly protruding teeth, the plurality of teeth on the sides of the upper jaw forward portion being opposed to the plurality of upwardly protruding teeth on the corresponding side edges of the base forward portion;
• a spring extending between the base and the upper jaw, wherein the upper jaw travels between a set position, in which the upper jaw teeth are spaced from the base teeth, and a closed position, in which the upper jaw teeth are closed toward, rest upon and interdigitate with the base teeth, such that the upper jaw forward portion front portion plurality of teeth interdigitate with the base forward portion front edge plurality of teeth, and the plurality of teeth on the upper jaw forward portion sides interdigitate with the base side edge teeth at both side entries.

A rodent trap comprising:

• a base having a forward portion and a rear portion extending rearwardly of the forward portion, and two side portions which extend upwardly from the rear portion;
• an upper jaw having a forward portion and a rear portion extending rearwardly of the upper jaw forward portion, the upper jaw rear portion having two downwardly extending side portions, the downwardly extending side portions of the upper jaw being pivotally mounted about a first pivot axis to the upwardly extending side portions of the base;
• a spring extending between a rear connection point on the rear portion of the base and a front connection point on the forward portion of the upper jaw, the spring defining an axis of tension, wherein the upper jaw travels between a set position, in which the axis of tension is positioned above the first pivot axis and a closed position, in which the axis of tension is below the first pivot axis;
• a trigger having a tongue and two upwardly extending side flanges, the side flanges being pivotally mounted to the base side portions to rotate about a second pivot axis, the trigger tongue being spaced below the second pivot axis, the second pivot axis being positioned below and rearward of the first pivot axis and above and forward of the spring rear connection point, wherein downward rotation of the trigger causes the upper jaw to rotate about the first axis until the tension axis is positioned below the first axis, resulting in the trap closing.

A rodent trap comprising:

• a base having a forward portion, a rear portion and upwardly extending side flanges;
• an upper jaw having a forward portion, a rear portion and downwardly extending side flanges, the downwardly extending side flanges of the upper jaw being pivotally mounted about a first pivot axis to the upwardly extending side flanges of the base;
• a coil spring extending between the rear portion of the base and the forward portion of the upper jaw, the coil spring defining an axis of tension;
• the rear portion of the base engaging the rear portion of the upper jaw when the trap is in a set position, the tension axis being positioned above the first pivot axis in the set position;
• a trigger pivotally mounted to the base side flanges about a second pivot axis below and rearward of the first pivot axis, the trigger having a frontwardly extending tongue which is mounted below the second pivot axis, and a rearwardly extending plate, the tension axis extending above the tongue when the trap is in the set position, the trigger plate abutting an interior jaw flange extending downwardly from the upper jaw when the trap is in the set position, the interior jaw flange engaging against the trigger plate to cause the trigger to rotate upwardly away from the forward portion of the base in the set position;
• and
• wherein when the tongue is urged downwardly towards the base, the trigger plate pushes against the interior jaw flange to cause the upper jaw to rotate about the first axis until the tension axis is positioned below the first axis, resulting in the trap closing.

A rodent trap comprising:

• a base having a forward portion, a rear portion extending rearwardly of the forward portion, and two side flanges which extend upwardly from the rear portion, the base forward portion defining a front entry for rodents, and two rearwardly extending side entries for rodents, each of the front and side entries having upwardly protruding teeth;
• an upper jaw having a forward portion, a rear portion extending rearwardly of the upper jaw forward portion, the upper jaw rear portion having two downwardly extending side flanges, the downwardly extending side flanges of the upper jaw being pivotally mounted about a first pivot axis to the upwardly extending side flanges of the base, the upper jaw forward portion defining a front top array of teeth, and two rearwardly extending side arrays of teeth;
• a spring extending between the rear portion of the base and the forward portion of the upper jaw, the spring defining an axis of tension;
• wherein the upper jaw travels between a set position, in which the axis of tension is positioned above the first pivot axis and the upper jaw teeth are spaced from the base teeth, and a closed position, in which the axis of tension is below the first pivot axis, and the upper jaw teeth are closed upon and interdigitated with the base teeth, with the upper jaw front array of teeth overlying the base front entry, and the upper jaw side arrays of teeth overlying the base side entries;
• a trigger pivotally mounted to the base side flanges about a second pivot axis below and rearward of the first pivot axis, wherein downward rotation of the trigger causes the upper jaw to rotate about the first axis until the tension axis is positioned below the first axis, resulting in the trap closing.

A rodent trap comprising:

• a base having a forward portion with a plurality of upwardly protruding teeth constructed of plastic having a thickness of about {fraction (1/10)}th of an inch, the base having a rear portion extending rearwardly of the forward portion, and two side flanges which extend upwardly from the rear portion, the base forward portion defining a front entry for rodents, and two rearwardly extending side entries for rodents, each of the front and side entries having the upwardly protruding teeth;
• an upper jaw having a forward portion with a plurality of downwardly protruding teeth constructed of plastic having a thickness of about {fraction (1/10)}th of an inch, the upper jaw having a rear portion extending rearwardly of the upper jaw forward portion, the upper jaw rear portion having two downwardly extending side flanges, the downwardly extending side flanges of the upper jaw being pivotally mounted about a first pivot axis to the upwardly extending side flanges of the base, the upper jaw forward portion having a front portion and two rearwardly extending sides supporting the plurality of downwardly depending teeth arrayed in opposed position to the upwardly protruding teeth;
• a spring extending between the rear portion of the base and the forward portion of the upper jaw, the spring defining an axis of tension;
• wherein the upper jaw travels between a set position, in which the axis of tension is positioned above the first pivot axis and the upper jaw teeth are spaced from the base teeth, and a closed position, in which the axis of tension is below the first pivot axis and the upper jaw teeth are closed toward, rest upon and interdigitate with the base teeth;
• a trigger pivotally mounted to the base side flanges about a second pivot axis below and rearward of the first pivot axis, wherein downward rotation of the trigger causes the upper jaw to rotate about the first axis until the tension axis is positioned below the first axis, resulting in the trap closing.